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Hi all. Im considering to buy a touchpad for personal uses. I understand that webOS is rather ok, except for the lack of applications to play around with and thus android is there to save the day. However are there any major bugs in the android alpha builds? The price to me is very reasonable. Another thing that worries me is the internal memory, that is if the 16gb will run out fast? Please, any touchpad users just help me to recommend, that would be great!
Buying HP Touch pad and have ICS on it is worth it. After ICS update on HP Touch pad I have compare Motorola XOOM and HP Touch pad they both look same you will lot and lots of money buying HP Touch pad.
At firesale prices? Yes. Otherwise, why not wait for the next wave of ICS tablets to come out?
Its not really that firesale pirced where i'm from... abour 170USD.. but thats considered affordable still to me. But is it worth getting one? As in would i regret once i bought it?
thunderskain said:
Hi all. Im considering to buy a touchpad for personal uses. I understand that webOS is rather ok, except for the lack of applications to play around with and thus android is there to save the day. However are there any major bugs in the android alpha builds? The price to me is very reasonable. Another thing that worries me is the internal memory, that is if the 16gb will run out fast? Please, any touchpad users just help me to recommend, that would be great!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WebOS is under sung. It has some really cool features, and I'm personally hoping to see it grow and expand in the coming years.
That said, there's also Android. But as skypagers fails to point out...there are still quite a few significant bugs to be worked out in both Gingerbread and ICS builds. Including camera functionality, including chat (in both GB and ICS), video playback, including youtube (in the ICS builds), skype etc etc etc. The sh*t crashes and you might get force-closes and reboots...they're not uncommon at all.
But really it's personal preference. If you've got the scratch, just get a 64GB Transformer Prime with the docking station. If money means nothing, then avoid the HPTP. It's high maintenance, and still everything doesn't work. If you're looking for a badass deal on a great tablet that let's you modify, hack and tweak the f*ck out of it...then the HPTP is for you.
I got 2 32GB's in the 2nd firesale and my wife and I both love them. But my roommate just got his Transformer Prime...let's just say that now, I'm strongly considering selling mine to upgrade to the 700 when it drops in a few months.
I agree with danknee, if you can wait and have the loot. Get something that will be less maintenance. But if you can get a kickass deal, which would put a HPTP in your hands tomorrow...why wait?
I personally like web os better than Android. If you install preware and adjust a few things, the touchpad is rather enjoyable. While there is a lack of apps, if you're plans for the touchpad are mostly web browsing, music, video playback, and an occasional game, you'll have no regrets. And if you get bored or find yourself needing more, there's always android.
BTW, I own 2 32gb touchpads, one dualboots with cm7 and the other cm9. Space has never been an issue either. I have all seasons of archer, ugly Americans, bobs burgers, a half dozen hour long comedy specials, and a few gigs of music. With all that, still have 11gb free. So space hasn't been an issue yet.
sean is here. said:
WebOS is under sung. It has some really cool features, and I'm personally hoping to see it grow and expand in the coming years.
That said, there's also Android. But as skypagers fails to point out...there are still quite a few significant bugs to be worked out in both Gingerbread and ICS builds. Including camera functionality, including chat (in both GB and ICS), video playback, including youtube (in the ICS builds), skype etc etc etc. The sh*t crashes and you might get force-closes and reboots...they're not uncommon at all.
But really it's personal preference. If you've got the scratch, just get a 64GB Transformer Prime with the docking station. If money means nothing, then avoid the HPTP. It's high maintenance, and still everything doesn't work. If you're looking for a badass deal on a great tablet that let's you modify, hack and tweak the f*ck out of it...then the HPTP is for you.
I got 2 32GB's in the 2nd firesale and my wife and I both love them. But my roommate just got his Transformer Prime...let's just say that now, I'm strongly considering selling mine to upgrade to the 700 when it drops in a few months.
I agree with danknee, if you can wait and have the loot. Get something that will be less maintenance. But if you can get a kickass deal, which would put a HPTP in your hands tomorrow...why wait?
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the in deph analysis. I have to agree with what you said there. Understand the new ics tablets are a better choice for now but yeah, money wise is an issue so I have to lower my limits. Basically I don't really hve any uses for a tablet but just wanna get one so as to experience the tablet feel and when time to come I'm bored, I could just sell it off. So high priced tablets are a no go for me. Besides, the transformer prime does not seem to be available in my country yet.
Based on everyone replies, I think I could make a better choice now! Thanks guys!
Sent from my HTC Pyramid using xda premium
Consider this: ASUSEee Pad MeMO 370T. For about $250 you get a quad core 7" that comes with ICS. Of course you are going to have to wait to get one like the rest of us until the second quarter of the year. I'm planning on picking one of these bad boy when it comes out.
For what you want to do, no. For learning how to mess around with this stuff, sure. But its not a reliable device for everyday use not yet at least. Wait for the new wave of tablets and get something from a decent company like Asus or Samsung .
Fehnix22 said:
For what you want to do, no. For learning how to mess around with this stuff, sure. But its not a reliable device for everyday use not yet at least. Wait for the new wave of tablets and get something from a decent company like Asus or Samsung .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is good advice. I'd also say that even if you do get your Touchpad running Android as well as the rest of us, there might be some issues that will never go away. I'm not sure there are enough developer resources to fix the spotty WiFi, the sound distortion on sleep, the camera, or the dozens of other little imperfections. It's a device for the hobbyist.
I have most of my music collection on my 16 GB Touchpad and still have a few gigabytes left. It's good enough, although you'd only be able to store half a dozen movies on there at once.
While I think the touchpad is an awesome device and disagree with many of the complaints about CM9 being showstoppers, thought I'd share the Acer Iconia a500 is $299 on woot.com. Today only, while supplies last. 32 GB, 10.1" screen, tegra 2 1GHz dual core, 1GB RAM, microSD slot, running honeycomb. Similar specs to the TouchPad, but was designed for Android.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
Acer Iconia a500 is $299 on woot.com
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Click to collapse
don't think it worth 130$ more.
IMHO:
If you have low budget and you are not perfectionist - buy touchpad. Yes, it's not perfect, it still have some bugs in 2.3 but they are minor and overall it's working pretty good. And stable enough 4.0 we will probably see in next few months.
Also check 7" formfactor, if you like it then probably better to wait for asus 7" tablet for 250$.
If you have 500-600$ in your pocket that you don't need, wait for updated transformer prime or something like this
getbuzzin said:
Consider this: ASUSEee Pad MeMO 370T. For about $250 you get a quad core 7" that comes with ICS. Of course you are going to have to wait to get one like the rest of us until the second quarter of the year. I'm planning on picking one of these bad boy when it comes out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, heard about that and it sounds too good a bargain too. But does ASUS have good android development around? At least i can see that the touchpad has a ready team of developers right now...
and the $250 is the dual core model..
go for it, not only can u run android but web os and Linux this thing is pretty much the hd2 of tablets, I just picked up mine for 150$ and I'm loving it.
my honest review...
I've never owned an 'official' android tablet. I have 2 touchpads and one nook color. The HP touch pad is a great device. But there are some serious downsides:
1: fit & finish... there's a reason for so many refurbished models. My wife's is hardly used and has a cracked case near the speaker. It has maybe 2 hours of use total. And its been in a case 100% of the time. No explanation HP. None at all. I won't send it back because everything else works.
2: Android is a shoehorn and always will be. The current WIFI and kernel glitch are the only two real downsides to android on the Touch pad. If you use Gtalk w/video chat or Skype also stay away. The front camera isn't working, but it sucks anyways so IMO its not an issue. ICS is the only way to use the touch pad. GB was more stable but ICS is built for tablets and it shows. The kernel being very buggy for OTG is also a annoyance.
3: its a little heavier and a little thicker than the competition. Its noticeable but not really bad. The formfactor is also much different. The Touchpad is square like the iPad and the Xoom, 10.1, Transformer are more rectangular. If you like holding an original iPad then this isn't much different. Don't discount WebOS either. Its a very pretty OS. It has a lot of nice features. I don't use it much but its not awful and useless like some people make it. It is going to find much less use now that ICS brings that killer web browser.
My conclusion.....
The touchpad is still a sweet deal. 170ish for a 10in 1.5ghz 1GB ram 16GB is great. The nook tablet comes close but its more expensive and 7in. When you start getting close to 250 for a 32GB its a little rougher, especially with the deals on woot and stuff. Also compusa has refurb Transformer 16gb for 299 which isn't bad.
Sent From Nexi - The Galaxy Nexus
Google...basically gently rose up from the Shadows. Flexed it's muscles. And instantly KO'd every company making ****ty small tablets.
In one move. One fell swoop.
Speak softly and carrying a big stick. Well Played Google.
While I know we are a bit upset over the sd slot, and hdmi. You've got to admit, this makes pretty much any other 200 tablet a piece of garbage now.
Thoughts?
Lawyers everywhere are celebrating the arrival of the Nexus 7.
Google represents deep pockets, and every two-bit company with ripped-off patents will be looking to cash in.
Nah, they just like to set the price and standards on each subsequent generation of android devices. Asus was going to release it regardless, Google just changed the standard of such devices taking out what we would call standard features that most people won't need and lowing the price on said standard while keeping the same performance.
gotta give google some credit... they have the technology and know how to use it
While I was hoping it would have the original features of the memo pad as revealed as ces I'm thrilled by this tablet. I think having its software come directly from Google and carrying the nexus moniker more than makes up for the hardware changes.
This tablet was an excellent move by Google because not only is it great hardware wise, but the 7 inch market is where they can build a foothold on the tablet market.
I'm happy it is priced so competitively but to scoff at other companies giving less for more money bothers me. Google isn't making profit off this tablet. They hope to raise revenue from play store purchases, etc, but other companies that produce these need to make money off what they build. I don't begrudge them for that. In the end it would be nice for other stockish android tablet makers to either commit to keeping devices on the latest OS, or release source for drivers, etc when they discontinue support for them so that unofficial builds could continue.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Cel1084 said:
Nah, they just like to set the price and standards on each subsequent generation of android devices. Asus was going to release it regardless, Google just changed the standard of such devices taking out what we would call standard features that most people won't need and lowing the price on said standard while keeping the same performance.
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Click to collapse
Let's just hope other oems will follow this standard of pure android and follow the supposed 5 nexus devices this fall. I love my phone but I love pure Google also
Locklear308 said:
Google...basically gently rose up from the Shadows. Flexed it's muscles. And instantly KO'd every company making ****ty small tablets.
In one move. One fell swoop.
Speak softly and carrying a big stick. Well Played Google.
While I know we are a bit upset over the sd slot, and hdmi. You've got to admit, this makes pretty much any other 200 tablet a piece of garbage now.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They bought the rights to sell the ASUS ME370T rebranded as the nexus 7 with features removed.
They didn't KO ASUS.
That being said, I'm praying to Moore that their 10" nexus 10 is a rebranded infinity pad from ASUS.
jptech said:
That being said, I'm praying to Moore that their 10" nexus 10 is a rebranded infinity pad from ASUS.
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Click to collapse
no way at the rumored $300 price point. plus infinity is already released. no way you will get true HD 1080P nexus tablet with most powerful tegra3 variant(highest clocked, higher voltage, higher clocked gpu, bandwidth on controller increased) for that cheap. we can dream though..lol.
I see a nexus 10 model being closer to transformer 300 minus some features to lower price point. nexus 7 already uses exact same tegra3 chipset as in transformer 300, which is the T30L variant. So Asus/Google could build a Nexus based on that design. minus some features. corners have to be cut to make the cheaper price point.
Cel1084 said:
Asus was going to release it regardless, Google just changed the standard of such devices taking out what we would call standard features that most people won't need and lowing the price on said standard while keeping the same performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, google's only real contribution here was the hype (not insignifigant). And it's price for meddling was removal of features (like sd card) Asus was probably willing to include.
To be honest, I'm not sure it was worth it. And we can never really know, short of travelling to that alternate reality where Asus did release that $250 memo.
sent from my Terran Command Center.
thebobp said:
Yeah, google's only real contribution here was the hype (not insignifigant). And it's price for meddling was removal of features (like sd card) Asus was probably willing to include.
To be honest, I'm not sure it was worth it. And we can never really know, short of travelling to that alternate reality where Asus did release that $250 memo.
sent from my Terran Command Center.
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Click to collapse
More realistic for it to have been $350 and have ICS instead of Jelly Bean.
thebobp said:
Yeah, google's only real contribution here was the hype (not insignifigant). And it's price for meddling was removal of features (like sd card) Asus was probably willing to include.
To be honest, I'm not sure it was worth it. And we can never really know, short of travelling to that alternate reality where Asus did release that $250 memo.
sent from my Terran Command Center.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MWBehr said:
More realistic for it to have been $350 and have ICS instead of Jelly Bean.
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Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure his 250 quote came directly from Asus back when they announced they where releasing it.
I think N7 is the best move that Google could make with Android tablets. With N7, Google can
1. increase the market share, which is lagging iPad.
2. preempt the 7" iPad mini
3. kill cheap android tablets
4. set a standard to avoid fragmentation
5. diminish perception of android tablet = kindle fire
6. stepping stone for play store's long term success
anything I missed?
It might also bring down the price of some of the higher end tablets (are people really willing to pay an extra $xxx just to get feature xxx?)
Please don't think I'm defending lower hardware specs, but the truth is that Nexus devices are great for their SOFTWARE. Other than the Nexus One, these devices have been great, with good hardware but typically not bleeding edge. They contain enough to do what Google sets out to do. I used to be mad about this but now I'm quite happy. There's more to having a great device than the absolute edge of technology. When I got the Nexus S it was the best Gingerbread phone until Google release the next phone... the Galaxy Nexus. I have the GSM Galaxy Nexus now (ordered int'l in Jan) and though it wasn't the end all of hardware when it came out on paper... it is STILL the best ICS device as well. Now on JB, it simply flies. Why is this?
Simply, the way software and hardware are integrated, it's at Apple levels, dare I say. If you look at superior hardware phones like the One X and SGS III, there are hiccups and hangups or other things created by their custom UI's, etc. Plus, the software is written by Google for the Nexus devices to run well.
I'm not saying the galaxy nexus or other nexus device will have the highest benchmarks or play Temple Run the best, but they tend to function as a whole better than their brethren.
The Nexus 7 seems to be the same way. Jellybean is amazing. As Morfic stated, it makes ICS seem like Vista to Jellybean's Windows 7. It may be basically the same kernel, but it does everything it's predecessor does, better and more. Since they hired Mathias Duarte, I believe Android has not just the most functional OS of mobiles, but also the most cohesive and sharpest looking. All of this is my opinion of course, but I remember when GB came out and compared my Nexus S to the iPhone 4 and thought it still LOOKED a little rough. Now, in addition to it doing more, it looks and feels better as well.
My hope is that the Nexus 7 and Google's focus on this device will bring better Tablet UI apps and allows them to take market share from Apple the way they have done the past few years with their phones.
I think they killed all competition in the 7" Android market entirely I'm guessing, and maybe will do the same to the bigger Android tablets if the rumored 10" is released.
Unfortunately, I think this will cause other companies to not build 7" tablets with better specs since most people aren't going to pay much more to have them.. (Like video out, micro sd, haptic feedback, etc.)
The Toshiba Excite 7.7 16gb @ $500? Dead, dead, dead. Only big difference is microsd and AMOLED. And timely updates from Toshiba? Not likely.
Galaxy Tab 7.7? Hard to say. Only the Verizon model is available directly in the US, so maybe it will hang on since it has cell radio, MHL, haptic feedback, microsd, AMOLED, etc. But then again it's over DOUBLE the price. (Disclaimer: I love mine. Verizon, where is my ICS update????)
There are 10" tablets out there for about the same price as the N7, running ICS, with SD cards etc. And they'll sell about 3 of them - because 'joe public' doesn't buy noname chinese hardware that's (in their mind) 'too cheap'.
A google tablet, on the store shelves next to everything else, with google's name on it - they'll buy that. Then you start to shift a few. Then other manufacturers can start to shift a few, too, because suddenly people have friends with an android tablet and they want one too. 'Not an ipad' ceases to be the death blow that it is currently.
acegolfer said:
I think N7 is the best move that Google could make with Android tablets. With N7, Google can
1. increase the market share, which is lagging iPad.
2. preempt the 7" iPad mini
3. kill cheap android tablets
4. set a standard to avoid fragmentation
5. diminish perception of android tablet = kindle fire
6. stepping stone for play store's long term success
anything I missed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
a slap in apples face for their overpriced ipad and marketing condescending commercials :good:
TonyHoyle said:
There are 10" tablets out there for about the same price as the N7, running ICS, with SD cards etc. And they'll sell about 3 of them - because 'joe public' doesn't buy noname chinese hardware that's (in their mind) 'too cheap'.
A google tablet, on the store shelves next to everything else, with google's name on it - they'll buy that. Then you start to shift a few. Then other manufacturers can start to shift a few, too, because suddenly people have friends with an android tablet and they want one too. 'Not an ipad' ceases to be the death blow that it is currently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But these cheap tablets... The usually have no support, and no software updates, etc. That's also a huge reason ppl don't go buy them.
Sent from my Incredible S using xda app-developers app
Jayrod1980 said:
Please don't think I'm defending lower hardware specs, but the truth is that Nexus devices are great for their SOFTWARE. Other than the Nexus One, these devices have been great, with good hardware but typically not bleeding edge. They contain enough to do what Google sets out to do. I used to be mad about this but now I'm quite happy. There's more to having a great device than the absolute edge of technology. When I got the Nexus S it was the best Gingerbread phone until Google release the next phone... the Galaxy Nexus. I have the GSM Galaxy Nexus now (ordered int'l in Jan) and though it wasn't the end all of hardware when it came out on paper... it is STILL the best ICS device as well. Now on JB, it simply flies. Why is this?
Simply, the way software and hardware are integrated, it's at Apple levels, dare I say. If you look at superior hardware phones like the One X and SGS III, there are hiccups and hangups or other things created by their custom UI's, etc. Plus, the software is written by Google for the Nexus devices to run well.
I'm not saying the galaxy nexus or other nexus device will have the highest benchmarks or play Temple Run the best, but they tend to function as a whole better than their brethren.
The Nexus 7 seems to be the same way. Jellybean is amazing. As Morfic stated, it makes ICS seem like Vista to Jellybean's Windows 7. It may be basically the same kernel, but it does everything it's predecessor does, better and more. Since they hired Mathias Duarte, I believe Android has not just the most functional OS of mobiles, but also the most cohesive and sharpest looking. All of this is my opinion of course, but I remember when GB came out and compared my Nexus S to the iPhone 4 and thought it still LOOKED a little rough. Now, in addition to it doing more, it looks and feels better as well.
My hope is that the Nexus 7 and Google's focus on this device will bring better Tablet UI apps and allows them to take market share from Apple the way they have done the past few years with their phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you on some of the points but One x and SGSIII are not hick ups. One x might had some problems earlier but SGSIII never had any problem and it is the best ICS phone not Galaxy Nexus. I sold my Galaxy Nexus 2 weeks back and this was the first phone which does not make me feel wow about anything at all. It was doing everything at acceptable level but best at nothing. I agree that at $350 price tag it is a nice phone but I bought this phone only because I was short of money. Google did well with Nexus one, Nexus S and they were indeed best phones but Galaxy Nexus was just okay sort of phone even when it was released last year. I think the new Nexus would be much better which hopefully would be released later this year.
On the other hand what you have said about Nexus 7 on the other hand is true. Even though I have iPad 3 64GB with 4G but I understand what google is trying to do with Nexus 7 and I love what they did. I was looking for a good 7 inch tablet and there was nothing good in the market in 7 inch beside toshiba 7.7 but it was too pricey. Who is going to pay more than 500 for a 7.7 inch android tablet? Google on the other hand done very well by introducing Nexus 7 only for 200 and nothing can beat it at this price point or even nothing with 300 more price tag can beat it. It is even better than Asus Pad TF300 which cost way more than Nexus 7. The 7 inch form factor is also great and google made a very good choice.
Well, given that everyone seems to be giving their opinions, why should I be left behind?
The background: Thought I'd start by giving an introduction of myself. I'm 17 and my first ever touch-screen smart device was an iPod Touch 2G back in 2009. The next year I bought an iPod Touch 3G (and a white MacBook which is still my primary laptop, although I do own 2 more far more powerful desktops and another HP laptop if anybody gives a damn). The same year, I stepped into Android by purchasing a HTC Desire (actually a Galaxy S but replaced it with a Desire since I bricked it first thing). I wasn't new to ROM flashing and all since my father had owned a HTC Herald and I used to flash ROMs to it for fun, hence I was pretty familiar with XDA since 2007 or so. Subsequent months later I exchanged the Desire for a Galaxy S (in early 2011), then I went on to purchase a Galaxy Note on launch (imported from Germany) and Google gave me a Galaxy Nexus when I went to Googleplex as a reward. So currently I own a Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy Note and Galaxy S all running in their top condition. The Nexus is running stock Jelly Bean with franco's kernel, Galaxy S is rocking CM10 and Note is currently running Samsung's stock ICS.
The iPad 2: As far as tablets goes, I imported an iPad 2 (I know I know, call the cavalry) right on launch and so far that has been my only tablet to date. So, yes. I will be comparing this with the iPad 2, I'd say I'm not very inclined on either camp, although I prefer Android over iOS.
The Nexus 7: Long story short, I wanted this. Plain and simple. I've always wanted to own an Android tablet, and 7" form factor is something I've been willing to try. Came Nexus 7, I simply wanted this. It seemed like the best idea. So I got one, made a deal on XDA with GarJones27 and got the thing imported, arrived within 3 days on Friday and been using it since then. So let the opinions begin.
The build: It feels damn sturdy for a 250$ tablet (I have the 16GB edition), the grip and feel is quite nice. The rubberised back coupled with the gloss of the front feels fairly good in my hands. I'd say it feels better than an naked iPad which feels kind of cold and metallic. Thankfully I don't have any defects that have been plaguing a good number of people. If I have one complaint, I'd say that I prefer the power and volume rockers on opposite sides. I keep pressing the power button when trying to increase volume, apart from that it's great and has a nice and heavy premium feel to it.
The display: First thing one notices when he/she fires the tablet. The display on Nexus 7 is pretty good. I'd say it's better than the one on iPad but slightly worse than the one on Galaxy Nexus/Note when it comes to colour reproductions. Although mine Galaxy Nexus has colour corrected through franco's app, so there's still a pretty good hope. But it's still quite good. The brightness is okay, good for indoors but can be not enough for outdoors. Overall I'd say it's a pretty usable display.
The JellyBeans: The greatest Android OS to date, and it is truly one of the best mobile OS I've used. It's much faster than previous iterations of Android, whether on Nexus 7 or my Galaxy Nexus. It just feels fast. The notifications are quite a treat as well along with general improvements throughout the UI. Up until Gingerbread, I've more or less hated the stock Android experience, I've been more inclined towards HTC Sense or MIUI. But since ICS, I've been keeping as stock as I can. With JellyBean it's the same story, it's just a better ICS with no (real) downsides. On Nexus 7 we're presented with a new "hybrid" UI. Can't say I'm happy or sad about it, it feels a little bit to phone-ish but the tablet experience is still their and well. The slimmed notifications look good. I've also tried the true tablet UI on Nexus 7 (DPI 160), and it's pretty good as well except maybe the font's a bit too small in some cases. Can't say I really prefer that over Google's hybrid UI although I love the bottom status bar. I still have to try the patches to enable tablet UI on this DPI, will try those as well. At this point though I'm pretty content with the hybrid UI and in more ways than not, it makes sense on a tablet this size.
My only other tablet OS experience has been iOS, and it's also been a pretty good one. Although limited, it still works quite well and has a lot of capabilities. iOS can still be considered smoother overall although not by much. Plus given the trade-offs one makes and the fact that the tablet itself costs half of the iPad, it's not bad at all.
The apps: This is one area where iOS beats Android hands down, especially when it comes to quality apps (even more so games) for tablets. Since I'm a big gamer, my primary concern is and always has been games. Although the scene on Android isn't bad with plenty of big-name games coming on Android with nice graphics, the situation over iOS is simply better. I own a lot of games on both platforms, more so on iOS (~300$ worth of games) than Android. But I see the situation improving, and am hoping with time things will be even better (especially with the Tegra 3 games coming around). This tablet is especially great if you game a lot and want Android, because of Tegra exclusive games out their. I'd love to see more games optimised for Tegra, as the ones which are are simply great when it comes to graphics (and I own a whole bunch of them)
The performance: It's a 200$ tablet made by ASUS...and has a bloody Tegra 3 in it! That's the second best SoC available in the market (after Exynos Quad) and it simply shows. Although it has a downclocked version of Tegra 3 when compared to bigger guns, the downclocking isn't much and if felt, can be simply overclocked (this is what this entire site is about!). The tablet is pretty smooth throughout, even when playing games and constantly shifting back and forth tasks. Can't say much, if you want benchies then I guess you can just Google them.
The camera: Couldn't care less...
The microSD slot (or lack thereof): Perhaps my only biggest gripe with the N7 is the lack of a microSD slot, I got a 64GB card on my 16GB Note and it still isn't enough. I've already got 8GB worth of apps on my N7 and still need to download a couple. Although with USB-OTG the situation isn't as bad but I could definitely use a microSD card slot.
The other things: The speakers are okay. They work but nothing to be proud of. I know it doesn't have 3G and while it can be a disadvantage for some, I always have my phone with me. So I can always tether.
The summary: It's a great tablet, period. Short of the lack of microSD slot and perhaps the potential build problems (which I don't have BTW), I can't really flaw it. If you're in the market for a tablet, get it. Just make sure the 7" form factor is for you.
Nice mini-review. One massive advantage the Nexus 7 has over the ipad (even if you jailbreak it) when it comes to gaming is the fact that you can install fully featured emulators as well pair a ps3 controller if you want to. This means you've got access to play literally millions of games on that tablet.
I challenge you to find a better 3D platformer than Mario 64 on iOS
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
I'll give you the controller argument but AFAIK iPad also has a good number of emulators. I remember completing Pokemon Fire Red and Emerald on my iPad.
Having to jailbreak the iPad, fight with the lack of a user-accessible file system and having to go through the whole jailbreaking process each time an update comes out. Meh. I'll stick with a proper operating system I think... And that's being completely unbiased having owned every generation of iPhone and iPad.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app
Fair enough, the process on iOS is far more complex and I agree with that.
I'm looking for an on-the-cheap 9.7 - 10.1 tablet. I was looking at a variety of options, like the Le Pan II, but I've seen a couple Touchpad's floating around $100-$150, so this is certainly a viable option.
But do you guys think this is still a good buy?
Yes! I've updated to jellybean and it's running great, as snappy as my girlfriends nexus 7
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tjw345 said:
I'm looking for an on-the-cheap 9.7 - 10.1 tablet. I was looking at a variety of options, like the Le Pan II, but I've seen a couple Touchpad's floating around $100-$150, so this is certainly a viable option.
But do you guys think this is still a good buy?
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I use phonearena.com to compare specs when I'm shopping for stuff like this... it isn't the end all be all, but it gives you a general idea.
I personally think a Touchpad for 100ish is still a great bargain.
It really depends on your use case. The TP is great, and for someone who is used to Android it's wonderful. A week ago I would have recommended it without hesitation. But I helped a friend who is MUCH more tech-savvy than myself install Android on a TP yesterday. I realized that just maintaining the thing is significantly more complicated than I, someone who has gotten used to TP Android's little quirks like it's second nature, realize.
TLDR; if you like tweaking and such, the TP is great; if you want it to just work, get something meant for Android.
Orphaned TP's a good deal?
bananagranola said:
It really depends on your use case. The TP is great, and for someone who is used to Android it's wonderful. A week ago I would have recommended it without hesitation. But I helped a friend who is MUCH more tech-savvy than myself install Android on a TP yesterday. I realized that just maintaining the thing is significantly more complicated than I, someone who has gotten used to TP Android's little quirks like it's second nature, realize.
TLDR; if you like tweaking and such, the TP is great; if you want it to just work, get something meant for Android.
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What other year and a half old 10 inch tablet is still selling for its original, (discounted), price? What other ... is still being updated to the latest and greatest Android? There must be something to these orphaned tablets besides a perverse sense of humour in the geek community. PS - my family has three. I would recomend the 32GB models and check for no cracks in the plastic around the speakers. Craigs List is your friend.
At $100 even at $150 its a great buy. Given the ugly 100 tablets that off brand companies are releasing. I think hardware wise the touch pad is better than the Kindle fire. Some one correct me on that if I'm wrong.
Posted from my Verizon Employee Edition DROID DNA #01749.
Bought mine for $150 with 2 cases, charger, fancy wireless charger and sweet Pelican case for $150 and I am happy. Would I be more happy with a rear 5-8 megapixel camera, SIM card slot and GPS? Sure. But my phone works just as well for that.
I spent $75 for mine(because of a bad charger), picked up the charger, case and TouchStone for a extra $50, and have JB running. It runs fantastic! Only issues I don't care for, No ext SD, GPS and the DPI for the TP is a bit low, so the display is not as good as some of the newer devices. But for the money, you cant get better(IMO)
I have one with the latest CM9 release directly from CM. It runs perfectly. Video is blazing fast and looks great (e.g. Youtube app). The low priced tablets out there are garbage. This is fast, runs CM perfectly, and is a bargain. I think the screen looks better than my Nexus 7.
I've got two, a 16GB with Jellybean I've been using for over a year and a new 32GB still with plastic one, good little tablets.
Yes! I'm so tempted to purchase another from Craigslist. Its so cheap!
[Nik's $3, Odexed Blue 2.0, XDA Premium]
I miss my tp. Got it new for 150 enjoyed it till this summer and sold it for 200$ had ics on it at the time.. Ran supper smoothly.. Found it very easy to upgrade..
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I think the touchpad is still a very good option. Big screen, cheap, and the hardware isn't so out of date yet. I'll probably be using mine for many years to come. Did I mention cheap?
sent from a secret underground bunker
I was lucky to buy mine during the original $99 firesale. And I was pretty happy with it when it was webOS only (only gripe was the lack of apps) especially back when they offered free apps in their monthly newsletter emailed out. And I have been even happier with it having gone through the transition through different Android ROMs (initially the CM9 nightlies, then RandonROM Falcon 1.2, then SGA's Fat 'n Creamy CM9 and now OaT's Light 'n Tasty Jelly Bean) that have been stable, fast, and added the extensive Android app market. Dual-booting between webOS and Android added unique capabilities that even iPad users didn't ave, and finally with the latest CM9 and new CM10 ROMs the working cameras completed the Android experience on TouchPads.
That all said... I don't know if I would always recommend going the TouchPad route to others. I'd only recommend it with a caveat... that you are somewhat comfortable working on computers and able to follow directions, at the risk of bricking your investment. I am not the most technically savvy person, but I am somewhat comfortable with computers and I do have the ability to follow directions and stay calm when something out of the ordinary happens. And... I am very comfortable asking questions and asking for help. I have rooted my cellphone as well (invoking a bit more risk... since if I brick the tablet I am out $100, the phone costs more to replace plus I lose cellphone access for a while). In fact, some times I actually enjoy the process (uh oh... am I becoming a "flashaholic?" :laugh: ).
If you aren't (comfortable with computers, able to follow directions, willing to ask questions and get help)... I'd suggest spending a bit more (eg $200) and getting the Nexus7, or a sale on a current name brand Android tablet, or a IPad Mini. That way you get a currently supported product and still have all the positives without risk. My wife has an old Apple tablet and it simply works (and works simply). My daughters can help her if she needs to download an app, or figure out how to reset something. She doesn't have to search through different web sites, bulletin boards, and exchanges postings to get info, answers, or help. She doesn't have to reboot, reflash ROMs or Nandroids, or download app tools to resolve issues. Sure, there are things she can't do... but most of the time, she gives me a look and asks "Why would I want to do that anyway?".
Sorry if this was a babble... but I sometimes take the different view... hopefully it helps.
Just pickup a second one 32G Mint condition for my Mom $125 4 hours ago. It's still a great buy for a cheap tablet. I picked up from a daddy selling for his lil girl to exchange the Ipad Mini, there is no Android on it and like brand new, no cracked around speakers. Just put in CM9 Nightlife and running so smooth.
in my opinion, if you know how to update and maintain your Hp touchpad, it's a great bargain. Otherwise, you will be stuck at some points. I'm a read and follow person, I read and do carefully what the instructions tell me to do so all of my android devices are great , thanks to XDA
For $100-150,touchpad is the best choice for tablet.
But you really need to spend time on it. Search, post, download , flash...you have to send quite some time on it and may also encounter issues. But it is smooth , elegant, and full of support from best developers in the world!
Thanks to all developers , you make life with touchpad different!
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Still a great buy no doubt about it! I just picked up a 32gb one about a week ago for $150 and I'm extremely happy with it, running really smooth on CM10 JB 4.1.2 plus having a blast with the tablet remote app!
As long as you know how to flash go for it.... :good:
Thanks to all the developers hard work we can all enjoy what they do (greatly appreciated).
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I was thinking of geting my wife a nexus 7. i know she would love a bigger screen. but with that said do the cm9 cm10 roms have any big issues. she uses it to play alot of games check facebook surf the web. she definately needs something that runs fast and smooth. We have had dual core phones and have used single core 1ghz tablets. The single core is fine for our kids but they just seem slow loading to us. Would i have this problem with touchpad
affiatic said:
I was thinking of geting my wife a nexus 7. i know she would love a bigger screen. but with that said do the cm9 cm10 roms have any big issues. she uses it to play alot of games check facebook surf the web. she definately needs something that runs fast and smooth. We have had dual core phones and have used single core 1ghz tablets. The single core is fine for our kids but they just seem slow loading to us. Would i have this problem with touchpad
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I never tried CM9 but running CM10 and have no complaints streaming movies, music, games and web experience it's all smooth as butter!
I'm thinking of buying a cheap tablet for my parents and cannot figure out if I should keep the TP or switch to a new chinese quad-core tablet or buy another TP.
What I don't like about the TP is that it is getting slow, especially when browsing but even simple things like app menu. I'm on OAT LNT 1222 (4.1.2) so it should be the fastest one around, no overclocking. The case is also starting to crack, I only get about 16h of standby with WiFi on, no GPS (not that I use it) and no HDMI. A bit heavy as well compared to the newer tablets. A nice plus though is the IPS screen and generally good responsiveness on the touchscreen.
I've seen some offers for quad core chinese tablets at around 170-200$ (dx) but the last ones I've seen a year ago were really terrible: crap screen, crap touch, battery life around 3-4h and very laggy. Not to mention the form factor of a brick with fullsize ethernet and usb. Generally not updateable from GB, but that was more than one year ago.
Or maybe I should jump straight to N7? That's already a bit more expensive and I'm pretty happy with the TP. My parents also don't need any other feature than basic browsing and gallery.
If the N7 size is acceptable, have you looked at the HP Slate 7? $170 from HP's website.
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For basic browsing and gallery, I would definitely stick with the TP. It does those things fine, so given your use case, I personally would think going out and buying something else unnecessary. However, if they plan on doing more with it, I would say N7. It is a little bit more money, but after some poor experiences with Chinese hardware in general I wouldn't buy a Chinese tablet. The $50 differential isn't worth the drop in build quality for me.
brainwash123 said:
I'm thinking of buying a cheap tablet for my parents and cannot figure out if I should keep the TP or switch to a new chinese quad-core tablet or buy another TP.
What I don't like about the TP is that it is getting slow, especially when browsing but even simple things like app menu. I'm on OAT LNT 1222 (4.1.2) so it should be the fastest one around, no overclocking. The case is also starting to crack, I only get about 16h of standby with WiFi on, no GPS (not that I use it) and no HDMI. A bit heavy as well compared to the newer tablets. A nice plus though is the IPS screen and generally good responsiveness on the touchscreen.
I've seen some offers for quad core chinese tablets at around 170-200$ (dx) but the last ones I've seen a year ago were really terrible: crap screen, crap touch, battery life around 3-4h and very laggy. Not to mention the form factor of a brick with fullsize ethernet and usb. Generally not updateable from GB, but that was more than one year ago.
Or maybe I should jump straight to N7? That's already a bit more expensive and I'm pretty happy with the TP. My parents also don't need any other feature than basic browsing and gallery.
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Click to collapse
I like the tp, if only for the dual booting, webos & android.
AFAIK, the tp doesn't have the hardware for either gps or hdmi.
would also stay away from No Name China Models, yes they are cheaper & seem to have more features yet there is always something that doesn't work properly on these Tablets...go over to 'Tablet Republic' and check out reviews on some of these newer & older models and you will see....just from my short experience with two of these Chinese models i will never go that route again...plus returning one of these if there is a problem is a nightmare.
Personally i would suggest HP of-course & then Asus/ Acer or Samsung.
If it just for your parents I would suggest iPad Mini ( around $300 Now ) in stead of TP. Because what they need is easy to use and a great experience.I think iPad Mini is competent for this. Not suggest TP which is used for "playing" as a toy not just for browsing or reading, right
Just stay away from No Name China Models like sando7 said. Even lots of Chinese would not pay money for that.
brainwash123 said:
I'm thinking of buying a cheap tablet for my parents and cannot figure out if I should keep the TP or switch to a new chinese quad-core tablet or buy another TP.
What I don't like about the TP is that it is getting slow, especially when browsing but even simple things like app menu. I'm on OAT LNT 1222 (4.1.2) so it should be the fastest one around, no overclocking. The case is also starting to crack, I only get about 16h of standby with WiFi on, no GPS (not that I use it) and no HDMI. A bit heavy as well compared to the newer tablets. A nice plus though is the IPS screen and generally good responsiveness on the touchscreen.
I've seen some offers for quad core chinese tablets at around 170-200$ (dx) but the last ones I've seen a year ago were really terrible: crap screen, crap touch, battery life around 3-4h and very laggy. Not to mention the form factor of a brick with fullsize ethernet and usb. Generally not updateable from GB, but that was more than one year ago.
Or maybe I should jump straight to N7? That's already a bit more expensive and I'm pretty happy with the TP. My parents also don't need any other feature than basic browsing and gallery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you figure that OAT LNT 1222 should be the fastest ROM for the TouchPad? Maybe you should try a different ROM. Or start from scratch and re-flash the ROM. That could clean some stuff up. As for a tablet for your parents, like others have said, dont buy a chinese tablet. You wont find much, if any, support for them around here. Probably no ROMs or anything. If you hold out longer, it is rumored that the nexus 7 will drop in price this summer. Probably after Google I/O next week.
http://bgr.com/2013/04/03/nexus-77-release-date-reuters-411955/
Here is the Onda V972 and Antutu benchmark. This is based on the current best chipset that the Chinese tablets seem to utilize (A31).
If you like the iPad mini this is also a good option. Onda V813 and the Antutu benchmark
Onda is the same company that makes Archos and is trying very hard to become a reputable brand (at least among the cheap tabs )
Unfortunately the ROM's are not very well optimized and cause lag and some issues. The foremost example would be poor WiFi performance. The Onda models do not have Bluetooth, and the sound quality is frequently reported to be poor (quiet and crackles).
I intend to get one for testing in the near future, I've never had a Chinese tab before.
a new N7 will probably be announced next week
Basic internet peddling and a few basic games and emails... HP Touchpad all the way.
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Current CM9 (latest nightly) and CM10 ( http://goo.im/devs/jcsullins/cmtouc...L-tenderloin-FOR_LIMITED_TESTING_ONLY_CAM.zip ) have MUCH improved standby time.
I'd suggest doing a fresh install of CM10 from the link above ( see http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2147284 ) and see
how well it works.
Switch to cyanogenmod immediately! I'm on official 9 nightlys and it's awesome. Don't waste your money.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
Chinese Tablets
Iv'e used the TP for quite a long time. I also checked some of the Chinese tablets and bought one (NOVO 7 VENUS).
After i got that, i did not even feel like touching the TP.
Its Quad Core, 1GB DDR3 RAM, 1280x800 IPS screen with ALPS touch control.
Its for 135 bucks.
For that price, this is a must have. Dont buy another TP. Buy this.
Jus2ruff said:
Iv'e used the TP for quite a long time. I also checked some of the Chinese tablets and bought one (NOVO 7 VENUS).
After i got that, i did not even feel like touching the TP.
Its Quad Core, 1GB DDR3 RAM, 1280x800 IPS screen with ALPS touch control.
Its for 135 bucks.
For that price, this is a must have. Dont buy another TP. Buy this.
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What a terrible suggestion! Ainol make terrible tablets, they have no communities and lack cyanogenmod support (unless you use plenty of patches to get the A10 chip working with it) they're too much hassle, feel very cheap, and preform terribly.
HPTP > anything from Ainol
If there is any chinese tablet I would recommend to you, it would be the Hyundai T7. Its has a quad core Samsung exynos processor!
at 1280*800 IPS Screen, a front 0.3mp camera, and a rear 2mp camera. It supports USB OTG. It also out preforms the Nexus 7 in benchmarks. Its only $148.49!
http://www.pandawill.com/hyundai-t7-quad-core-tablet-pc.html
GizModio said:
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What a terrible suggestion! Ainol make terrible tablets, they have no communities and lack cyanogenmod support (unless you use plenty of patches to get the A10 chip working with it) they're too much hassle, feel very cheap, and preform terribly.
HPTP > anything from Ainol
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Click to collapse
Have you ever checked the Slatedroid forum? Stop talking crap.
Ainol's tablets are one of the best for the price.
If I wanted to buy a 10 inch tablet, I would buy Cube U30GT2. It has quad-core CPU, 2 gigs of memory, high-PPI display, huge battery, cameras, etc, etc, etc. TP is good, but it's outdated.
I've actually been debating this for a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time. Because it is this disdain for 4:3 Android tablets (lol), I've either been looking at Chinese tablets or an iPad. The Chinese tablet that has my eye right now is the Freelander PD800HD, with the high res 9.7" screen, Exynos 5250, 2GB RAM, and 16GB storage. I love my TP but right now, it will either be that or an iPad.
nitrobg said:
Have you ever checked the Slatedroid forum? Stop talking crap.
Ainol's tablets are one of the best for the price.
If I wanted to buy a 10 inch tablet, I would buy Cube U30GT2. It has quad-core CPU, 2 gigs of memory, high-PPI display, huge battery, cameras, etc, etc, etc. TP is good, but it's outdated.
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Have you owned one? And this is XDA not slatedroid
I've had my TP for a while now and it still does everything I need it to do really but I've been getting the itch to upgrade here recently. More so after Amazon's trade in offer.
I've looked at a few of the Chinese tablets but none of them seem to have a dev community at all which puts a damper on my enthusiasm. Unless manufacturer updates for these tabs is a bunch quicker than their US mainstream brethren, I don't think I could deal. I like updates too much.
Heck, with the recent price cuts to the B&N Nook HD and HD+ (1080p screen amazingly enough) I may just go that route instead of a high powered Chinese tab.