the tablet war is heating up

[falcarrion]

Seeing the frustration of the Xoom owners online is a big reason I've held back...because otherwise, the hardware does seem pretty nice. Feels more solid than the iPad 2.

In my experiance I found the Ipad and Ipad 2 to be very solid. I haven't had any problems. I curious why you feel it feels more solid then the Ipad2.
If it is a preference for Android over iOS I can understand that. Some either love it or hate it. And nothing you can say will change that for some people. I have been extremely happy with the Ipads. It seems that there are some great Android tablets coming out too. Samsung, Toshiba and others. I'm very causious when reading reports on some of the websites. Some sites can be very bias one way or the other. I'm in no way saying anything you said is a slam in any way. I just want to know why you feel that way.

 

[Banshee16]

In my experiance I found the Ipad and Ipad 2 to be very solid. I haven't had any problems. I curious why you feel it feels more solid then the Ipad2.
If it is a preference for Android over iOS I can understand that. Some either love it or hate it. And nothing you can say will change that for some people. I have been extremely happy with the Ipads. It seems that there are some great Android tablets coming out too. Samsung, Toshiba and others. I'm very causious when reading reports on some of the websites. Some sites can be very bias one way or the other. I'm in no way saying anything you said is a slam in any way. I just want to know why you feel that way.

There is a factor of personal preference. I have an iPhone 4, and I think, once my contract has expired, I'll just convert it to an iPod, and get a different phone. I'm not a big fan of the Apple walled garden. This was my first Apple product since the late 80's, and I can't say I'm any more a fan now than I was then. Personal preference.

As to weight and build....I know it sounds irrational, but something with a bit of heft to it just feels more solid to me. I know it's not rational, and probably not even correct....but it's my gut that gives me that feeling. Know what I mean? I think the Galaxy Tab 10.1 could be interesting too....but, aside from the lack of port for expandable memory, and my concerns about Samsung updating software, there's also the simple fact that it's even thinner/lighter than the iPad 2, and it just makes me wonder how solid it is, on that gut level.

Again, I'm not saying my feelings are right. My two business partners have iPad 2's....and they both love them. I've used theirs, and they *are* cool devices....just not for me...they feel so light......and I remember my partner squawking at me, when we went to a meeting, and he put his iPad 2 down on the conference room desk on a pad of paper, and, without thinking, I didn't even notice, and put my 17" laptop down on top of his iPad 2, and then put my computer bag on top of that while I mucked around looking for power cables. Thankfully it wasn't damaged...but I can be rough with my stuff, and if something is too light, I'm the kind of person who's more liable to do something stupid like put it where it'll get damaged. If it's got more heft to it, I tend to be more aware, and more careful.

Of course, the idea is that if I get a tablet, I'm not going to be carting this laptop around to client offices for presentations.

I think, just given how I feel about the battery on the iPhone 4, that I might feel most comfortable with the Toshiba Thrive tablet, where I can replace the battery without having to send it back to the manufacturer. Again, call me irrational, but I look at that little battery icon on the iPhone 4, and watch the battery drain down in percentage every minute or so, and that just aggravates me. I'm not saying it's rational.....just it's something that bugs me.

But I'm not making any choices until I actually see these devices. I'm not big on preordering.

One of the things I like about Android tablets is the USB host connectivity. Sometimes I'm doing photography at client prems, and one of the common errors I have is focus issues that I don't pick up on until I get back to the office and offload the images from the camera onto a larger screen....then I have to drive back out to replace the photos. With a tablet, I could see hooking the tablet to the camera, checking the photos right there, and correcting any problems all in one shot.

Banshee

 

[Relique du Madde]

IMO, it would be a PR disaster for them to start selling an actual Xoom 2 when the Xoom 1 customers are still waiting for promised functionality.

I definitely understand the American customers not having the micro SD. But they've at least had 3.1, whereas customers outside of the U.S. don't even have that. Plus, Google Movies and a bunch of other services are also disabled.

Xoom 1 HAS been a pr disaster.

Xoom Wifi had it for about a week to two weeks. I suspect that google and the carriers decided to give it to people with 3g/4g first because "You'll get money." Though, what's weird is that I sware I heard hat you need to connect to wifi to actually download (like google music beta) so giving it to carriers first makes no sense.

What's suspicious about the whole thing with Xoom updates, however, is why companies like ASUS can simultaneously update all their customers, worldwide, in one shot, whereas Motorola has to wait months to handle customers outside of the U.S.

Banshee

That's actually been my biggest complaint about Motorola during the last several months. It's almost as is Sam Sung handed them the "Worst Android Device support" ball and they decided to keep it in a golden box.

 

[falcarrion]

There is a factor of personal preference. I have an iPhone 4, and I think, once my contract has expired, I'll just convert it to an iPod, and get a different phone. I'm not a big fan of the Apple walled garden. This was my first Apple product since the late 80's, and I can't say I'm any more a fan now than I was then. Personal preference.

As to weight and build....I know it sounds irrational, but something with a bit of heft to it just feels more solid to me. I know it's not rational, and probably not even correct....but it's my gut that gives me that feeling. Know what I mean? I think the Galaxy Tab 10.1 could be interesting too....but, aside from the lack of port for expandable memory, and my concerns about Samsung updating software, there's also the simple fact that it's even thinner/lighter than the iPad 2, and it just makes me wonder how solid it is, on that gut level.

Again, I'm not saying my feelings are right. My two business partners have iPad 2's....and they both love them. I've used theirs, and they *are* cool devices....just not for me...they feel so light......and I remember my partner squawking at me, when we went to a meeting, and he put his iPad 2 down on the conference room desk on a pad of paper, and, without thinking, I didn't even notice, and put my 17" laptop down on top of his iPad 2, and then put my computer bag on top of that while I mucked around looking for power cables. Thankfully it wasn't damaged...but I can be rough with my stuff, and if something is too light, I'm the kind of person who's more liable to do something stupid like put it where it'll get damaged. If it's got more heft to it, I tend to be more aware, and more careful.

Of course, the idea is that if I get a tablet, I'm not going to be carting this laptop around to client offices for presentations.

I think, just given how I feel about the battery on the iPhone 4, that I might feel most comfortable with the Toshiba Thrive tablet, where I can replace the battery without having to send it back to the manufacturer. Again, call me irrational, but I look at that little battery icon on the iPhone 4, and watch the battery drain down in percentage every minute or so, and that just aggravates me. I'm not saying it's rational.....just it's something that bugs me.

But I'm not making any choices until I actually see these devices. I'm not big on preordering.

One of the things I like about Android tablets is the USB host connectivity. Sometimes I'm doing photography at client prems, and one of the common errors I have is focus issues that I don't pick up on until I get back to the office and offload the images from the camera onto a larger screen....then I have to drive back out to replace the photos. With a tablet, I could see hooking the tablet to the camera, checking the photos right there, and correcting any problems all in one shot.

Banshee

I just got back from Bestbuy. I was able to check out the new Galaxy tab.
You are so right about no other connections. I couldn't tell the different in weight with the ipad 2. I can understand what you mean with the weight with the Xoom. But the unit ran quite nicely. The only problem was the screen would go dark in seconds, but it took a little while for me to find where to change the settings. But that didn't help. I figured its just how the demo was setup. flipping from one screen to another was just a little different. It was more of a snap to screen then the smooth switching I use to with the pad. It did seem just as fast though. It was running 3.0 which is very nice.
With more people using cloud storage the missing ports may not be a problem for them. I beleive they will be selling adapters that work like the ipads.
Now I'm no photogarphy expert. so I'm not sure what you use, but have you checked out Eye-fi products? They have new card called Eye-Fi Mobile X2 which will down load straight to a Ipad or Android device.
Depending on what type of camera of course.
I also checked out the Acer ICONIA A500 which was running 3.0. It was nice to see the same operating system on two different machines. I didn't see any different in performance though I didn't spend as much time on the Acer as I did the Galaxy.
I then checked out the HTC Flyer. It was running FroYo 2.3. I didn't like it as well as 3.0. Honeycomb is definetly the way to go. It just feels more like a tablet os. I know it was designed for tablets, but there just something about it when you compare the two. You'll know what I mean when you check it out live.

 

[Banshee16]

I just got back from Bestbuy. I was able to check out the new Galaxy tab.
You are so right about no other connections. I couldn't tell the different in weight with the ipad 2. I can understand what you mean with the weight with the Xoom. But the unit ran quite nicely. The only problem was the screen would go dark in seconds, but it took a little while for me to find where to change the settings. But that didn't help. I figured its just how the demo was setup. flipping from one screen to another was just a little different. It was more of a snap to screen then the smooth switching I use to with the pad. It did seem just as fast though. It was running 3.0 which is very nice.

I truly think some reviewers get a little biased. I've used both Honeycomb and IOS devices in the store, and despite the "lag" that you hear of in Honeycomb devices, I really find it barely noticeable, if/when it appears. And most of the time, it doesn't. But yes, "snap" kind of describes it. It's almost like you can move a screen back and forth smoothly, but when it comes to switching from one panel to the next, there's a pause then a snap on some devices. I don't know if that's intentional or not. I know the ability to have notifications right on screen, and widgets is pretty cool.

I did find the Xoom less bright than others...and almost a little less sharp as well. Frankly, probably the sharpest screen I've seen on ANY tablet is the Playbook.....it's way sharper than even the iPad 2. However. I haven't seen the Galaxy Tab 10.1 yet...it's not available in Canada.

The weight of the Xoom was actually quite comfortable. And it feels solid, which I like.

With more people using cloud storage the missing ports may not be a problem for them. I beleive they will be selling adapters that work like the ipads.
Now I'm no photogarphy expert. so I'm not sure what you use, but have you checked out Eye-fi products? They have new card called Eye-Fi Mobile X2 which will down load straight to a Ipad or Android device.
Depending on what type of camera of course.
I also checked out the Acer ICONIA A500 which was running 3.0. It was nice to see the same operating system on two different machines. I didn't see any different in performance though I didn't spend as much time on the Acer as I did the Galaxy.
I then checked out the HTC Flyer. It was running FroYo 2.3. I didn't like it as well as 3.0. Honeycomb is definetly the way to go. It just feels more like a tablet os. I know it was designed for tablets, but there just something about it when you compare the two. You'll know what I mean when you check it out live.

The thing I think about with respect to Cloud storage. With all these services moving files back and forth, well, what happens if you lose connectivity? It happens. You might have a device without 3G or 4G coverage. Or, more likely, at least here in Canada, you might get bandwidth caps. The main carriers in Canada, whose ex-flunkies run the CRTC are trying very hard to get bandwidth caps in place. Just a few months back, they did, and second tier carriers, such as the one I use, were forced to change their packages as a result. Mine used to be unlimited for about $30/month, and they switched it to $35/month for 25 GB. Then that was overturned, and we're back to unlimited....but it's likely they'll get their capped bandwidth in one form or another. Is it realistic to use Cloud services for storage in such a scenario? I know my iPhone has even less bandwidth. I've got a "good" package, and I still only get 6 GB/month......tethering a tablet to move files from and to the cloud could chew through that really quickly.

For photography, I use a Canon 30D, which runs a Compact Flash memory card. I've heard of these Eye-Fi cards, but I don't know if they can be used in a camera that uses Compact Flash, or only in cameras that use the more common SD cards. I would like to move to the 7D, but I think that still uses Compact Flash as well.

I've checked out the A500. It seems nice, but I've read it has problems with video. And it's selling very poorly, and there are little in the way of accessories. The screen really did seem nice and bright though. Sharper than the Xoom's.

I haven't seen the HTC Flyer anywhere. They *do* have the old Galaxy Tab around....is that running Froyo? I know it doesn't seem as nice as the Honeycomb tablets I've seen.

The other thing is that new, faster tablets with next gen CPU's will be coming out starting in the fall. So buy now? Or wait? Since the Thrive won't be here until August, it's likely going to be another two months before I can make a decision, anyways.

Banshee

 

[falcarrion]

For photography, I use a Canon 30D, which runs a Compact Flash memory card. I've heard of these Eye-Fi cards, but I don't know if they can be used in a camera that uses Compact Flash, or only in cameras that use the more common SD cards. I would like to move to the 7D, but I think that still uses Compact Flash as well.
Banshee

They only support the Eye-Fi Card in cameras designed to use SD or SDHC cards.
I checked on the old galaxy tab and it is Froyo 2.2

 

[Felon]

So, now the rumor mill is abuzz about the increasingly likely possibility that Amazon is getting into the tablet game. The official word from Amazon wasn't a denial or even a "we don't indulge speculation based on rumors", but rather "stay tuned".

My hunch is that this will be a real contender. Amazon has a lot going for it now, with it's Cloud Drive and cementing its own android app store.

 

[Banshee16]

So, now the rumor mill is abuzz about the increasingly likely possibility that Amazon is getting into the tablet game. The official word from Amazon wasn't a denial or even a "we don't indulge speculation based on rumors", but rather "stay tuned".

My hunch is that this will be a real contender. Amazon has a lot going for it now, with it's Cloud Drive and cementing its own android app store.

Yeah, they've been talking about this one for a week or two, I believe.

What's intriguing are the rumours that it may have a switchable E-Ink to LCD display? I'm not even sure how that would be possible...but if it is, it would be really versatile..

Banshee

 

[Fast Learner]

It first came up in a serious way about 6 weeks ago and seems to have a resurgence now. It is incredibly likely, and I for one look forward to what they'll come out with. That their Android app store is curated -- aka a "walled garden" -- is a serious boon to Android's potential future. Add to that their tremendous media offerings and they'll be a serious challenger.

 

[Banshee16]

It first came up in a serious way about 6 weeks ago and seems to have a resurgence now. It is incredibly likely, and I for one look forward to what they'll come out with. That their Android app store is curated -- aka a "walled garden" -- is a serious boon to Android's potential future. Add to that their tremendous media offerings and they'll be a serious challenger.

I assume the Amazon app store will be open to all Android devices?

Of course, that's assuming Apple doesn't succeed in blocking them. The idea of trademarking something like "App Store" is just silly. Reminds me of my first development job, years ago. Some company in the U.S. came after us because we called our shopping cart a......shopping cart. Apparently they had trademarked the name. I suppose we could have called it a gurgleflunket, and not been pursued, but it would have been meaningless. Or maybe our "Acme Really Efficient Interface for buying crap online".

Hopefully their media offerings will be available in Canada, but I'm not holding out any hope.

Banshee