Finally, an Android tablet worth seriously considering

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Don Landis said:
Same here! But the Galaxy really has enough hardware feature improvements over the ipad to make it a great alternative. It just needs to perform equally to the ipad to be a winner.

On another note, following Google today, one analyst made a prediction a few minutes ago that smaller form factors will impact sales of other smart phones more than "mini" notebooks because users will opt for a smaller less expensive cell phone and the 7" pad device.
Click to expand...

Exactly my point. I stopped by the campus Tech Zone store (the campus computer store) and played with an ipad for a bit; since I was thinking about these things.

I came away from it with two views: 1) I loved how fast it was and the screen quality. Its performance is stellar. I wish my Droid responded as quickly. 2) I did not like how a lot of the apps did not provide any ability to pinch and zoom to change text size. i.e., NY Times app is fixed font; iBooks is fixed font (although you can select, like on the Kindle, from different fixed text sizes. But many of the apps were that way. Popular science appeared to not be text, but photos, that were not zoomable. Ironically, PDFs in the iBooks app could pinch and zoom - and that was implemented very nicely. 3) I wished it had stufff like the Galaxy Tab has -- like removable memory cards; 2 cameras.

I also realized - thinking about what I saw with the Galaxy Tab video - that in many ways it would be much smarter for someone to wait until the SECOND generation of the ipad, when it probably incorporates some of those missing things (somehow I doubt we'd ever seem removable memory from Apple, but I could be wrong). But given the iphone and ipod touch's front/rear cameras, I'd be shocked if it were not to include those. Plus the weight of the device leaves something to be desired. That said, I can see the appeal. Its a cool toy. Is it needed? NO, but half of the stuff we get or want isn't "needed" :-)

I am looking forward to the day when I can play with a similar Android tablet and go head to head.
 
The NYT font is selectable four sizes from the upper right corner. Unusual and I agree too many apps failed to include this in their design. While you're complaining... ask Scott why his developer failed to add pinch and squeeze to the satelliteguys APP. :)

The SD cards and USB port are accessories you have to plug into the docking port on the ipad. When I plug in my USB port, it supports all my USB accessible cameras, thumb drives and USB hard drives, including my Sony HDR SR12 1080p camcorder. Some peoople even claim it supports the USB keyboard. I know it works with a universal BT keyboard, but I haven't tried a USB keyboard on the ipad. The SD card adapter comes with the USB adapter package and works with any SD, mini, micro SD card that I own.

I think the camera feature will be better suited for the smaller form factor pads. I thought I would miss not having the camera but given the choice, I prefer a camera on my cell phone rather than the ipad. With a Galaxy, I may change that opinion. The plugin memory is a non-issue since it has been available since the release of the USB adapter. I have a 16Gb I use, but it sticks out when I need it and the Galaxy doesn't, but then I have 64Gb internal Galaxy is only 16 internal. So many choices!

While I don't run into the Flash roadblock too often, when I do it is annoying. I think one of the best arguments Apple could do for iPad#2 is to get Steve to swallow his pride and open it up to Flash as an installable and removable option. If what Steve says is true, that Flash will Crash, then let us decide whether the Flash is worth the crash. I appreciate his pride, though since the ipad has been damn near bullet proof to date. He doesn't want that track record ruined by adobe Flash.

One important point with the ipad- when importing any file to the ipad, say with the SD card or USB drive, the file to be imported MUST have relevance to what you do on the ipad. In other words, if you have a Page Maker file, you won't be able to import it because there is no app to make use of it. However, if you have an AVI file on your SD card, you can import it into the video player and watch it on the ipad. It must be imported as you can't watch it from the SD card memory. This is a difficult concept for some people to understand. Its what I was referring to with my comment on file management ( in part). Files on the ipad must have ipad purpose. Unlike, even my windows Mobile phone, I can transfer a file that has no purpose to the phone into it's memory for just storage.
 
diogen said:
The Galaxy Tab is on sale in Europe for about a month and there are comparison reviews out for a while
Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad | News | TechRadar UK
Compare: iPad vs Samsung Galaxy Tab vs Dell Streak and BlackBerry PlayBook
iPad vs. Galaxy Tab - SlashGear

But there are differences between the Tabs in Europe and in the US
Samsung Galaxy Tab loses voice capabilities in the US -- Engadget

Diogen.
Click to expand...


Quickly read this one: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs iPad | News | TechRadar UK and it is prety darn favorable for the Galaxy Tab. But I'd still like to see side-by-side videos of 2 wi-fi devices loading and running the same apps or same web pages, and see how they compare in terms of speed.

I'd love to see if the Galaxy is a smooth and fast loading stuff as the ipad.


Don's discussion of accessories is interesting, but the thing is I don't want to have to drag around accesories to USE the device. That is score + 1 for the Galaxy, in terms of the external memory and USB port.

All this stuff is exciting, I hate sitting on the sidelines, but my gut says to wait a bit longer and see how things shake out. And believe it or not, Mr. Android is not ruling out the ipad; but I would have to be convinced that it is superior to these new Droid tablets... and we have not even seen the Motorola ones coming out.
 
I strongly believe that iPad is Apple's answer to netbooks despite all the rhetoric.
And people see it as such, hence, the BT keyboard, external storage and such...
To paraphrase Steve, I'd say "if you use the iPad with a keyboard - you blew it"...:)

By the looks (and 5 min feel) of it, I find the Galaxy Tab a much more "new class" type of product than iPad.
First, it can be held with one hand. No keyboard temptation.
Second, it doesn't have to have a pocket designed for it.
Third, no "jails", even ones resembling haven.

Also, in the 21 century a 3:4 screen is a bit anachronistic...
rockymtnhigh said:
... but my gut says to wait a bit longer and see how things shake out.
Click to expand...
I think this is a good idea. Wait at least for the Dell 7" to show up.

From the many devices I held in my hand, iPhone/iPad remain the best in terms of touchscreen implementation.
And the Tab I saw didn't change that (the videos of WP7 phones seem to show that they at least match it).

Diogen.
 
I think we are entering a very interesting time period. Quite exciting actually.

But damn, it is always hard to WAIT, particularly when you have been an early adopter forever. :)
 
I still believe the best will be a Galaxy Tab form factor running Chrome OS and/or MeeGo.
Both can be installed on netbooks today and are very impressive... And so is the latest Ubuntu.

Diogen.
 
diogen said:
I still believe the best will be a Galaxy Tab form factor running Chrome OS and/or MeeGo.
Both can be installed on netbooks today and are very impressive... And so is the latest Ubuntu.

Diogen.
Click to expand...

I should put Chrome on the netbook I have. Might be worth trying.
 
diogen said:
I still believe the best will be a Galaxy Tab form factor running Chrome OS and/or MeeGo.
Both can be installed on netbooks today and are very impressive... And so is the latest Ubuntu.

Diogen.
Click to expand...

As far as the Tab form factor, it is exactly the same form factor as my Kindle 3; and I agree, it is the perfect size. It TRULY is a Star Trek com pad. The ipad is stunning to look at, but it is too big.
 
diogen said:
You won't regret. Start here
ChromiumOS Vanilla Nightly Builds

I'd still prefer mutiboot. And that would most likely mean waiting for Atom.
The next (phone/tablet) iteration will support Android and MeeGo. Win7 and Chrome OS most likely.
Will make the perfect tablet platform!
Not phone but tablet...

Diogen.
Click to expand...

Think it will run on a small Asus netbook with a 16GB SSD drive?
 
Don't need the SSD, the boot USB (you'll make) is all you need.
Just like live CDs but it will need to write back.
Asus should be fine.

Diogen.
 
cybok0 said:
I was looking at my sisters Ipad yesterday and I must say I really like it.
Click to expand...

There is much I like and some that I don't like about it.

I'd prefer a smaller form factor, and a lighter device in general. As it is now, the ipad is walking around with a big piece of glass. And it is heavy. Can't imagine reading a book on it in bed for an hour. But man, its software is fast. It is just zippy.
 
rockymtnhigh said:
There is much I like and some that I don't like about it.

I'd prefer a smaller form factor, and a lighter device in general. As it is now, the ipad is walking around with a big piece of glass. And it is heavy. Can't imagine reading a book on it in bed for an hour. But man, its software is fast. It is just zippy.
Click to expand...

I don't think the Ipad is suppose to be a replacement for a Kindle, it's suppose to be a replacement for a notebook with a touch screen.

So far the Android and Dell pad is too small, might as well use a phone.
 

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