OT: Android Tablet Thread

[ScoopBrady]

Engadget has a How Would You Change feature on the Galaxy Tab 10.1. I found this comment interesting, and I'm wondering if any of you who have one have any thoughts about it:

I have the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the iPad 2 and I use both daily. The single biggest issue with Honeycomb tablets is fragmentation. I have an Evo 4G and I can't download all the same apps to my tablet...that I use on my cell phone.

No HBO Go, no Cinemax Go, no Crackle, no iheartradio, and no Crackle. Even worse is the fact that the ESPN live app and the MLB app don't play videos. My iPad 2 has no problem playing any of those apps and they all work great.

The iPad 2 has more apps, games, movie choices, music choices, books, and overall entertainment options.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a slightly better screen but videos are shown in letterbox and rarely appear in full screen
and the Galaxy Tab has better cameras by a wide margin.

The Galaxy Tab and Android tablets have nice specs but Honeycomb has less than 500 tablet apps and doesn't come close to iPad 2 as far as content, entertainment options, or user experience. Widgets and live wallpaper are cool for about a week but that doesn't erase the fact that the iPad 2 has a better selection of apps and games.

i have both, Rob, and I would wholeheartedly agree with that. The Android market pales in comparison to the quantity and quality of what is available for iPad. Great tablet but not enough support yet. Hopefully that changes.

[Gangrel]

I think one of the issues is that many normal apps for phones scale up decently enough that there isn't incentive for developers to make tablet only apps.

I also wonder if they are waiting for Ice Cream to come out first before diving in headfirst. I think by Christmas time you'll see more apps coming for tablets.

[dbdynsty25]

You guys also need to realize that honeycomb...the real tablet version has been out for a grand total of 7 months. The iPad is going on what....20 months now? So be patient. They are coming...probably early next year once Android has a holiday season to move some more units.

[Rodster]

DB you're not allowed to make anymore Android comments since your selling your Tab.

OK you guys want some news to get excited about.

Gamestop is making an Android Gaming Tablet.
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/new ... ing-tablet

Android app downloads to double Apple's by 2016
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/new ... pples-2016

Android Jelly Bean will follow Ice Cream Sandwich
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/new ... m-sandwich

[dbdynsty25]

I believe I still own it and even if I didn't, I'd still know ten times what you do about it.

[Rodster]

Intel gives a first glimpse of its Medfield Android tablet

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/new ... oid-tablet

Hmmm connecting the dots. I can see an x86 Tablet running Windows 8 which Microsoft previewed yesterday and devs are already getting working copies. The overall impressions are very good for W8.

[wco81]

Heard that thing had a fan.

They will support ARM devices with the Metro touch interface that looks like Windows Phone 7 as well as running regular desktop programs. The idea behind that is, they don't have too many touch apps. so people can run either touch apps. or regular desktop apps. which require mouse and keyboard. Kind of like Blackberry offering to run Android apps. in their tablet in addition to the paltry number of native apps.

But on an ARM tablet, none of the Windows desktop applications would run anyways, unless they're talking about new applications for ARM or old Windows applications ported over (maybe just recompiled) to ARM.

Intel of course wants badly to get into mobile devices but if MS is going to support ARM, then developers might as well make proper touch apps. right off the bat.

[dbdynsty25]

Well the Kindle Fire has been announced and it looks pretty legit for $199. My wife has a Nook Touch (the latest one) so I'm definitely going to get one of these to replace it. Seems like the perfect balance between e-reader and tablet. The amazon app store as far as Android apps go isn't nearly as robust as the regular Android Market, but it's still got a significant portion of the Android apps. Should be a HUGE seller this holiday season. I pre-ordered one of course.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051VVOB2

[wco81]

The 8 GB is limiting as well as lack of cameras and GPS. When it's hacked to support Gingerbread or ICS, the missing hardware features will limit it, though at that price, a lot of people won't care.

Heard some talk that B&N is coming with a Nook Color 2.

But if they get a lot of games and apps. for children, this would be a lot more attractive for parents than the iPod Touch.

[dbdynsty25]

The 8 GB is limiting as well as lack of cameras and GPS. When it's hacked to support Gingerbread or ICS, the missing hardware features will limit it, though at that price, a lot of people won't care.

Heard some talk that B&N is coming with a Nook Color 2.

But if they get a lot of games and apps. for children, this would be a lot more attractive for parents than the iPod Touch.

The 8GB isn't the limiter in my mind because everything you buy from Amazon can be stored on their cloud, unlimited. I suppose the only limiter would be the lack of a 3G radio for streaming said data, so okay, I'll admit the 8Gb is kinda weak. The price of storage these days is so small, the fact that companies charge 2 and 3 times as much for double the storage space is a racket that I'm surprised hasn't been brought up much.

Totally agree about the children thing. In fact, I just sent the link to a friend of mine who was about to buy a nook touch telling her it could be a game machine as well as an ereader for her. Kinda kills two birds and would eliminate the kids playing with their phones and potentially breaking them.

I'm sure it'll be hacked...so that's not an issue at all. It'll be running a non-skinned version a week after release. No biggie there.

[wco81]

Nook Color is popular because of the price and the fact that it could be hacked to be a tablet.

Since Amazon has a lot of customers, storing content bought from Amazon in their cloud isn't a big deal but if you want to load your own music, photos and movies on the thing, then the 8 GB storage is a bummer.

It should sell well so there could be apps. that stream videos from computers, like Air Video and Zumocast for iPads. Amazon could make their videos more popular if you could connect this thing to an HDTV -- I didn't see if it has HDMI output.

[dbdynsty25]

You can store your own pictures and movies/music on the cloud as well. 5Gb free and then you can pay for as much as you want on top of that.

This isn't meant to be a full fledged tablet...so there certainly isn't any way to stream data to a TV unless you hack the device. It's a more powerful e-reader first. There's a reason it's only 200 bucks. I'm intrigued...so I ordered one of course.

[Rodster]

Don't forget guys, last I read is that Amazon is throwing in Amazon Prime there video streaming service for free. I think it's one years worth at no cost. I hope that hasn't changed but that's a sweet price. Also Amazon's stocks are up after the announcement so this device has a chance.

[RobVarak]

I'm still waiting to pounce on a tablet, and this just complicates my decision. I love the price point and the features and I'm already a Prime member and have 2/3 of my music on Amazon's servers, but I think that I'm still going to end up going for a 10" Android option down the road.

But geez, it's only $200! I can see what's happening here and it's good for Amazon. I'm going to end up getting this and a full featured tablet, which I expect is something that many people will do. This is going to be a substitute good for e-readers rather than tablets.

[Rodster]

I'm still waiting to pounce on a tablet, and this just complicates my decision. I love the price point and the features and I'm already a Prime member and have 2/3 of my music on Amazon's servers, but I think that I'm still going to end up going for a 10" Android option down the road.

But geez, it's only $200! I can see what's happening here and it's good for Amazon. I'm going to end up getting this and a full featured tablet, which I expect is something that many people will do. This is going to be a substitute good for e-readers rather than tablets.

You're a freaking lawyer buy it, you have the money.

[RobVarak]

You're a freaking lawyer buy it, you have the money.

I also have freaking kids! LOL

[dbdynsty25]

Rob...keep in mind, there are rumors of a higher end Amazon tablet coming out in early 2012. Don't know exactly what that's going to bring, but it's likely a 10" variant with some more storage and connectivity options.

[RobVarak]

Rob...keep in mind, there are rumors of a higher end Amazon tablet coming out in early 2012. Don't know exactly what that's going to bring, but it's likely a 10" variant with some more storage and connectivity options.

Seriously? 2012? This facade of detached, reasonable consumer prudence isn't going to hold up forever! I need a new toy!

[dbdynsty25]

Rob...keep in mind, there are rumors of a higher end Amazon tablet coming out in early 2012. Don't know exactly what that's going to bring, but it's likely a 10" variant with some more storage and connectivity options.

Seriously? 2012? This facade of detached, reasonable consumer prudence isn't going to hold up forever! I need a new toy!

So just do what I do...buy everything that comes out and sell the least desirable.

[Naples39]

This news gave me pause about my Touchpad purchases, 2 of which have yet to arrive. Still, if they get android going on that I will be very happy.

[F308GTB]

This news gave me pause about my Touchpad purchases, 2 of which have yet to arrive. Still, if they get android going on that I will be very happy.

Not me. I will take my 32gb TP with 10" display any day of the week. Sure there are some apps I'd like, but the TP wins hands down for me at the $150 I paid.

[Macca00]

Too bad it's not available in the Frozen North (TM) here otherwise I'd be all over it at that price point. Bought my wife a regular Kindle last year - she loves it, and like many others we use Amazon a lot.

[pk500]

32 GB Motorola Xoom 10.1-inch Android tablet for $349 today at Woot. It's a refurb:

http://www.woot.com/sale/motorola-xoom- ... dium=email

[wco81]

I'm sure they'd roll it out to other markets once they see good demand and they ramp up manufacturing.

One potential concern may be that their Silk browser routes all your surfing through their cloud, for which you have to sign in. So they could track your browsing habits.

Already, if you go to Amazon and look up a product, they will pester you with emails about that product or comparable product.

Now imagine if you never go to Amazon's site but use their browser (and it appears you have to sign on with your Amazon account, in order to be able to use their cloud services, which includes browsing) and discuss Madden on a site like DSP. Then they email you with reminders about their video game offerings. That would be a relatively minor annoyance but then they could see what other businesses you conduct business with, including competitor e-merchants, which banks you use, where you take your vacations, etc.

[Rodster]

Bah I love Amazon and their deals, they can track me all they want. Love those $20 off your next video game purchase.