Torn between Archos 43 or iPod Touch - Gen8 General

Initially I made up my mind on getting the Archos 43, but Amazon has the iPod Touch 8GB on sale (sort of) for $215 plus a $15 Amazon gift card thingy. Has anyone used both before and prefer one to the other?
Basically I'm mainly using it as an MP3 players for work, but would like to be able to watch movies and play some games everyone once in awhile.

I had a iTouch (3rd Gen) and switched to the Archos. The main reason is because I like Android so much better than iOS.

Honestly, you'll be able to do so much more with an Archos because of Android. I had an iPhone (basically the same as an iTouch). I had to jailbreak it to make it more functional. I don't think you'll have to do that with the Archos. And I think that all of the Gen8s are able to tether via bluetooth to your cell phone. I don't know if the iTouch can do that.
Not to mention that you won't have to pay for updates from Archos like iTouch users usually have to do. And especially when the gen8s get rooted and we stat getting some custom ROMs, just think of the fun you'll have.
Hope that helps.
Edit: Why don't you buy the Archos and try it. Most stores let you refund within 7 days or so. That should give you enough time to find out whether you like it or not. And of course you can go to an Apple store and play with the iTouch anytime you want.

Thanks for the input I'm leaning quite a bit towards the Archos, but not I'm just waiting patiently for a store to have them in stock. Can't find them anywhere online with them.

don't forget 4.3 screen is much funner than the 3.4 ish of the ipod touch. I have a touch 3rd gen but I use my HD2 on Android and 101 way more..
I used to love my ipod touch, thats until Android went from 1.6 to 2.1 and then 2.2 (they both are what put Android way over the top of iOS for me) honestly

Archos 43 vs Ipod Touch vs 70
gqkevyn said:
Initially I made up my mind on getting the Archos 43, but Amazon has the iPod Touch 8GB on sale (sort of) for $215 plus a $15 Amazon gift card thingy. Has anyone used both before and prefer one to the other?
Basically I'm mainly using it as an MP3 players for work, but would like to be able to watch movies and play some games everyone once in awhile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What generation is the iPod you are considering? (That may play a factor in how worthwhile the Touch will be for you).
For MP3's there wouldn't be a significant difference, and I would advise you to get the cheaper of the two. However, since you say you'd like to watch movies on it I'd say go with the Archos since it supports (by far) a lot more video formats than the Ipod Touch. As for games it would depend on what type of games you want to play. The Touch has a capacitive screen while the 43 has a resistive screen. In other words the Touch will detect the use of multiple fingers at one time (which some games require) while the 43 is only able to register one touch at a time.
Videos and games were two areas that interested me too when considering what to get (Ipod Touch, Archos 43, or Archos 70). Ultimately I ended up getting the Archos 70 (even though its not as portable as the Touch or the 43) because it had the capacitive screen (useful for games and web browsing), and provides a better video viewing experience than the two smaller units.

+1 on the Archos media capabilities. I just got an Archos 70 and it plays anything I throw at it including 700 MB avi files. It also streams video files very smoothly from a windows 7 box.

Related

Why you bought an Archos Tablet Pc?

Hey,
i just want to know why you guys bought an archos tablet?
i hate apple^^ (so option 2)
The offer Archos made was just increadible - such a device for such a price, that´s simply a must. And a cool way to piss off IPad users. :-D
Found it cheap on xda
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App
I got my Archos 70IT for various reasons: I can take notes better in school, for entertainment, and well..I don't really like Apple either.
It's a really good portable on-the-go laptop, since everything opens instantaneously.
I am a big reader, so a kindle was always in my sights, but i am a big comic/graphic novel reader as well and have a huge digital collection that is a pain to read on a computer/laptop/netbook. The archos 101IT seemed the perfect solution and the form factor is pretty much exactly that of a comic. Add to that the functionality as a media device/ a web surfer and an android device, for the price and the openness(no proprietary software, no proprietary software), expandability(micro sd slot and standard usb port), it was what i needed and what i wanted when i wanted and needed it and has not done anything yet to seriously disappoint me.
for valentine for the wife. Good value for the first gen tablets. Uses it for casual browsing, email and agenda (jorte) and google maps. The usb port is a nice extra feature.
Ideal for watching my 3 ipcams round the house with tiny dvr monitor as security.
Last firmware made a big difference in speed in the positif way.
Needs tweaking to make it really good, so launcherpro is a must.
Less value for reading books. I also have a dell streak with amolet screen. So much better to read books. It's like having a book in pocket format
I choose all 3 options
When i bought it (Nov last year), it is one of the best tablet in the market in term of price, quality and mod-able. iPad is too heavy and i don't like the idea that i have no fun to mod the software.
option 3.
It gave the best balance of features vs cost of any tablet on the market at the time. I would have bought the 8gb version of the 101, but there weren't any in stock anywhere, so I got the 16gb one.
for £300 its got everything I need, and does far more than other tablets which cost more.
It's lightweight, slick, and rather cheap. I owned chinese pad, iPad and Nook Color -- everything was not my cup of tea. Archos 101 became the best choice for me. By now
i thought it would be a useful tool as a home inspector (the state licensed kind not loud mouth tv show kind) but i actually hardly ever touch it since i got it just over a month ago. ive considered selling it but now im not sure what ill get for it.
For me first, I'm glad it's not an iPad! I have never bought and will never EVER buy anything from Apple in my life... period! If anything Apple-made is ever given to me I'll sell it or refuse the "gift." So because of that, I love it!
2nd, I love all the different inputs ON my A101IT!! (The mini HDMI, full-size USB, etc.)
3rd, it's ALL about using it as a big on-the-go screen to watch any of the 400+ DVD movies and listen to the 2,000+ songs on my 500GB Portable External HDD when I go on road trips and plane flights.
had some extra cash and it seems like tablets were the next big thing and i wanted to get in on it and for the price you cant beat it. plus its not carrier locked. sure it requires alot of tweaking to get it right but isnt that what android is all about?
simply,
IPAD doesn't have Flash
IPAD doesn't have SD card
IPAD doesn't have HDMI
IPAD doesn't support enough video formats
IPAD doesn't have USB storage for easy file transfer
IPAD doesn't have bluetooth tether
and...IPAD is 2x price
beside the price, it's very media friendly and it's more powerful then the a5it and my ipaq 210
I've owned iPad for a while and sold it out, since it is almost useless for me except gaming and gaming....
All I need portable, light,
easy to manage file for my study and works
(I have tons of PDF and PPT for study and tons of DOC and Pics for my works),
also I like watch anime and movies and comics.
iPad can satisfies most of above, but not directly....the fatal problem is iPad was hard to manage file on itself, it dont have file manager and only can transfer file via iTunes ,even USB or Wireless, the transfer files progress is not directly for me.
And the prices is very expensive...I've brought 64GB iPad (WIFI only)for my lots of stuff...but not enough....also iPad cannot play all kind of Video formats and the documents support is weakness.
So I've buy Archos 70IT 250GB version and happy to use it for my movies, anime, and Comics, also it is Android Tablet, file manage is mostly like PC.
*sorry for my English, but I really hate iPad...
Archos 70 was the first available / affordable Android Tablet
I bought it because I couldn't wait for the Tegra / Android 3 devices, but am pretty happy with it. Still going to upgrade some time for a 9" tegra tablet.
My main reasons buying my A101 were quite simple.
I had used iPhones for some time until summer 2010 my HTC Desire finally arrived, having used and loved Linux for so many years since school I was glad to have the same level of freedom on most loved device, my phone.
Seeing that (almost) the same freedom was available upon a sleek tablet that played media brilliantly and was a perfect replacement for my aging netbook as my couch surfer/portable media machine I couldn't give it up.
I've had a few problems here and there, but the price I paid and the experience of Android is brilliant, once Honeycomb tablets come down and one suits me like my Archie Archos does I'll be riding that wave as well.
Got it because I wanted a MP4 player and there was only the 70" left but now I'm glad I did that
First, I really wanted an Android tablet because my friend had the Galaxy S phone. I didn't want to deal with a phone / data plan, so I decided to look for an MP3 player. Lo and behold, the Archos 43it was the perfect match. I was a little hesitant to buy it, with the Samsung Galaxy 4.0 tablet so close on the horizon. Long story short, I thought it was worth it to buy it and I haven't looked back since. It's an amazing device.
For me it's a price quality thing..quality okay and price is okay compared to the 'bigger' companies. Furthermore development..with sde it's nice to play with. (see urukdroid threads)

I like the Playbook more than the Xoom because...

I currently have the 3G Xoom that I bought the first week that it was out.
I also bought the 64 GB Playbook on its release day.
This thread is for people who is thinking of getting a smaller device than the Xoom.
Playbook vs. Xoom:
Advantages of the Playbook:
1. More portable and lighter. I carry it almost everywhere I go because it can fit into my leather jacket pocket. I can hold it up longer than I can do with my Xoom while laying in bed without the fear that it will fall on my face.
2. Better screen. The whites of the playbook is whiter. The picture looks sharper. It seems to have a better viewing angle.
3. It can play high-profile h.264 movies. It cannot play .mkv container movies yet but if you convert the high-profile h.264 movies to .mg4 (using the free program called XenonMKV) then it plays flawlessly with its high-profile h.264 quality unchanged from original....only the 5.1 DTS sound is downsample to stereo AAC.
4. Multitasking is better on the Playbook than the Xoom.
5. The speakers are better on the Playbook because it directs the sound toward you instead of away from you.
------------------------------
Disadvantages of the Playbook:
1. Smaller screen than the Xoom
2. No default email (yet)
3. Cannot play .mkv container file (yet)
4. No micro SD card (but if you buy the 64 GB version then you don't have to worry about lack of space)
5. Not rootable (hope someone at XDA developer or any skilled person can hack it in the future)
6. No cellular feature (for the wi-fi only version)
7. Less apps (will improve in the future)
---------------------
For me, I like the Playbook better despite the negatives. I am trying to sell my 3G Xoom but I am keeping the 64 GB Playbook. I don't even have a blackberry phone and yet I still like the Playbook more.
It comes down to how I use the tablet the most that make me decide which is better. For me, it is portability (will use it more often) and watching high profile hi-def movies.
What does no default email mean? Like I could not use Gmail or Exchange?
Really I appreciate your opinion and if you would like I would take the inferior Xoom off your hands if u are giving it away.
Brenardo said:
Really I appreciate your opinion and if you would like I would take the inferior Xoom off your hands if u are giving it away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not giving it away. I am trying to sell it.
Ok, that's nice... thanks.
I don't really care though. If I was in the slightest bit interested in Blackberry, I would have waited around for the Playbook. If I wanted something 7", I would have gotten one of the many 7" Android tablets by now.
okie dokie
4. Multitasking is better on the Playbook than the Xoom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Explain. 10char
Why is this even in a xoom forum...troll elsewhere please.
www.facebook.com/redcardgreencardpage
jondwillis said:
Explain. 10char
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mutitaking seems to be better on the Playbook because I can open more windows. I believe that the Xoom can only have the most recent 5 that you can choose to mutitask. The Playbook can have more than 5.
Will the apps come for the playbook? Apps never came for Blackberry phones...
they will have the ability to use Android apps, but its still to be seen how well it will be integrated into the ecosystem.
csseale said:
Why is this even in a xoom forum...troll elsewhere please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, because there is no forum that is dedicated to the Playbook here in XDA-developers forum.
Also, I also have the Xoom so I can make a comparison between the two devices.
Earthbrain said:
Mutitaking seems to be better on the Playbook because I can open more windows. I believe that the Xoom can only have the most recent 5 that you can choose to mutitask. The Playbook can have more than 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll give you that, the 5 item back history seems arbitrary and limiting. Its not like the apps are killed, you just can't get back to them super quickly.
Earthbrain said:
Mutitaking seems to be better on the Playbook because I can open more windows. I believe that the Xoom can only have the most recent 5 that you can choose to mutitask. The Playbook can have more than 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't base my opinion on that, seeing as how there aren't really any decent apps for the Playbook, according to the Ars review posted today ;-)
Don't get me wrong, I liked the Playbook when I first heard about it. The specs are awesome, but it has two major downsides: lack of good 3rd party apps, and no native email/calendar/contacts sync support. It has to sync via a Blackberry handheld. Frankly, that sucks, and it's a gaping hole in design.
ANY other tablet, even the cheapo Android tabs, can sync your email without requiring any 'bridging' to a mobile phone.
The QNX OS is great, a lot like webOS, very intuitive and flexible. But without even basic messaging available out of the box (unless you already have a blackberry mobile), this is an epic fail in my book, and a major lost opportunity. "I coulda been a contender..."
The Xoom has its issues of course, but it isn't hampered out of the box like the Playbook is. I'm disappointed in RIM.
Earthbrain said:
I currently have the 3G Xoom that I bought the first week that it was out.
I also bought the 64 GB Playbook on its release day.
This thread is for people who is thinking of getting a smaller device than the Xoom.
Playbook vs. Xoom:
Advantages of the Playbook:
1. More portable and lighter. I carry it almost everywhere I go because it can fit into my leather jacket pocket. I can hold it up longer than I can do with my Xoom while laying in bed without the fear that it will fall on my face.
2. Better screen. The whites of the playbook is whiter. The picture looks sharper. It seems to have a better viewing angle.
3. It can play high-profile h.264 movies. It cannot play .mkv container movies yet but if you convert the high-profile h.264 movies to .mg4 (using the free program called XenonMKV) then it plays flawlessly with its high-profile h.264 quality unchanged from original....only the 5.1 DTS sound is downsample to stereo AAC.
4. Multitasking is better on the Playbook than the Xoom.
------------------------------
Disadvantages of the Playbook:
1. Smaller screen than the Xoom
2. No default email (yet)
3. Cannot play .mkv container file (yet)
4. No micro SD card (but if you buy the 64 GB version than you don't have to worry about lack of space)
5. Not rootable (hope someone at XDA developer or any skilled person can hack it in the future)
6. No cellular feature (for the wi-fi only version)
7. Less apps (will improve in the future)
---------------------
For me, I like the Playbook better despite the negatives. I am trying to sell my 3G Xoom but I am keeping the 64 GB Playbook. I don't even have a blackberry phone and yet I still like the Playbook more.
It comes down to how I use the tablet the most that make me decide which is better. For me, it is portability (will use it more often) and watching high profile hi-def movies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thanked your post because as I see you do actually own a Xoom you are giving us a brief rundown of a feature comparison between the two devices.
When I heard about this device on the radio I was interested until I heard all the **** it just can't do.
No email app out of the box? Really? That's hilarious, what a worthless peice of equipment if I can't read e-mail on it. App support? Lol WHAT App support have you seen in overwhelming display from Blackberry? All I know about Blackberry is that my experience in supporting their god awfull devices is just that... god awfull.
The screen is better, thats good.. smaller size is cool but then I agree with another guy... I'd just get a smaller android device.
With all that said, thanks for your write up and I hope that we dont get a huge proliferation of non-Xoom comparisons as a result.
cwizardtx said:
With all that said, thanks for your write up and I hope that we dont get a huge proliferation of non-Xoom comparisons as a result.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me, I love to read about device comparison. The more, the better. However, I would prefer that the person who writes the comparison actually own the devices and have been using it for at least 1 week.
I actually currently have 4 tablets. They are the jailbroken ipad, T-mobile Samsung Galaxy tab with custom ROM Overcome 1.6.3, Xoom 3G, and the 64 GB Playbook.
Each has its strong and weak points. I use each one according to the situation that I am in. I don't like to bash other devices (or the people who buy them) because of the reason that I just mentioned. I just like to point out the advantages and disadvantages and let people decide for themselves.
You must have really weak arms if the Xoom is a challenge for you to hold up for long periods of time. Try going to the gym?
Also, I can see why the Playbook would be able to play high profile h.264, it's pushing less pixels and has a higher clocked CPU. How does it do playing 720p Youtube videos in browser though? You know how often I've played 720p video files on my Xoom? Once, because I wanted to try it. How often do I Youtube? Just about every day and the new Flash 10.2 makes 720p video playable on the Xoom(granted overclocked to 1.5ghz, the Xoom at stock clock does pretty poorly with 720p video on Youtube still).
Earthbrain said:
For me, I love to read about device comparison. The more, the better. However, I would prefer that the person who writes the comparison actually own the devices and have been using it for at least 1 week.
I actually currently have 4 tablets. They are the jailbroken ipad, T-mobile Samsung Galaxy tab with custom ROM Overcome 1.6.3, Xoom 3G, and the 64 GB Playbook.
Each has its strong and weak points. I use each one according to the situation that I am in. I don't like to bash other devices (or the people who buy them) because of the reason that I just mentioned. I just like to point out the advantages and disadvantages and let people decide for themselves.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well there's also the fact that if people in this forum were at all interested in other devices I'd wager that we'd be in other device forums looking for those reviews. Honestly... I want to come to the XOOM Forum to read about the XOOM and not a bunch of other stuff which is why I left my reply off with the comment I did. I gave you thanks for your comparison between two devices but something tells me that a new rash of "im taking my xoom back for XYZ thing" is around the corner and let me tell you those get old and boring fast.
Again... appreciate your write up. From the looks of the features of that tablet... I wouldn't even be able to use it for the most menial of day to day things and thats laughable (to me).
Elysian893 said:
You must have really weak arms if the Xoom is a challenge for you to hold up for long periods of time. Try going to the gym?
Also, I can see why the Playbook would be able to play high profile h.264, it's pushing less pixels and has a higher clocked CPU. How does it do playing 720p Youtube videos in browser though? You know how often I've played 720p video files on my Xoom? Once, because I wanted to try it. How often do I Youtube? Just about every day and the new Flash 10.2 makes 720p video playable on the Xoom(granted overclocked to 1.5ghz, the Xoom at stock clock does pretty poorly with 720p video on Youtube still).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you ask 100 people if they would prefer a lighter tablet or a heavier tablet, I would bet that more than 50% of the people would say that they prefer a lighter tablet. I would even bet that most professional weight lifter would prefer a lighter tablet.
The Playbook is great at playing 720p youtube videos. In fact, flash seems to be better on my Playbook than on my Xoom, even when I just upgrade to the latest Flash version on the Xoom yesterday.
Earthbrain said:
If you ask 100 people if they would prefer a lighter tablet or a heavier tablet, I would bet that more than 50% of the people would say that they prefer a lighter tablet. I would even bet that most professional weight lifter would prefer a lighter tablet.
The Playbook is great at playing 720p youtube videos. In fact, flash seems to be better on my Playbook than on my Xoom, even when I just upgrade to the latest Flash version on the Xoom yesterday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I weight train, I'm not a professional but I do alright, the weight on the Xoom truly doesn't matter. 1.3lbs or whatever it is is next to nothing. Your experience with Flash on the Playbook doesn't seem to match that of anyone reviewing it.
To OP, I think you are compare two devices with different usage.
I’ve a Xoom mainly to use at home, and a Samsung Galaxy tab as media consumption device for daily commute.
I think the playbook cost too much and not offer any advantages over Android and Apple products.
For example, the Playbook doesn’t have enough apps to attract any android and Apple users and it don’t have 3G version.
I’d recommend 7” Android tablet for anyone who wants a mobile device.
I.E. the cheaper Galaxy Tab have all the advantages you listed, plus with Overcome ROM is very fast and lag free. Since its running Androide 2.2, nearly all the apps in market will work on the device. Also it can play mkv files.
P.S. I use MultiTasking Pro as work around for the limited app switching in Xoom, works well and I can also close most of the apps.

Should I trade my iPad?

First off, I have an android phone, motorola atria.
I have a 32gb wifi iPad, and a chance to trade it for either an acer a500 or samsung galaxy tab 10.1 4g. It would be a straight trade. Would you do it?
I like the apps for the iPad, and there are great games for it. This is my only major road block right now. Hardware wise, I would trade for either one easily, but it's the software side that's keeping me from the simple trade.
Are there apps for android that are specifically made for tablets like iOS and their "hd" version of apps?
It seems the quality of apps and especially games are better right now for iPad?
Ps. In general I do prefer android, I would never trade my atrix for an iPhone. I'm speaking just tablet wise right now.
Go to bestbuy and try the tablets out. The ipad is an awesome tool but it's not for everyone, just like the android tablets. Ultimately you will have to decide what you like best. They are different and you should never buy an ipad and expect it to be an android tab and vice versa. They approach the same problem in very different ways and you should decide which way you like best.
Most apps scale very well with the tablet. I have had it for a couple months now and have not seen an app yet that doesnt properly work with the tab.
As far as gaming goes, most games you could find for ipad you would also find for android. There are some threads about games in the "themes and apps" section of the tab forums that you could check out and youtube to see what they are like.
One thing that I really like about the tab, as far as games go, that i'm not sure the ipad can do is connect to your playstation controller, or a plethora of other gamepads that are out on the market. I hooked my tab up to my 55" tv the other day with hdmi and played shadowgun with my ps3 controller on the big screen.
Both are awesome and it boils down to what you want / like..
I sold my iPad2 for the Tab 10.1 and am very happy that I did...
Things to consider:
4:3 or 16:9 screen
Mono or stereo sound
Simplicity or customization
App Store or Market
There are more but I think you get it...
Either way, both are awesome!
You came to the Gt10.1 forum on XDA to ask us to compare the ipad to our tablet? For your sake I'll assume you're not trolling or trying to start an android vs ipad fight, but really, you're not asking unbiased people here. Did you really think anyone here would tell you to get an ipad? I'd say try them both out and make your own decisions (and for gods sake please don't post your preference here).
I bought the iPad2 and while it was the most liberating experience I've had in mobile computing, ever, it was within a week that the limitations and annoyances of iOS and Apple's whole mindset drive me crazy. I no longer needed to carry a big 17" or 15" laptop, but I wasn't allowed a even a basic file system, and anything I transferred had to be done through the most buggy app ever - iTunes. Yes, you could use DropBox, but only for apps that supported Dropbox. And everyday, as I tried to work on it, it drove me crazy and infuriated me that the device was so close yet failed so hard.
I had the 16G Wifi. I decided that I would sell the iPad2 and buy a used 16G Wifi GalTab 10.1 - an even trade was perfectly acceptable. I ended up selling the iPad2 for $400 and bought a two week old 10.1 for $300.
I only have two annoyances, and unfortunately, both of those can only be solved by rooting (which is only a problem if a person doesnt WANT to root) and that is that Styluses dont work properly on 10.1 w/o specific tuning (through root), and the NavBar at the bottom drives me bananas - again, removed through root.
BUT, beside those two things, the 10.1 is everything I loved about the iPad with 20,000 less annoyances. Perfect? No. But unless you are completely engrained in the Apple/Mac/iOS culture and you love that sort of enforced limitation, then the GalTabs can do FAR MORE than the iPads, just as well, and for less money.
As for apps, almost all the big games for iOS are now being made for Android, so the divide doesn't really exist there anymore. There may be a couple - maybe the ones YOU want - but for the most part, Android has most of them. The only difference are some industry specific apps. I went with iPad in the first place as I work in film, and the devs for film apps only dev for iOS. (screenwriting, slate (clapboard), storyboarding, etc) Film is mostly populated by people that think Apple/Macs are the only devices that can so anything. There are seriously TONS out there that are completely unaware that you can edit or mix sound on PC. Seriously - they think Final Cut Pro is the only program that can do it. That will change as Android grows.
One thing I liked more about the iPad that I thought that I would like more about the 10.1 - the screen ratio. I dont use the device for video playback as much as I thought I would, so the 4:3 ratio of the iPad is actually better to get work done and to read - the 16:9, while better for movie playback is awkward for web browsing, doc editing/creation, and reading.
I am 1000% thrilled I switched from iPad2 to 10.1, and the Samsung is every bit as physically beautiful as the Apple device - even w/o the real metal body.
One thing that I really like about the tab, as far as games go, that i'm not sure the ipad can do is connect to your playstation controller, or a plethora of other gamepads that are out on the market. I hooked my tab up to my 55" tv the other day with hdmi and played shadowgun with my ps3 controller on the big screen.[/QUOTE]
How did u connect ur PS controller to your tab? Please tell me
Sent from my T959 using XDA App
there is an app called sixaxis that lets you connect your playstation 3 controller through bluetooth and then you can map the buttons to have it do whatever you like. It's kinda nice.

[Q] coming from a prime, have a question on an acer.

I currently have the Asus prime and love the tablet, but it doesn't work for my needs as a multimedia device on the go. With the blue tooth and streaming video/audio issue, my main purpose of it is no longer functional. I could careless about the gps.
I was looking at the Acer 500 tablet. I know it would be a tegra2 compared to the tegera3 and there is the 510 model just released. After the mess that is happening with the prime I'm hesitant to try another brand spanking new model right out of the gates. I don't mind yesterdays technology if it's proven to work and tweaked already. Plus it should be a bit cheaper.
So my question is, how do you owners of the Acer brand of tablets like your devices? Particularly the media abilities of it. I use youtube, stream tv shows, stream cartoons, and internet radio. Being able to use my blue tooth headset is my sore spot and is what I'm looking to rectify with a different tablet.
I do some gaming but not much on the android platform has really taken me yet. If these Acer models play Order and Chaos then it would be a boon.
Thanks for any suggestions or advice.
THere are video limitations with 1080p . mosy 720 will play fine. Streaming for me works well,of course some of the roms are better then others.I will not make comments on any of them. I would say read the forums of those roms.Order and Chaos does actually run very well on my A500. as with most other android games. I can also say my Bluetooth motorola hd 9 headset works flawless.
Good Luck .
Its OK
I have an a500, video and audio streamig works fine, same goes for bluetooth, I hate how the browser auto closes when it runs out of memory specially when watching heavy loaded web sites (I mean heavy Flash content).
I am on stock 3.2.1 rom, no root.
I love the big usb port as I can connect almost anything, I have a USB hub and can connect 4 things at the same time (memory, keyboard, mouse and gamepad).
Sound is good, not top best but is ok.
No good 1080p playback as Erica already said.
No GPS issues unless you go for custom roms.
Planned to update to ICS by the end of the month.
I like my A500 but I would never go from a Prime to an A500.
I don't have any issues with my device per say. I run netflix, crunchyroll, etc. on there and I use plex as well as tversity so 1080p videos and anything out of the scope of compatibility for my tablet from my library aren't an issue for me. Like you, I use it for multimedia purposes and I am satisfied.
My unwanted 2c is you just wait for a patch that makes you LOVE your Prime. It took several software revisions before Acer got it right with Honeycomb on the A500 and Tegra3 as well as ICS is brand spanking new so I'd give it a bit more time. I stuck with the A500 because I liked it and I found the USB port useful but as I said, I would not go from a Prime to an A500 for the mere fact that the Prime is technically speaking, a newer device with better/faster hardware and a better screen....even if you THINK you don't care about Tegra3 vs. Tegra2, once Asus gets the software refined, overall it will be better than the A500. If it's a case where you have some disposable dollars and are thinking of getting the A500 in the interim, go ahead; but if you're going to swap/exchange the Prime and then buy an A500 I would heartily advise against it.
Good Luck to you, whatever you decide.
As for me, here is what I can say about the A500 :
- for the videos, I'm used to ripping my DVDs and blu-rays so I can read them on the tablet. My favorite format is MP4. Nothing special to say about DVDs, but as for the Blu-rays 720p main profile works fine (high profile does not), just as 1080p low profile (both main and high profile won't be readable with a comforable frame rate). It's also a matter of bit rate : for 720p main profile, 3500 Kbps is almost perfect, 4000 Kbps is fine 90% of the time but it can get really laggy for some minutes at times. For 1080p low profile, 5500 Kbps was fine, haven't tested anything else yet because anyway good 1080p compressed movies weighs like 8GB and with FAT32 you're supposed to be limited to 4GB. No noticeable quality differences with the tablet screen anyway, and very little on a large TV screen given the compression, so to me 720p main profile remains the best choice.
- Sound is surprisingly good but mic really (and I mean really) sucks. Barely usable.
- Screen isn't as accurate as on other tablets. It makes no differences at all for a normal use but if you intend to handwrite it is still possible but not perfect.
- Battery life is fine for me, but it lasts less than others. Like 6 to 8 hours in video, the same for a standard use (internet, reading,...).
- The screen is good, but again not as good as the Asus's screens or iPads and Galaxy tabs ones.
- The USB port is a huge feature for me, it works just fine with my NTFS external hard disk, with all my USB keys, with all my USB PC controllers (that are already set the right way !), with my keyboard, my mouse, and my USB hub so I can use my keyboard and mouse at the same time on the tablet !
- With Honeycomb, internet browsing is a little bit too slow and lacks smoothness for me with the default browser (I'm used to great smoothness and speed with my SGS 2), so I chose to use Dolphin Mini, which is fine. Hope the ICS update will fix that though.
In conclusion it's a good device but for 2011, you're likely to be disappointed coming from a Transformer Prime. Better wait for the A510 or the A700 to my mind.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm going to hold on to the prime for another 2 weeks or so and see how the 510 is holding up. It's always the customers that find the little quirks which are not noticed by the manufactures in their testing phases.
Thanks again!
sureeee
fsured said:
I currently have the Asus prime and love the tablet, but it doesn't work for my needs as a multimedia device on the go. With the blue tooth and streaming video/audio issue, my main purpose of it is no longer functional. I could careless about the gps.
I was looking at the Acer 500 tablet. I know it would be a tegra2 compared to the tegera3 and there is the 510 model just released. After the mess that is happening with the prime I'm hesitant to try another brand spanking new model right out of the gates. I don't mind yesterdays technology if it's proven to work and tweaked already. Plus it should be a bit cheaper.
So my question is, how do you owners of the Acer brand of tablets like your devices? Particularly the media abilities of it. I use youtube, stream tv shows, stream cartoons, and internet radio. Being able to use my blue tooth headset is my sore spot and is what I'm looking to rectify with a different tablet.
I do some gaming but not much on the android platform has really taken me yet. If these Acer models play Order and Chaos then it would be a boon.
Thanks for any suggestions or advice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i really love my tab
it supports all my needs
but on a500 you have to use external 3g modem (i dont use 3g on my tab)
if 3g is important i would rather a501
but the other things about it is really good
i use it for media too. i even dont use my pc since ive got it
and about the 1080p video playback
hardware codecs are kinda laggy but i use software decoders and its ok

Thinking about picking up a Shield

Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?
Character Zero said:
Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I would wait. I bought it for both, but unless emulators of old games will endlessly occupy you, PC streaming is the star of the show (even though I'm having system requirement issues and haven't tried it yet).
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Yeah that's what I am afraid of. Its a lot of money to spend to not know if I will be able to take full advantage of it (outside of building a PC).
Character Zero said:
Yeah that's what I am afraid of. Its a lot of money to spend to not know if I will be able to take full advantage of it (outside of building a PC).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are some other reasons just besides gaming device to buy this.
If you watch a lot of Netflix the Shield is worth it. You can prop up the screen, and watch videos without having to hold up a tablet. The miniHDMI makes it easy to plug the Shield into the TV and use apps like XDA. It could be used as a mobile home theater device. It's even great as a portable boombox because of the loud speakers.
In addition my PC streaming problem is processor specific.... My processor exceeds the requirements by almost twice what they say (I have two Xeon processors).
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Character Zero said:
Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a SGS3 and a GameKlip. So I kind of under stand where you are coming from.
IMO the shield is a premium device. Its like my SGS3/Gameklip is Folger's coffee and the shield is fresh ground Starbucks.
The controller. The speakers. The huge battery. Its all top notch stuff that may be overkill in most ppls mind but if you really enjoy gaming it might be for you. The PC streaming for me is a bonus. I may build a PC to get streaming set up on but its not a priority.
Mostly for me this thing was bought for emulation of old consoles, android gaming and as a media player for around the house (using to play Pandora around the house IS NICE). Sure my phone will do all that. But the shield will do it all so much better.
s0me guy said:
I have a SGS3 and a GameKlip. So I kind of under stand where you are coming from.
IMO the shield is a premium device. Its like my SGS3/Gameklip is Folger's coffee and the shield is fresh ground Starbucks.
The controller. The speakers. The huge battery. Its all top notch stuff that may be overkill in most ppls mind but if you really enjoy gaming it might be for you. The PC streaming for me is a bonus. I may build a PC to get streaming set up on but its not a priority.
Mostly for me this thing was bought for emulation of old consoles, android gaming and as a media player for around the house (using to play Pandora around the house IS NICE). Sure my phone will do all that. But the shield will do it all so much better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You make a good point about the media player aspect. I have a Vita and a 3DS along with all the consoles that I just have no time to play. I am kind of crazy with game consoles, but not sure if I need another one.
Character Zero said:
You make a good point about the media player aspect. I have a Vita and a 3DS along with all the consoles that I just have no time to play. I am kind of crazy with game consoles, but not sure if I need another one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol. you sound a bit like me.
I literally just bought a brand new in sealed box Nintendo DSlite to play slot 1 & 2 flash carts with. Then I buy this thing. To be honest every other console I own is about to get neglected for the foreseeable future. My phone is also starting to get neglected too. Browsing the web is much more fun with shield than my S3. Still not as good as my laptop but the using the anolog sticks and triggers make for a pretty nice way to navigate the web browser.
Posting this fro shield too FYI.
I've definitely enjoyed my Shield. Originally, I was planning to use it mainly for media consumption, but then I downloaded GTA III of the Play Store and it was on. I've spent hours playing GTA just messing around with the cops and driving around.
It still is a good media consumption device too. I can sit it down and watch it, or hold it up while keeping my hands comfortable by adjusting the screen. Once you get the hang of the little analog stick clicking and flicking to pull down menus, scroll, etc. it's pretty great.
The WiFi implementation is superb. It peaks at 300 Mbps on 5 GHz (full 2x2:2 802.11n). The speakers are very loud. I can usually keep my volume set at about 30% when using the device in my house.
The only drawback is that it's pretty heavy. It doesn't really bother me because I'm usually resting my arms on something when I use it, but if you're expecting the weight of a 3DS or Vita, you're going to be disappointed.
cgutman said:
I've definitely enjoyed my Shield. Originally, I was planning to use it mainly for media consumption, but then I downloaded GTA III of the Play Store and it was on. I've spent hours playing GTA just messing around with the cops and driving around.
It still is a good media consumption device too. I can sit it down and watch it, or hold it up while keeping my hands comfortable by adjusting the screen. Once you get the hang of the little analog stick clicking and flicking to pull down menus, scroll, etc. it's pretty great.
The WiFi implementation is superb. It peaks at 300 Mbps on 5 GHz (full 2x2:2 802.11n). The speakers are very loud. I can usually keep my volume set at about 30% when using the device in my house.
The only drawback is that it's pretty heavy. It doesn't really bother me because I'm usually resting my arms on something when I use it, but if you're expecting the weight of a 3DS or Vita, you're going to be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speaking of the weight, based on the thread title, I was going to respond: It is 1.5 pounds- You can dooo iiiitt!
I am tempted to get this, but might wait for a price drop to $250.... I wish Best Buy stocked these puppies to try out in store.
rushless said:
Speaking of the weight, based on the thread title, I was going to respond: It is 1.5 pounds- You can dooo iiiitt!
I am tempted to get this, but might wait for a price drop to $250.... I wish Best Buy stocked these puppies to try out in store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are lucky enough to have a Microcenter near you I believe they have them on display top try out. They did before launch anyway.
Unfortunately no Microcenter and no Gamestop with display for me. But all of the reviews are raving, I can't seem to find one bad review. Except the game streaming is a huge part of the glowing reviews, and since I have a laptop (with a Kepler GPU, so capable) I don't know if I want to gamble on being able to stream down the line. I do like the idea of a Dedicated Android hand held. Using a Moga with my phone just doesn't seem right, plus it kills battery.
Character Zero said:
Unfortunately no Microcenter and no Gamestop with display for me. But all of the reviews are raving, I can't seem to find one bad review. Except the game streaming is a huge part of the glowing reviews, and since I have a laptop (with a Kepler GPU, so capable) I don't know if I want to gamble on being able to stream down the line. I do like the idea of a Dedicated Android hand held. Using a Moga with my phone just doesn't seem right, plus it kills battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Austin area has one at GameStop (as well as me having one)
Made the impulse purchase this morning. Newegg had the case in stock and had a bundle with the shield, case, faceplate, and HDMI cable for 347. Not a bad deal since I wanted the case anyway. Looking forward to using it when mobile GPUs are supported but for now I have some Android games I can't wait to play.
Check out Ebay guys, I just got the cheapest one posted thusfar (you can see all the old auctions by looking at the completed listings in the filters), an in-box shield in great shape which is already in the post for 250 flat, including shipping, and it has the receipt and hasn't had the warranty registered yet.
You may get lucky like me and find one that someone wants gone fast.
I thought about getting one of these things once. I was gonna beat the crap out of someone and take it so I could put it on eBay. ^_^
I am still waiting to get one problem is we need to pay about £55 custom fees to have it shipped to uk.
i have the first Moga controller + S3/S4. Also pair PS Dual Shock controller + S3.
Moga controller pairing is a nightmare.
With an additional controller, it always take time to setup the phone to play, with Shield you just need to open screen and play.
I can say Shield is definitely a much better experience IMO
The emulator runs great, no lag in controls (especially Mario)
I can finally play Dead Trigger with proper controls (weapon selection need a bit of tweak)
Also trying some of the Shield compatible games and was quite satisfied.
And i didn't even consider about the PC streaming feature.
Btw i have 3DS XL and Vita as well
xtrememorph said:
i have the first Moga controller + S3/S4. Also pair PS Dual Shock controller + S3.
Moga controller pairing is a nightmare.
With an additional controller, it always take time to setup the phone to play, with Shield you just need to open screen and play.
I can say Shield is definitely a much better experience IMO
The emulator runs great, no lag in controls (especially Mario)
I can finally play Dead Trigger with proper controls (weapon selection need a bit of tweak)
Also trying some of the Shield compatible games and was quite satisfied.
And i didn't even consider about the PC streaming feature.
Btw i have 3DS XL and Vita as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree, I never once wanted this for pc streaming. Got it for emulation. Not sure if i like it more than my 3DS but definitely better than my vita. I love mine but their are still people that wont like it because of looks or because it's because it's basically a phone/tablet and controller. I can't think of one thing negative about it. Best emulators in my opinion are DraStic and m64/Super N64 (anything but mupen) My Boy! and Retroarch. Also as far as android games go I like me some Shadow gun dead zone. Needs more levels though. Also I hope an update comes out soon to use the shield controller or emulate the touch screen controls with non-shield optimized games (Minecraft PE, Call of duty Zombies etc.)
I was worried about getting the shield at first aswell.... out of all my retro and new consoles it has been my goto console for the last month.... it me made respect android gaming, there are some really fun console quality games on the play and shield store plus more to come.... can't wait for Dead Trigger 2 to release.
I can emulate my entire retro console library, it has a beautiful retinal screen plus I use miracast adapter to game on my smart tv wirelessly. Plus I use Onlive to stream AAA PC titles..... the shield is a gaming beast.... as of right now it is also my mediahub for music and movies .... since my tv is connected to my sound system.... I sort of use it as my media remote control.... on top of all that it PORTABLE... no handheld right now packs as much power that can be carried around anywhere you go.
Don't think twice just get one, I promise you wont be disappointed.
james.wilder said:
I was worried about getting the shield at first aswell.... out of all my retro and new consoles it has been my goto console for the last month.... it me made respect android gaming, there are some really fun console quality games on the play and shield store plus more to come.... can't wait for Dead Trigger 2 to release.
I can emulate my entire retro console library, it has a beautiful retinal screen plus I use miracast adapter to game on my smart tv wirelessly. Plus I use Onlive to stream AAA PC titles..... the shield is a gaming beast.... as of right now it is also my mediahub for music and movies .... since my tv is connected to my sound system.... I sort of use it as my media remote control.... on top of all that it PORTABLE... no handheld right now packs as much power that can be carried around anywhere you go.
Don't think twice just get one, I promise you wont be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What hardware do you use for miracast i want to do something like that wirelessly

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