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I have had an ipad since release. We have used it for school, presentations, documents, email, etc. I can already say it is nothing compared to the xoom.
I've had it less than a day, and I have run into a few quirks. The ipad did too, like wifi dropping on me constantly on release. Anyhow, just sitting here chatting with a friend, browsing the market, internet, xda, etc, I can't help but notice how much better it is than my ipad. Quickly swapping between apps, voice input, etc. I can plug it into the TV and instantly show my wife an article I've found.
Sure the apps aren't there yet, but they will be. The quirks will be fixed, and it can only get better. For all the "I'm taking it back" threads I just don't get it. I'm hooked.
This is the tablet I was looking for.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
i envy you. I originally was going to wait for the xoom but i got impatient and bought an ipad. Then xoom came out and i sold my ipad and bought it. First day amazed, second annoyed. Im getting ALOT of keyboard lag and I need a good pdf reader. The ones for the phone are not cutting it. Tried ez and repligo both lag like crazy.
Definitely returning this for the xoom for ipad 2. Ipad 2 will be my placeholder until Honeycomb gets more apps and bugs fixed.
iPad has nothing over the Xoom? Really? Not even a better screen (I would take IPS and much much better viewing angles and color reproduction over higher resolution)? Lighter weight? Thinner body? Better, more diverse accessories? And that's not even mentioning the better app store at launch which you just handwaved away but a lot of us consider to be pretty important.
It's one thing to be a fan of the Xoom (which I am). I'll even admit that I do have an anti-Apple bias and that I'll probably never purchase an Apple product. But it's another to completely toss all objectivity out the window and just become a cheerleader for a product that so obviously isn't perfect.
It's not as if the benefits I listed above are limited to Apple. Samsung's new Honeycomb tablet is taking care of 3, potentially 4, things from that list. It'll have a lighter weight than even the iPad 2, a thinner body than even the iPad 1 and Xoom, all while having pretty much the same internals as the Xoom. It also might have a better screen (still looking into this). And the delayed release of the product after the release of the SDK means launch customers will have a lot more apps available to them.
Liking a device doesn't mean you have to be blind to it's shortcomings.
EDIT: I just noticed that most of my recent posts are criticisms of the Xoom and I want to clarify. I'm not trying to bash the product. I just think we should be holding Honeycomb tablet makers to, at the bare minimum, the standards that Apple has set with its wildly successful iPad. Clearly that's being done with some factors. Xoom has more connectivity options, a higher resolution screen, an OS that's better suited for tablet work and productivity, etc. But it's obviously not being done with others, especially screen quality which is a huge HUGE deal with tablets, and I don't think Honeycomb tablet manufacturers should get a pass on that.
You plug your tablet into a tv to show her an article?
I own both as well and I love the potential here but wouldn't say that the I pad 1 has nothing on the xoom. The screen is better as mentioned before. Colors and viewing angles. Also overall OS smoothness. The ipad is silky smooth everywhere. The Xoom is smooth sometime then it gets choppy. Right now that is my biggest disappointment. I mean functionally it is fine the the chop gets a little annoying tbh.
On the ipad for example I neverrrrr had a case of music coming in and out while I surfed the web or download files using filer. On this device I randomly get delays in sound when I perform other tasks. Like ashura3 mentioned not to hate on the xoom after all I actually have one and I am going to keep it for sure but being objective the ipad is pretty slick in what it actually does. And insult to injury google and Motorola have had alot of time to look at what apple did before shipping this device. We are comparing the almost 1 year old device on top of that all the early reports and videos I watched and read about yesterday on the ipad show an extremely fast polished ipad2.
I understand its limited in certain aspect but take like functions or apps and compare how the work and objectively it is hard to say the I pad has nothing on the xoom.
ashura3 said:
It also might have a better screen (still looking into this). And the delayed release of the product after the release of the SDK means launch customers will have a lot more apps available to them.
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If I supply is correct the display is a 16bit tft. That would explain the differences I see when looking at the two and comparing the IPS 32bit display on the ipad. All the other downsides of the Xoom can be easily addressed but like the lack of SD or 4g upgrade on the ipad, there is no way the xoom screen will be as nice unfortunately. It isn't a terrible screen but there is a difference and it is pretty obvious to everyone I nave showed both devices to.
But the iPad 2 has a magnetic dust cover!!!!
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I have an ipad and just got the Xoom. The Xoom is certainly a nice device, I don't think the screen is so bad but it isn't IPS.
I think Motorola blew it big time although I hope they do succeed. They should have released the wifi version before Apple announced the ipad 2 event. As a consumer that just wants a wifi tablet, are you really going to spend $800 on a Xoom or $500 (less for a ipad 1) for a ipad? Even if both are the same price, how many people do you think are going to buy the Xoom over an ipad? Let's hope the Xoom does better than the Zune.
The whole user experience of the Xoom isn't nearly as good as what iOS offers. I'm keeping my Xoom as I would rather have Android than Apple (sd slot, usb and I like the file system better for my field work). If Apple had released a 2x res screen with sd slot as some rumors had mentioned, I would have stuck with iOS.
Long term, Android has a good shot but I don't see the Xoom making a dent getting Apple's market share. The cost, hardware and software don't surpass the Apple user experience. There is no compelling reason to switch from iOS or choose Android unless you're a fan of the platform.
I don't have an iphone nor a Mac so no fanboy here but you can't beat the ipod and the ipad is getting to be just as iconic. Jha has done a good job but I think he completely underestimates what Apple is in the market to think that the Xoom is going to compete against the ipad at the same cost.
google voice... the ipad has it...
Ehhhh.... this is what were supposed to do. Early adopters are basically testers, if you guys see anything you don't like, email google and suggest them. You guys are doing a great job of testing out the device. Also, in order for android tablet apps to increase in numbers fast, there's gotta be customers for developers to sell to right? I purchased a xoom to fill my needs, it does get laggy sometimes but it isnt such a dealbreaker to me right now. Looking at the I pad 1 or 2 it doesn't matter. It's still the same ****ty grids of icons from page to page. But I,too, really think motorola should just release the damn wifi version before the I pad 2 takes a whole bunch of customers.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
My emphasis was more on the software experience rather than hardware. I don't see how iOS is going to hold its own once Honeycomb has its kinks worked out. The user experience is just that superior to the iOS grid of icons.
The xoom isn't that special for hardware. Every few months something faster or thinner or brighter is going to come along, but I don't see Apple drastically changing their operating system anytime soon and I think Honeycomb itself is going to be the real threat.
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Sirchuk said:
My emphasis was more on the software experience rather than hardware...
The xoom isn't that special for hardware... but I don't see Apple drastically changing their operating system anytime soon and I think Honeycomb itself is going to be the real threat.
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AMEN to that! I was just thinking that this morning... This isn't really a "war" between Apple and non-Apple. It's about user experience, needs etc. Since hardware is always obsolete the moment you leave the store (or click check out) the software is the main determinant. Unfortunately, it looks bad right now for HC. But the more I see users post their homescreens with all the wild widgets and customization going on the more I feel "home". I LOVE the apps on the iPad and the screen (I'm playing with a coworker's iPad today) but the user experience is reminiscent of my iPhone...
Just out of curiousity, does anyone know what the Frequency Response is on the Xoom, I can't find it listed anywhere in the specifications. I know its listed for the iPad. I would like to know what it is on the Xoom though.
Anyone?
Being an owner of both, I have to say that the iPad has the luxury of being on the market for a whole year. Last April, iPad was in the same position as a Xoom is today with the uncertainty, bugs and the like. Compairing to Xoom today, its not really in that bad of a position. My Xoom has already replaced my ipad and I'm super excited to see where this thing can go.
I've had my Xoom since launch, and have not had a single issue of lag, or sound problems. Everything has ran very smoothly... Not a android or apple fanboy, I've used them all, i just like the notification system and widgets on honeycomb much better than the ipad.
I'm looking at the 3.0 tabs and given the Asus' supply shortage it's down to the Xoom and Acer Iconia. Anyone want to weigh in on their Xoom experiences?
After selling my GTablet a month ago I purchased a wifi XOOM and despite my biggest grip of no sdcard w/out rooting I love the XOOM. I am staying with stock for as long as I can until ROM's come out frequently like they did/do with GTab. For a stock rom this is a great device and the cosmetic look and feel for me is much better than the Gtablet.
Go with the Xoom!!!
i sold my gtab and got a xoom, its awesome!
Yep me too returned my GTAb and got the Xoom. Since it came with 3.0 it was worth the extra money to me.
i had a gtab for a while until the hardware failed. luckily it was right under the 30 day return time frame so i could re-allocate my funds to a much better device. the screen on the g tab really annoyed me. not that i use my tab in the vertical position a lot, but when i do want to use it in the vertical position i don't want it to give me a headache. Also the lack of accessories was somewhat annoying. all i wanted was a descent folio case that i didn't have to modify, but at the time i had a gtab that wasn't an option.
I just yesterday bought a xoom after being in the same spot you are in. Let me start by saying between the xoom and the acer the two major things I was noticing was the screen difference and the battery life. Yes I have held both in my hands and the screen on the zoom just looks a lot better, even at the same resolution. Maybe its because the acer is using an lcd?
And the xoom has about an 1 1/2 hours better battery life.
And then there's the big difference of having more memory out of the box. (Well... depending, where I bought the acer only had a 16gb option avail)
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Do not get the Acer one, I have used it and it feels cheap as all hell. The Xoom feels much better in the hand and the lock button placement was extremely smart. Typing on both devices was pretty easy (although I recommend ThumbKeyboard 4.0 beta 3 best keyboard for Honeycomb thus far) and their UI s don't differ at all. In all honesty, if you want the best Honeycomb tablet I would recommend the G Slate, but since you are stuck with tthese two, go with the Xoom, the developer support will be stronger (stock as the Nexus series) the updates will come quicker and finally, the device just feels better. If you are into Modding, then you can mod the SD card into the Xoom, you can apply kernels that can overclock the Xoom up to 1.5ghz, and then there is the UA string fix that I am not sure of they have fixed it on the other tablets or not, but they have fixed it on the Xoom. Get the Xoom for sure, it is probably the second best Honeycomb tablet, or the third... First being the G Slate, and second being the Asus Transform.
Sent from my Xoom
Smokexz said:
In all honesty, if you want the best Honeycomb tablet I would recommend the G Slate, but since you are stuck with these two, go with the Xoom, the developer support will be stronger (stock as the Nexus series) the updates will come quicker and finally, the device just feels better.
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I decided against getting the TMO G-Slate (I also have a SGS Vibrant with T-Mobile) because of the smaller screen and lack of hardware SD card slot. While the XOOM lacks an SD card slot as well, all that is needed is a software update to enable it (already available unofficially).
I, too agree that the XOOM will receive better support, etc. To this day, I have yet to the G-Slate given a proper forum here at XDA. I've either tried or owned many of the other tablet choices that have become available. The XOOM has the best quality build IMO. Every day more places are selling them. Sam's club just started and Sprint will sell the WiFi version within a week. Availability will be key to which one will succeed.
The XOOM's price is also good as is since it's the same price as the 32GB iPad yet does way more. I've seen people claim the ASUS Tablet is cheaper but some are comparing the 16GB version which is silly!
I like to rip on Motorola for releasing a half-baked device, but the fact is that I really have only a single gripe with the Xoom (buggy bluetooth). Other than that, I love it to death.
Build quality is really top-notch. The thing feels solid and is comfortable to hold (especially in landscape mode). If I were still out there trying to select a tablet, I would pick the Xoom again even with the knowledge that some features would be delayed... and delayed again. Like I say, I have had problems with the bluetooth. I'd like to use this as a netbook from time to time, but the Xoom doesn't play well with bluetooth keyboards. They work... just not very well. I expect that the next update will solve this problem though.
In other words, once Motorola and have patched Honeycomb, I honestly think that the Xoom will be the best tablet for this generation of tablets. Developer support is there. Unlocked bootloader, etc.... Just expect a few moments of frustration in the meanwhile.
Xevilious said:
I like to rip on Motorola for releasing a half-baked device, but the fact is that I really have only a single gripe with the Xoom (buggy bluetooth). Other than that, I love it to death.
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It's funny you say that because it was chosen for a particular project because of it's bluetooth support. Having 3 android devices at the ready, I tested them all to determine their fitness for a particular work purpose. Out of an SGS Vibrant (mine), iPad 1st Gen (not mine) and XOOM (mine). I found that only the XOOM could properly handle serial communication over bluetooth (SPP profile). I get better than expected range, it seems well shielded from interference and it hasn't dropped a byte. So it's hopefully just one or more software glitch(es) with the HID profile.
I stand behind my purchase a 110%. When you pull it out next to an iOS device people just gather around. I'm not comparing - just stating my experience. They want to know what, it, is. Then I tell them the story of the Matrix and I say its a Xoom. They want to look at it but its almost like they are afraid. Its like its too much device for them. Just saying.
I bought my Xoom about a week ago, and I couldn't be happier with it. I had been researching Android tablets for a while, and it came down to either the Xoom or the Asus Transformer. Given that the transformer is next to impossible to find and that Motorola is a reputable company with a good track record, I decided to go with the Xoom. I haven't rooted mine yet since I haven't had a resason to do it yet, but it's awesome that Motorola gave us an unlocked boot loader.
Go with the Xoom for sure over the Acer.
My roommate was test driving a xoom and he eventually settled on ipad2. When I took the xoom for a test drive and directly compared the youtube streaming (mortal kombat miniseries "legacy") the ipad2 was way smoother/better. Does 3.1 close this gap? This is one of the deal breaker items for me and I wanted to hear if anyone had an opinion.
where did he test the two? did they have the same connection? ive never had any issues streaming youtube on mine....
Both at my house over wifi. It's not a "problem" per se, however, when directly compared I could clearly see it was not as smooth. I think it might be an issue of flash implementation with honeycomb.
3.1 is noticeably faster than 3.0 so yes the gap is closed! Much more stable also. Whether the gap is completely removed, I'm not so sure. The one thing the iDevices do well is smoothness and I think if you choose to be picky android, although just as fast, is not consistently as smooth. I will say however that some parts are very smooth so it may just be a case of developers catching up and making better use of hardware acceleration. I firmly believe android has much more potential than the current iOS and the apple philosophy of 'do a little, but do it well'. Just looking forward to seeing 3.1's potential fully realised.
Ps. YouTube is one of the apps which is much better in 3.1
Was this through the YouTube app or the browser?
I dont remember. They're not equal?
You tube app doesn't use flash, so flash implementation wouldn't matter. And if it was in browser it would have used html5 on both xoom and ipad (both are webkit browsers)
In browser would be the best comparison.
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Well, if this helps at all, I bought the I pad 2 and returned it within 48 hours. That thing sucks out loud. Bought a Xoom 2 days later and havent looked back even once. And I am NOT an Apple hater - I was an iPhone user until about 8 months ago, one of those stand-in-line-on-release-day types since day 1 of iPhone 1.
iOS on the iPad doesn't even begin to hold a candle to honeycomb. The best way I can describe the difference in the UIs is like Windows 3.1 vs. Windows 7. I absolutely hated it.
Honeycomb is not as smooth in terms of scrolling, which is a bit of an annoyance, yes, but its certainly no less fast overall.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
I have both the iPad 2 and the Xoom, and they're both great devices in their own right. The iPad 2 is definitely smoother than the Xoom over all. However, the Xoom can do so much more than the iPad ever thought about. Until the Xoom came out, I was a die-hard iPad fan, and I carried my original iPad every where I went. When the iPad 2 came out, I sold the original to my mother-in-law and got the iPad 2. At the time, I thought that it would be the end of my tablet-buying for the year. Then I got a chance to play with a Xoom and I had to have one. Since I got the Xoom, the iPad has become my wife's tablet and the Xoom now goes every where with me.
All that being said, I'll leave you with this: I remember reading an early review of the Xoom where the reviewer stated that you either know you want one or you don't. I knew that I wanted one and I couldn't be happier with mine. However, if you're looking for an iPad-esque experience, this ain't it. The 3.1 update has done a lot to polish the rough edges that Android has, but there are still some things that feel half-baked. However, if you've already got an Android phone then you know that things get better over time. Case in point: when the HTC Evo 4G came out, it was a great phone but the overall experience was lacking in a few places. HTC promptly released the 2.2 update followed by a few maintenance updates that turned the phone into a beast. I feel that the Xoom will follow a similar paradigm.
I did a review over here. Head over to take a look and hopefully this 2-miniseries review (both general and apps focused) will be helpful~
2-miniseries Part 1
2-miniseries Part 2
It is pretty simple (not like those major portals), but it is from a very ordinary users' view and most importantly, someone who spent 650 USD on the device.
If it is helpful, don't buy me a beer. Search through my searchbox on my site or take a look at my sponsors great products on the link. Appreciated! =)
I have an ipad 2 and recently got a 3G Xoom as a gift. I've played with the Xoom when it first came out and the OS was basically one giant FC with browser and most apps crashing left and right. However 3.1 took care of that and now everything is much smoother. The ipad has way more and better apps.BUT honeycomb OS is much better suited for tablets and since it's a pure Google device you can tweak the hell out of it. The ipad has superior hardware and apps,but being tied to iTunes and having to employ rediculous work arounds to perform simple tasks due to no file system access makes it pretty worthless for most work related tasks. If you just want a toy then the ipad is great,while Xoom is a better productivity tool and more of laptop replacement.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
I remember when the Xoom first launched I went to check it out at BB. The experience wasn't all that great and it didn't feel smooth. I settled with an iPad 2 on launch day. I love the iPad and all it has to offer but I couldn't stand not having Flash, Customization & Jailbreak. I watch a lot of Youtube (everyday) but I prefer to do that on a computer.
Since the 3.1 update things have sped up and the OS is much faster. I ended up trading my iPad 2 for my Xoom from a local person on CL. I still have the iPad 1 to fall back on for the apps.
I owned an ipad 2 previous to my xoom.
I think that has spoiled me and now I find myself complaining that the xoom isn't as smooth as the ipad2
but things like flash, real multitasking, widgets made me stick with my xoom even though it has its lagging issues
Hey all,
Figured I'd pass on my opinions of these devices, and since I finally chose the TF, I figured I'd get the least flames posting here - lol. Looooong time gadget geek/hacker going way back to the Palm Pilot days. If it was a tech gadget, and particularly if it was internet capable, I probably owned one. My current phones are a HTC Desire Z (w/ NAM AT&T 3G) running CM7, and an iPhone 4 jailbroken.
Over the past couple of months I've owned (or still own) the Xoom, iPad 2, TF101 (w/dock) and GTab 10.1. I still own all but the Xoom, and here's a few of my thoughts on all of them and why I'll be keeping the TF.
Xoom - Well built, sturdy, and nice design. Lousy screen (comparitively) and lack of promised features like LTE and the SD Card werre a bummer, but my biggest reason for selling that one was the screen, and seeming lack of "responsiveness" from Moto on the device. Plus I knew cooler devices were coming soon.
iPad 2 - Not yet Jailbroken (grrr) but it's still a suprisingly good media consumption device as is. I go the 32GB AT&T model, and have used it for a couple of trips as a laptop replacement. It'll be cooler when I can JB it, but since I have a fiarly big investment in iOS software, I'll probably keep it a while. Not real impressed with it's Safari performance, considering all the hub-bub about how fast it is. But it does do games great, is slick and trouble free, and nice sized with a great (smart-cover) solution.
Galaxy Tab 10.1 - I got this one on Sunday, so I haven't given it a whole lot of time. It's a beautiful, "Apple like" device from a design perspective. Also the screen while very saturated, is very nice, light weight and thinness also gets it lots of oooohs and aaawwwws from everybody. I hate that Samsung doesn't allow direct mounting of the internal storage, and we're forced to use that awful KIES software. I've just been using Drobbox and all my music is in the Google cloud. This one would have been my second choice if I didn't already have (and love) the...
Transformer 101- now this one is my keeper. A lot has to do wth the dock - I'm an "ultraportable" laptop fan (current Lenovo x220) so I like smaller laptops, and man this thing makes a damn good laptop substitute with tablet caapabilities. The screen is gorgeous, the responsiveness of the OS is equal to or better than the other Androids, and even beats iPad when Safari is sucking wind. I love the quick controls in the browser (missing in the Tab) and that it feels like there's a really robust community developing for this device. I'm not rooted on any of these yet, and actually pretty content like that. Therre's a few things I'd do with root (and anti ad hosts file for one!) but for the most part I'm ok with them as is. When I start to get bored I'll probably root this too.
I sold the Xoom about a month aftr I bought it, I'll keep the iPad (partly for the fun things to try like iOS 5 and it's great for kids to play games on) but the Tab is going back to BB (restocking fee be damned.
I just really like the versatility of the TF w/dock. I have it paired with a small BT mouse and it's like a pretty full featured laptop, that goes into Tablet mode at the flick of a switch. Still on the hunt for the slimmest folio case for it that allows it to be propped up for typing, but the kybd dock does that for now.
Hope these tips help some people interested in any of these, remember their just mmy opinions and everybody has different needs and required attributes that may differ from mine. Either way their all fun.
If anybody has any question about my experiences, fire away, love to chat gadget talk abou the cool toys.
-Joel
well played!
Shouldnt be a restocking fee witjin 14 days. I returned a tab a few weeks ago to wait for tf no issues
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gottahavit said:
Shouldnt be a restocking fee witjin 14 days. I returned a tab a few weeks ago to wait for tf no issues
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Good to know thaks, I'll push and see what they say, thanks for the heads up!
Good Post. Thanks.
Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt.
I quite agree with you.
From all these devices i tried the iPad 2 and the ASUS transformer.
Im already acquainted with iOS and although its simple and intuitive it's kind of boring. im quite into personalizing my device which the iOs wont really allow.
The bigger and wide screen on the transformer is really nice, and although build-wise it may seems "cheaper" then the iPad (everything that is not shiny-aluminum-ultra-appleish is cheap nowdays) its a comfortable device to hold in the hand.
Price-wise the transformer costs less, + the keyboard dock which increases battery life and also allows you to use it as a netbook.
Performance seems to be almost identical on both A5 and the Tegra 2. BUT the transformer is overclockable, therefore you can squeeze some more juice out of it.
I didnt use the other two, but by reviews i understood that the xooms screen is washed out and not all that great, and the lack of a MicroSD on all of the three (xoom,iPad,GT10.1) is meh-ish.
just picked up mine last night after doing a lil bit of reseasch for a week or so glad i chose this one,, love you wife she bought for me.. BAMBAM
good...
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Thanks for the comparison.
Regarding TF and Tab 10.1 screens, which do you prefer? Which is nicer for news/e-book reading? Does Tab 10.1 oversaturation mess with your eyes?
a042349 said:
I hate that Samsung doesn't allow direct mounting of the internal storage, and we're forced to use that awful KIES software.
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Don't agree with this point. I had the Tab 10.1 for about 3-4 days and I had it mounted on my PC as a plug-play device and was able to transfer files directly. All your need is to install the proper USB drivers from the Samsung US site
myself11 said:
Thanks for the comparison.
Regarding TF and Tab 10.1 screens, which do you prefer? Which is nicer for news/e-book reading? Does Tab 10.1 oversaturation mess with your eyes?
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Yes it does. Although the Galaxy screen seems better than the TF , its for sure over saturated and hurts your eyes if watched closely for lot of time.
Srikar_NBK said:
Don't agree with this point. I had the Tab 10.1 for about 3-4 days and I had it mounted on my PC as a plug-play device and was able to transfer files directly. All your need is to install the proper USB drivers from the Samsung US site
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Yeah, you could be right. I'm just so happy with the flexibility of the TF that for now (and for now could be 1-3 months lol) it's the one I'm choosing. IAs I stressed, this is just my humble opinion, hope everybody is happy with their respective choices.
glad to see that are still people who can choose between products without trashing another.
i'm stlll not sure if i'll send my tf back. i do like the versatility it has but seeing that i am keeping my gt 10.1 it's really hard to justify keeping it.
I don't think the keyboard dock can be stressed enough, and I wish I saw more advertising from Asus around the tremendous increase in productivity it provides. It's really not "just" an external keyboard or dock. It really does turn the TF into a completely different class of machine.
That said, I'll admit that if it weren't for the dock, I'd probably opt for the GT 10.1. I don't really use the microSD card I have in my TF right now, and I doubt I'll ever use HDMI. So if choosing between the two on the screen, size and weight alone, I'd probably lean toward the GT. However, man, the keyboard dock makes me want to stick with the TF no matter what else might be out there. As someone who needs to be able to write long-form stuff anywhere, I can't think of a better device than the TF...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
i'd have to suppose the lack of advertising is one major factor for the price of the tablet. moto, apple, samsung all have commercials yet i've not seen one asus commercial, not even for their laptops.
To each his own I guess. I played with them all as well including the acer and viewsonic and kept the wifi Xoom. I really wanted to like the Asus because of price but it was just as bulky as my xoom and had serious build quality issues. The Asus screen was great, the quality around the screen, not so much. Enjoy your new toy dude. Aint technology fun
The only one I haven't played with is the tab 10.1, I secretly want one but Samsung and I have bad history.
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wynand32 said:
That said, I'll admit that if it weren't for the dock, I'd probably opt for the GT 10.1. I don't really use the microSD card I have in my TF right now, and I doubt I'll ever use HDMI. So if choosing between the two on the screen, size and weight alone, I'd probably lean toward the GT. However, man, the keyboard dock makes me want to stick with the TF no matter what else might be out there. As someone who needs to be able to write long-form stuff anywhere, I can't think of a better device than the TF...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
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This!
The dock is the absolute biggest reason for my choice. With my BT mouse (dislike trackpads) I feel like I'm using a real computer, with 16hr batter life and tablet flexibility. Love the shape, size and design of both the iPad and Tab 10.1, but just love the flexibility of the keybd dock too much - at least for the next 90 days or so. ;-)
a042349 said:
This!
The dock is the absolute biggest reason for my choice. With my BT mouse (dislike trackpads) I feel like I'm using a real computer, with 16hr batter life and tablet flexibility. Love the shape, size and design of both the iPad and Tab 10.1, but just love the flexibility of the keybd dock too much - at least for the next 90 days or so. ;-)
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I know about the 90 day shelf life all too well
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wynand32 said:
I don't think the keyboard dock can be stressed enough, and I wish I saw more advertising from Asus around the tremendous increase in productivity it provides. It's really not "just" an external keyboard or dock. It really does turn the TF into a completely different class of machine.
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+1
Not just a different class of machine, but two machines!
My 2 Bitz
Ok, I'm a little late to the game... but if anyone buys one of these tablets second hand.... like I just did, then here goes nothing: I bought a Motorola XOOM wifi (32gb) and an Asus TF101 (16gb) (and I nearly bought a Galaxy Tab 1 and an iPad Gen. 1). It's my first tablet; I haven't yet figured out what I'm gonna do with it, but there ya go.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 1: I passed on the Sammy because it did not have an SD card slot.
iPad Gen. 1: I passed on the iPad because.... well, it's an iPad. About as useful as a maxi-pad to me. I was put off by the closed system. It means far less choices for free or hard-to-get apps (of the kind I might need), and limited storage with no SD card options. It wouldn't do, even for a kid's tablet. (Despite the fact I have an iPhone....).
Asus Transformer Eee Pad TF101: I really wish they would have stuck to one name, and left it at that. What was the original name? The "Asus Transormer Mario Consuela Maria Concito Esperanto Gonzalez Eeee Pad TF-101"?
Motorola Xoom: Anyway, it came down to Asus and the Xoom. And boy, I had a hard time deciding. So hard, I spent 3 days of my life testing these two tablets, up, down, backwards and forwards. I ended up settling on the Xoom, but first, the Asus....
The Asus has a gorgeous screen, compared to the Xoom. The TF101 is sharper, more clarity, brighter, blacks and whites are more darker and brighter, respectively. Better contrast and angle viewing, and reading books is less of a strain with a more muted white for the background.
THe sound of the Asus however, is like slamming a suitcase lid down on twelve kittens while Freddy Krueger scratches his name out on the chalkboard. It's the ridiculous choice of stuffing really tiny speakers so they can fire out both sides of the unit. Even EQ'ing the thing with Viper4FX could not hide the tinny shortcomings of the speaker sound. Which also had a tendency to break up at louder volumes (its particularly keen to distorting around 500hz). Connected to a stereo though, was quite another matter.
Though much less bass, richness and body, the Asus resolved timbre better than the Xoom on music program material, output through a stereo via headphone jacks. However, I still preferred the sound of the XOoms (yes, "Xooms" as in I had TWO Xooms to compare), because the Asus was causing some degree of stress through its sound and picture, as compared with the calmer energy of the Xooms.
The construction of the Asus was nice in parts (ie. color, back design, aluminum frame)... but the superb construction, design, looks, case and smaller size of the Xooms is what pushed me toward the Motorola choice. I have not seen any tablet as well built as the Xoom. The Xoom has a timeless design and hough it is heavy on the wrist if you have to hold it up, it just feels nicer in the hand than the ultra-wide Transformer; which appears more dated due to its size and design. The really nice charging dock and 32gb internal (vs 16gb of Asus) also helped me accept the inferior colors and viewing angle of the Xoom. I also liked the nice design of the various white & green charging LEDs, around the screen of the Xoom - the Asus has none of that. I was not enamored by the fact that Asus required special prorpietary data cables, where the Xoom uses microUSB. What also pushed me toward the Xoom was the mediocre camera in the Asus. No flash and grainy photos (though it let in an unusual amount of light, despite or because of no flash... but it was too much light, and washed out detail at times). The Xoom 5mp camera was excellent... perhaps better than that on my iPhone. I like the idea of snapping pictures on a tablet, because of the large viewfinder.
I'm kind of a stickler when it comes to design. On pure performance and lightness of weight, the Asus wins. But you might not feel like a winner, trying to listen to vidoes and music on those tinny built in speakers for extended periods of time.
My wife has a Samsung Tab 4, and comparing it with the Asus, I don't find the Tab 4 any much better in any way, and in some ways, not as a good (it has a cheaper build, for example).
Hi all, trying to decide which tablet to get. Hoping to get some honest unbiased opinions. I am coming from an IPad 1 which i loved. Also, I have the $100.00 off staples coupon, however I can NOT get the Asus at 100 off. Everywhere I checked in my area would not honor the coupon because Staples does not have it in stock, I can only get the xoom or Samsung 100.00 off. SO I know most of the pros and cons of each but most reviews that favor the Asus like it because of the price cut. I am going into this with all 3 the same price (only difference being I can get a 32gb xoom at the price of the 16gb asus and samsung)
ASUS 16gb - 399.99
What I like about the ASUS:
Screen I read is the best.
Mini HDMI
SD Card
Lots of mod potential
CONS:
heavier
proprietary cable that i can not find for sale anywhere
large frame.
less than quality build
I dont care about the dock, probably wont buy it.
XOOM - 32gb - 399.99
What I like about the XOOM
largest capacity
Updates first
quality build
SD card slot
HDMI out
no proprietary cable
lots of accessories
CONS:
not the best screen
heaviest
seems to be a little slower than the others (not as responsive)
not a lot of mods available
Galaxy Tab - 399.99 16gb
Pros:
light
quality build
smaller frame
optional keyboard if I want
nice screen
fast/responsive
good mod community
CONS:
proprietary cable
no SD Card slot (huge)
no HDMI out
So with all that said, any opinions/suggestions would really help. Like I said I have the 100.00 coupon and I hate to not use it. So with it I can get all 3 for 399.99 BUT if I choose the Samsung, I would probably pay the 499.99 for the 32 gig (using the 100.00 off) since it has no SD card slot which REALLY SUX. Id be using the tab for movie watching a lot, lots of web browsing, and some EBOOK/PDF mag reading mainly with light gaming and light music listening.
I REALLY need some help.
Build Quality is a BIG factor
Personally I think you will be less than impressed with the build quality of the Asus. True, the screen is the best, but I have held one for extended periods of time and compared to the Xoom, it is really poorly made. The feel of the plastic and poor quality made me frustrated while using the device for 15 minutes. It would really bug me if I paid good money for one and had to hold the cheap feeling device every time.
The Galaxy is a nice device with a decent UI built on top of HC 3.1. The screen was a bit too washed out and saturated for me. I think the Xoom has a softer, more true color balance. The proprietary cables and lack of expansion slot is why I would not migrate to Samsung. Needing an additional dongle cable for I/O kind of stinks.
Here is a review I wrote for the Xoom and compared it in some areas to Asus, Acer, Toshiba and Samsung.
As with any purchase it boils down to preference, price and personal taste. I went from an Acer to the Xoom because of the build quality, Out of the Box support, accessory support, and OS support. The hardware and software integration had less problems on the Xoom than the Acer. Toshiba is experiencing big issues in this area as well. Screens not waking up and other issues with the OS and hardware are problems.
Also keep in mind the Xoom integrates with your PC for file transfers. Other HC devices do not integrate as easily. The Toshiba and Acer can not see their internal storage when attached to a PC. There is no way to easily transfer fies from a PC, Mac or Linux. With the Xoom it is seen as a removable drive.
Also, waiting for Samsung or Asus to release their approved updates could be frustrating if you want the latest and greatest from google. Acer is just now getting the 3.1 update to their devices because of the manufacturer UI integration. The Xoom is the cleanest HC OS with no UI laid over the stock ROM from Google.
Happy hunting.
Xoom charges the fastest. That matters to me.
I had the Xoom, returned it for the Transformer, then returned the Transformer for the Galaxy tab 10.1. I will be keeping the 10.1 and love it.
The Xoom screen is TERRIBLE and it's way too heavy. And up until recently the Xoom was the most expensive tablet on the market, despite having the worst features.
The Transformer was just a big POS. Software was extremely slow on laggy, build quality was abysmal.
I have no need for microSD or HDMI so that was no big deal for me. what I wanted was a light tablet with a wonderful screen and high build quality. The Galaxy tab 10.1 is the only one that gives me that.
What the Xoom has going for it is that it is the first to get Honeycomb updates, and it's built like a tank (in a good way, meaning it's sturdy).
I would use the $100 Staples coupon and get the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Thankfully it is still shipping without Touchwiz, since I don't like how Touchwiz tries to make Honeycomb look like iOS (seriously Samsung, get off of Apple's nuts already, it's embarrassing).
I'm in the same boat as you kinda. Looking at which tablet I will be buying.
Unfortunately, as of yet there is not one that I say I want and has everything I want. Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 come closest, but then again - screen quality on Xoom seems to be poor whilst on the Galaxy there is no micro SD expansion possibility (which is a must in my eyes).
Will probably go for a Xoom - just need to convince myself a bit more and hope I'm not disappointed with the screen.
screwhead89 said:
I'm in the same boat as you kinda. Looking at which tablet I will be buying.
Unfortunately, as of yet there is not one that I say I want and has everything I want. Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1 come closest, but then again - screen quality on Xoom seems to be poor whilst on the Galaxy there is no micro SD expansion possibility (which is a must in my eyes).
Will probably go for a Xoom - just need to convince myself a bit more and hope I'm not disappointed with the screen.
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This is driving me crazy...I'm a painter and use the Xoom as my mobile portfolio. I have compared the photos on the Xoom screen to the photos on my pc and the actual artwork, and the colors are extremely close to true life. I know that humans are attracted to over-saturated colors, but that would be a big problem for me.
I have no noticable issues with ghosting. I'm extremely satisfied with the Xoom screen. It works for me but YMMV.
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yeah. xoom is the best overall. maybe not hands down or overwhelmingly. but the best nonetheless.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
Unless you're directly comparing the xoom screen right next to another device, you won't notice a thing.
EvoXOhio said:
I had the Xoom, returned it for the Transformer, then returned the Transformer for the Galaxy tab 10.1. I will be keeping the 10.1 and love it.
The Xoom screen is TERRIBLE and it's way too heavy. And up until recently the Xoom was the most expensive tablet on the market, despite having the worst features.
The Transformer was just a big POS. Software was extremely slow on laggy, build quality was abysmal.
I have no need for microSD or HDMI so that was no big deal for me. what I wanted was a light tablet with a wonderful screen and high build quality. The Galaxy tab 10.1 is the only one that gives me that.
What the Xoom has going for it is that it is the first to get Honeycomb updates, and it's built like a tank (in a good way, meaning it's sturdy).
I would use the $100 Staples coupon and get the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Thankfully it is still shipping without Touchwiz, since I don't like how Touchwiz tries to make Honeycomb look like iOS (seriously Samsung, get off of Apple's nuts already, it's embarrassing).
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Xoom has the worst features? Just because you don't use HDMI or microSD (that will probably change) doesn't mean you can ignore those features. The only downside I can see is that it doesn't have an IPS display - but even that isn't a big deal. When you aren't in a showroom, those IPS displays (like on my brother's iPad 2) are blinding. It may have taken a while to reach its potential, but the Xoom is still the best Android tablet you can buy.
Thx for the responses, although I'm still just as confused as before lol!
The ones you have listed basically have the same specs all around the board, it really comes down to built quality and the extra features. While the Transformer has some cool add-ons, they're expensive as Hell. When it comes to build quality I give the edge to the Xoom. Some people complain that it weighs...all of 1.6 pounds, I actually prefer for something I might be holding to have a little bit of weight, otherwise I may forget I'm holding it and drop it. The Xoom also has the best cameras, if that makes any difference, and has the most accessories. I really wanted to get the Tab 10.1, but when I found out it has (or will have) a stupid dongle like the iPad, then I decided against it. It's just something else to lose or break, and is completely unnecessary, but that's just the way that Samsung tends to do things.
brandogg said:
The ones you have listed basically have the same specs all around the board, it really comes down to built quality and the extra features. While the Transformer has some cool add-ons, they're expensive as Hell. When it comes to build quality I give the edge to the Xoom. Some people complain that it weighs...all of 1.6 pounds, I actually prefer for something I might be holding to have a little bit of weight, otherwise I may forget I'm holding it and drop it. The Xoom also has the best cameras, if that makes any difference, and has the most accessories. I really wanted to get the Tab 10.1, but when I found out it has (or will have) a stupid dongle like the iPad, then I decided against it. It's just something else to lose or break, and is completely unnecessary, but that's just the way that Samsung tends to do things.
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One more thing that just struck me on my way to work...the Xoom is a serious device for getting things done. I never use my laptop in the field anymore; the Xoom does it all. I don't know how the other tabs stack up when it comes to serious work but it's a consideration for me.
I have gone thru 3 ipads -- 2 ipad 1 (wifi then 3g) and an ipa2 3g, Galaxy Tab (7"), and the Evo View 4G (7"), as well my Xoom. I decided against keeping the ipads mostly because they're really just oversized iphones (which I already use) and I was looking for more. I love the smaller form factor of the 7" devices but ended up more convinced of the Honeycomb than the earlier Android OS. I've compared the Xoom display to virtually all the others now being offered including HP's new Touchpad. It's pretty subjective IMHO -- yes, the GTab 10.1 more highly saturated colors give a first impression of "better" colors, but having used the Xoom daily since it first arrived in Feb, I can honestly say none of the other displays was good enough to convince me to give up the Xoom. It's a workhorse and seems to remain ahead of the others because XDA-Developers continually offers advancements that Moto and Verizon haven't even thought about yet.
I had the Galaxy Tab 7" and got the Xoom when it came out. The Tab is more refined than the Xoom but I am pretty sure that's because the Tab is running 2.2 and not Gingerbread. Once the update for the Xoom hits mine I'm sure I'll like it much more than I currently do with the missing SD card and 4g.
goinovr said:
I had the Galaxy Tab 7" and got the Xoom when it came out. The Tab is more refined than the Xoom but I am pretty sure that's because the Tab is running 2.2 and not Gingerbread. Once the update for the Xoom hits mine I'm sure I'll like it much more than I currently do with the missing SD card and 4g.
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If you're rooted (and I sure recommend it) why not try the Tiamat 2.0 Manta Ray in the Xoom development section. It is really super - updates to HC 3.2 with additional features the stock OS won't have. I've had SD card access since early in my Xoom's life thanks to these XDA developers and virtually all my gripes have been addressed. This is a great tablet once the OS is where it needs to be.