Database Users

Acer Iconia vs Galaxy Tab 10.1 hand on comparison.

I hope this is of some use to someone as Ive been on a search for an ideal tablet for myself since the Xoom was released.
Ive had the Acer for about a month and love it for the most part.
Galxy Tab owner for about a day ((so why a review ??)) Its not.
Its a physical comparison as its difficult to track down an Acer without a huge magnet brick stuck to the back and the Tab releases country wide tomorrow.
Anyways...here goes any questions more than happy to answer.
HxW
This was a big surprise. Unlike the Asus Transformer with its mega wide bezel the Acer is actually pretty compact in that area. So much so that stacking the Tab on top produced negligible difference. As far as height and width theres about 'half a skinny straw' difference.
Weight
Well this is where the difference comes in. The Tab is simply much lighter. If you hold both in your hands it may seem like a "slight" difference. But after a short period you will quickly notice the acer is just plain heavy. After using the Tab for a bit then picking up the Acer the difference is huge.
Thickness
This IMO is the second biggest determining factor. Do you want the slimmness ? .......Or the Ports.
Holding the Tab it feels like a larger Kindle. Or just a truly "slate" computing device. Ive had several star trek moments holding it thus far.
Acer has always felt like a laptop cover ripped off the keyboard where the ports somehow magically transferred to the top. Yes its thick but I can connect this sucker to a monitor , a external drive , a card reader , and easily expand with a micro SD.
Look good or be efficient ?? Your choice IMO cant go wrong.
FYI:Tab will require at least 2 add ons , plus a case that can accommodate your extra accessories in order to match connectivity.
Microphone-
**SO FAR*** my biggest grip with the Acer has been the awful mic. It just sucks. Dont know if its the quality or the placement but the end result remains suckage. Far too often a phrase like "When can we meet ?"
results in "can we me".... or worse "w"..... WTF?!!?
Voice to text is my primary need/use for a tablet, this was a huge deal for me.
Galaxy Tab has been better. But frankly neither are up to snuff to my Nexus One. Im assuming phones in general will just have better mic quality.
Audio clip from Tab (using camcorder)
http://db.tt/XrcHGaK
Audio clip from Acer (using camcorder)
http://db.tt/eZ0rOIa
While not a tell all example the above differences in clarity were consistent with other apps as well.
Screen-
Thus far there really isnt a reason to side for one or the other outside of need or preference. Until this.
The screen on the Tab is gorgeous and is simply richer in color and after flicking through Picasa it seems to have gotten a more accurate representation of the pictures taken.
While I do feel the tab pushes colors a bit much ;almost like oled does. Ex: The YT still shot Rebecca Blacks red jacket is too saturated
However over a wide range of pictures and videos it just felt more vivid with better blacks.
This isnt a Ipads "cool" vs Tabs "warm" approach to color temp. The Tab is simply a better looking screen.
Software---
Not touching on this unless asked.
I will say I still have numerous videos FC on YT and the browser does NOT have any quick controls on the galaxy tab. Major bummer and worthy of return or sell if it cant be added as I find the controls are what make two handed Tablet browsing possible.
Wrap up-
In short Lebron James is overrated.
But seriously
Acer-8/10
Tab- 9/10
If you will make regular use of the ports , or weight isnt an issue the Acer is the choice.
If you care about aesthetics and or mobility is a bigger concern then the Tab is the way to go.

i stopped reading when u said the acer is heavy and teared up with laughter at the thought of u weight lifting

BrianDigital said:
i stopped reading when u said the acer is heavy and teared up with laughter at the thought of u weight lifting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, because "heavy" means "unable to lift" and not relative to the topic of tablets. Try harder next time.

Very detailed.connectivity is why my Acer rules
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App

LIKE YOUR REVIEW, very truthful...
i bought the acer because it came first in my country.... but then loving it... usb port is the biggest difference among 2 tablets in favour of iconia, where weight is the biggest difference in favour to the tab

I was contemplating on whether to buy Galaxy Tab or Iconia A500, and I chose Iconia A500 because of USB host mode port, plus the fact that I don't need any proprietary adapters or cables. Those kinds of things are surprisingly hard to come by here, and they're a lot more expensive to replace should they break.
As for the weight: well, everyone has their own taste. I personally don't see enough of a difference for it to make matter to me.

I choose Acer because of non proprietary adapter and cables...
now
- galaxy tabs is really toooooo light... I feel like I was about to broke it just by holding it hahahah
I wanna buy it so deep... but after tested it... hu... no thanks, maybe the 8.9...

I'm amazed at the white color temperature difference between the two displays. Which is which in the pictures?

I guess samsung is the warmer one... you don't mess with samsung displays.

@xManMythLegend,
What video files will it support?... the only thing that bugs me is my Archos can support all my xvid divx out of the box... my samsung epic also supports divx... my acer doesn't know what divx is... bummer.

After the Captivate, Samsung is dead to me. Thanks for the review though. The Acer holds up better than I expected it to in the comparison.

What was wrong with captivate? i9000 is still awesome for me. Branded/carrier versions will always suck.
I'm pissed at samsung's tablet atitude, It's like they're trying to imitate Apple. I don't want a stupid adapter to be able to use usb!
Anyway, great review! I was actually waiting for the Galaxy tab but now I couldn't care less. Iconia's connectivity outweighs it's weight by far

Excellent review -- thank you! I'm sold on my A500 (primarily because of the USB port), but it's always good to know what else is out there and how it compares.
I don't understand why people rely on the stock software and configuration for images and/or video on any tablet. Even with a desktop PC monitor, you have to fine tune the settings to get your photos and videos to display properly. I wouldn't use the Samsung's default display settings because I think they're (for the most part) over-saturated. I use 3rd party gallery and video apps, both of which allow for rather customized display settings. I'm very happy with my A500's display the way I have these apps customized, and this was very important to me (right along with the USB port and memory expansion options) due to being an avid photography hobbyist.
I hope that doesn't sound too defensive, because I'm really not -- I knew the A500's display is "cooler" (more blue) than most when buying it. I just think they all need tweaking -- even the precious iPad, which everyone raves about the display out of the box.
Thanks again!

Well i bought Acer Iconia A500 because of the ports i don't mind a difference of 0.00000033mm in thickness or 0.000000888 pound in weight but i do care a lot if my device has all the ports i can use without the worry of looking them here and there.

sanaell said:
I choose Acer because of non proprietary adapter and cables...
now
- galaxy tabs is really toooooo light... I feel like I was about to broke it just by holding it hahahah
I wanna buy it so deep... but after tested it... hu... no thanks, maybe the 8.9...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe 8.9 will be a very interesting form factor for many people especially if it does include an sd card slot.
silencer51 said:
I'm amazed at the white color temperature difference between the two displays. Which is which in the pictures?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Top Is the galaxy tab Bottom is the acer.
threedfreek said:
@xManMythLegend,
What video files will it support?... the only thing that bugs me is my Archos can support all my xvid divx out of the box... my samsung epic also supports divx... my acer doesn't know what divx is... bummer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I immediately installed mobo player. Plays everything but .mov thus far it also has terrific on screen controls.
internetpilot said:
Excellent review -- thank you! I'm sold on my A500 (primarily because of the USB port), but it's always good to know what else is out there and how it compares.
I don't understand why people rely on the stock software and configuration for images and/or video on any tablet. Even with a desktop PC monitor, you have to fine tune the settings to get your photos and videos to display properly. I wouldn't use the Samsung's default display settings because I think they're (for the most part) over-saturated. I use 3rd party gallery and video apps, both of which allow for rather customized display settings. I'm very happy with my A500's display the way I have these apps customized, and this was very important to me (right along with the USB port and memory expansion options) due to being an avid photography hobbyist.
I hope that doesn't sound too defensive, because I'm really not -- I knew the A500's display is "cooler" (more blue) than most when buying it. I just think they all need tweaking -- even the precious iPad, which everyone raves about the display out of the box.
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree! If these were hd tvs you could not even begin the discussion without calibration. I even cut out a portion on it. In short since there are no universal apps to do this and most devices require root access ;along with the fact most people simply would not bother. So unfortunately out of the box is what people will judge it by.
But you are 100 percent correct calibration can fix many many issues. I have yet to try on the tablet but fully intend to.
P.s apologies for any weird typos. voice to text is strangely capitalizing words that shouldn't be.

I had the Acer and returned it for the Galaxy Tab 10.1
I'm loving the GT much better. The main reason I wanted a tablet was for mobility and having something lightweight. The Acer was nice, but after surfing the net for a while I was inclined to place it either in my lap or on a solid surface. If I put it in my lap it would start sliding all over the place. The GT doesn't slide in my lap like the Acer did. It's also not as heavy, so I don't mind holding it if need be.
All tablets that come with a USB will be rather thick in size. There's no way that the GT could keep it's slimness with a USB port on the device itself. This was a concern for me in deciding if I wanted the device. Once I found out that they have a USB adapter, I was sold. The Acer had many ports, but I rarely used any of them when I had the device. It all boils down to how you're going to use a tablet. That will determine which one is the best fit.

cdf3 said:
I had the Acer and returned it for the Galaxy Tab 10.1
I'm loving the GT much better. The main reason I wanted a tablet was for mobility and having something lightweight. The Acer was nice, but after surfing the net for a while I was inclined to place it either in my lap or on a solid surface. If I put it in my lap it would start sliding all over the place. The GT doesn't slide in my lap like the Acer did. It's also not as heavy, so I don't mind holding it if need be.
All tablets that come with a USB will be rather thick in size. There's no way that the GT could keep it's slimness with a USB port on the device itself. This was a concern for me in deciding if I wanted the device. Once I found out that they have a USB adapter, I was sold. The Acer had many ports, but I rarely used any of them when I had the device. It all boils down to how you're going to use a tablet. That will determine which one is the best fit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did the exact same thing today and share the same sentiments. I think the acer is very good at being a full featured unit out of the box. But it was not comfortable for me to use and my glove size is an 11. I picked up the GT10.1 and wow I didn't care what is was missing.

usman3206 said:
Well i bought Acer Iconia A500 because of the ports i don't mind a difference of 0.00000033mm in thickness or 0.000000888 pound in weight but i do care a lot if my device has all the ports i can use without the worry of looking them here and there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
The Acer wins for me based on connectivity and flexibility overall.

PLease tell us about the software. Tab is 3.1....is it smoother? The Acer is still driving me crazy with the scroll lag.

Actually the weight and size difference is dramatic. The photos and numbers paper really dont translate well to how well it feels in hand. Saying that I do miss the usb port on the a500 but the GT10.1 is more portable and hand friendly. Using it as an ereader is great as well because it balances in the hand without feeling top heavy.
Go play with one at BB and tell me what you think, just curious.
Another reason for my switch was I truly feel thus device will sell well and therefore have longer support. Acer already announced they were scaling back production due to slow sales. Which tells me Acer really needs to do better advertising because they have a winner.
I think noils down like this.......
If you want a light hand friendly device then get the GT10.1
If you want a device that has more media input/output accessiblity device and offers expandable storage then go with the a500.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk

Describe the perfect tablet

Seem tablets are going to be even wilder and better this year from some some of the stuff I'm seeing from CES.
What would your "perfect" tablet be?
Here's mine:
10.1"
Gorilla Glass 2
1920x1080 (or even x1280)
Tegra 3
Officially support dual booting between:
....ICS with guarenteed JB upgrade
....Windows 8
Full sized USB on tablet with Host mode
KB doc like the transformer
wifi/bluetooth (pretty much a given)
Front facing camera (don't care about the rear camera in a tablet)
A mic that works

Add sd card slot, ir transmitter, wireless hdmi, rear camera, gps, no-glare screen, 15 hour battery (use), no proprietary charger

FREEEE!!!!!!!
ALL OF THE ABOVE. with real usable accessories Something more colorful.
black and silver does not go well with most of my Shoes .. Boohoo..
OHH I WANT Someone to Buy it for me... HINT HINT.. Giggles..
Birthday in May..

To me the most important aspect would be the OS: all current operating systems are terribly limited in scope and designed with rather lax and inflexible security systems and no Linux, Haiku, Windows, Android, iOS, QNX or other OS fits really what I have in mind. There does exist a few security frameworks for Linux, but they're tacked on, not developed-for from the ground up, and they're a pain in the arse to configure.
Hardware-wise I have no specific, hard-to-implement features in mind, all the things I wish for have already been implemented in one form or another.
In other words: a near-perfect-for-my-taste tablet is still impossible to create at the moment.
---------- Post added at 04:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:04 AM ----------
erica_renee said:
OHH I WANT Someone to Buy it for me... HINT HINT.. Giggles..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll see about that if you'll wear that red lace set for me tonight.

WereCatf said:
I'll see about that if you'll wear that red lace set for me tonight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh.. what have I started...

One that isn't outdated in 6 months!
Sent from my A500

>DARKMAN< said:
One that isn't outdated in 6 months!
Sent from my A500
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry but your wish will never come true. You will be lucky if your device isn't outdated in a week!

Euclid's Brother said:
Seem tablets are going to be even wilder and better
Full sized USB on tablet with Host mode
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah... got to say I was very disappointed that Acer seems to be dropping the full sized USB on the a700. And no one else is building that into their tablet (though Asus has a USB port on the dock). I've got a batch of little USB/MicroSD holders and use them to carry sets of content when I travel (books, movies, TV shows). More convenient than popping the microSD cards in and out.

perfect? so far nothing has even hit my "minimum" requirements. so I'll put those:
Hardware side:
1. 8-10 inch, prefer 8-9 since that seems to hit the sweet spot better than the A500 size.
2. dual core at least, but I'm more focused on software.
3. HDMI out. full sized is best, but since some phones have HDMI that I'd need an adapter for anyway, I can settle for micro on a tablet. aside from making it a much more versatile streaming device, this also massively increases the potential uses of a tablet. presentations and larger scale demonstrations are made possible. gaming can be revolutionized in too many ways to count. so much more I don't want to go on about here.
4. front facing camera at least, and a good mic or it's pointless. back camera is more useful than you'd think, but not necessary. If it's there though, it should be decent, not like the iPad 2mp crap.
5. no proprietary charging connectors. So far this one's been a fail out of the gate for Acer, Asus, Samsung, Toshiba, and others I've forgotten. People wanting to put up with that flaw tend to get iPads. or if there is a prop. charger, at least also give us a second option to charge through the micro USB port like that one LG tablet.
6. certainly no proprietary data connections like on the Galaxy tabs. Seriously guys? I thought you figured this out when the EU banned these on phones. even people with iPads don't actually like having this problem, they're just willing to put up with it. not every design flaw of the iPad is a good idea to copy.
Software side (with some hardware points):
1. STOCK ANDROID. OUT OF THE BOX. Come on OEMs, people are asking you to do LESS on this one, it's not a burden on you. and they're mostly wifi only devices, so that kills most excuses. At the very least, if you want to bundle some additional apps with it for the less savvy folks, fine, just put them in the usr folder so your other customers can uninstall. everybody wins.
2. full USB support, without ANY accessories or connectors. this also means the software will NEED to support USB mass storage, not just MTP. That's a huge peeve for me, some of DONT use Windows 7, or don't want it (i.e. growing millions of Mac users) and even those that do, still have to use older computers from time to time. (XP computers at work, school, friend's/family's houses, all sorts of other real world situations that Google engineers just don't understand) not to mention backing up saves from game consoles, which I do all the time. speaking of games, we also need full USB ports for controllers, seeing as these are heavily used as game machines and the option to use game controllers allows us the best of casual and hardcore gaming worlds.
3. sd card support, preferably full sized cards on a tablet but can settle for micro SD. The most important thing is, it NEEDS to be fully functional, not read only. that defeats the purpose. It really should have the ability to install apps to it too just like with phones. especially since this is a personal computer we're talking about. My A500 is getting a little packed with apps alone, especially with the Gameloft games and other apps that are small downloads from the Market, but then you load them up and they prompt you to download the rest of the app, at 400MB. 16 gigs runs out fast, which is why I have no music or videos on my tablet.
4. Search button. on the control bar, all the time, particularly when running apps. come on Google, removing this is the most mind boggling thing you've done. not only is there WAY more than enough room to put another icon on that bar, this one is not only INCREDIBLY useful, it's actually necessary in some apps. Many don't have search icons programmed into the interface or menu, neither of which is as good or intuitive as having it present all the time, in one uniform spot, launching in app search with one tap, without having to scour the app interface to find it, IF it's even there. that bears repeating: SOME APPS DONT WORK PROPERLY WITHOUT A SEARCH BUTTON, WHICH WOULD TAKE GOOGLE NO EFFORT TO PUT ON THE CONTROL BAR. It blows my mind how many people try to defend this omission too. It's like when they released the Xoom with a card slot that didn't work, for $700, and people pretended it was no big deal. A feature that's been present and working great on all other versions of the OS, which is even easier for Google to make sure exists on this one, and it's not there.
anyway, these are my minimums like I said. other stuff would be nice, like an ir Transmitter/receiver someone mentioned. also, a case/cover that works, unlike Acer's own case. the tab slips out of that thing all the time when propping it up, despite it being designed to prop up the tab, AND it incredibly covers up the micro SD slot, even though they knew enough to let the volume keys and lock switch right next to it exposed.

Don't forget root and AdHoc WiFi out of the box.

Euclid's Brother said:
Seem tablets are going to be even wilder and better this year from some some of the stuff I'm seeing from CES.
What would your "perfect" tablet be?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
5'1" - 95lbs - Green eyes - large "top"
Would sit at my feet, read everything to me out loud in a super sexy voice, so I wouldn't have to strain my eyes

kjy2010 said:
5'1" - 95lbs - Green eyes - large "top"
Would sit at my feet, read everything to me out loud in a super sexy voice, so I wouldn't have to strain my eyes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
5'1"? God, she'd be so small I'd step on her by accident.

kjy2010 said:
5'1" - 95lbs - Green eyes - large "top"
Would sit at my feet, read everything to me out loud in a super sexy voice, so I wouldn't have to strain my eyes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ummm ....I think Im in the wrong forum ...is this xda

bytemehard said:
Ummm ....I think Im in the wrong forum ...is this xda
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, XDA just recently started doing dating-services, too. Drop a comment in this thread if you're looking for fun or something more serious.

An iconia with ics will do me.

let's see (1)removable battery
(2)dual. Boot. Win 8. N ics
That is all I want

So maybe I missed it but... were there ANY tablets announced at CES that have actual USB ports? cause that's a pretty serious hindrance, in the end. functional connectivity is what's really setting Android apart from the iPad. I honestly think it's a major reason why Android tablets aren't really taking off. all the manufacturers are trying to mimic the iPad, including its limitations. they don't seem to realize they aren't supposed to be targetin people who want iPads; they're supposed to be targeting people who dont want them.

Only new tab I know of with a USB port is the dissapointing Acer a200
And my perfecct tablet is the transformer prime (the new version not the first, glitched up model) with a USB port built in, and microusb as the charger, not through the dock.

WereCatf said:
Yes, XDA just recently started doing dating-services, too. Drop a comment in this thread if you're looking for fun or something more serious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does looking for something 'seriously fun' count?

kjy2010 said:
5'1" - 95lbs - Green eyes - large "top"
Would sit at my feet, read everything to me out loud in a super sexy voice, so I wouldn't have to strain my eyes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're talking about my dog, Rupee. You can't have her!!!
---------- Post added at 05:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:40 PM ----------
Perfect tablet. One that noobs cannot break into, brick it by virtue of their own ignorance, then ask stupid questions later when they didn't follow instructions. And then make it worse by not following "un-bricking" instructions!
An added enhancement... A HUGE FRIGGIN GOOGLE SEARCH button. Dead center of the tab.
"That"... would be the perfect tablet.

---

---

I am pretty certain that you would not need to underoot, even. I believe (and please correct me, aficionados, if I am wrong), the Nexus as a 5th low voltage processor that works when no intensive tasks are being performed, thus increasing battery life.

Deafcyclist said:
...payment register (using credit card swiper like Square or Intuit)...!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has anyone even tried this yet? I believe you need a speaker Jack that has both speaker output AND Mic input to use these devices.
The Nexus does not have a Mic input on the speaker Jack.
Sent from my Nexus 7

Deafcyclist said:
screen out monitor, remote trigger, intervalometer, digital portfolio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tell me where I can get a compatible cable for a 5D Mik II and I'll let you know

---

Deafcyclist said:
Looking at http://dslrcontroller.com/devices.php , it seem that you either only need an OTG adapter or in case of a similar set up with the asus transformer (Asus made the Nexus 7, right?), a special ASUS Usb cable (with a micro to mini usb adapter).
Any more than that, I can't help you as I don't have the dslr controller app, Nexus 7, or the cables.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll order up some cables on eBay and let you know later this week.
I've been aware or the ability to control dSLRs via android and have done so using EOS Utility+Laptop
but with screen resolutions being what they were with droid devices I didn't see the point.
Now I have the N7 I can see how it may be very useful and be far superior to EOS utility+ bulky Laptop.

---

There is a lengthy thread for the DSLR Controller here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1202082
People have got it working with an OTG cable, without rooting.
I'm waiting for my OTG cable (should be here Monday/Tuesday)..
Linking to a 7D, what are you guys shooting ?

---

T4i ? nice!
If you didn't find it already take a look here, a whole bunch of info http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

Deafcyclist said:
... payment register (using credit card swiper like Square or Intuit)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
krelvinaz said:
Has anyone even tried this yet? I believe you need a speaker Jack that has both speaker output AND Mic input to use these devices.
The Nexus does not have a Mic input on the speaker Jack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This apparently is not accurate. There is a Mic, but the right speaker/mic combination needs to be used and a lot of apps don't apparently work while a few do.
Chances are, there will need to be some updates on this, most likely on the app side to get this to work properly. One would think that the credit card swipe devices would test it and tweak their apps to work. Think that using a smart phone might be a better choice since it has 3G/4G data and the Nexus 7 doesn't and would require a network connection to transmit the data though. Dont need a lot of size to do a credit card transaction.

So not to dis on the Nexus 7 at all but as a Photographer myself I would think you'd be better off with one of the Transformers for something like this. I just have a TF101 but its got a nice big screen and probably more than enough battery power with the keyboard dock for you to play with for a full day. Something like the higher resolution models out now would be even better.
The way I shoot weddings or even in the studio, it would be insanely cumbersome to move the subject, adjust the tripod and go to the tablet to take the pictures. I would end up using it mostly for previews. If you just want previews, since you have a camera with an SD slot, I'm pretty sure you're life would be MUCH easier just using a Eye-Fi card that syncs with the Nexus / Tablet by dropping JPG's into the gallery for you as you shoot (keeping the RAW's on the actual card assuming you shoot RAW).
The other thing to keep in mind with the Nexus 7 in your grand scheme of things is it is a really bad choice for displaying your portfolio due to the lack of on board storage and screen size. On a 10 inch table a landscape image looks small but barely passable in portrait and visa versa, on a 7 inch I wouldn't even consider it passable and would need to format portrait or landscape portfolios = more work for me!
Last but not least, just use your phone for CC transactions, it's always with you and always has a network connection and stuff like Square should just work without having to Jerry Rig anything.
Not trying to change your mind on anything, just some insight form a like minded photographer. Honestly with the exception of the Eye-Fi for previews by the time you mash together a workable solution you'll probably hate having to set everything up and find yourself working around a new set of self imposed limitations rather then doing what photographers like to do, taking good pictures.

---

Some Observations

Positive:
- Fast, fluid, powerful.
- Multitasking is fantastic because of the additional RAM.
- The browser is as close to desktop performance as I've seen in an Android device
.- It's a new generation of tablet for Samsung, more like a giant SGS3 than an extension of the OG 10.1 or 10.1 2. I just updated my OG Tab 10.1 to ICS before I got the Note and the Note’s version of TW is far more modern with 3D effects on things like the keyboard.
- It has SGS3 features like Awake Stay, AllShare Play, AllShare Cast, BT4.0/aptX, and Buddy Photo.
- The new keyboard is much better laid out and has mini and thumb views. It also floats in mini-mode and has Swype-like capabilities. It’s actually quite usable now.
- The screen is incredibly responsive whether via finger or stylus navigation. Between that and the GPU/CPU speed and additional RAM it's almost an iPad like experience.
- The onboard speakers sound fantastic for a mobile device.
- Video performance is the best I've seen on an Android device.
- It's well built and feels very premium.
Neutral:
- It's not going to win any beauty contests but it's growing on me.
- Samsung's apps and widgets aren't terribly impressive aesthetically. Why does Samsung fell the need to make everything look so cartoonish?
Negative:
- Social Hub has been removed which really doesn't make any sense. I checked the Luxembourg and Netherlands ROMs and its missing from them too. My 3G Note has a TTT (Trinidad) CSC. Some other leisure stuff has been left out too like AP Mobile.
- The S-Pen's in a stupid place. If the Note's in a case or sitting on a stand you can't reach it. Based on the real estate that's probably the only place they could put it. It also feels a little cheap.
- Auto-brightness is way too low; probably to save battery.
- It can't read SDXC memory cards. I had to go through a ton of gymnastics to get it to recognize my SanDisk 64GB card and it's now running FAT. It's a shame Samsung didn't implement exFAT the way they did on the SGS3.
- It’s a shame it doesn’t have an HD display.
I'll post more as I use it for different things.

Questions.....
Light Bleed, especially on boot up?
BlueTooth and wireless - are there any issues with using BT while on wifi?
Are you using the Chrome browser?
Have you tried any games, or netflix. Netflix from what I am hearing is poor on the T700, and games had stuttering issues before our last update.
no bogging down with many widgets running?

BarryH_GEG said:
Negative:
- It can't read SDXC memory cards. I had to go through a ton of gymnastics to get it to recognize my SanDisk 64GB card and it's now running FAT. It's a shame Samsung didn't implement exFAT the way they did on the SGS3.
I'll post more as I use it for different things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugh... the lack of exFAT is almost a dealbreaker!! Now I have to really think about if this is worth getting or not (have a Note N7000 right now and really miss having big files on my 64Gb card).

With general usage, how is the performance compared to other Android tablets or iPad?
How good are stock apps like S-Note or the Adobe PS?

Thanks for the observations. Very good points to take into account.
I have a question about multitasking. Is it possible to have floating windows? Are there limitations on what can multitask? For instance, I'm interested to float a video or photo, while having Sketchbook Pro or some other drawing app open to draw on. Is that possible?
Sent from my Galaxy Note

lardo5150 said:
Questions.....
Light Bleed, especially on boot up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None. Samsung's QC on their tablet displays is pretty impressive. The only display complaint was with early versions of the OG 10.1 which would get a moisture circle between the glass and panel from humidity. That was more a design issue than a QC issue. The resolution's the same as the OG 10.1 but looking at them side-by-side the panel itself is definately different. It seems a lot sharper; especially with text.
BlueTooth and wireless - are there any issues with using BT while on wifi?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's an Asus "feature." I've never had that issue on any other brand of Android device I've owned.
Are you using the Chrome browser?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock. If you use a third party browser you lose multi-view.
Have you tried any games, or netflix. Netflix from what I am hearing is poor on the T700, and games had stuttering issues before our last update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No games yet. Netflix plays great. So does Amazon Instant (via the browser), HBO GO, Xfinity Player, YouTube HD, and Vevo.
no bogging down with many widgets running?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. I have 30 running across five home pages.

cmunho said:
Thanks for the observations. Very good points to take into account.
I have a question about multitasking. Is it possible to have floating windows? Are there limitations on what can multitask? For instance, I'm interested to float a video or photo, while having Sketchbook Pro or some other drawing app open to draw on. Is that possible?
Sent from my Galaxy Note
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, side-by-side only with each app fixed at half the display. Videos in Pop Up Play float and can be moved and resized. Pop Up Play only works with the stock video player.

BarryH_GEG said:
Positive:
- Fast, fluid, powerful.
- Multitasking is fantastic because of the additional RAM.
- The browser is as close to desktop performance as I've seen in an Android device
.- It's a new generation of tablet for Samsung, more like a giant SGS3 than an extension of the OG 10.1 or 10.1 2. I just updated my OG Tab 10.1 to ICS before I got the Note and the Note’s version of TW is far more modern with 3D effects on things like the keyboard.
- It has SGS3 features like Awake Stay, AllShare Play, AllShare Cast, BT4.0/aptX, and Buddy Photo.
- The new keyboard is much better laid out and has mini and thumb views. It also floats in mini-mode and has Swype-like capabilities. It’s actually quite usable now.
- The screen is incredibly responsive whether via finger or stylus navigation. Between that and the GPU/CPU speed and additional RAM it's almost an iPad like experience.
- The onboard speakers sound fantastic for a mobile device.
- Video performance is the best I've seen on an Android device.
- It's well built and feels very premium.
Neutral:
- It's not going to win any beauty contests but it's growing on me.
- Samsung's apps and widgets aren't terribly impressive aesthetically. Why does Samsung fell the need to make everything look so cartoonish?
Negative:
- Social Hub has been removed which really doesn't make any sense. I checked the Luxembourg and Netherlands ROMs and its missing from them too. My 3G Note has a TTT (Trinidad) CSC. Some other leisure stuff has been left out too like AP Mobile.
- The S-Pen's in a stupid place. If the Note's in a case or sitting on a stand you can't reach it. Based on the real estate that's probably the only place they could put it. It also feels a little cheap.
- Auto-brightness is way too low; probably to save battery.
- It can't read SDXC memory cards. I had to go through a ton of gymnastics to get it to recognize my SanDisk 64GB card and it's now running FAT. It's a shame Samsung didn't implement exFAT the way they did on the SGS3.
- It’s a shame it doesn’t have an HD display.
I'll post more as I use it for different things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I have it since Friday last week and also have a normal 10.1 and can confirm some views but let me add/question others:
First some great differences from normal 10.1:
+ SD card slot (I did not have one before... How did you get 64gb working? I did not so far
+ Infrared port (you can use it as a remote controller for your TV
+ Whatever have been sayd on speed/memory above
+ Some nice configurable enhancement on lockscreen
+ A special menu (or direct app) appears when you pull out the pen
+ You can define the level of auto brightness now! (therefore it's not too dark, just pull the slider and the auto brignes will be affected as well to a higher level )
+ No Social hub (I always reoved this with Titanium because I don't use any of the Samsung hubs)
- The price was heavy (OK, I wanted to get it as one of the first and did not want to wait until I get 20% discount)
- Why not a higher resolution screen?
- The 64GB SD topic
I did not have too much time to test a lot or to install/play a lot of games (use it more for business). Run only Quadrant Pro once and the result was ~6150, about twice than on my 10.1.
Ok, I hope I helped some more with my additional view!

I would like to point a thing about the screen resolution. Exynos 4412 doesn't support Full HD. It supports max WXGA resolution.
Source: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/Exynos/news_12.html
I guess we will have to wait for Exynos 5 series for FHD and WQXGA resolution.

fscherz said:
+ You can define the level of auto brightness now! (therefore it's not too dark, just pull the slider and the auto brignes will be affected as well to a higher level )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this. It was driving me crazy.
- The price was heavy (OK, I wanted to get it as one of the first and did not want to wait until I get 20% discount)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get a 3G version? The 16GB Note was less than I paid for my 3G 32GB UK G-Tab 10.1. And at least I can use the Note as a phone for conference calls and spare the battery on my phone.

BarryH_GEG said:
Did you get a 3G version? The 16GB Note was less than I paid for my 3G 32GB UK G-Tab 10.1. And at least I can use the Note as a phone for conference calls and spare the battery on my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I bought the 3G and I 4got to mention one other big +
+ !!!! You can use it as a phone, it comes with dialer and works as normal phone like the 7 Tab!!!! Of course, use the earphones if you don't want to use the standard speakerphone setup
+ Another +, it's data speed is much higher than any of my other tablets or my normal Galaxy Note N7000! I get full WIFI speed now (22MB, have DSL with 24MB max...) and 8MB+ on H+. Before I had with Tab 10.1 and Note only around 8MB on Wifi and 3-4MB on H+

Does the stock browser reflow text? Thanks!

I've had one since Friday. Purchased from Negri. It is awesome. The writing is SO fluid - NO lag.
I got my 64 GB card to work by formatting it in my 5" Note. It wouldn't recognize it before but after format in the small Note it recognizes it as 64 GB.
I cannot get BeyondPod to move it's directory to this external card. Does anyone know the path I need to tell BeyondPod to use?

Nakel said:
Does the stock browser reflow text? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.

oh snap! microsoft is gonna sue! samsung's promo vid looks so dang much like courier.
/s
i gotta say their demo looks like everything i had hoped ms to come out with. i'm playing with the asus infinity right now but starting to come across the regular QC defects that asus works so hard to maintain.
it's a hard decision -
asus- decent hardware with great aftermarket support
samsung - great quality hardware with sub-par aftermarket support (just getting ics after the JB ships??? tablet support is on different than their phones).
my 1 yr old gt 10.1 has no light bleed, no clicks or creaks and works just as good as day one.
my tf infinity is 4 days old and the bleed has progressively gotten worse and the click on the right side is getting a bit louder. i like it, but i'd hate to have it fall apart on me.

I've had mine for about a week now, and I'm in love with this device. It's by far the best, most responsive Android tablet I've used - and I've used a lot. My GTab 7.7 feels like a juddery mess compared to this thing. I find it very nice to hold, very light, the speakers are fantastic - and FRONT facing (why is this so hard for manufacturers/designers to understand we want them on the front??), battery life is excellent, and the screen, OK it's not HD (and a bit jarring coming from an iPad 3) is still plenty nice, bright and clear.
It's my favourite tablet, possibly ever.
That being said - I've had a few software issues with it.
1) Most serious, but only happened once so far: I brought up the pop-up S Memo from the bottom taskbar, then clicked the fullscreen button to expand to the full S Note application. S Note completely froze, then crashed. Upon relaunch, half of my notes, along with half the demo/tutorial notes were completely missing from the app. NOT good. After messing around with ways to get it back, I discovered through the file browser that all the note files were actually still there. I went into the Application manager in android settings and did a "Clear Data" for S Note. This solved the problem. Upon relaunch, all the notes were back in S Note.
2) In S Planner, there is NO option to create a NEW note in S Note to attach to a task. There is only an option to link an existing note. The original GNote has the option to create a new note.
3) Also in S Planner, one time I selected the option to link a task to a note in S Note, and S Note opened but then completely froze. Force killing S Note did not help. I tried multiple times, and had to restart the whole tablet to be able to use S Note at all.
4) I've been using an Apple (no hissing, please) bluetooth keyboard with the Gnote 10.1. Works fantastic (see, Apple and Samsung really CAN get along ) but I turned the bluetooth off one time to save battery when not using the keyboard. A while later, I tried to turn bluetooth on again. Bluetooth would not turn on. I could not toggle it on or off. I restarted the tablet, and bluetooth came on automatically.
These issues are very annoying, but so far have all happened only once. Hopefully will not be recurring issues, as I plan to make extensive use of S Note and a bluetooth keyboard too.
Other than that, I just LOVE this tablet. Bye bye, iPad 3!
Sent from my GT-N8000 using xda premium

How's the battery life so far?
And does the screen resolution look clear enough compared to ipad 3?

fscherz said:
Yes, I bought the 3G and I 4got to mention one other big +
+ !!!! You can use it as a phone, it comes with dialer and works as normal phone like the 7 Tab!!!! Of course, use the earphones if you don't want to use the standard speakerphone setup
+ Another +, it's data speed is much higher than any of my other tablets or my normal Galaxy Note N7000! I get full WIFI speed now (22MB, have DSL with 24MB max...) and 8MB+ on H+. Before I had with Tab 10.1 and Note only around 8MB on Wifi and 3-4MB on H+
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone is cool. I would imagine you could easily do hands-free (haven't actually tried it), but the speakers are certainly loud enough for most situations.
BTW, i've never seen a phone this large. I imagine there have been a few, but perhaps not. Anyone?

macwilson said:
The phone is cool. I would imagine you could easily do hands-free (haven't actually tried it), but the speakers are certainly loud enough for most situations.
BTW, i've never seen a phone this large. I imagine there have been a few, but perhaps not. Anyone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung also is releasing a bluetooth S-pen that you can use to talk on phone .......
see here http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/300...iew-high-end-tablet-but-lacking-in-resolution
"unless you get the special Bluetooth pen also announced on Monday which you can hold to your ear during a conversation."

BarryH_GEG said:
No.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn!

How to transform Note 4 into a tablet PC

Hello guys,
I have a dilemma. I have a pretty strong PC, which I use for work and gaming. I also have an e-book reader - for reading long texts.
Until now, it seemed to me that the combination of strong PC and phablet is a good solution. However, a problem arose:
a) I don't have a mobile device to take notes at the university.
b) From time to time I have to come forward with a presentation (powerpoint or prezi) and I have to borrow equipment or use a shared one.
For these reasons I decided to buy a hybrid tablet (because they are now on top) with Windows 8. It should provide comfortable keyboard and a long time battery life (sometimes I have to spend a few hours at the university, not everywhere I have access to electricity). It turns out that this mobile "typewriter" would cost me about 500 euros/$ or more.
500 euros for the possibility of note taking and occasional viewing a presentation - expensive, right?
I'm going to buy a Note 4... and now a question for you. Have you tried to use the phone (or earlier versions / or other models) in the situations I mentioned?
I think some mhl adapter -> VGA + cover and convenient bt keyboard (USB) should be sufficient to accommodate Note 4 to these tasks. It seems that the price of such additives would not be too high - especially when it compares to laptop's price.
I will be very grateful to you for any advice and suggestions.
Thank you!

I guess this is not the answer you wish to read, but...
I'd stick with a regular notebook.
It's an all-in-one solution, it's just one single device to carry.
You'll also have full MS software support to make sure your PowerPoint presentations will work the way intended. All regular Windows software will work, you don't need to struggle with lots of peripheral devices and their various incompatibilities.
Sure there are some makeshift Android solutions for working with Office documents.
But it's nothing more than makeshift. Just a few weeks ago I had to use exactly that combination because my main PC system broke down over New Year, all shops closed.
It's been a HORROR. You'll find yourself swearing and shouting if you try to replace a working Windows system with Android substitutes.
I use several PCs, a small Eee PC for rooting purposes, a Sony Z2 Tablet, a Note 4 and more.
I do blogging on vacations. Guess what I use ? Not the Note. It's too small, I just don't wish to schlepp around masses of peripheral devices. Period.
I'll take the Note as a general purpose device with me, especially for taking photos as it's camera is just great.
But for blogging, I use the 10.1 inch Sony Tablet plus an external Bluetooth keyboard - you just cannot write longer text using the screen keyboard if you're not into Sado/Maso stuff. The tablet is still too small, but a working compromise because I am travelling with just a single backpack for utmost flexibility.
I tried 7 inch tablets, too small. I tried smartphones, far too small. 10 inches are tolerable. But not more.
A combination of an Android tablet and an external keyboard is a makeshift solution, something you can use in an emergency or for a very limited time.
But for your purposes, I would always prefer a "real" solution without messing around with masses of external peripherals which will never work as you wished they would.

@Galuszka
i had note1 and now i have note 4...
you cant use a phone as tablet pc
i strongly recommend you to buy a Windows 8.1 hybrid tablet
cause note 4 has samll screen for creating and writing .
and mhl adapters have lots of problems now like battery darinage on note 4 and ....
a hybrid win 8 tablet has Full mictosoft office and all professional applications of a desktop computer
like many scientific apps and they are not available in android
how can you imagine of creating an presentation file (like microsoft power point or similars ) on note 4 ?!
or a presentation with a note 4 and mhl adapter !
i recommend Surface pro 64Gb for your case ... yes its expensive but it worth it with its power and beauty

Guys,
in most cases I would use Note 4 with a external keyboard (eg. Logitech K400) just for notes taking. There is a lot of protective covers that allows to set the device in landscape mode + Logitech K400 + Note's S-pen (instead of mouse) and I think it would be good solution for classes. Do I really need a tablet pc for notes?
In terms of presentation - generally I do it on my PC. I just wanted to SHOW them via projector on Note 4. On the market you could find mhl adapters (to VGA - used by lot of projectors).
My main device is PC, I just can't take it anywhere because of size.

@Galuszka
dude i know you want to show them not creating them but trust me
with NOTE 4 you CANT do note taking even with keyboard , for 1 or 2 days yes you will do that but you will leave that soon cause of many problems....
and dont forget about very fast battery drainage during peresentation with note 4 + mhl + mhl to vga converter
note 4 battery cant handle that ...
and by the way the choice is yours
so think and choose carefully
and have good luck

I have a surface pro 3 i use as a desktop. i also have some of the same problems you do. When i need to present i use my note 4 with a netgear PTV3000 adapter. I keep the surface pro 3 connected to my monitor (2560x1600 ZR30W). When i want to present i use a VNC viewer on the note 4 to connect to my surface. The note 4 is the exact same resolution so its just like presenting with a bluetooth mouse connected to the surface. I can run full powerpoint and office and switch back to the note 4 for handwriting notes.

I think it depends on your exact needs. I'm still waiting for my Note 4 to arrive, but I currently use my Note 3 with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and an MHL to HDMI adapter. Most new projectors have HDMI inputs, so as long as you're using one of those you should be fine. If you actually need to use VGA, that's a bit tougher.
I replaced my laptop with an Acer Iconia 10" tablet, and then I replaced that tablet with a Note 2, then Note 3, and soon Note 4. With the right accessories, and the right setup, it replaces a laptop pretty well on the go. That said, I still have a desktop at home and at my office, but I don't need to take those anywhere.

Just a quick note on the suggested Microsoft Surface Pro: Better stay away from it.
I had one (a Surface Pro 3) for testing purposes on my desk last week. It's an all-weak PC except the CPU.
1) More than 10 (TEN !) severe display defects (light bleeding).
2) Touchscreen does not recognize fast typing with your fingertips (I made a video if you like to see).
3) One (ONE !!!) single USB port, which I regard as a bad joke as you need additional hardware for connecting a usable mouse and keyboard (the Type Cover is far away from being usable).
4) NO SIM card slot; so a "mobile device" which cannot be used in a mobile way. Next bad joke with a device worth (or NOT worth) 1000 Euros.
I liked the Surface Pro 3 till I got my hands on it, even considered buying one, got misled by that typical "proud owners".
After checking, nothing of my positive attitude towards that piece of Microsoft failware remained. :/

You still could use old smart dock designed for Note 2. It has 3 usb ports (keyboard, mouse, external hd and more), hdmi out and audio out. In order to work it needs to be connected to power source. I believe that ms office for android is available if you subscribe to office 360.
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app

dont listen to Chieftroll.
An "all-weak" PC does not have a half terabyte of SSD, 8GB of RAM and a core i7. Amazing screen with no light bleeding, touchscreen is decent (with pen!), type cover is almost like a regular keyboard and it has a dock for more USB ports. SIM card slot is unnecessary - it will do wifi and connect to your note 4 hotspot.

i am 100% agree with @zurkx
Surface is amazing !!!!!
i have one 64 gb myself and its great .... without any major problem

zurkx said:
dont listen to Chieftroll.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, my personal stalker. Seeks threads I post in, then starts a fight - always losing.
Obviously, you overlooked my "offer" to you: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/help/how-charger-pins-t3002862/page2
NO reaction ? - Come on, wise man, don't be a quitter.
An "all-weak" PC does not have a half terabyte of SSD, 8GB of RAM and a core i7. Amazing screen with no light bleeding
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So here's the next task for you: Take your highly capable Surface, boot it up. While booting, there's a boot screen: All black, with the term "Surface" big and white in the middle.
Take a photo of this boot screen, NO FLASH, place a lighter or a matchbox on the screen right next to the "Surface" logo. This is to make sure you do a real photo instead of fetching a perfect picture from the net. And it must be the boot screen, because brightness is high at that time, so you don't get the idea of disguising the light bleed with a low brightness setting.
Post it.
Then we well see if your "amazing screen with NO LIGHT BLEEDING" is for real.
If you don't post that photo, we all know there's something wrong with your statement.
touchscreen is decent (with pen!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With that big, ugly, unpleasant pen. And WITHOUT ? - A bad touchscreen not recognizing fast typing with your fingertips. Try typing using 10 fingers with a pen.
Now say I am wrong - then I'll post the video evidence.
type cover is almost like a regular keyboard and it has a dock for more USB ports.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not. It's a bad, expensive thing made of wrong materials. It's outside is made of a kind of cloth, wobbly, getting extremely dirty in no time. And it's just a cover, it does not protect the sensitive lower side of the tablet.
And there's no alternatives. Eat Microsoft or die.
SIM card slot is unnecessary - it will do wifi and connect to your note 4 hotspot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same logic: Cars are unnecessary; I prefer hitchhiking.
So, my friend - we're waiting for your photo, proving that your Surface has a flawless screen.
Edit, one day later: You still did not figure out how to use PhotoShop for disguising the light bleed ?

Chefproll said:
Ah, my personal stalker. Seeks threads I post in, then starts a fight - always losing.
Obviously, you overlooked my "offer" to you: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/help/how-charger-pins-t3002862/page2
NO reaction ? - Come on, wise man, don't be a quitter.
So here's the next task for you: Take your highly capable Surface, boot it up. While booting, there's a boot screen: All black, with the term "Surface" big and white in the middle.
Take a photo of this boot screen, NO FLASH, place a lighter or a matchbox on the screen right next to the "Surface" logo. This is to make sure you do a real photo instead of fetching a perfect picture from the net. And it must be the boot screen, because brightness is high at that time, so you don't get the idea of disguising the light bleed with a low brightness setting.
Post it.
Then we well see if your "amazing screen with NO LIGHT BLEEDING" is for real.
If you don't post that photo, we all know there's something wrong with your statement.
With that big, ugly, unpleasant pen. And WITHOUT ? - A bad touchscreen not recognizing fast typing with your fingertips. Try typing using 10 fingers with a pen.
Now say I am wrong - then I'll post the video evidence.
It is not. It's a bad, expensive thing made of wrong materials. It's outside is made of a kind of cloth, wobbly, getting extremely dirty in no time. And it's just a cover, it does not protect the sensitive lower side of the tablet.
And there's no alternatives. Eat Microsoft or die.
Same logic: Cars are unnecessary; I prefer hitchhiking.
So, my friend - we're waiting for your photo, proving that your Surface has a flawless screen.
Edit, one day later: You still did not figure out how to use PhotoShop for disguising the light bleed ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://likes.com/relationships/this-sums-up-my-love-life?v=v29IeEJV2a6wrPILaZUeWIB21yfGhT00j&page=3

I wouldn't use the Note 4 for anything barring watching youtube lol. It's far too slow. I wouldn't take notes on it or write out anything more than a text or short email.
As for Surface tablets, they're awesome. Maybe not laptop level, but pretty close. Light bleed is a none issue, zero. I have seen top of the range phones, tv's monitors all with light bleed. It's overrated.

I'm sure it's possible if you can get a smart dock (and Samsung should totally release an updated one with MHL 3.0), but the screen size is a bit cramped for taking college/university course notes. You'd probably be scrolling around in OneNote or any other app of your choice all the time.
While I'm not sure if the European eBay prices are anywhere near as good as they are here in the States, you should be able to get an older Tablet PC like an HP 2730p/2740p or Fujitsu T5010/T900 for a pretty low price and have the convenience of both a physical keyboard and on-screen pen input for note-taking. They're not even US$300 here on most listings!