MobilityLeaks: Helpin’ Dr. Jim (aka Cheapskate) Ride the Tablet Wave
Yeah I’m back with yet another unauthorized dump of writer cables over an ongoing crisis, competing with one another to win Dr. Jim’s tablet purchasing decision’s basis. A consensus was never quite reached, maybe some of you know a thing or two? Jim loves advice and he’ll remember to thank you if your tips are good enough, just don’t expect any monetary compensation.
Alternatively, flame. We love flame. I do at least. You there, yss?
On 2/2/2011 5:53 PM, Dr. Jim wrote:
So my in-laws bought my wife an iPad for her birthday. I would very much like to NOT keep it and get her an Android-based tablet. I was thinking the Galaxy S tab, but saw the research indicating a high return rate.
I would like to get a tablet with a front facing camera. Not sure what else I should be looking for. Definitely don’t want to pay for a data plan; just wi-fi. Any ideas?
Chis Leiter:
Why don’t you want the iPad? There’s nothing wrong with it. What were those stats from the other day? like 2% of ipads are returned, where 15% of Galaxy Tabs are. Stick with it. In the current generation, it’s the nicest tablet money can buy. I love mine.
Doug Smith:
Jim, you ask such easy questions. :) The choice is clear. XOOM: https://mobilitydigest.com/category/motorola/xoom/
Enjoy your reading as it is the baddest ass Tablet to come out yet. The iPad 2 is yet to be determined, but since they are not doing the retina display, it is has lost a lot of appeal for me.
Chris Leiter:
ah yeah, the xoom, that’s pretty bad ass actually. The iPad 2 will probably still sneak its way into my house though..
Doug Smith:
XOOM, say it with me….XOOM, see it’s a lot more fun to say that iPad. LMAO
Just kidding, the iPad is pretty cool too. The Googley Guys had a PR Conference today and there should be some video on the XOOM and the Honeycomb OS later today or tomorrow. I WOULD NOT buy a Galaxy Tab for any reason other than the XOOM is WAY WAY WAY better than it.
Doug Smith:
one more time… XOOM
Chris Leiter:
the tab is a nice device, but it’s WAY buggy, and has the Android jitters like every other android device. Some of the impressions from the Google event were that the Xoom is badass, but that it still has quite a bit of jitter to get over. If the rumors about the next iPad’s processor are correct, the difference will be just as big in terms of performance then as they are in the current generation. With the iPad, Apple is the #1 portable computer maker in the world, I doubt they’ll screw it up.
Dr. Jim:
Thanks, Chris. I guess I am generally not an Apple guy and would like Android to go with the rest of our house. And I hope to get my wife an Inspire or Atrix in a few weeks. And do you know when the release date will be for the iPad2? It would be nice to have a front-facing camera?
Just trying to stay ahead of the tech curve…
Chris Leiter:
the iPad 2 will be announced very soon, they’re close to releasing 4.3 and it has a LOT of iPad 2 specific stuff in it. Apple does things quickly. They’ll announce it, list it for sale a week- 2 weeks later, and sell out the 2nd day. lol
I wish the 1st gen had shipped with a camera :( that’s the only thing that I had always wanted in the iPad. more power and ram is always nice, but a camera is key. I have iPhone 2 iPad camera app which uses the iPhone camera via BT or WiFi to take photos, but it’s not exactly ideal nor can it be used for facetime or other video chat apps. It is cool as a sort of ‘spy’ cam though 😉
Dr. Jim Taylor:
Do you mean within a few weeks or months?
Is the lack of an SD card an issue? I assume we can still use gmail, g-calendar, g-everything else on it (I’m pretty sure I heard that there is gmail app for iPhone. iPad too? And skype?
Ramon Trotman:
Dear doctor coming from my what you are about to read is not only shocking, but should be viewed as absolute because of its shocking nature. I will only say this once and once only. After I have said it…I will close the door and continue down my road of a fruit company free America.
Get the ipad. If a tablet is what you want, you will find no better solution and none to come for a good year or maybe even two. Your purchase will be wise.
Ramon Trotman:
███K APPLE!!!! Don’t buy SHIT from those ████ suckers!
Dr. Jim:
Thanks for your "shocking" break from Apple hating dogma!
$800 is too pricey for this wage earner!! I’m pretty much convinced to return the iPad and wait for the iPad 2… Anyone else?
Chris Leiter:
you’re a Doctor.. I’m a moron without a single cert. how is $800 too much for a computer?
Ramon Trotman:
Return it and spend the money on me. Just a suggestion….
Doug Smith [with one redaction]:
You guys need to read more about the latest device releases other than fighting about who is spying on who or whatever in the hell we have been emailing all day! Bwahahahahahaha!
Anyway, ████████ has written since those, wait, ███K ████████, since those pricks went to the event and they said it was like Buttah using the XOOM. I personally like the XOOM and Honeycomb OS, I like the Stage Widgets, and the hardware is BADD ASS!
The iPad as Ramon said is a proven winner with lots of Apps and shit like that. But I think you are doing yourself a disservice buying ANYTHING right now until the second generation tablets come out. I have been using the Streak 5inch Tablet with Froyo and it works great. I have an unmolested version since I don’t own this but Pocket Lint is getting 3000 Smartbench 2010 scores off of the Steve’s ROMS for it. Thats sick man.
I can say this from my own experience and opinion, don’t get a 7 inch Tab, go 10 inch. The experience is much better.
The iPad 2 is rumored to have a better processor and we know there are some hard core games coming for it, so this should be helpful to power that Non-Retina Screen.
That is all. Say it with me one last time XOOM…
███K APPLE
███K ████████
███K BGR
Chris Leiter:
I hope that Honeycomb and Xoom do well, I really do. But the app quality and the choppy use of Android to date hasn’t left me with a positive opinion yet.
Dr. Jim:
Not about the Benjamins entirely, but about what I value and my priorities, like living in one of the most expensive counties in the USA, 2 kids, and a wife who doesn’t value technology as much I do!!
Doug Smith:
Check this out guys, HOT off the press from the Android Event on Honeycomb today:
https://mobilitydigest.com/android-honeycomb-event-video/I have been waiting all day on this.
Chris Leiter:
first impression? It’s awesome. BUT, my kids would hate it. As would my wife. They love how easy the ipad is to use, and would rather use it than this, and I’m willing to bet that they’re not alone.
Jeremy Bartz:
My back, ass, arms and now brain are all tired after catching up on all the email I missed while shoveling out my 5 foot drifts in my driveway today!
Doug Simmons:
Okay everybody pipe down, even though I wasn’t involved nor did I read this thread I suppose it’s MDLeaks material so I’ll cook that up as fast as I can clean up David’s email formatting issues.
Doug Smith:
you are going to have a hell of a time with mine…. I would ask that some of it get cleaned for grammar and misuse of slang. (I dont care that you guys think I’m a dork)
Doug Simmons:
I’ll obfuscate ███k as I’ve been doing with Ramon unless you want special treatment to keep your image pristine or whatever you think it is that you need to keep the same about you and this site.
Doug Smith:
Please remove the ███k ████████. Thats it. I can stand the rest….
Ramon Trotman:
Lmao! ███k ‘em
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About The Author
Doug Simmons
Biographical info.. hmm. I have a history of not being able to strike the balance between what is "safe" to put into these forms and what is, in my mind at least, funny. Can't do it.
are you guys always this angry? i happen to like apple!
Ramon you are one really enigmatic enigma.
So what’s wrong with BGR?
Can’t say I’m terribly found of ████████ either, … but bgr?
That had to do with a seperate email that you apparently did not read either.
I stated that BGR got thier hands on an AT&T HTC Inspire 4G and posted a hands on 11 days before launch and I was wondering how in the Hell they were able to do that. And because I had NO idea you were going to hijack this email thread and make it public before I wrote that, I was having a bit of fun with BGR. But in truth, I got nothing but respect for them. Andrew and Zach are an excellent part of BGR’s team and I often use them as a source.
Same goes for Engadget, it was all behind the scenes fun and a touch of Pre Release Device Envy. LOL
Look into the Adam from notion ink, the hardware is better than the iPad (including the pixel qi screen it has), the UI is supposed to be really slick, and its Android (though an earlier build but I’m sure they’ll update). They are on preorder for a select few now.
You guys totally left out the best (IMHO) Android tablet at the moment. The Viewsonic G-tablet! I know, I know, it is not an official Viewsonic product, it is only a Viewsonic branded Malata from China. But with the hardware specs that it contains, plus it’s hackability, you simply can not beat it at the moment. The Tegra2 processor, 16GB onboard storage, 10.1 inch screen and it has been reported that another 64GB of storage can be added via MicroSD. Not to mention that there is a very active developer community for this device over at XDA. This is a no brainer folks (Dr. Jim). Oh, and did I mention, this thing also does Flash, try to do that with your iPad.
I have already sold three of these to co-workers over the past month since I bought mine and installed a “real” build of Android on it and brought it in to work for all of the “iPad” contemplators. All three have been very happy with their purchases after I have wiped them clean and installed the current VEGAntab 5.1 on them. They now wonder how in the hell they could have ever even thought about purchasing an iPad.
For 379 bucks you simply can not beat it, and if you love to hack, then this thing is awesome! Office Depot and Sears, go get one now! LOL
Mr. Simmons, I am very surprised that you have not mentioned the Gtab in this discussion. Being the DroidBoy that you are. LOL
I didn’t get mixed up in this one. If I had however, though I’ll note I don’t know much about the Android tab scene at all, sizing up Jim I’d tell him to go with the iPad. Safest bet in terms of him not regretting it.
You know what, scratch that, he’s comfortable with Android, is a little adventurous… I’d say hold out for a Honeycomb tab with decent reviews from an OEM he recognizes with specs that match his taste, namely screen size. If he doesn’t want to hold out, iPad. If he’s willing to hold out and the iPad 2 hits before there’s any Android 3.0 tab that looks good to him, iPad 2. Can’t afford iPad 2, keep waiting on Android 3 tabs or just grab a more modest 2.2 tablet.
Me, I don’t get the whole tablet scene myself, but perhaps that has something to do with my underemployment. Or it’s because my Nexus S whups so much ass that I don’t even use my laptop anymore. So scratch everything else I said, get the Nexus S. They say it’s a step up from the Aria.
@Doug Simmons:
I have quit using my laptop as well, now that the tablet is always laying there on the end table, battery lasts 8-10 hours. I just grab the little lightweight tab and do whatever I want with it. The tablet probably would not be in my arsenal either, but it is very nice for those of us who have a hard time seeing the smaller screen because of deteriorating eyesight. LOL
Oh, and as soon a the Honeycomb SDK is released there will be some major developments for the Gtab also. Honeycomb will make use of both processor cores whereas the current versions only make use of one. This thing will simply fly with Honeycomb I suspect. And I am waiting patiently till robeet and the guys at XDA have a go with it. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.
Ouch, Doug! That stings!! But seriously, very funny and educational to others, so I’m willing to take the hit!
Remember the iPad wasn’t for me, but for my wife who is not tech savvy and likes simple, simple, simple. I have no need for a tablet!
I think we’re going to return the iPad, use the $$ to get her a new phone (iPhone or Atrix?; but that’s a whole other debate!!), and pocket the extra Benjamins…
Whole other debate? You sent one email and look what it set off. Some would argue, like the people who made their respective arguments, that there’s at least some good advice up here which was kicked off by four short sentences from you. We’re ready when you are for whole other debates. We’ve got your back Doc.