Accidentally smashed my Advent Vega - what to buy now?

Wicksta said:
I'd go for the Transformer. I often stream Flash based things like football matches which is a complete no go on the iPad. Also I find 10 inch pads a bit large (much prefer my Galaxy Tab for tablet use!) so without the Transformer dock I wouldn't be keeping it. It's great with the keyboard for my work Exchange emails (which has remote wipe etc. as was mentioned as something the iPad supports).

If you want a Tablet though, why not the Galaxy Tab? Can be picked up for under £250, runs extremely quick with the latest Gingerbread update and unlike the iPad or Transformer it fits in an inside jacket pocket. What's the point of a Tablet if you're leaving it at home all the time.
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iPad comes to work with me.:p

Saying that, my problem with all tablets is that since they by definition don't fit in a pocket you have to carry them in some form of bag. Which somewhat limits their portability. If I don't have to carry a bag for another reason then it doesn't come with me.
 
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I personally wouldn't go for any of the current tablets. I took the iPad back because the lack of flash annoyed me. It meant I had to use a cut down version of YouTube where a lot of music videos were missing and I had to keep booting up my laptop to watch video links people sent me that linked to flash websites. I also couldnt do my online training course because it used flash embedded videos so again had to get the laptop out.

The. I finished family guy season one so had to get the laptop out again, copy some more episodes to it and the sync them to the iPad as you can't plug USB sticks into it directly.

Then I had a load of photos I wanted to edit and display on the iPad so I had to get the laptop out again, edit them in the laptop then sync them across.

I was given some MP3s that I fancied listening to. Cue having to unpack the laptop to copy them across to the iPad.

In the end I just thought WTF if I keep having to use my laptop I may as well take the iPad back and spend the money on something else which is what I did. It's a fun to have product which I would use if I was given one but I wouldn't pay for one.

Android is a no-go thanks to the way updates are dealt with. Buy a galaxy tab and when Google release a new version with bug fixes, I would just be ****ed off waiting for samsung to get their butts in gear and release it if they even bothered at all! I had a Galaxy S for a few months and that was enough to put me off. I waited for 2.2 for ages as my mates were using it on their Nexus phones and I needed the extra exchange email support but I gave up waiting for samsung.

Tablets are a nice idea but in their current locked down state are pretty useless. If they properly supported divx and USB stick support out of the box it would negate the need for a laptop and Honeycomb is close, but until they fix the stupid way updates are released I wouldn't touch Android with a barge pole!
 
Totality said:
but until they fix the stupid way updates are released I wouldn't touch Android with a barge pole!
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Well I'm one of those sheep who has to put the very latest update on their Samsung Galaxy S and convince themselves it's better so I'm now on Darky 10.1.
Last Saturday I was debating my phone against my mates SGS who has never updated since he had it when it first came out.
Next thing the lads got our phones side by side to test them against each other and there was no neglible difference except I had Launcher Pro on.
Both my wife and daughter have a San Francisco and none of them suffer the problems users have in our large SF thread because their phones haven't been frigged about with.
I put an upgrade that somebody kept linking to on here onto my Advent Vega and it didn't make the slightest difference to useability.
My lesson with Android is that updates are a bit pointless and it's just to make us geeks a bit happier so we can convince ourselves that our hardware has become better.
 
Stock 2.1 was "OK" on the SGS but the fixes samsung made to compatibility / UI speed etc... add up to a better experience for me. With darkys you probably have some more subtle updated things (GPS fixes, more memory, less crapware, RFS to EXT4 conversion if enabled, better headset quality with Voodoo, browser allows for more tabs, hacked ident, lockscreen choice, CRT animation etc...) than a stock rom but it's sorta designed this way. If you want a look overhaul the idea is you go for themes. It's a pretty middle of the road rom as well, no OC etc... that would give you speed :)

I have a transformer because I have an iPhone and I don't really see much difference (but saying that I have about 4 androids and the difference to HC is obviously going to be small once ICS comes out ) and personally I really don't like the iTunes gateway experience - i can stand it on the phone but the tablet is designed to be more of a fuller experience and treating it the same way as apple do ... it could be a lot better. But for my mum, hell yeah iPhone/ipad all the way :)

Seeing as how the transformer got the update within a few weeks I'm pretty sure this will be the way forward soon, I think ASUS are out to make a name for themselves in tablets which means delivering ontime in a competitive market. Well, I hope at least.

I still think quads are 6 months away so if you can swallow a cost of a 150 quid or so on top i'd get a tablet still - I think they are great devices.
 
dmpoole said:
I put an upgrade that somebody kept linking to on here onto my Advent Vega and it didn't make the slightest difference to useability.
My lesson with Android is that updates are a bit pointless and it's just to make us geeks a bit happier so we can convince ourselves that our hardware has become better.
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Doesn't the Vega come without the Market as standard? Thats a pretty big difference to the useability of a custom ROM over stock right there.
 
theres no way i would buy a tablet other than the ipad 2 at the moment , software/apps/games are all a league ahead of the rest .

SteveOBHave said:
Yep... same as it's always been. And the streaming option doesn't float, because the moment you move out of signal/reception then you can no longer watch it...
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rubbish

you just download VLC player for free and can play absolutely anything and everything
 
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"andy" said:
theres no way i would buy a tablet other than the ipad 2 at the moment , software/apps/games are all a league ahead of the rest .



rubbish

you just download VLC player for free and can play absolutely anything and everything
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Unless they're MKV files... or FLAC... or high bitrate MP3s...

But it's a step forward... shame it didn't come from Apple.

iPad 2 is nice, just not terribly versatile or forward thinking.

Sorry forgot to add: In my opinion...
 
Totality said:
Tablets are a nice idea but in their current locked down state are pretty useless.
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:confused:

What?! No they aren't.

Most people want a tablet for three things - apps, browsing and media.

The iPad 2 for example will handle all of these things with ease, yes it doesn't have the best file support out of the box but you can easily get round it.

Useless? Not a chance.

It seems to me that some people want to have all their advanced desktop PC features in a tablet and that is not what they are for.
 
RKO said:
iPad comes to work with me.:p

Saying that, my problem with all tablets is that since they by definition don't fit in a pocket you have to carry them in some form of bag. Which somewhat limits their portability. If I don't have to carry a bag for another reason then it doesn't come with me.
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Not really the blackberry playbook is 7 inches and is pretty portable...i just shove it in my jacket pocket and even manage to fit it into my jeans pocket as well...altho its a pretty tight fit.

Cant really say that about the ipad which is 10 inches in size...pretty hefty imo.

I carry my playbook all over with me, bring it into work and tether it to either my iphone4 or my BB 9780...in fact typing on it now...most of my posts for the past few weeks have been on my playbook....my poor laptop at home has become virtually redundant now:p.
 
Spawn said:
Not really the blackberry playbook is 7 inches and is pretty portable...i just shove it in my jacket pocket and even manage to fit it into my jeans pocket as well...altho its a pretty tight fit.

Cant really say that about the ipad which is 10 inches in size...pretty hefty imo.

I carry my playbook all over with me, bring it into work and tether it to either my iphone4 or my BB 9780...in fact typing on it now...most of my posts for the past few weeks have been on my playbook....my poor laptop at home has become virtually redundant now:p.
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Haha, if it doesn't fit in a jeans pocket it's too big for me. I never take my jeans off in public but I do my jacket - nothing of value is being held in clothes that don't stay attached to me all the time.

Hefty is correct, I feel the difference to 1.3 pounds from 1.5 but I'd still love for a lighter iPad.

For it's size I also think the PlayBook is too heavy, I'll only be happy when they weigh the same as a phone.:p

I couldn't type on the PlayBook, uncomfortable for thumb typing in portrait and too small for two hands in landscape, and I have girl hands too.:p
 
I just don't see the point in smaller than 10" tablets, just seems daft to me. 10" seems perfect.
My pc has only been turned on for f1 races.


As for flash it's slightly annoying but I am gob smakced by how many sites use html5 these days. Just wish BBC F1 and love film would convert to html5 then there would be zero issue with lack of flash for me anyway.
 
10" tablets seem daft to me, their are not portable for things like local train journeys or work. I never take my 10" tablet anywhere, the 7" Galaxy Tab comes with me, it takes up no room, you can slide it into an inside pocket, it's the perfect book size for books and you don't look a tool using it in public.

The iPad seems to the the toy of fatties who never leave the couch. ;)
 
I have a 4.3" phone that is nicer to use than a Galaxy Tab (imo) if I dont want to carry the iPad around (which isn't really a big chore).
 
Wicksta said:
10" tablets seem daft to me, their are not portable for things like local train journeys or work. I never take my 10" tablet anywhere, the 7" Galaxy Tab comes with me, it takes up no room, you can slide it into an inside pocket, it's the perfect book size for books and you don't look a tool using it in public.

The iPad seems to the the toy of fatties who never leave the couch. ;)
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They are perfect for trains, fits on the fold down tables nicely.

7" is to small does not format websites nicely and to small to watch films on. You might as well use a phone. 10" is very portable and can be slid into pretty much any bag and actually works well with video and websites.

Oh and what has size got to do with iPad. You realise most androids are 10" as well.
 
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10 inch tablet and 4 inch phone is a good combo, don't see the point in a 7 inch tab if you have a decent phone.

Having had my transformer for only a few hours it's early days but so far nothing to tarnish the honeymoon (if the bride ***** the bed I'll mention it)
 
itunes is pants imo. however the ipad2 is *probably* the best tablet at the moment, but I'm just not a fan of the form factor - can't see the point of wasting my hard earned cash on a limited product that would be at best used on the sofa.
 
AcidHell2 said:
They are perfect for trains, fits on the fold down tables nicely.

7" is to small does not format websites nicely and to small to watch films on. You might as well use a phone. 10" is very portable and can be slid into pretty much any bag and actually works well with video and websites.

Oh and what has size got to do with iPad. You realise most androids are 10" as well.
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10" tablets are *not* perfect for most trains, most trains don't have a fold down table unless they are Inter City. Most train journeys are on packed commuter train, my First Great Western to Paddington train a 10" tablet would be useless if you were in one of the cramped seats. The 7" tablet is book sized which is ideal. Also the Galaxy Tab formats websites absolutely fine and it's large enough for films. Don't forget I have *both* sized tablets, I have no bias and I have used both extensively. I also use a lot of different mobile devices as part of my job so I tend to pick up any good or pad points.

With regards to the iPad comment, I thought you had an iPad? I was replying to you. To be honest I don't know any Android 10" pad owners (apart from on here) as they are so new, so I haven't formed an opinion on how others are using theirs yet. My Transformer so far sits mainly gathering dust unless I want to open a quick ssh session or send a work email with the keyboard.
 
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dmpoole said:
Like I said earlier I have that many musical devices in the house that the chances of me putting my guitar or keyboards through a Tablet would be none now I think about it.
Guitar Partner is good enough for Guitar Pro files when I go off to rehearsals and need to show the rest of the band stuff.
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Fair enough, you may still want to see what is on the App store anyway before spending your cash, I must admit a lot of the Apps are more suited to a phone than a tablet but even so there are some great music apps out there.
dmpoole said:
The big reason for having a Tablet is when we go on holidays or weekends away and the iPad is lacking in some areas.
For instance I would put a few films on in their native format without converting and the iPad videoplayer mentioned above does not support AC3 and I know a lot of my files are AC3 encoded.
After taking pictures/films all day I would want to be able to play them back through the Tablet and obviously store them.
Looking at the Camera Connection Kit on the Apple site I would be taking a huge risk that it would work after reading all the reviews.
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IT's a shame VLC got pulled from the App store, otherwise the iPad would probably play your files, I'm guessing native format = VOB's?
 
MikeHunt79 said:
Fair enough, you may still want to see what is on the App store anyway before spending your cash, I must admit a lot of the Apps are more suited to a phone than a tablet but even so there are some great music apps out there.
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I've had an iPod Touch for ages and filled that full of apps so I'm very familiar with the Apple way.
The more reading I'm doing (not only here), the more I'm finding the ipad lacking in a lot of areas that are important for me.
 
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