Consolidated Tablet Thread - Page 5

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

OK, I can see a Mac Air with a flip-able keyboard being similar to the HP Slate in size/weight. I am not sure that it would EASY to do it with a spinable keyboard and still have the strength.

With the Slate, you can choose from a bunch of different keyboards. I chose one which matched the size of the unit pretty well, as you can see above.

I like the keyboard/case that is made for the iPad. It has an esiel in the back and the cover lies flat as a keyboard.

WKB-2000CB - Adesso Inc ::: Your Input Device Specialist ::: Keyboards | Mice | Touchpads | Tablets | Barcode Scanners | Mac Solutions | I/O Accessories

This looks like it is also compatible with the Slate. I may pick one up...

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

no need to have the ability to spin it...

why not have a keyboard that also functions as a cover, and maybe also no wired connection - bluetooth communications

then it just needs to have some straps to hold it on

stomachmonkey · 05-25-2011, 05:02 AM

Refurbed Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" 16GB Android Tablet - Wi-Fi + 3G

$259.99 on Woot today

Halm · 05-25-2011, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Refurbed Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" 16GB Android Tablet - Wi-Fi + 3G

$259.99 on Woot today

And Samsung has announced that a Honeycomb update was on the way for the Tab. So that is a heck of a deal.

stomachmonkey · 05-25-2011, 05:30 AM

Google gave away the Samsung Tab at their conference a couple of weeks ago. They had Honeycomb on them already so looks promising that the retail units will get it.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Google gave away the Samsung Tab at their conference a couple of weeks ago. They had Honeycomb on them already so looks promising that the retail units will get it.

Was that the 10" or the 7"?

stomachmonkey · 05-25-2011, 06:33 AM

Just checked with my friend who was there, 10.

Halm · 05-25-2011, 07:20 AM

Also, FWIW, I believe Honeycomb is optimized for tablets. It is not expected to be used on phones, per se.

island911 · 05-25-2011, 07:39 AM

I just don't -get- why the phone and tablet are kept separate.

I mean, sure, I've used my old Samsung with Skype, over the years; but Skype is a bit laggy. (more so than typical cellular.)

Anyway, wtf with the cell providers? ...voice is just data.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halm

And Samsung has announced that a Honeycomb update was on the way for the Tab. So that is a heck of a deal.

Do you have a link for that?

Halm · 05-25-2011, 08:03 AM

It was on Android Central, last week as I best remember.

stomachmonkey · 05-25-2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by island911

I just don't -get- why the phone and tablet are kept separate.

Simple, it's profitable.

jyl · jyl's Garage

The next android version will run on tablets and phones, it will detect what device it is on and adjust features accordingly. So I hear, some of you know much more about this.

Phone and tablet are separate because tablets are too big to be convenient phones and people don't want to pay for multiple cellular contracts.

Halm · 05-25-2011, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

Do you have a link for that?

James, I may stand corrected. This is the story I was thinking about and while it appears to be a Samsung ROM, there is nothing about the rest of the world getting it. Of course there is ROM reportedly over on XDA for it, but that is not OEM.

island911 · 05-25-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

...

Phone and tablet are separate because tablets are too big to be convenient phones and people don't want to pay for multiple cellular contracts.

Well, an iPad certainly is too big to be a convenient phone. But there are a few pocketable tablets. And, if you are paying for a phone AND a tablet, you are paying for multiple cellular contracts.

On so many of these devices, the 'phone' is just an app. S-monk is right, the cell providers juust want to make mo money while they can. ...but one will be first...looking for a competitive edge.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

I have the cellular radio turned off on my Galaxy Tab 7. In effect, it is a Wifi only machine. The only issue, if I want to use Bluetooth, I have to also turn the cellular radio back on. It doesn't do anything, but it wastes juice. I don't use bluetooth much.

Gingerbread source is now released from Samsung. They are letting the XDA guys create the release instead of paying staff people to create and test an official release.

So far, Froyo seems to work fine. On the G Tablet, I did see some performance increase in going to Gingerbread. And the Nook seemed to run better on it as well.

HHI944 · 05-25-2011, 12:42 PM

Honeycomb blazes right along on the acer. It's quite fast. Battery life has been excellent with it lasting nearly 2 days to each charge with normal usage for me. It'll stream video for about 5 hours to a charge as well.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by island911

Well, an iPad certainly is too big to be a convenient phone. But there are a few pocketable tablets. And, if you are paying for a phone AND a tablet, you are paying for multiple cellular contracts.

On so many of these devices, the 'phone' is just an app. S-monk is right, the cell providers juust want to make mo money while they can. ...but one will be first...looking for a competitive edge.

Pocketable - if you wear a coat or cargo pants maybe.

I think (no data handy) that tablets tied to 3G contracts are not selling that well, and that inexpensive tablets with WiFi only or maybe an unused 3G radio are what more people want. I think there a lot of resistance to paying a carrier for both a tablet and a phone, especially with WiFi fairly easy to find and increased phone tethering. Makes sense, get a contract and that $350 tablet is actually costing you like $700-800/yr.

island911 · 05-25-2011, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

Pocketable - if you wear a coat or cargo pants maybe....

Maybe? ...of course there are many easily Pocketable, if you wear a coat or cargo pants. Devices like the Nook or Galaxy Tab will slide into even (many) typical pants pockets. Even if they stick out a bit, the point is, you don't need to carry the 7" tabs in a bag. ...or in-hand.

maybe Apple should make a Velcro kit so fanboys can wear, and show-off their device like a Teletubby.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHI944

Honeycomb blazes right along on the acer. It's quite fast. Battery life has been excellent with it lasting nearly 2 days to each charge with normal usage for me. It'll stream video for about 5 hours to a charge as well.

Honeycomb actually runs fine on my Nook