One more "What tablet do I buy?" post.... with a twist...

[scottfish]

A little history/background:
- I have an iPad2
- Wife has a Kindle Fire
- I have owned a Nook Color (rooted), a Gtab, and a Coby Kyros 1024 as well as an HTV Evo phone

So I am looking for a 5-8 inch tablet. Here's the twist... I don't care about budget, and I want a full feature set. I want cameras. I want the ability to have an external mic (mic'd headphones is fine) as well as onboard. I want expandable storage. And I want hackability, but I do not want to hack consistently just to keep it running (this was a knock on the Nook Color initially). I am thinking Xoom feature set in a small package.

So, if you didn't have to worry about budget (of course I don't want to spend a grand either), what would you choose?

 

[Pamster]

Ah, if it was me, I'd probably get the 32 GB Thrive. I would say a Transformer but I don't like the 30 pin connector thing. It has the same resolution as the thrive but the thrive has full sized USB and HDMI port as well as a user replaceable battery and a release for the back panel to make that easier. To me that's intelligent design and I would love to own one. The Thrive has 1GB RAM (DDR2), NVIDIA Tegra 2 1 ghz chip, stereo speakers, rubberized backing on the back panel, Bluetooth, SD Card expanability, GPS, Gyroscpoe, Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, 5 MP Rear Facing Cam, and 2 MP Front facing cam, Honeycomb 3.1 and its LED Backlit. *grins* It will be interesting to see what other's choose as their dream device.

 

[J515OP]

What about one of these Samsung GALAXY Note - Samsung Mobile? New and different.

 

[jseah]

Regarding the Thrive, a 7" model is supposed to be coming out sometime this month.

 

[Tom T]

If you were interested in a 10" tablet it would be easier i suppose, even the Sony is 9.6" I think, though it would probably fulfll most your requirements. There isn't really any perfect machine available. I was really looking forward to the Thrive when it was announced but the screen, like many Toshiba machines in my experience, is not the greatest, and although it is big it would probably be worth it for the full size ports....if only it had an IPS screen...
Right now would have to say the Transformer Prime is the hotest thing going if a 10" screen is not out of the question.

 

[Tom T]

Regarding the Thrive, a 7" model is supposed to be coming out sometime this month.

I saw this and it looks pretty cool, I was looking into a Galay Tab 7 plus to replace my original 7" Galaxy but I would lke to play with the Toshiba before I make a decision.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Android Tablet Forum

 

[scottfish]

Thanks folks. I am really trying to snag something soon. That 7 inch Thrive looks cool.

 

[Tom T]

The 7" Thrive will be officially released and available tomorrow for "under $400" according to Toshiba.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Android Tablet Forum

 

[idontknow]

I agree with Jp, you should get the galaxy note 5.3, super portable with sim card. You get the unlocked version right now and it doesn't come really cheap, around $700. but I believe is a little jewel from all the reviews I read. I already ordered it .

Sent from my NookColor using Android Tablet Forum

 

[Rose4uKY]

So the Transformer Prime will have a much better screen at watching movies on then the Toshiba Thrive. What is IPS? I guess I can Google it. I am selling my laptop next week then my Archos 10.1 which I hate the screen on and was planning on getting the Transformer. Had been reading all about it when I then found out about the Prime which is what I want. But then I saw on here mention of the Toshiba Thrive which I had forgotten about so now I was reading specs on it. I don't need the dock that comes with the Prime but I plug a flash in now to my Archos for movie watching. Is there an SD card slot on the Prime? How would I put movies on there? I see someone mentioned a new 7 inch Thrive but since my EVO 3D is 4.3 I really want another 10 inch and not a 7. But so far the Prime has the best specs and I'll probably end up with it if I can get one. I know lots of people already have one preordered. I have to make sure my laptop sells 1st. I haven't used my laptop in so long and I love Android since having my EVO 4G and now the 3D. I do like the quad core of the Prime and I would like to get Honeycomb upgradable to Ice Cream. Dual Core I guess would be ok too but I do need Flash and Market and would like Netflix to work on it. And I have a 16 gig Archos now and of course on the Prime I would get the 32 gig. How long has the Thrive been out? Guess I should get the latest in specs and go with the Prime. I'm gonna goole both and read up more on both. I am probably going to go with the Prime but I don't know what color I want. Hopefully by the time I sell my laptop and then my Archos some of you will have the Prime and I can read what you guys think before I order one. But it looks like the one I am going to go with.

 

[idontknow]

Rose, go to the asus section and Toshiba here on the forum and you'll find a the answers to all your questions, better than google them. I found a post ,for example, on the Toshiba section very interesting and there are more.
gloria

Sent from my NookColor using Android Tablet Forum

 

[Walkop]

So the Transformer Prime will have a much better screen at watching movies on then the Toshiba Thrive. What is IPS? I guess I can Google it. I am selling my laptop next week then my Archos 10.1 which I hate the screen on and was planning on getting the Transformer. Had been reading all about it when I then found out about the Prime which is what I want. But then I saw on here mention of the Toshiba Thrive which I had forgotten about so now I was reading specs on it. I don't need the dock that comes with the Prime but I plug a flash in now to my Archos for movie watching. Is there an SD card slot on the Prime? How would I put movies on there? I see someone mentioned a new 7 inch Thrive but since my EVO 3D is 4.3 I really want another 10 inch and not a 7. But so far the Prime has the best specs and I'll probably end up with it if I can get one. I know lots of people already have one preordered. I have to make sure my laptop sells 1st. I haven't used my laptop in so long and I love Android since having my EVO 4G and now the 3D. I do like the quad core of the Prime and I would like to get Honeycomb upgradable to Ice Cream. Dual Core I guess would be ok too but I do need Flash and Market and would like Netflix to work on it. And I have a 16 gig Archos now and of course on the Prime I would get the 32 gig. How long has the Thrive been out? Guess I should get the latest in specs and go with the Prime. I'm gonna goole both and read up more on both. I am probably going to go with the Prime but I don't know what color I want. Hopefully by the time I sell my laptop and then my Archos some of you will have the Prime and I can read what you guys think before I order one. But it looks like the one I am going to go with.

To answer some of your questions, the Prime has the brightest display on the market by a considerable margin; it gets around 570 candelas per square metre compared to the competitions highest of 464 when IPS+ mode is active. It also uses IPS, as mentioned; that means In-Plane-Switching and it provides super-crisp viewing angles when compared to cheaper screen types, like TN (Twisted Neumatic), which is generally the screen type used if they don't mention that its IPS (or any other type). IPS screens are really in another league compared to TN, as are PLS (Plane-To-Line Switching) displays.

The Prime comes with a MicroSD card slot and a Micro-HDMI port on the tablet, with a full SD card slot and USB port on the dock. You put movies on it the same way you would move anything else onto an SD card, and you can either use the File Explorer or a third-party video viewer to open them (MoboPlayer, for instance).

The Prime is definitely the best Android tablet out there. Incredible display, SonicMaster sound (the tech in general gets very good reviews), all-metal body (there are very few tablets out there with all-metal construction), Quad-Core Tegra 3, MicroSD slot, MicroHDMI, 32GB standard storage (there is no 16GB model), and the all-mighty Keyboard dock with battery, trackpad, USB and SD slots. It will also be the thinnest tablet on the market when it is released; unless, of course, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 is released first (it is 7.89mm thin, compared to the Prime's 8.3mm). It has the 8MP rear camera, as well, which supposedly performs very well not just in resolution but also with color, etc.

The Thrive is heavy and super thick compared to the Prime - the Thrive is 16mm thick, the Prime is 8.3mm. That's quite a difference. The Prime also weighs 581 grams, while the Thrive is 771. That is a massive difference for a tablet; and although you get the full HDMI and USB ports on the Thrive, the benefits of the Prime far outweigh that benefit in my opinion. If you're worried about storage, MicroSD works perfectly fine for that.

I really hope your tablet shopping endeavour goes well

 

[Rose4uKY]

So Honeycomb you can't move apps to sd card? What about on Ice Cream? If that's the case then I'll probably go with the Prime the 32 gig. Cause the Thrive was 16 Gig I think. And Archos actually has a new one too but after I found out the space on the one i have isn't really 16gigs that it's only for certain things and it tells me I'm out of space already with hardly anything on there I don't think I want another Archos. Thanks!

 

[Rose4uKY]

Thanks. I think I'm gonna go with the Prime. I appreciate it. As long as there is a micro sd I have an 8 gig extra one from one of my phones so I can use it to put movies on from the pc and then put it in the tablet. But I wish there was a USB on the actual tablet but the keyboard dock seems nice I just can't afford that too right now and I am used to using my swiping keyboards anyway as long as Flex T 9 or Swype works on one of them. On my Archos now I have the Amazon app store and when I log in on tablet it lets me download whatever I have gotten free on my phone to my tablet. I like that! But anyway thanks for the info! Lets hope this guy buys my laptop next week and it goes through.

To answer some of your questions, the Prime has the brightest display on the market by a considerable margin; it gets around 570 candelas per square metre compared to the competitions highest of 464 when IPS+ mode is active. It also uses IPS, as mentioned; that means In-Plane-Switching and it provides super-crisp viewing angles when compared to cheaper screen types, like TN (Twisted Neumatic), which is generally the screen type used if they don't mention that its IPS (or any other type). IPS screens are really in another league compared to TN, as are PLS (Plane-To-Line Switching) displays.

The Prime comes with a MicroSD card slot and a Micro-HDMI port on the tablet, with a full SD card slot and USB port on the dock. You put movies on it the same way you would move anything else onto an SD card, and you can either use the File Explorer or a third-party video viewer to open them (MoboPlayer, for instance).

The Prime is definitely the best Android tablet out there. Incredible display, SonicMaster sound (the tech in general gets very good reviews), all-metal body (there are very few tablets out there with all-metal construction), Quad-Core Tegra 3, MicroSD slot, MicroHDMI, 32GB standard storage (there is no 16GB model), and the all-mighty Keyboard dock with battery, trackpad, USB and SD slots. It will also be the thinnest tablet on the market when it is released; unless, of course, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 is released first (it is 7.89mm thin, compared to the Prime's 8.3mm). It has the 8MP rear camera, as well, which supposedly performs very well not just in resolution but also with color, etc.

The Thrive is heavy and super thick compared to the Prime - the Thrive is 16mm thick, the Prime is 8.3mm. That's quite a difference. The Prime also weighs 581 grams, while the Thrive is 771. That is a massive difference for a tablet; and although you get the full HDMI and USB ports on the Thrive, the benefits of the Prime far outweigh that benefit in my opinion. If you're worried about storage, MicroSD works perfectly fine for that.

I really hope your tablet shopping endeavour goes well

 

[Rose4uKY]

So Honeycomb you can move apps to sd card? What about on  Ice Cream?  If that's the case then I'll probably go with the Prime the 32 gig. Cause the Thrive was 16 Gig I think. And Archos actually has a new one too but after I found out the space on the one i have isn't really 16gigs that it's only for certain things and it tells me I'm out of space already with hardly anything on there I don't think I want another Archos. Thanks!

Rose, go to the asus section and Toshiba here on the forum and you'll find a the answers to all your questions, better than google them. I found a post ,for example, on the Toshiba section very interesting and there are more.
gloria

Sent from my NookColor using Android Tablet Forum