Vizio VTAB vs. Amazon Fire

droid_dude

Member
Oct 10, 2011
44
1
I was considering holding out for the Amazon Fire but I decided to take the plunge and get the Vizio.

Here are some of my reasons:
====================================
1) Vizio 8" screen vs Amazon Fire 7" screen: I think that 8" is the right size, the 10.1 is a bit too big for portable use and the 7" is slightly too small. My wife has the 7" Nook Color and I like the 8" size better.

2) Screen resolution slightly higher on Vizio (1024X768 vs 1024X600).

2) GPS and Accelerometer on Vizio but none on Amazon Fire: Although GPS is limited on the Vizio (need to purchase paid apps for this to be really useful), at least this is an option.

3) Bluetooth on Vizio none on Amazon Fire: Again although Bluetooth functionality is somewhat limited so far (Vizio has promised an update) at least it has the option

4) HDMI output: I have not tired this yet but this is a "must have" for me .

5) SD Card expansion: This is another "must have": Unlike the Ipad and Fire, the Vizio allows expansion via cheap micro SDcards

6) Vizio is NOT locked into Amazon Infrastructure: I can run B&N Nook reader, Google Reader, Google Marketplace, etc. without any of the restrictions. In fact, I can't think of what will run on the Amazon Fire that won't run on the Vizio (including the Kindle Reader app). Although I am sure the Fire will eventually get rooted, the Vizio is already "open". Hopefully the rooting community will also root the Vizio soon.

7) IR remote control: I have not used this much yet but it is a cool feature that NO OTHER tablet has! Hopefully Vizio will add macro capabilities to this soon.

8) Microphone capability on the Vizio: according to other web sites this is lacking on the Fire.

So, the only advantage I can think of for Amazon over Vizio is the price. But for all the above features, I paid $35 more for the Vizio vs. the cost for the Fire.
 

sora72

Member
Aug 22, 2011
80
1
I'd like to add one more positive attribute of the vtab to your very good list. Vizio support stands by their products. I have one small bright pixel on mine. I called their support line and opened up a support ticket. I sent 3 photos of the device along with proof of purchase and they are cross-shipping me a brand new one. No hassle at all!

Sent from my VTAB1008 using Android Tablet Forum
 

ktackel

Member
Aug 31, 2011
96
4
Droid Dude, same reason I went with the Vizio, I got it a week before the fire came out but got it at Costco which offers a 90day return policy thinking if the rumored Amazon tab did come out I could make a decision.

For $234 and all the features you mention it has been a great tablet so far and I plan on keeping it. I don't see any reason to save $35 to have less features and at this point do not see any problem having the single core processor (the only advantage I thought Amazon had), it has been running great for me.
 

Djudjuus

Member
Oct 7, 2011
2
1
I watch Amazon Instant Videos on my Vtab all the time. Works fine! I use the Dolphin browser. I haven't tried it with the stock browser. It probably works too.

The more I use this tablet, the better I like it.

Sent from my VTAB1008 using Android Tablet Forum
 

hardsell

Member
Sep 19, 2011
26
1
well,

I'm probably in the minority I only found this forum to see if I could fix or if other people had the same problems as I did ...battery, heat, holding it, voice chat, sd card, movie problems etc

I'm not trying to be a naysayer but there are issues a prospective buyer might want to know about


5) SD Card expansion: This is another "must have": Unlike the Ipad and Fire, the Vizio allows expansion via cheap micro SDcards

seems many can't get that to work:


Moving apps to SD card http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/vizio-tablets/23812-moving-apps-sd-card.html

7) IR remote control: I have not used this much yet but it is a cool feature that NO OTHER tablet has! Hopefully Vizio will add macro capabilities to this soon.

sony S1 has that AND it is designed to be gripped one handed which is probably my biggest problem with vtab

Sony Tablet S | Sony | Sony Store USA

8) Microphone capability on the Vizio: according to other web sites this is lacking on the Fire.

other than for voice searching I didn't see any program to just record

my old archos 5 it 500gb just lets me make audio notes all day long but haven't seen anything in the vtab to do so (and yes I'm naive enough to expect things to work out of the box like video calls which I havent gotten to work, and dont want to have to use a work around it works out of the box like the blurb ON the box says, or it doesnt)

the vtab is too smooth for me the glass covers the whole front so you cant feel the bezel ILIKE a nice thick bezel even if they are dirt, dust, and dandruff magnets no matter how I hold the vtab I end up changing grips and hitting the power button, the notifications thingy on the screen or the home back or settings that are built into two of the bezels with one always on

it has a great screen resolution thats about the only thing going for it for me, in most regards it is actually TOO responsive for me I just bought a friend a craig 7 inch tablet for upcoming birthday (I had to set it up for him, really:) from the local drug store a $99 cheapy and in most cases like it more than the vizio but they only had one and wouldnt give me a rain check but I like having to push twice on everything to make it work, it doesnt switch when I dont want it to, like vtab

for the original price range I think the price is now 60 less than I paid for it last month the 7 inch thrive might be more of a competitor

Toshiba's 7-inch Thrive™ Tablet powered by Android™ | Toshiba Tablets | us.toshiba.com
Hands On With the 7-Inch Toshiba Thrive | PCWorld

anyway the vtab to me is a 4/10 I admit i'm a grass is always greener type of guy and all I wanted it for mostly is to read from but without my purchasing a gripper or holder of some kind it just doesnt work that well for me as an ereader ... it breaks the "mood" trying to read to sleep is my "sleeping pill" and going to home page or showing notifications or thinking I want to log off ruins that as I hate to say it but when I'm all "snuggled up for the duration of night" I use me nose to tap next page but for some reason a nose poke wont work for me on the return on the bezel

I did have a kindle dxg (had to sell it though) so had some experience with being in the amazon system and other than free books from mobilereader site or free games I NEVER purchased anything from amazon I just sideloaded books after using calibre to get the right format

so even though the fire looks to be as proprietary as an apple device if it works like the earlier kindle you will have some flexability
 
Last edited:

droid_dude

Member
Oct 10, 2011
44
1
well,

I'm probably in the minority I only found this forum to see if I could fix or if other people had the same problems as I did ...battery, heat, holding it, voice chat, sd card, movie problems etc

I'm not trying to be a naysayer but there are issues a prospective buyer might want to know about


5) SD Card expansion: This is another "must have": Unlike the Ipad and Fire, the Vizio allows expansion via cheap micro SDcards

seems many can't get that to work:


Moving apps to SD card http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/vizio-tablets/23812-moving-apps-sd-card.html

7) IR remote control: I have not used this much yet but it is a cool feature that NO OTHER tablet has! Hopefully Vizio will add macro capabilities to this soon.

sony S1 has that AND it is designed to be gripped one handed which is probably my biggest problem with vtab

Sony Tablet S | Sony | Sony Store USA

8) Microphone capability on the Vizio: according to other web sites this is lacking on the Fire.

other than for voice searching I didn't see any program to just record

my old archos 5 it 500gb just lets me make audio notes all day long but haven't seen anything in the vtab to do so (and yes I'm naive enough to expect things to work out of the box like video calls which I havent gotten to work, and dont want to have to use a work around it works out of the box like the blurb ON the box says, or it doesnt)

the vtab is too smooth for me the glass covers the whole front so you cant feel the bezel ILIKE a nice thick bezel even if they are dirt, dust, and dandruff magnets no matter how I hold the vtab I end up changing grips and hitting the power button, the notifications thingy on the screen or the home back or settings that are built into two of the bezels with one always on

it has a great screen resolution thats about the only thing going for it for me, in most regards it is actually TOO responsive for me I just bought a friend a craig 7 inch tablet for upcoming birthday (I had to set it up for him, really:) from the local drug store a $99 cheapy and in most cases like it more than the vizio but they only had one and wouldnt give me a rain check but I like having to push twice on everything to make it work, it doesnt switch when I dont want it to, like vtab

for the original price range I think the price is now 60 less than I paid for it last month the 7 inch thrive might be more of a competitor

Toshiba's 7-inch Thrive™ Tablet powered by Android™ | Toshiba Tablets | us.toshiba.com
Hands On With the 7-Inch Toshiba Thrive | PCWorld

anyway the vtab to me is a 4/10 I admit i'm a grass is always greener type of guy and all I wanted it for mostly is to read from but without my purchasing a gripper or holder of some kind it just doesnt work that well for me as an ereader ... it breaks the "mood" trying to read to sleep is my "sleeping pill" and going to home page or showing notifications or thinking I want to log off ruins that as I hate to say it but when I'm all "snuggled up for the duration of night" I use me nose to tap next page but for some reason a nose poke wont work for me on the return on the bezel

I did have a kindle dxg (had to sell it though) so had some experience with being in the amazon system and other than free books from mobilereader site or free games I NEVER purchased anything from amazon I just sideloaded books after using calibre to get the right format

so even though the fire looks to be as proprietary as an apple device if it works like the earlier kindle you will have some flexability

hardsell, although your comparisons refer other tablets other than the Amazon Fire (e.g. Toshiba, Archos, Sony), I must admit that there are a few potential big flaws with the VTAB.

The biggest one I have encountered is the SD card problem. Although, the VTAB allows up to 32GB SDcard expansion, we are not able to run programs on the SDcard. This is because the VTAB created a "virtual SDcard" in the 2GB of internal memory. When you insert an SDcard, the file directory is actually /SDCARD/External/ and Android programs do not recognize this.

So, when you move programs from internal memory to "SDCARD, you are only moving it to the 2GB internal memory (not the actual SD card).

If this does not get fixed, this might be a "deal killer for me". Good thing I bought this from Costco (good return policy). In my opinion, having only a 2GB limit for apps won't meet most people's needs. For example, I wanted to purchase/load a GPS program but the maps take over 1.5GB. So basically, unless I remove all my other programs, I won't be able to do this.

I have only loaded a few of may favorite programs (bible programs, some games, some sports new apps, etc.) and I am already near the 2GB limit.

Having the ability to add a micro SDcard expansion without having the ability to run programs from it is somewhat useless. Yeah, you can store your movies and music, but most of my storage comes from actual programs.

VIZIO VTAB development team...if you read these forums, please get this fixed ASAP. The VTAB has the potential to be a great tablet (at any price) but many of the functions like Bluetooth and micro SD card expansion are not implemented in a way that makes it useful.
 

jhaynes1230

Member
Oct 7, 2011
31
1
Agree. The sd card issue is a critical flaw on an otherwise noteworthy device.

Sent from my VTAB1008 using Android Tablet Forum
 

bkaler

Member
Oct 13, 2011
19
1
For me Bluetooth support is a must and sealed the deal over buying a Kindle Fire. (Like many I've been waiting for the "Amazon Ipad") - when I read it didn't contain bluetooth...wow, Amazon saved a few cents there didn't they! :)

I think the only downside I can think of is that the Micro USB in my experience has not been chargable with my USB-MicroUSB cables or my motorola bluetooth headset AC Adapter. It just requires more juice than they seem to deliver (on a desktop PC for the USB, so not a wimpy laptop USB) but it's a perfectly understandable engineering limitation. Not sure if the Kindle due to it's smaller screen and other lighter demanding components would do better in this department, but either way it's a huge win that both devices are using a common standard that many of my devices are now supporting.

I'd imagine the Fire is a bit lighter too, but honestly this is not a deal breaker at all for me like it is for some.
 

tonyp

Member
Nov 1, 2011
73
1
I watch Amazon Instant Videos on my Vtab all the time. Works fine! I use the Dolphin browser. I haven't tried it with the stock browser. It probably works too.

Djudjuus, by any chance are you an Amazon Prime member? I'm wondering if the full capabilities available for Prime members using a Kindle Fire are available using another tablet. Thanks.
 

MiSoFine

Member
Nov 28, 2011
1
0
Background: I have an ASUS Transformer (pre-ordered the Prime already), recently convinced my BF to get his kids a vtab so I played with one all weekend, & I own a Kindle--yes I have both a tablet & a Kindle. Know why? b/c they have functions on the actual Kindle that they don't have on the app, better battery life, & it's lighter to carry around in a purse all the time. All these people that say you can just get the Kindle app obviously never had a Kindle. Here's something that a lot of these forums aren't saying also--do you want to get an EBOOK READER or a TABLET? That's the key difference. If you want a ebook reader with some apps--get a Fire. If you want a tablet with an ebook reader on it, get a vtab (or any other tablet out there). Also, how techy are you? Are you going to use all the functions the vtab has? If you aren't, why bother?

FYI--The vtab gets EXTREMELY (like uncomfortably) hot when playing games on it, so if you get one, get a case.
 

rprr

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2011
122
46
Since today was the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, yesterday night I decided to watch "Tora, Tora, Tora" streaming from Netflix. I started watching it in the living room on my VTAB which is connected to the HDTV via HDMI. Since it was a long movie, I stopped it in the middle and got ready for bed. In the bedroom I have an HDTV with a long HDMI cable. I connected this to my VTAB and resumed watching where I left off.

Can you do this on the Kindle Fire? i don't think so. I love the VTAB.
 

am_fm_radio

Member
Nov 8, 2011
12
1
I work with a bunch of engineers- rocket scientists types. they are blown away that it's 80% ipad at 1/3 the cost. They saw it after Black Friday and we can't find them locally till today and I found 3 at a wal*mart, and I bought a second 1 for my gal pal. Got a report another store sold their restock in 1 hour. I'm assuming the 5-6 local stores each got 3-4. I did notice at 4-5-6 about town, there is no shortage of $599+ ipads for sale..

BTW- the remote control app is cool. It does the TV Blue Ray and did DirectTV but I canned Direct TV... I can stream from the internet, why pay $$$ when i have broadband. Now take the TV guide app and remote control app and merge them for auto channel changing.
 
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