Galaxy Tab 8.9 at Best Buy for $449 or wait? - Galaxy Tab 8.9 General

I really want a tablet between 8" & 9" (I now have a Viewsonic g Tab 10.1) and I really like the feel of the Galaxy Tab 8.9 (the 7" tabs are too small for my taste). Should I wait until it's closer to christmas? Maybe Best Buy will drop their current $449 price? Maybe another comparable tablet between 8" & 9" will come out (I see no others currently out that come close to power, screen, etc)? What are your thoughts?

aldar5 said:
I really want a tablet between 8" & 9" (I now have a Viewsonic g Tab 10.1) and I really like the feel of the Galaxy Tab 8.9 (the 7" tabs are too small for my taste). Should I wait until it's closer to christmas? Maybe Best Buy will drop their current $449 price? Maybe another comparable tablet between 8" & 9" will come out (I see no others currently out that come close to power, screen, etc)? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this is a great tablet. Really appreciating this. Try to wait until christmas, why not? You never know that Best Buy will drop the price or not...actually you need to wait only one month, so....wait! And if BB doesnt drop, dont care and go to buy it!

I have had 7" and 10" tablets and the 8.9 is the perfect size for me. It's light but large enough to display more information than 7" tablets. I actually bought mine for $469 but when the price dropped a week later I went into BB and they credit the difference. Good luck!

Consider waiting for the Galaxy 7.7.. Nothing else can touch it's performance and hardware until Tegra3's come out..
The only "outed" Tegra3 so far is the Transformer Prime. It seems nice overall.. but battery life tests are yet to be known.. Asus is quoting 12+ hours but you know, number games.
The only vendors who don't lie about their battery life numbers is Apple and Samsung so far..

If you want the 8.9 i would recommend waiting until Black Friday and see what BB has going in terms of a deal.
I know the 7.7 looks good but it is on the smaller side and i personally love the games in TegraZone.
Diversion said:
Consider waiting for the Galaxy 7.7.. Nothing else can touch it's performance and hardware until Tegra3's come out..
The only "outed" Tegra3 so far is the Transformer Prime. It seems nice overall.. but battery life tests are yet to be known.. Asus is quoting 12+ hours but you know, number games.
The only vendors who don't lie about their battery life numbers is Apple and Samsung so far..
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The transformer had great battery life. Add the keyboar dock and the battery life damn enar doubles. I full believe 12 hours is very possible for Asus and Tegra3

You really need to try different sizes to see what's right for you. The 8.9 is definitely the nicest tegra tablet I've tried. Fantastic design.

I definitely second the 8.9 being the best Tegra tablet right now, although if 7.7 was out, I'd probably be getting that one.
Having said that, one thing drives me nuts - lack of any good cases. The crap that is out there is just amazing. To have this beautiful tablet wrapped in some overgrown, heavy, misfitting Belkin or Mcase crap is a crime, so I keep looking...

polbit said:
I definitely second the 8.9 being the best Tegra tablet right now, although if 7.7 was out, I'd probably be getting that one.
Having said that, one thing drives me nuts - lack of any good cases. The crap that is out there is just amazing. To have this beautiful tablet wrapped in some overgrown, heavy, misfitting Belkin or Mcase crap is a crime, so I keep looking...
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Click to collapse
I got this case and I've been very happy with it! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FI66RS/ref=oh_o04_s00_i00_details

If you're considering it for the size don't wait. 10" and 7" are popular sizes so far.
If you're interested in a sleek 8.9" tablet you might need to wait another 12 months imo.

8.9 is on sale at best buy for $400 this week!

aldar5 said:
8.9 is on sale at best buy for $400 this week!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Run and buy it!

Related

Nook Color vs. Galaxy Tab?

Has anyone spent a good amount of time with both a rooted Nook Color and the Galaxy Tab who can write some impressions on how they compare in regular use? The $350 difference is dictating that I go Nook Color, but it's always fun to hear comparisons before buying...
BertoJG said:
I have the NC, Archos 70, and VS tablet right now, and the color is by far the best screen.
The VS device lasted all of an hour before I decided that I am returning it tomorrow, it is that bad even with custom roms. The screen is bad, the unit is heavy, and I decided the 7 inch size is my favorite.
The Archos running froyo is very buggy, only has 256mb of ram, and has wifi issues at this point and feels like I could break it by looking at it too hard.
The color is the best display, has plenty of ram, and feels very solid. We just need a good rom and it should fly!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the "should I get a nook color " thread.
By Bertojg. I couldn't link to the thread from my phone
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
noodles12 said:
From the "should I get a nook color " thread.
By Bertojg. I couldn't link to the thread from my phone
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was wondering more in comparison to the Samsung Galaxy Tab, but that's cool too.
Oh scrap. I can't read.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Two of my coworkers got a Tab. It is definitely better than the Nook Color - it's running Android 2.2 out of the box, the screen is as excellent as the Nook's, and it's got 3G, gps, bluetooth, and a camera (if those things are important to you).
It's also snappier as it has a slightly faster chip. It is thicker than the Nook Color though.
The biggest difference is that you can pretty much buy 2 Nook Colors for 1 Tab.
If you want the full Android 2.2 experience and the $300+ price difference is not a factor, then yeah get a Tab.
i only tested a display and i was blown away by the experience. all the goodness of the nook (great screen,sturdy hardware, 512MB of ram) with the performance of the archos 70 (much snappier than the nook-but not as fast as the galaxy).
i'm very much considering returning both the nook and archos 70 and just getting the galaxy tab. i only need one (other) tablet anyways.
The point is, how is the potential of the NC with a custom ROM?
With a fine software many think that the NC will perform almost as good as the Tab...
Time will tell.
I think it will.... Roms do make a HUGE difference with these type of devices. Let's hope someone get one out soon.
king conan said:
The point is, how is the potential of the NC with a custom ROM?
With a fine software many think that the NC will perform almost as good as the Tab...
Time will tell.
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Click to collapse
I wasn't too impressed with the Galaxy Tab when compared to the Nook Color. I don't need 3G, bluetooth or a camera because my phone has all of that. I've played with the Galaxy Tab in a store here in Finland and it's quite thick as well.
The Nook Color is thinner and than my iPad but with the same resolution screen and more dots per inch.
The cost is another issue. The Galaxy Tab is over 800euro over here yet the Nook Color came to under 300 euro including 23% local import tax and shipping service cost. I would have bought the Galaxy Tab if the price wasn't so ridiculous.
discourse said:
The cost is another issue. The Galaxy Tab is over 800euro over here yet the Nook Color came to under 300 euro including 23% local import tax and shipping service cost. I would have bought the Galaxy Tab if the price wasn't so ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
800 euro... that's 1050 USD. Here you pick up the Galaxy at the store for 600 USD, some 450 Euro.
Gotta love the CHEAP US of A!
I think we need to be a bit honest with ourselves here. Let us cut to the chase, the Galaxy Tab is a better device than the NC. It is more capable out of the box because of the hardware it carries, and as good as the Nook Color is, lack of hardware features can never be made up by the best ROM in the world.
This does not mean the Nook Color is a bad device. It is a great device, in its price range.
To me, the Nook is not a competitor to the Galaxy Tab. The Tab is a BMW. The Nook Color is a sturdy Ford, both good - but two different devices that do not compete with each other.
A buyer interested in a Galaxy Tab will not consider a Nook Color (as a Android tablet) just like a Nook Color buyer will not consider a Galaxy Tab. The price differential is just too big.
There is much to like about both devices, but comparing them, IMO, is apples to oranges - and a mismatch from the get-go.
Keep in mind who makes the Tab
Like so many others I heard about the Samsung Behold 2 and how those customers got screwed but got a Samsung Vibrant anyway. And like so many others I found out the GPS is borked. And the battery life is poor. At least I didn't experience the lag problem, but I returned it.
And watched for the not-really-promised GPS fix. Which finally came and...didn't work. I really liked the screen and wanted to like the phone, but if the phone can't do what was advertised up front, forget it.
And Samsung on Android 2.3 on their S9000 series of phones (e.g. Vibrant)? Their statement sounded like "Maybe someday if we feel like it and there is a strong tailwind we might think about it but no promises". Maybe the phone is a dead end, maybe it isn't, but based on Samsung's performance so far, I wouldn't count on it. It doesn't have 2.2 yet. My phone (MT4G) came with it, my wife's (DX) got an OTA.
To me this says the Samsung Tab is absolutely out. You'd have to practically give me one to get me to take it. Same for the Nexus S.
The Nook, right now, is not fully tabletized, but that's a matter of software. It has a fabulous screen and seems reasonable in many ways. It is far cheaper than any of its competition (as a tablet). I find it stylish and I could actually imagine reading books on it (I know, what am I thinking?). And my wife is irate that I'm considering it so soon after she got me an Air.
So, is there a Plex controller that is worthwhile for Android tablets? That'd go a LONG way toward getting approval from the missus.
I agree. Samsung has never supported their devices well, and they still insist on using proprietary cables and connectors on everything. On top of that, they went ahead and did everything I dislike about apple by releasing the galaxy tab at that price. They are not even trying to compete with the Ipad, they are just assuming that everyone who wants an android tablet will shell out the big bucks to buy it, the same way apple fans will shell out the big bucks to buy anything made by apple. I'm sure it's a good device, it's gotten great reviews - I just don't like the way they went about it.
My wife told me after I got the NC that she was going to get me a Tab for Christmas. I'm glad I got the NC, I would have had to return the Tab! Too many features in the Tab that I just won't use. The only thing it has that I wish the NC had, is the slightly faster processor (800MHz vs 1GHz.)
Besides the hardware differences, it's a Samsung. They aren't known for providing updates in a timely manner and support on their devices. Sure, we don't know about the NC's status in that respect, but I also don't really care given it's price point. Whatever the development community does is fine by me!
But as was already said, you aren't comparing apples to oranges, you're comparing apples to a fruit basket. It's got more, it's different, and it's more money. I'm fine with apples.
xwint3rxmut3x said:
I agree. Samsung has never supported their devices well, and they still insist on using proprietary cables and connectors on everything. On top of that, they went ahead and did everything I dislike about apple by releasing the galaxy tab at that price. They are not even trying to compete with the Ipad, they are just assuming that everyone who wants an android tablet will shell out the big bucks to buy it, the same way apple fans will shell out the big bucks to buy anything made by apple. I'm sure it's a good device, it's gotten great reviews - I just don't like the way they went about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While we're talking about Samsung's business tactics that leave a sour taste in your mouth, two things come to mind:
- apparently they turned down Google's proposal for them to name the eventual Nexus S the Nexus 2 because "we're not #2 in anything." Wow. Surely someone is making a year-end list of "biggest douchebag quotes of the year" right about now - please note this one.
- I'd sacrifice my first-born if the reason for the delay until "after the holidays" for the wifi-only Tab was because of production delays. Either the carriers threw money at them to delay it, or it's just more profitable for them to sell 3g models, so they delayed it (or both). The irony is, I'd more strongly consider a Tab if a $450 wifi model was available now.
It would be closer if the Nook Color had Bluetooth, that way you could use a Bluetooth GPS, headsets, etc...
...but someone posted in another topic that Bluetooth might be there just "hidden", maybe in a custom ROM ?
discourse said:
I wasn't too impressed with the Galaxy Tab when compared to the Nook Color. I don't need 3G, bluetooth or a camera because my phone has all of that. I've played with the Galaxy Tab in a store here in Finland and it's quite thick as well.
The Nook Color is thinner and than my iPad but with the same resolution screen and more dots per inch.
The cost is another issue. The Galaxy Tab is over 800euro over here yet the Nook Color came to under 300 euro including 23% local import tax and shipping service cost. I would have bought the Galaxy Tab if the price wasn't so ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi discourse, I see you live in Finland (Europe), and as I am thinking of getting a Nook Color myself, could you tell me from which online store did you buy yours?
Thank you..!
About the Galaxy Tab, I've played with it for about an hour. My opinion is that it is laggy and definitely doesn't worth the ~600 euros that is its price here in Greece.
webvan said:
It would be closer if the Nook Color had Bluetooth, that way you could use a Bluetooth GPS, headsets, etc...
...but someone posted in another topic that Bluetooth might be there just "hidden", maybe in a custom ROM ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The processor chipset (?) is supposed to include bluetooth. It's assumed it wasn't activated due to licensing costs for bluetooth, so it's there, just not used and may be "unlocked" by a rom.
I've both. NC cannot compare to the Galaxy Tab in user experience.
You just get a much better polished experience with the tab on everything. Tab's gpu is almost 10x faster in polygon count. CPU is faster (even with SetCPU set at performance on NC). Everything just works on the Tab.
That said, I am considering returning my Tab because of all the new tablets coming out in a few months, and the price. NC could hold me over for a few months.
wvcachi said:
Has anyone spent a good amount of time with both a rooted Nook Color and the Galaxy Tab who can write some impressions on how they compare in regular use? The $350 difference is dictating that I go Nook Color, but it's always fun to hear comparisons before buying...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gigadigit said:
I've both. NC cannot compare to the Galaxy Tab in user experience.
You just get a much better polished experience with the tab on everything. Tab's gpu is almost 10x faster in polygon count. CPU is faster (even with SetCPU set at performance on NC). Everything just works on the Tab.
That said, I am considering returning my Tab because of all the new tablets coming out in a few months, and the price. NC could hold me over for a few months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know if the hardware GPU is better than the NC or is just based on current software of Tab vs NC? I've done a lot of research into the nook color, but I admit, graphics wise it's still a bit of a mystery to me.

[Q] Is P1000 still worth buying TODAY?

I'm looking for a Tab, but Transformer seems to big for me. P1000 is the perfect size, but it is pretty old device. Is it still worth buying today?
Thanks.
If you think 7" tablet is a perfect size for you then why not, the Galaxy tab is only 1 year old and it still stands against any other alternatives out in the market today.
I would hardly say just because the tablet is "pretty old" that it isn't a good purchase. It's well supported by developers and the fact that people are still purchasing it... Its a solid working and built piece of kit.
You won't be disappointed.
I would say that they are definitely still worth it. The price point alone is a great reason. You can get a Galaxy tablet for less than half the price of many of the newest tabs.
It's already been shown that these models are capable of running the new firmwares. There are ports of Honeycomb out there already, and though there are still some issues to be ironed out, they work pretty well. Since installing a 2.3.4 rom on my vzw tab, I've been very impressed with how responsive and cleanly it runs.
Having handled some of the newer and larger tablets, I've found that the smaller size is really more ideal to me personally. I can fit my Galaxy tablet in my pocket. My folks for example both have iPads, and they are just much larger and bulkier devices. You can't drop one in your pocket real quick while you are out on the run.
Anyway, hope that helps!
Seamus1 said:
I would say that they are definitely still worth it. The price point alone is a great reason. You can get a Galaxy tablet for less than half the price of many of the newest tabs.
It's already been shown that these models are capable of running the new firmwares. There are ports of Honeycomb out there already, and though there are still some issues to be ironed out, they work pretty well. Since installing a 2.3.4 rom on my vzw tab, I've been very impressed with how responsive and cleanly it runs.
Having handled some of the newer and larger tablets, I've found that the smaller size is really more ideal to me personally. I can fit my Galaxy tablet in my pocket. My folks for example both have iPads, and they are just much larger and bulkier devices. You can't drop one in your pocket real quick while you are out on the run.
Anyway, hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I live in eastern europe and here the tab's price is almost the same as Transformer's. And that one has Tegra 2 and a nice 10.1' IPS display. They are both here 540 USD / 380 EUR. I tried Iconia A500 Tab, but I was quite disappointed - it was very heavy, typing text while trying to hold with one hand was challenging. The OS and that big display sure looks great, but for now I can't see my self taking this out in the street while walking, or chatting (IM) while sitting in the bus on my way college. How much is the P1000 in the US? Or UK?
esthreel said:
I live in eastern europe and here the tab's price is almost the same as Transformer's. And that one has Tegra 2 and a nice 10.1' IPS display. They are both here 540 USD / 380 EUR. I tried Iconia A500 Tab, but I was quite disappointed - it was very heavy, typing text while trying to hold with one hand was challenging. The OS and that big display sure looks great, but for now I can't see my self taking this out in the street while walking, or chatting (IM) while sitting in the bus on my way college. How much is the P1000 in the US? Or UK?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the UK, the P1000 (if you can find any in stock) still goes for around £399 and the P1010 is currently in bestbuy/currys for £299.
But search on ebay or other sites, you can find one for a lot cheaper. I got mine brand new from ebay for £250 (P1000).
Of course, these will probably fall in price when newer alternatives comes out but for now, they are holding its value as they are still popular and people are buying them.
I just bought one today. So far I am happy with it.
I have seen the US models selling new for between $150-200 when you buy from a mobile provider. For example, I know Verizon was selling them earlier this year for $200 when you agreed to a two year service agreement. I've also seen the WiFi only tablets for $350. Personally, I was willing to sign a contract, because having the 3g data access was something I desired.
But, I would do as one of the other posters suggested, and check ebay. As I understand it, you can buy a US model and put a European firmware on it. I would double check that though, as I don't want to tell you something I am not entirely sure of.
Got mine a month ago in aussie land, on a 12 month contract. 0 dollars for the tab and $39 a month for the plan with 8g of data and I get 3 months of the plan for free. Was really happy with that price.
Got mine in Italy for 300 Eur. Best purchase of the year: perfect balance between pocketability and readability, and with Gingerbread it is lag free and quick.
Rumours are that Samsung is going to present a revamped 7" tablet w/ upgraded cpu and amoled screen. I won't upgrade unless it has usb host or otg, which is the feature I miss much on my Tab.
Ernesto de Bernardis
N900 - Galaxy Tab 7"
Nothing wrong with the P1000. Good support is important. Even if it's a year old it still beats an ipad. Good resolution and speed, and very complete. Very sturdy, durable Gorilla glass.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk
If 7" tablet is your preference, get a HTC Flyer or Huawei Ideos Slim?
Unless u want the voice call/sms capabilities
debernardis said:
Got mine in Italy for 300 Eur. Best purchase of the year: perfect balance between pocketability and readability, and with Gingerbread it is lag free and quick.
Rumours are that Samsung is going to present a revamped 7" tablet w/ upgraded cpu and amoled screen. I won't upgrade unless it has usb host or otg, which is the feature I miss much on my Tab.
Ernesto de Bernardis
N900 - Galaxy Tab 7"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any Samsung official reading this would love to put usb otg and make you upgrade
While for me, I ll try not to upgrade, but the amoled screen might tempt me.
esthreel said:
I'm looking for a Tab, but Transformer seems to big for me. P1000 is the perfect size, but it is pretty old device. Is it still worth buying today?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought mine last month, and I love it. My pocket is not that big to fit in the tab, so I bought a small bag to bring around. I was confused whether buying Galaxy S (for super amoled and small factor) or Galaxy Tab (for bigger screen to read ebooks). Well, its worth buying
I bought one a couple of weeks ago, and am very happy so far. Yes, it's a year old - but the screen is very good (much better than alternative 7" tablets'), it's relatively cheap & there's lots of development going on with it.
The next 7" from Samsung is set to have an AMOLED screen & will probably be dual-core, which will be awesome, but I wanted something now & wasn't prepared to 1) wait & 2) pay much more than I did...
Make sure you root & stick Overcome ROM on it! It becomes a different animal once you do!
Got an Asus Transformer for the home/travel, but day to day chucking in pocket (albeit large pockets), still love the Tab. Got it for 200bucks so can't complain.
If I had to pay full price? I think I'd skip, for that price a newer 7" tablet would still be preferred.
Main thing it comes down to though is where are you, and do you need voice? if so, Tab might still be perfect for you.
It's a good question to ask here, as the answer isn't obvious. Without a tablet, I would, if I had the cash, get the Tab again. It's portability still makes it a winner for me.
Waiting for the next model is ok, but... these things always seem to take 6months longer than initially planned it appears.
Thee galaxy pad still a good tab/phone. its fast, not to big and have a lot of apps/games that works so...
Galaxy tab worth to buy.why?
The best tablet for 7 inch tablet.
Equiped with microsd,simcard for mms,sms,3g and telephone
the best size to carry around even easily beat ipad
Development of Custom rom and stock rom are always up to date
unless samsung release new 7 inch tablet with dual core processor and amoled sceen
then it is not worthy anymore to purchase
When I got the P1000, my standard in speed and responsiveness on android began to change. I began to compare the Qualcomm chipset based androids vs. the Hummingbird of Samsung. The P1000 (and the original Galaxy S Plus which runs the same thing) is really good and even better can match the next gen Qualcomm. See how the original Galaxy S graphics even beats the Galaxy S Plus (newer release), is because of the same speedy setup done before.
The P1000 is a very good device. Really crazy why Samsung shortchanged many unknowing people as they downgraded the P1010 with an inferior chipset and graphics.
Is there already a dual core 7" as good as the P1000? The Dell Streak 7 besides abit more massive has a problem with batt life. Archos I didn't bother to consider. Is there anymore? The Galaxy Tab 8.9 is coming out better (dunno when), but it is not 7". Nothing compares that I know... for now.
I've only had mine for about a week, I bought it second hand for a great price and I love it so far. I use it more than my laptop and my Asus Transformer. I LOVE the size. The 10" tabs you pretty much need to use both hand to hold it all the time, the G.Tab easily in 1. Plus being able to type with both thumbs instead of finger pecking is a HUGE plus.
Yeah, the Galaxy Seven will probably be out in a couple months but if you need one now then it's a great little tab.
I was at the shop today again, played with XOOM and again with Galaxy Tab. Damn its size is just perfect and the screen so detailed and feels high quality. But then I tried to do what I do on My N900 (Maemo 5 OS), and WOW :O IT CAN NOT MULTITASK. I never noticed that! You can not have skype online and browse the web while listening to music. I asked the guy at the shop. He confirmed, just some can "run in the background" but there is no task switcher... Maybe you can make it multitask? On iOS i have backgrounder and Kirikae and it works like a charm, can you do the same on android?
Skype online while browsing the web and listening to music? won't the sound conflict?
Sent from my SK17i using Tapatalk

The Next 8.9 tablet ?

Like many others on this forum, I am deeply enamoured to the 8.9 form factor. For me it's the sweet spot between having enough screen space for lounging at home without being too bulky or heavy to throw into my messenger with other stuff and carry around. When LG first announced their first tablet would be 8.9 based on customer research, I knew I'd be drawn to it, having found the original iPad too bulky. But by the time it came state sides as t mobile spring board it was out of spec and unwieldy. So when Samsung announced the galaxy tab 8.9 with current specs and lighter and thinner than ipad2 dimensions, I knew I was going to get it. After playing around with the 10.1 while waiting for the 8.9, then getting the 8.9 soon after it's release, there was no turning back!
Now, I plan to stick with this 8.9 for at least through the year, but admittedly in a world where quad cores and 1080nd screens are coming out, I've been keenly waiting to see if a current successor to the 8.9 would be announced, either by Sammy or another vendor, and I have become anxious that this form factor might die out. I secretly hope that there will be a galaxy note 8.9 in addition to the galaxy note 10.1 set for Q3, but I'm not seeing anything.
Then today I read this news on the new kindle fire rumors, and lo and behold, a 8.9 size with 1080hd screen is there!
http://m.cnet.com/news/at-least-three-kindle-fire-2-tablets-one-with-4g-on-the-way/57467294
This kind of torments my heart. I'm glad to see a manufacturer come up with these specs and hope it prods others too. But I'm not really glad it's a Amazon kindle. I tried the kindle fire for about a month before selling it, and I was quite disappointed at the sluggishness, box like design, and I'm not sure I trust Amazon to build a quality tablet anymore. And I fear Amazon will be more restrictive in terms of root-and port-ability, not to mention lack even more developer support.
But then if this is the only 8.9 tablet on the market at the end of the year and foreseeable future, I might feel compelled. What are your thoughts on the next 8.9 tablet for you?
Sent from my GT-P7310 using xda premium
if we can hack it and use a real version of Android then i can NOT wait for an 8.9 update.
I hate the Amazon interface, i personally really prefer Google's Android and the variety of choice in Google Play.
bdfull3r said:
if we can hack it and use a real version of Android then i can NOT wait for an 8.9 update.
I hate the Amazon interface, i personally really prefer Google's Android and the variety of choice in Google Play.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, if the hardware is good enough(quad core and 1080p), and it is hackable, then I guess I'll consider the kindle too.
Though Amazon app store had a few good deals, I have to say, I much prefer the Google play too (as much as I dislike that name), if only to avoid update lags.
I so do wish we'll have more 8.9 inch options later this year!
Jnn1 said:
Yeah, if the hardware is good enough(quad core and 1080p), and it is hackable, then I guess I'll consider the kindle too.
Though Amazon app store had a few good deals, I have to say, I much prefer the Google play too (as much as I dislike that name), if only to avoid update lags.
I so do wish we'll have more 8.9 inch options later this year!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. All I wait is for an HD version with quad-core 8.9 and I will pounced on it.
Sent from my GT-P7300
I'm surprised the 8.9 size isn't more popular to be honest. I've always though that the iPad was a hell of a cumbersome thing, even the 2nd and 3rd generation versions, but that the Kindle Fire and other 7" devices tend to be almost like slightly overgrown smartphones, too small for web browsing and barely an investment in themselves unless you're a heavy eBook reader. 8.9 got it bang on but doesn't seem to have kicked off, to the point that Sammy haven't done an 8.9 Tab2.
Do remember though that the Tab2 range is almost the same product manufactured differently to get the price down (and redesigned to avoid further law suits from Apple) so other than waiting for OS updates there's not much of a disadvantage owning a Galaxy Tab 8.9.
But yeah, the 8.9 is the Goldie-Locks tablet, it's not too big, not too small, just right!
Personally, if we can get a Jelly Bean port after the official ICS release then I'm set.
I don't play intensive games so have no need for quad core anything. I'll be sticking with my GT8.9 for some time I think.
I do enjoy my 8.9 as well, but I think Samsung and other manufactures put out a bunch of different sizes the last couple years to feel out the market. Its looking like the 10inch and 7inch are prolly gonna become the normal going forward with most manufacturers if I were to guess.
Benknot said:
I do enjoy my 8.9 as well, but I think Samsung and other manufactures put out a bunch of different sizes the last couple years to feel out the market. Its looking like the 10inch and 7inch are prolly gonna become the normal going forward with most manufacturers if I were to guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which is really tragic, considering he majority of consumers never had much of a chance to try out a 8.9. If anything, I hope a kindle fire does come out in 8.9, if only, so that it peaks consumer and manufacturer interest in the 8.9 form factor!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I think 8.9 could do well if one company focused on only 8.9...
I have the same feeling about me 8.9, it is just the perfect size, I really dont get why
We dont have a new Sammy 8.9, I think Xoom2 is a alternative.
Sent from my GT-P7300 using xda app-developers app
sbeddoesdesign said:
I think 8.9 could do well if one company focused on only 8.9...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, not that I'd wish to restrict the choice of others, but if you think about it, the tab 8.9 if the same height as the iPad, which speaks to it's optimal size, yet it's lighter and with 16:10 dimensions good for watching movies too ... so I do wish and think companies should show more love for 8.9s.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
8.9 is the right size but too many people dont know it :-(
I have tried the Ipad, the original thrive and galaxy, a trans prime, the fire and the Acer 7 inch, and my beloved touchpad and the galaxy tab 8.9 is just the perfect size and the screen is much prettier than ips displays. I love it. But the tegra 2 is just not enough. My poor tab just can't handle HD vids. So sadly my touchpad gets more use than my galaxy. Also I wish it had expandable memory. Come on Sammy why didn't you give this beauty an SD card slot? So while I agree that the 8.9 is just the right size it is due for an upgrade. Sadly it doesn't look as though one will be here soon enough. So for me its just waiting for someone to make a tab with a prettier screen and expandable memory. Unfortunaty for me none of the new tabs have a good screen. Ips displays have washed out colors when you compare them to an Ipad or a Samsung tablet. As for the 8.9 fire 2 it could be a decent machine. I put an aokp ics rom on my friends kindle and its a decent tablet now. Just a bit too small for me. Only time will tell but here's to my prayers for Sammy to make an 8.9 2 with a real processor and a SD card slot! That would be the best.
I've owned: Transformer w/dock., Iconia A500, Toshiba Thrive, Streak 7, Evo View, 8" china pad, Evo View, Archos 80 G9 and of course the 8.9. Left in the stable are the
Evo View: I'm on sprint so having the data plan is nice, but it sits on my nightstand on wifi and used once in a blue moon. Will probably sell it soon while it still has some value. 7" is just too small and not enough of a size difference over my 4" phone. I like the stylus, but haven't used it as much as I thought I would. The data plan is nice because some wifi at the hospitals I go to have a sign in, and for some odd reason webmail doesn't work while on it. Really odd. It was the same on the touchpad. Yet the Apple crowd had no issues. Haven't figured that one out.
Archos 80 G9: I paid $125 via Staples last month for it. Like the 4:3 8" size. Dual core OMAP, connectivity out the wazoo (full size usb, hdmi, microSD and microUSB), and I've been on official ICS since day one. The screen isn't bad. It has a little more heft and big side bezels, but it's comfy and more comfy to hold than any 10.1". Plus it has the built in kickstand. Another reason to ditch the Evo View. I have a dock for it, and I wouldn't need the dock to keep it upright on the nightstand. still not my ideal screen size as HD content is no better than a 7" tablet, or slightly less even. Not sure on that math.
And the 8.9: Tegra 2 is fine for me. No hi profile blu ray rips for me. I have the usb dongle for a card reader. Great screen even if it is PLS. The size and weight is the perfect trade off for carrying between the 10" and 7" while still having enough real estate to make media viewing and reading enjoyable. Best screen size out there if you ask me.
That being said, I want a 9 or 4:3. I think that's the best of both worlds. HD would still be a bit larger than a 7" tablet and everything else would be a nice 4:3 9" . And I want built in connectivity. microSD and HDMI are key. So until that comes, I have no need to buy another tablet unless the 8.9 and Archos become obsolete.
Yeah, I getcha... An 8.9 with Tegra 3 would be nice. For me, well, HD Movies on this little screen, personally I wouldn't notice/appreciate the difference, I watch some SD stuff and stream Netflix on there when I can't use my TV and it looks sharp as anything to be honest, heh... Tegra 3 would be nice for gaming though.
I know what you mean, I've been hoping to hear some rumors of a Galaxy Note 8.9 as well. Honestly the 10-inch form factor feels too big, and the 7-inch too small. The 8.9 felt just felt perfect and the S-Pen is now a big deal for me on a tablet. Stick in some internals like whats in the Galaxy SIII (quad-core, 2 GB ram, NFC/Android Beam, Jelly Bean, and 2MP FFC/5MP Rear Camera). Bring back the IR blaster from the original Tab 8.9, and a 1080p screen (to keep in competition with the Retina display). Then all they'd have to do is keep it thin and light (not plastic-like) and I'd probably camp out for that one, even if it costs $599

A New 8.9 Tablet ! - Kindle Fire HD

WOW. So it just happened. We finally have a new 8.9 tablet, though it's not the successor to the Galaxy Tab 8.9 that I was hoping for.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/6/3296477/amazon-kindle-fire-HD/in/3061995
Like many other users here, I'm partial to the 8.9 size. I've tried 7 and 9.7 and 10.1 inch tablets, and 8.9 was the best fit - portable with enough screen space, and though I'm not up for an upgrade yet, I've been keeping an eye out for new 8.9 tablets without much success until today - this Kindle HD 8.9.
Spec-wise, with 1920*1200 (1080p) HD screen, a 254 ppi (more or less the same as the new ipad (254 ppi), and a OMAP 4470 (again similar in graphics power to the A5), it seems like true contender. And at 299 dollars, it kills. I'll have to wait and see if it is as light and thin as our Galaxy Tab 8.9 and thus just as portable and one-hand useable, but the price point/hardware equation is really really tempting. Of course, personally, I'd probably ditch Kindle OS and put on CM10 as soon as possible, but it's tempting.
Just hoping that this pushers other maufacturers to re-look at the 8.9 form factor, and hopefully release even better one. A Galaxy 8.9 with 1920*1200 screen and Exynos Quad-core (or even better, the new Qualcome S4 quad-core) would be my fanatsy tablet ....... please, sammy or somebody!
Jnn1 said:
I'll have to wait and see if it is as light and thin as our Galaxy Tab 8.9 and thus just as portable and one-hand useable, but the price point/hardware equation is really really tempting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Size/weight don't look good, if this website is to be believed. It looks to be larger all round, and over 100g heavier than the Samsung
a commentor on the android police story said they're going to have locked bootloaders. I haven't seen that anywhere else, but if it's true you probably won't get cm10
gcogger said:
Size/weight don't look good, if this website is to be believed. It looks to be larger all round, and over 100g heavier than the Samsung
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Click to collapse
567 gs. If this turns out to be true, that is no good ... that's as heavy as the original galaxy tab 10.1 ... not good for one hand holding... sigh
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
jackgibbs said:
a commentor on the android police story said they're going to have locked bootloaders. I haven't seen that anywhere else, but if it's true you probably won't get cm10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm ... I thought that as long as we could load custom recoverys via odin or so, we could flash custom roms. My 8.9's bootloader is still locked, but I have CM10 on it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
If CM10 does get on this, I may get a refinished one after they are available.
This is direct from Amazon:
Product Dimensions: 9.4 inches x 6.5 inches x 0.4 inches; 1.2 pounds
So bigger and heavier all around. Shame. Though I bet that screen is nice, and it has hdmi out. But if I feel like I'm carrying around a 10 incher, it's just not worth it. Defeats the purpose of going that size in the first place.
sent from your 18yr old daughter's room
No gps? No brightness sensor (read on gsm arena link).
Anyway, Amazon proved 7" is desirable size, and other manufacturers followed.
Hopefully they'll do the same for 8.9... Although I do say they are taking a risk, cause for book reading, (7" and) light weight and cheap, are likely the killer features.
Yeah, after looking up more details, it does seem like it's lacking in gps, brightness sensor, back camera, etc.
And it is heavier by about 100 grams, which is a major sore, and wider and taller and thicker by some margins (1 cm, 0.6cm, 0.2cm).
Still, 1920*1200 res with less glare should be nice, while the performance of the OMAP 4470 (upgraded from the 4460 in this galaxy nexus) is for the moment uncertain.
I think I'll wait till the actual thing is out, and devs have a root/custom rom for the thing. Hopefully, Sammy or someone will have a better 8.9 out soon!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

What would you buy to replace your 8.4 Tab S ?

Love my Tab S but thinking on upgrading in the near future. What do you guys think is a honorable replacement?
Nothing.
There does not exist a comparable replacement. The Android tablet market made about three steps back since the Tab S series were released. Seriously.
Akopps said:
Nothing.
There does not exist a comparable replacement. The Android tablet market made about three steps back since the Tab S series were released. Seriously.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree!! Tab s 8.4 is my tablet for years now. I am bothered that I can't find a perfect rom for it to flash (some things do not work on each rom) but no matter how ofter I search for a replacement, I always go back to my conclusion: There is no tablet like this! And sometimes I wonder why Samsung made such a GREAT table THAT early. Even the next ones (Tab S2, S3 etc) are not THAT much of a leap forward. Either poor battery, or lower screen quality, or no IR etc etc... So currently I stick with my beloved Tab S 8.4.
Now...to find a new rom......
artocube said:
Totally agree!! Tab s 8.4 is my tablet for years now. I am bothered that I can't find a perfect rom for it to flash (some things do not work on each rom) but no matter how ofter I search for a replacement, I always go back to my conclusion: There is no tablet like this! And sometimes I wonder why Samsung made such a GREAT table THAT early. Even the next ones (Tab S2, S3 etc) are not THAT much of a leap forward. Either poor battery, or lower screen quality, or no IR etc etc... So currently I stick with my beloved Tab S 8.4.
Now...to find a new rom......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, S3 was a big leap forward in terms of SoC, but with its 600 dollar MSRP, what a poor value it was. And the S4 was good, but pricing completely mad. For that much money I can buy an entry level business class ultrabook. Tablet is great for media consumption, reading, and entertainment, but let's admit it's kind of a toy, it's not a business tool, and for what they offered the successive Tab S-line models were ridiculously overpriced. My Tab S 8.4 does feel kind of slow and I guess I could replace it when I see a tablet for better specs that's priced right, perhaps a heavily discounted Tab S4 during the holidays.
Akopps said:
Well, S3 was a big leap forward in terms of SoC, but with its 600 dollar MSRP, what a poor value it was. And the S4 was good, but pricing completely mad. For that much money I can buy an entry level business class ultrabook. Tablet is great for media consumption, reading, and entertainment, but let's admit it's kind of a toy, it's not a business tool, and for what they offered the successive Tab S-line models were ridiculously overpriced. My Tab S 8.4 does feel kind of slow and I guess I could replace it when I see a tablet for better specs that's priced right, perhaps a heavily discounted Tab S4 during the holidays.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, for me a tablet IS a business tool as I use it twice a week (or more) for talks and presentations. And furthermore I like the 8.4" size and am not fond of bigger screens. Unfortunately Samsung doesn't release any decent small-sized tablets anymore. All the good stuff (RAM, CPU etc) exist on the bigger S3, S4, S5. The 8-inch-sized S and S2 were the only ones that did the trick for me. And currently upgrading to an S2 is not a good idea I believe. My (older) S 8.4 has better screen resolution, bigger battery, IR support... So yeah, I stick with it, for a little while at least. I really hope Samsung releases a smaller Tab S5 or (future) S6 (If that is even a thing) on a 8" form factor. I would really like to upgrade this sometime. Until then, it is the best table I ever had. Not gonna change it.
artocube said:
Well, for me a tablet IS a business tool as I use it twice a week (or more) for talks and presentations. And furthermore I like the 8.4" size and am not fond of bigger screens. Unfortunately Samsung doesn't release any decent small-sized tablets anymore. All the good stuff (RAM, CPU etc) exist on the bigger S3, S4, S5. The 8-inch-sized S and S2 were the only ones that did the trick for me. And currently upgrading to an S2 is not a good idea I believe. My (older) S 8.4 has better screen resolution, bigger battery, IR support... So yeah, I stick with it, for a little while at least. I really hope Samsung releases a smaller Tab S5 or (future) S6 (If that is even a thing) on a 8" form factor. I would really like to upgrade this sometime. Until then, it is the best table I ever had. Not gonna change it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huawei is still making nice high end tablet with 8 inch screen (Mediapad M6), but sadly because of trade war, we're not going to see it on our shores.
Akopps said:
Nothing.
There does not exist a comparable replacement. The Android tablet market made about three steps back since the Tab S series were released. Seriously.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I replaced my T-800 with the Tab S4 when Best Buy was blowing them out at $260 or less this past Christmas.
While my Tab S was very sexy and I had the Logitech Type S keyboard I loved it very much it was a no brainer upgrading at that point.
Here is my thread explaining the $260 sale:
https://slickdeals.net/f/13607677-s...-s4-64gb-tablet-wi-fi-black-260-in-store-ymmv
I would expect the S6 is about to go on deep discount soon so I would be on the look out if you're in the market for a new Samsung Tab.
I just sold off my T-800 in perfect shape, I do plan to hold onto my T-700 as Samsung just does not make sexiness like that any longer.
Hi guys I recently tried to understand whether it was possible to replace my Tab S 8.4 LTE and... I'm astonished. Android tablets are dead. I paid 350€ for this tablet at launch so taking into account 6 years of technological development I was expecting to find at the same price the following specs: 64-128gb of storage, 8gb of ram, same screen since oled technology had some troubles advancing, modern high end processor, a camera with not necessarily more pixels but with less noise and more details, no IR because we don't use TVs anymore.
What I found instead was: crappy low end overpriced tablets, with barely any ram, and no advancements whatsoever in productivity applications. The obvious choice would be to go for an x86 Windows tablet... But I don't dare to run Windows with less than 16gb of ram (any browser uses 5-6gb of ram to begin with with my usage scenario) and onestly those tablets have poor battery life and there are no small tablets to begin with. This leaves only the ipad mini... Which I had terrible experience with (ipad mini 2 was dropped from support and update very quickly and became slow as hell with the last updates it received).
Do you guys have any suggestion? Huaway is out of the question... I don't want to be caught in a stupid useless war.
There is no suitable replacement. I use mine as a phone and there is just nothing with as large a display that has an earpiece that you can hold up to your face and make calls with. I now own 3, 2 working, so I have spare parts as bits break.
Actually that is a usage scenario that happened a couple of times. My phone was temporarily down (anything from a bricked rom to a simply drained battery) and I always simply took the sim out of it, stuck into the tablet and continued my day with no problems whatsoever. Before buying this tablet I was super into the Asus transformer line. A phone that you insert in a screen that becomes a tablet with additional battery life, then you attach the keyboard and bump in terms of productivity. They where unreasonably costly to begin with had bad software support, and super died probably because the company got more money selling separate devices. I tried to create my own version of it with a raspberry pi but it was obviously very clunky.
hi you all!
i have been researching about this subejct and found this thread...
i was also looking into replacing my 8 inch tab S tablet but havent found anything good out there... and i thought tablets were getting better and better each release... like cellhphones...
seems like the 8 inchers are forgotten by the manufacturers... its sad...
my tablet works, sometimes i think it is slow... i guess i keep on comparing to my cell galaxy s10e...
i have the ORIGINAL keyboard that locks into the tablet... i loved this keyboard since it came out! such an awesome design...
anyway... i was thinking above the Huawei MediaPad M6 8 inch... but cant decide...
iPostNak3d said:
hi you all!
i have been researching about this subject and found this thread...
i was also looking into replacing my 8 inch tab S tablet but haven't found anything good out there... and i thought tablets were getting better and better each release... like cellphones...
seems like the 8 inches are forgotten by the manufacturers... its sad...
my tablet works, sometimes i think it is slow... i guess i keep on comparing to my cell galaxy s10e...
i have the ORIGINAL keyboard that locks into the tablet... i loved this keyboard since it came out! such an awesome design...
anyway... i was thinking above the Huawei MediaPad M6 8 inch... but cant decide...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi There is no replacement to our beloved tablet except for the Huawei Mediapad. Chuwi does make a very compelling android tablet with keyboard... but it is way bigger than the Tab S 8.4.
If you don't mind a slightly shorter screen-on time with your current battery you can change the CPU governor to something more performing. That coupled with a thermal mod gave a totally new life to my tablet (I was close to trashing it before these 2 things together). Now its running so great that I'm tempted to buy a new battery ( or 2 batteries hacked up together) and go on with it for a couple more years.
knosso said:
Hi There is no replacement to our beloved tablet except for the Huawei Mediapad. Chuwi does make a very compelling android tablet with keyboard... but it is way bigger than the Tab S 8.4.
If you don't mind a slightly shorter screen-on time with your current battery you can change the CPU governor to something more performing. That coupled with a thermal mod gave a totally new life to my tablet (I was close to trashing it before these 2 things together). Now its running so great that I'm tempted to buy a new battery ( or 2 batteries hacked up together) and go on with it for a couple more years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you using a custom rom?
Tab S 10.1
Princeland said:
Are you using a custom rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi yes I'm using the latest Lineage OS Deathly (android 7.1). The rom is probably close to its EOL since there is much less activity and updates. ROM. I've undervolted the tab and put an aluminium bar on the SOC to stop it from overheating... I would not describe the experience as high end but it's way better than before. The same developer made roms also for the WIFi only model and for the 2 bigger models.

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