Have you had the chance to try the Note 10.1 and the TF300 against each other in a shop? Try PC World as they stock both. I did this the other day and you may find what I did - the TF300 can be a bit laggy and jerky on occasion (less RAM) and the display isn't quite up to the Note quality or brightness (yes I adjusted the brightness to max and min on both so I could compare like for like). Transitions weren't so smooth as the Note and you could sense the lag as it waited to open up the on-screen keyboard for example. Even on max brightness the TF300 wasn't as vibrant as the note on 2/3 brightness.
The keyboard is a great idea and the added battery life is a bonus but it depends on whether you want a laptop and whether a couple of days battery use is enough already without the added extra dock juice. I haven't decided yet but definitely leaning towards the Note - if I ever wanted a separate keyboard I'd get a bluetooth one separately.
Have you had the chance to try the Note 10.1 and the TF300 against each other in a shop? Try PC World as they stock both. I did this the other day and you may find what I did - the TF300 can be a bit laggy and jerky on occasion (less RAM) and the display isn't quite up to the Note quality or brightness (yes I adjusted the brightness to max and min on both so I could compare like for like). Transitions weren't so smooth as the Note and you could sense the lag as it waited to open up the on-screen keyboard for example. Even on max brightness the TF300 wasn't as vibrant as the note on 2/3 brightness.
The keyboard is a great idea and the added battery life is a bonus but it depends on whether you want a laptop and whether a couple of days battery use is enough already without the added extra dock juice. I haven't decided yet but definitely leaning towards the Note - if I ever wanted a separate keyboard I'd get a bluetooth one separately.
To be honest I have the original TF101 running jelly bean and its pretty slick and smooth.
Admittedly its not up to some of the newer models but, for me, the keyboard features outweigh the beneift of a fraction of a second quicker load time.
However, i also have a nexus 7 which i tend to use for casual browsing.....
The TF I use when i know im going to be opening multi-tabs and typing a lot - or when im travelling and want the extra battery capacity for charging my phone etc.
Have you had the chance to try the Note 10.1 and the TF300 against each other in a shop? Try PC World as they stock both. I did this the other day and you may find what I did - the TF300 can be a bit laggy and jerky on occasion (less RAM) and the display isn't quite up to the Note quality or brightness (yes I adjusted the brightness to max and min on both so I could compare like for like). Transitions weren't so smooth as the Note and you could sense the lag as it waited to open up the on-screen keyboard for example. Even on max brightness the TF300 wasn't as vibrant as the note on 2/3 brightness.
The keyboard is a great idea and the added battery life is a bonus but it depends on whether you want a laptop and whether a couple of days battery use is enough already without the added extra dock juice. I haven't decided yet but definitely leaning towards the Note - if I ever wanted a separate keyboard I'd get a bluetooth one separately.
But was the TF300 running Jelly Bean?
I would rather go for the TF300 than the G Note 10.1.
Will the Galaxy Samsung 10.1 Note be upgradable to Jelly Bean?
Also what exactly IS Jelly Bean? I've read in What PC magazine that it has some sort of great keyboard, what else are the benefits of it?
I went and had a look yesterday at the ASUS TF300, is that the one you were talking about Mr Cool? I likes the keyboard/docking station but wasn't keen on the whole look of the thing, navy blue and a bit nondescript. I suppose its stupid to care about the look, the performance etc should be most important but I do love the look of the white galaxy 10.1 Note
The Galaxy Note 10.1 is already running Jelly bean as is the TF300t. I actually like the look of the Asus far better than the cheap looking Note. The TF300 is also available £20 cheaper in different colours (Red or White) at Argos or Comet. Although, I would opt for the Blue one from PC World.
been doing loads more research and I'm being swayed towards the ASUS again.
Another question: Is the Asus TF300 the same model as the Asus TF300t?
Is there a stylus that is particularly compatible with this model? (I know it has a detachable keyboard/docking station but still would be interested in a decent stylus for when I'm using it without the keyboard)?
There are tons of styluses available from different manufacturers (like Wacom) but there isn't one in particular, only the Galaxy Note comes with a stylus which isn't anything special.
Yes the TF300 and TF300t are the same model. The TF300g is the 3G-enabled version of the tablet which isn't available in the UK.
I would rather go for the TF300 than the G Note 10.1.
Can't tell you for sure but given that the JB update has only just come out, what would be the chances of someone from PC World having updated the stock display tablet to it? Slim I guess.
If what is said about JB is true, then that may solve the lagginess I experienced but doesn't help what I thought was a poorer display than compared to the Note.
Other than the keyboard dock and anecdotal evidence that Asus make better gear, is there any other feature that the TF300 has that makes it an improvement over the Note? It's older after all.
The Galaxy Note 10.1 is already running Jelly bean as is the TF300t.
Just for sake of clarity, they don't come out of the box with Jelly Bean yet. They need an update and not sure that Samsung have released one for the Note 10.1 yet but it is on the announced list of devices that will get an update. Think Asus have released one for the TF300 though.
Can't tell you for sure but given that the JB update has only just come out, what would be the chances of someone from PC World having updated the stock display tablet to it? Slim I guess.
If what is said about JB is true, then that may solve the lagginess I experienced but doesn't help what I thought was a poorer display than compared to the Note.
Other than the keyboard dock and anecdotal evidence that Asus make better gear, is there any other feature that the TF300 has that makes it an improvement over the Note? It's older after all.
There is probably very little chance of someone updating it. I went into Comet about 1 month ago and they were still selling the TF101 with Honeycomb 3.2 installed on their display model.
There is one big feature that the Asus has is the fact it is almost stock Android and the enhancements Asus do make are necessary and are not over the top like TouchWiz which fills the tablet with bloatware which constantly runs in the background. Probably why the Note 10.1 has 2GB or RAM. 1GB is for the unnecessary junk.
Another important feature is that Asus release updates quickly whereas Samsung leave their users in the dark. The original Tab 10.1 won't get Jelly Bean despite the Xoom and other older and less capable Samsung devices getting it.
Just for sake of clarity, they don't come out of the box with Jelly Bean yet. They need an update and not sure that Samsung have released one for the Note 10.1 yet but it is on the announced list of devices that will get an update. Think Asus have released one for the TF300 though.
Sorry, I thought it did. I must have got it mixed up.
Samsung haven't actually released the update yet but it has been leaked if you have the knowledge to flash it using ODIN.
Anyway, what are they doing releasing a tablet with an old OS :eek:?
Also just seen that the HDMI out on the TF300 (which could be a good selling point against the Note) is essentially crippled because you can't use it to put full-screen output onto a TV, not can you use the TF300 to play iPlayer or similar content onto a TV because of copy protection. So apart from showing your holiday snaps on a big screen, not sure what use the HDMI really is?
I have just ordered 2 of the samsung galaxy note 10.1 for my daughters for christmas presents (its coming early this year as I had a special discount offer at work this weekend). had originally planned to buy the tab 10.1 but decided the stylus and multi-screen options on the note tablet were worth the extra money.
I think i was being a bit pig headed in refusing to even consider the ipad - i had no real reason except i didn't want to follow the crowd. I think i was cutting off my nose to spite my face.
In all the research i did, every single review started by saying that the ipad2 was the best, then went on to review the best of the rest.
There were pros and cons with both of the other models i was considering and i am pretty sure if i had gone for one of those i would have ended up wishing i had gone for the other one.
So, when i went into the shop i looked at both the asus and the samsung, held them, played with them, then went for a look at the ipads. I have never even looked at one before and as soon as i saw and touched it i knew i loved it, it looked and felt streets ahead of the other two.
I hope no-one who advised me in this topic feels i wasted their time, i greatly appreciate all the input and have learned a lot so many thanks again to everyone who posted here xx
I have just bought a tab, and was totally confused by the process.
I wanted 10in so the Nexus 7" was out
Everyone had an offer last week for the Samsung Tab2 10.1 with £50 cash back, so £299 came down to £249, but I think that was for 16Gb, WiFi only. offer finished 30/9/12
Reviews seemed to suggest that original Samsung Tab 10.1 was better than the Tab2., but I also read reviews on Sony, Xoom and Toshiba tabs and got totally confused.Since getting the Tab 1, I have now seen other reviews saying the Tab 2 is better.
One reason for getting a tab was to show photos around better. Last week we saw Argos's offers, which had Tab1 10.1's at half-price. (so 16Gb WiFi only was £199). However, when we looked, all of half price offers on Tab1 10.1 were no longer in stock - except I found a 32Gb Wifi+3G for £279 which I got. I wouldn't have paid twice that, though!
I also think for such an expensive product you should not need to go hunting for correct official manuals.I have 3 versions of manuals now, and am still not sure which one is right one - especially because they cover some features that I don;t have.
I also had a lot of problems getting play store to work. It worked once, and then process com.android.vending crashed all the while. Deleting play store fixed it, until the next time it reloaded. It worked once, and then crashed again. In the end I had to reload the OS twice - and it finally seems stable. I also could not understand why I did not have the Music Carousel Player which is demo'ed on a lot of videos, etc - but I now think that is not available in the UK. Play store says "not available in your country". Unless it thinks my device is not a UK device?
Anyway, I removed most of the widgets Samsung put on to start - loaded a stack of photos,and some videos and music - downloaded a stack of news feeds, imdb, and catchup tv. Everything seems to work OK
It came with OS honeycomb 3.1, which I just upgraded officially to 3.2. There is supposed to be ICS available, but it appears to be not an official update yet, but it's not the end of the world.
Overall very pleased at what we paid. 3G facility seems to add £100 to the cost of a tab. so my deal seemed pretty good. not sure if I will use the 3G, but the possibility is there, anyway. Really pleased I got the 10" one. We wanted it for a photo viewer as well as other facilities, and 10" is better than 7.
I have just bought a tab, and was totally confused by the process.
I wanted 10in so the Nexus 7" was out
Everyone had an offer last week for the Samsung Tab2 10.1 with £50 cash back, so £299 came down to £249, but I think that was for 16Gb, WiFi only. offer finished 30/9/12
Reviews seemed to suggest that original Samsung Tab 10.1 was better than the Tab2., but I also read reviews on Sony, Xoom and Toshiba tabs and got totally confused.Since getting the Tab 1, I have now seen other reviews saying the Tab 2 is better.
One reason for getting a tab was to show photos around better. Last week we saw Argos's offers, which had Tab1 10.1's at half-price. (so 16Gb WiFi only was £199). However, when we looked, all of half price offers on Tab1 10.1 were no longer in stock - except I found a 32Gb Wifi+3G for £279 which I got. I wouldn't have paid twice that, though!
I also think for such an expensive product you should not need to go hunting for correct official manuals.I have 3 versions of manuals now, and am still not sure which one is right one - especially because they cover some features that I don;t have.
I also had a lot of problems getting play store to work. It worked once, and then process com.android.vending crashed all the while. Deleting play store fixed it, until the next time it reloaded. It worked once, and then crashed again. In the end I had to reload the OS twice - and it finally seems stable. I also could not understand why I did not have the Music Carousel Player which is demo'ed on a lot of videos, etc - but I now think that is not available in the UK. Play store says "not available in your country". Unless it thinks my device is not a UK device?
Anyway, I removed most of the widgets Samsung put on to start - loaded a stack of photos,and some videos and music - downloaded a stack of news feeds, imdb, and catchup tv. Everything seems to work OK
It came with OS honeycomb 3.1, which I just upgraded officially to 3.2. There is supposed to be ICS available, but it appears to be not an official update yet, but it's not the end of the world.
Overall very pleased at what we paid. 3G facility seems to add £100 to the cost of a tab. so my deal seemed pretty good. not sure if I will use the 3G, but the possibility is there, anyway. Really pleased I got the 10" one. We wanted it for a photo viewer as well as other facilities, and 10" is better than 7.
Because of what i learned in this topic, i didn't buy a 3 g model as i can tether it to my mobile, never knew about that before this topic!
I was extremely surprised there was no user manual in the box!,
All of this just shows how something simple like buying a tablet isn't that straightforward for many people..... it's probably why Apple do so well, they sell a limited range of good products so buyers don't have to worry much about whether it'll work for them or not.
A lot of good reading on this thread for someone who's thinking bout dipping their toes into the tablet pond.
A quick question if I may; how well do the Asus transformers (or the Galaxy for that matter) perform as e-readers? Are they harsh on the eyes after a while? How far are they behind a dedicated platform such as Kindle?
A lot of good reading on this thread for someone who's thinking bout dipping their toes into the tablet pond.
A quick question if I may; how well do the Asus transformers (or the Galaxy for that matter) perform as e-readers? Are they harsh on the eyes after a while? How far are they behind a dedicated platform such as Kindle?
they aren't harsh. they are similar to any pc or phone screen. the trouble is it's hard to see the screen outdoors in bright light. But I dont need that bad enough to buy another device.
Comments
The keyboard is a great idea and the added battery life is a bonus but it depends on whether you want a laptop and whether a couple of days battery use is enough already without the added extra dock juice. I haven't decided yet but definitely leaning towards the Note - if I ever wanted a separate keyboard I'd get a bluetooth one separately.
To be honest I have the original TF101 running jelly bean and its pretty slick and smooth.
Admittedly its not up to some of the newer models but, for me, the keyboard features outweigh the beneift of a fraction of a second quicker load time.
However, i also have a nexus 7 which i tend to use for casual browsing.....
The TF I use when i know im going to be opening multi-tabs and typing a lot - or when im travelling and want the extra battery capacity for charging my phone etc.
But was the TF300 running Jelly Bean?
I would rather go for the TF300 than the G Note 10.1.
The Galaxy Note 10.1 is already running Jelly bean as is the TF300t. I actually like the look of the Asus far better than the cheap looking Note. The TF300 is also available £20 cheaper in different colours (Red or White) at Argos or Comet. Although, I would opt for the Blue one from PC World.
There are tons of styluses available from different manufacturers (like Wacom) but there isn't one in particular, only the Galaxy Note comes with a stylus which isn't anything special.
Yes the TF300 and TF300t are the same model. The TF300g is the 3G-enabled version of the tablet which isn't available in the UK.
Yes but it doesn't have an integrated battery and it lacks a trackpad.
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&sugexp=eesh&tok=6mtJ8eVZhg2-YIjzHduX9g&cp=18&gs_id=26&xhr=t&q=galaxy+note+10.1+keyboard&safe=off&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1366&bih=667&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=16249843345080710907&sa=X&ei=qsZpUNbJJumn0QXps4GwCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CCoQ8wIwAg
Sorry I haven't replied sooner, been ill with flu
Can't tell you for sure but given that the JB update has only just come out, what would be the chances of someone from PC World having updated the stock display tablet to it? Slim I guess.
If what is said about JB is true, then that may solve the lagginess I experienced but doesn't help what I thought was a poorer display than compared to the Note.
Other than the keyboard dock and anecdotal evidence that Asus make better gear, is there any other feature that the TF300 has that makes it an improvement over the Note? It's older after all.
Just for sake of clarity, they don't come out of the box with Jelly Bean yet. They need an update and not sure that Samsung have released one for the Note 10.1 yet but it is on the announced list of devices that will get an update. Think Asus have released one for the TF300 though.
There is probably very little chance of someone updating it. I went into Comet about 1 month ago and they were still selling the TF101 with Honeycomb 3.2 installed on their display model.
There is one big feature that the Asus has is the fact it is almost stock Android and the enhancements Asus do make are necessary and are not over the top like TouchWiz which fills the tablet with bloatware which constantly runs in the background. Probably why the Note 10.1 has 2GB or RAM. 1GB is for the unnecessary junk.
Another important feature is that Asus release updates quickly whereas Samsung leave their users in the dark. The original Tab 10.1 won't get Jelly Bean despite the Xoom and other older and less capable Samsung devices getting it.
Sorry, I thought it did. I must have got it mixed up.
Samsung haven't actually released the update yet but it has been leaked if you have the knowledge to flash it using ODIN.
Anyway, what are they doing releasing a tablet with an old OS :eek:?
Today I went to PC World and asked to look at the tablets that weren't Ipads.
:eek::eek:
Having tried all the options and with all the info and advice on here, what was it that made you pick the iPad in the end? Just curious.
I think i was being a bit pig headed in refusing to even consider the ipad - i had no real reason except i didn't want to follow the crowd. I think i was cutting off my nose to spite my face.
In all the research i did, every single review started by saying that the ipad2 was the best, then went on to review the best of the rest.
There were pros and cons with both of the other models i was considering and i am pretty sure if i had gone for one of those i would have ended up wishing i had gone for the other one.
So, when i went into the shop i looked at both the asus and the samsung, held them, played with them, then went for a look at the ipads. I have never even looked at one before and as soon as i saw and touched it i knew i loved it, it looked and felt streets ahead of the other two.
I hope no-one who advised me in this topic feels i wasted their time, i greatly appreciate all the input and have learned a lot so many thanks again to everyone who posted here xx
I have just bought a tab, and was totally confused by the process.
I wanted 10in so the Nexus 7" was out
Everyone had an offer last week for the Samsung Tab2 10.1 with £50 cash back, so £299 came down to £249, but I think that was for 16Gb, WiFi only. offer finished 30/9/12
Reviews seemed to suggest that original Samsung Tab 10.1 was better than the Tab2., but I also read reviews on Sony, Xoom and Toshiba tabs and got totally confused.Since getting the Tab 1, I have now seen other reviews saying the Tab 2 is better.
One reason for getting a tab was to show photos around better. Last week we saw Argos's offers, which had Tab1 10.1's at half-price. (so 16Gb WiFi only was £199). However, when we looked, all of half price offers on Tab1 10.1 were no longer in stock - except I found a 32Gb Wifi+3G for £279 which I got. I wouldn't have paid twice that, though!
I also think for such an expensive product you should not need to go hunting for correct official manuals.I have 3 versions of manuals now, and am still not sure which one is right one - especially because they cover some features that I don;t have.
I also had a lot of problems getting play store to work. It worked once, and then process com.android.vending crashed all the while. Deleting play store fixed it, until the next time it reloaded. It worked once, and then crashed again. In the end I had to reload the OS twice - and it finally seems stable. I also could not understand why I did not have the Music Carousel Player which is demo'ed on a lot of videos, etc - but I now think that is not available in the UK. Play store says "not available in your country". Unless it thinks my device is not a UK device?
Anyway, I removed most of the widgets Samsung put on to start - loaded a stack of photos,and some videos and music - downloaded a stack of news feeds, imdb, and catchup tv. Everything seems to work OK
It came with OS honeycomb 3.1, which I just upgraded officially to 3.2. There is supposed to be ICS available, but it appears to be not an official update yet, but it's not the end of the world.
Overall very pleased at what we paid. 3G facility seems to add £100 to the cost of a tab. so my deal seemed pretty good. not sure if I will use the 3G, but the possibility is there, anyway. Really pleased I got the 10" one. We wanted it for a photo viewer as well as other facilities, and 10" is better than 7.
Thanks gemma, i love it already and have been trying to work out how stuff works since 9 this morning lol, haven't had brekkie or lunch!
Because of what i learned in this topic, i didn't buy a 3 g model as i can tether it to my mobile, never knew about that before this topic!
I was extremely surprised there was no user manual in the box!,
There's always here for support or Apple's free 90-day phone support.
Apologies to grumpyoldbat, I called you Gemma earlier, hope that didn't make you a grumpieroldbat!
A quick question if I may; how well do the Asus transformers (or the Galaxy for that matter) perform as e-readers? Are they harsh on the eyes after a while? How far are they behind a dedicated platform such as Kindle?
they aren't harsh. they are similar to any pc or phone screen. the trouble is it's hard to see the screen outdoors in bright light. But I dont need that bad enough to buy another device.