Advent Android tablets set to hit the Dixons Group stores shortly

[Guest _dg]

I wonder if Dixons has had to agree delaying their own tablet launch, as part of getting the Samsung and Toshiba tablets first, and letting consumers get those first rather than having a competing cheaper unit next to them on the shelves?

[Guest firedup]

I wonder if Dixons has had to agree delaying their own tablet launch, as part of getting the Samsung and Toshiba tablets first, and letting consumers get those first rather than having a competing cheaper unit next to them on the shelves?

Definately.

[Guest shutdown]

i currently have in my hands the viewsonic 10" dualboot tablet

android is a bit bare on it. really needs more apps and widgets so i can see that being the first thing i would do if it was mine.

windows runs well on it, boots really quick but the downside is the clicking anywhere. it's a pain if you have check-boxes to click (like our in house software does, designed for laptop so a mouse is easier)

screen is very reflective, unit is a little heavy, would says its heavier than an ipad but could be wrong as i not checked the stats.

but i love tablets even more now

[Guest tsh]

android is a bit bare on it. really needs more apps and widgets so i can see that being the first thing i would do if it was mine.

I'm hoping that the AC100 ubuntu image will 'just work' on the folio 100. Android is too much single app at a time for my liking.

[Guest firedup]

i currently have in my hands the viewsonic 10" dualboot tablet

android is a bit bare on it. really needs more apps and widgets so i can see that being the first thing i would do if it was mine.

windows runs well on it, boots really quick but the downside is the clicking anywhere. it's a pain if you have check-boxes to click (like our in house software does, designed for laptop so a mouse is easier)

screen is very reflective, unit is a little heavy, would says its heavier than an ipad but could be wrong as i not checked the stats.

but i love tablets even more now

I have one of these as well. Was going to post my thoughts in more detail later but I agree with your comments. The biggest surprise to me is how well Windows 7 runs on it. Apart from as you say the odd checkbox, it works really well which goes against all of the comments about how it 'isn't designed for tablets' you seem to get on tech websites.

I do seem to have a problem with wifi connectivity on Android though. I cant seem to be more than a couple of meters away from my hub without the signal dropping. I'm using WPA2. Have you (or anyone else) seen this problem? It's fine on Windows 7 though. Is WPA2 a problem with Android 1.6? Can't remember having any issues with my Dell Streak.

[Guest firedup]

I'm hoping that the AC100 ubuntu image will 'just work' on the folio 100. Android is too much single app at a time for my liking.

Agreed this would be nice. Or even the upcoming Chrome OS.

[Guest shutdown]

i wasn't able to get on the work wifi on android (mardy IT worker said no)

but he allowed windows...tosser

wifi on the windows was simple as always and straight on. i'm currently about 25' away from hub and still a good signal

[Guest Carbonize]

Whilst I am looking forward to the Vega I'm not sure I want a 10" screen. I think a lot are just going with 10" screens because that what size iPad uses. As I mainly intend to use my tablet for ebook reading and watching videos I think 7" is more than adequate specially as I will mainly use it sat in bed.

[Guest shutdown]

7" is just a touch too small for what I want. I have the HD2 running android so the 7" isn't really much of a step up. ( i know sizes makes a difference) 10" just has the extra space that i think will be useful

[Guest Kevrae]

Toshibafolio and Samsung galaxy will be available from Dixonsretail stores tomorrow, delay on delivery.

[Guest firedup]

i wasn't able to get on the work wifi on android (mardy IT worker said no)

but he allowed windows...tosse

wifi on the windows was simple as always and straight on. i'm currently about 25' away from hub and still a good signal

Have switched to WEP and it seems to be working better than before. I can now actuallyget a signal upstairs. Might be just my crap BT homehub.

Don't you just hate those IT Infrastructure idiots? Doesn't he realise you could do so much more damage with Windows?

[Guest Bobbler]

Have switched to WEP and it seems to be working better than before. I can now actuallyget a signal upstairs. Might be just my crap BT homehub.

Don't you just hate those IT Infrastructure idiots? Doesn't he realise you could do so much more damage with Windows?

At the end of the day, it's his network and he is responsible should your company start leaking data (though saying that, wifi in any place keeping sensitive information is asking for all kinds of trouble)

I am one of those infrastructure "idiots" as you call them, I wouldn't let you on my network with a device not conforming to our IT policies which are there to protect our data, our network and ultimately the reputation of our company. It's work, keep your I-devices or Android gadgets at home.

[Guest P.K]

So I popped into Currys at lunch to play with the Samsung Galaxy Tab, fantasising about how close the experience will be to the Vega.

What a disappointment. Comparisons to the either Galaxy S phone or iPad are like night and day. The Tab is horrid. Although the screen is 1024x600 the one on display was locked at 800x480. It has the market place but all apps look a blurry mess. Its very slow when you swipe the homescreens. Its running a Fisherpriced Froyo. Compared to the seamless experience of an iPad this was a ghastly mess.

So, I am sure the Vega hardware is going to be excellent but if Samsung can't even get the tab working well then I dont hold out much hope for Advent who will dumb the experience down even further.

As cynical as I usually am, I think Steve Jobs and Google both have a point when they say Froyo isnt suitable for tablets.

I'll certainly have a play with the Vega when its out but if its even half as bad as the Samsung Tab then I'll going to wait until March next year when Honeycombe is released or Chrome if it is out sooner.

[Guest shutdown]

At the end of the day, it's his network and he is responsible should your company start leaking data (though saying that, wifi in any place keeping sensitive information is asking for all kinds of trouble)

I am one of those infrastructure "idiots" as you call them, I wouldn't let you on my network with a device not conforming to our IT policies which are there to protect our data, our network and ultimately the reputation of our company. It's work, keep your I-devices or Android gadgets at home.

I totally understand the things you say. And i'm fully aware of risks etc and wouldn't put our workplace in that situation.

but he was just being mardy :)

[Guest firedup]

At the end of the day, it's his network and he is responsible should your company start leaking data (though saying that, wifi in any place keeping sensitive information is asking for all kinds of trouble)

I am one of those infrastructure "idiots" as you call them, I wouldn't let you on my network with a device not conforming to our IT policies which are there to protect our data, our network and ultimately the reputation of our company. It's work, keep your I-devices or Android gadgets at home.

Perhaps you could keep your I-Rules an I-opinions to your own workplace. My point was with regard to the danger imposed by windows as opposed to Android. I think you've done a good job of proving my original point though.

[Guest shutdown]

now now gents, lets keep it on topic please

[Guest SilentMobius]

So I popped into Currys at lunch to play with the Samsung Galaxy Tab, fantasising about how close the experience will be to the Vega.

What a disappointment. Comparisons to the either Galaxy S phone or iPad are like night and day. The Tab is horrid. Although the screen is 1024x600 the one on display was locked at 800x480.

What does that even mean? there is no way to change the resolution that Android runs at, if the panel is 1024x600 everything will display at 1024x600.

Now if a specific app says "element A is X dips across" that will be bigger on a bigger display and thus scaled up, if its a bitmap then that bitmap will suffer from (probably bicubic) filtering.

Did anyone expect anything different? You can't magic up hi-res bitmaps from nowhere.

[Guest tsh]

What does that even mean? there is no way to change the resolution that Android runs at, if the panel is 1024x600 everything will display at 1024x600.

With the AC100, running android, I didn't notice any screen resolution issues (except connectbot wanting to default to about a 5 point font). Some apps seem to assume portrait mode only, but on a tablet that doesn't pose the same problems as a netbook with trackpad! Maybe the galaxy does something different with X.

[Guest P.K]

What does that even mean? there is no way to change the resolution that Android runs at, if the panel is 1024x600 everything will display at 1024x600.

Now if a specific app says "element A is X dips across" that will be bigger on a bigger display and thus scaled up, if its a bitmap then that bitmap will suffer from (probably bicubic) filtering.

That means the software is 480x800 and stretched over a 1024x600 panel, so how does one benefit from the use of a high res screen? At least with a physical 480x800 panel sofware and hardware map 1:1 so the image remains sharp. This was blurovision.

Did anyone expect anything different? You can't magic up hi-res bitmaps from nowhere.

Yes actually. Most non-egg head consumers are not going to know or care about the technical restrictions of Android. They are going to expect something that looks and feels like an iPad to function like an iPad. Everything, even full screen video was running in lower res. If it looks that nasty on a 7" screen it will look even more hideous on a 10.1" screen.

Edited November 2, 2010 by P.K

[Guest SilentMobius]

That means the software is 480x800 and stretched over a 1024x600 panel, so how does one benefit from the use of a high res screen? At least with a physical 480x800 panel sofware and hardware map 1:1 so the image remains sharp. This was blurovision.

Yes actually. Most non-egg head consumers are not going to know or care about the technical restrictions of Android. They are going to expect something that looks and feels like an iPad to function like an iPad. Everything, even full screen video was running in lower res. If it looks that nasty on a 7" screen it will look even more hideous on a 10.1" screen.

To quote XKCD "Someone is wrong on the internet!" I literally just ran over to our local PCworld, (I live in the town centre so it's a couple of mins walk) lo and behold they had a Galaxy Tab on display.

Firstly, I'll say it not the device for me. Its too small and too thick for it's size, however:

I tried out each of the included apps and they were beautifully crisp. I tethered to my N1 and created a junk google account to get a look at gmail and the market and they too were not pixel-stretched but simply flowed nicely to the dimensions of the screen. Once I had the market running I tried Facebook, Google Earth, Connectbot. All were perfectly crisp and pixel-perfect. The built in media-player had a selection of hi-res videos available that were likewise just as crisp as the display suggested it should be.

Games that relied on fixed size bitmaps scaled as I'd expect, with some bluryness. Though the included Gameloft HD games were beautiful (Cunning that, just like the iPad, old game=grungy remade"hd" game=crystal clear)

I think most of the tablet-buying public understand the "phone app looks grungy on tablet" and in that respect Android's fluid UI elements perform _much_ better that Apple's "scale all iphone apps" approach

But given that I'm an "egg head" perhaps you'll take my advice and look at getting some new glasses.

Edited November 2, 2010 by SilentMobius

[Guest Bobbler]

Perhaps you could keep your I-Rules an I-opinions to your own workplace. My point was with regard to the danger imposed by windows as opposed to Android. I think you've done a good job of proving my original point though.

.........

Edited November 2, 2010 by Bobbler

[Guest Lancez]

guys, show some respect around here. don't act like bunch of highschools.

[Guest P.K]

Yeah well the tab is a laughably expensive piece of junk. The vega has much better hardware and price so any such problems are much more forgivable on that device. I'd have to be banking on Vega being easily updateable to the proper Android Tab OS in the future if Im still to buy one. Im not convinced Android 2.2 will provide a satisfactory tablet experience. Its no where near as polished as the iPad where the proper iPad apps look and perform stunningly.

Right now in my book the choices are to buy an iPad or wait 2/3 months for a proper android tablet with a specialised OS and proper tablet apps. If people just want a device to run stretched out smartphone apps and media then there will be plenty of generic tablets in the £100 bracket that can do the job well enough

[Guest SilentMobius]

I'll put money on the Vega providing a substantially inferior experience compared to the tab, that's fine for me, anything under £350 is going to be a fixer-upper.Time to break out my app-writing chops.

[Guest shutdown]

i'm hoping it will do as well or better than the tab. fingers crossed anyway