The Epic Android Thread - Page 135 - maemo.org

SD69 | # 1341 | 2010-11-27, 16:12 | Report

Originally Posted by bergie View Post

This is why I eagerly wait for what Amazon will announce in the app store space. At the moment all app stores (Apple's App Store, Ovi Store, Android Market etc) are bad at discovering good stuff, and figuring out whether an application actually fits your needs.

Amazon has loots of experience in running a bookstore. You always find the interesting stuff there. Think if the same experience could apply to finding applications?

I think Amazon's app store is important because all the currently dominant app stores you mentioned are operated by the OS provider and thus have the risk that they are subject to the same bad results that come from walled gardens. It's almost always good to have 3rd party competition.

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debernardis | # 1342 | 2010-11-27, 16:54 | Report

Originally Posted by Capt'n Corrupt View Post

Let me ask you a question: how do you feel about the 7" after having spent much time with it. Would you do 7" again, or would you choose a larger screen size? 
 
One more question: Which area(s) does the Tab experience let you down?

I wouldn't go for larger screens. My own main computer is a 10" notebook; I can read equally well on the Tab. Web pages need landscape orientation though, while ebooks can be read comfortably in portrait mode. 7" is the perfect balance.

What lets me down in the Tab is the lack of N900 multitasking, hw keyboard, better cam and - how can I explain - the feeling that the device is there to tease me to consume media, buy things, and not to be ready to be hacked at the nuts and bolts level.
The exact opposite of the NITs - but I understand this is a feature and not a bug for those who don't wont or don't like breaking toys to see how do they work and then putting them together again. Most likely this is due to my ignorance of how to open the hood of an android device, and the utter impossibility of trying, since wife wouldn't be happy of having her Tab bricked - even if for a while.
It's perfect, too perfect, hence somewhat boring

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Capt'n Corrupt | # 1343 | 2010-11-27, 17:29 | Report

Originally Posted by debernardis View Post

I wouldn't go for larger screens. My own main computer is a 10" notebook; I can read equally well on the Tab. Web pages need landscape orientation though, while ebooks can be read comfortably in portrait mode. 7" is the perfect balance.

What lets me down in the Tab is the lack of N900 multitasking, hw keyboard, better cam and - how can I explain - the feeling that the device is there to tease me to consume media, buy things, and not to be ready to be hacked at the nuts and bolts level.
The exact opposite of the NITs - but I understand this is a feature and not a bug for those who don't wont or don't like breaking toys to see how do they work and then putting them together again. Most likely this is due to my ignorance of how to open the hood of an android device, and the utter impossibility of trying, since wife wouldn't be happy of having her Tab bricked - even if for a while.
It's perfect, too perfect, hence somewhat boring

Thanks for your perspective regarding the 7" screen. After having read the review by Bergie, I started to doubt that 7" would be the ideal size. I've gone as far as to measure it out using a ruler and it seemed great, but I couldn't state my reasons for wanting this with the same conviction as before. But your testimony is very comforting and I'm sure I'll be quite pleased with it.

I can appreciate the 'hackability' angle. I mean, not having access to the command line in the same way I'm sure would feel like having one of your senses removed. Thankfully, there's a scripting environment for coding/automating Android tasks -- if you're not allowed under the hood. It's not the same as Maemo, I'm sure, but I'm guessing that quite a lot can be done in this environment. But I would imagine that there's quite a world lurking at the root level. Just installing Debian would open a world of possibilities.

I'm probably the only person that likes the Android multi-tasking scheme.

. It's more complicated than the process-oriented multi-tasking featured in maemo, but it offers choices to backgrounded apps on exactly what to run, and includes provisions for writing state to free up resources. I like the quick starts, the quick stops, and the seamless 'feeling' that apps are always running. It's like PalmOS in this way, which forewent the 'close' and 'save' features found in most desktop OSs (though very useful in certain cases).

I think I would miss scripting the most. I like perl (even though it's ugly as sin) and would miss cpan support. I'm sure tinkering can be done, though I have no idea what it's like on the Android system. Perhaps its similar to other distros?

I wonder if it's possible to create a complete android APK in android (sans eclipse)? The only parts I'm not sure about are the a) art/resouce generation, and b) java compilation and dalvik translation. But if it could be done, that would be something!

Capt'n Corrupt | # 1344 | 2010-11-27, 17:34 | Report

Can you believe that I talked my gf *out* of buying a Tab for me for Christmas? It was a very thoughtful gesture, but its just so expensive that I would feel bad taking it from her. We decided instead to that she give me some cash and come with me to pick it up.

I'm glad that she didn't surprise me, as she was thinking about ordering one online from the States! She doesn't know anything about carriers, so I would have effectively had a WiFi Tab, which is less than ideal. I explained to her that those Tabs wouldn't work in Canada without going into the exception cases.

Thankfully, I'm that much closer to actually getting one. I sincerely hope that they're in stock when I'm ready to make my purchase!

Gear! I'm going to have to get her something really special. My pocketbook just groaned....

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Capt'n Corrupt | # 1345 | 2010-11-27, 17:36 | Report

Thankfully BestBuy canada just dropped the price of the Tab from $699 to a more reasonable $649. It's the Bell Tab, which is welcome.

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/...6320f27324en02

I'm still hoping for the $599 CDN price by the time I'm ready to buy, which should be boxing day or later. This is unlikely, but I can dream!

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SD69 | # 1346 | 2010-11-27, 22:18 | Report

Originally Posted by Capt'n Corrupt View Post

Thanks for your perspective regarding the 7" screen. After having read the review by Bergie, I started to doubt that 7" would be the ideal size. I've gone as far as to measure it out using a ruler and it seemed great, but I couldn't state my reasons for wanting this with the same conviction as before. But your testimony is very comforting and I'm sure I'll be quite pleased with it.

One thing that resonated with me in the review is that I also found the Galaxy Tab somewhat awkward to hold due to small bezel. I also don't like capacitive buttons because it's easy to touch one of those at a bad time - physical buttons are overall easier to use.

The screen size is OK as I've tried other 7" screen devices. One thing I've found is that the size makes it a bit awkward to use buttons, such as shutter and volume buttons, on the top of the device.

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Capt'n Corrupt | # 1347 | 2010-11-27, 23:22 | Report

Originally Posted by SD69 View Post

One thing that resonated with me in the review is that I also found the Galaxy Tab somewhat awkward to hold due to small bezel. I also don't like capacitive buttons because it's easy to touch one of those at a bad time - physical buttons are overall easier to use.

The screen size is OK as I've tried other 7" screen devices. One thing I've found is that the size makes it a bit awkward to use buttons, such as shutter and volume buttons, on the top of the device.

Thanks for the feedback! I wonder if I'll find the screen hard to hold...

I've heard that the capacitive buttons have their pros and cons. One of the cons being the lighting of the buttons in the dark, and the other that you mentioned. I suspect that this would be a minor concern for me; I put up with far more 'annoying' things on my N810

.

I think I'll really like the 7" size. I was just lying down with my N810 on my chest in portrait (pretty much the same height as the Tab in landscape), and it was the perfect height for surfing/watching in bed. It was easy to prop up with one hand, and stay that way with next to no effort for a long period. I couldn't do this comfortably with a larger device. No chance.

All in all, I'm really looking forward to the 7" screen size!

What do you typically do with your Tab?

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SD69 | # 1348 | 2010-11-28, 03:11 | Report

Originally Posted by Capt'n Corrupt View Post

All in all, I'm really looking forward to the 7" screen size!

What do you typically do with your Tab?

I didn't buy the Tab. Still looking for my next tablet.

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Snoshrk | # 1349 | 2010-11-28, 04:17 | Report

Hey Capt'n / et al

Did you ever consider the Dell Streak? (can't remember any mention of it & don't want to re-read 1300+ posts

)

Thanks

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AndyG | # 1350 | 2010-11-28, 09:19 | Report

Thought I'd post my Tab homescreen to give people an idea of what you can achieve with a bit of simple customization. This is what I miss on my iPad!

(Pixel density of 180 and using LauncherPro btw.)

Attached Images

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