Capt'n Corrupt | # 1481 | 2010-12-05, 00:10 | Report

Well, you can sort of. If you hold the unit upside down and turn down the volume, you're ear is right around the speaker and your mouth is close to the mic. Of course, it was intended to be used as a speaker phone, so while this would work, it's not ideal. For example, the mic is likely to be super sensitive and any movement (ie. you brush the surface of the device) will overload it with sound. Most devices won't transmit the noise, so you'll get breaks in the conversation. In other words, speaker phones were designed to be stationary.

I sometimes use my N810 as a hold-to-ear phone and use a similar tactic, but it's far from ideal, and a real handset is far better for the task. Still, it works in a pinch. Though any movement (repositioning of hand, changing position, etc) will cause a ton of noise or breaks in the conversation to the listener. Thus, I have to hold very still to make it work properly.

I think a headset is better. Though if the Tab had a built-in phone speaker, I wouldn't mind holding it to my head. Most people would feel stupid doing this, but being uber confident, it simply wouldn't bother me.

danramos | # 1482 | 2010-12-05, 02:40 | Report

Well, in general, I would handily recommend the Motorola S305 because they're inexpensive but deliver excellent audio quality for the price--and especially because they serve that dual purpose so well, listening to stereo audio and making phone calls with good sound quality. They are, indeed, very light and they're reasonably comfortable--better than most bluetooth stereo headsets I've owned or tried. You certainly couldn't go wrong for the price. You can probably do what I did and get the Samsung later for those other times when you want to just bliss out to some music--but in the meantime, the Motorola are an all-around better purchase for your first pair. That's my opinion, anyway.

I'd still rather have the option of using a mouse and keyboard, since there are those times when it's far more ergonomic or faster than tapping or swiping around, bringing up and putting away a virtual keyboard the whole time.

Already got it. Already rooted. Already made my Tab MINE. I highly recommend it. EFFORTLESS VICTORY!

Stop browsing porn all day.

But really, just be sure to turn off whatever you don't think you need--turn off GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc when you're not using it and the device will run for hours upon hours upon hours like it did for me on the trains. (Although, I had the luck of always having AC plugs in the train for all but one of the legs of my trip).

Yes, but you'll look silly. This is why I'm disappointed that I can't do it. I dig the comically large cell phone look. I think the time of teeny tiny miniaturized cell phones has passed and a new era of HUMONGOUS cell phones has arrived. Rar!

Also, it fits in my pocket as well as my pens do--so why not? See?



Yeah, the mic is on the top-left side of the screen on the edge and the speakers are on the far bottom of the screen on the edge. It looks goofy. I want to do it so badly, now.

Capt'n Corrupt | # 1483 | 2010-12-05, 12:38 | Report

I think I'm going to take this recommendation! Ebay has a few s305s that are a great price. Unfortunately Amazon in Canada charges a cool $50 for the headphones!

For those that don't know, http://google.com/products is a great way to comparison shop.


Of course. I was referring to the mouse, but a keyboard is a hugely convenient feature, especially for an administrator such as yourself!


That's good to know. Are you a rampant app killer?

Capt'n Corrupt | # 1484 | 2010-12-05, 12:55 | Report

Here's a screenshot of what the Readers Hub looks like on the Bell Galaxy Tab.

The interface styling is much, much nicer IMO.

Attached Images

 

Capt'n Corrupt | # 1485 | 2010-12-05, 16:07 | Report

Woah! The Dolphin browser for Android has gotten a major overhaul! This is the Dolphin Mini version:



Some benefits of the upgrade include:

• Completely redesigned user interface
• Much Faster page loads
• Infinite tabbed browsing
• New menu layout

Don't take my word for it, check it out for yourself!
http://blog.dolphin-browser.com/2010...ter-than-ever/



Enjoy! I just wish I could

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Last edited by Capt'n Corrupt; 2010-12-05 at 16:19.

Capt'n Corrupt | # 1486 | 2010-12-05, 18:59 | Report

Ok, this is an offtopic editorial (hey, it's Sunday!):

The difference that optimization makes is simply staggering.

Just today, I finally took the plunge and installed Ubuntu 10.10 on my netbook. I've been meaning to do this for some time, but between finding the time, and a poorly organized/partitioned drive, the move was a little more complicated than it could have been. Fast forward to today, and the job is done.

I'm extremely impressed, to say the least. Sure, the UI is clean and it's easy to use, but its operation is BLAZING. Consider that my netbook is generally running far smoother on my 1st gen ATOM than my main notebook is running Win7* on a Core2Duo at 2.4GHz. Yes, optimization makes a huge difference. Sure these two machines are in different leagues when comparing raw computation, but the experience alone, mixed with my general low-demand applications, puts my 15"er to shame.

* as an aside: I *hate* windows. When I acquired my main notebook, it had windows pre-installed, and the upgrade to Win7 after all the media hoo-haw was enticing enough to use. As such, it slowly became my default system, a system in which I spend 90% of my time in a Ubuntu installation running in VirtualBox. Getting linux on my netbook is going to tide me over so that I don't have to forgo work while upgrading my main machine.

What does this have to do with Galaxy Tab or Android? Only that optimization can make a huge difference in user experience. Certainly the differences in the stock browser vs. Opera on the Galaxy Tab show that even given the Galaxy Tab's mobile SoC, it is capable of very impressive speeds.

That is all. (really, I just wanted to tell about my shiny new distro, but don't tell)

For the developers out there contemplating development for any platform, do yourself a favour and think about usability and not solely functionality. Your users will thank you! Often time, small changes can make very large differences!

As for me, I'm in the market for a new notebook. I'm not looking for much, but I want something thin, light, with a good display and extremely good battery life w/ Ubuntu. I'd take anything from 10"-13", and cost is a secondary concern (though it shouldn't be too high). I will not be buying this computer in the near future, but I'm keeping my eye open. I figure it would make a far better companion to my Tab.

Capt'n Corrupt | # 1487 | 2010-12-05, 19:33 | Report

Here's a fitting live wallpaper given the season. Of course it's running on the Tab.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWV4C4-9HtY&translated=1

daperl | # 1488 | 2010-12-05, 19:35 | Report

If I wasn't such an Apple guy, I would have settled on an Acer Aspire TimelineX. Light, cheap, powerful, excellent battery life. Take a look at the 3820TG. There is an active Ubuntu group for these laptops, and there's rumor that the line is gonna get a refresh soon, but the 2nd generation seems solid.

Capt'n Corrupt | # 1489 | 2010-12-05, 20:15 | Report

I've had my eye on the precise laptop that you mention! In fact I've read about it for over a year, but strangely its release had been confined to Germany (or some other European state), and it was near impossible to find in the US. Of course the 3820T was easy to find, but lacking the crucial Radeon 5650. I'll give it a second look! Thanks for the recommendation. I'm really interested to hear more about the refresh of this line.

The LCD panel is one area that Apple consistently slays the competition. There are other options that offer high quality panels, but Apple seems to get the balance of form, battery life, screen, power just right, and other manufacturers make one or two huge compromises. At least this seems to be the case with the MBP. Don't even get me started on the HP envy line; so much potential, so many mistakes.

I'd jump on the latest Macbook Air, but something tells me that battery life is seriously going to be compromised with Ubuntu (if it indeed is easy to install). I'm also not sure if the LCD is as good as the MBP line.

Capt'n Corrupt | # 1490 | 2010-12-05, 23:30 | Report

I'm surprised companies like Google and Paypal haven't moved farther on creating payment APIs for Android. As it stands, external content generally isn't be paid for via a single financial account. This isn't a deal-breaker, but it does make payment somewhat less convenient.