Hoku Sarroca asks:
I’m looking to get a tablet, It’s been a toss up of the Samsung Galaxy and the Asus Transformer Prime TF201, since it has a keyboard mount, I’d be using it for travel or around the house. I want to be able to get online, where I do not have to be at my desktop all the time. Would like some inputs and suggestions. yes I’d like to be able to read ebooks & watch online videos. Thank you in advance. And please do not go off topic
9 Answers -
Akshay Ganesh
July 19, 2012If money is not an issue,you should go for asus tf 300 or 201,they have an awesome keyboard dock ,for a cheaper option,you should get the nexus 7.It is so much cheaper,there willl be keyboard docks out for it,jellybean preinstalled plus it has almost the same specs as the tf201.It does not have a microSD option,but it can be easily corrected using a OTC wire.
Thank you Akshay , Dalsan, Vipul and ferdinan. I appreciate the answers. This would be a investment so $$ isn’t really a issue for this(saved up). I do like the idea that it has a micro sd card, along with a usb to connect it to my desk top to transfer photos after travel. Because of the higher cost I am looking at those specs. I’ve read through some of the treads about the nexus 7 and the TF201/ TF101, , I’m not too keen on a smaller screen since my eyes are old. I do have a android phone, but have issues with the swipe system still since it’s so small, that’s why I was looking for something that has a kb dock. I have heard that there had been gps and ice cream issues, which is why I am needing the inputs. I will have to look at the TF300 since I have not heard about that one yet. Has any of you tried it out? Again Thank you ahead of time .
July 19, 2012Yikes my reply did not show up. I want to say Thank you Akshay, Dalsan, Vipul , and ferdinan. I really appreciate the replies. Money isn’t really the problem (saved up) while doing more research on items. It is a investment esp with the cost of them. I am leaning towards ones with a kb, I have heard the issues of wifi not working along with the gps and ice cream? (do not understand that quite too well) I do like the aspect of the micro sd that I would be able to use. I’m also curious if I were to get the 32gb micro sd that down the line would I be able to use a 64gb one, down fall is that the TF101 kb is not compatible with the 201, I’ve also heard good things about the nexus 7 but with the screen being smaller that would be a problem (old eyes) I have not heard about the TF 300 which I will look into. what is a OTC wire? Has any of you tried tested them? Also if I were in a hotel and I do not want to pay for their internet connection would I still be able to use it? or would I need to d/l a app for it to be a hotspot like I do on my phone. My apologies for all these questions.
July 19, 2012Hey,as long as u have stock ics,you wont have a problem with gps and wifi,even if you do fixes are generally available.I don’t think small screen in nexus 7 will be a problem due to really good screen quality and that you can zoom in to read text comics,etc.OTG wire allows you to connect a hard drive to your android tablet/phone if you have rooted it.I know nexus supports it,dunno about tf series.If you use a hotels internet connection you will have to pay for it. No way around that sorry.
July 22, 2012ahhh bummers on the hotel connection part, was hoping that it could through wifi like the cell phones. Thank you
July 22, 2012Dalsan
July 19, 2012The TF201 has a better screen (IPS) than the Galaxy, a better processor (not only quad core 1.4GHz, but better GPU capabilities), has among the best keyboard docks, and at the specifications it has, would have a good chance for longevity through the coming few years when more apps come out that can utilize the quad core processor and GPU capabilities. I like Samsung, but find more value in the Transformers. I also agree that the Nexus tablet is great, but at a lower screen size. There are plans to make a 10 inch version with a price of $299, but the date is to be determined.
Vipul Jain
July 19, 2012Every tablet is obsolete now.
All hail Google Nexus 7
But unless you want a SIM card slot as well, go for Galaxy Tab
ferdinan Sitohang
July 19, 2012Asus transformer TF201 is the best for what i suggest.
Dalsan
July 19, 2012If money isn’t as much an issue, then the TF700 is the newest one, just not sure when it will be available, though it is supposed to be out now. http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-tf700-review/
From most reviews, not much beats the Transformers, from TF201 and up. The TF700 is made to help out with some of the wireless signal issues. If storage is an issue (micro SD) be aware that you can easily use an external hard drive or flash drive through the keyboard dock’s USB connection. There are low profile flash drives if portability is an issue, making the micro SD/SD slot a moot point.
Susendeep Dutta
July 21, 2012Go for Samsung Galaxy tabs as I’ve found in reviews that Asus transformer prime’s keyboard latch will get eventually lose after sometime and it sometimes hangs up after connecting keyboard dock in it.You can go for Galaxy note 10.1 which is expected to be launched in next month.It is rumored to have a latest version of Samsung’s latest and powerful Exynos processor with stylus which can work with many pressure points making it ideal for using it for every task.
Kannon Y
July 22, 2012Hello Hoku, you ask a really great question. The answer depends on three criteria relating to what you need from a tablet: (1) storage capacity, (2) screen sizes, (3) system longevity.
If you don’t mind limited storage capacity, a 7-inch screen or a two-year lifespan, then I strongly suggest purchasing a Nexus 7. It offers (BY FAR) the best dollar-per-performance value that you can get from any tablet on today’s market. However, those three criteria is where it falls short relative to other devices on the market.
If you need a mobile computing solution with better performance specs, I highly suggest getting an x86 based laptop (a regular PC laptop). Of particular importance are that a laptop can be the same price or cheaper than a modern tablet (like the TF201/701/301) with far better performance, a larger screen and better system longevity. That last entry raises the most eye brows.
A shortcoming (this is anecdotal) of touchscreen systems is their longevity. The most commonly used touchscreen technology (capacitance) is not designed to last much longer than two years. Most people start to notice diminishing sensitivity after about a year, although people with such screens report them in working order well after two years of use. Anyway, most people upgrade their devices every two years anyway – and at $200, the Nexus 7 is utterly disposable.
To address your primary concern, there are case/keyboard combos that you can purchase for the Nexus 7, although these devices use Bluetooth, so it drains quite a bit more energy than a dock-keyboard would. Also, compared to the Transformer series, the 10 hour battery life of the Nexus 7 pales in comparison to the 18 hours provided by the dock in the TF series.
Speaking of which, I have the TF201 and as great a tablet as it is, $650 for the dock and keyboard on an ARM based system is an outrageous sum. There are a huge number of alternative x86 (PC) laptops that can substantially outperform Tegra 3 (the chipset used in most tablet form factors) in all areas but performance-per-watt. Although, despite its price, the TF is still a solid system. If you get any Transformer, I would go for the TF301 series, since because it uses a plastic case, it doesn’t suffer from the WiFi and GPS issues that the all metal TF201 (Prime) suffers from. You can also get a TF301 for much cheaper.
Other concerns about the Transformer series, such as the future availability of Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) have recently been answered – Asus is bringing 4.1 to the entire Transformer line. Supposedly you should be able to automatically receive this update when it becomes available.
ahhh Thank you! yea I was looking to shift away from a laptop since it’s pretty bulky. This will make me read up on the 300-301, I’m in no rush to buy one. I agree on the price is steep. Plastic case is good. does the 301 have a kb also? as I’m more of a kb rather than a swipe person. swipe would be when I’m on the road itself, I really appreciate every ones thoughts and information about this.
July 22, 2012(My apologies, I made a mistake, there’s no TF301, there’s only a TF300T)
There should be keyboards for every model in the Transformer lineup (however, these keyboards are pretty overpriced at around $100-150). Also, with many of these plastic tablets, there’s some question about case durability. However, keep in mind these devices are designed to last about 2-3 years, so perhaps durability is not a particularly important aspect, especially when the Prime runs more than a $100 above what the TF300T goes for (Prime is metal).
Still, I want to emphasize that the Nexus 7 is dollar-per-dollar the best small form factor tablet ever made, by a wide margin. Unfortunately, with the 7, you’re limited to keyboard-cases that use Bluetooth and of course it’s smaller and with shorter battery life than the TF series. However, the fact it has Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and is $200 more than makes up for this.
Take a look at the keyboard-case link that I included. It may change your mind about the Nexus. Of course, if you need the extras, the TF is probably the best option, since IMO it’s a lot more feature rich than its competitors.
July 22, 2012scarer
July 23, 2012gravatar test
Hoku Sarroca
July 28, 2012I went with the TF700, also the dock from the original one is compatible with it. Placed the order I should have it by the 3rd! Thank you so very much for everyone’s advice’s. I took everything into consideration. I did look at the 300 was not too impressed with it. Not a ipad person either.. Again Thank you so VERY MUCH. This is a gift from my kids/hubby to me, so I don’t have to be at the desk top with my bad back. All of you are super great! Mahalo Hoku