Samsung's Galaxy Tab - A Train Wreck

[Cuerbo]

Samsung Galaxy Tab Review: A Pocketable Train Wreck

 

[MarcMaiden]

I do not care much for the Tab,

However I do not think I have ever read a review so biased. Especially from a big site like that.

 

[Cuerbo]

Agree, the review is not the best I've seen. But don't pay attention to that, look at the video and how some of the images don't take up the whole screen. That is disturbing to say the least and with a price tag of $629, don't know how Samsung plans to detrone the iPad.

 

[MarcMaiden]

Well we have an Ipad in our house, and let me tell you....a lot of apps do not scale for the ipad. One of the most shocking ones: Facebook.


I agree the price is "high"


not for what it is,

but for the consumer in general.

 

[Cuerbo]

Agree, tablets are far from perfection at this stage of the game. As for FB on the iPad, I heard FB was pushing their website instead of the App for the tablet. But going back to my original statement, I was referring to the black border around some of the apps and also the camera quality.

 

[Endoran]

That's what the majority of "news" is now - somebody's opinion. Still, gizmodo should be ashamed of themselves for writing that. I don't even like tabs too, I see them all as oversized phones. However, his only real complaint, that can't be changed by changing flash to on demand or something similarly as easy, is that the screen is too small. In my opinion that is a plus.

 

[bdubbs]

Wow that guy is annoying. I think some of the software was written to scale properly and thats why they look fine. Not his idea that the screen is 3 inches bigger.

 

[raqball]

I quit reading GizNoMo long ago...

I picked up the T-Mobile version today and it ROCKS!!!

 

[Catfish]

I don't get what this guy is on about. Here's my conclusions from his review paragraph by paragraph:

1. You can use phone apps and they look right ("work perfectly" in his own words) +1
2. He doesn't like the screen size, although he seems to criticize the device's ability based on software that he appears to not have try ("A magazine app _would be_ cramped") -1
3. Videos are better to watch than on a phone (but he wants a bigger screen. TV? anyone?) +1
4. It's harder to type on than a regular phone. How does this differ to other tablets like iPad? Is it because its only 7 inch? Or is this problem inherent on all tablets? Does the user need to practice more before typing becomes natural? +/-0
5. Samsung have copied other vendor's software. This makes the tablet better to use. (I don't see how that makes a negative, or care who rips off what user interface "design" if it makes the end user experience better then do it.) +1
6. Task Manager is there. (How is this a negative? I _always_ kill apps on almost any device that I use. I don't want to wonder/Google for how to find the task manager on a device) +1

Overall that review is rather shallow on major points. The "No Like" paragraph brings up some points that potential buyers would really like to hear more about, but he glosses over them.

Man I hate when people write stuff like this. I hope they aren't paid to do it.

And what was the final score? +3 by my ratings based of what he said.

 

[JamesDax]

Yeah, that review was pretty bad. Even Engadget, a apple fanboy play land, did a better and more objective review.

 

[Cuerbo]

@RaqBall

Can you tell us your experience so far? Would like to hear from an average person how the device feels, performs, etc.

 

[raqball]

@RaqBall

Can you tell us your experience so far? Would like to hear from an average person how the device feels, performs, etc.

Sure...

The Good:

-- The T-Mobile version has little to no crapware
-- It's very fast and responsive, almost no lag
-- The screen is gorgeous
-- I can easily type in either landscape or portrait mode...
--Browser is fast and renders quickly... ( I have plugins set to on demand instead of always on )
-- SMS and MMS work as they should... Have sent over 200 today
-- Battery life so far is on par with what has been reported but this is only my 1st day using it, so we shall see..
-- Camera takes OK photos, and video cam is also OK...
-- QIK works ok, but it is a bit choppy
-- The calendar and email changes made by Samsung are very nice

The Bad:

-- The charging cable that comes with it is very short... I went to best buy and picked up a usb to usb extension....
-- The T-Mo version did not come with a SD card (no worries though as I have a ton of them already)
-- No LED notification light (like the Galaxy S devices) But I did download No Led from the Market and it works fine...

Ask what you like, and I will try and answer...

Over all I am not missing my phone function from the EVO... I do not use phone function very often and text and email more than anything... If I need phone functions, I have a home phone and OnStar minutes for that...

 

[RoboMonkey]

Is there a digital magazine or comixoligy reader?
How about a t3 magazine app? I went with the iPad for digital books, magazines, and netflix.

 

[raqball]

Is there a digital magazine or comixoligy reader?
How about a t3 magazine app? I went with the iPad for digital books, magazines, and netflix.

Nothing pre installed... Kindle is about it that come on the T-Mo version for reading...

Is there market apps for them? If so, they should work on the Tab...

 

[Cuerbo]

Can you tell us about market apps, are they the same? How's the look and feel of the apps being scaled to the bigger display? Is it true that you can't charge it using your laptop's or PC's USB port?

 

[duncanb]

Yes, the market apps are exactly the same.

Some apps don't scale, e.g. OpenTable, GeoBeagle: they just show with a large black border around them.

Some apps scale but not very well, e.g. Gem Miner is just scaled up graphics.

Some apps rock on the bigger device: Twidroyd is fantastic in landscape with it's side by side tweets and preview mode (except then they added moving ads so I uninstalled it ).

Most apps just run exactly the same but with more screen space. Jewels strangely neither scales nor has a black border (it displays top left with part of the splash screen leaking out under the play area) but that is the exception rather than the rule.

Bottom line is that it depends on how well the author allowed for varying screen sizes. I expect most of the apps that don't currently scale can be 'fixed' just by changing the Android manifest and the ones that care may actually put in some work to provide better layouts at higher resolutions.

I certainly haven't managed to persuade the Tab to charge on a USB port or even a generic USB mains adapter: looks like charging is just the genuine Samsung adaptor for now.

 

[raqball]

Is it true that you can't charge it using your laptop's or PC's USB port?

Mine does not charge via my Macbook Pro or my iMac...

 

[RoboMonkey]

So do you think it's worth $1,120 if you're on Sprint?

 

[mrspeedmaster]

let me tell you....a lot of apps do not scale for the ipad. One of the most shocking ones: Facebook.
.

True about the FB app but there are apps like Friendly and "FlipBoard" Tablet optimized apps. There is nothing like FlipBoard even on the iPhone. It is unique to the Ipad. I've shown that app and that app alone has sold about 8 iPads to friends and acquaintances. In my opinion, it has the best Facebook/Twitter experience. That is where the Ipad has the advantage; optimized tablet apps from 3rd party developers.

 

[raqball]

So do you think it's worth $1,120 if you're on Sprint?

Thats for each person to decide... For me it would be because a comparable device, the EVO, would be over $2100 on contact with Sprint....

 

[Tech Addiction]

Per JKK Mobile, if you download Spare Parts and follow his tutorial, Apps like Engadget and the Spare Parts App for that matter Scale full screen. The battery life is actually pretty good compared to my Incredible.

 

[Tech Addiction]

True about the FB app but there are apps like Friendly and "FlipBoard" Tablet optimized apps. There is nothing like FlipBoard even on the iPhone. It is unique to the Ipad. I've shown that app and that app alone has sold about 8 iPads to friends and acquaintances. In my opinion, it has the best Facebook/Twitter experience. That is where the Ipad has the advantage; optimized tablet apps from 3rd party developers.

And I guess Apple had all of these apps ready to go on day 1? WSJ has already released their app on VZW launch day and i'm sure others will quickly follow. Samsung did a great job with the mail program and others written just for the Tab.

 

[mrspeedmaster]

And I guess Apple had all of these apps ready to go on day 1? WSJ has already released their app on VZW launch day and i'm sure others will quickly follow. Samsung did a great job with the mail program and others written just for the Tab.

Your assumption is 1/2 correct. There were apps ready on launch day w/ the iPad. I think they announced it 3 months prior w/ the updated SDK delivered on the announce date. Hence, many people already had apps ready before actual launch day. There was like several hundred apps lined up like Netflix, ABC TV, NY Times,

I agree with you that there needs to be time and momentum. And surely, there will be tablet optimized apps forthcoming. The only problem is will developers be on the sideline to wait to see what Google announces? There is no guarantee an optimize app at 1024x600 will be the standard if another mfg comes out with a 1024x768 res adoption. Or what about all the 840x480 $200 sub chinese tablets?

 

[Tech Addiction]

Your assumption is 1/2 correct. There were apps ready on launch day w/ the iPad. I think they announced it 3 months prior w/ the updated SDK delivered on the announce date. Hence, many people already had apps ready before actual launch day. There was like several hundred apps lined up like Netflix, ABC TV, NY Times,

I agree with you that there needs to be time and momentum. And surely, there will be tablet optimized apps forthcoming. The only problem is will developers be on the sideline to wait to see what Google announces? There is no guarantee an optimize app at 1024x600 will be the standard if another mfg comes out with a 1024x768 res adoption. Or what about all the 840x480 $200 sub chinese tablets?

I am by no means knowledgeable in App creation but why can't you make an app that auto scales? Computers have different screen sizes and resolutions but all the software is the same. I don't have Netbook optimized software and 50in plazma optimized software. Just wondering.

 

[mrspeedmaster]

I am by no means knowledgeable in App creation but why can't you make an app that auto scales? Computers have different screen sizes and resolutions but all the software is the same. I don't have Netbook optimized software and 50in plazma optimized software. Just wondering.

Yes, they should make apps that auto scales. Not always the case.

And even apps that autoscale don't look much different than their phone counterpart. E.G. Facebook on any android tablet.

Another problem may be more with the aspect ratio. E.G. When do you know when to make a dual pane vs single list via portrait or landscape. If one adopts 16:9 vs 4:3. Take the WSJ tablet app. On engadget, they showed side-by-side and the Android version is really that much more optimized. The layout looks single column when you read the articles.

What about the Chinese, Viewsonic and the Archos devices that are currently WVGA (800x480). That is the same res on my phones.