Hey guys. So I got a GTab 10.1 when it came out in June but ended up returning it cause Honeycomb felt slow and laggy, and as many would say, not ready for primetime. Since then, I've also tried the HTC Flyer, which I ended up returning due to lack of apps since its running Gingerbread so it only has like a tiny subset of the hundred Honeycomb apps.
Overall I didn't have a a good experience with Android tablets so I turned to iOS. I've never owned any iOS devices before and recently got an iPad 2 as my first. I like how I can type on it with all my fingers like it was a full sized keyboard on the smart cover typing angle. I use it for mostly couch potato style web browsing, reading news apps, and watching videos. The lack of flash is also quite annoying (I ordered dominos and got the wrong toppings lol).
With the recent Touchwiz on the GTab 10.1, I am revisiting this forum to see if I should make the switch back to Android. Particularly interested to hear if any of the problems still exist.
Is the keyboard lag when typing in the browser still there, after Touchwiz?
I am able to type with all my fingers like a full sized keyboard on the iPad. I forgot to try this when I owned the GTab. Does anyone do this, and is the GTab's keyboard able to pick up fast typing on its multi-touch keyboard? I know the GTab keyboard has multi-touch but I don't remember how smooth it is.
Anyone with experience with jailbroken iOS devices, does in-app purchases work with apps from Cydia? I just want to know the accessibilty of apps on both platforms.
Anyone with experience on these two tablets, got any recommendations on which one I should stick with? Thanks for your time.
TouchWiz comes with Swype. While I never likes Swype on my phone, it works great on the Tab. Who would have thought?
There's no lag.
TabGuy said:
TouchWiz comes with Swype. While I never likes Swype on my phone, it works great on the Tab. Who would have thought?
There's no lag.
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I am not really a fan of Swype, like the touch typing more. I've seen a video on Swype but I rather be using all that real estate for all finger typing like a real keyboard. What about the regular keyboard, no lag for that as well?
trees812 said:
I am not really a fan of Swype, like the touch typing more. I've seen a video on Swype but I rather be using all that real estate for all finger typing like a real keyboard. What about the regular keyboard, no lag for that as well?
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I must say that I agree with you. However, I'm amazed at how useful Swype is on the Tab. I'm a fast touch typist and have found that Swype, while not as fast, is very useful. It's especially useful in a "lean back" scenario where you don't have a table to set it on for two handed typing.
The biggest difference between the iPad and Android is that you get a choice. When you get to a screen where input is required and the keyboard pops up, you have that little keyboard icon in the notification area. In only a few seconds you can choose the appropriate input method for the given scenario. I have 7 keyboards installed and use some of them frequently and some none at all. I almost never use the stock Android keyboard which, by the way, resembles the iPad's keyboard the most.
With iPad there's no choice. With Android it's up to you.
Related
Currently, I have the iPad 2. I do, however, miss android and its customizable aspect. So I was offered by someone to swap my iPad 2 for his Galaxy Tab 10.1
Before swapping, I did went to the nearest Bestbuy to see what the hype was all about. I am pretty disappointed with the browser and the onscreen keyboard. Typing was a pain, and in conjunction with Google's autocomplete feature, it was a nightmare.
By running Quadrant Standard twice, I got scores ranging from 1550-1700. Which was pretty horrid for a dual core processor. I noticed that the fps on each test (2d-3d) range from 15fps-30fps. I have the Samsung Fascinate as my smartphone, and it goes up to 56fps during the graphic tests.
The model that I played around with was not running TouchWiz or maybe it is not updated.
I am mostly concerned on how the device runs after third-party launchers, root, themes, etc. are installed.
Is the interface still sluggish? is the onscreen keyboard still horrid?
I'm currently running stock Touchwiz and yeah it has its glitches, but it's not horrid. I also own the iPad 2 and it has its glitches once in a while too! I like both devices! I could do more on my GTab of course, but I get more smoothness on my iPad 2. They each have pros and cons! Lol
If you don't like the stock keyboard on the GTab you can always change it! I like to use Swiftkey on mine.
Quadrant doesn't get along with stock HC 3.1, so the score is pretty meaningless. On literally every other rom (HC 3.0, TouchWiz etc) normal Quadrant scores should be in the mid 2k's.
The typing lag and wonky cursor that was a problem when typing in web forms has been fixed in the TouchWiz update.
While I've seen some people complain about lag with the launcher, I've never experienced it myself. Regardless, there are optimized launchers available if you flash a deodexed TW rom, and launchers like ADW also work fine on the tablet.
Thanks for the response guys.
I wish I can have both. Since playing around with it from a display model was really pointless since I can't do much about it in regards to flashing rom/updates/etc.
If you were on my shoes, trade or not to trade.
Hey, if you miss customization, then go for the tab, I say. When I used the ipad1 before, staring at those generic iOS homescreen with its sterile grid, indistinguishable icons, horrid folders, lack of widgets was pretty depressing, to me at least.
Yes, you'll run into some glitches. But custom kernels, roms, apps can remedy many of them, while Honeycomb and Touchwiz has already been getting better over time. That GT10.1 seems to have attracted some awesome devs is a plus too.
Yes, you may miss some favorite apps. But most likely there will be similar ones for android, or they will some make there appearance as tablets gain market share. There are yet no ipad-only killer apps that make it too much of a pain to cross over to the tab.
And on top of having your very own customized tab, with docks, apps, widgets individualized and optimized for your own self, imho, the tab even outshines the ipad in terms of
Better for watching or streaming movies (16:9 ratio, play more codex, a gorgeous screen),
Better web-browsing (flash of course, as well as higher pixel count to take in the whole website),
and arguably better e-reading (TW ebook app is quite versatile and easy on the eye, and I enjoy the landscape two-page mode reading which utilizes the widescreen)
as well as better sound (you can get voodoo control with pershoots kernel and bluetooth is amazing)
All which I think are the mainstays of a tablet experience.
Maybe note taking is another, in which the HTC Flyer may be better, but then with swype or thumbkeyboard, or an optional bluetooth keyboard, note taking is at least just as good as the ipad2.
And you won't be sacrificing the sleek form factor (GT10.1 is lighter and thinner, marginally, than ipad2) as you would have to if you went for a different android tab (at least until the Sony S1 comes out, which we'll have to see to be sure).
So, that's my take on why if I was in your shoes, I'd go for the Galaxy Tab 10.1
I should add, to me, whereas the ipad was mainly a portrait mode experience, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is mainly a landscape mode experience. Should consider and be comfortable of that too - especially in terms of customizing your tablet homescreens. It's one thing that makes it quite different and more exciting than customizing a smartphone.
gunm3tal said:
Thanks for the response guys.
I wish I can have both. Since playing around with it from a display model was really pointless since I can't do much about it in regards to flashing rom/updates/etc.
If you were on my shoes, trade or not to trade.
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As with any android vs apple comparison, I think it kind of comes down to how much you like tweaking and customizing, while having to occasionally find workarounds and deal with a still developing ecosystem. If you'd rather not bother with any of that then stick with the iPad.
GTab 10.1 with Honeycomb has a lot of potential. I will probably keep my iPad 2 and snag one off office depot with a 100$ coupon for any tablet.
I've decided to keep the iPad 2 due to the fact that, unfortunately, bought a ton of productivity apps from the app store already. Furthermore, by keeping it and getting GTab 10.1, I can enjoy both worlds. Just need to feed the hungry android inside me.
Love android os. Hope that ice cream sandwich is as tasty as it looks.
Thanks a lot guys for the info. Really helped me decide wether I should get one or not.
I have both. Bought the Galaxy Tab and got the iPad 2 through my school. One thing the iPad has going for itself is that it's a really smooth experience. What it does, it does well. Unfortunately, that's all it does though. There's just nothing else to do with it besides running apps and browsing the internet. If you need something to satisfy your inner geek I would definitely go with the Tab.
From your post I take that you already know all this and are mainly wondering how the Tab holds up performance wise. It's great! I'm running the latest Starburst with pershoots kernel overclocked to 1.4 and the sucker flies. It beats the iPad on almost every webpage rendering test I've put the two to. Google maps is light years ahead of the iPad version and the browsing experience is great since the TouchWiz update.
In the end it's a personal decision. Lets just say that MY iPad is collecting dust on the shelf.
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
Sorry if this is OT. Just recently started using android for about a month now (gingerbread tablet). And I've been using google voice a lot which means I've been txting up a storm since I got it.
My rant is that I really despise the auto complete. I've tried gokeyboard too and it seems just as bad. I know part of the problem is my device is low end ($220 lenovo a1) and can't keep up with how fast I type, but even when I'm slow it just sucks major ass.
Not trying to bash (because I still intend to use my device) but compared to my windows phone the auto complete doesn't compare.
Is there an alternative? Or how do the keyboards work on android. Are they responsible for the auto complete or are they only good for different layouts?
Thanks.
Keyboards on android change everything. A new keyboard can use a different auto-correct, layout, keysizes and other things. I don't have any knowledge of tablet keyboards, but ICS keyboard is great, SwiftKey has pretty good correction, Skype is fast on phones and Smart Keyboard Pro works well as well. Try some different ones, one has to work for you.
While I'm waiting for my keyboard dock to come in, I'm using the ASUS on-screen keyboard, which is a pile of crap. Is there a way to get the stock Honeycomb keyboard, or should I look for a third party keyboard in the market?
you can change it in the settings, under language to get the stock one. im still searching for a better one than both of those. so far, its go kb...
The stock keyboard is way better than the Asus one for me, too. But which is the best tablet keyboard out there?
I've seen recommendations for Swiftkey-X for Tablets, and for "Thumb Keyboard." Both are paid apps, so I've been hesitant without a solid recommendation. I know there are others too.
What's best?
Yeah asus keyboard sux. I'm using the slideIt keyboard now. works great and fast. a lot faster to slide in portrait mode than in landscape. I have big hands but thiswidescreen is even to wide for me to type easily like on my iPad.
tr.slate said:
you can change it in the settings, under language to get the stock one. im still searching for a better one than both of those. so far, its go kb...
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Took me a while to find it, but thanks. Much better now.
I just read a review comparing SwiftKey and Thumb. Even though I love Swift on my phone, Thumb won out because it's cheaper and MUCH more configurable. From just a little bit of use, I'm definitely liking it.
had the og transformer, and thumb keyboard is the best! Also has a bunch of themes so looks nice too.
Sent from my Galaxy S2
You guys could get the swype beta, it's cool, in landscape mode, it can turn into a small little keyboard that you can move from side to side, and use with one hand. Just go on swype .com to get it
I am seriously thinking of getting an Lumia 920, but one thing I worry I would miss leaving Android is custom keyboards, specifically AI Swiftkey. Anyone been down this path before? How does Lumia keyboard compare?
Thanks!
It's not too shabby as compared to the stock Android keyboard, but Swiftkey (and Swype) are way better, IMHO. One of things you will miss moving from Android is the choice of keyboards. One thing that really annoys me is not having numbers and punctuation marks on the main keyboard (need to press another key to get those symbols up).
I have to agree...I just came from sgs3 and only thing I dislike is the kb For wp8
jivy26 said:
I have to agree...I just came from sgs3 and only thing I dislike is the kb For wp8
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+1, I really miss swype. Also, not too sure if it's possible, but right now my Lumia doesn't have haptic feedback on keypress, which bugs me a lot too, especially if I'm typing and not swyping or using word prediction.
No fix for this
The keyboard issue is one of the 3 or 4 things that will probably cause me to turn the Lumia in this week. I didn't realize how dependent I had become on those freakin arrow keys. When you type as bad as I do, those things are a blessing.
If a more capable keyboard is a big deal for you, go Android.
I haven't had any issues with the keyboard. I can still type super fast and don't have to worry about the Swype feature. I came from the gs3 as well, but don't mind not having all those keyboards that may or may not work faster.
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I have also used both, never really got used to swape though .. the predictive keyboard and the machanisms it uses to determine the next-pressed-letter is very good and I actually hardly ever have any typing problems neither in German or English layout.
WP8 even predicts the follow-up word and I have come to notice that this seems to get better over time and actually saves a lot of typing alltogether
Keyboard is not a huge issue but you do misses having the option to pick keyboards which suit you. However wp8 stock keyboard is not bad I quite like it, auto correction Is not bad at all.
I came from swiftkey on sgs3, and i havent lost any typing speed really. The WP Keyboard is quite good.
Came from Note II and GS3 where I used both swype and swiftkey - no problems at all. My typing speed not changed at all - I think its because of better touch screen/keyboard accuracy. For me, WP8 keyboard is ok, but I want to able use punctuation symbols by long-press (and to setup it in milliseconds)
hello everyone,
i had previously asked about using an exterrnal keyboard here and found out that it was a no go. So started doing some research and came up with a couple of on screen keyboards that I like.
I really like swiftkey because it has excellent corrective and predictive algorithms. Only two problems that I have found :it doesn't play well with Google drive word documents, the shift and space bar are a little close to other buttons and those other buttons occasionally get pressed.
The other is logitype. I love the keyboard on that one and find that I type faster since the buttons change shape to fit style and frequency of use. It also plays well with Google drive. However the predictive and corrective abitkes don't even come close to swiftkey's.
With both I am learning how to type six figured instead of 10
There are others out there and others on the horizon (liquid something or other seems like it will be awesome especially with the 10 touch ability!)
Hope this helps others and feel free to refute and rebut me
Which SwiftKey version did you try? They do have a tablet specific version, if you didn't already try it. I wish they just had a tablet mode rather than buying both keyboards, but oh well.
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Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
Yep, had to buy both. Already had it for my phone and loved it there so got the tablet version. I really want logitype and swiftkey to mate and have the perfect baby