TABLETS???

Cool you're enjoying it, Cari! :up: What kind of life are you seeing from the replaceable battery?

RE: the iPad2 pricing, you may be looking at the 64gb 3G iPad2 pricing. The 16gb/32gb wifi iPad2s are only $20 more than the 16gb/32gb wifi Thrives, at least at Best Buy.

 

It did about eleven hours yesterday, but I wasn't using it nonstop. I really did consider the iPad but the lack of Flash is a real issue. There are so many websites I visit that use it, Speed being one of them for their internet only coverage of practise sessions for F1.

And I previously had a Fujitsu Windows Tablet but was unimpressed, thankfully I won it because it's price retail was well over two thousand dollars. I got tired of using the special pen and sold it on eBay.

This one is just like a giant iPad, but without the phone capability and with Flash & I can almost touch type on its keyboard!

 

From today's Gizmo's:

 

Keep in mind that just because a web site uses Flash doesn't mean it requires Flash. I go to the Speed web site all the time and have yet to find a video that won't play on my iPad2.....

 

Could be a nice little offering by Vizio, especially if it has a lower street price than $349. Looks like it's "only" a single-core processor, however, which could explain how they lowered the price. I personally prefer the 4:3 aspect ratio for general tablet use, and especially for web browsing. Just me, tho.

 

I updated my ViewSonic gTablet (purchased from Woot last month for $275) the other day to Honeycomb (Android 3.0.2) using the GtabComb beta 3.2 ROM from Slatedroid.com. The gTablet is a Tegra 2 based tablet with 16G internal storage, and I have a 32 Gig MicroSD card installed. With this ROM, I've upgraded from Android 2.2 (Froyo), which is really a Smart Phone OS, and now have access to the Android Marketplace. I've downloaded several free apps so far, including Angry Birds (of course), local news and weather and Words With Friends, which I can now play with my three kids. I'm still learning how to use the new apps available by default on the new ROM. Great improvement over the stock gTablet; much faster, and the stock unit didn't have Android Market access, only Handango.

 

From Reuters news. Aside from the Win 7 tablet, not much new here, IMHO, except a model with an optional pen. I've always been a Thinkpad fan, tho. Kudos to Lenovo for continuing to build them as well as IBM did.

 

Except Kindle, HP & Nook. in store only:

http://reg.e.staples.com/c/s/tagfrm...Wkpnb0JDamNBQUV5VUh6SUFBQU1U&PID=552179&n=927

They may have Asus Transofrmer, Toshiba Thrive and Samsung 10.1 depending on store.

 

Seems kind of early in the game to have a fire sale on tablets. I wonder what's up? :scratchin

 

They had a $50 off up till last week. Double or nothing.

Played with a Tosh Thrive today. Screen is poor compared to all the others (side by side) and the thing is so heavy/clunky/thick that you may as well just get a netbook.

 

According to next week's flyer locally, the Acer Iconia is $399 - take $100 off that and just $299 and change for a tablet with Tegra 2 processor and Android Honeycomb 3.0. Sweet!

 

Tempting, assuming they'll apply the coupon to a sale item. And I don't see any language on the coupon that say they won't. Seems too good to be true, tho.

That said, I don't think I'd like seeing the touch screen "grid" all the time, as this review points out. I'd have to see it for myself, I guess.

 

I'm interested in seeing the Vizio, because I like 4:3 better, at least for my use. HP is also 4:3. So's the iPad.

 

That's sooooo 90's. :lol: And only 8".

And at Costco: http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/vizio-tablet-tiptoes-into-retail-starting-at-costco/

 

8" is why I'm curious. I want to see how legible web browsing is at that size and 768p. I actually don't think it's that cheap at $349, tho, because only single core and 8".

RE: 4:3, no contest for me. Many of the things my tablet replaces are ~ 4:3, like 8.5 x 11 docs, 8x10 photos, books, magazines, and the design of most websites, because they can't afford to ignore PC's with 4:3 displays. Most 16:9 movies I blow up to 4:3 and only lose a little of the sides, where nothing much goes on. Or if I think the movie will benefit from 16:9, I just watch 'em with black strips top and bottom. Naturally for old movies and TV shows, which I also watch a lot of, 4:3 is ideal.

 

Interesting they say it has an integrated IR link. I guess for remote control of non-ip enabled multimedia gear?

The little synopsis they gave of it wasn't very exciting, tho.

 

Speaking of small screens...

 

Well if there's one thing RIM does well, it's security (<grumble> except PDF </grumble>). No one else comes close without third party software.

 

I think you'd be surprised. 8.5 x 11 docs and 8 x 10 photos look great on my 16:9 transformer. Books and magazines also look great. I've been using a 16:9 monitor for years, so websites seem fine too. I also have all 16:9 TV's, so any video format is equally great.

I guess if I still had 4:3 displays and monitors, I'd lean toward a 4:3 tablet, but more than likely I'd just upgrade those too.