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	<title>Droid Life &#187; Tablets</title>
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		<title>Samsung Nexus 10 Review</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/11/20/samsung-nexus-10-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/11/20/samsung-nexus-10-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Nov 2012 23:20:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tim-o-tato</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nexus 10]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Tablet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=89520</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here it is, the official Nexus 10 review from yours truly. After having bought a Nexus 7, I have been quite content with the 7&#8243; size and what it offers in terms of being an Android tablet. Although, I know many people out there in our community have had their fingers crossed that Google would [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/11/20/samsung-nexus-10-review/">Samsung Nexus 10 Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nexus-10-Glamour1.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-89926" title="Nexus 10 Glamour" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nexus-10-Glamour1-650x436.png" alt="" width="650" height="436" /></a></p>
<p>Here it is, the official <a href="/tag/nexus-10"><strong>Nexus 10</strong></a> review from yours truly. After having bought a <a href="/tag/nexus-7">Nexus 7</a>, I have been quite content with the 7&#8243; size and what it offers in terms of being an Android tablet. Although, I know many people out there in our community have had their fingers crossed that Google would make something bigger, and indeed, people&#8217;s prayers have been answered in the Nexus 10.</p>
<p>The Nexus lineup of devices creates a wonderful blend of elegant hardware and exceptional software that brings the ultimate Android experience to your hands. The Nexus 10 is no different and offers up a great deal of features that anyone would be happy to harness for a pretty competitive price. If you have had your eye on one, let&#8217;s go over why it isn&#8217;t a question of if you should consider this tablet, but why on Earth wouldn&#8217;t you. <span id="more-89520"></span></p>
<h4>The Good:</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>Specs:  </strong>On paper, Google&#8217;s Nexus 10 features some of today&#8217;s most notable specs for a tablet. Under the hood, it is running a dual-core A15 Exynos 5 processor, 2GB of RAM, which powers Android 4.2 &#8220;Jelly Bean.&#8221; In addition, the tablet features a remarkable 10&#8243; WQXGA 2560 x 1600 display with 300ppi, a powerful 5MP camera coupled with 4.2&#8242;s camera software, a 9,000 mAh battery, NFC, Android Beam, and comes in two storage options; 16GB or 32GB. For the price, the Nexus 10 runs laps around the competition.</li>
<li><strong>Display:  </strong>This display is killer. In terms of specs, it&#8217;s a 10.055&#8243; WQXGA display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600 and 300ppi. As for the competition, the newest iPad rocks a 2048&#215;1536 display with 264ppi. Not being someone who bases their opinion solely on a spec shootout, I have enjoyed every second I&#8217;ve had to look at this device. Watching YouTube videos, a movie, and playing games is a real joy when everything looks crystal clear. When outside, text is still clear and viewable, yet manages to be exceptionally brilliant on its lowest brightness setting while laying in bed at night and watching a show. Overall, the display will definitely be the device&#8217;s power point.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nexus-10-Display.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-89950" title="Nexus 10 Display" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nexus-10-Display-650x436.png" alt="" width="650" height="436" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Feel:  </strong>When you get your hands on the Nexus 10, it just feels good. The backside is smooth (giggidy), with just the right amount of &#8220;stick&#8221; to make you feel assured that it won&#8217;t go slipping out of your hand. I&#8217;ve been doing a sort of &#8220;twist test&#8221; when I get my hands on tablets, by giving the device a very light twist with both hands. For example, some of the ASUS and Archos tablets give off a plastic cracking sound, which for me, is no good. I want to make sure I can at least be able to drop my tablet once or twice and it won&#8217;t completely fall apart on me. With the Nexus 10, it feels light, sturdy, and durable. As I mentioned, it just feels really good in hand.</li>
<li><strong>Android 4.2:  </strong>Buying a new Nexus device has its benefits. One of the big ones is knowing you&#8217;re going to be running the newest version of Android out there, and Android 4.2 kicks major butt. With some enhancements being placed into the camera application, slight UI changes, ability to add multiple users (tablets only), and lockscreen widgets, it&#8217;s easily my favorite version of Android yet. Knowing that the Nexus 10 will receive updates straight from Google as soon as they are announced is a major plus for anyone wanting no bloatware and no unnecessary skin on top of this beautiful OS.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Multiple-Users-Nexus-10.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-89916" title="Multiple Users Nexus 10" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Multiple-Users-Nexus-10-650x406.png" alt="" width="650" height="406" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Back-facing Camera:  </strong>The fact that the Nexus 10 comes with a camera is an automatic plus. It doesn&#8217;t even need to be insanely good. The fact that they used the space and made it happen is great thinking on Samsung and Google&#8217;s part. It&#8217;s a 5MP camera that actually delivers some decent images. It won&#8217;t be replacing your point and shoot anytime soon, but for when you need it, it&#8217;s there and will deliver.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;">(<em>Warning: Full Resolution Images</em>)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Thor-and-Loki-Nexus-10-camera-test.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-89936" title="Thor and Loki Nexus 10 camera test" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Thor-and-Loki-Nexus-10-camera-test-650x487.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="487" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Android-Mini.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-89937" title="Android Mini" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Android-Mini-325x243.jpg" alt="" width="325" height="243" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nexus-10-Camera-Test.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-89935" title="Nexus 10 Camera Test" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Nexus-10-Camera-Test-325x243.jpg" alt="" width="325" height="243" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Front-facing Speakers:  </strong>When listening to videos and playing games, the front-facing speakers deliver. They&#8217;re loud, sound clear, and maintain at high volumes. We have seen speakers on the back of tablets, which force you into having to do a type of cupping motion so you can hear the sound, something that is just silly. Having them in this position is great and I&#8217;ve been extremely impressed with the audio quality.</li>
<li><strong>Battery:  </strong>The Nexus 10 battery is a tank. It just won&#8217;t die. I&#8217;ve had it in my possession for about five days now and I&#8217;ve only charged it once. You can easily get through some Netflix and plenty of Internet browsing. I really can&#8217;t see you running into any type of issues when it comes to battery life. If you were concerned about battery, don&#8217;t be.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Battery-Nexus-10.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-89917" title="Battery Nexus 10" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Battery-Nexus-10-650x406.png" alt="" width="650" height="406" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Multiple Users Feature:  </strong>One of the features that tablet users will benefit from with the upgrade to Android 4.2, is the ability to have multiple user accounts on one device. Each account can have separate settings that make the tablet custom to each user. You can have different apps, different looks, and different content, which is great for families and other environments where multiple people will be sharing a single device. Smooth move, Google.</li>
<li><strong>Price</strong>:  At $399 (16GB) and $499 (32GB), the Nexus 10 is one of the more reasonably priced tablets on the market. No other tablet has this good of a display, no other tablet has this new Exynos 5 processor, and no other tablet (aside from the Nexus 7) is supported directly by Google. As previously mentioned, even the new retina iPad cannot can&#8217;t match the display on the Nexus 10, nor can it match the price.</li>
<li><strong>Gaming:  </strong>Last but certainly not least, I wanted to touch on gaming with the Nexus 10. When playing, the device utilizes three key aspects of its hardware to make it a very enjoyable experience &#8211; the display, the speakers, and the processor. When playing a heavy game like <a href="/tag/shadowgun">Shadowgun:DeadZone</a> or watching my nephew play Angry Birds Star Wars, it was awesome. Zero lag, no sputtering, and it looked absolutely fantastic. Not much else to say here except gaming on this is pure win. If the Nexus 7 is just too small, then the Nexus 10 is where it&#8217;s at in this department.</li>
</ul>
<h4>The Not-so-Good:</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>Backside aka &#8220;Fingerprint Magnet&#8221;:  </strong>As you may have already heard us discuss here and there, the backside of the Nexus 10 feels great, but it is impossible to clean and keep safe from your greasy fingers. After handling this thing for a bit, you will see the grime begin to accumulate on the back, where you will then need to locate a damp cloth to clean it with. No, a dry paper towel or napkin will not suffice. This thing needs to be seriously buffered in order to become clean. We like the feel of it a lot, but it&#8217;s just a downer to clean.</li>
<li><strong>Little Quirks of Android 4.2:  </strong>Now, what I mean by little quirks in Android 4.2 are just little things that we may not like right now, but could find ourselves becoming comfortable with down the road. The main example I will use is the notification pulldowns on the homescreen. Since the beginning, there has only been just one. Now, with Android 4.2, there are two. This is frustrating at times. It has become muscle memory to just pulldown the notification bar and clear your notifications and access Settings menus, but now, it&#8217;s divided. The pulldown on the left is strictly for notifications, while the other is for system settings. Why they decided to split it and not just do the reversible configuration like they did on the phones is beyond me. Like I said, this could be something that I grow fond of down the road (doubt it), but it&#8217;s definitely not a make or break situation.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Quirks-Nexus-10.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-89929" title="Quirks Nexus 10" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Quirks-Nexus-10-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Quirks-Nexus-10-3.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-89928" title="Quirks Nexus 10 3" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Quirks-Nexus-10-3-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Quirks-Nexus-10-2.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-89927" title="Quirks Nexus 10 2" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Quirks-Nexus-10-2-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Quirks-Nexus-10-4.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-89931" title="Quirks Nexus 10 4" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Quirks-Nexus-10-4-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Lack of Expandable Memory:  </strong>I will only briefly touch on this, since I myself do not find it to be an issue, but I know some do. The Nexus 10 does not have expandable memory, which could be a deal breaker for some. It comes in 16GB and 32GB models, and if that&#8217;s simply not enough, or you need access to additional storage that you can easily swap, this won&#8217;t be the tablet for you. There are plenty of other options out there that feature lots of ports and storage options.</li>
<li><strong>No 4G LTE</strong>:  The Nexus 10 is a WiFi-only tablet, so if you were hoping to add this to your shiny new Family Share plan and soak up the 4G LTE speeds of Verizon or AT&amp;T, you will be disappointed. Not having LTE is not a big deal if you know going in that it&#8217;s a WiFi-only tablet. And truthfully, there is nothing wrong with a tablet that is WiFi-only. We all love a low, low price, something that wouldn&#8217;t have been easily accomplished if it had an LTE chip inside.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Revolves Around Google Play Content:</h4>
<p>Much like its little brother, the Nexus 10 revolves around the idea that as an owner of a Nexus 10, you are investing yourself into Google&#8217;s Android ecosystem. You&#8217;re downloading apps, renting movies, buying music, and reading books all from Google Play. To me, the question is simply, &#8220;Is this the device I want to spend my hard earned money on to deliver the goods?&#8221; Upon first boot, Google makes sure you know about their presence throughout the device, and how simple it is to get the content you want right from the Play store.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/My-Library-Nexus-10.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-89918" title="My Library Nexus 10" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/My-Library-Nexus-10-650x406.png" alt="" width="650" height="406" /></a></p>
<p>It isn&#8217;t overdone and it&#8217;s quite tasteful in terms of advertising, which I appreciate. Many who are reading this probably already own an Android device, but whenever I talk to someone who is debating between iOS and Android, I always refer to the ecosystem and community. With the Nexus 10, this is a great device to either upgrade to or start off with down the road to living with Android.</p>
<h4>Device Gallery:</h4>

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<h4>Device Overview:</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/11/20/samsung-nexus-10-review/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h4>Android 4.2 Overview:</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/11/20/samsung-nexus-10-review/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h4>Conclusion:</h4>
<p>When Google launched its Nexus 7 tablet at Google I/O, I quickly found that a 7&#8243; device was the perfect size for me. But with so many people on this planet, it&#8217;s only natural that someone out there will disagree. In fact, I saw so many comments from people who wanted a bigger tablet that I quickly assured myself that Google would inevitably create a device that suited other&#8217;s needs. But, would it meet the buyer&#8217;s expectations that Google set so high with the success and pricing of the Nexus 7?</p>
<p>To sum it all up, I think Google has accomplished what they set out to do &#8211; create a 10&#8243; tablet for those that want it and expect it to be an absolute dream device at the same time. Sure, the back is a fingerprint magnet, but that is really the only negative I can come up with. The display is gorgeous, the device is extremely fast and responsive, and it will receive updates for a long time to come. As an Android fan, that is literally all we can ask for.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/11/20/samsung-nexus-10-review/">Samsung Nexus 10 Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>129</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Quick Look: Hands-on With the Archos 101 XS Tablet</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/08/22/quick-look-hands-on-with-the-archos-101-xs-tablet/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/08/22/quick-look-hands-on-with-the-archos-101-xs-tablet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:09:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tim-o-tato</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Videos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Archos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Archos 101 XS]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=80136</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Watch out, folks. Archos is looking to make a blast in the Android tablet market with their new Gen10 lineup of devices. The first to debut is the 101 XS. While it&#8217;s a 10.1&#8243; tablet, featuring Ice Cream Sandwich and a pretty beefed up OMAP 4470 processor, it looks to be a direct competitor to [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/08/22/quick-look-hands-on-with-the-archos-101-xs-tablet/">Quick Look: Hands-on With the Archos 101 XS Tablet</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-Cover.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-80137" title="Archos Cover" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-Cover-650x434.png" alt="" width="650" height="434" /></a></p>
<p>Watch out, folks. <a href="/tag/archos">Archos</a> is looking to make a blast in the Android tablet market with their new Gen10 lineup of devices. The first to debut is the <a href="/tag/Archos-101-xs"><strong>101 XS</strong></a>. While it&#8217;s a 10.1&#8243; tablet, featuring Ice Cream Sandwich and a pretty beefed up OMAP 4470 processor, it looks to be a direct competitor to ASUS&#8217; Transformer line. I&#8217;ve been playing around with it in my day to day routine for almost a week now and have a pretty solid opinion on some of the tablet&#8217;s highs and lows. <span id="more-80136"></span></p>
<h4>Thoughts:</h4>
<p>As far as overall specs, the 10.1&#8243; display features a 1280&#215;800 resolution, a 1.5GHz dual-core OMAP chip, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of on-board storage which is expandable to 64GB. The main feature Archos is pushing with the device is the accompanied &#8220;Coverboard.&#8221; It is a magnetic full keyboard/screen cover that definitely differentiates this device from any other tablet on the market. Sure, others may have keyboard docks, but the only thing making this one different is the fact that it attaches through the magic of magnets.</p>
<p>Archos claims the tablet will receive a Jelly Bean update sometime in Q4, which is fine since market availability in the US doesn&#8217;t begin until November. The price is set at $400, and this does include both tablet and coverboard. To help you ease into that price, Archos threw in a copy of OfficeSuite Pro ($15 value) to let you know just how handy this thing can be when editing Word, Excel, and other documents.</p>
<h4>Gallery:</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-80138" title="Archos 1" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-1-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-2.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-80139" title="Archos 2" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-2-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-80140" title="Archos 3" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-3-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-80145" title="Archos 7" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-7-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-80141" title="Archos 4" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-4-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-5.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-80142" title="Archos 5" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-5-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-80143" title="Archos 6" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-6-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-Cover.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-80137" title="Archos Cover" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Archos-Cover-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<h4>Hands-On:</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/08/22/quick-look-hands-on-with-the-archos-101-xs-tablet/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h4>Conclusion:</h4>
<p>So, should you go ahead and spend $400 on this thing? I would have to say &#8220;No.&#8221; With the selection of Android tablets becoming evermore vast, people looking for a decent and cheaper Android tablet should probably go ahead and check out one of ASUS&#8217; offerings. Better build quality and much better software.</p>
<p>During my time spent with this device, I tried to think of who or what type of user would benefit from this tablet. To this day, I still haven&#8217;t answered that question to a degree I am comfortable with. Props to Archos for trying something new, but I just find myself unimpressed with the hardware at that price point.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/08/22/quick-look-hands-on-with-the-archos-101-xs-tablet/">Quick Look: Hands-on With the Archos 101 XS Tablet</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<title>Google Nexus 7 Review</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/07/10/google-nexus-7-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/07/10/google-nexus-7-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2012 18:30:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kellex</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jelly Bean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nexus 7]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=75032</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Nexus 7 wasn&#8217;t a complete surprise when Google unveiled it at I/O two weeks ago, but that doesn&#8217;t mean it didn&#8217;t impress. At $199, this tablet sports specs that most &#8220;high-end&#8221; tablets can&#8217;t compete with. Sure, Google and Asus had to cut a few corners to keep the price so low, but after having [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/07/10/google-nexus-7-review/">Google Nexus 7 Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-74671" title="nexus 7" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-3-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></p>
<p>The <a href="/tag/nexus-7"><strong>Nexus 7</strong></a> wasn&#8217;t a complete surprise when Google unveiled it at I/O two weeks ago, but that doesn&#8217;t mean it didn&#8217;t impress. At $199, this tablet sports specs that most &#8220;high-end&#8221; tablets can&#8217;t compete with. Sure, Google and Asus had to cut a few corners to keep the price so low, but after having one in my hands, it certainly feels like they cut in all of the right places. There is no need for review trickery here, we are going to recommend this tablet over and over again. So jump through the review to find out why. <span id="more-75032"></span></p>
<h3>The Good:</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong><strong>Price</strong></strong>: What else should have been bullet #1? At $199 and $249, you won&#8217;t find a better deal on a tablet. Sure, the Kindle Fire matches the Nexus 7 in price, but comes no where near it in specs, build quality, or Android experience. It still blows my mind a bit to think that this bundle of tech goodness is so affordable.</li>
<li><strong>Specs</strong>:  With its Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 7&#8243; HD display, 1GB of RAM, and 4325mAh battery, the Nexus 7 is close to having everything in a tablet that you could ever ask for. Sure, you may want a retina display and a rear facing camera at some point, but including those would also raise the price another couple of hundred dollars. This tablet was meant to be ultra-affordable yet powerful &#8211; it has done that and then some. If you look at the tablet market today, you won&#8217;t find many that can compete with the Nexus 7 in specs, let alone price.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus-7-google-now.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-75483" title="nexus 7 google now" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus-7-google-now-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong><strong>It&#8217;s a Nexus</strong></strong>:  Why is it important to be a &#8220;Nexus&#8221;? Because this device will be updated before any other. Google seems to be fed up with slow update rollouts from OEMs and carriers and has taken to selling their own Nexus branded devices like the N7. This gives them complete control over everything. There are no OEM or carrier barriers here &#8211; if Google wants to update this device, they can and will.</li>
<li><strong>Performance</strong>:  Thanks to the coupling of Jelly Bean, its &#8220;Project Butter,&#8221; and the Tegra 3 processor, the Nexus 7 is one of the speediest devices we have ever used. Benchmarks show a device that can compete with the best of them, but on a user level, you&#8217;ll notice the overall smoothness while operating it. Google always takes the time to optimize its Nexus devices with chosen chipsets and the current version of Android, something that is apparent here. Switching between apps is ultra-fast, there are no stutters in transitions, the most robust HD games operate at high frame rates, and multi-tasking can happen in an instant.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Screenshot_2012-07-10-08-46-27.png"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-75488" title="Screenshot_2012-07-10-08-46-27" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Screenshot_2012-07-10-08-46-27-406x650.png" alt="" width="325" height="520" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Screenshot_2012-07-10-08-48-11.png"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-75489" title="Screenshot_2012-07-10-08-48-11" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Screenshot_2012-07-10-08-48-11-406x650.png" alt="" width="325" height="520" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Size and Design</strong>:  To me, the 7&#8243; tablet is the perfect size. It can be pocketed if need be and is easy to hold in one hand for long periods of time (weighs just 340g). But not only does the Nexus 7 have the right size, Asus and Google designed this to feel amazing. What I mean is that they put this faux-leather-rubberish backing that&#8217;s soft and comfortable to the touch, yet is grippy enough to keep it in your hand. There is also enough bezel around the edge of the device to hold it without performing random screen touches. For example, in landscape, you have extra bezel on each edge where your thumbs would sit to let you hold the N7 comfortably. They even put the volume rocker and lock switch (back-top-right) in a spot that can be accessed at all times without much effort.</li>
<li><strong>Display</strong>:  At 216ppi, the Nexus 7&#8242;s display might not carry the &#8220;retina&#8221; tag, but it&#8217;s pretty damn good. As an IPS LCD, it gets plenty bright, won&#8217;t show ghosting, and displays colors much more naturally than say an AMOLED would. HD videos look impressive, the viewing angles are solid, and it&#8217;s less of a fingerprint magnet than tablets we have tested in the past.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus-7-display.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-75509" title="nexus 7 display" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus-7-display-650x487.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="487" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong><strong>Jelly Bean</strong></strong>:  Android 4.1 and the Nexus 7 feel like a match made in heaven. While the home screen and launcher setup mimics that of a phone, most of the stock Google apps all show their tablet counterpart when used. The grid on home screens has been upped to 6&#215;6 and certain widgets have been built to take advantage of it. The new notifications in Jelly Bean look big and bold on a 7&#8243; device, Google Now works instantly, the transitions are &#8220;buttery&#8221; smooth, and the task switcher pops up without hesitation. We have talked about he new features in Jelly Bean already, but if you want to get a feel for it on the Nexus 7, be sure to hit up our overview video below.</li>
<li><strong>Gaming</strong>:  We had a chance to talk to NVIDIA at Google I/O after the announcement of the Nexus 7 and they mentioned that this 7&#8243; size was perfect for gaming because it was like holding a gamepad or controller. I couldn&#8217;t agree more. While gaming on the N7, you can reach controls easier than on a 10&#8243; device, but also, when you have to interact with a game, it&#8217;s simple to jump back to those controls. And speaking of NVIDIA, since this device sports their Tegra 3 processor, you get special gaming privileges aka games that have been built specifically for devices like this. Shadowgun and Dead Trigger won&#8217;t look as good on non-Tegra devices as they will on tablets like the Nexus 7.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus-7-gaming.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-75482" title="nexus 7 gaming" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus-7-gaming-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Battery Life</strong>:  The Nexus 7 rocks out with a 4325mAh battery that should last up to 8 hours with &#8220;active use.&#8221; I don&#8217;t know what &#8220;active use&#8221; means, but I do know that this device should get you through most of a day if you are hammering away on it. If you use it here or there, possibly as an entertainment device, it should get you through more than just a single day. As someone that uses tablets sparingly, I would say that I have probably charged it all of 4 times since receiving it 2 weeks ago at Google I/O. It won&#8217;t win an award for battery life, but it also shouldn&#8217;t frustrate you.</li>
<li><strong>Media Suite</strong>:  Google is taking this media game seriously and it starts with the Nexus 7. At the announcement of it, they also announced all new Google Play apps for music, movies and tv, and magazines. They are going to do whatever they can to get you to gobble up entertainment, and this device puts it all easily at your fingertips.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Not-so-Good:</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Storage</strong>:  If you are going to buy a Nexus 7, buy the 16GB version. It will run you $249, but the extra internal storage will be worth it. My unit only has 8GB of storage, and trust me when I say that you can fill that up in no time. If you are a media junky that downloads more than a movie or two at a time for travel, you will run out of space quickly. 2GB or so are taken up by the OS, so after downloading a couple of big HD games and a 2.5GB HD movie or two, you will have nothing left. And since there isn&#8217;t a microSD slot to expand that storage amount, you need to invest in the extra storage up front.</li>
<li><strong>Rear Camera</strong>:  I personally couldn&#8217;t care less that the Nexus 7 does not have a rear camera, but some of you might. If you are into taking pictures with a giant glass slab, then this could be a downer to you. Most tablets these days, other than the Kindle Fire, have a rear camera, however, this was likely a move to keep the price down.</li>
<li><strong>No HDMI or MHL</strong>: Sorry, folks, the Nexus 7 does not have much of a video-out option. It&#8217;s microUSB port does not support MHL and there isn&#8217;t an HDMI slot to b e found either. Leaving either of these out is probably a cost cutting measure, but with Google also trying to push the Nexus Q and its wireless media playback, this sort of makes sense. That doesn&#8217;t mean we aren&#8217;t disappointed, though.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Overview:</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/07/10/google-nexus-7-review/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p></p>
<h3>Gallery:</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-74669" title="nexus 7" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-1-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-74674" title="nexus 7" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-6-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-5.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-74673" title="nexus 7" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-5-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-10.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-74678" title="nexus 7" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus7-10-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/nexus-7-tablet3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-74513" title="nexus 7 tablet" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/nexus-7-tablet3-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/nexus-7-tablet2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-74511" title="nexus 7 tablet" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/nexus-7-tablet2-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus-7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-75484" title="nexus 7" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/nexus-7-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/nexus-7-tablet1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-74512" title="nexus 7 tablet" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/nexus-7-tablet1-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<h3>Verdict:</h3>
<p>Review seem short? It&#8217;s short because this one is simple to me. This is the best Android tablet available. The specs are top tier, it&#8217;s a Nexus, the screen is beautiful, the design and size are perfect, and it was made to be a media consumption monster. Oh yeah, the price is also stunningly low at $199 (8GB) and $249 (16GB). What else could you want from a tablet? If you do choose to pick one up, just be sure it&#8217;s the 16GB model so that storage is never an issue.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/07/10/google-nexus-7-review/">Google Nexus 7 Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<title>Asus Transformer Pad Infinity Review</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jun 2012 07:47:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kellex</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Asus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infinity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transformer Pad]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=73779</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Asus is back this month with another Android tablet entry that looks to build upon their ever-expanding line. This new release is called the Transformer Pad Infinity, a slightly beefed up Transformer Prime-esque device with an incredibly high display resolution of 1920&#215;1200, newer NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, and a revised 8MP camera. It still runs [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-review/">Asus Transformer Pad Infinity Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-73834" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf6-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></p>
<p>Asus is back this month with another Android tablet entry that looks to build upon their ever-expanding line. This new release is called the <a href="/tag/transformer-pad"><strong>Transformer Pad Infinity</strong></a>, a slightly beefed up Transformer Prime-esque device with an incredibly high display resolution of 1920&#215;1200, newer NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, and a revised 8MP camera. It still runs Ice Cream Sandwich with Asus&#8217; minimal tweaks, docks in the same keyboard dock as the Prime, and even lasts about as long on a single charge. Is it a big enough jump from any of their other tablets to stand out though? Let&#8217;s talk about that. <span id="more-73779"></span></p>
<h4>The Good:</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong><strong><strong>Specs</strong></strong></strong>:  The hardware and specs of the Transformer Pad Infinity are about as good as it gets for the tablet game. With its new Tegra 3 T33 processor clocked at 1.6GHz, there aren&#8217;t many devices that can keep up with it. It also packs in a 1920&#215;1200 display which is only matched by the new iPad, leaving every other tablet in the dust. Along with processor and display, the Pad Infinity rocks 1GB of DDR3 RAM (clocked at 1600MHz), Bluetooth 3.0, micro-HDMI out, Gorilla Glass 2, an 8MP rear camera with new F2.2 aperture, 2MP front camera for HD chatting, expandable microSD card storage, a 25Wh battery that lasts about 8 hours, and is only 8.5mm thick. It&#8217;s a beast, people.</li>
<li><strong><strong>Display</strong></strong>:  The display on the Transformer Pad Infinity is the big selling point here and it delivers. Not only has the resolution been bumped to 1920&#215;1200 to give you full HD fun, but this sucker can be cranked up in the brightness department (600 nits) to give you a great outdoor experience. The viewing angles at almost 180 degrees are impressive, it has Gorilla Glass 2 for extra protection, and weighs in at 224ppi. It has 11% more pixels than a 1080p display, which should give you sharper text and beautiful photos, assuming you can take them. Check out the screen tech comparison below to understand exactly what we&#8217;re talking about.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-infinity-screen1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-73801" title="pad infinity screen" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-infinity-screen1-325x203.jpg" alt="" width="325" height="203" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/xoom-screen.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-73802" title="xoom screen" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/xoom-screen-650x385.jpg" alt="" width="325" height="203" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Design</strong>:  In terms of design, the Transformer Pad Infinity is close to being on the same level as its predecessor, the Transformer Prime. Asus kept the same color options &#8211; Amethyst Gray and Champagne Gold &#8211; along with the circular, metallic finish to the back side. The only difference is a plastic housing up top that holds the camera and switches, which we aren&#8217;t the biggest fans of, but wouldn&#8217;t call this area a deal breaker by any means. It&#8217;s still crazy thin, has enough bezel to make it easy to hold without accidental screen presses, and only weighs 1.31lbs. It also looks killer in the keyboard dock.</li>
<li><strong>Benchmarks</strong>:  The new Tegra 3 T33 processor inside packs a punch. Below, we ran the standard benchmarks to give you an idea of the performance jump that you will see even over the previous Tegra 3 chipset that was in devices such as the HTC One X and Transformer Prime. In some of the benchmarks it clearly outperforms, while in others it falls back a bit. The dip in scores likely has to do with that crazy high resolution, so to think that it surpasses some of these other devices in a few should impress you.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-21-05-061.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73844" title="Screenshot_2012-06-24-21-05-06" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-21-05-061-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-21-08-571.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73845" title="Screenshot_2012-06-24-21-08-57" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-21-08-571-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-22-16-261.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73846" title="Screenshot_2012-06-24-22-16-26" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-22-16-261-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-22-25-211.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73847" title="Screenshot_2012-06-24-22-25-21" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-22-25-211-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Performance</strong>:  And speaking of the new NVIDIA chipset inside, we need to talk about actual real life performance and not just numbers. When you put a finger or ten on this display and move around or attempt to accomplish anything meaningful, you will be blown away at the speed and responsiveness. Part of that amazing performance is the display tech used, but after jumping from apps to games to home and back again, it&#8217;s clear that we should thank both the Super IPS+ display and the processor, together. I have spent some quality time with almost every major tablet that has been released over the last 2 years, and this easily felt the smoothest.</li>
<li><strong>Accessories</strong>:  To us, Asus has been the king of Android tablets for some time now, but I don&#8217;t know that we have ever mentioned why we believe that. Oh who am I kidding, it&#8217;s obvious, isn&#8217;t it? It&#8217;s the keyboard dock coupled with cutting edge tablet tech. For those not familiar, Asus created this amazing mobile keyboard dock that feels as good as any netbook out there with one of their tablets docked into it. Couple that with all of the performance that we saw on the Transformer Pad Infinity and you almost can&#8217;t beat it as a mobile powerhouse. For me personally, it would be tough for this to replace a laptop as a daily driver, but it certainly works wonders in a pinch. Oh, and let&#8217;s not forget that the Transformer Prime&#8217;s dock works flawlessly with the Pad Infinity, so for those upgrading from a Prime, you do not have to go out a buy a new dock.</li>
<li><strong>Battery Life</strong>:  While I have to admit that I have yet to fully put the Pad Infinity through any serious battery testing, I will say that after 4 or 5 days, today was the first day that I had to slap it on a charger. Now, that&#8217;s not from steady use by any means, but it is with a little play time here or there followed by a bunch of idle time. Asus is claiming that it can last up to 9.5 hours on a single charge, with real time usage at around 8.5 hours. If you want even more, you can dock the tablet into the keyboard dock to tack on another 5. Thanks to the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor inside, battery life isn&#8217;t much of a concern. Through some of their custom software tweaks, Asus also threw in 3 different power management modes:  Power Saving, Balanced, and Performance.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/asus-power-save.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-73819" title="asus power save" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/asus-power-save-650x431.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="431" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Gaming</strong>:  Since the Pad Infinity is a Tegra-powered device, the gaming experience will be unlike any other Android device. NVIDIA and the crew have partnered with numerous gaming companies to create special edition titles with better graphics and experiences, built specifically for devices like this one. Games like Shadowgun THD and Riptide GP have extra PC-like polish that most devices can&#8217;t take advantage of. If you are a serious mobile gamer or simply want the best experience, devices like the Pad Infinity should be topping your list.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-23-24-121.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-73848" title="Screenshot_2012-06-24-23-24-12" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Screenshot_2012-06-24-23-24-121-650x406.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="406" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Price</strong>:  At $499 for the 32GB model and $599 for the 64GB model, you are looking at identical price points to the Transformer Prime. At those prices though, you are getting a revamped camera, faster processor, faster RAM, and a screen with an unmatched resolution. We hope this means that the Prime will drop to an even lower price point, but this is quite the deal for an Android tablet that few compare to.</li>
<li><strong>Software Tweaks</strong>:  Normally we aren&#8217;t fans of tweaks to stock Android, but Asus seems to know how to improve upon certain things while leaving the core alone. One example would be the control panel that you can get to by tapping on the notification area. Asus added shortcuts to their performance modes and better brightness controls without mucking things up. They also let you take screenshots by long-pressing the recent tasks button and manage to show you which screen you are on through a slight UI tweak at the top of home screens. What&#8217;s even better is the fact that most of this stuff can be turned off to give you a fully stock experience if that&#8217;s what you would like.</li>
<li><strong>Availability</strong>:  Asus is expecting the Transformer Pad Infinity to be available around the week of July 16.</li>
</ul>
<h4>The Not-so-Good:</h4>
<ul>
<li><strong>Build</strong>:  I don&#8217;t have a ton of negative things to say about the Pad Infinity, but one that has stood out from the minute I unboxed it was the build quality. The device looks almost identical to the Transformer Prime aside from the top back piece which seems to be made of a cheap plastic. It houses both the lock switch and volume rocker which are also made of some type of cheap plastic. You&#8217;ll notice in the unboxing video below that I couldn&#8217;t even get the volume rocker to adjust the volume after pressing it numerous times. The lock switch feels similar and often takes a couple of presses in order to get a reaction out of it. I don&#8217;t know that the cheap feel of either of these should deter you from purchasing this device, however, I can&#8217;t imagine they would be easy to replace should one break or stick permanently. Also, I somehow managed to add a handful of tiny scratches to the back of the device and can&#8217;t recall it ever being in a situation over the last few days that would warrant them. This tablet has gone from my wooden coffee table to my wooden desk to the couch, none of which have ever scratched any other device of mine.</li>
<li><strong>Android Tablets in General</strong>:  Look, we review Android tablets all of the time and with each new one, we find it harder and harder to do. There just aren&#8217;t things that really make you say, &#8220;Wow! That&#8217;s so awesome!&#8221; anymore. The Pad Infinity has a great screen, is ultra-powerful, very thin, and is the top dog in the Android world at this time, but the software experience is exactly the same as you would get on every other Asus tablet which will likely be priced lower. OEMs and chipset manufacturers continue to innovate on the hardware front, when that hasn&#8217;t ever really been an issue to begin with. It&#8217;s the software experience that sucks on Android tablets, and when we say that, we are admitting that it&#8217;s no different here on the Pad Infinity. The total package isn&#8217;t bad, but again, why is this one better than the Prime? Is it the slight uptick in processor? Is it the higher resolution screen that nothing has been built to take advantage of yet? Is it the revised camera that people still won&#8217;t use since taking pictures and video with a tablet looks ridiculous? You tell me.</li>
</ul>
<h4> Unboxing:</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-review/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p></p>
<h4>Overview:</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-review/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p></p>
<h4>Gallery:</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73829" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf1-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73830" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf2-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73831" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf3-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf5.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73833" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf5-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73832" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf4-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73835" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf7-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf8.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73836" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf8-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-73834" title="transformer pad infinity" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/pad-inf6-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></p>
<h4>Verdict:</h4>
<p>The Pad Infinity is a solid tablet. It has the best display of any Android tablet around and probably crushes all of them in performance thanks to its shiny new Tegra 3 processor. Couple it with a keyboard dock and you essentially have a device that can embarrass most netbooks as well. So it&#8217;s a dream device, right? Eh, maybe. It&#8217;s still an Android tablet, which for many, still means it lacks something. What exactly that &#8220;something&#8221; is, I can&#8217;t pin point, so I&#8217;ll simply throw out a few scenarios that may help you decide if the Pad Infinity is for you.</p>
<p>If you are a serious tablet gamer, this is your best option on Android. If you need a tablet that can act as a laptop in sticky situations, this would meet your needs. If you want a device that can give you a stunning media experience thanks to a gorgeous display, then you can&#8217;t lose here. If you have yet to purchase your first Android tablet and are looking for an all-encompassing piece of tech, this may be it.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-review/">Asus Transformer Pad Infinity Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Acer Iconia A510 Review</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/05/14/acer-iconia-a510-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/05/14/acer-iconia-a510-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 23:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Eric</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[A510]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Acer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ice Cream Sandwich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iconia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=69596</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It seems like every few months there is a new Android tablet coming out with a little bit better specs than the tablet before it. It may seem like that because it&#8217;s true, which makes it very difficult for people to decide when to jump into the Android tablet game and at what price. While [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/05/14/acer-iconia-a510-review/">Acer Iconia A510 Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0754-web.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-69597" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0754-web.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="433" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">It seems like every few months there is a new Android tablet coming out with a little bit better specs than the tablet before it. It may seem like that because it&#8217;s true, which makes it very difficult for people to decide when to jump into the Android tablet game and at what price. While they may not be one of the big names in Android like Samsung or ASUS, <strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/03/22/acer-iconia-tab-a510-with-quad-core-tegra-3-processor-available-for-pre-order-today-at-449/">Acer&#8217;s Iconia Tab A510</a></strong> is looking to be your high-end Android tablet at the low-end price. The question is, does it deliver?<span id="more-69596"></span></p>
<h3><strong>The Good</strong>:</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Speed: </strong>With every tablet or phone that we have tested that features <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/tegra-3/">NVIDIA&#8217;s Tegra 3</a> quad-core chipset, this has been at the top of our list. Acer has crammed that beast of a CPU into this tablet and boy does it fly. We have gone into the Tegra 3 in-depth many times before though so I will keep this brief, but on the A510 it made me comment to Tim while I was reviewing it: &#8220;This is how Android should run.&#8221; That being said, under heavy use like streaming video or gaming, the Tegra 3 lets you know exactly where it sits by heating up the underside of the tablet, but still runs smoothly.</li>
<li><strong>Battery: </strong>Every tablet should have a battery as big, or last as long as the A510 does. Acer didn&#8217;t pack a 9,800mAh battery in this thing for nothing. When I first unboxed the tablet, it had 65% of a charge. It lasted a full two days (pictured below) with heavy use before I decided that I should plug it back in. The weight of the tablet suffers slightly from this power pack but even then, it still only weighs in at 1.9lbs, only .6lbs more than the <strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/04/21/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/">Transformer Pad TF300</a></strong>. Seeing this kind of longevity from a quad-core device is surprising and refreshing.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/a510battery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-69604" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/a510battery.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="406" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Build</strong>: Buyers who obsess with the thinnest and lightest devices need not apply to the A510, but Acer has made a tablet that packs a lot of battery and still is easy on the hands. The backside of the device is covered in a soft plastic covered in dots for added grip to guard against unwanted drops. The top and bottom of the tablet have soft curves to them and make sure that you don&#8217;t get the dreaded &#8220;tablet hand&#8221; during use. The only complaint here is the right and left sides of the tablet are fairly cornered off in comparison to everything else. Overall the tablet feels very sturdy and comfortable in-hand. Oh, and you get the Olympic symbol slapped on the back as well. Do you need it? Not necessarily. Does it take anything away from the tablet? Not at all.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0733-web.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-69621" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0733-web.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="345" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Specs: </strong>For $450 you are getting a tablet packed with specs that can rival anything on the market today. First off we have the aforementioned Tegra 3 quad-core processor, and that is backed up with 1GB of RAM on-board. 32GB of storage is already included and Acer went with a 5MP camera on the back for good measure. There is a microSD card slot on the side and a micro HDMI port as well, great for playing games on your big-screen TV. The A510 has all the specs to do whatever you need it to.</li>
<li><strong>Ice Cream Sandwich: </strong>What else can we say about <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/ice-cream-sandwich/">Android 4.0</a> that we already haven&#8217;t said before? 4.0.3 comes pre-loaded on this tablet as compared to the other Iconia Tabs who had to wait for an update. The marriage of ICS and Tegra 3 is just something you have to feel to see.</li>
<li><strong>Custom Android Skin: </strong>I know what you&#8217;re thinking, because I felt the same way when I heard that Acer had a skin on top of ICS, but bear with me here; it isn&#8217;t terrible. To call it a skin in the first place is a bit of a misnomer, as far as skins like TouchWiz go Acer&#8217;s modifications are extremely light and for the most part: useful. The star of the show is Acer&#8217;s uninstallable ring that hangs out in ICS&#8217;s action bar that when clicked allows you shortcuts to apps and websites that you can choose. Other than that it&#8217;s almost stock ICS.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/a510lockscreen.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-69618" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/a510lockscreen.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="406" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Screen: </strong>The A510 is rocking a 1280 x 800 TFT LCD screen on the front of the device. While it may not be anything ground breaking on the display front, the display looks good overall. You have to really search for an angle where the color is affected. Colors are bright and vibrant and the display seems to work well with the Tegra 3 being the powerhouse behind it.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Not-so-Good:</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Camera: </strong>You would have to expect this one, tablet cameras are just generally pretty bad and the A510 is no better. It has the same 5MP camera that was featured on the earlier A200 models and the pictures do the camera no favors. The tablet is capable of shooting 1080p video but video quality seems less than stellar. Let&#8217;s just say you won&#8217;t be buying the A510 for the camera, but then again who is buying tablets for the camera?</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_20120513_092718.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-69624" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_20120513_092718-325x244.jpg" alt="" width="325" height="244" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_20120514_153123.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-69625" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_20120514_153123-325x244.jpg" alt="" width="325" height="244" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Weight: </strong>This is a very small gripe, but at this point I am nitpicking to try and find things wrong with this tablet. In the days of &#8220;thinner is better&#8221; this tablet packs on a little more weight than it&#8217;s brethren. It makes holding it for extended periods of time noticeable but as mentioned before, the extra weight is justified in the battery.</li>
<li><strong>Proprietary Charger: </strong>One thing I noticed was that the charger for this tablet was a special cable, longer than a microUSB. The interesting part is that the tablet works with microUSB to connect to a computer. Why not just use the microUSB as a charger?</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Gallery</strong>:</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0730-gallery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-69628" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0730-gallery-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0736-gallery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-69629" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0736-gallery-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0744-gallery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-69630" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0744-gallery-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0747-gallery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-69631" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0747-gallery-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0748-gallery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-69632" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0748-gallery-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0752-gallery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-69633" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0752-gallery-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0756-gallery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-69634" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0756-gallery-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0759-gallery.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-69635" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/IMG_0759-gallery-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<h3><strong>The Verdict</strong>:</h3>
<p>Coming from the grandfather of all Android tablets, the Motorola XOOM, I was skeptical whether or not I would enjoy my time with the Acer Iconia Tab A510. Long story short: I really did. Sure it may not be the flashiest name or brand in the game right now, but if you are looking for an Android tablet that will do what you want it to, and do it for a long time the A510 is definitely something to look to.</p>
<p>Because of their similar specs and pricing, the A510 and the Transformer Pad TF300 are going to be compared. The Tegra 3 is a fantastic piece of hardware that makes both of these tablets really sing. For the specs that the A510 has and the price point of only $450, Acer seems to have hit a sweet spot for performance and affordability. Anyone looking to get their first Android tablet would do well to choose the Acer Iconia A510.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/05/14/acer-iconia-a510-review/">Acer Iconia A510 Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>557</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Asus Transformer Pad TF300 Review</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/04/21/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/04/21/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:59:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tim-o-tato</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=67426</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  The folks over at Asus were nice enough to send us a brand new Transformer Pad before they hit the US market here in a few days. The tablet itself is Asus&#8217; attempt at creating a powerful tablet with strong on-paper specs, but keeping it at an affordable entry-level price for people who could possibly be [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/04/21/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/">Asus Transformer Pad TF300 Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-13.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-67444" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-13-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></p>
<p>The folks over at <a href="/tag/asus">Asus</a> were nice enough to send us a brand new <strong>Transformer Pad</strong> before they hit the US market here in a few days. The tablet itself is Asus&#8217; attempt at creating a powerful tablet with strong on-paper specs, but keeping it at an affordable entry-level price for people who could possibly be shopping for either an Android tablet or a netbook. Coupled with the separately sold lapdock accessory, the Transformer Pad is capable of taking on your most important business and then handling your favorite Android apps with ease. Read on to see how it is <em>almost </em>the perfect example of when good looks meets affordable functionality.<span id="more-67426"></span></p>
<h3><strong>The Good</strong>:</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Speed: </strong> We get it already &#8211; NVIDIA&#8217;s Tegra 3  processor is capable of turning almost any Android tablet into a competitor for best tab on the market. With many apps and great games coming out that are specifically designed to show off the Tegra 3&#8242;s capabilities, there is no doubt that this tablet&#8217;s chipset should be used as a selling point. When you hear that your tablet has a Tegra chip, you can rest assured that it will keep up with the best of them and power any type of activities you may throw its way.</li>
<li><strong>Specs:  </strong>The Transformer Pad is a 10.1&#8243; tablet with a WXGA (1280&#215;800) IPS display featuring the Tegra 3 processor along with a full 1GB of RAM. It weighs in at 1.39lbs and will be available in three different colors:  blue (at launch), red, and white (by June). Along the backside is the 8MP shooter, then on the front is the 1.2MP camera for video chatting. You have your WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS (take that Prime!), and even a Gyroscope, so straight out of the box this thing comes packed with goodies. Specs like these aren&#8217;t often seen with a $380 price tag, so it&#8217;s all a major plus in this instance.</li>
<li><strong>Camera: </strong> At the beginning of the review, I had to ask myself which Transformer tablet I would be comparing this T-Pad to. Would I compare it to the Transformer Prime, or to the first TF101 tablet. In the camera department, I would have to compare to the first Transformer Eee Pad, due to the fact that this tab&#8217;s camera beats it outright and that at the $380 price point, we know this is not being marketed as the Prime&#8217;s successor. It is an 8MP shooter with a f2.2 aperture, capable of shooting video in 1080p HD. The auto-focus is spot on and it shoots like a champ. But let&#8217;s face it, are we actually buying tablets for the camera?</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/T-Pad-Pic-1.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67500" title="T-Pad Pic 1" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/T-Pad-Pic-1-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/T-Pad-Pic-2.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67501" title="T-Pad Pic 2" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/T-Pad-Pic-2-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/T-Pad-Pic-3.png"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67502" title="T-Pad Pic 3" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/T-Pad-Pic-3-162x162.png" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><br />
(<em>Click to enlarge</em>)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Display:</strong>  The T-Pad has a 10.1&#8243; IPS display with close to 180 degree viewing angles, is backlit with 10-finger multi-touch, and with 350 nits brightness, you may even be able to use it outside in sunlight at times. It doesn&#8217;t get quite as bright as the Prime, but then it also wouldn&#8217;t be this affordable. The touch sensitivity on this tablet is also very good, responding instantly to anything you ask of it.</li>
<li><strong>Battery: </strong> When the tablet first arrived, Asus instructed me that I would need to power on the tablet and then allow it to die, then fully charge it to make sure the battery was cycled properly. Well, at first I had troubles doing that because the darn thing wouldn&#8217;t die. I first powered it on and it held about 65% left and even after all my playing around and checking out the features I was only down to 55%. I haven&#8217;t had any battery problems so far and from only the short time I have had with it, I don&#8217;t see battery being a problem for me in the future either.</li>
<li><strong>Lapdock </strong><strong>Accessory: </strong> For the extra $150, you can buy the lapdock accessory which turns this tablet into the full package. A powerful tablet that can play your favorite mobile games, but also handle all of your business as it has just been made into a sporty notebook. The lapdock isn&#8217;t a gimmick either &#8211; it works quite well. And with the added benefit of having an extra 5 hours of battery life on your tablet, that&#8217;s a win win in my book. <em>Quick tip</em> &#8211; Asus said that none of the docks and tablets (previous models) would work interchangeably, but I found that isn&#8217;t exactly true. The Prime will work in the TF300&#8242;s dock, but not vice-versa. The TF300T is too fat to fit inside the Prime&#8217;s dock. I was unable to try the TF101 as I do not own one.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-12.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-67443" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-12-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ice Cream Sandwich: </strong> Let us hope that all future Android tablets will come shipped with <a href="/tag/ice-cream-sandwich">Ice Cream Sandwich</a> from now on. If you are looking to buy a tablet, but it is still running Honeycomb, run away as fast as you can. And as far as companies updating their devices is concerned, there is no better in my eyes than Asus. After receiving the tablet, there has already been one OTA update and you have to respect that in a company. Knowing your device will receive timely updates to newest firmware and having bugs fixed is a huge plus.</li>
<li><strong>Price:</strong>  Hard to argue with the price of this tablet. You get high-end specs but at one of the more reasonable prices we have seen in a tablet of this caliber to date. The 16GB model will run $379 at launch with the 32GB model dropping in at $399. This tablet should hit retail stores around 4/30 and online shops by 4/23.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Not-so-Good:</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Build Quality/</strong><strong>Construction: </strong> Yes, I have this listed as a negative. That is not to say that the Transformer Pad is cheaply built, but it almost feels like it&#8217;s missing a few screws somewhere. Sure, tablets are not made to be bent or twisted, but I know that if you drop this slate from waist high onto something harder than carpet, you may be out a few hundred dollars. The casing is easily separated from the screen with a fingernail and holding the tablet just isn&#8217;t all that fun. Whether this plastic material was used to fit inside the design budget or if they wanted to shy away from the metal they used on the Prime, it seems that some steps were skipped when assuring the tab wouldn&#8217;t fall apart after some heavy use.</li>
<li><strong>Speaker Location: </strong> I stressed this same topic on the my Transformer Prime review. Companies, please do not put the speaker in a location that will be covered by my hand when holding. When I&#8217;m playing a game and watching videos, I am constantly having to re-position my hand to make sure I can hear the audio. No thank you.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-5.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-67431" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-5-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><strong>Overall Feel: </strong> This sort of ties in with the construction part, but that just wasn&#8217;t enough to portray the sense of worry I had when holding the tablet. For example, when firmly (not too firmly) pressing on the backside of the slate, you can see the front display begin to bleed in front from where you are holding it. It&#8217;s fine if you handle your tablet like a newborn, but when you are playing a racing game and holding it in front of your face in the air, you are going to want to have a strong hold of it  from the back and even during that you can witness the bleeding. I have a Transformer Prime and also a XOOM WiFi and neither have had something like that. Definitely a pointer to the plastic backing they used instead of something a bit more sturdy .</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Video Overview</strong>:</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/04/21/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h3><strong>Gallery</strong>:</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67432" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-6-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-8.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67434" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-8-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67427" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-1-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67429" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-3-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-10.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67436" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-10-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67433" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-7-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67428" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-2-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-9.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-67435" title="asus transformer pad tf300" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/transformer-300-9-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<h3>Transformer Series Compared:</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Transformer-Series.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-67515" title="Transformer Series" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Transformer-Series-650x443.png" alt="" width="650" height="443" /></a></p>
<h3><strong>The Verdict</strong>:</h3>
<p>The Transformer Pad nails Asus&#8217; goal to have top of the line specs at a price point that can compete in a market place that is cluttered with other noteworthy competitors. But is it worth it? At $380 for 16GB or $400 for 32GB, it may in fact seem like a good deal at first look, but if the Transformer Prime ($500) begins to see a lesser price tag, then I would suggest to save up for that instead. As a successor to the TF101, the T-Pad plays its role as a high performance entry-level tablet just fine, but when you throw in the extra $150 for a new lapdock, you are looking at a grand total of about $530 or more. Just $100 more and you can have the Prime with a lapdock which sports a better camera and overall higher build quality in general. That&#8217;s just my personal belief.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, the Transformer Pad is an option which will deliver high performance at a very reasonable price. If that is what you seek, then this is the tablet for you.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/04/21/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/">Asus Transformer Pad TF300 Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<title>ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime Review</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/03/28/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-review/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/03/28/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:15:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tim-o-tato</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=65118</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Seriously, this is our Transformer Prime review. As you know,we first got our hands on this next-gen Android tablet back in December, but for reasons we can&#8217;t explain (other than Kellex being bored to death with Android tablets), we are just now putting it all together. Apologies are in store though, we really have no [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/03/28/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-review/">ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer8.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-56632" title="asus transformer prime" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer8-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></p>
<p>Seriously, this is our <strong><a href="/tag/transformer-prime">Transformer Prime</a></strong> review. As you know,we first got our hands on this next-gen Android tablet back in December, but for reasons we can&#8217;t explain (<del>other than Kellex being bored to death with Android tablets</del>), we are just now putting it all together. Apologies are in store though, we really have no excuse for this being 5 months late. With that said, you should already know that it is one of our favorite tablets as we talk about it probably more than any other Android tablet that is available. It&#8217;s a beast of a slate, so let&#8217;s get started. <span id="more-65118"></span></p>
<h3><strong>The Good</strong>:</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>ASUS: </strong>This might seem silly, but these days, which manufacturer you decide to buy from plays a huge role in how well your device will be supported down the road after your purchase. Lately, <a href="/tag/asus">ASUS</a> has been the number one company when it comes to software and firmware updates for their products. The Prime has received a large array of various updates and fixes that make ASUS our favorite tablet manufacturer by far in comparison to let&#8217;s say, Motorola? Whenever a new version of Android is rolling, we can almost count on this company like clockwork to deliver it to our devices in a timely manner.</li>
<li><strong>Performance</strong>: The Prime was the first tablet to launch with a quad-core processor which was its main market draw. It is a <a href="/tag/tegra-3">Tegra 3 from NVIDIA</a> and since we opened up the box, we could tell this chip actually made the Android experience better. Homescreens were flinging with no hiccups, games were performing with no lag, and once Ice Cream Sandwich hit this tablet, it was brought to a completely new level.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tegra-3-shadowgun.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-56886" title="asus transformer prime" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tegra-3-shadowgun-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Mobile Gaming</strong>: If you consider yourself a mobile gamer (like myself), then the Prime is the go-to tablet. With its 12-core GPU (delivering 3x the Tegra 2 graphics) and games such as ShadowGun THD being specifically made for it, you just can&#8217;t beat the performance and graphics you receive.</li>
<li><strong>Build/Feel</strong>: The Prime is sleek, extremely well built, and has that super sexy purple-ish metallic backplate which is resistant to most scratches, scuffs, and fingerprints. Besides the actual glass display, I think this tablet could take a pretty strong beating and still hold up. The only downside is the volume rocker on the side of the device which is slightly hard to press. They are so tightly flush with the device, that sometimes you have to strain to control the volume. Nothing you can&#8217;t get used to though. Holding the Prime is a joy (once you get past how cold the backing is &#8211; read section below) and with its incredible lightweight, lugging it around in a bag or in your hand is completely painless.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-56639" title="asus transformer prime" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer1-650x432.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><strong>Display</strong>: This display on this tablet is acceptable. It is a Super IPS+ (1280&#215;800) screen that might have a lower pixel density than some competitors, but the Prime actually delivers some pretty decent images. At times, the display looks &#8220;cold&#8221; and sort of has a darker tint to it, but for some, this a plus and is much easier on the eyes.</li>
<li><strong>Overall Specs</strong>: With 32GB and 64GB variations available, all having micro-SD slots, you can easily find a Prime to suit your storage needs. All variants sport 1GB worth of RAM and feature Corning&#8217;s Gorilla Glass to protect the display. The Tegra 3 is clocked at 1.3GHz, capable of beating out almost all competition when placed side by side, but with a  Li-Po 25Wh battery, you sometimes run out of juice well before you wish you were. Other notable additions is the powerful speaker they were able to throw on, but for whatever reason, they placed it right where your hands are supposed to go, making watching videos and playing games sort of a pain when you&#8217;re trying to enjoy the music/sounds. Once you find the right spot for your hands, you&#8217;re good to go.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1512571.jpg"><img class="alignnone  wp-image-65583" title="IMG_20120323_151257" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1512571-650x487.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Camera: </strong>The 8MP back shooter is capable of delivering some pretty decent pictures and 1080p HD videos. You won&#8217;t want to replace your SLR, but if you&#8217;re out and about and see something or have a cute wolf puppy that you can never have enough pictures of, you will have no troubles snapping a quick picture of it to share with your friends or family. ASUS has stated that the camera available on the Prime is one of the best in the tablet market and considering that we seldom take pictures with our tablets, we will have to agree with them.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Prime-Pic-11.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-65575" title="Prime Pic 1" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Prime-Pic-11-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Prime-Pic-21.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-65576" title="Prime Pic 2" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Prime-Pic-21-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Prime-Pic-31.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-65577" title="Prime Pic 3" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Prime-Pic-31-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Prime-Pic-41.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-65578" title="Prime Pic 4" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Prime-Pic-41-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><strong>Accessories</strong>: The most well-known accessory for the Prime is the matching lapdock docking station. It turns your tablet into a full fledged laptop in a single click, and surprisingly, it works extremely well. The keys and mouse pointer are very responsive and one could most certainly perform a variety of average tasks that one could do on a full laptop. It&#8217;s definitely perfect for in-flight use or road trip work and even adds some 5-7 hours of battery life to your Prime while connected. It&#8217;s a must have.</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>The Not-so-Good</strong>:</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Battery</strong>: Unfortunately, with all this fantastic performance in gaming and speed, the Prime does suffer a somewhat insufficient battery. For me, the Prime won&#8217;t even last two days with little use. Just sitting, idling, not doing anything and it will run itself dry in no time. Whether that is a fault of the Tegra 3 processor, or the smaller Li-Po 25Wh size of the battery, it is one thing to think about if you are buying this tablet with the idea that it will hold a charge over the course of a week. I do mention above however, that with the lapdock attached, you can easily get another 5-7 hours out of the Prime.</li>
<li><strong>Metallic backplate</strong>: This needed its very own section. In comparison to the Motorola XOOM or the Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Prime is really cold to the touch. Thanks to the metal backing, if left in a cold room, the Prime almost is unpleasant to pick up and operate. However, this is sort of offset thanks to the temperature at which the processor operates. After holding the slate for a few minutes, either the tablet will warm up, or your hands will just get used to being sort of numb.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120328_1221181.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-65580" title="ASUS 40-Pin" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120328_1221181.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><strong><span style="text-align: center;">40-Pin Charger/Data Cable: </span></strong><span style="text-align: center;">I do realize that in order to hook this tablet up to the lapdock, you will need more than a micro-USB, but what happens when you lose your 40-pin cable? For a replacement straight from ASUS, you&#8217;re looking at a whopping $20 just for the cable, and $50 if you lose the adapter as well. I very much wish that there was two options to charge the device, 40-pin and a micro-usb.</span></li>
<li><strong><span style="text-align: center;">Bugs (WiFi and GPS issues) </span></strong><span style="text-align: center;">Since release, many folks have complained of ongoing issues with the GPS and WiFi connectivity. I myself encountered no such issues, so I can&#8217;t personally claim to know about the issues. What I do know, is that ASUS is continuously pumping out updates to the Prime which should fix all of these issues hopefully sooner, rather than later. </span></li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Unboxing and hands-on</strong>:</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/03/28/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-review/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h3><strong>Gallery</strong>:</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1509381.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-65584" title="IMG_20120323_150938" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1509381-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1510401.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-65585" title="IMG_20120323_151040" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1510401-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1513441.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-65587" title="IMG_20120323_151344" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1513441-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-56637" title="asus transformer prime" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer3-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-56634" title="asus transformer prime" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer6-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-56633" title="asus transformer prime" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer7-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1512571.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-65583" title="IMG_20120323_151257" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/IMG_20120323_1512571-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-56638" title="asus transformer prime" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/transformer2-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<h3><strong>The Verdict</strong>:</h3>
<p>The Transformer Prime can be found online for as little as $500. Not bad, considering that the Motorola XOOM WiFi is still going for $420. If you have been in the market for an Android tablet, for just $80 more, you can completely justify spending the extra cash on this one. It has top-of-the-line specs and high quality hardware which will likely always be capable of running the newest version of Android. We are talking quad-core processors here; PC-like power.</p>
<p>Until we get word of the the next generation of tablets coming from Samsung and Motorola, the Transformer Prime still reigns supreme when compared to other tablets in its category. It has the superior performance, looks, and a great company backing it with timely updates. With the addition of the quad-core processor and an awesome, yet functional lapdock accessory, it doesn&#8217;t get much sweeter than this if you are looking for the best Android tablet experience.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="/tag/transformer-prime">Other Transformer Prime Coverage</a></strong></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/03/28/asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-review/">ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime Review</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<title>Motorola DROID XYBOARD Review &#8211; Verizon</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/02/23/motorola-droid-xyboard-review-verizon/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2012/02/23/motorola-droid-xyboard-review-verizon/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:35:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Eric</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Droid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[XYBOARD]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=62246</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Motorola did the DROID XYBOARD no favors with its unfortunate name, and with the device coming out in a timeframe just before the advent of quad-core processors, this tablet ended up out in the cold. Throw in a high price tag on-contract and an unenthusiastic launch and you have one interesting tablet left. But this [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/02/23/motorola-droid-xyboard-review-verizon/">Motorola DROID XYBOARD Review &#8211; Verizon</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0538-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62253" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0538-use.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="433" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/motorola/">Motorola</a> did the <strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/xyboard">DROID XYBOARD</a></strong> no favors with its unfortunate name, and with the device coming out in a timeframe just before the advent of quad-core processors, this tablet ended up out in the cold. Throw in a high price tag on-contract and an unenthusiastic launch and you have one interesting tablet left. But this is the first tablet to bear the legendary <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/droid/">DROID</a> name. Does it stand up to it? Let&#8217;s have a look.<span id="more-62246"></span></p>
<h2><strong>The Good:</strong></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0558-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62261" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0558-use.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="283" /></a>(XYBOARD on top, XOOM on bottom)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Weight and Feel: </strong>Coming from a guy who didn&#8217;t have a problem with the <strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/xoom">XOOM&#8217;s</a></strong> thickness and weight, handling the XYBOARD was an eye-opener. The tablet is almost half as thick as its predecessor and nearly half the weight as well. The whole tablet just feels much more pleasing in the hand than the original XOOM. The back edges of the device is covered in a black hard rubber which has a dual purpose. It makes the tablet easier to hold, but also cuts down on scratches and rough points when you set it down. Overall Moto really took the form factor as the major point to improve on with this device.</li>
<li><strong>4G LTE: </strong>Any tablet owner is missing out if they do not have <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/lte/">4G LTE</a> packed inside. Coming from a WiFi-only XOOM it was refreshing not having to search for a network close to me. The XYBOARD offered fast download speeds wherever I was, whether walking down the street or in my place, most of the time having faster speeds than if I was connected to WiFi anyway. Definitely a big plus for this tablet.</li>
<li><strong>Performance (kind of): </strong>The 1.2GHz dual-core processor they have in this baby is no slouch. At times the tablet flies through apps and homescreens without any kind of lag. For the most part the tablet is snappy and responsive to what you want to do with it.</li>
<li><strong>Stylus Implementation: </strong>One fact that fell under everyone&#8217;s radar, even my own until it arrived, was that the 10.1&#8243; XYBOARD came with a stylus. I was wondering what I would use the stylus for but Moto had me covered. In the action bar, right next to the settings button is a pen and paper emblem that will bring up a sticky note that you can write on whenever you want. Or if Evernote is your thing you can launch directly into that and take your notes there. The tablet comes packed with apps (more on that later) that let you use the stylus in fun ways, including Sketchbook Express which is a fairly advanced artistic app that makes perfect use of the stylus. Unfortunately the stylus doesn&#8217;t read how hard you are pressing like Samsung&#8217;s new S-Pen but it worked well anyway.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/notes.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62271" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/notes.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="203" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Camera: </strong>The XYBOARD&#8217;s camera is pretty decent as far as tablet cameras go. I was unable to get a day with sun but even still colors were decent and the shutter was fast in snapping what I needed. You won&#8217;t be using it often but when you do it will get the job done.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_20120221_164136.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62528" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_20120221_164136-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /> </a>    <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_20120209_134704.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62527" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_20120209_134704-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /> </a>    <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_20120209_122439.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62526" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_20120209_122439-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Screen: </strong>Moto definitely took some time to upgrade the screen from the original XOOM, which was notorious for ghosting with images coming across the screen. The XYBOARD&#8217;s screen is bright and vibrant. Just looking at the home screen is gorgeous and watching Netflix or any videos is a joy. There is still some ghosting when switching through large images across the screen but it has been cut down hugely since its predecessor.</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>The Not-so-Good:</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Performance (Honeycomb): </strong>The fact that this tablet launched with <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/honeycomb">Android 3.2 Honeycomb</a> was a bit of a head scratcher. The fact we learned that Motorola doesn&#8217;t plan on updating this for another 4 or 5 months to Ice Cream Sandwich is downright insane. After seeing how well <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/ice-cream-sandwich/">Ice Cream Sandwich</a> runs on other tablets, the XYBOARD will gobble it up once it is updated. For now though, Honeycomb is buggy, laggy and otherwise a let down. The tablet wants to show off it&#8217;s muscles but 3.2 isn&#8217;t suited for it.</li>
<li><strong>Battery life: </strong>We have come to expect bad battery life from anything that has an LTE radio in it but with a tablet sized battery I was expecting way more than what I got. One day with heavy use and lots of Netflix over 4G I drained the battery in almost 3 and a half hours. Days with switching between 4G and WiFi with less use yielded near 10 or more hours, although that was with lots of downtime as well.</li>
<li><strong>Bloatware: </strong>This tablet ties with the <strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/droid4/">Droid 4</a></strong> for amount of apps that are pre-loaded onto the device with 25. Not all of these are terrible though, like The Daily and Madden 12, which I could see myself using. However, most of them are apps that you are most likely never going to use and cannot be uninstalled or disabled. Motorola even threw in the &#8220;MotoPack&#8221; which lets you choose a group and installs apps based on that group. &#8220;Home Office&#8221; for instance installs apps like Out of Milk, Adobe Reader and Citrix Receiver. If Motorola and Verizon opted for one app that allowed you to install bloatware if you wanted it, I would be psyched. Let&#8217;s hope they think about this going forward.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/motopack.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-62278" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/motopack.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="406" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Not Quad-Core: </strong>You can&#8217;t really fault the tablet itself for this one but the <strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/transformer-prime/">Transformer Prime</a></strong> was right around the corner, signaling the advent of quad-core devices. It seems odd that the sequel to the first ever Honeycomb tablet wouldn&#8217;t be something that Moto put time into and made a leader of the pack.</li>
<li><strong>Price: </strong>No surprise here, you are looking at $429.99 on-contract for the smaller version of this tablet. If you want the 10.1&#8243; version you&#8217;re staring at a $529.99 price tag with a contract for your 4G service. It&#8217;s just a little bit rough around the edges when you consider the WiFi-only version will only run you $399.</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>Gallery</strong>:</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0510-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62252" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0510-use-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0504-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62251" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0504-use-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0500-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62250" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0500-use-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0499-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62249" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0499-use-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0550-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62282" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0550-use-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0497-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62248" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0497-use-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0561-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62283" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0561-use-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0548-use.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-62281" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_0548-use-162x162.jpg" alt="" width="162" height="162" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>The Verdict</strong>:</h2>
<p>After spending almost two weeks with the XYBOARD I have to feel bad for the device. The form factor is the most pleasing that I have seen in any tablet to date. Motorola really went out of their way, on the outside at least, to improve on everything that the XOOM did poorly. The tablet is light, easy to hold and thin. 4G speeds built in and some major processing power waiting to be harnessed sets this tablet up to be something special. But it&#8217;s not.</p>
<p>Like I have said before, the XYBOARD was doomed to a bad release date and poor marketing. The idea of signing up an on-contract tablet for 2 years is still a shaky idea with most people as well. Most people were hoping for the sequel to the XOOM to be the next great tablet but unfortunately this isn&#8217;t it. I find it hard to choose this tablet over my XOOM which is already running Ice Cream Sandwich very well and overall just runs better than the XOOM 2.</p>
<p>If you <em>have</em> to have a tablet on-contract with Verizon should you get this? Yes you should. Should you get the XYBOARD if you are just looking to get an Android tablet? Absolutely not. I can&#8217;t deny though, it was fun to see that massive red eye of Sauron boot up and have a tablet under the DROID brand. It&#8217;s unfortunate that this didn&#8217;t wow me like the <strong>OG Droid</strong> did.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2012/02/23/motorola-droid-xyboard-review-verizon/">Motorola DROID XYBOARD Review &#8211; Verizon</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<title>4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Review &#8211; Verizon</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:30:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tim-o-tato</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[4G LTE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Galaxy Tab 10.1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Samsung]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Verizon]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=44162</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that just landed on Verizon beat the Motorola XOOM to market as the world&#8217;s first 4G LTE tablet.  It also managed to sneak in at cheaper price points, a lighter weight, skinnier build and with varying storage sizes and colors.  At first glance, it&#8217;s pretty obvious that this would be the [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/">4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Review &#8211; Verizon</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-395/" rel="attachment wp-att-44210"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-44210" title="galaxy tab 10.1" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab1-600x399.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="399" /></a></p>
<p>The <strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/galaxy-tab-10-1/">Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1</a></strong> that just landed on Verizon beat the Motorola XOOM to market as the world&#8217;s first 4G LTE tablet.  It also managed to sneak in at cheaper price points, a lighter weight, skinnier build and with varying storage sizes and colors.  At first glance, it&#8217;s pretty obvious that this would be the tablet to jump on over the majority of the other offerings, for many of the reasons I just listed.  The thing we really need to look at here though, is whether or not this tablet is worth the 2-year contract that you will be asked to sign in order to avoid paying an outrageous full retail price.    <span id="more-44162"></span></p>
<h2><strong>The Good:</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Weight:</strong> The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is extremely light, which makes it the most portable of all the Android tablets in my opinion. Sure, other Honeycomb tablets aren&#8217;t going to kill you, but if you hold a Motorola XOOM up for a couple minutes, your arms might start getting stiff. With the Galaxy Tab 10.1, I feel like I could sit in my office, and use the Galaxy Tab as a steering wheel while playing a driving game for a half hour. No problem. Weighing in at only 1.25 lbs, you&#8217;ll have no problem running around with it all day.</li>
<li><strong>Specs</strong>: This is almost a given. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is rocking a NVIDIA 1GHz Tegra2 dual-core processor. Switching back and forth through apps is a breeze, and you won&#8217;t find your Tab trying to catch up with itself too much. And of course, it handles games with no troubles. The screen itself is arguably one of the best on the market. Even when compared to the i*ad2.</li>
<li><strong>Gaming: </strong>Android has a little ways to go in the gaming category &#8211; when compared to Apple&#8217;s huge list of games that run on the i*ad, Android could use some help. The games that we do have though, are very well developed, and look great on the Galaxy Tab 10.1. The biggest advantage is the beautiful display, bringing all any game&#8217;s colors to a whole other level. Vivid reds, and vibrant dark colors. There is no doubt that this tab was made with gaming in mind. If you&#8217;re looking for a good game to test this out, check out <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/06/24/gameloft-finally-releases-n-o-v-a-2-to-the-android-market-and-it-proceeds-to-blow-our-minds/">N.O.V.A. 2</a>, Zombieville, and especially Age of Zombies. They all look really good, and have zero lag. Smooth gameplay all the way.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="G Tab Gaming" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gtab3.png" alt="" width="538" height="336" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Flash</strong>:  What good is an Android tablet without Flash support? Web browsing is indeed made much more full with Flash support. But then again, it is also a drawback when sites with pop-ups come barging in all over your browser. For the most part, I disable ads, since that is the majority of Flash on the web. There is nothing like strolling through South Park Studios, and watching a few episodes on your Tab though. Hopefully, Flash will become less of lag-beast in the near future.</li>
<li><strong>Battery Life</strong>:  Hello battery life! I turned on the tablet last Friday (the 19th), and I have not had to plug it in even once. I have been gaming, trolling the web, watching HD YouTube videos, and streaming plenty of TV episodes. After all of that, I am still at a pleasant 25%. Sure the battery might be huge, but it&#8217;s still the thinnest tablet out there, and it lasts for almost a week. You can&#8217;t beat that. The Galaxy Tab has an advertised battery time of 12 hours, well I would put my money on that <em>NOT</em> being false advertising.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="G Tab Battery Life" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gtab1.png" alt="" width="538" height="336" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Build</strong>:  Lots of folks don&#8217;t really care for a lightweight &#8220;plasticy&#8221; feel, but the Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a wonderful feel in my hands.  I&#8217;m not saying it will withstand a drop from a 10ft. ladder, but you are not going to be snapping it in your hands like some people may believe.</li>
<li><strong>4G/3G Coverage</strong>:  With Verizon pumping more and more into their 4G network, this tablet will have 4G coverage in most major cities. 3G will more than likely be a common sight on your screen if you do much traveling. Not having to hook up to Wi-Fi everywhere you go is a huge plus. But be ready to pay handsomely for this feature. Verizon&#8217;s tiered data might just be a killer.</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>The Not-so-Good:</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Still Camera Shots</strong>: The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is rocking a 3MP camera, so let&#8217;s just say I won&#8217;t be taking this tab into the field for photos. Basically, useless if you&#8217;re looking for good stills. Blurry, and light enhancement is awful.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="G Tab Still" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/GTab1.jpg" alt="" width="538" height="336" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ports:</strong> Unlike its Honeycomb counterparts, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 only has one port:  a 30 pin wanna-be, which for some would be fine, but you can&#8217;t take your phone charger and charge your tablet without the use of an accessory. Could be worse, but we were at least hoping for a micro USB as well.</li>
<li><strong>Software: </strong>If you have a Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi only version, then you&#8217;re probably running the newest software build for the tablet, known as TouchWiz UX. The 4G version has not been graced with this update yet, and there isn&#8217;t word yet on a date for a possible update. Stock Honeycomb isn&#8217;t bad, but I would agree with some who would call it &#8220;boring&#8221;. I think TouchWiz is a definite step up from stock Honeycomb in this case.</li>
<li><strong>Lacks Netflix/Hulu: </strong>We&#8217;re still waiting for Netflix and Hulu to get their acts together when it comes to compatibility with Android devices. The wait continues&#8230;.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="G Tab Netflix" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gtab6.png" alt="" width="538" height="336" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Fingerprints</strong>:  Just like any other tablet, this is fingerprint magnet. Sort of a given when you own one of these. Wiping them off isn&#8217;t a huge deal, but it does become quite the hassle if you&#8217;re working outside and having to deal with smudges on the screen becoming extremely annoying.</li>
<li><strong>Price:</strong> One of the many gripes people have with tablets are price. Yes, they&#8217;re expensive &#8211; sort of comes with the territory of having the newest and best technology. Sooner or later, just like we&#8217;re seeing with the XOOM, prices will see a slight dip once they become aged a bit. Unfortunately, new tech is not like good wine. They do not get better with age.  The Tab 10.1 weighs in at $529 and $629 on 2-year contract.  You can pick up WiFi-only versions of tablets for more than $100 cheaper than that.</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>Unboxing</strong>:</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h2><strong>Benchmarks</strong>:</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone" title="G Tab Benchmark" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gtab2.png" alt="" width="290" height="430" /> <img class="alignnone" title="Linpack G Tab" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gtab5.png" alt="" width="290" height="430" /></p>
<h2></h2>
<h2><strong>Gallery</strong>:</h2>

<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-395/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab1-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-396/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-397/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab3-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-398/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab4-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-399/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab5-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-400/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab6-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-401/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab7-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-402/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab8-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-403/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab9-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-404/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab10-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-405/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab11-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/sony-dsc-406/' title='galaxy tab 10.1'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab12-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="galaxy tab 10.1" /></a>

<h2><strong>The Verdict</strong>:</h2>
<p>The Android tablet world continues to grow, and if this piece of hardware is any indication to the future, then I have hope. I have been fortunate enough to play with almost all the tablets that are available these days, and I would be lying to myself if I didn&#8217;t say the 4G LTE Galaxy Tab 10.1 isn&#8217;t my favorite. The combination of 4G speed, beautiful display, light weight, and processor power, this tablet could easily bring anybody into the next generation of tablets.</p>
<p>Not everyone is going to want to throw down the hundreds of dollars that these tablets go for, but if you have been in the market, then the 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 would not be a bad road to go down. While we still wait for the Moto XOOM to become 4G capable, the Galaxy Tab is the only tablet in the field that currently supports those speeds, and you definitely aren&#8217;t going to find an i*ad that&#8217;s 4G capable for a little while.</p>
<p>As Kellex has stated before, tablets are still a &#8220;luxury&#8221; item, and should be treated as such in the eyes of consumers. Does anyone actually need a tablet that has 4G capabilities? Why not just have a phone with 4G, and then tether it to your 4G to a tablet?  So the moral of the story is &#8211; great tablet, with ultra lightweight feel, built for portability and has an excellent display quality.  Are you prepared for it to be with you for 2 years though?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-lte-specs/">Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE Specs</a></strong> | <strong><a href="/tag/galaxy-tab-10-1">Other Galaxy Tab 10.1 Coverage</a></strong></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/26/4g-lte-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-review-verizon/">4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Review &#8211; Verizon</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<slash:comments>96</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 4G LTE on Verizon &#8211; Unboxing</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/10/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-with-4g-lte-unboxing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/10/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-with-4g-lte-unboxing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:36:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kellex</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Galaxy Tab 10.1]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Unboxing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Verizon]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=42723</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We finally decided to give the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 4G LTE a spin even though it has been available from Verizon for a couple of weeks now.  The device, as many of you know, is exactly like the WiFi versions that have been in retail stores for a month or so, but packs [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/10/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-with-4g-lte-unboxing/">Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 4G LTE on Verizon &#8211; Unboxing</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab-lte-outside.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-42726" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/galaxy-tab-lte-outside-600x399.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="399" /></a></p>
<p>We finally decided to give the <strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/galaxy-tab-10-1">Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1</a></strong> with 4G LTE a spin even though it has been available from Verizon for a couple of weeks now.  The device, as many of you know, is exactly like the WiFi versions that have been in retail stores for a month or so, but packs that extra special 4G radio, making your mobile life outside of home that much faster.</p>
<p>We got a hold of the white 16GB version ($529 on 2-year contract) and will be putting it through the proper tests over the next few weeks to help you decide if you should pick one up or wait to see what the holiday lineup will look like.  If it&#8217;s anything like the <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/video-quick-hands-on-with-the-limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-from-google-io/">our special edition I/O version</a>, we&#8217;re more than likely have some nice things to say about it.    <span id="more-42723"></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/10/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-with-4g-lte-unboxing/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/08/10/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-with-4g-lte-unboxing/">Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 4G LTE on Verizon &#8211; Unboxing</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<slash:comments>67</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Video:  Quick Hands-on with the Limited Edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 from Google I/O</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/video-quick-hands-on-with-the-limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-from-google-io/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/video-quick-hands-on-with-the-limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-from-google-io/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 May 2011 21:53:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kellex</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[GalaxyTab]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GoogleIO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Samsung]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=32837</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We couldn&#8217;t possibly just leave you hanging with a simple unboxing of the limited edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that we just received at Google I/O, so we took it for a quick spin in a &#8220;hands-on&#8221; video.  You might be surprised to find out our thoughts on how it compares to the Motorola XOOM. [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/video-quick-hands-on-with-the-limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-from-google-io/">Video:  Quick Hands-on with the Limited Edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 from Google I/O</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/galaxy-tab-limited-edition.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-32852" title="Galaxy Tab Limited Edition IO" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/galaxy-tab-limited-edition-600x399.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="399" /></a></p>
<p>We couldn&#8217;t possibly just leave you hanging <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-unboxing/">with a simple unboxing</a> of the limited edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that we just received at <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/googleio">Google I/O</a>, so we took it for a quick spin in a &#8220;hands-on&#8221; video.  You might be surprised to find out our thoughts on how it compares to the <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/xoom">Motorola XOOM</a>.  While it&#8217;s way too early to declare a winner in this battle, we&#8217;re definitely impressed by this new <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/honeycomb">Honeycomb</a> tablet.  <span id="more-32837"></span> <p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/video-quick-hands-on-with-the-limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-from-google-io/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/video-quick-hands-on-with-the-limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-from-google-io/">Video:  Quick Hands-on with the Limited Edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 from Google I/O</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>57</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Limited Edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Unboxing &#8211; Google I/O 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-unboxing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-unboxing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 May 2011 19:55:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kellex</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=32811</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As you may have heard, all attendees at this year&#8217;s Google I/O received a limited edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and we decided to unbox it real quick for you!  Unboxings may not be the most entertaining things on the planet, but there are only 5-6,000 of these in the wild and you likely won&#8217;t [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-unboxing/">Limited Edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Unboxing &#8211; Google I/O 2011</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-unboxing/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p></p>
<p>As you may have heard, all <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/google-io-2011-day-1-keynote/">attendees at this year&#8217;s Google I/O</a> received a limited edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and we decided to unbox it real quick for you!  Unboxings may not be the most entertaining things on the planet, but there are only 5-6,000 of these in the wild and you likely won&#8217;t see it in stores.  So this may be the only chance you have of seeing one.  And damn am I impressed with it so far.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/05/10/limited-edition-samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-unboxing/">Limited Edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Unboxing &#8211; Google I/O 2011</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<slash:comments>143</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Motorola XOOM Review – Verizon</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/16/motorola-xoom-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/16/motorola-xoom-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:00:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kellex</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Honeycomb]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Verizon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[XOOM]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=28078</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Finally, right?  After almost a month with the device, we&#8217;re ready to put together our thoughts on the Motorola XOOM, the world&#8217;s first Honeycomb tablet.  This tablet deserved a lot more than those quickie 2-day press reviews we saw around launch time, especially since it introduced the world to a new tablet operating system.  Or [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/16/motorola-xoom-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/">Motorola XOOM Review – Verizon</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-review.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-28610" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-review.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="399" /></a></p>
<p>Finally, right?  After almost a month with the device, we&#8217;re ready to put together our thoughts on the <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/xoom">Motorola XOOM</a>, the world&#8217;s first Honeycomb tablet.  This tablet deserved a lot more than those quickie 2-day press reviews we saw around launch time, especially since it introduced the world to a new tablet operating system.  Or should I say, the <strong>only </strong>tablet operating system?  We didn&#8217;t want this to come off as one of those barely-there overviews, so instead, we took our sweet time with it.  We really wanted to blend the XOOM into our every day lives and see if it could keep up.  Did it?  Let&#8217;s find out.  <span id="more-28078"></span></p>
<h2><strong>The Good:</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Honeycomb:</strong> Other tech sites want to hate all over Honeycomb as a product that doesn&#8217;t feel finished, but I&#8217;m going to praise it for what it is.  The only real tablet operating system.  This isn&#8217;t a phone OS that was stretched out to fit a bigger screen.  This isn&#8217;t an app jukebox.  It&#8217;s the real deal for tablets.  If you want your tablet to run like a computer with multi-tasking and widgets, only in a slim-downed portable device, then a Honeycomb device is what you should be looking for.  Sure it has bugs; it&#8217;s brand new!  The bugs will be gone in no time, we&#8217;ll have plenty of apps to play with in the next 3-4 months, and life with an Android product in hand will just continue to get better.  This is the Android team showing the world that it really is going to change the way your mobile devices work. They aren&#8217;t just taking something elastic and stretching it.</li>
<li><strong>Specs</strong>:  Hard to argue with the specs on the XOOM.  Dual-core processor, front and back cameras at 5MP and 2MP, 4G LTE (soon), 1GB of RAM, 32GB built-in storage, 10&#8243; HD display, HDMI and USB ports, dual-speakers, and expandable storage.  There is nothing like it on the market right now.</li>
<li><strong>Tablet Apps</strong>:  There may not be 65,000 of them, but the ones we do have are pretty damn good, especially the Google apps like Gmail, the browser, Books, and Gtalk.  The good news is, we&#8217;re seeing new apps on a daily basis, so by the time you finish reading this review you&#8217;ll probably have something new to download and play with.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-market-apps.png"><img class="size-large wp-image-28578 aligncenter" title="xoom market apps" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-market-apps-600x375.png" alt="" width="480" height="300" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Flash</strong>:  Flash 10.2 for Honeycomb will be out by Friday and then all of the haters in the world can shut the hell up.  Yep, with the Motorola XOOM or any other Android tablet, you can view the entire web just as you would on a PC.  In a &#8220;post PC&#8221; world, you&#8217;d think that you would want to experience everything the same only on a portable device.  Android tablets like the XOOM are currently the only ones allowing you to do that.</li>
<li><strong>Front Camera and Google Talk</strong>:  The 2MP camera on the front of the XOOM works better than I expected and paired with the new Google Talk, this is the best video chatting experience you&#8217;ll find almost anywhere.  In fact, it&#8217;s worked every single time I&#8217;ve used it and without issue.  Sound quality was above average, the picture quality was better than expected, and not once did I lose connection with my other participant.</li>
<li><strong>Battery Life</strong>:  Hello battery life.  With the XOOM, you&#8217;ll get 10-12 hours of hard usage and a lot longer than that on standby.  I can&#8217;t tell you if it&#8217;s a couple of days or a week, but the battery has never been an issue at any time over the last 3 weeks.  Charging without USB is a little bit of an annoyance, but it&#8217;s not going to be a factor in deciding whether or not you should buy one.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-battery.png"><img class="size-large wp-image-28587 aligncenter" title="xoom battery" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-battery-600x375.png" alt="" width="480" height="300" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Video Recording</strong>:  The quality of video on the XOOM isn&#8217;t all that bad.  In fact I&#8217;d say it does a better job of recording video than it does taking still shots.  At 720p, this isn&#8217;t going to blow your mind, but it&#8217;s still better than most smartphones can do at this point.</li>
<li><strong>Gaming</strong>:  Hard to express the amount of fun it is to game on a device this powerful.  I&#8217;ve played a ton of different games so far on the XOOM and all of them play as well as you would expect them too.  We have a whole gaming demo video below which shows just how nice this device is for gaming on.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-samurai-II.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-28580" title="xoom samurai II" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-samurai-II-600x375.png" alt="" width="480" height="300" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ports</strong>:  This could probably fit into the &#8220;Specs&#8221; section, but we still wanted to mention that we appreciate having separate charging, USB, and HDMI ports.</li>
<li><strong>Build</strong>:  Standard Motorola quality which is a good thing.  While the device is definitely heavy, this thing is built like a rock.  There are no moving or shaking parts and the all-black finish matches up to the rest of Moto&#8217;s mobile lineup.  Loving the look of the XOOM.</li>
<li><strong>3G Coverage</strong>:  This is an odd subject to review, but I had to mention this.  I don&#8217;t know if they packed in a super-powered 3G radio into this thing or what, but I seriously get coverage everywhere.  While cruising up and down I-5 a couple of weeks ago, I was struggling to make a call on my DROID X, but the XOOM always seemed to have 3-4 bars at all times.  I know that many of you purchased the device and will use wifi only, but the 3G is no slouch if you are a big time traveler.</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>The Not-so-Good:</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Still Camera Shots</strong>: The video on the XOOM is pretty solid in the quality department, however, the still shots aren&#8217;t where you&#8217;d expect them to be.  It&#8217;s a 5MP camera that does a so-so job at best.  While I&#8217;m no camera guru, I still expected much cleaner results.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/camera-xoom.png"><img class="size-large wp-image-28584 aligncenter" title="camera xoom" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/camera-xoom-600x375.png" alt="" width="480" height="300" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Weight</strong>:  The XOOM is one heavy beast.  Not sure which piece of hardware is to blame, but this thing is far from a one-handed device.  At 730g, it&#8217;s heavier than any other major tablet on the planet, and that&#8217;s without it&#8217;s 4G parts.</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Apps</strong>:  Honeycomb is new, so it&#8217;s tough to be too critical in this category, but it has to be mentioned.  Until developers start pumping out Android tablet-specific apps like they are for smartphones, it&#8217;s going to be a tough battle.  And if they are doing this already, then we need to be able to find them better.  The Android team is starting to do a better job of highlighting the good ones, but we really need a filter for apps that are built for tablets.  You shouldn&#8217;t be worried about the lack of apps though.  Apple dealt with this last year when the iPad first launched and they are doing just fine.</li>
<li><strong>Software Bugs</strong>:  People keep talking about Honeycomb as an unfinished product.  That&#8217;s not really fair.  Sure, it has bugs, but this is the first <strong>real</strong> tablet operating system.  As much as other companies want to tell you that they have one, they are lying.  Google started from nothing and built an operating system that won&#8217;t be used on phones ever.  It was made to give you the ultimate tablet experience and it will definitely be there.  It&#8217;s just not yet.  Although, the 3.0.1 update that came out sure seemed to fix a lot of stability issues.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/honeycomb-force-close.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-28583" title="honeycomb force close" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/honeycomb-force-close-600x375.png" alt="" width="480" height="300" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Fingerprints</strong>:  Rubbing off fingerprints has become a daily chore with my XOOM.  And I&#8217;m talking with a cloth, some heavy breathing and elbow grease.  This thing attracts prints like nothing I&#8217;ve ever used before.</li>
<li><strong>Price</strong>:  It&#8217;s overpriced.  There is no denying that.  For Motorola to sell an unfinished product for $799, it&#8217;s impossible for me to run around saying, &#8220;The price is just right!&#8221;  If this launched with Flash, the SD card slot working and 4G LTE, then we might have a different story.</li>
<li><strong>Unfinished</strong>:  As I just mentioned above in price, this product was clearly pushed to stores to beat the iPad 2.  It&#8217;s unfinished and that&#8217;s annoying.  When you are looking to enter a market that&#8217;s dominated by a product known for being of the highest quality, you probably shouldn&#8217;t release one 3 months ahead of schedule knowing that it&#8217;s missing some key features.  People don&#8217;t care what your device <em>can do</em> in the future; they want to know what it can do for them now.</li>
</ul>
<h2><em>MrPicolas&#8217; Notes</em>:</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Honeycomb</strong>:  Honeycomb, just works. Being that I use my mobile devices to look for news-worthy rather than a computer, I need a device to not be a hindrance for me or it is just not worth it. The UI is smooth and standard Android fare with a fresh look and a few new tricks. One of the most noticeable things are the scrolling widgets. The lack of physical or capacitive buttons is a little strange at first but is not hard to overcome, so people new to android should have no problems getting around. I can have all my information on one screen. (Finally!)  Overall this is a great start to the future of tablets and I hope that other manufacturers take note of the XOOM and work on improving upon it.</li>
<li><strong>Build</strong>:  Motorola is known for great build quality.  This holds true for the XOOM as well, except for one minor thing in my opinion, the charging port. I would recommend getting the dock for charging. The power and volume buttons feel solid and should hold up for quite a long time. The front glass also feels great and wipes clean easily. The rear and front cameras work well; I&#8217;ve had no issues with them.</li>
<li><strong>Kids/Autism/Ease of Use</strong>:  OK, so I have this great tablet in a house full of kids; sooner or later my kids will want some time with &#8220;Dad&#8217;s&#8221; new toy. Now, my oldest son has autism and albeit he is highly functional, it is hard for him to express himself socially and sometimes in writing. Enter the XOOM. He sat down with it and was instantly wanting to know what it could do. We downloaded some apps and let him get used to using it. The XOOM kept him focused and with the ability to correct any mistakes he may have thought he made, it reduced the stress level for him. This is a big thing for kids with autism regardless of what app.  Whether it be a note taking app or an art application, seeing his eyes light up and having the ability to understand what he is trying to convey brought tears to my eyes.  Most any tablet should be able to help with the above mentioned things, but the XOOM did so without any annoying hiccups or limitations.</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>Unboxing</strong>:</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/16/motorola-xoom-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h2><strong>Honeycomb Walk-through</strong>:</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/16/motorola-xoom-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h2><strong>Gaming on the XOOM</strong>:</h2>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/16/motorola-xoom-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h2><strong>Benchmarks</strong>:</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/quadrant-xoom.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-28507" title="quadrant xoom" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/quadrant-xoom-375x600.png" alt="" width="300" height="480" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/linpack-xoom.png"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-28506" title="linpack xoom" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/linpack-xoom-375x600.png" alt="" width="300" height="480" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>Accessories</strong>:</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/10/xoom-accessory-review-standard-charging-dock/"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28056" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-charging-port6-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/04/xoom-accessory-review-bluetooth-keyboard/"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-27682" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-keyboard4-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/08/xoom-accessory-review-portfolio-and-protective-gel-cases/"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-27888" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom-portfolio2-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/10/xoom-accessory-review-standard-charging-dock/">Standard Charging Dock</a> | <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/04/xoom-accessory-review-bluetooth-keyboard/">Bluetooth Keyboard</a> | <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/08/xoom-accessory-review-portfolio-and-protective-gel-cases/">Portfolio and Gel Cases</a></p>
<h2><strong>Gallery</strong>:</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28517" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom1-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28518" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom2-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28519" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom3-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom5.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28520" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom5-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28521" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom7-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom8.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28522" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom8-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom9.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28523" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom9-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom10.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28524" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom10-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom131.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-28525" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/xoom131-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="132" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>The Verdict</strong>:</h2>
<p>The hardest part of this review&#8230;should you buy one or not?  There really is no straight forward answer for that.  Is this one hell of a powerful device that I&#8217;ve enjoyed every second of?  Yes.  Does it accomplish everything that I expected it to?  Yep.  Has it replaced my laptop at times?  Definitely.  Will it continue to be a part of my everyday life for the foreseeable future?  Indeed it will.  But is it annoying that I paid $799 for a device that isn&#8217;t finished?  You betcha.</p>
<p>The tablet world is an odd one.  This really is a &#8220;luxury&#8221; item.  It&#8217;s not like anyone really needs a tablet, but I&#8217;m not going to lie; it sure is nice to have one handy when you are traveling or even just relaxing at home away from your office.  With the XOOM, you get a solid product, but it&#8217;s also one that isn&#8217;t 100% done yet.  So as a &#8220;luxury&#8221; item, it&#8217;s sort of hard for me to scream &#8220;Go get one now!&#8221;  We&#8217;re still waiting for Flash (which will be here Friday), we&#8217;re waiting for 4G LTE, and we&#8217;re waiting for SD card storage.  We&#8217;re also waiting for Honeycomb to really hit its stride and show us all exactly what it can do.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t want to say that the XOOM and Honeycomb together are a half-baked or beta product like many others have said, but it&#8217;s definitely one that early adopters will love and novice users may get frustrated with at times.  It&#8217;s the first attempt in a long line of products.  If you are expecting it to be perfect out of the gate, you might be disappointed.  If you are expecting to watch the product evolve and get better and better over its first few months, then you will definitely enjoy it.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/motorola-xoom-specs/">Motorola XOOM Specs</a></strong> | <strong><a href="/tag/xoom">Other XOOM Coverage</a></strong></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/16/motorola-xoom-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/">Motorola XOOM Review – Verizon</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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		<slash:comments>1673</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Motorola XOOM Unboxing – Verizon (Updated)</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/02/24/motorola-xoom-quick-unboxing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2011/02/24/motorola-xoom-quick-unboxing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:27:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kellex</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Videos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motorola]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Verizon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[XOOM]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=27029</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Well, here we go folks.  The Motorola XOOM is available, we were handed one while at the Blazers/Lakers game last night, and somehow found a quick 10 minutes at 2:00AM to whip out an unboxing.  Apologies for the darkness and raspy voice, but it was one heck of a game.  We&#8217;ll have so much more [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/02/24/motorola-xoom-quick-unboxing/">Motorola XOOM Unboxing – Verizon (Updated)</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/xoom-dl.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-27030" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/xoom-dl-600x399.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="399" /></a></p>
<p>Well, here we go folks.  The <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/xoom">Motorola XOOM</a> is <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/02/24/motorola-xoom-live-and-available-from-verizon/">available</a>, we were handed one while at the Blazers/Lakers game last night, and somehow found a quick 10 minutes at 2:00AM to whip out an unboxing.  Apologies for the darkness and raspy voice, but it was one heck of a game.  We&#8217;ll have so much more throughout the day, so keep it here.  <span id="more-27029"></span></p>
<p>Added a new unboxing video as that first try was pretty gross&#8230;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/02/24/motorola-xoom-quick-unboxing/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/02/24/motorola-xoom-quick-unboxing/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2011/02/24/motorola-xoom-quick-unboxing/">Motorola XOOM Unboxing – Verizon (Updated)</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>1550</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Samsung Galaxy Tab Review – Verizon</title>
		<link>http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/</link>
		<comments>http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kellex</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tablets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GalaxyTab]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.droid-life.com/?p=20620</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This review seems about 2 months overdue, but at the same time feels like perfect timing as we gear up for next week&#8217;s CES and who knows how many Android tablets from who knows how many different manufacturers.  The Samsung Galaxy Tab was the first &#8220;real&#8221; Android tablet to hit the market and according to [...]<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/">Samsung Galaxy Tab Review – Verizon</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab8.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-22906" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab8-600x399.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="399" /></a></p>
<p>This review seems about 2 months overdue, but at the same time feels like perfect timing as we gear up for next week&#8217;s CES and who knows how many Android tablets from who knows how many different manufacturers.  The <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/galaxy-tab">Samsung Galaxy Tab</a> was the first &#8220;real&#8221; Android tablet to hit the market and according to rumored sales numbers, was a giant success, but has it already run its course?  With <a href="http://www.droid-life.com/tag/honeycomb">Honeycomb</a>, Tegra 2 dual-core processors, 10&#8243; beasts, and rumors of other unicorns just days away from becoming a reality, is this still an option for anyone looking to buy an Android tablet?</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve had the Verizon version of the Tab for almost 2 months now and feel like I know the ins and outs, but I&#8217;m still trying to grasp the idea of it being a &#8220;must have&#8221; device.  The following review will look almost identical to the <a href="http://an.droid-life.com/2010/12/02/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-t-mobile/">review we did on the T-Mobile Galaxy Tab</a> over at <em>Android Life</em>, but with some VZW specific comments.  My opinions on it haven&#8217;t changed since doing that review, so the big difference here comes down to timing again.  Should this be your first Android tablet knowing that there are so many others just around the corner?  <span id="more-20620"></span></p>
<h3><strong>The Good:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Screen</strong>:  This 7″ LCD screen is pretty amazing to look at.  Over the first few days of having the device, it quickly became my go-to source to take care of emails, play games and just about anything else I normally use my phone for.  Well except make calls of course.  Colors are vibrant, it can get ultra-bright if you want it to, and the size just looks and feels right.  Sure a 10″ screen will be nice, but this thing really does fit in my pocket.  Oh, and you can hold it in one hand without stressing.</li>
<li><strong>Feel</strong>:  The device is seriously, a great size.  While I can’t wait to see the other Android tablet offerings that may come in at 10″, I liked being able to hold this in one hand and get everything done.  Flipping between screens, playing games, or doing just about anything feels good on the Tab.</li>
<li><strong>Back camera</strong>:  The 3MP camera is actually not too bad.  There were times when I felt awkward while snapping photos on this big ol’ device, but they still came out pretty nice.  Plus, it gets positive marks for actually including a camera.  I still can’t imagine why someone wouldn’t put one on a mobile device.  Nice work Samsung.</li>
<li><strong>Front camera</strong>:  It may only measure in at 1.3MP, but at least it’s there!  The quality while video chatting wasn’t too bad, taking actual pictures with it worked just fine, and again, it’s nice that they included it.</li>
<li><strong>Video chatting</strong>:  Who doesn’t love to video chat?  I was fortunate enough to have the Verizon and T-Mobile Tabs at the same time, so I had plenty of opportunities to video chat with friends.  I can see how this will be the wave of the future and Samsung got in early.</li>
<li><strong>Gaming:</strong> We put out a gaming walk-through video below, but wanted to mention it again.  There aren’t too many things better than playing Angry Birds or Jet  Car Stunts on a 7″ screen.  Every game we played that would go full screen was purely awesome.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Angry Birds Tab" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/angry-birds-tab.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="288" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Hardware</strong>:  The 1.0GHz processor gets the job done on the Tab.  I’ve read stories of significant amounts of lag on the device, but I experienced almost none.  The TouchWiz launcher can be a little finicky at times, but if you change launchers you’ll see that it’s not the processor that’s at fault as they all fly.  The Verizon version also comes with about 1GB oboard storage, a 16GB SD card pre-loaded and has 512MB of RAM to give you a great experience.  I have nothing bad to say about the GTab’s performance.</li>
<li><strong>Battery life</strong>:  Amazing.  It sports a 4000mAh battery and it pulls every last drop of power out of it to last you a long, long time.  After using the Tab every day over the last couple of months, I’d say I had to charge it only a handful of times?  Now, I didn’t actually put it through heavy video usage and that would definitely shorten it’s battery life, but I did do plenty of gaming, email checking and IM-ing and never ran into an issue.</li>
<li><strong>Media Hub</strong>:  The Media Hub allows you to purchase or rent TV shows and movies on the go.  All of them play in super high quality which is quickly noticed on the 7 inches of glory.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Media Hub Tab" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/video-on-tab.png" alt="" width="600" height="351" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Swype</strong>:  Using Swype on a 7″ screen is pretty fun.  You can write stuff incredibly fast with accuracy when using it on a keyboard this big.  A stock keyboard is also available, but you’d be foolish to even look at it.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Swype Tab" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/swype-on-tab.png" alt="" width="288" height="491" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Froyo</strong>:  This is both a bad and good.  Bad down below.  Samsung obviously loves their Tab more than their Galaxy S phones as this bad boy comes pre-loaded with Android 2.2 while their others sit back on 2.1.  Froyo definitely helps it in the performance category, but really adds to the overall user experience.</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>The Not-so-Good:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Pricing:</strong> We’ve polled our readers and there weren’t very many that are even considering one after seeing the price points. And from what I’ve heard from sources, the $599 price isn’t exactly helping sales numbers.  While I can’t say that I know a proper price, I will say that it would be tough for me to fork out $600 for a piece of technology that might be trumped by competitors in a couple of weeks.</li>
<li><strong>No phone calls: </strong>If the Galaxy Tab actually made calls thoguh, I’d have no problem forking out $600 for it, but since it doesn’t, it feels like an extra piece of technology that I have to find room for and that’s not appealing.  If it made calls though, “Bye, bye cell phone!” and “Hello GTab!”</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Dialer Tab" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/no-dialer-tab.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="232" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Video chatting apps:</strong> Having the ability to video chat is awesome, but the apps right now are unfortunately pretty awful.  This Verizon doesn&#8217;t come with a pre-installed video chatting app like the T-Mobile version did, so you have to find alternative apps like Tango (which is spotty at best) or the Yahoo video chat app which isn’t even supported yet.  Without the ability to make actual calls, people will be relying on apps like these, so let’s hope they start putting some resources into them in a hurry.</li>
<li><strong>Hardware</strong>:  We gave hardware positive marks above, but to be fair to the review have to admit that the 1.0GHz single-core processor might not be enough if HTC, Motorola and LG all announce dual-core processors at CES.</li>
<li><strong>Android 2.2:</strong> Most of you have heard about Honeycomb by now and while there is a pretty good chance the Galaxy Tab will see an upgrade to it, we have no idea when that will be.  Given Samsung&#8217;s track record with updating their devices, it could be a year before you ever see the operating system that was built specifically for this type of device.  Froyo runs just fine on here, but there are too many other options coming out in the near future that will have a tablet-specific OS to run on.</li>
<li><strong>Shiny casing</strong>:  The outside of this thing is a fingerprint magnet and while it&#8217;s not as slippery as the T-Mobile version, it still needs some sort of grippy case.  You can’t pick it up for 2 seconds without it looking like a smudgefest on the back and front.</li>
<li><strong>TouchWiz app drawer</strong>:  The GTab is almost running stock Android 2.2 aside from a few TouchWiz tweaks here and there.  One of them is the app drawer and I’m not a fan.  Each new app that’s installed is dropped to the back of your app list which makes no sense.  You basically have to rearrange your app drawer each time you download something if you want them in any sort of order.  Talk about frustrating.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Tab Launcher" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/SC20101230-123651.png" alt="" width="288" height="491" /></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Non-removable battery</strong>:  The battery life might be awesome, but the fact that you can’t take out the battery is something new to Android devices and caused me a few problems.  The device actually locked up on me a couple of times and you can’t just do a “battery pull” to get out of it.  It would also be nice to have the option to upgrade the battery even further.  Not a killer though.</li>
<li><strong>Bloatware</strong>:  Verizon included all of the non-removable bloatware apps we have grown to expect.  The full lineup of VCAST-type apps is included, Blockbuster, gaming demos, and a task manager, all of which you&#8217;ll never use, but can&#8217;t get rid of.</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Unboxing and Walk-through:</strong></h3>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h3><strong>Gaming Demos:</strong></h3>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h3><strong>Benchmarks:</strong></h3>
<p><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p>
<h3><strong>Gallery</strong>:</h3>

<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-5/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab1-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-6/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab2-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-7/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab3-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-8/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab4-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-9/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab5-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-10/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab6-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-11/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab7-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-12/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab8-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-13/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab9-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-14/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab10-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-15/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab11-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-16/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab12-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-17/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab14-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-18/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab13-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-19/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab151-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-20/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab16-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-21/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab17-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-22/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab18-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-23/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab19-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>
<a href='http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/sony-dsc-24/' title='SONY DSC'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.droid-life.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vzw-galaxy-tab20-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="SONY DSC" /></a>

<h3><strong>The Verdict:</strong></h3>
<p>The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a fantastic device, there is no denying that.  However, is it still a device to be considered knowing that there are so many different options on the horizon?  I would advise anyone looking to blow their X-mas money on a tablet to wait this one out a bit.  At this point, unless we see a dramatic price reduction over the next few weeks from Samsung, it should be hard for anyone to fork out $599 for a device that might be outdated before they walk out of the store.  With Honeycomb tablets powered by dual-core processors just days away from being announced, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, should be holding off from making a purchase of this magnitude.  Of course, Samsung could announce that a Honeycomb update is coming by the end of February when the rest of the tablets hit stores, but until they guarantee that, I&#8217;d sit back and wait patiently.</p>
<p>With all that said though, you should know that there is a fantastic developer community for the Tab already established.  The device is easily rooted, has Clockwork recovery, devs, and so much more working for it.  Who knows, if you are willing to throw down the cash for one, you may have Honeycomb before anyone thanks to the amazing Android hackers in the world.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.droid-life.com/2010/12/30/samsung-galaxy-tab-review-%e2%80%93-verizon/">Samsung Galaxy Tab Review – Verizon</a> is a post from: <a href="http://www.droid-life.com">Droid Life</a></em></p>
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