Tablets

Maylander · August 30, 2011

Google vs Apple should be fairly interesting, especially now that Google owns Motorola Mobility. I think people underestimate Google if they think Apple will win this with ease, especially now that Steve Jobs has resigned.

From a technical point of view, Google tends to be superior to Apple, but Apple is way better at marketing. Or.. was? Steve Jobs was the main man behind it all, I'm not sure their marketing will remain as strong in the coming years.

The most interesting factor here is actually Microsoft though, which is something of a sleeping bear right now. Poke it with a stick enough times and might just awaken. For some reason, Apple has a bigger market value than Microsoft, but Microsoft still has significantly more assets and bigger profit than Google or Apple. Windows 8 is looking very interesting at this point, especially related to mobile devices such as phones and tablets.

Ah well, it'll be interesting, that much is certain. I look forward to seeing how it all turns out.

GhanBuriGhan · August 30, 2011

I recently saw some articles and vids on the Asus EeePad slider (soon to be released, I guess) - Thats kind of the format I really want, a tablet that converts to a netbook when I need it. Any opinions on that thing or similar solutions?

vurt · August 30, 2011

txa1265 said:
You will never hear me argue that Apple is NOT draconian with regards to control … but that is a known quantity for good or bad. And I think it is BOTH good and bad.

Very true and i do understand that Apple wants to protect themselves against both piracy and software incompability problems etc.

txa1265 · August 30, 2011

GhanBuriGhan said:
I recently saw some articles and vids on the Asus EeePad slider (soon to be released, I guess) - Thats kind of the format I really want, a tablet that converts to a netbook when I need it. Any opinions on that thing or similar solutions?

I am finding Android Honeycomb 3.2 still a bit half-baked even as a tablet OS, and the Asus Transformer hasn't sold me on the 'Android as netbook OS' thing either ...

For me, I like using the iPad with either the keyboard dock or the Bluetooth keyboard when I really need a netbook style thing (I am definitely a 'physical keyboard' person, which is why I tend to phones like the Droid, Droid Pro (current main phone), Palm Pre & Pixi, and HTC 7 Pro (Windows Phone 7, secondary phone)).

zakhal · August 31, 2011

Im starting to get warm towads ipad2. Its still the best pad out there right? Especially when it comes to apps? I just read about Starbase Orion for Idevices.

I was thinking of getting ipad2 16 wifi. Sounds reasonably cheap if its under 500.

Im thinking of getting it for rp / strategy games, documents, books and digimagazines. Perhaps some boards games perhaps not.

txa1265 · August 31, 2011

zakhal said:
Im starting to get warm towads ipad2. Its still the best pad out there right? Especially when it comes to apps? I just read about Starbase Orion for Idevices.

I was thinking of getting ipad2 16 wifi. Sounds reasonably cheap if its under 500.

Im thinking of getting it for rp / strategy games, documents, books and digimagazines. Perhaps some boards games perhaps not.

When it comes to apps - and particularly games - the iPad 2 is unmatched.

Build quality is far and above better than the Galaxy Tab 10.1 from Samsung and HP TouchPad, which are the #2 and #3 in terms of 'desirability'.

That is simply because Apple has managed to secure a massive supply chain advantage by pre-buying literally billions of $ of stock of components. As was noted, the amount of profit Samsung makes selling components to Apple alone far outstrips the profitability of their entire mobile division!

But if you are a Linux fan, love to tweak / hack / mod your stuff ... definitely look at Android rather than iOS.

zakhal · September 1, 2011

iPad has lots of apps but it seems extremely hard to find anything worth playing. Doesnt feel justified to buy 650e device to play tower defense.

GhanBuriGhan · September 1, 2011

txa1265 said:
I am finding Android Honeycomb 3.2 still a bit half-baked even as a tablet OS, and the Asus Transformer hasn't sold me on the 'Android as netbook OS' thing either …

For me, I like using the iPad with either the keyboard dock or the Bluetooth keyboard when I really need a netbook style thing (I am definitely a 'physical keyboard' person, which is why I tend to phones like the Droid, Droid Pro (current main phone), Palm Pre & Pixi, and HTC 7 Pro (Windows Phone 7, secondary phone)).

Thanks Txa. I'll keep an eye on it, but this is not the first skeptical comment I'm reading on Honeycomb.

vurt · September 1, 2011

zakhal said:
iPad has lots of apps but it seems extremely hard to find anything worth playing.

When i first got my ipad i think i played more on it than i've played on my PC for years. depends on what you like i guess. here's a small list of games that can be worth checking out on the ipad:

100 Rogues
Aralon - Sword and Shadow
Ascendancy
Astro Ranch
Ash
Avadon
Battle for Wesnoth
Beneath a Steel Sky - Remastered
Chaos Rings
Dark Void Zero
Dead Space
Death Worm
Deep Deep Dungeon
Doom 2 RPG
Dungeon Hunter
Dungeon Hunter 2
Epic War TD
Eternal Legacy
Fabled Lands
Fighting Fantasy
Final Fantasy/Final Fantasy 2
Galaxy on Fire
Galaxy on Fire 2
Game Dev Story
GTA Chinatown Wars
Ghosts'n'Goblins
Hook Worlds
Hybrid
Hybrid 2
I Dig It
Infinity Blade
Inotia
Inotia 2
Inotia 3
Isle of 8-Bit Treasures
Let's Golf 2
Mission: Europa
Necromancer Rising
Oregon Trail
Perfect Cell
Plants vs Zombies
Puzzle Quest
Puzzle Quest 2
Real Racing 2
Ridge Racer Accelerated
Rimelands
Rogue Planet
Sacred Odyssey
Secret of Mana
SEED
SEED 2
Space Miner: Space Ore Bust
Stenches
Super Mega Worm
The Quest (series, TONS of expansions)
The War of Eustrath
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Trenches
Undercroft
Underworlds
Warpgate
Wolfenstein RPG
Worms
Zenonia
Zenonia 2
Zenonia 3

the list was created by someone called "Sabin" on another forum, but i've added a few of my personal favorites. It's also not very up-to-date..

zakhal · September 1, 2011

Thanks Vurt! I know some of those games but there are some new interesting ones too. Games like the quest and necromancy are somthing I was looking for.

In return I would suggest you check out Majesty. Its the reason I bought this device. Also Starbase Orion which is Master of Orion wannabe is coming this fall.

txa1265 · September 1, 2011

If you think you will replace Deus Ex and Dragon Age and Crysis on a tablet ... You won't. But there are some good games in pretty much every genre, and the difference in depth and breadth compaed to when the iPad launched last year is just stunning.

zakhal · September 1, 2011

txa1265 said:
If you think you will replace Deus Ex and Dragon Age and Crysis on a tablet … You won't. But there are some good games in pretty much every genre, and the difference in depth and breadth compaed to when the iPad launched last year is just stunning.

I didnt buy it for those games and I wouldnt even want to play them with ipad. What I was looking was good strategy games like 4x space games or majesty type kingdom sims. And perhaps som interesting unique rpgs.

Theres a world of difference between tower defense and crysis. What I want is somthing in middle. However the ipad top lists seem to be ruled by games that I would consider crappy or not very interesting. The good stuff is buried so deep you can spend hours digging through to it.

vurt · September 1, 2011

txa1265 said:
If you think you will replace Deus Ex and Dragon Age and Crysis on a tablet …

It's hardly the platform for those type of games, some games works better on ipad than on PC, and vice versa. I doubt i would want to sit infront of my PC or 360 to play AngryBirds or maybe even Battle for Wesnoth after playing it on an ipad, same with a few other games.

zakhal: oh thanks, that game looks really nice, and $3 only, sold

check out battle for wesnoth if you havent. it's available on pc too though and is free for PC.

Lucky Day · September 8, 2011

I think like the Wii, the tablet is all about its own controls.

I'm finding with my Transformer its as they say: the applications for it (all 980 000 of them) are wanting. But IMO this is the opportunity to get in on the ground floor again. With Gurk being the only real SP RPG methinks there's room for growth.

Ford Taurus · September 8, 2011

I love my Galaxy 10.1. Totally disagree about the comments on build quality. We have an Ipad2 in the family as well, and build quality of both is excellent, with the Galaxy having the better screen by a small margin. IMHO, the iPad is a better choice if you are non-techie or like the 'walled garden' type of thing. Android is totally customizable, but your experience will scale to your aptitude and desire to learn and tweak.

For gaming keep in mind too you can run emulators to expand your choices (at least on Android). For example the SCUMM games (King's Quest, Monkey Island, etc) are available as well as virtually anything released on the Nintendo platforms (JRPGs), Commodore 64 (Ultimas), and so on. Add a wii controller and you're set.

I've been playing some Galaxy on Fire 2 just lately which is a good Wing Commander type game with some RPG elements and story.

zakhal · September 12, 2011

For ipad2 I found today little app called FileBrowser. It basicly allows me easily download wirelessly any shared network files. Very handy if I want to watch i.e moves in bedroom through ipad. I can just download them direclty from livingroom pc.

Im getting a bit worried about byuing only 32gb version. I guess I can manage with proper file maintenance but 64gb version would be preperrable. Oh well perhaps its a good excuse to buy ipad3.

txa1265 · September 13, 2011

zakhal said:
For ipad2 I found today little app called FileBrowser. It basicly allows me easily download wirelessly any shared network files. Very handy if I want to watch i.e moves in bedroom through ipad. I can just download them direclty from livingroom pc.

Im getting a bit worried about byuing only 32gb version. I guess I can manage with proper file maintenance but 64gb version would be preperrable. Oh well perhaps its a good excuse to buy ipad3.

I have a 64GB iPad 2 and use ~40GB between music, movies, books, and loads of apps. But I never had an issue with my 32GB original iPad or 32GB iPod Touch. It is all about managing what you carry with you - and streaming everything else. You can use AirPlay to stream over WiFi, stream music over Amazon Cloud, Google Music, mSpot, etc.

JDR13 · September 13, 2011

Well, speaking of tablets.. I was surprised to see this announcement today that Gamestop is going to start selling Android tablets, as well as iPads and iPods. They're expected to begin stocking them prior to the start of the holiday season.

All tablets will include a disclaimer that the box may have been opened by a Gamestop employee prior to purchase.

Motoki · September 13, 2011

While I love me some Android, I have to be honest that the only Android tablet I see potentially doing well is the rumored Amazon one. Android really needs a breakthrough tablet to spur development, particularly game development, and to do that I think someone's going to need to take a loss on the hardware. Amazon is rumored to be doing just that with theirs. They're the only ones other than Google that have a market (and until very recently Google didn't own any hardware tablet hardware production ends) so they're in a position where they can lose money on the hardware to potentially make it up elsewhere. Plus they have a good brand name and have sold a lot of Kindles.

We'll see.

I definitely don't see the masses running to grab a Gamestop pad.

zakhal · September 13, 2011

txa1265 said:
I have a 64GB iPad 2 and use ~40GB between music, movies, books, and loads of apps. But I never had an issue with my 32GB original iPad or 32GB iPod Touch. It is all about managing what you carry with you - and streaming everything else. You can use AirPlay to stream over WiFi, stream music over Amazon Cloud, Google Music, mSpot, etc.

I actually found program called VLCStreamer that is suppose to stream networked PC files (all you have to do is put the file in shared windows7 folder). No need to download anything anymore I hope. That basicly solves my space issue because video/audio takes most of the space.

Tablets

SasqWatch

Wose extraordinaire

serial &#120054;&#120056;&#120045;&#120045;&#12004

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

Wose extraordinaire

serial &#120054;&#120056;&#120045;&#120045;&#12004

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

serial &#120054;&#120056;&#120045;&#120045;&#12004

Daywatch

Watchdog

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

SasqWatch

Keeper of the Watch

SasqWatch

serial 𝓶𝓸𝓭𝓭&#12004

serial 𝓶𝓸𝓭𝓭&#12004

serial 𝓶𝓸𝓭𝓭&#12004