Sign in / up

back to article Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

10.1? The impression I get with the naming of this much-anticipated grown-up version of last year’s Galaxy Tab is that it has psychological hangups about (ahem) ‘size’. I imagine it loitering down the pub, boasting of its prowess: “It’s not just TEN inches, Al, it’s TEN-point-ONE!” It wants to be the Spinal Tap of Android …

COMMENTS

House rules Send corrections
This topic is closed for new posts.

Page:

  1. VinnyR
    FAIL

    Please do not comment on personal tastes

    There are too many issues of personal taste in this review, especially at the beginning.

    E.g. you don't like haptic feedback , I think it's good though so why is this a bad point of the device especially as you can turn it off.

    I can also see that a swish noise when turning a page is annoying, but it may not bother others.

    Also you have started off the review with what seems to be a negative point of view regarding the name "10.1". It's just a name!!!! Andto then criticise the use of Android 3.1 is then just plain ridiculous.

    30 6
  2. Piloti
    Thumb Down

    Linux and the Linux fork....

    ""Later, I found that I needed to download special Samsung drivers to my computers to enable a USB connection with the tablet. ""........

    So, does this mean that a machine that run a Linux fork will not connect to a Linux box ? A little short sighted I would have thought.

    Even my Creative Zen will connect to my Linux box, because Linux just sees it as 'storage' with direct access to the file system. I drop an album, or a folder of albums in the Zen, direct from the Linux machine, and when I disconnect, the Zen 'synch's with itself and hey presto, my music is there.

    You'd think a 400 quid-ish device would do the same, especially one that is built on Linux, albeit, a fork.

    10 2
    1. Robert E A Harvey
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Down

      Depressing, ain't it?

      I want to connect to linux desktops too. Inability to do so is a major FAIL as far as I am concerned

      3 3
    2. Paul Shirley
      Reply Icon

      may be user error

      The USB driver thing is a bit of a red herring. In principle you don't need them just to mount the sdcard on a PC. But you may need to fiddle with some settings on the Tab and it won't mount automagically, you have to explicitly tell it to. Whether Samsung cocked that up is hard to say but I'd suggest user error is as likely!

      In practice if you want to debug or use Samsungs sync tools the standard USB storage device doesn't do enough and you need drivers. Its not spectacularly hard hacking the standard SDK installer for new devices on Windoze - which is good with how often some clown changed the USB identifiers in 3rd party roms for my phone - I believe it's even easier on Linux.

      1 0
    3. No, I will not fix your computer
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Up

      My guess...

      And it is only a guess, is that the USB port is a standard USB port, but it's in host mode (i.e. you connect clients to it by default not the other way round), I wonder what would happen if you plugged a USB flash card into it? This would make total sense if it was for a docking station default (keyboard/mouse/printer/external storage etc.).

      0 0
      1. handle
        Reply Icon

        I don't think that's right

        I don't think drivers can be used to convert a USB host into a device - the hardware limits it to one or the other. That is, unless you have USB On-The-Go, which the computer you are connecting to is unlikely to have.

        0 0
    4. M Gale
      Reply Icon

      Special Samsung Drivers

      I'm wondering if the reviewer even looked properly. My Tab 7 is the same when you're using the "Kies" USB mode. However, you can also select "Mass Storage Mode" on the tablet, and it instantly works with no extra drivers required.

      Kies is bloatware on the scale of iTunes and just as awful, but you need it IF Samsung is ever going to update the device. Emphasis on "IF".

      3 0
    5. Neill Mitchell
      Reply Icon

      Honeycomb is MTP instead of USB disk now

      The problem here is for some bizarre unfathomable reason, Google have ditched bog standard works with anything USB disk support in favour of Media Transfer Protocol. Very Windows oriented now :( MTP is very much in it's infancy on Linux.

      Why not support both MTP and USB disk modes, or better still give the user the choice? Having a Linux based OS that can't easily talk to Linux boxes is utter madness.

      1 0
      1. M Gale
        Reply Icon

        MTP?

        Eww.

        More reason to stick with the "underpowered" (hahahahaha) 2.x I guess.

        0 0
        1. Xtreame96
          Reply Icon
          Thumb Up

          Yup love how he claims speed or power is an OS thing,

          Whats funny is the 7" can run honeycomb. and you can make the 10.1 act as a standard usb device if you want.

          And its not like there is much difference it all runs the same apps, there are very few honeycomb specific apps in the market less than 5% of all apps.

          0 0
      2. James Henstridge
        Reply Icon
        Boffin

        MTP

        Well, there is one very good reason to use a protocol like MTP over mass storage mode: it means the tablet can continue to use the file system while making it available to the PC.

        When enabling mass storage mode on my phone, the memory card (and any applications stored there) is unavailable to the phone itself. This makes sense when you think about it: the file system drivers expect exclusive access to the memory card when they mount the file system, so to give the PC block access to the card the phone needs to give up access.

        With a protocol like MTP, operations are done at the file system level instead of block level so there is no reason why the tablet can't access the storage while connected.

        1 0
  3. petur
    FAIL

    75%

    The review and the quotation marks don't quite match up. Seeing the 75% I was expecting a bit of negative comment (on stuff that matters, not booklets or missing links for unreleased products), but no.

    It seems to be as good or rather even better than an ipad2 - did that get 70% then?

    18 3
    1. DZ-Jay
      Reply Icon

      Re: 75%

      I think the author was going out of his way to avoid comparing it to the iPad 2. My guess is to avoid suggestions of bias or accusations of "fanboyism" from commentards.

      However, realizing that the Apple iPad 2 received a 90% rating, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 only received a 75% is very telling indeed. Especially when you consider that all other Android tablets reviewed by El Reg had yielded mostly similar ratings.

      This reinforces my first comment: if you completely ignore the iPad 2 (to avoid starting a religious war), then any other tablet is "good enough," and this one in particular is "better than others."

      -dZ.

      9 0
      1. Xtreame96
        Reply Icon
        Thumb Up

        spot on

        This article was written by a fanboi almost as bad as that brooke boi over at Cnet.

        I have an Ipad2 and the Samsung, and I love the samsung more. For many reasons, plus flash support ;)

        0 0
    2. coolius
      Reply Icon
      Facepalm

      90%

      Actually the iPad 2 got 90%!!

      and it also has no "memory card slots and comms ports", go figure

      12 1
      1. Mark 65
        Reply Icon

        @Coolius

        This is just a thought regarding the rating of iPad2 relative to the Android tablets...

        If I create a device, the market leader, and it offers certain functionality that people seem to like I then get a 90% review score.

        Subsequently a whole series of me-too tablets come out that offer much the same functionality at much the same price.

        Do these tablets deserve the same rating for offering the same functionality (some would argue more, some less) or do they deserve a lower one for having seen the first one and yet offering nothing better, i.e. still leaving off the option of simple storage via SDHC?

        I don't know what the answer is but I suspect it may be the reason for the numbers. Does a me-too design really deserve the same score?

        Be interested to hear people's thoughts on this.

        2 5
        1. Robert Carnegie Silver badge
          Reply Icon

          Equally good products deserve equal rating. But ratings rust.

          There's a sort of built-in depreciation, due to technological progress. A device that scored 9 out of 10 at launch six or twelve months ago doesn't deserve that rating now, because you can expect that something better is available now or soon.

          So a competitor device that launches now and is only equally as good as the older product doesn't deserve 9 out of 10 now, either.

          But if the two devices somehow are announced at different times but come to the market at the same time, then, being equally good, they should be equally rated.

          3 0
      2. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        FAIL

        Incredible

        How so many people are biased by Apple products. Where is the objectivity that we need from an IT rag? I have my favourites, you have your favourites, but keep them out of the discussion / review.

        For example the latest ASUS tab is very good functionally with a great snap-fit keyboard. I have not yet checked to read if it is reviewed in this rag, but I can already anticipate the level of personal opinion in to such a review.

        3 0
        1. Alastair 7
          Reply Icon

          Uh

          "How so many people are biased by Apple products. Where is the objectivity that we need from an IT rag?"

          Err, they're comparing it to the iPad because its a competing device. Are you suggesting they ignore it?

          0 0
          1. cloudgazer
            Reply Icon

            Elephant in the room

            The reason that the iPad scores so much more than all the alternate tablets (or as I like to call them alt-tabs) is pretty simple: ecosystem. You can't ignore the fact that the iPad is both better at running apps designed for the phone and has orders of magnitude more apps designed specially for it.

            Will that change in future? Presumably, but reviews are about right now, and right now the alt-tabs don't have nearly as much to offer.

            1 1
  4. Rebajas
    WTF?

    Thanks...

    Thanks for the review of the manual and the Samsung web site - I'll keep an eye out for the device review at a later date shall I?

    24 4
  5. Andy Watt
    Meh

    10.1 == not right first time...

    So the auto-brightness is annoying... there's less real estate on screen than the iPad... and this is their version 2, version 1 being a half-arsed 7 inch tablet-megaphone. Did you test much Flash browsing? Wonder if the battery life survives... ;-)

    Proprietary USB drivers? Tch! I thought this was AndroidWorld, where you're never locked down!

    I'd hope that Bluetooth keybaords would work, instead of needing to use an adaptor. And why on earth has the camera got a flash? Bizarre... how often are you going to hold up this monster to take a snap at a party??

    Good moves on the stereo speakers though, although how is the quality?

    Your take on the manual had me giggling. The lack of quality there makes me worry a little that they've rushed this tablet out too - the whole buying experience should be as seamless as your eBook experiments. The user manuals should be easy to find and the quick start should be so easy to use a 5 year old can start using the device ASAP - from "ooo! Shiny!" to "look! my email" in under 5 minutes is good to keep user engagement high from purchase point.

    When will electronics manufacturers realise that people didn't program their videos for a reason? It was a baffling mess! People wanted phones which only did "texting and calls" because the alternatives being thrust in their face (mostly running god-awful Series 60) were too complicated, fiddly and arse-backwards for them to be bothered to understand. The manuals should be just as well designed.

    Here's hoping the competition keeps the rivals improving, because this is getting there, by the looks of it. Thank god they've raised their game on build quality.

    5 19
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Linux

      I smell.....

      ...fanboi... cleverly disguised as a disinterested commentard.... yup, fanboi...

      we can tell.

      13 4
      1. sabroni Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        I smell....

        anonymous pussy....

        Ewwww!

        0 5
    2. ratbert
      Reply Icon
      FAIL

      a minor point...

      " there's less real estate on screen than the iPad" ....

      iPad resolution = 1024 x 768 = 786k pixels

      GTab 10.1 resolution = 1280 x 752 = 962k pixels

      Since when is a 22% increase in pixel count a reduction in real estate?

      13 2
    3. Michael Kean
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Up

      Here's why there's a flash...

      Until you've owned one, you tend not to realise just how handy the camera and flash are. These little bastards make great photocopiers!

      As the owner of a 7" one, it's really handy just being able to reach behind a device and go click. Bang - you've got the model and serial number on your screen and you can zoom in to buggery.

      Also handy for reading tiny details - a SIM card blown up to 7" is easy to read... And they copy an A4 page in under a second. (Phones do too of course, but they're a bit of a scroll-fest) The LED flash helps of course, but sees equal utility as an LED flashlight.

      I still reckon 7" is the ideal size for most convenient portable use, and accept that almost nobody agrees.

      4 0
  6. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Bigger, better, thinner, lighter

    Shame the word missing is "cheaper".

    If they can get these things to sub £300 they'll be, for my wallet anyway, a lot more tempting.

    5 0
    1. 404
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      Ah! But they are!

      Acer Iconia A500 was out, what? a month? Staples had it on sale last part of the month for $399, then sent out a $100 ObamaBucks coupon for any tablet in the store (other than HP), which brought the A500 16GB version down to $299. That's like what? 150-175 pounds real money? (where the hell is that damn 'L'? funky 'E' for that matter).

      Wait a month, rinse and repeat on the Samsung.

      Right now I'm at the 'something, something, Darkside. something, something, Complete' point of my A500 love - might have to wait until 3.2 for a usb->ethernet adapter. Then I can retire the Win7Ultimate HP laptop from work. Oh Yeah....

      ;)

      0 0
  7. Simon 26
    FAIL

    I stopped reading the review...

    ...when it said there was no SD card slot - without that what *exactly* is the shiny thing for ?

    7 3
  8. Natalie Gritpants

    One handed

    I find that with the right website I only ever need to 20 seconds of one handed holding.

    6 1
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Given your name...

      ... I would have thought you could just walk around a bit and use no hands.

      2 0
  9. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
    FAIL

    Wot no 3g model and How much?

    And the price is £500+ before discounts. WTF? Eh? If this is the Android bees knees then why is it being discounted so heavily already. Yep £389 was about the cheapest I could find using Google.

    Ok, this competes with the iPad on price etc but remember that this is the discounted price.

    (http://www.simplyelectronics.net/mainproduct.php?pid=14103&setcurrency=gbp)

    There should be a 3g model as well IMHO.

    for sure, this aint no iPad killer. Where is it then. In the words of the Goddess Delia, 'Let's be having you'.

    I don't own a fondleslab of any make(yet). I am looking. This one looks attractive on the surface but my wallet will be staying put for the time being.

    Fail because Samsung really missed a chance here.

    1 1
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      FAIL

      False economy

      Other tablets don't have to have an RRP lower than the iPad to compete, because it is possible to sell other tablets at prices lower than the RRP.

      0 1
  10. Wang N Staines

    Hmmmm

    It seemed Apple had been rattled by Samsung for nothing.

    Going by this review the iPad still is the king.

    0 7
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Down

      ..dont

      the answer is dont go by this review.

      honestly, the standard and impartiality of some recent reviews on The Register has been

      very poor.

      given the capabilities of the 10.1 , its price, is features, its size/weight etc it should

      have scored at LEAST the same amount as the iPad2 - especially as its got Flash support !

      but no, some Apple fan was forced to do the review - hence narky comments about .1 in the first two paragraphs rather than actual review material. add to that the stupid comment of not being able to use it without extra software - hey, i've got an ipad and I cant recall being able to use it until i installed itunes on my PC or Mac!

      9 2
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        FAIL

        re: don't

        "given the capabilities of the 10.1 , its price, is features, its size/weight etc it should..."

        Have you actually used it? It might be a great machine, but until I get my mitts on it, I'll reserve judgement and not just go on what's on paper.

        0 0
      2. DZ-Jay
        Reply Icon

        Wow!

        I'm sorry, Alistair. I was wrong: commentards will still accuse you of Apple bias no matter how much you try to avoid talking about fruit.

        dZ.

        0 1
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      FAIL

      Re: Hmmmm

      "It seemed Apple had been rattled by Samsung for nothing."

      You clearly don't get it. Unlike Apple, this isn't Samsung's big performance for the year: they'll have "refreshed" this at least once by the end of the year along with the 7" tablet offerings, possibly putting out more gadgets in different form factors to boot.

      Meanwhile, Apple has to sue Samsung because it thought it had the playground all to itself.

      0 0
  11. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    This is a real Fail for me ...

    Why should i have to fork out for additional bits of hardware to connect USB and HDMI devices when these come as standard on the competition?

    I'm completely baffled as to how any Android device can need to have specialized drivers in order to connect to the desktop, I want a device I can plug in anywhere and not have to carry around loads of additional bits of hardware just to get the connectivity I consider should be there as standard after all this is 2011 not 1995!

    A real shame as I love the form, size and performance but the above is a deal breaker at this price.

    2 0
  12. LPF

    To be fair...

    I thought that the 10.1 referred to the screen size as well and I reckon a lot of people will think the same thing as the Tab 7 referred to the 7" screen. If it doesn't then its a pretty crappy marketing trick

    0 0
  13. Samuel Penn
    Unhappy

    USB

    Android 3 seems to have dropped support for USB mass storage. Apparently, it's not reliable enough and they've gone for some other standard (MTP). Which is strange, since USB mass storage has always worked without any problems at all for me, and yet my ASUS tablet won't talk to my Linux box at all using MTP.

    0 0
  14. Robert E A Harvey
    FAIL

    Snore, zzzz, yawn

    Another Me Too which is only that.

    With no convincing reason to buy this or the HP, I may very well be going for the iPud3 when it emerges. or going back to look at the convertables.

    0 6
  15. GazP
    FAIL

    iPad owner perchance?

    Literally burst out laughing when I read "In landscape mode, that gives it less vertical resolution than Apple’s current iPads, which offer full-screen 1024 x 768 at either orientation".

    13 1
  16. K
    Mushroom

    Got mine..

    Love it, highly recommend it.

    The reviewer should keep personal opinions such as "God I hate that" to himself, while he may dislike some features, others may require them.. so I'd this review is very highly skewed.

    9 1
  17. DrXym

    How to ruin an Android tablet

    Seal in the battery, remove all the useful ports, prevent memory expansions and use a proprietary cable which requires special drivers, and price it the same as an Apple product. Way to go Samsung, you've created the Samsung iPad.

    11 1
    1. Arctic fox
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      Ah yes, that's it!

      That explains it. Apple aren't really suing Samsung because of product appearance or anything like that at all. They're suing them for nicking their business model!

      1 0
  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sounds a bit rubbish compared to the Transformer

    However, the kitten remains very cute.

    We need a 'Look! Kittens!' icon.

    7 0
  19. LPF

    @K sorry but..

    All reviews have some sort of personal baised whther overt or not .

    However in the case of the screen estate comparision the reviewer is stating a fact not an opinion so I can't see the problem.

    As for the personal dislikes, he states how to turn the said features off, so I can't see the problem with stating that he personally did not like them.

    1 2
  20. IPB

    For ~ that money you can get an Asus Eee Pad Transformer

    and get HDMI out and and an SD card slot and it's bloody lovely.

    5 0
  21. ratfox
    Thumb Up

    Quite impressive

    IIRC, this is the first Android tablet to not suffer from the comparison with the iPad 2.

    0 0

Page:

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like