Samsung Galaxy vs. Google Nexus Android tablets

[2cvbloke]

The Nexus devices, regardless of the makers, are the defacto 'droid device which always get the latest in the Android OS releases, so, if you want to keep up to date with the OS, then get a nexus, but, if you're not that bothered and are looking for a decent quality device from a reputable manufacturer, go for the Galaxy Tab line, or if you want a pen with the device, a Galaxy Note series, just to muddy the waters again...

 

[Lazarus]

I've already filled my Curry's Basket with a Samsung Galaxy .................... won't check out until 0 crack sparrow fa*t tomorrow.

 

[Captain Jack]

Go for nexus... Samsung is full of bloatware. Some people love it but I prefer clean stock os that nexus carries. Then you can put what you want on it not what Samsung think you want on it...

 

[Lazarus]

Can the bloatware be removed?

 

[Captain Jack]

I have an old S3 model from work so don't have the liberty to experiment on it. However, no doubt it can be rooted and custom, cleaner, more customisable ROMs can be flashed onto it. A bit like for Enigma based satellite receivers!

 

[Lazarus]

Thanks, CJ: I've found a few useful guides to that sort of thing, too.

More food for thought ......................

.................. As is the fact that I've found the newer (2013) Nexus for £160 or so from Amazon and it looks like a well specified and rather good device.

So I might hold off a few weeks and wait for those to drop to my price band (Let's face it, I was prepared to cough £138, so maybe I can look down the back of the sofa for a few coppers more!)

 

[mbsnr]

Keep your eye on http://www.ibood.com/uk/en in the meantime
Certainly seen a good few tablets pop up on there. I (and others) have bought from them and they are reliable in my experience. Delivery cost is a little high perhaps and it can take a week until it ships but you could get a slightly older tablet at a knock down price. Just for the record they may come with a European plug but you have to weight up the price for the product and decide if it's value. The other day they had the http://www.ibood.com/ie/en/product_specs/47424/Apple_iPad_Air_16GB_WiFi_Spacegrey/ which in Euros worked out seriously cheaper than the Apple store and about €50 less than the same item from Amazon.

I have bought wireless speakers from them that are normally €70 for €42 (inc Del of €12.50).

 

[hexah]

The hardware equation of processor, ram and latency is better in the newer tablets. With Android maturing and starting to plateau in what it needs from the hardware it makes much more sense to stretch to a newer machine which will keep going for longer. Avoid false economy.

I am still hoping that mainstream linux distros will be available for these tablets sooner than later, built on existing mods (search for CyanogenMod) (I am holding off buying for this reason). The proprietary drivers are the only obstacle, since Android uses the linux kernel.

Also consider the ease of returning something if it turns out to be DOA or goes up the creek after a few days.

Asus make the Nexus, they also make their own line of tablets which might be worth looking at.

 

[Lazarus]

My neighbour has a Nexus 2013 with 32GB Memory and I've just been allowed to play with it.

One consideration is single-hand-grippability, and the Nexus is just about manageable: I wonder though about whether the 8" screen on the Samsung, whilst possibly better for viewing, could be unwieldy for use as a Kindle, for example, where one wishes to hold the Tablet in one hand and a glass of Red in t'other.

 

[hexah]

All tablets are as dropable as one another, unfortunatly.

You can get cases with hand straps, search for tablet hand strap.

You could also stick on that durable fabric tape stuff to provide more grip.

One of the first things I considered about tablets.

When this kind of hand held tech became used in some industries about two decades ago we were surprised they were not dropped more often. They were much thicker then. They were made so not to explode into shards of plastic and pcb from a 2 meter drop - but that didn't mean it would then work.

 

[Captain Jack]

Aren't you glad you asked, Tivu?

 

[Lazarus]

Yep. All very informative and helpful

 

[hexah]

He's singing to his tablet. . . i think

 

[2cvbloke]

All tablets are as dropable as one another, unfortunatly.

I've dropped my Galaxy Tab 10.1" (GT-P7500, old hat now!!) a few times and it's survived nicely, same with my Galaxy S and S3 phones, the S got the worst drop onto a nice hard concrete yard floor and it just bounced, and my S3 hasn't suffered that but it too bounces, just try not to drop anything face-down, or drop any smartphones that have a metal (I.E. permanently deformable) chassis...

 

[hexah]

That is reassuring.

I have seen some photos online of cracked screens and I wondered wtf they were doing to make such a mess of toughened glass.

Mr Tivu, deep breath before searching for cracked tablet screen and remember it is very very unlikely to happen.

Now search for gorilla glass.

 

[2cvbloke]

I have seen some photos online of cracked screens and I wondered wtf they were doing to make such a mess of toughened glass.

Well, with apple products, it's not hard cos they use pretty much bog standard window glass for their devices, just look at it wrong and it cracks...

 

[Captain Jack]

Now search for gorilla glass.

I'll save you the trouble.

 

[hexah]

Well, with apple products, it's not hard cos they use pretty much bog standard window glass for their devices, just look at it wrong and it cracks...

Typical apple, pay more for style over substance with free proprietary lock ins that you wouldn't even think of.

A lot of people failed to notice the Posix compliance.

That's because no one cares.

 

[battenfan]

I borrowed a Samsung tablet for a few minutes recently. I don't know what model it was, it might have been a Galaxy 3 10.1". What annoyed me was the touch control buttons for menu and back I accidentally kept hitting. I don't know if it was possible to disable them but it wasn't mine so I didn't bother. I had to keep it upside down while using it.

 

[2cvbloke]

What annoyed me was the touch control buttons for menu and back I accidentally kept hitting.

Yeah, the mother's 8" Galaxy Tab 3 has those buttons and are a little annoying, but I tend to hold the thing on the back so rarely knock the function buttons, on my old Tab those buttons are on-screen, rather than separate entities, but because it looked "too much like an ipad" according to apple's rather blind legal team, they added the samsung-trademark buttons on one end of the later series Tabs, which isn't really a smart move but at least it's not an ipad...