[FloridaPhil]

It's been a round about path that led me to becoming a Samsung Galaxy Tab owner. To make a long story short, I bought my first ever tablet, a Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet just before Thanksgiving 2011. At first I was happy with it but for various reasons, particularly the infamous version 1.4.1 sideload blocking 'update' issued and autoinstalled by B&N just before Christmas, I decided to return it and find a real tablet.

(The full story is here at the B&N user forum if you are interested. http://bookclubs.bar...uct/m-p/1251995)

So, my search led me first to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0+, and now to the 8.9 - still making my mind up which one I will keep. So far I'm loving both of them and they are a steal with the newly announced lower pricing.

Since posting my decision on the B&N forum to switch to the GT range of tablets, quite a few other Nook Tablet owners have bought GTs too. It seems inappropriate to jam up the Nook forum with Samsung Galaxy chat so this thread is intended to be a gathering place for the displaced who have bonded during the past few weeks of fairly intense discussion.

Welcome all. Please register as members and keep the chat going!

Phil

_____________________________________________________________________________


This is not an official GTAB Forum sub section, it is member led.

However the Moderators are happy for members to share in here.
WE suggest that USER HELP questions are not asked in here to avoid confusion.
We will be watching.

MODERATOR BLAST - GTAB 7 and 7 Plus owner.
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[moosetracker]

Hi Florida Phil.. Nice new home you have here.. You didn't want to go round & round & round & round a few more weeks with the same arguements restarted as if it was someone with a whole new thought process..

[gilgomez]

Hey! Just registered and looking forward to our exchange of info and tips.

Wish me luck; I plan on returning my NT this evening if the store mngr is back from vacation. I will have a nice NT cover to sell or give away. Will try ebay I guess since I have other stuff to sell there. It will be my first attempt at selling on ebay.

Will sell the gift cards on plasticjungle (great tip!) with only a 15% loss. Not a bad deal. I will keep some though since I intend on purchasing more B&N ebooks. I agree that their eread app is better than Kindle's.

Have a terrific day! Will report back when I have my new gal tab in my hands. I think I will go for the 8.9 size.

Gilgomez

[ZombiePete]

Hey guys; another NT convert here. I really liked the NT but in the end it just made for sense for me to invest the extra cash into the GT7. I am greatly enjoying this tablet so far; great for multiple needs. The B&N Nook app seems quality so I am not missing the reading functions at all.

I mean, thank God for a quality keyboard and browser too! ;-)

[FloridaPhil]

Great to have you here guys!

I really don't understand the hate being exhibited over on the B&N forums. It's as if the fanboys just want to deny that some of us have an issue with a partially disabled tablet! The constant "it's an argument without any merit" postings by a certain member without him actually ever addressing the issues got tiresome - I think it really is a case of they are first time tablet owners and have never experienced anything else. Oh well. Ignorance is bliss.. better to let them enjoy the NT in peace I guess.

I returned my Nook Tablet on Friday. The girl behind the desk said that was the third return THAT DAY. She asked me why I was returning it and I told her it was because the app store is like a Russian grocery store circa 1982- the shelves are there but there is nothing on them. She nodded and said yeah, she was hearing that a lot. There were PLENTY of Nook Tablets available for sale at that particular store too , not at all 'Not a one on the shelves' situation at all.

Anyway, I am very happy to have moved on and delighted that the Nook Android app is so good. Really, I am not missing anything in my reading experience so far. I have both a 7.0+ and an 8.9 that I'm appraising right now. I have subscribed to several (not enhanced) magazines and have to admit that they look FANTASTIC on the 8.9. On the other hand, the 7.0 size is just so portable. Hmmm.

Please add your tablet device to your signature so we can identify who is using which Galaxy Tab (or iPad or whatever tablet you bring to our little show and tell).

[bobstro]

Thanks to your B&N Forum thread, I checked out the Galaxy Tab 7 Plus. I've cashed in some credit card bonus points for Amazon credit, and once it gets here, I think I'm going for the GT7+ as well. I love my Nook Color running CyanogenMod 7.2, but the Nook Tablet is very smooth. It would truly meet all my needs if I didn't have to fight B&N to get a few more apps on it. I've rooted my wife's NT, but would love to get a full alternate firmware on it much like I have CM7 on my Nook Color.

The NC is probably going to my son, and I'll get a new, full-featured toy to play with.

[KFL]

Sorry, will just lurk from now on.

[gilgomez]

Good morning everyone!!!

Well I still have my NT because I have jury duty starting this morning; I can't stand the thought of being stuck in the jury pool room for hours on end without something to read. As soon as I get released from my jury duty (please keep your fingers crossed that I get rejected today!) I am running back to return this sucker.

I have been stalking news reports from CES 2012 regarding anything Android Tablet but so far the Asus Prime is dominating the news. And last night I watched a very informative video (Samsung support videos) regarding the Samsung 7+. Awesome features and cool new Peel interface plus it has some of my dream wish list of features including an IR to use as a remote control for your TV, Directv DVR and Blue Ray players. I got excited because finally I see a tablet with infared like our old Palm devices; loved sharing business cards and programs (apps) via IR. That was cool and wonder why manufacturers don't use IRs on tablets for those purposes?

And of course the thinnest tablet design plus micro SD card for expansion. Very cool. The new Samsung hubs look very interesting and might prove to be a time saver when checking in at Facebook and Linked..cool.

I only wish Samsung would announce plans to update the 8.9 galaxy to incorporate some of the above features. I know from experience that they (Samsung) are very slow to roll out software updates or add features. Darn. I am tempted by the 7+ but ultimately the 8.9 size hits the sweet spot for me because it is simply easier for me to read websites on the larger tablet.

Now I know my friend KFL is enjoying her Ipad2 and I have also been cautioned by my son and some loyal Apple users to hold out for the new iPad3. There are rumors that new sizes (including a smaller pad closer to the 8.9) are to be introduced soon. My only complaint is that I detest the itunes interface and find that whole itunes environment very fenced in. Kinda like the B&N nook restrictions but then again, having an Apple store less than two miles from home is darn tempting. At least I know I can run there if I encounter some problems with the hardware because Samsung is notorious about lousy customer service. That is another reason I LOVE Square Trade!

So does anyone in our group have an iPad2 alongside a Samsung Galaxy tab to compare ease of use and display sharpness?

Oh, if you have an 8.9 tablet, have you used the cable with the usb/sd card reader? I wonder how that sucker works...this is my single biggest concern regarding the 8.9 vs the wonderful new 7+ which has it all. Wow, even GPS! So very cool!!!!

Have a great day everyone and thanks again FloridaPhil for setting this up for us. Let me know how the 8.9 holds up against the 7+; I hear the display on the 8.9 is amazing!

[Ed_Mart]

Great idea to start a forum here but don't stay away from the Nook forums, in particular the Nook app forum, it's the safe place to discuss your GT and the nook app.

I purchased my GT in November after months of research and trying out various tablets. I decided on the GT because of the display and performance, I have not been disappointed in my decision. As an owner of a NookColor I was disappointed by the restrictions placed on the device even though it was primarily an ereader first and a tablet second. I also disliked web browsing on the 7" screen. When the NT was announced I considered it but it still had a 7" screen and the same restrictions as the NC. I wanted a device with a larger screen, full access to the Android Market and one I didn't have to root. I am very pleased with my GT 10. So far it has performed as exected and I am looking forward to March/April when the ICS upgrade is expected to be available for the GT.

When it comes to reading apps I still tend to use the Nook app and purchase my books more from BN than anywhere else, however I do prefer to use Aldiko for books not purchased from BN. At least with Aldiko downloaded or sideloaded books have their covers intact.

Good luck with this forum site. See you later.

[gilgomez]

ok, it's me again and I finally returned by darned NT tonight but let me tell you all what a pain it was. First of all the evening assistant manager told me flat out that it was past the 14 days after purchase and so I couldn't return it. She wanted to know if it was broken. I simply stated that it was no longer suitable because I expected a tablet or a light tablet and that after the software update the device was too restricted. Then I proceeded to tell her that the device was purchased during the special holiday return policy which was extended from Thanksgiving week to Jan 31st. Guess what?? She argued and argued the point and after I showed her the policy on my phone she walked away to discuss it or research it with someone. Maybe the manager was there and didn't want to see me? Anyway when she returned she informed me the manager only authorized and refund for a store credit. I pointed out the difference between a Gift Card (which can be used at any store or online) versus a receipt that would tie me to purchasing stuff in their store.

Listen, the story is that we went round and round and she walked away again and returned and said she has been authorized to do the gift card refund but that the full amount would go on one card. I said that was just fine since I would use it to purchase ebooks. she rang it up, gave me the card and I had to ask her for the receipt indicating the card worth. Oh, she forgot. Wow, this is pretty screwball. And I have a sneaky suspicion that the sales force are being asked to resist returns, I got that feeling because she was very forceful in telling me that there was no such thing as an extended or holiday return policy. And you know, she never admitted the policy exists and never apologized. And thankfully, I didn't even see the weirdo acting store manager that put up a hissy fit last week when I tried to return the NT. Really leaves a sour taste.

No on to more fun and exciting news..........
I got the gift card, went to plasticjungle.com and "sold" it for 85% worth of face value; to be compensated with an amazon.com gift card that will be emailed to me. The terrific news is that although I "lost" 15% in the transaction I really didn't because I checked and I still have $30 worth of B&N gift cards. This is from the buy $100 and get $10 back after Christmas. So at least I have a very tiny sense of not having lost it all..

I went back to Best Buy and played with the iPad2 (too heavy to be comfortable for my use for extended periods of time), the GT 10" and the GT 8.9" They did NOT have the GT 7+ which I thought was weird since it is the new BUZZZ. I really liked the 8.9" size but think Samsung is almost ignoring that tab, so little known of it and it isn't being promoted. No accessories for it at the store either. The 10" is just too large for my use...

So as I wait for my Amazon gift card I debate the 7+ vs the 8.9........

Anyone here with the 8.9 that has encountered any problems?

[twilight]

I enjpoy the B&N app for magazines and I have a 7" tab. The "Article View" button opens the entire article with just a small picture, so you can scroll thru the whole article without page turning.

[FloridaPhil]

Gilgomez,

I have been assessing the 7.0+ against the 8.9 and I have just returned the 8.9. I found it was just a little too big to use comfortably one handed like the 7.0. Magazine reading was just gorgeous on it but I don't consider that a sufficient benefit to keep it. Also, I have to say, to my eyes, video just looks better on the 7.0+, even with the lower resolution. Sound through headphones was much superior on the 7.0 compared to the 8.9. I dunno, the 8.9 just felt a little 'clunky' to me. I can't imagine using a 10.1 or iPad!

While I really, really like the 7.0+, I'm just not sure it's worth $350 of my money, never mind the $399 some places are still wanting for it. I mean, GPS and camera are all very nice, but I don't see me using them much to be honest. I'm much more likely to use my phone for those missing functions.

I want to shake my head at myself, but I have just ordered a Nook Color. With my B&N membership, it came out at $180 with taxes and free shipping. I know it's slower than either the NT or the 7.0+ but I can run N2A from the SD card and have the full Android experience with it, as well as the native B&N environment. All I really want is a reader with a decent browser, decent email, Android market and the ability to sync with Google + a few other apps here and there. I *think* the color can do all of those things, a little slower to be sure, but for around HALF the price of the 7.0+.

Once I get the NC I will make a final decision as to whether the additional $180 is worth it. At this point I don't see it is.

Also, at the back of my mind is all the news out of CES this week - it looks as though there's about to be a TON of cheaper tablets released, some with pretty high specs. Of course, the 7.0+ was announced last March and it took until November for it to be widely available.

I want the Goldilocks tablet, not too big, not too small. 8" is sounding right. Maybe the Galaxy Tab 7.7 wifi is what I really, really want. If I get the NC, I'll just keep it as my reader when I upgrade. If I keep the 7.0+ then I will probably just avert my eyes from the new releases and keep it for a few years. It really is a gorgeous device.

[FloridaPhil]

twilight, on 11 January 2012 - 12:49 PM, said:

I enjpoy the B&N app for magazines and I have a 7" tab. The "Article View" button opens the entire article with just a small picture, so you can scroll thru the whole article without page turning.

Yeah, I know, but..... but....

I find the article view kinda loses the 'feel' of the text in relation to the pictures, particularly if there are multiple highlight boxes on a spread.

For instance, I am reading the current issue of Automobile right now and on the 8.9 it was SUPERB. I mean, gorgeous. It still needed some minor zooming in and out, but overall, it was legible and everything was in it's place. I could follow a diagram with arrows pointing to various points on the car and easily relate the picture with the numbered bullet points below.

On the article view, I still get to read the bullet points but don't have a photograph to see what it is the author is pointing out. And it's just to small on the 7 inch screen to really read without a ton of zooming and scrolling.

I want it all but can't have it. I think I am going to rule out magazines as being viable on a 7 inch tablet and continue to get them by mail. For books, the 7 inch screen is the best format in my opinion (without having seen the Galaxy Tab 7.7 yet).

[gilgomez]

FloridaPhil:

I agree that the 7" is most comfortable for reading although I tinkered with the 8.9 long enough and found it very comfortable to hold thanks to its thin and lightweight design. I most loved the 8.9 for doing everything else above and beyond the average book reading and yes, magazines and web surfing is a bit tight on the 7" form for my liking.

The greatest advantage of the 7+ for me is the built in expansion card slot versus needing a cable and adapter for the 8.9. And painful to admit, Amazon is not matching Best Buy's amazing $399 price for the 8.9 16gb device. They have it for $499 which puts in the realm of high end competition including the ipad altough I find the ipad too heavy.

I am still awaiting my Amazon "gift card" for the sold off B&N gift card refund so I am trying to stay calm although I am hungry for my ebooks. I ended up reading (using the Nook app) on my Samsung Galaxy S phone last night and thankfully the screen is so darn sharp it wasn't hard to do.

So let's see what comes to Amazon as I await my return........listen, the Asus Prime sounds mighty interesting but although there were numerous tablets announced at CES, none really are a stand out for me. Oh, but I DO want to check out the new AMOLED screen on the 7.7, I read that it is simply the must stunning of all displays. I bet they will want a pretty penny for that sucker.

[gilgomez]

twilight said:

I enjpoy the B&N app for magazines and I have a 7" tab. The "Article View" button opens the entire article with just a small picture, so you can scroll thru the whole article without page turning.

Twilight:
IS it the Nook app you are using on an Android 7" tablet? Can I ask which tablet? And are you happy with it?

I subscribe to design magazines and the nifty "enhanced" feature was cool; wonder if I will experience the same using the app on a Samsung tablet.

[FloridaPhil]

gilgomez, on 12 January 2012 - 12:45 AM, said:

Twilight:
IS it the Nook app you are using on an Android 7" tablet? Can I ask which tablet? And are you happy with it?

I subscribe to design magazines and the nifty "enhanced" feature was cool; wonder if I will experience the same using the app on a Samsung tablet.

Tell me which magazine it is and I'll download a trial to my 7.0+ to test it out for you

[gilgomez]

Hi everybody! Just dropped by to say I finally ordered my Galaxy 7 Plus tablet thru Amazon and it was a breeze with the gift card and love the no tax charge. I'm very excited to receive my tablet so I will report back when it is in my hands. Should be here next Tuesday the 17th.

[KFL]

gilgomez, on 13 January 2012 - 05:20 AM, said:

Hi everybody! Just dropped by to say I finally ordered my Galaxy 7 Plus tablet thru Amazon and it was a breeze with the gift card and love the no tax charge. I'm very excited to receive my tablet so I will report back when it is in my hands. Should be here next Tuesday the 17th.

Good job, Gil! Congrats!

[covimom]

Newbie here. I too took my NT back. Lucky for me purchased from BestBuy. Loved the NT but... I'm techie enough not to want to be hemmed in with the 1.4.1 update and not techie enough to feel comfortable to root. Even then what about updates ect. I'm just not knowdledgeable enough to get through that quagmire. BB had it on sale down to 349.00 : I had BB rewards points 35.00 and returned my "must use or you might void you warranty car charger 25.00 and the Galaxy Tab cost 40.00 more. I do give kudos to B&N for releasing the upgrade prior to the extened return period.

I did purchase a couple of programs from B&N. the office one, but Polaris Office makes up for that (I assume it is not a trial program) but I am disapointed that I purchased the NIV Study Bible app, unless somebody out there knows how to make it work.????

I did find the "enable 3rd party apps" with out much difficulty so the things I picked up from Amazon on the Tab now.. Yay... So far the GT is sooo cool ....

Will be lurking around the forum watching for tips (have already picked up some good ones)
Covimom

[ZombiePete]

I ended up trading my 7+ for an 8.9. I really like it. Easier to type on with two hands, and I like reading magazines on it better. Also, the battery is noticeably better. It might be a little big for someone who specifically wants that 7-inch form factor, but this is definitely better for me.