Review: Bought a Sero 8

[kernmal]

Just like facts mis-reported for the Sero 8

Do this on your Sero 7 Pro, turn off WiFi, next open up google maps it will jus sit there and sit there, it has no idea where you are; then turn on & connect WiFi, presto it will show where you are. This is not based off an article, this is based on real world use of the Sero 7 Pro.

I'm sorry that this thread was hijacked.

You are displaying incredible ignorance and I probably will not be able to convince you ever.

Settings>Location Access> Toggle Access to my location and then check GPS satellites

Download GPS Test from the Play Store. Try it.

Initial GPS lock can take up to 15 minutes. Moat GPS systems on Android make use of AGPS. When connected to the internet ( via Wifi) the device can download AGPS data which speeds up initial lock.

In GPS Test, go into settings and click update AGPS Data. Turn off Wifi. You should be able achieve initial lock within a few minutes. GPS Test will show you which satellites are in view. And it does work without Wifi.

Oh yeah, the back of the Sero 7 Pro box clearly shows GPS as a feature.

I am done here. I will not reply again.

Apologies to the OP, the initial review of the Sero 8 is much appreciated.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[StuartV]

No worries, Kernmal! Thanks for the info! If you listen carefully, you might even be able to hear me laughing from here!

Additional observation about the Sero 8:

The Email (not Gmail) app seems to have at least one bug. Example:

- I receive an email (in one of my Exchange Inboxes).
- The Sero shows a new mail notification icon at the top of the screen.
- I tap the Email icon on my homescreen, which takes me into a Combined View of both my Exchange Inboxes (work and personal).
- The new email does not show there.
- The only way I seem to be able to get it to show the new email at that point is to, either, tap the notification, which takes me directly into the specific Inbox where that message is - which has the undesired side effect of taking me out of Combined View. OR, I can manually switch to one Inbox or the other, then back to Combined View and it will update.

The Email app on my Note 10.1 will update/refresh the Combined View if I just touch a message and drag down as if I'm attempting to scroll past the end of the message list. Email on the Sero 8 does not does this.

 

[Joe Barry]

Funny anecdote: A friend of mine bought a new tablet this week. Before he bought it, he asked me for recommendations. I suggested the G Pad 8.3, the Note 10.1 or the Note Pro 12.2. He looked up the specs and none of them mentioned having a GPS. That was a requirement for him... so he bought an iPad Air.

The point being, it is not unusual for a tablet to have a GPS and the specs not mention it. OTOH, I have never seen specs that tell you things the device does NOT have. So, with no reviews to tell me, my only real option was to buy it and try it. Further, even if I had known it did not have a GPS, I might have bought it (with the intent to keep it) anyway. As I said earlier, I never would have guessed all the apps that (apparently) won't install because of the lack of a GPS. Maybe not realizing in advance that Yelp and USA Today and The Weather Channel wouldn't even install on a device without a GPS means I'm stupid. You are free to think so.

Recommeding the Samsung Note Pro 12.2 is a very good recommendation, However as for checking specs, you say it doesn't mention it?? Where do you check specs? Try checking directly on Samsung's site, their specs certainly do show it has GPS: Samsung Galaxy Note ® Pro 64GB (Wi-Fi)

 

[StuartV]

Recommeding the Samsung Note Pro 12.2 is a very good recommendation, However as for checking specs, you say it doesn't mention it?? Where do you check specs? Try checking directly on Samsung's site, their specs certainly do show it has GPS: Samsung Galaxy Note ® Pro 64GB (Wi-Fi)

Where did I say that I checked specs? I already knew it had a GPS.

My friend checked specs. I don't know where, but I imagine it was on the Verizon website, as he wanted to buy a VZW LTE model.

 

[Joe Barry]

I'm sorry that this thread was hijacked.

You are displaying incredible ignorance and I probably will not be able to convince you ever.

Settings>Location Access> Toggle Access to my location and then check GPS satellites

Download GPS Test from the Play Store. Try it.

Initial GPS lock can take up to 15 minutes. Moat GPS systems on Android make use of AGPS. When connected to the internet ( via Wifi) the device can download AGPS data which speeds up initial lock.

In GPS Test, go into settings and click update AGPS Data. Turn off Wifi. You should be able achieve initial lock within a few minutes. GPS Test will show you which satellites are in view. And it does work without Wifi.

Oh yeah, the back of the Sero 7 Pro box clearly shows GPS as a feature.

I am done here. I will not reply again.

Apologies to the OP, the initial review of the Sero 8 is much appreciated.

Posted via Android Central App

You are correct you will never convince me, out side of getting GPS through WfFi which I already stated, it does NOT have GPS. Yes I have that app and a whole lot more and the Sero is istting right infront of me next to one of my Samsung's, want to guess which one has GPS w/o WiFi ?

 

[Joe Barry]

The point being, it is not unusual for a tablet to have a GPS and the specs not mention it. OTOH, I have never seen specs that tell you things the device does NOT have.

Many places list specs and say is does NOT have that feature, would you like links to several sites that list a Tablet and feature and then says does NOT have; wrong again.

 

[Joe Barry]

Where did I say that I checked specs? I already knew it had a GPS.

My friend checked specs. I don't know where, but I imagine it was on the Verizon website, as he wanted to buy a VZW LTE model.

So he as a freind of yours you didn't set him straight or help him find the correct link with correct specs? what if the same so called site didn't show the apple product as having a gps? Oh boy ther way for the record VZW DOES show those Samsung models as having GPS, were do you come up with stuff? wrong yet again. Many sites have wrong and misleading info on Tablets and such. When a spec is going to make/break your buying decision it's fooless to rely on any social site, you'd would be better served going to the Manufactures site. But if some unamed site said it's true, it must be true right? after all it's the Internet It's very obvious you're making this stuff up as you go along and back peddling, holes in everything.

 

[mhans311]

Well if the sero 7 pro doesn't have GPS I've never noticed. Not really an important feature for me I guess.

I have a question about the sero 8 tablet for the OP. Have you tried running graphically demanding games on it? I'm wondering how it performs with a lesser known processor and only 1gb of ram. I'm thinking of picking this tablet up. I have really enjoyed my s7p but I really would like a slightly larger screen. I'm also wondering if they will come out with a pro version although I kind of doubt it.

 

[Emmexx]

I play Soulcalibur just fine on it. I am not sure what sort of demanding game you are speaking of, however. But yeah, Soulcalibur runs great. No stutter or lag between input and movement. Pretty solid play. I picked this up as a companion to the S7Pro. Probably will pick up a 10 inch if they offer it in the future.

Also, in regards to the 64GB card, the one I have works. It is a SanDisk 64GB microSD XC. Popped it in and loaded up all my ebooks and reads office files or PDF or whatever no issues. Reads proper size as well.

 

[StuartV]

Many places list specs and say is does NOT have that feature, would you like links to several sites that list a Tablet and feature and then says does NOT have; wrong again.

Really? You reviewed my entire life and found an occasion where I did see specs for something that said what it didn't have? And thus you determined that I was wrong?

 

[StuartV]

So he as a freind of yours you didn't set him straight or help him find the correct link with correct specs? what if the same so called site didn't show the apple product as having a gps? Oh boy ther way for the record VZW DOES show those Samsung models as having GPS, were do you come up with stuff? wrong yet again. Many sites have wrong and misleading info on Tablets and such. When a spec is going to make/break your buying decision it's fooless to rely on any social site, you'd would be better served going to the Manufactures site. But if some unamed site said it's true, it must be true right? after all it's the Internet It's very obvious you're making this stuff up as you go along and back peddling, holes in everything.

I recommended the G Pad, Note, and Pro on Wednesday morning (via email). Wednesday afternoon he emailed me back to say he bought the iPad. So, no, I didn't even have an opportunity to set him straight.

Also, I didn't say the Verizon site didn't say they had GPS. I said I didn't know where he looked at specs and I guessed Verizon.

Now that you have called me unethical and wrong at least twice, can you actually provide quotes from any of my posts in this thread where I posted something that was wrong?

 

[StuartV]

Well if the sero 7 pro doesn't have GPS I've never noticed. Not really an important feature for me I guess.

I have a question about the sero 8 tablet for the OP. Have you tried running graphically demanding games on it? I'm wondering how it performs with a lesser known processor and only 1gb of ram. I'm thinking of picking this tablet up. I have really enjoyed my s7p but I really would like a slightly larger screen. I'm also wondering if they will come out with a pro version although I kind of doubt it.

I did not. I am not really a gamer. And I bought a Samsung Tab Pro 8.4 yesterday at Best Buy. They have an in-store-only sale going for $249. So, I returned the Sero today.

 

[Joe Barry]

.
I want to see if living with a 7"-class tablet (and I lump this into that category simply because it's thinner than the Nexus 7 2013 and only 12mm taller and 12mm wider

Seriously thinner you say?? I just had a buddy go and get one of these only to find out it is Thicker than the Nexus 2013 NOT thinner. I just measured the Nexus 2013 as 8.65mm & his Sero 8 as 10.45mm, he was looking for cheap & thin as in your OP, but you've got that info wrong as well

 

[StuartV]

Seriously thinner you say?? I just had a buddy go and get one of these only to find out it is Thicker than the Nexus 2013 NOT thinner. I just measured the Nexus 2013 as 8.65mm & his Sero 8 as 10.45mm, he was looking for cheap & thin as in your OP, but you've got that info wrong as well

Good catch. I did indeed have that wrong and updated my OP accordingly.

What else did I get wrong? Please quote me. As far as I can tell, I got that one thing wrong and you've been wrong 3 or 4 times so far in this thread.

 

[StuartV]

Final update: After 3 days with the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4, I am extremely happy. It was WELL worth the extra $120 over the cost of the Sero 8. To me, of course. The screen is vastly better. The GTP does do automatic screen dimming (which the Sero 8 does not). The GTP does have a GPS built in and all my apps installed with no problem. The GTP actually IS thinner than the Nexus 7 2013. Almost a full 1.5mm (8.65mm vs 7.2mm). And the GTP has a MUCH faster CPU than the Sero 8 (2.3GHz quad-core vs 1.4GHz quad-core) and 2GB of RAM versus 1GB in the Sero. The extra RAM may not matter much now, but could make all the difference in the tablet's ability to upgrade to Android L, whenever that becomes available.

And, possibly the best of all, the Samsung Notebook Cover accessory for the GTP is super thin, yet provides good protection, and opening and closing the cover turns the screen on the tablet on and off. That is a feature I love about the iPad with the Smart Cover. I have the Samsung Notebook Cover for my Note 10.1, but it does not have that functionality. However, I can say that both Notebook covers seem to provide the exact same protection to the tablet itself. And I have dropped my 10.1 a few times and it still have exactly zero damage. So, I am glad to have the same thing for my GTP.

I feel like my extra $120 purchase price over the Sero was not just buying better specs in the tablet. It was also buying me this access to the many high quality accessories that are available for the Samsung tablets that don't seem to be available for the HiSense tablets. At least, not in nearly the same quantities.

Plus, the GTP purchase got me a $25 Google Play credit and a number of other things that would otherwise cost me money.

The Sero 8 is very nice. You get a lot for your $129. But, at least for me, it turns out that it is not a good purchase, when the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is available for $249.

That is all.

 

[mhans311]

Sounds like you made the right choice for you. I actually ended up getting the Dell venue 8 pro. Yes I know...a Windows tablet. I have always liked windows phone and I have used it a couple times but I just can't get away from Android on a phone. It just works too well for me. But on a tablet I thought it might be fun to see how Windows goes. So far I am enjoying it. I love being able to use full windows and all of my windows apps. So far I am really enjoying it and I love the 8 inch form factor. We will see how it I like it after the newness has worn off.

 

[StuartV]

Sounds like you made the right choice for you. I actually ended up getting the Dell venue 8 pro. Yes I know...a Windows tablet. I have always liked windows phone and I have used it a couple times but I just can't get away from Android on a phone. It just works too well for me. But on a tablet I thought it might be fun to see how Windows goes. So far I am enjoying it. I love being able to use full windows and all of my windows apps. So far I am really enjoying it and I love the 8 inch form factor. We will see how it I like it after the newness has worn off.

I wish you the best of luck with that! I bought a VP8 also, about 3 months ago when Micro Center had them on sale. I spent way too much time in Desktop mode, which was way too cumbersome to navigate on such a small screen. I returned it after about a week.

 

[rolf4golf]

My sero8 will not download my favorite app, says it is incompatible. I have this app running on all my other devises including computers, iPod, iPad and my sero 7. What happened?

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Joe Barry]

My sero8 will not download my favorite app, says it is incompatible. I have this app running on all my other devises including computers, iPod, iPad and my sero 7. What happened?

Posted via Android Central App

Not really sure but I'm guessing maybe cause it's a dual-core vs a quad-core? I passed on sero 8 because the current model is more like a sero 7 LT, rather than the Pro; I've got way too many tablets now as it is, but I would have grabbed a Sero 8 just for grins if it had been more like an upgraded Pro.

 

[rolf4golf]

The box and specs say it has a quad core chip. When I go in to google play this app doesn't even show up as available yet on my sero7 it shows. Strange. This sero8 was a gift.

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