How is it so far? Any reviews?

[esoh]

For those of you with 8.9s, any reviews to post? Would love to hear what people think after a couple of weeks.

 

[Shempster]

I've had mine from the day they were released here. So far, I like it. I sold my 1st gen iPad to buy it. Never liked their ecosystem.

The 8.9 as all have said is just a smaller 10.1. Its definitely faster than my old iPad & weighs a lot less. In that time, I've not had one reboot. Its been perfectly stable & most all the apps I've installed have been also. The screen is great & battery life is almost as good as my old iPad.

After having a Nook Color for a week it made me realize just how big & heavy the iPad was. I think the 10 inch tablets are too big for me. This thing fits in the front & side pockets of my Cargo shorts & pockets in my jackets. This is something no Apple iPad will ever be able to do! So, when the next smoking new tablet comes out ? just a short matter of time ? if its not this size or smaller, I won't care. (Built in peace of mind).

Only real negative I have is price & maybe lack of a SD port. It really should be around the $300 mark to me.

Oh, & so far almost no accessories in the stores for them, though all I want is the thinnest case I can get for it.

 

[esoh]

I've had mine from the day they were released here. So far, I like it. I sold my 1st gen iPad to buy it. Never liked their ecosystem.

Thanks for the info. I have played with it a bit at BB but wanted some real world experience. Couple of quick questions:

1. How is it typing in portrait? Easy to do two handed like a phone or still a bit unwieldy?

2. Can you hold in one hand to read? Does it get heavy after a bit or not?

Thanks in advance.

 

[reich2004]

I like mine a lot. I'm impressed by how little it weighs. I have found that it can be used for one handed reading, although when I read in bed I usually prop it up against a pillow, because I'm lazy. I can't wait for an ipad-one-apple-black-foldy case to be easily attainable for this tab.

Build quality is on par with other samsung devices. Solid. It truly is just like 10 in version minus size and a few ports. The back seems a little slippery to me with the device naked, so again, I'm excited for a lightweight folding case that cures that issue.

 

[reich2004]

Oh, portrait typing isn't bad, but I prefer thumb typing landscape style, which is where this really shines compared to the 10.1in variant.

 

[NickA]

I've had mine for almost 2 weeks now. I also have the BB PlayBook, and a Transformer. The 8.9" size is perfect I think. It's so light and comfortable to hold. The only issue I've had is the browser crashing on some sites, but switching to Dolphin HD helped.

Like @Shempster, I'm looking for a thin case and I can't find one. I don't want to bulk the tablet up. There are a couple cases on Amazon, but I really like to see/feel a case before I buy it. For now I just keep it in a zippered netbook sleeve.

I like TouchWiz on it. All the screens, even the Settings screen, looks nice. They add colors and icons that really make Honeycomb look good. I'm normally prefer a plain vanilla experience, but I really like this.

The BB PlayBook is really nice too I must admit. It is rock solid, and so portable. Not many apps for it yet, but it will run Android apps shortly. If you have a BB phone, you can bridge it to the PlayBook and get Internet access on it from your phone. No need to buy an extra hotspot plan. I probably use the 8.9 70%, and the PlayBook 30%. The PlayBook travels with me wherever I go because of it's size. Gorilla glass gives me confidence that the screen isn't going to scratch as easy too. And it makes a nice Pandora radio while driving.

Batter life is great on the 8.9. It feels solid and well built. The thinness takes some getting used to. At first it felt slippery, and I feared dropping it. But I can actually grip the thing in portrait mode. But it's that thinness, and lightness that really makes this a nice device.

The price is a little high I think. And they really need to put a SD slot in these. I hate to say it but it reminds me of Apple. They want you to buy a more expensive device just to get more memory. Makes no sense, especially when you see cheaper tablets full of expansion slots.

And it still runs 3.2. I had a Fascinate, and we all know Samsung is notorious for not getting updates out in a timely manner. There are no carries involved, so I'm not sure why they can't get 3.2 rolling. My guess is it's probably TouchWiz holding it up, but who knows.

 

[jmunster]

I have had my 8.9 for a couple weeks and I love it. I think it is the perfect size and I have barely touched the Xoom since getting this. Battery life is great and it is perfect for one handed reading. My only complaint is that the browser rearranges my Chrome bookmarks when it syncs. I have to keep putting them back in the right order on my Mac.

 

[DC Damien]

I agree that the size and weight are just right. It actually fit into the pocket of my cargo pants. That was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure what to think about touchwiz.