Nexus 10 & Obsolescence

[sugriva]

Hello everyone?

This is NOT flame bait. I have a genuine question and would appreciate your input. I?ve been using android for a while now, from the Galaxy S2 onwards. Currently have a Note 2, Nexus 7, Note 10.1 from Costco within its return window, and Nexus 10 also within its return window.

I?m a hardcore PC gamer, but currently use my tablet for: watching videos, reading docs, some light gaming, and science apps. Would like the ability to play more games when I?m traveling. I prefer larger screens; hence the Nexus 7 is kinda gathering dust compared to the other two.

I?m trying to decide between keeping the Note 10.1 or the Nexus 10, waiting for a new android tablet, or even ? and against my best judgment ? opting for a new iPad when it comes out this summer. I hate iOS with a passion, but am open to considering it if it suits my needs better. I plan on keeping this tablet for at least 2 years and would like it to be adequate to run any apps till then.

My main concerns are:
1. Obsolescence: My no.1 concern. The note 10.1 does almost all of what I want. However, it is a dated screen, and with it being a custom fork in Android, I?m even more concerned about how far behind it will become in capability within the next 2 years. Nexus 10 has a fantastic screen, but older apps do not support this resolution, and without window resizing like the Note 10, it renders a small gaming market even smaller.

2. App Selection: I would not say Android gaming sucks, but it?s certainly far behind the app store at this time. Some of the apps that I want ? Baldurs Gate, XCOM (in the future) are either not accounted for in Android or are far behind their iOS counterparts in development/release. I do not know if this trend will worsen in the future.

3. Fragmentation: Related to 1. And 2. With so many forks in Android, I do not know what the ?mainstream? tablet will be. Out on the Baldurs Gate forums, for example, the devs are asking for a poll to decide which android device to prioritize development for (Nexus 7 is winning, BTW). With the proliferation of devices out there, I would not be surprised if this is the norm in the future. Given this, which horse should I be betting on?

Would really appreciate your advice on this. Should I keep either the Note 10.1 or the Nexus, or do you see any android device out in the next couple of months that I should be holding out for. Or are these issues significant enough that I should consider a switch to iOS? I realize this is the Nexus 10 forum, but I?m sure you folks have enough experience with other devices including the note to give me an objective opinion. Many thanks..

 

[llamainmypocket]

The fragmentation in android often refers to carriers not providing updates leaving 90% of phone owners with a dated build. The slight variation in hardware specs and slight tweaks in operating system should not lead to different versions of software for each device. A Wi-Fi tablet will not leave you getting **** blocked by your phone company because your device isn't affiliated with them.

The idea that the app store is far ahead of the android market is a misconception. I believe a few weeks back the android market became more populated with apps and therefore being a bigger market. What's occurring in the app store is that the consistency in OS with apple phones leads to an initial release of apps there before they come out on android. I don't know how true this is as apple is losing market share on both tablets and phones year over year.

I don't game but if I did want to play baldurs gate then I'd install it on my computer, run Splashtop, and just play the computer version remotely through my tablet. If you've got a solid router and network card then it will work well. You don't need to wait for a tablet version. You can play your computer on your tablet.

I wouldn't plan to do this away from home though. Outside of using LAN at home you could use like a GB an hour in data which brings your data plan in question or the speed of the Wi-Fi hotspot your using.

 

[Doxcyguy617]

I have a GS III (holding on tight to my unlimited LTE data plan), Nexus 10, iPad 4, HP Touchpad, and BB Playbook for work.

I use each of the tablets for various things:

BBP - only for work email
IPad -email, surfing, games, various apps
N10 - email, surfing, games, apps not on my iPad
HPTP- docked as a dashboard running chameleon

So I am a coexist tech person. I love it all, want to learn it all, appreciate the differences and the competition and innovation as a result.

If you can afford both, which based on your post it sounds like you can, then utilize each tablet for the app/game/action that runs better on it.

On the waiting... There will always be something bigger and better around the corner... Buy what you need when you need it, with he understanding that like with your PC, you will be upgrading in a year or two.

 

[Preston Wilson]

At this point the 10.1 is about obsolete, as the nexus does about everything better at a cheaper price. I wouldn't worry about the app store >google play store tend, since android is steadfastly gazing more steam

 

[xlDeMoNiClx]

The Nexus 10 won't be obsolete for quite a while, even when the new model comes out it still has so much going for it that it's still a perfectly viable device to use.

This is from me, on my EVO 3D.

 

[Devlyn16]

I can only speak form my perspective on a N10

1) Outdated. This is Google First 10" so I think it is safe to expect it will remain "current" for at least 2 more years. and functional for at least 5+ years

2)App selection. While I agree it isnt fun to wait becuase adroid SEEMS to get thing second I suspect we are going to see that changing soon enough.

3) Fragmentation: Right now this is Bunk. it is like looking at a Car manufactuer and saying thier line is fragmented because the headlight from a 2009 model wont fit a 2012 model. Do people with a 2000 Jeep cry because everything is USB now and there are no USB ports in their vehicle??? Advances will always occur.

As for keep note 10.1 or Keep nexus, dependns on what you use it for and how you use it, if the pen/stylus is important keep the Note 10.1 if not .. Nexus 10 all the way.

 

[CynicX]

Tough one.

While I prefer watching movies and videos on my Nexus 10. The iPad has a better selection of movie apps like HBO Go that actually works, showtime, etc. Downloading videos and watching them I think are better on the N10 just because of the aspect ratio.

IOS has a better selection of games BUT you can't use something like a ps3 controller which is a requirement for me with FPS. It does have a lot more puzzle games that I like to play.

Reading docs I highly prefer the iPad for the same reason I prefer the N10 for watching videos, aspect ratio. I find PDF's and books to be somewhat annoying on the N10 but I prefer the paper version of books. Then iPad is more meant to be used in the portrait orientation, I even prefer browsing the web on 4:3 compared to 16:9 EVEN though all my computers are 16:9.

Science apps....not sure about that one.



Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Aquila]

The "fragmentation" issue shouldn't impact the Nexus 10 until at least 2015... hopefully that issue will be solved long before then. As Nexus devices are always on the latest/greatest software, fragmentation, in the wrongheaded sense of the term that the media normally uses, actually only impacts the devices that the Nexus line leaves behind.

 

[snookasnoo]

The Nexus 10 was a good start but there are many things wrong with it. I'm hoping that a new version is announced at Google I/O along with a new version of the Nexus 7 and 4. Might be too early though. An HTC One build quality 10 inch Android tablet with high res display would be the ticket.

 

[Suntan]

I would agree with the notion of waiting for Google I/O to see if the N10 gets refreshed. It wouldn't suprise me to see a slight spec bump to it. If you are obsessed with keeping it from becoming "obsolete" this may be a good option for you. That said, none of these tablets will look all that amazing 2 years from now.

As for the note 10.1, unless you want the s-pen functionality, I don't see a compelling reason to keep it.

-Suntan

 

[masqueofhastur]

The fragmentation in android often refers to carriers not providing updates leaving 90% of phone owners with a dated build. The slight variation in hardware specs and slight tweaks in operating system should not lead to different versions of software for each device.

This is true for most apps, but games are an exception. If you're a gamer, Android fragmentation becomes really obvious.

 

[masqueofhastur]

I would agree with the notion of waiting for Google I/O to see if the N10 gets refreshed. It wouldn't suprise me to see a slight spec bump to it. If you are obsessed with keeping it from becoming "obsolete" this may be a good option for you. That said, none of these tablets will look all that amazing 2 years from now.

You should still be able to read PDFs and watch videos as well as the best of them with the Nexus 10, something not true of most of the other tablets.