Hello all, I have some questions about the latest and greatest honeycomb tablets (Xoom, Galaxy Tab, etc.). Prior to these tablets all I knew of was the tiny 7" tablets from China and none of them could ever handle my tasks but with these new tablets I have to wonder and thus why I am here.
Firstly can these newer tablets play .flac files either natively or via an app on the market WITHOUT rooting?
Next, I am huge fan of HD videos and Blu-ray and well here's my next question, one can these tablets handle basic .mkv HD videos with Dolby Digital 5.1, like those obtained from iTunes? Youtube videos I've seen pretty much say yes to this but I just want to be sure because I think I read some where that most GOOD HD videos use a high profile while at least with the iPad it can only handle basic (or baseline?) profile videos. In translation this equates to the iPad can only do low bitrates and that means lower quality. If it can handle those can we go so far as to say it can handle full 1080p videos with full lossless audio (e.g. a good .mkv/.m2ts Blu-ray rip with TrueHD/DTS-HD MA)? Here's a good free example video to test with, Download Center - Demo World.
How about HDMI output... as in how does this function. Can a built in HDMI port output HD video to a nice TV as if it were a separate display? I mean could I play the video on the TV while have the tablet's display off because if video is playing on both screens or if the tablet is just on lighting up the room that could get a little annoying?
Last question for now. I read a interesting tidbit about the newer tablets and then I got to experience live while checking some tabs out in a Staples store. There doesn't appear to be any easy way to close running apps. Sure you can switch between them with ease and whatnot, but can you actually CLOSE running apps? I ask because I imagine you could eat up a lot of tablet resources if play an intense 3D game and then decide you want to watch an HD movie, you know?
I've been researching all the tabs and from what I gather, but I could be wrong which is why I'm here, it seems that the current Tegra 2 chipsets by Nvidia can't quite cut it but the new "Kal-El" Tegra 3's, maybe appearing in new tablets coming out later this year should easily handle these tasks.
I'm not exactly looking to buy a tab at this point but if a given tab can handle my needs I would like lots of storage space (at least 32GB or even larger as HD videos and .flac files can eat up space quickly) and the ability to expand upon the built in storage (MicroSD/SD/USB are all fine) would be great. I've played around with the Xoom, Iconia and others and they all seem nice but to me for looks, features and price the Iconia seemed the nice with all it's ports and such. I prefer to have at least a 10" screen like the Xoom and I love the 1280x800 WIDESCREEN display resolution unlike the iPads. It bugs me that they make HD apps for the iPad when the iPad display ISN'T HD. I don't need 3G, Wi-fi only is good enough, I don't care so much about built-in cameras as I have DSLR, and I think a GPS chip would be nice for this tab could then double as a navigator.
I prefer android tablets in every way because the android platform is a much more open platform meaning tablets running this platform are more likely to look and preform better in every way, plus handle my needs better than an Apple tab ever good. I'll give Apple credit for only two things, they popularized the tablet and they do have some quality, exclusives apps and games that I like. Although I just realized the android market offers some apps you can't get on Apple's app store, like emulators.
So yea, that's it, forgive me if these have all been answered before, I've looked here and on Google and didn't get many solid answers. Oh and I'm not opposed to rooting a tab but having never actually rooted a device I prefer it if a tab can initially handle my needs without rooting.
Firstly can these newer tablets play .flac files either natively or via an app on the market WITHOUT rooting?
Next, I am huge fan of HD videos and Blu-ray and well here's my next question, one can these tablets handle basic .mkv HD videos with Dolby Digital 5.1, like those obtained from iTunes? Youtube videos I've seen pretty much say yes to this but I just want to be sure because I think I read some where that most GOOD HD videos use a high profile while at least with the iPad it can only handle basic (or baseline?) profile videos. In translation this equates to the iPad can only do low bitrates and that means lower quality. If it can handle those can we go so far as to say it can handle full 1080p videos with full lossless audio (e.g. a good .mkv/.m2ts Blu-ray rip with TrueHD/DTS-HD MA)? Here's a good free example video to test with, Download Center - Demo World.
How about HDMI output... as in how does this function. Can a built in HDMI port output HD video to a nice TV as if it were a separate display? I mean could I play the video on the TV while have the tablet's display off because if video is playing on both screens or if the tablet is just on lighting up the room that could get a little annoying?
Last question for now. I read a interesting tidbit about the newer tablets and then I got to experience live while checking some tabs out in a Staples store. There doesn't appear to be any easy way to close running apps. Sure you can switch between them with ease and whatnot, but can you actually CLOSE running apps? I ask because I imagine you could eat up a lot of tablet resources if play an intense 3D game and then decide you want to watch an HD movie, you know?
I've been researching all the tabs and from what I gather, but I could be wrong which is why I'm here, it seems that the current Tegra 2 chipsets by Nvidia can't quite cut it but the new "Kal-El" Tegra 3's, maybe appearing in new tablets coming out later this year should easily handle these tasks.
I'm not exactly looking to buy a tab at this point but if a given tab can handle my needs I would like lots of storage space (at least 32GB or even larger as HD videos and .flac files can eat up space quickly) and the ability to expand upon the built in storage (MicroSD/SD/USB are all fine) would be great. I've played around with the Xoom, Iconia and others and they all seem nice but to me for looks, features and price the Iconia seemed the nice with all it's ports and such. I prefer to have at least a 10" screen like the Xoom and I love the 1280x800 WIDESCREEN display resolution unlike the iPads. It bugs me that they make HD apps for the iPad when the iPad display ISN'T HD. I don't need 3G, Wi-fi only is good enough, I don't care so much about built-in cameras as I have DSLR, and I think a GPS chip would be nice for this tab could then double as a navigator.
I prefer android tablets in every way because the android platform is a much more open platform meaning tablets running this platform are more likely to look and preform better in every way, plus handle my needs better than an Apple tab ever good. I'll give Apple credit for only two things, they popularized the tablet and they do have some quality, exclusives apps and games that I like. Although I just realized the android market offers some apps you can't get on Apple's app store, like emulators.
So yea, that's it, forgive me if these have all been answered before, I've looked here and on Google and didn't get many solid answers. Oh and I'm not opposed to rooting a tab but having never actually rooted a device I prefer it if a tab can initially handle my needs without rooting.
