Had a Logitech Harmony remote, returned it after it was bugging out and kept resetting itself as if it was never used before, and forces you through a tutorial before it can even be used again. It was a pretty common complaint according to Amazon reviews for that particular model. Then, I returned it for a different model which apparently was a used and returned product repackaged and sold as "new" by a 3rd party seller on Amazon, and I stopped trying to even attempt to use any Harmony garbage after that.
I needed a tablet for home use and found out that some phones had IR blasters, which could be used to control your TV given a proper app, so I looked into getting a tablet with an IR blaster. Eventually settled on a Samsung Tab S 8.4, and it's worked great, but these days it no longer gets updates. (Nougat's out, I still don't have Marshmallow.)
The Smart IR Remote app has worked out much better for me, although I've had to manually setup remotes for devices that didn't have official remote profiles for some of my equipment.
It doesn't at all make sense to buy a >$100 remote, when a $200 smart tablet does the same thing and way more (assuming it has an IR blaster). Likewise, I'm not limited on the amount of devices I can have remote profiles for.
@icrf The le2 (in India) also comes with the SD652, though the SD650 was the first with A72 cores for the masses & it's been a smashing success with many products.
The SD652 generally overheats, as compared to SD650, inside a phone therefore a tablet is much better for it's thermal profile however 3GB RAM is grossly inadequate for any tablet of today, especially with Android.
My Nexus 9 tablet has 2GB RAM and works great. I never have memory issues as Android is designed to automatically close apps (starting with the least used first) when it needs more RAM.
This model works quite poorly. On my Nexus 5X phone I constantly switch between the web browser and music player. Well, every second time the music player has to reload, which basically proves that either 2GB of RAM is not enough, or the memory management algorithm is quite poor.
Actually, this year Samsung quietly refreshed its Galaxy Tab S2 tablets with the SD652. The results are impressive. For the example, the new tablets get Geekbench 4 single core score over 1400 which is a 50% improvement over the 2014 Galaxy Tab S, and also quite a bit over the original S2.
I was looking into the Yoga Tab line recently, and it's rather confusing. The option of choice and variety is great; it's just the variety is odd.
There is a mix of Android and Windows. Varying screen resolutions, RAM, and battery capacity.
One thing I found is that Lenovo's updating of Android is pretty shoddy. At least with Windows you are more likely able to upgrade.
The oddest thing seems to be more basic models going from 2GB of RAM to 1GB. Really?! Those models also get lower resolution displays. Unless all you want to do is watch, say, 720p video and nothing else, I suppose they're okay.
As for the Windows versions? They seem to have gone with the 3 series.
Back on topic: It would be nice if there was a 1920x1200 version. With the large battery, it would be fantastic. 2560x1600 seems somewhat wasteful at that display size. Oh, that and a Windows version.
I have a Yoga Tab 3 Pro LTE and the hardware is nice, although the frame around the device is plastic painted metal (the foot is metal though). The projector is great for watching videos in bed.
The software on the other hand is terrible, unfinished and makes the device useless. The camera works sometimes, and you need to reboot the device when it stops working. Many applications (not games) force quit when you try to open them, including some entries in the settings app (sometimes they work after reboot). The storage is slow, so starting apps may take several seconds. Then is the issue of battery drain. You never know if the battery will hold. Sometimes it is good for 3 days (on light workload), sometimes, with the same usage it can't make it through a day - big battery drops when unused. But the worst is the lack of updates and software fixes and word from Lenovo if they will provide any updates or at least commit to fixing the most glaring bugs. No to mention the security updates.
I would say stay away from Lenovo's Android devices until they prove that they take software seriously.
Can someone explain to me why no Android tablet maker seem to want to release a tablet with a top of the line SoC? I get it if they just want to compete in the low-mid range market but how come there's not a single Android OEM willing to use a high end SoC for the last few years? Samsung is even crazy enough to release tablets with year old SoCs and still charge prices that are up there with the iPads. I really don't get it.
That's a really good question, and I don't know the answer.
I am guessing the problem is the usual fact that "tablet sales are poor". This doesn't explain though how come even flagship android tablets have SoC that gets poorer Geekbench scores than iPad Mini 2 from 2013.
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JoeyJoJo123 - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
No IR Blaster? Guess I'll be sticking to my Samsung Tab S 8.4" still.Useful for me as my tablet doubles as a universal remote for my home theater devices at home.
colinstu - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Get a Harmony Hub... no more IR blaster needed.nathanddrews - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Get networked AV gear, no Harmony required.Eidigean - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Get a life, no AV gear required.thope - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Jump off a cliff, no getting a life required.patel21 - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
When even trouble getting born.JoeyJoJo123 - Thursday, September 1, 2016 - link
Had a Logitech Harmony remote, returned it after it was bugging out and kept resetting itself as if it was never used before, and forces you through a tutorial before it can even be used again. It was a pretty common complaint according to Amazon reviews for that particular model. Then, I returned it for a different model which apparently was a used and returned product repackaged and sold as "new" by a 3rd party seller on Amazon, and I stopped trying to even attempt to use any Harmony garbage after that.I needed a tablet for home use and found out that some phones had IR blasters, which could be used to control your TV given a proper app, so I looked into getting a tablet with an IR blaster. Eventually settled on a Samsung Tab S 8.4, and it's worked great, but these days it no longer gets updates. (Nougat's out, I still don't have Marshmallow.)
The Smart IR Remote app has worked out much better for me, although I've had to manually setup remotes for devices that didn't have official remote profiles for some of my equipment.
It doesn't at all make sense to buy a >$100 remote, when a $200 smart tablet does the same thing and way more (assuming it has an IR blaster). Likewise, I'm not limited on the amount of devices I can have remote profiles for.
Oceanic16 - Friday, September 2, 2016 - link
Samsung Tab S will be getting Marshmallow this month. IR blasters in tablets are pretty much dead. Bluetooth 5.0 is the future.spikebike - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Looks nice. Open bootloader? Or should you planned on slow updates and being abandonned when lenovo gets bored with it.icrf - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Is this the first 652 we've seen? I like the idea of A72s making its way to a midrange SKU.MrCommunistGen - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
There have been other devices. The Samsung Galaxy A9 is the first that comes to mind but there are additional examples.patel21 - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Xiaomi Mi MaxR0H1T - Thursday, September 1, 2016 - link
@icrf The le2 (in India) also comes with the SD652, though the SD650 was the first with A72 cores for the masses & it's been a smashing success with many products.The SD652 generally overheats, as compared to SD650, inside a phone therefore a tablet is much better for it's thermal profile however 3GB RAM is grossly inadequate for any tablet of today, especially with Android.
LordConrad - Thursday, September 1, 2016 - link
My Nexus 9 tablet has 2GB RAM and works great. I never have memory issues as Android is designed to automatically close apps (starting with the least used first) when it needs more RAM.UtilityMax - Saturday, September 17, 2016 - link
This model works quite poorly. On my Nexus 5X phone I constantly switch between the web browser and music player. Well, every second time the music player has to reload, which basically proves that either 2GB of RAM is not enough, or the memory management algorithm is quite poor.UtilityMax - Wednesday, October 12, 2016 - link
Actually, this year Samsung quietly refreshed its Galaxy Tab S2 tablets with the SD652. The results are impressive. For the example, the new tablets get Geekbench 4 single core score over 1400 which is a 50% improvement over the 2014 Galaxy Tab S, and also quite a bit over the original S2.WolfRunner - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Lenovo's website says the 3 Plus is Windows not Android.Lolimaster - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Tablets at this point should use OLED.LordConrad - Thursday, September 1, 2016 - link
I prefer IPS LCD, easier to see outdoors and no oversaturated colors. Plus, most OLED screens on mobile devices are Pentile... I hate Pentile.MrCommunistGen - Friday, September 2, 2016 - link
At least some recent AMOLED panels have had excellent color accuracy when put into an appropriate sRGB mode. No oversaturated colors there...uhuznaa - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
1 GB RAM? One Gigabyte?ddriver - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
it clearly says 3uhuznaa - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Ah, the table has the "old" Yoga Tab 3 in 8" and 10" with 1 GB on the left. Sorry.Tams80 - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
I was looking into the Yoga Tab line recently, and it's rather confusing. The option of choice and variety is great; it's just the variety is odd.There is a mix of Android and Windows. Varying screen resolutions, RAM, and battery capacity.
One thing I found is that Lenovo's updating of Android is pretty shoddy. At least with Windows you are more likely able to upgrade.
The oddest thing seems to be more basic models going from 2GB of RAM to 1GB. Really?! Those models also get lower resolution displays. Unless all you want to do is watch, say, 720p video and nothing else, I suppose they're okay.
As for the Windows versions? They seem to have gone with the 3 series.
Back on topic: It would be nice if there was a 1920x1200 version. With the large battery, it would be fantastic. 2560x1600 seems somewhat wasteful at that display size. Oh, that and a Windows version.
t.s - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Yoga Tab 3 Plus 10” is the newest model it seems, and it has 3GB. And yep, I agree with 1920x1200 version.Tams80 - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
No projector compared to the Pro though (not that it's a good projector).At least with Windows you can change the resolution. That does cause issues though and power drain may still be higher.
Lolimaster - Thursday, September 1, 2016 - link
For reading comics and manga, 1600p is godly.Spectrophobic - Thursday, September 1, 2016 - link
But garbage for Chinese cartoons.StevoLincolnite - Wednesday, August 31, 2016 - link
Would like this but in a 12" screen and USB 3.janwyta - Thursday, September 1, 2016 - link
I have a Yoga Tab 3 Pro LTE and the hardware is nice, although the frame around the device is plastic painted metal (the foot is metal though). The projector is great for watching videos in bed.The software on the other hand is terrible, unfinished and makes the device useless. The camera works sometimes, and you need to reboot the device when it stops working. Many applications (not games) force quit when you try to open them, including some entries in the settings app (sometimes they work after reboot). The storage is slow, so starting apps may take several seconds. Then is the issue of battery drain. You never know if the battery will hold. Sometimes it is good for 3 days (on light workload), sometimes, with the same usage it can't make it through a day - big battery drops when unused. But the worst is the lack of updates and software fixes and word from Lenovo if they will provide any updates or at least commit to fixing the most glaring bugs. No to mention the security updates.
I would say stay away from Lenovo's Android devices until they prove that they take software seriously.
Spectrophobic - Thursday, September 1, 2016 - link
A bit offended you guys called 2560x1600 "2K".marcolorenzo - Friday, September 2, 2016 - link
Can someone explain to me why no Android tablet maker seem to want to release a tablet with a top of the line SoC? I get it if they just want to compete in the low-mid range market but how come there's not a single Android OEM willing to use a high end SoC for the last few years? Samsung is even crazy enough to release tablets with year old SoCs and still charge prices that are up there with the iPads. I really don't get it.UtilityMax - Saturday, September 17, 2016 - link
That's a really good question, and I don't know the answer.I am guessing the problem is the usual fact that "tablet sales are poor". This doesn't explain though how come even flagship android tablets have SoC that gets poorer Geekbench scores than iPad Mini 2 from 2013.