Android Guy Weekly, Episode 1: Smartphones, Tablets, Portable Hot-spots, and the Future!

[javasirc]

I want a single device that fits in my pocket and does everything i need. I need to talk on the phone, internet service, and internet on my laptop away from home.

A tablet to me is just a large smartphone without the phone, which i find useless except for video purposes for children during a car ride, or internet on the couch while watching tv. If the tablet has my data plan, and i leave my tablet behind because it doesnt fit in my pocket, my phone now doesnt have internet.

[nile00000]

i dont think tablets could ever be a device that you could keep on you at all times. its just to big to carry everywhere in daily life, even if it is a smaller one. were are you going to keep it?

[TheTarzanJr]

@nile00000 very small draw string backpack like ones you would put a pair of shoes in or old gym clothes. There are thick strapped ones for comfort and since you would probably only have your tablet, cables, and possible food or water in it they are comfortable and portable. I never leave home with out mine. It's perfect.

[jordanarisole]

In greece,were i live, you can have 1 data plan for your laptop,tablet and smartphone , isn't that cool ?

[tstudental]

The galaxy note was made to bridge smartphones and tablets with a size in between

ASUS padfone will also bridge the data between both devices and can be used as a laptop with a dock like transformer

[NickNinja16]

Wouldn't you just be carrying two devices again? Just a dumbphone and a smarter tablet, instead of a smartphone and a regular tablet?

[mrunplugged01]

Green screen and visual content now! Is really a good idea but it gets boring just looking at you almost 20 min

[fuziontab]

Keep em coming!

[UltimateSnowman97]

G2X ALL THE WAY

[zurggie]

Love this series. Suggestion, get a co-host and a green screen

[neighborsryan21]

I think phones are going to be the way not tablets

[SqeakyGoldfish]

I don't know why people don't want to use Skype for their phones. I mean, with Skype, you can use it on all your devices and instead of a phone number, you only have to remember a Skype name.

[TheTarzanJr]

@SqeakyGoldfish It would work way better if you use Google Voice and an Android phone. you can easily manage your account with basically any platform whether it is Android, iOS, and Web.

[SqeakyGoldfish]

@TheTarzanJr Google Voice sounds great, but it isn't available in the UK. I heard it might be something to do with the way we pay for our calls. In the UK we pay to make calls but I heard in the US, you guys pay more to receive calls. I don't know what's going on but it looks like calls from computers to phones are now free... lol

[TheTarzanJr]

@SqeakyGoldfish ouch yeah didn't realize that... I don't know what to recommend is Vontage an available services in the UK? It is a VOIP service here in the US that works similar but not as well as Google Voice.

[baldwin471]

I don't know how people use 2gb data. Mine is capped at 1gb and i rarely go over 100mb with quite heavy usage.

[TheTarzanJr]

@baldwin471 Netflix or any streaming video service kills your data plan. If you were to watch a movie or a couple of TV shows on Netflix you can at least quadruple your current data usage. Depending on the streaming quality it could be much more. With HD displays on smartphones 4G LTE and battery life like the Droid RAZR Maxx you can kiss your data plan good by in a car ride.

[SqeakyGoldfish]

I think 8 or 9 inces is the perfect size for a tablet.

[SqeakyGoldfish]

I don't know what you're talking about, I have unlimited data on my phone and I have no problem using the Portable Hotspot feature.

[ParasValecha]

Absolutely love the format. Though I'm not a big fan of Android anymore after Windows Phone, I still enjoyed watching the video. But, I wouldn't want to operate a dumbphone/PDA again. Yeah, your point was pretty convincing that the tablet will do all the heavy stuff and the phone will go back to where it was, that is, making calls with stellar battery life. It might be good but using a dumbphone after using smartphones may feel odd & frustrating. Let's see what happens. Great job with the video!

[superhitman]

That's where the Galaxy Note Comes In

[07052Hoffman]

Love this format. As far as the tablet vs. phone in the future, I don't see the smart phone losing it's convenience in the near future. I agree about the 7" sweet spot for the portability of the tablet but, one will probably not carry the tablet everywhere one goes. The smartphone may receive less dominance of usage compared to the tablet but data connection will still be needed apart from the tablet, unless the tablet can be shrunk and expanded at will this making it conveniently portable.

[fr3akeeee]

There's a thing what they said about magazines or articles. A huge wall of text isn't really intriguing for audiences. In this case, the same applied to this episode. 18 mins of information from the same guy without any image or video clips as references of what your topic.

In short, add more videos/slides of sources for your topic. It'll make the show less bland. Not saying that you're uninteresting.

[smithmark745]

no keep it how it is .you defo had enough content, it was a great first show n I think its the start of a big one guys

but don't make shorter that guys got skills to go half hour, no problem. keep up the v

good work n all the best

[c3vzn]

I can't be bothered watching one guy talk for 18 mins. Cut it down to 10 mins or less.

[bmurphy48]

I like this format, and really liked the content. I'm in Canada, with Telus - and I guess lucky in my provider - I have an HTC Desire HD, and they have a share your voice-data plan between the smart phone and the tablets that they support (Samsung 10.1 or 8.9). So only one plan - between the two form factors. A win-win for me... and I've gone with the 8.9 size. Now all I have to do is learn what I can do with Android. I love the 3G (or4G/LTE).

[Trikkenut]

First I like to say the length of the video was fine and I love the new format. I can't stand all the whiners comments on how long it was because the content was great. I really like the Samsung Note, fits all my needs and would buy one in heartbeat, unfortunately my carrier Verizon...hope they pick the Note at some point.

[thedanlgordon]

as long as we have pockets, we need phone sized devices to fit into them. tablets are too big for their own good, and a 7 inch tablet is still not good for typing. so might as well stay with the phone form factor, im thinking 6 inch phone/tablet combo.

[1ramises]

a gd video well presented with interesting info , I hope they exspand the mobile phone rather than the tablet as a tablet is still goinh to be too big , ie on a hot summers day and ur in a tshirt trainers and shorts a tab would be v inonv to carry around as compared 2 a smaller phone even if it was 4.9" , what do you think ?

[1998JackRoberts]

Great Video Keep Them Coming

[IRIE4IPIER]

sound like you are with t-mobile. in case you didn't know' t-mobile is offering tethering with their data plans free. so you better call them and switch your plan.

[DigitalGamma]

Don't you think people will get confused with the Android GuyS Podcast?

[fouxhound]

what about the Asus phonepad??

[cygnusesx1]

The phone should slide in and out of the tablet as well...

[kroshan4mobile]

we are going to see more phones like Galaxy Note, As most of the People using tablet and mobile both will switch over to such devices in near future because of economics and convenience of two in one device and data plan.

[andre2475]

answer Samsung galaxy note

[SageModeCupcake]

@DevinShoe Well, my personal way of seeing this is that tablets are going to get 6.0 inches and not 7 inches

[ronenweissman]

Great episode, keep it up.

Very very enlightening, I kind of keep thinking it in my head and will probably do so for the rest of the day. Carrying a tablet ..., who knows maybe we shall get used to it but still it will revolutionize also our clothes, where do you put a tablet ...

Thanks.

[wwwinu0]

You are so freaking smart O.o

[ivan93203]

I tether my tablet with my hd2 which is running on gingerbread. But don't tell T-Mobile because they don't allow it. Those bastards. -_-

[ahsan366]

Well all the things u mentioned come in one's mind when making buying decisions. The things u said have already been tried and we all know what is selling and whats not. Blackberry came up with the model of having its playbook along with blackberry phones. The playbook is a reasonable size to carry and blackberry phone's battery life is good so u had 2 portable things to carry but that model failed. On the other hand samsung galaxy note has sold so many units till now.

[MrDreamie]

Use a dumb phone such as the old school Nokia 8250 (call+sms) and 3G 7" tablet. :)

[thatpretty09]

Surprised you didn't mention the galaxy note.

[thenazgullord]

man did you really need 18 mins to say this stuff???

[fred1179]

Great video, Keep it around 10 minutes though. I think it will take a while until we get to the point of a tablet/dumb phone pair via bluetooth; you still have your die hards that won't carry 2 devices if they don't have to. I don't use bluetooth and prefer to actually hold my phone while using it and right now the 4.3 inch phone is just about the right size which I never thought i'd get used to. I also think once the battery life improves on these devices then you will start to see the shift.

[backlashsid]

yay 15+ min videos......no one but our Joe !! :D

[tazamul]

Don't think I have listened to anything dumber

[JEFFROUKNOW]

Nice video, but long as hell

[fastkubb]

Don't think tablets are for everyoe so I don't thinkthey will go away.

I think I will buy a tablet and use it as a phone instead of my Galaxy S2 and also replace my laptop, in fact I have already done it ones with the original Galaxy Tab but it was a little to heavy and slow for my taste.

[Arapmoney92]

hello !! the Samsung galaxy note you dump ass! It has everything connectivity and a big screen. a good battery. problem solved next question please?

[zippyboy111]

i could understand it with the new tablet with a smartphone in the back that you can pull out and use the smartphone or the tablet.

[zippyboy111]

i would hate carrying a big tablet around to make phone call. I just like having my droid in my pocket. End of story.

[iyoussefhelp]

good luck !!!!

[Ichbinsogoschat]

Please keep this long format and make it available as an podcast! :)

[Ichbinsogoschat]

The Devices are out already, tablets such as the samsung tab 7.7 or the soon coming Asus MeMo and those new bluetooth gadgets like the Sony headset pro with integrated call list, speech control and an mp3 player!

I think it's going in that direction but there will be an network for phonecalls, maybe that functionality will be integrated into the bluetooth gadgets!

[goford90]

how bout tablet laptop hybrid

[smoorb97]

I would use a backpack... avoid all the problems:)

[arfived4]

I'd say that the primary connectivity device will remain something that will fit in you jeans pocket, even if it is a 'dumb phone' type device. I wouldn't want to have to lug a tablet around on a night out just to make phone calls.

[vindication84]

Hey Joe, I love your videos but they're super super long.

[musl1m]

Surely a 7inch connected tablet with a Bluetooth ear piece would be enough to compete smart phones and tablets, I don't think there is a need for dumb phones any more and using them as a Bluetooth peripheral to a tablet doesn't make much sense if you can just use a headset/ear piece.

[config2000]

I brought the Galaxy Note for the very purpose of having a good fit between Smartphone and Tablet. It means I can now carry a device for e-Reading, watching videos, scribbling notes, listening to FM radio and podcasts, Satellite navigation, and viewing photos.

Nice first video. I would make them a little shorter though. It would be great to have a podcast version too

[Ichbinsogoschat]

@config2000 Shorter? Why I think long videos like this are rare and iI like them!

[bconover93]

I'm just waiting for a 1080p 4.5" phone with LTE and dual-core (quad-core isn't really necessary).

[bconover93]

I like 8.9" tablets. that's a great sweet spot for me. :)

[stingusss]

You're saying same thoughts I came to after some months of thinking and trying! What I came to is: using Philips Xenium X513 phone as a phone with the cheepest operator for calling (it has 2G only) AND will buy a Galaxy Tab 7.7 right when it'll come down from unreal prices in Russia and will use it with other operator's sim, that have super expancive calls but cheep unlimited data plans through 3G. That's my plan :)

And about bluetooth phone - this is genius. Hope it'll come true one day!

[masterpsychosis]

Perhaps a tablet with 3g-4g and instead of a stylus instertion, a slim phone tucked in just to do the basics like voice calls and minimal text (simple screen tiny of course) and that would be a neat idea.. also Verizon tells me if i get a wifi only tablet they tell me you can use your hotspot only for that month and discontinue it until you need it again later in the months etc.. i dont know if thats really true.

[SalsaForte]

Tethering seems to be an issue, but not with all carriers. I have a nexus s and a transformer prime. Me nexus is my portable hotspot and i carry my tablet only when needed.

[bogdan5844]

I like the idea of a phone-in-tablet. That way, if you need a tablet, you can use it, and if you need a phone, you can pull it out and throw the tablet in your backpack. You have connectivity from the phone, and real estate from the tablet. Best of both worlds!

[flytech600700]

GOOD SHOW. PS SUMSUNG GALAXY 7.7 ALL THE WAY!

[SageModeCupcake]

The funny thing is that you're actually roght!Still i wish this never comes true....i don't know why, IT WOULD indeed become BETTER and will be a great progress in the technology.Something to keep in mind is also tablets....are not compact at ALL. Not even in 7.0 inches...i think we better wait and see

[DevinShoe]

@SageModeCupcake Unless tablets fold up, how compact can they get?

[kcour2006]

Good stuff. I think that having all things in one is fantastic...I really hate carrying my work laptop around when my Galaxy Note suits the needs and does just as much. Plus it's convenient!

Keep it up, like the format-but PODCAST may be better since you aren't really showing anything.

[ReAcetians]

Joe... keep it up... Love your perspective and the realistic look at things. Not only you praise Android, but you point out the bad things, which should be addressed in the future. Good views, and I think the vast majority of the android community will agree with me, that this is good info for newcomer Android fans and ROM flashing fanatics etc. just to get the history, and how it all came to be.

...

A plug here for the greatest Android hacker community -

xda-developers

[ealkhayat]

Very nice, keep it up, but I guess it will be more useful if you release that as a podcast :) seeing you ,with two walls behind you, taking is not that interesting :P

[reiernumans]

You base the battery info for laptops and laptops on old pc's, i have a laptop that lasts 5hrs+ on a full charge, not to forget the macbooks and macbook airs..

[Mwz92]

i like ur idea alot !

[first1120]

This was a great video, keep em coming.

it's obvious that the tablets are getting smaller and the phones are getting bigger, and i'd like to hear your opinions about the Galaxy Note. It's 2 in 1 and more and I personally think it's THE device of the future. or anything like that.

[akacowboyfan]

Love this! I hope in the future you still go over tips and tricks for Android in general.

I would LOVE to see something on best practices on getting those digital movie copies that are now more common with new blue ray purchases. With flixster and pocketblu apps out now those really make it easy to see on your cell when ever you want but not all are "ultraviolet" yet & give you the option to download with itunes or windows media player. Thank you and love all your hard work!

[89FeLu]

video too long. short videos please!

[joelevi]

@89FeLu Thanks for the feedback! We're evaluating how long the Android Guy Weekly should be. Do you have a length you'd like to recommend?

[89FeLu]

@joelevi I like the Android Revolution type of video, so I guess a video with 6 minutes would be the ideal.

[urixcr]

As many other people I thing is unfair to charge in my case $30 for my unlimited data and then another $30 to use my hot spot feature on my phone, why should I pay twice for using what I already have. That's why I installed a custom rom with unblock wireless tethering on my GN, that is how I connect my Galaxy Tab.

[arqaq]

It would be great if you include timeline for the topics you are talking about in the description.

[joelevi]

@arqaq Great suggestion!

[holandpark]

there are a bunch of things a phone can do that a tablet can't (or even if it could, you wouldn't) such as snapping a quick pic or listening to music player while running (who owns an ipod nowadays?). Plus, a 7" tablet is no different than a 10" one as you would have to carry a bag for it anyway and it doesn't fit in your pocket like a phone.

[jordanwollmann]

Eventually phones will have flexible displays and fold out into tablets. They can still fit in your pocket and have a large screen at the same time.

[lgonsalves1319]

I don't think tablets will replace the need for a smartphone. The first thing that comes to my head is the nightlife. Being at a club or bar and having to pull out your tablet to snap a pic or google something you and your buddies are talking about would be weird. I have a smartphone and a tablet, they both have their purpose.

[StephenBecht]

My only problem with this is u start up the argument regarding having a phone and a larger tablet. In the end you still at the point where you have a phone and a smaller tablet. I agree completely that VoIP/lte is the future. But I use my phone everyday to tether to my tablet and my phone (bionic) i have had it last around 7 to 8 hours for me.

[iAnimationProduction]

I kind of get what you're saying and i share the same sentiments.. However, i seriously doubt smartphones are going to be "dumb" again and about the mobile plans, it's beneficial for the consumers but not for the carriers (which are profit motivated). Tablets on the other hand should come in more sizes in the future but i doubt they will be any more functional compared to a laptop but maybe windows 8 tablets could change that.

[theiphone4man]

smart phones are not going away no way

[StephenBecht]

Root wireless tether if u don't want to pay...

[Rayz093]

Will buy the Transformer prime + dock only if it supports full microsoft office experience (not lite, like Quick Office pro / Polaris office)