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Video Playback
We had no problems streaming HD quality content from YouTube using Internet Explorer. In tablet mode, Google Chrome created choppy playback of HD YouTube videos, but this was a browser issue.
Playback of High-Definition media stored on the VivoTab Smart was a possibility. The desktop mode is hassle free, as users are able to choose any add-on video player; we used VLC media player which functioned perfectly.
The tablet mode's default video player identified and played our MP4 and AVI/DivX content without problems, but MKV was not supported, which is very disappointing. The player itself is very basic, with few options, but it does its job.
Music Playback
The VivoTab Smart is a solid music playing device. In the tablet mode, a variety of audio files, including M4A and WMA, played without hiccups. And the player continued to function in the background, just as any good music app should.
We were also pleased by the fresh and intertwined interface of the default player – Xbox music. SmartDJ is an interesting tool that takes your chosen artist and plays songs of a similar style from related artists.
To our delight, we were able to switch to the VivoTab Smart's desktop mode while still listening to tunes from the tablet mode's music app.
The speaker quality is about average for a large screen tablet. Don't expect to host a party from the VivoTab Smart's built-in speakers, but the sound quality and volume is good enough to fill a small room with quiet guests.
Viewing Photos
Good contrast and excellent sharpness are two characteristics of the VivoTab Smart's display that make viewing photos a pleasant experience. The quality of some of the supplied photos was superb.
Windows 8's pictures app is basic, yet efficient and perfectly functional. The ‘home' screen allows you to sift between albums of photos, such as those stored on your device, the SkyDrive, on a network computer, and social networks.
You can't access photos' details such as size and resolution, but that's what the file browser is for, anyway.
Fantastic review Luke, how do you feel it shapes up against the Windows Surface? have you managed to get a hands on with it yet yourself? (as they are both Windows 8 im curious).
This looks great, I had been looking at an android tablet for months, and still cant decide as I liked the Surface in a local store.
Dont know what to get now 🙁
It is not ASUS fault, but Windows 8 APP store is very weak, its put me off moving over from my iPAD, but I dont like Apple or their practices using slave labour in china etc.
Its so hard to get a do it all tablet, but this is a good attempt by ASUS.
I need to get a hands on with this, as I will never pay for the Surface PRO to get access to X86 apps. this is a great move by ASUS considering the ATOM is probably a bit slow. very interested, but need to see one in the flesh. time to hunt this weekend in my local etailers. is it out now?
If I select “View All Pages” I get to a news item titled “All of humanity to own an Android phone one day”.
No apps? I’m running everything from Wireshark (try that on your iPad) to my PLC programs and games such as Age Of Titans. Quit thinking of it as being a Win8 tab and try thinking of it as a Windows PC. After you share your devices from your own PC tower, you’ll also have access to all of them as well so mine sits with my Canon Imagerunner, Pioneer DVDRW and 3TB Seagate External all available. For media I use Plex for video and Itunes for my music.
These true Windows 8 tabs are only hamstrung by their users… PERIOD. I’ve yet to see a reviewer do half of what I do as an actual daily driver of the Vivotab Smart. When compared to either my daughter’s 3rd gen iPad or my own Galaxy tab to my Vivotab Smart, the former are truly little more than really large phones and the latter a fantastically thin PC.
Had one and sent it back.
Its well made a relatively light, the display is really good.
Its slow to boot from cold and the wireless is weak. In desktop mode you need the bluetooth keyboard, i found the onscreen keyboard got in the way of many things when trying to use in desktop mode.
After i installed Windows updates and Firefox the wirelss was lost and nothing i tried could restore it. I rest the tablet to factory default which meant going through the setup process again and once it was all done it refused to accept the new account.
Personally i dont think its worth £400 especially if you wish to add the keyboard, your then looking at a nigh on £500 device and its simply not good enough for that money. At £400 with the keybaord it would be good value.
I had one too and sent it back, it was too slow and very frustrating. Those ATOM processors can barely handle basic tasks. This is a good buy if you must have a full windows 8. I cant believe the guy above said the app store is good and that he can run games on this? I could barely get solitaire to run smoothy.