Ordered a Dell Venue 8 Pro

[Necrolezbeast]

For $229 at Amazon, seems like a great deal to me..

Intended personal use is Office when I'm on the bus or at a coffee shop. While professional use will be put to test by how well miracast and the active digitizer work (seems to have issues, but Dell is supposedly working on fixes and people seem optimistic for now?)... if they work alright I'll be replacing my classroom computer + ipad 2 that are currently acting as an interactive whiteboard with a single device. (Note that my classroom computer is an old old old single core celeron with 256mb ram that loves to crash a few times per class... thank you cheap Chinese school)

For the price I figured it was worth it, only bad thing is that I need to wait a few more weeks before I can pick it up from the parents house.

 

[Roland00Address]

Not enough storage, but I also thought of this computer when I saw the price.

 

[gmaster456]

old old old single core celeron with 256mb ram)

.

Those should be illegal to use/deploy in 2013. Great price on the tablet. I'm tempted to get one myself.

 

[ponyo]

I thought about ordering one this morning and I already have 64gb Samsung MicroSD card that would be perfect for it. But we already have 9 tablets in the house. I couldn't justify the toy. But good deal for real Windows 8.1 tablet.

 

[ControlD]

I'm tempted as well. I am without a tablet after trading in my iPad. I have learned that I don't really want another iPad after being without one for a couple of weeks, but something running full Windows might be fun.

 

[vi edit]

I posted a longer, initial review in the "Dell Tablet" thread a few threads down.

I got my 64 gig version in from Amazon on Friday and have had a full weekend to mess around with it.

A few initial observations:


GOOD :
1) Screen looks great for the price of the device once you disable the auto brightness. Colors really pop, web pages are very crisp, and reading text on a white background doesn't burn your eyes out. Great compromise that just works well.

2) It's zippy. Really. Scrolling through web pages and it just flings through them without breaking a sweat. Opening apps. Closing apps. Snapping in out out of apps. All without a studder.

3) I have VPN setup, remote desktop apps, access to corporate shares, ect all on this and setup in minutes. Can't do that with an iPad as easily.

4) Form factor works well. I can easily hold it one hand, it feels solidly made, and the textured back is easy to hold onto without looking nasty in minutes.

5) Overall a really nifty little device with some great built in apps from MS. Really...the sports and weather apps that come bundled are excellent for casual reading. The news pages are fun to slide through and look great. Just a very well polished device and offers some amazing function for under $250 (I paid $329 for the 64 gig).

Bad:
1) MS needs to get it's shit together and develop two dedicated OS experiences. Mobile and Desktop. Right now this sort of Metro skin over a "desktop" just isn't working in a tablet setup. Too many apps and OS functions default back over to the "Desktop" experience and are clunky to use on a small screened device.

2) While it supports muliple profiles, including an interesting "family protection mode" it's a broken functionality. When you install games from the MS store, they are only available to the profile you download them from. If you want Angry birds on two different profiles you need to install it twice and use up double the space. Booooo. There has to be a way to share that between user accounts and conserve precious disk space in a portable device. You also can't totally clean up the start menu easily in the other accounts and leave access to only one or two core things. Wish it was more locked down.

3) IE is not 100% optimized for the small screen, touch experience. No double tap to zoom. By default most pages aren't optimized for reading and need to be pinched in to be legible. Taps "register" by highlighting URL's when you tap them, but it doesn't actually launch the link. Takes another couple taps to get it to work. I had similar, but even worse problems in my experience with IE mobile on a WP8 device. It's no Safari on iOS or Chrome on an Android device. I've also run into sites with compatibility issues and problems loading images in IE on it. It's not a 100% desktop expereince web browsing.

4) I so miss swype

5) App store & games just have nothing on iOS or Android. If you are a big casual gamer then be prepared to be let down. I tried to cheat and install Blue Stacks which is an Android emulator and it does not work well at all on the Venue 8 from my initial experience.

6) Keyboard takes up half the screen when in desktop mode. Needs a smaller version of it or something. At least you can float it around and get it out of the way when needed.

------------------------------

So here's my summary coming from using an iPad for years, a new Kindle HDX 7" for a week, and now the Venue 8 for a weekend...

It's got potential. Real potential. And can really upset the market if it continues to be improved, optimized, gets a better app market behind it and the word of mouth continues to spread.

It's not going to scare Apple any time soon. It's not going to supplant the $100 "I just need something to give to my kids" that cheap android tabs to. But for that middle range ground it is really intriguing.

You get legacy app support. Full versions of MS office. The ability to print to just about any printer. Windows based file sharing and access right out of the box. A nice "front end" in the way of live tiles and ability to arrange them. Nice hardware for the price and ability to easily expand storage for cheap via SD cards.

If MS/OEM's can button down the bi-polar personality of "Metro" vs Desktop modes and really beef up the store and game offerings they have a real jewel here.

These Bay Trail systems are blazing a new path in what affordable mobile devices can do.

 

[bearxor]

I agree with a lot of this, but I do not think MS needs to develop two versions of Windows. The current version of Windows works great. It's the application developers who need to get on board and port their apps over to the modern interface. Hopefully this starts to accelerate.

The App Store is basically the best thing Apple has going for it right now. I know I can't switch from iOS to Windows without sacrificing A LOT. But, you sacrifice a lot by staying on iOS as well. The full version of Office is out. x86 apps are out.

It's a really tough choice... I think 2014 will be Microsoft's year though. For $229 for the 32GB version, it's starting to become really hard to pass it up.

 

[vi edit]

Weird. So all weekend I was trying to double tap to resize IE pages. Didn't work. Give it a shot today and it does.

I'm also finding that a lot of sites (especially for stuff I do for work) don't see either the "Metro" or "Desktop" version of IE as a "real" version. Certain packages and active X controls won't load up.

 

[bearxor]

Weird. So all weekend I was trying to double tap to resize IE pages. Didn't work. Give it a shot today and it does.

I'm also finding that a lot of sites (especially for stuff I do for work) don't see either the "Metro" or "Desktop" version of IE as a "real" version. Certain packages and active X controls won't load up.

Yeah, a lot of plugins are stopped by the Modern version of browsers. Things like Flash, Java or ActiveX. You'll need to kick it out to desktop mode if you want that.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yeah, a lot of plugins are stopped by the Modern version of browsers. Things like Flash, Java or ActiveX. You'll need to kick it out to desktop mode if you want that.

Really? Why? Isn't it the same IE underneath? Can't you just use a user agent hack?

 

[Ravynmagi]

$220? You sure you ordered the Venue 8 Pro and not the Venue 8? Nice price if it's the Pro, though I'm guessing that is the 32GB model?

I just returned my Venue 8 Pro to Walmart. I really like the tablet a lot, but a couple small things prevented me from loving it. No HDMI port was a big disappointment. I've used Miracast before and it's complete unreliable garbage (but I didn't test it with this since I returned my garbage Netgear Miracast receiver a while ago). Windows tablets really should have HDMI ports on them.

The other thing is I just dunno if I really need Windows desktop on a form factor this small. With an 8 inch tablet I'm probably going to be running modern apps 99% of the time anyway and my Nexus 7 is much more comfortable and even faster at that.

And almost everything I read about the digitizer and pen is that they are both garbage and no amount of driver updates is probably going to make that worth while.

I'm going to wait and hope that Lenovo or someone comes out with a better 8 inch tablet with an HDMI port and Wacom digitizer. Having a good digitizer on an 8 inch tablet would also help make the desktop apps a bit more useful too.

Still for only $300 (or better yet $220), the Venue 8 Pro does seem like an pretty nice deal. Though I'd definitely opt for the 64GB model. My 32GB one only had 11GB of free space out of the box.

 

[bearxor]

Yeah, it's the Pro. WalMart is price matching it now.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dell-Venue...Black/32243242

This thing is going to have to hit $200 by the end of the year. Would still like to get the 64GB version myself for $250-280.

 

[bearxor]

Really? Why? Isn't it the same IE underneath? Can't you just use a user agent hack?

It's the exact same IE, but the Modern interface basically disables everything. Same reason the Win8 version of Plex still can't play MKV's, any extra codecs are ignored while in the Modern interface.

From Microsoft:

Windows 8 provides two browsing experiences with Internet Explorer 10, the familiar desktop browsing experience and the new Windows 8 browsing experience. Both experiences use the same underlying components from the network stack and cache, to the rendering engine. Both send the same User Agent string and have the same Document Object Model (DOM). As a developer, treat both experiences as one browser, Internet Explorer 10. The only difference between how sites behave in the two browsing experiences is plug-in support
The new Windows UI browsing experience doesn't support Microsoft ActiveX or any other binary extensibility. To ensure your site works for all customers, provide content that doesn't rely on plug-ins. This helps all customers who browse without plug-ins, whether they use Windows 8 browsing experience, disable plug-ins with ActiveX Filtering or a browser add-on, or browse with a device that doesn't support plug-ins, such as a phone or tablet.

...

Keep in mind that the user might be using a device, such as a phone, that doesn't run existing ActiveX controls even in Internet Explorer for the desktop. Some of these devices might also have a small screen and only touch input, which doesn't always work well with ActiveX controls or with the desktop browsing experience. Forcing users into the desktop experience should only be a last resort when no comparable fallback content exists.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ie/hh920753(v=vs.85).aspx

 

[Necrolezbeast]

$220? You sure you ordered the Venue 8 Pro and not the Venue 8? Nice price if it's the Pro, though I'm guessing that is the 32GB model?

I just returned my Venue 8 Pro to Walmart. I really like the tablet a lot, but a couple small things prevented me from loving it. No HDMI port was a big disappointment. I've used Miracast before and it's complete unreliable garbage (but I didn't test it with this since I returned my garbage Netgear Miracast receiver a while ago). Windows tablets really should have HDMI ports on them.

The other thing is I just dunno if I really need Windows desktop on a form factor this small. With an 8 inch tablet I'm probably going to be running modern apps 99% of the time anyway and my Nexus 7 is much more comfortable and even faster at that.

And almost everything I read about the digitizer and pen is that they are both garbage and no amount of driver updates is probably going to make that worth while.

I'm going to wait and hope that Lenovo or someone comes out with a better 8 inch tablet with an HDMI port and Wacom digitizer. Having a good digitizer on an 8 inch tablet would also help make the desktop apps a bit more useful too.

Still for only $300 (or better yet $220), the Venue 8 Pro does seem like an pretty nice deal. Though I'd definitely opt for the 64GB model. My 32GB one only had 11GB of free space out of the box.

For sure, but at the moment of order the 64gb had a $100 premium. I'd rather deal with an SD card at that cost. Also, for my intended use there's no immediate need for anything larger than 32gb, even if there is only 11gb free.

 

[RockinZ28]

Tempted to try this out. Be nice to have Windows functionality on a handheld. Wish it were 1080p though.

Just bought a Nexus 7 32gb 2013 model last week. Returned it a couple days later. Partly because the speakers had a shitload of static at lower volumes, and partly because it seemed pointless to own with a Note II for a phone. Seemed slower than the phone, stock or custom rom too.

 

[bearxor]

You really don't want 1080p on this thing. Once you're kicked out to the desktop mode for something, the hit targets for stuff are fairly small at 1280x800. Moving to 1080p would be pretty frustrating.

 

[Ravynmagi]

You really don't want 1080p on this thing. Once you're kicked out to the desktop mode for something, the hit targets for stuff are fairly small at 1280x800. Moving to 1080p would be pretty frustrating.

And that's the frustration with Windows 8 on tablets.

The low DPI makes text disappointing, but higher DPI make desktop apps difficult. I think that is partly why I want a higher DPI tablet with a built in pen.

Granted 1280x800 isn't terrible, it's not bad really. But I did find myself wanting for more crisp clear text.

 

[poofyhairguy]

It's the exact same IE, but the Modern interface basically disables everything. Same reason the Win8 version of Plex still can't play MKV's, any extra codecs are ignored while in the Modern interface.

Ok, can Firefox use Flash in Metro side? Seems like for media playback you could get away with XBMC right?

 

[bearxor]

Ok, can Firefox use Flash in Metro side? Seems like for media playback you could get away with XBMC right?

No and no.

But it's a windows tablet. Using Chrome or even IE in classic mode isn't that bad on the V8P, and XBMC runs great in classic mode and played my 30Mbit mkv's off a network share just fine.

The problem with the 8" Venue really comes into play when you try to hit toolbar buttons or select a file while in list view. It's not really impossible even. You just have to be pretty precise about it.

 

[Necrolezbeast]

not sure how many Amazon had, but they're apparently sold out of 'em.... and my order is already on it's way

 

[Roland00Address]

I am not so sure you will see these for $200 by years end. This was pretty much a black friday price, amazon and several other retailers do these prior to black friday sales and post black friday sales (cyber monday) to soak up eager buyers so they don't spend money in B&M. The oems will sell these black friday items in limited quantities to all the retailers, it is not in the retailers best interest to only sell these items on black friday unless they are locked in via a contract with the oems.

 

[Imaginer]

No and no.

But it's a windows tablet. Using Chrome or even IE in classic mode isn't that bad on the V8P, and XBMC runs great in classic mode and played my 30Mbit mkv's off a network share just fine.

The problem with the 8" Venue really comes into play when you try to hit toolbar buttons or select a file while in list view. It's not really impossible even. You just have to be pretty precise about it.

Or use TouchMousePointer.

 

[cronos]

I ordered one at Walmart last night (thinking about it yesterday morning when it showed up at Amazon and it got sold out really quick). I still have a mixed feeling about this after reading tons of reviews from websites and people's experience posted everywhere. Hopefully I'm going to like it.

 

[ponyo]

I ordered one at Walmart last night (thinking about it yesterday morning when it showed up at Amazon and it got sold out really quick). I still have a mixed feeling about this after reading tons of reviews from websites and people's experience posted everywhere. Hopefully I'm going to like it.

I ended up ordering one this morning. Walmart holiday return policy is what pushed me over the edge. I will test it and if I don't like it, return it. Walmart B&M makes it easy. If I like it, I will sell my Nexus 7 (2013) and keep the Venue Pro. I also had free $10 gift card from their previous pricing mistake couple weeks back and 10% cash back from ShopDiscover and online bonus. Wife is not too happy about yet another tablet but oh well.

 

[vi edit]

Or use TouchMousePointer.

I went and downloaded it. Holy crap this awesome! with the ability to snap apps to the side the desktop function of this device isn't too bad now. Excellent recommendation.

As for what to expect with the Venue 8...it's about managing those expectations. Treat it as an uber mobile and responsive netbook. You didn't play high end games, do heavy productivity apps or spend hours typing away on a netbook. And you won't on this either.

It's not better than an iPad at playing games or movies. It's not really any more customizable than an Android tablet. It's a portable Windows computer with a skinned touchscreen home interface. With that full windows backend you have the familiar tools and settings that you are used to on a desktop computer, just maybe burried under another layer or two. You have access to desktop applications that you are familiar with - Adobe, winzip, winrar, ftp clients, torrents, ect. You also have access to the windows store..which really isn't a perk, just that it exists

It's a device that I think really has potential to catch on. It's what RT should have been along. If anything, RT actually is hurting these devices from catching on as everyone has Rotten Taste (RT) in their mouth from the shortcoming of that short run OS.

For the $230 that these are going for, you would be *very* hard up to find a more functional, interesting, and well built tablet. They won't win any spec wars with the DPI or screen resolution but it works well for them. They are sharp, have good colors, and very bright when you disable the auto-brightness.

I think an iPad is still a better device for kids and older/non-tech people. They are still easier to use, have way better accessory support, and the apps are night and day better (both support and quantity). These have legs in the business/college/techy/tinkering community. They just have a lot of flexability and potential in those markets depending on support and optimization of the apps and ecosystem. I see them stealing away from that market and also from the midrange Android market.

Give it a week to settle in and get used to it.