Tablet Poll

I am using a cheap tablet running Android and find that its low performance adversely affects the usefulness of the Logos app. My two greatest complaints is that since the manufacturer is not updating the OS and there is no custom rom for it, it remains unable to display Hebrew correctly. The other is take searches are so slow that I just don't use them at all.

What I -- and perhaps others in the same boat -- am interested in hearing from other users are answers to the following questions:

If you have experiences Logos on different tablets, what kind of processor, internal memory did you find able to result in satisfactory experience? I know the sky's the limit, so I am not looking for an answer such as "just buy the best tablet available for $2000). I am asking something like processor name, single, dual versus quad, etc.
If you have experience with different OS apps, are there equally good? How do they compare (IOS, Android, Windows RT/8, etc).
If you have experience with different brands of tablets. Have you found that tablets of similar specs but different manufacturers work better (or worse) with the Logos app? I am looking for comparison bases here, not statements like "I have always have a Transformer and I love it".

Thanks in advance for your input.

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Comments

Fr. Charles R. Matheny

My Experience is the Ipad works best, by far.
In some ways I think Logos works better on my Ipad than my Laptop!

Lee

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/526348#Comment_526348

The Android version is getting almost level with the iOS version, I hope.

Fr Devin Roza

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/526349#Comment_526349

The Nexus tablets run the Android app with very good performance.

James Ogle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/526359#Comment_526359

I have used a Nexus 7 for over a year with the Logos app and never have I had a problem. If you stay with android I would recommend a Nexus 7. [:D]

Francis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/526348#Comment_526348

In some ways I think Logos works better on my Ipad than my Laptop!

Can you give examples?

Francis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/526349#Comment_526349

The Android version is getting almost level with the iOS version, I hope.

I hope so too, but it would be useful to know where we are at. Do the apps -- as a matter of fact -- have as much functionality and a comparable level of development in IOS and Android? Perhaps in addition to the experiences of users, Logos staff could help answer this one?

L.A.

What I -- and perhaps others in the same boat -- am interested in hearing from other users are answers to the following questions:

If you have experiences Logos on different tablets, what kind of processor, internal memory did you find able to result in satisfactory experience? I know the sky's the limit, so I am not looking for an answer such as "just buy the best tablet available for $2000). I am asking something like processor name, single, dual versus quad, etc.

that's exactly the info I need - only: "just buy the best tablet available for $200" (not 2000 ;-) )

Dave Hooton

If you have experience with different OS apps, are there equally good? How do they compare (IOS, Android, Windows RT/8, etc).

See http://community.logos.com/forums/t/65924.aspx?PageIndex=1 and http://community.logos.com/forums/t/63554.aspx and http://community.logos.com/forums/t/73755.aspx?PageIndex=1.

Francis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/526459#Comment_526459

Thanks, Dave for the links. Though I do find what I read to be too messy (and mostly Windows 8 oriented). I was looking for more to the point information: the kind of tech specs that users have found to provide a good experience. Moreover, one of the thread is starting to be a bit old (outdated?). I know that Android has released a few installments since that time and assume this may be the case for IOS. Really, it is a simple question: are they at the same level of functionality or not?

Finally, I could not determine the answer to one question (unless I took much much more time to read irrelevant -- to me -- material in detail in hopes of perhaps running into it): does the Windows 8 app require just as much space/power as a desktop installation? I assumed (perhaps wrongfully) that the power of most Windows 8 tablet would be behind that of laptops. If so, does it mean that what we find frustrating in the desktop (index, etc) is even slower on a Win8 tablet?

Steve Clevenger

The newest Nexus 7 or iPad both run the Logos app great. For the money the new Nexus 7 is hard to beat.

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/526998#Comment_526998

I know that Android has released a few installments since that time and assume this may be the case for IOS. Really, it is a simple question: are they at the same level of functionality or not?

iOS still has the lead. Visit the Android or Android beta forums for more information.

Finally, I could not determine the answer to one question (unless I took much much more time to read irrelevant -- to me -- material in detail in hopes of perhaps running into it): does the Windows 8 app require just as much space/power as a desktop installation? I assumed (perhaps wrongfully) that the power of most Windows 8 tablet would be behind that of laptops.

The Windows 8 app is less functional than the Android app; which is basically a reader. It's important to understand that this is a "modern" app which does not run on the (full) Windows 8 desktop and runs in the native environment of Windows 8 RT; a cut-down Windows 8.

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527016#Comment_527016

iOS still has the lead. Visit the Android or Android beta forums for more information.

One of the advantages of iOS is that most every user is using the newest version of iOS. It is free and easy to update. Android suffers from heavy fragmentation, and large numbers of users are still using old versions of the OS.

FYI - The new version of iOS (iOS 7) will be released tomorrow.

Mike Childs

Personally, I use iPad 4, and it runs the app pretty good. I primarily use it as an e-book reader for my Logos library. For more than that I go to my laptop. I occasionally use the Logos app passage guide or a search on the iPad, and they work okay.

I think iPad is the one of the best tablets for the Logos app.

However, I am planning to move to the Surface 2 which will have plenty of horse power to run the real Logos 5, and still be a very good e-reader. In fact, I believe it can replace my laptop, while giving the advantages of a tablet.

Francis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527016#Comment_527016

The Windows 8 app is less functional than the Android app

I am planning to move to the Surface 2 which will have plenty of horse power to run the real Logos 5

As I understand it, there are two options for Windows 8 tablet users, the desktop full version or the lighter app. It is with regard to the first that I wonder how Windows 8 tablet perform in comparison to desktop/laptop computers. With regard to the second, would I be correct in thinking that the resources are also "light" (ie, taking less space than full version resources)? It is useful to know (Thanks Dave) that if one does not have the power to run the full version, the app would be a less functional option than Android or IOS counterparts.

Thank you also to other respondents. It makes sense that Nexus would be the leading Android candidate because it is always up to date as far as Android goes. From what I understand, the hardware is not too shabby either. This provides a good counterpart to the way IOS users are always kept up to date. I will have to do more research to find out what edge the IOS app still has over Android as Dave alluded.

The other question is whether there are other manufacturers beside Asus/Google that are keeping up with Android releases (including former models). Finally, there still remains to answer the question of hardware for Android options: single, dual or quad processor? Of course we know the more the merrier, but the question is whether the Android app can function crisply with less (single or dual). I mentioned in my earlier post the example of the speed of searches. Processor names are also thrown around in discussions (e.g., Atom). For those of us who are less informed about their comparative merits, what are the good options?

The other hardware question has to do with brand customizations. Reviews of tablets show that some implementations are clearly superior to others.

In fact, what would really, really, really be interesting would be a benchmark tool for Logos on different platforms/products!

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527042#Comment_527042

would I be correct in thinking that the resources are also "light" (ie, taking less space than full version resources)?

The mobile apps are designed primarily to access resources via "the cloud." If you don't have access to the internet, you don't have access to those resources. I am unsure about the windows mobile app, but on the iOS & Android apps you can download resources for offline use.

In fact, what would really, really, really be interesting would be a benchmark tool for Logos on different platforms/products!

I'm not sure how useful "benchmarks" would be. One app might be quicker than another due to hardware, OS, or internet connection.

Francis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527043#Comment_527043

One app might be quicker than another due to hardware, OS, or internet connection

Benchmarks usually compare performance in similar conditions. So internet connection speed, for instance, would be the same for such comparative tests. Typically, products are tested in their initial state (that is, with manufacturing installations only so that a crowded hard drive or the presence of other software does not interfere with the results. So you'd take two Android tablets with each a different quad core processor and the same memory and compare their responsiveness with key Logos functionalities.

Your reference to Internet connection does raise a question for Android users who want to know how their experience compares to IOS. In Android, the Passage Guide and looking up words requires a connection. It cannot be done offline. Is it the same in IOS?

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527056#Comment_527056

Yes. Much of the functionality is performed online.

My point above is that benchmarks for the mobile apps aren't really feasible because of so many moving parts. No one would undertake the job, and you would need the same person (or group) to do it.

Francis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527078#Comment_527078

Obviously not focused on Logos but still an interesting example to look at: http://browser.primatelabs.com/android-benchmarks

There is also an interesting general article about tablet processors here: http://compreviews.about.com/od/buyers/a/Tablet-PC-Processor-Guide.htm

The article mentions that most software on tablets don't gain much from quad core processors. I wonder whether this is true of the Logos 5 app (in Android).

JT (alabama24)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527110#Comment_527110

I need to run... But here is a prediction: the next iPad (due sometime this year) will be 64 bit.

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527110#Comment_527110

The article mentions that most software on tablets don't gain much from quad core processors. I wonder whether this is true of the Logos 5 app (in Android).

The mobile Logos apps don't have to index their resources unlike the desktop Logos. Some of that capability is taken care of by including a TOC with resources on the device whilst online resources use an Index on the Logos server. But dual core/quad core on a mobile device is mainly a measure of how much multitasking can be performed; typically between background OS tasks and a single app. Whether an app can be loaded quickly depends on the amount of memory and when it was last used. Android apps remain in memory until another task requires it, but you can manually remove the app in Task Manager.

Quad core and dual core always require more battery than a single core and some early dual core devices were criticised for their poor battery life. I think dual core is all one needs on a mobile device, whilst desktop quad cores are well utilised during Indexing.

David Wilson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/527164#Comment_527164

Having just upgraded to a new (2013) Nexus 7 (32GB) with previous experience of the original Samsung Galaxy S (I-896) my impression is that the Nexus 7 runs the Android app without any hesitation or delays in launching or subsequently switching between books (leaves my old Samsung back in the dark ages, ditto my HP Netbook (Atom processor) running Logos 5).

One of the big issues with Android (when wireless internet is available), as with Windows 8, is that many of the apps are frequently trying to "call home" to check for new messages, emails, whether your library needs to download new or updated resources, where you are up to in the book you are currently reading, how many wireless signals are available and at what strength, whether new app updates are available etc etc. If your tablet has enough processors and enough memory so that all these processes can be handled in the background then you get a much smoother experience and more rapid response when using Logos than if you have low memory and a single processor. I have never compared dual versus quad core for Android tablets: performance probably depends just on how many other apps want to execute while you are using Logos.

The very high graphics resolution, 2GB Ram, 32GB storage (26GB available to the user) and quad core processor with a $269 price were good enough for me. Presumably the 16GB version has only 10GB available for user apps and data). So far I have only downloaded as local: enough of my books so that the Logos app plus date take up 2.90GB (261 resources downloaded, I expect to download a lot more for use offline out of wireless range). Must admit a key criterion for me was the 32GB (over two and a half times the data and app space available to the user for an extra $40). Intentionally avoided the 4G LTE version (not just for the cost) as there are too many areas around here (rural) where signals are weak and connections too slow to be useful. (If there is no connection available the Logos app does not waste front end launching time trying to check for library updates. Had to put my old Samsung on Airplane mode to get Logos launched in a reasonable time)