I purchased the Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 Android tablet this week. To date I have spent nearly 40 hours with it. The hardware is outstanding and the readability of the screen is absolutely awesome. There is no thumb drive connection but there is a slot for a micro SD card. I had a 16 Gig Samsung SD card and installed it.

The OS works great but is certainly not intuitive. I did not find it to my liking.
The on-screen keyboard is the best I have seen on a tablet and I could actually type on it using normal typing techniques. The initial setup out of the box was very simple. The tablet is extremely fast - everything pops up almost before you finger leaves the screen. There is even a GigEasy holder that will fit the Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 tablet. So, if it is all this great then why am I returning it today???

The downside started when I purchased a program called Mobilesheets to use with my collection of PDF lead sheets. This program has no way to transfer complete folders with the folder's contents - each PDF file must be added on a one-by- one basis. There is a batch download function and it works ok but there is no way to download a batch of files into a selected folder - it all goes into a main library from which you must add - again one-by-one files to a setlist. There is an option to avoid duplicate files during the batch downloading process but it did not work very well and I spent over 15 hours yesterday going through over 4000 files deleting duplicate files. But the real deal killer for me is - there is no way to copy and paste a a group of files from the Tablet to say your computer - only a backup process is offered which creates a file only readable on the tablet.

Perhaps in the future there will some outstanding Music Readers for the Android tablets that rival those available for the iPad but for now they are not even close. I also downloaded Orpheus for the Galaxy tablet and it was not much better.

Today I will return the Galaxy Tab Pro and purchase the latest iPad to replace my first generation iPad.

At least I tried.

Deane

deane give up on laptops?

Haven't used a laptop since the original IPad was released.
Deane

Thanks for your review Deane, sorry to hear that as I was about to go the same route as you with the 12.2" Tablet and Mobile Sheets.

After reading your review, I will wait it out to see what other music software becomes available.

Just shows that no matter how good something sounds, it's in real life use that you discover the flaws and I'm surprised that the creators of Mobile Sheets are ruining a good product by not thinking it through properly.

Tony

I would contact Mike Zuber, the developer directly. I have been in touch with him in the past and is very helpful and willing to spend time with you.

He has added many things to his app for android users. Give him a try as MobileSheets is pretty much the go to app for sheet music for android.

http://zubersoft.com/mobilesheets/

Deane, is what you are wanting to do available on ipad? Also, wondering if you downloaded the MobileSheets computer program to do the work and then transfer to your tablet, or did you try to do it all on the tablet itself?

ScottL

Deane,

Sounds like they copied the Apple OS for iPad.

No thumb drive, no control over where your files go and made idiot proof so us idiots can't even make it work for us.

No doubt this was necessary to make the device more secure so you can purchase stuff using it.

Bill G

Scott,
Yes, I did download the PC program but it was not of much help. After years of gigging I have nearly 50 various gig set lists that I now use. It was not possible to copy them onto the Galaxy Tab Pro as individual folders like I now have setup on my Ipad. The program only allowed me to batch download individual files into a main library and from there I would have had to recreate my setlists adding files to each list one-by-one. A deal killer for me.

I also tried loading the set list folders onto the tablet without using MobileSheets and that too was not workable for live playing for me.

The tablet itself it pretty awesome but it needs some much better software to be used for my gigs.

I returned the Galaxy Tab Pro yesterday and bought the new Ipad Air. Took me less than 30 minutes to be gig ready with it!!!

Deane

Dean great choice the iPad air, which model GB? it seems to be the BEST tablet on the market at this point ......
did you get an extra warranty with it also just in case...or?
After extensive research I myself will be following you lead and will be getting an iPad air also very soon.

keep us posted on your iPad Air exp[experiences...

dp

Donny,
I did not buy the extra warranty. I got the iPad Air with only the WiFi.
By the way, GigEasy has a universal tablet holder that attaches to your mic stand that holds the Air.

Deane

Deane

I had contacted Mike Zuber the developer for MobileSheets. Here is his response.

"It seems I can't register as a new user on that forum as they aren't
accepting new user registrations. I would have loved to respond to Deane
to explain that I think what he wants to do could be done very easily.
Perhaps you can respond for me? What I basically want to say is this:

The file management in MobileSheets is overly complex at the moment.
What Deane wants to do can actually be accomplished by first dropping
the entire folder of files onto the Android, then performing a batch
import and unchecking the "Copy Files" option. This would have used all
of the files in their original location. You are correct that there is
no way to generate a new setlist from that folder though - you would
have to add the songs into a new setlist by tapping them all in the
setlist editor. This is all being addressed in the next update, which
should be released in a number of weeks.

If he hadn't already returned his tablet, I would recommend that he try
sticking it out just a little longer until the update is released,
because I think he could be happy with the app."