Extended use review: the Toshiba Excite Write

It's been three weeks since I received my Toshiba Excite Write and I've used it at least two hours a day since. Here's a list of my experiences with it during that time:


I'll keep adding to this list as I discover new things to kvetch about.

1. It's basically a slightly scaled-down Wacom Cintiq Hybrid for about 1/4 the price... I feel giddy about that every single day.
2. I've searched for, examined, and installed or purchased every single decent drawing, graphic, or illustration app that I could find on the google play store and I don't miss the apple app store one bit.
3. I think that if you're comparing against the new Samsung Galaxy Note 2014 Edition, you'll find either product to be equally desirable and useful. The Note has the benefit of being able to shove the stylus into the case, thereby keeping it somewhat safe (I say "somewhat" as - for whatever reason, I've once accidentally jammed one in in such a way that it was almost impossible to remove, and a couple of times in stores I've been unable to remove them) and there's a larger install base (take that as you will). However, the Excite Write comes with an arguably better pen + eraser, and although you can purchase a Bamboo Feel Stylus for the Galaxy Note (and also for the Excite Write), it will set you back about $50 to do so.
4. Toshiba appears to be supporting this tablet just fine, thank you, having pushed 3 updates since I received it, including the recent 4.3 update.
5. Performance has been excellent - if you're careful to make sure that no other apps don't interfere and take over. Check out my tips on squeezing out as much drawing performance from an Android tablet as possible.
6. I've decided that it's a good idea to turn off auto rotate if you're planning on a serious drawing session: go to Settings/Accessibility/Auto-rotate screen. It will be less frustrating for you when you accidentally tilt the tablet as you draw.
7. Those 3 little shortcut icon buttons at the bottom of the bezel/screen that all Android tablets have? They can be a total nuisance when you're not paying attention when drawing. I'll look to see if they can be temporarily disabled or something. Maybe going against #6. and rotating it so that you're using it upside down might work (your palm or fingers won't accidentally brush them). Toshiba, if you're listening: either a lockout switch or buttons that require a bit more feedback to activate would help with regards to this.
8. I've used my tablet several times via Splashtop Streamer (comes for free with the Excite Write) to access my PC - and although it's the kind of tool that's readily available for pretty much every single platform available, my experiences with it on the Excite Write have been pretty successful. Watching high def movies and playing (windowed-only) high-end video games hasn't been without lag, but I've noticed that the better your WiFi connection, the better the results. For example, if you have a dual-band router, use the highest (e.g., 5G) settings available to your PC and the Excite Write, it helps. Physically plugging in your PC to the router and using 5G with the tablet works really well, in my experience. Drawing in Photoshop using the stylus is an "emergency-only" deal, but you can get work done using the tablet -- if you're patient and don't push it.
9. I've noticed - very, very rarely - what looks like a microsecond "glitch" in the screendraw, usually when starting a new app. It could be a video cache thingy and I haven't noticed it since the upgrade to 4.3. I'll keep an eye on this.
10. I've gone and installed a few games just because I'm a huge video game fan. Not bad at all, although the relatively high resolution of the display (many of these games are developed with the smart phone size in mind) means that in some games the lack of anti-aliasing and the inconsistency of asset sizes can mean that the game doesn't look entirely "right". This is not the case with any games rendered in 3D, which only get better-looking the higher the resolution.