[Thinkpad Tablet Android Development] Dueces99:
Be Prepared for this lengthy response!

I agree even with the latest update, there are still bugs in the OS Lenovo loads on this tablet but this should not be a driving force with not buying one. Every tablet I've owned (K1 and the GTablet) or had the chance to tinker with (Xoom, Prime, etc...) have had their flaws, but I also feel this is also based on the user and their personal preferences with using their tablet. Not to mention, what that user would be using the device for (as a toy, or daily driver) has a huge amount to do with it.

What's important here is that they are all running on some form of an Android OS, and if you are willing to tinker and sometimes even experiment with your tablet, you will be able to get to some middle ground (depending on the device, its release date, the community following it has, and when/if the source code is released) based on what you are trying to get out of that particular device to where there are little to no issues.

http://rootzwiki.com/topic/13407-alpha-ideapad-k1-cwm-stock-rooted-rom-120109-build/

For me, I'm currently running the Alpha 3 CWM rom from rootzwiki (link above) and besides I think 1-2 FC's (ONLY happened upon uninstalling pre-loaded apps) it's ran smooth as silk! Granted, I use my K1 as mainly a 'toy' for experimenting with Android SDK, flashing ROM's and general tinkering but still...

Now, you could just drop the $400-$600 on an iPad and not have to worry about FC's and other bugs but then you're left with not only an extremely restricted device but a restricted device that you paid way more for when compared to the K1 for example. Don't get me wrong, after getting my first tablet (GTablet) I quickly realized the quality of the products Apple releases to the consumer public, and if you are a member of that 90%+ percentile of the public that just wants a device to work and doesn't plan on doing anything else to it (and possibly not being as computer savvy as that 5-10% percentile) Apple is the way to go. However atleast from my experiences with the iPad/iPhone, if you plan on doing any modifications remotely resembling base mod's that can be done on an Android device, you're either threatening your warranty or simply SOL.

In short, when I buy an Android phone/tablet I will never expect it to run flawlessly out of the box because A. I'm personally anal/picky/OCD with my hardware and B. I bought it for that initial time investment in order to have a device strictly tuned to my lifestyle and means of use. For this reason alone, an Apple product will never satisfy me (again nothing against anyone who does use Apple, just my 0.02).

I'd rather have a device that is cheaper to buy with arguably the same hardware specs or comparable and is finicky (to say the least at times), but has the potential to run whatever I can throw at it smoothly and most importantly to personalize it on levels that Apple would never allow on their products simply for fear of creating instabilities.

For the K1 however, Lenovo releasing the source is the 1st step towards achieving your own perfectly tuned and personalized device however long it might take. Afterall, one crucial characteristic of an Android user that majority of the members on this forum share is

patience!

It's what separates us from the rest!

Sorry for the long post, I just felt like expressing my opinion and I was in the typing mood. :)