What Tablet

way_downsouth · *by **way_downsouth** on Mon 30/May/11 3:51pm*

Okay, so I have been contemplating buying a Tablet (I am not sure if you call it a PC or what).

The reason is that they should start up quick/be mobile and for short use. I am thinking it will be handy for keeping in touch with people when away from home, looking things up qucikly when away from home, use of location services and am keen to be able to send photos though email facebook (so through USB, or SD card slot/adaptor) and if I am real lucky, will be able to get data from my GPS's on to it, and potentially some topo maps. I think that I would probably go for one that can use mobile networks when needed/

Any key hints/recommendations regarding what I should look at/look for? Should I wait a for improved technology/competition? Should I just jump on the bandwagon and get an iPad?

Joel · *by **Joel** on Mon 30/May/11 3:55pm*

iPad's are good.. and you get a ready supply of Apps from the app store... got a work one. and definitely useful. kids love it..

but for some reason, i want a android tablet for personal use. the Acer Andriod with Honeycomb (think thats the right version) version is in JB Hifi.. price should come down as still high (same same as a iPad.

other option is a netbook with 10" screen.

but having been using a tablet, i prefer it to a netbook.. as good for eBooks as well.

Joel · *by **Joel** on Mon 30/May/11 3:56pm*

and depends if your a apple fanboi or not.

RJD · *by **RJD** on Mon 30/May/11 3:57pm*

Why not a larger smart phone?

are you happy with a 'walled garden' approach like apple where they vet everything and only allow you to do with the thing what they want, or do you want a more open device?

Theres really only iPad vs Android for now, with microsoft releasing 'something' next year.

Will a netbook/light laptop be better?

way_downsouth · *by **way_downsouth** on Mon 30/May/11 4:14pm*

RJD wrote:Will a netbook/light laptop be better?

Have thought about this, but the quick start up/shut down appeals to me.

Regarding the phone, the idea of having a bigger screen for photos/web is appealing. That, and I have a free work phone that isn't a smart phone and don't really need another private phone.

danose · *by **danose** on Mon 30/May/11 4:15pm*

RJD wrote:Theres really only iPad vs Android for now, with microsoft releasing 'something' next year.

actually, above the Acer Iconia A500 (android model) there's the W500 - which runs win7 and is 'dockable' to a keyboard if you need it. Admittedly win7's multitouch interface is a touch lame, but if you have windows apps but want the size/portability of a tablet it's an option

danose · *by **danose** on Mon 30/May/11 4:17pm*

way_downsouth wrote:Have thought about this, but the quick start up/shut down appeals to me.

win7 coming out of hybrid sleep is close enough to instant for me - only hassle is most cheap netbooks have hard drives rather than SSD, so aren't as rugged as a tablet.

when I have to reboot my android device (which happens too often due to the overall poor quality of apps - there is something to be said for Apples draconian control of what makes it to the app store) it actually takes LONGER to get to a usable state than my win7 netbook does from a hard boot

Joel · *by **Joel** on Mon 30/May/11 4:19pm*

if you want something to just work. then get an appple. yes it is a gated app community.. but it works. Andriod is a bit more painfull.. and take the time to sort out what you want to run on the right version etc etc etc..

and trading one evil empire for another anyway.. with Apple vs Google.

ThingOne · *by **ThingOne** on Mon 30/May/11 4:29pm*

Depends if you want it to just work and cant be arsed or are not interested in faffing with pages of settings and checkboxes.

I vote IPad, it works..Who really gives a toss if all the apps are vetted theres so many of them I doubt you will find yourself wanting, PC's & Laptops are a pain in the ass, so damm needy always wanting so update or another, for pure convience ipad is the way to go.

I would prefer apps to be checking/vetted by apple before installing anyway, who knows what some wierdo kid has stuck in an Andriod app.

phunk · *by **phunk** on Mon 30/May/11 4:30pm*

Joel wrote:if you want something to just work. then get an appple. yes it is a gated app community.. but it works.

other than flash, other than having to have a password for free apps other than having to create an account to use the damn thing...

but other than that is a cool toy..

danose · *by **danose** on Mon 30/May/11 4:33pm*

phunk wrote:
Joel wrote:if you want something to just work. then get an appple. yes it is a gated app community.. but it works.

other than flash, other than having to have a password for free apps other than having to create an account to use the damn thing...

but other than that is a cool toy..

you also forgot

other than having only one browser choice (and I've seen IOS safari foul up rendering some sites totally)

other than having only one input method (not so bad on the ipad, something like smartkeyboard pro on google kills apples poxy input method on IOS)

Joel · *by **Joel** on Mon 30/May/11 4:40pm*

you can get other browsers.. Opera Mini.. and 360 which is pretty good and gives you tabbed browsing.

all the good pron uses flash, so that is problematic.

rachelr · *by **rachelr** on Mon 30/May/11 4:45pm*

I got an iPad for lectures earlier this year (typing on it right now in fact). It's perfect for what I use it for which is note taking, studying those notes/lecture podcasts, surfing the net and light email. I can touch type on it with almost the same speed as on my laptop although not as fast as the split keyboard I prefer on my work machine. There are a tonne of free apps especially for educational purposes and a lot of the paid apps are very cheap. I cannot connect anything via USB or by SD card tho and the lack of flash is occasionally annoying.
It's got excellent battery life and is super light which is why I went for it over a netbook. I have a laptop at home for more intensive work. For my purposes it's ideal but only as an adjunct to my main computer not as a replacement.
Also I've got an iPod touch as well and every time there's an OS update, I have to download two different versions.. And it has a nasty habit of timing out just before the end of the 1/2GB download :hmmm:

with no resume function, just a full reload of the full download :hmmm:

I wanted an Android tablet but they were all too expensive - I got a refurbished iPad1 just after the release of the iPad2. If I were paying full price for one, I'd get a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which looks to be as good as the iPad but with all the advantages of Android.
I'm currently trying to work out whether I want an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy S - for a phone I would love to have Swype for text input but I've ended up with a lot of Apple products by accident so now going to Android would be a matter of having to run parallel sets of apps which is annoying as well as spendy.

bugle · *by **bugle** on Mon 30/May/11 4:53pm*

How about a tablet with flash support, micro USB and USB, SD card, front and rear cameras, pen input and mini HDMI?

ThingOne · *by **ThingOne** on Mon 30/May/11 5:01pm*

bugle wrote:How about a tablet with flash support, micro USB and USB, SD card, front and rear cameras, pen input and mini HDMI?

One of the beautys of the IPad is that it has none of these things.

For these devices I just love the simplicity, Microsoft has trained us for years to want millions of features and options, and its just tiring, I just cant be bothered with fiddiling with billions of "settings".

Just like a toaster.

footnote...I dont even own one..

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