Okay, fess up, how many tablets do you guys and gals have and what one do you use most: where, why and how?
I have an iPad. It's like 3 years old, still running like it was new, I use it everyday. I just updated it to iOS 11 and nothing broke. I have no real justification for getting a new tablet other than I'm getting that antsy feeling like it's time to try something new.
I've been looking at Android tablets, anything standout there?
I've not looked at Windows 10 tablets. Should I?
Never owned one, and probably won't.
But I am close to buying a Chromebook (that supports android apps), that will fold into tablet mode if that counts :)
> how many tablets do you guys and gals have
Eleven, maybe more.
>Windows 10 tablets. Should I?
The headlines in my reader generally say 'no' --but not emphatically. That said, they're usually talking about
TABLET tablets. That hybrid W10 Walknbook I bought 2 years ago for $180 has become my primary machine, though I keep it set up as a laptop unless I'm traveling, then it gets some use in tablet mode. The big plus here are cheap/free .exe's and browser extensions.
>Ipad
My Ipad2 still runs great. I marvel at how the battery is still holding a charge as long as it does. But the Walknbook above as relegated it to "I'll use this because it's closer" status.
>Android
That cheap Fire 10 is interesting and the android environment has grown legs ...but if I had only $180 to spend, I'd buy the Walknbook.
<added>
Eleven Twelve (forgot Louise's Ipad2, which she uses constantly ..but, more & more, I notice she's slowly morphing over to her Note 4 phablet.)
I have an iPad mini that can connect to the cell network and I carry it around inside a leather case that looks like a book.
I even made a pouch out of old blue jean denim so I could carry it around my neck. That works well for listening to audio books. I've listened for many hours while picking raspberries!
I don't have a smart phone and don't feel any urge to have one.
I own a older iPad but I "lent" it to my brother and might or might not ever claim it back.
I have a Kindle Fire that gets occasional use but only as a book reader. I haven't souped it up with apps etc. Finally, I have a very old Kindle reader that I sometimes use for text-to-speech listening.
I have a Surface that was assigned to me as a board member of my local credit union but I only use it for a limited range tasks so I can't comment on it fairly.
================
If you have Mac tablets check out these cases:
https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/bookbook-for-ipad
I have one of these for my laptop, my iPad, my iPad mini ... I love 'em.
Quote from: Brad on September 27, 2017, 02:11:32 PM
Okay, fess up, how many tablets do you guys and gals have and what one do you use most: where, why and how?
Kindle Fire 7 with a semi-broken USB port (only certain cords will still charge it). That's it. I use it
1. RSS reader.. typically when I should be going to bed or getting to work
2. Movie watching with Miracast broadcast to TV... typically when I should be going to bed
3. Playing chess... typically when I should be going to bed and I've already done #1 and should have been in bed an hour ago.
By design, it does not have email, Twitter or any online communication capability.
Kindle Paper White (do you consider that a tablet?) for when I'm more disciplined and not doing #1-3 above
Ipad somewhere in a draw. Bag of shite that is as useless now as the day we got it. Even the kids can't be arsed with it.
2 Kindle Fire's that the kids use mostly for Youtube plus a little casual gaming.
Old Hudl occasionally used by the kids when they forgot to charge their Kindles.
I am wondering about switching the kids to a couple of refurbished android tablets though.
Laptops for proper stuff. Phones for quick/casual/no keyboard stuff. Still haven't found a use for a tablet that can't be done better with laptop/phone/small tray
>Walknbook
Dang. They have a new one out. The price is so good.
Buckworks I really admire how you have adapted to not having a smartphone. Thanks for the tips because I might yet get a mini tablet.
I'm tempted to try something with a stylus, but not a iPad Pro, too pricey.
>something with a stylus
I thought a stylus would be perfect for me. Samsung Note 4 phablet came with one but I quit using it within a few days. I've bought 4 or 5 nice, quality styluses for the larger tablets but they end up in a drawer even if they were kept out somewhere handy. It's something extra that you'll soon skip, imo.
Quote from: Rooftop on September 27, 2017, 09:19:36 PM
Laptops for proper stuff. Phones for quick/casual/no keyboard stuff. Still haven't found a use for a tablet that can't be done better with laptop/phone/small tray
I'm not a tablet person either, but have been thinking about a cheap Chromebook.
- has a keyboard
- light weight
- long battery life
- cheap enough that I would part with it without sorrow and since all data should be in the cloud somewhere
To me it seems like a better middle ground. Most of the time if I don't want to use the phone, it's because I want to type and a tablet is not great for that.
Quote from: ergophobe on September 27, 2017, 11:50:51 PM
Quote from: Rooftop on September 27, 2017, 09:19:36 PM
Laptops for proper stuff. Phones for quick/casual/no keyboard stuff. Still haven't found a use for a tablet that can't be done better with laptop/phone/small tray
I'm not a tablet person either, but have been thinking about a cheap Chromebook.
- has a keyboard
- light weight
- long battery life
- cheap enough that I would part with it without sorrow and since all data should be in the cloud somewhere
To me it seems like a better middle ground. Most of the time if I don't want to use the phone, it's because I want to type and a tablet is not great for that.
My better half uses a chromebook. Very cheap, very quick. My favourite feature is that neither her nor the kids have managed to ruin it in any way - which is really quite incredibly. No security worries, no updates "just works" as the Apple folk like to falsely claim* . My one complaint is that printing is a bit of a pain as you have to use cloudprint and I can't be arsed to read the manual on our printer to set that up. I usually just share the doc and print from my laptop.
Offline mode hasn't been an issue as it's only ever been out of the house once.
*My family can, and have, broke many Apple things.
QuoteMy one complaint is that printing is a bit of a pain as you have to use cloudprint and I can't be arsed to read the manual on our printer to set that up. I usually just share the doc and print from my laptop.
We are cut from the same cloth. I think I could reuse that comment verbatim
>cloudprint
Thanks rooftop and ergo, at least I'm not alone.
Printers seem to be the one technology getting less useful by the year. I never used to have a problem with printers. Now I find myself swearing at one at least once a week.
My favourite printer issue at the moment: I have the same printer at home as I do in the office (free ink!). Windows doesn't seem to let me rename either. As a result when I print a report at work I either have to check the IP address of the target printer, or have a 50% chance of scaring the wife and kids at home with some random noises and a spare room overflowing with freshly inked paper.
I usually opt for the latter
We have 5, not counting 2 old broke ipads.
There are two tablets in our household - an old iPad and a Kindle Fire HD. The novely factor wore off some time ago and it's only the young 'un that uses tablets consistently now.
When considering a tablet with the inherent inconvenience of having a worse battery and heavier than my mobile phone I would just prefer to use the mobile phone. Everything that a tablet can do can be done just as well on a decent large screen mobile phone.
Saying that, I would prefer to use a small laptop over all devices tbh. The only time I use tablets these days is for website compatibility testing (and even that can be done online instead).
My wife has an iPad that only gets used by our son on long car journeys for watching cartoons. That is all.
I've long held an idea that we should have one fixed to the kitchen wall for looking up recipes / controlling the Sonos / watching TV - but seem to get by with our phones for the first two and ignore the last.
iPad here, originally purchased for drone flights. Now it serves as a lightweight, mobile browser and Netflix screen. Nothing serious happens on it.
Thanks for all the input and ideas.
I did decide to try something new and bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. I can add the keyboard for about half what it costs for an iPad pro keyboard. S pen was included.
Other contenders:
Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 inch, a year older than the S3 above, and the same price on Ama.
Asus 3S 9.7 inch, I would have gone for this but the build quality seemed very hit and miss. Much better price.
All these tablets have a 4:3 aspect ratio like iPad. I prefer it for web work and reading.
The first thing the Galaxy S3 did was update to Android 7 Nougat. AMOLED screen is stunning. Fast, no lag. Samsung's UI is sometimes handy and annoying. Came with full MS Office apps.
I'm not sure about the whole stylus thing. I used to always grab a random legal pad to take to meetings, then have to scud hunt for it to get my notes weeks later. I'm hoping I can just take this and keep my notes all in one place. Might do.
The stylus writes very well. Surprisingly so. Samsung has something here.
WiFi only, but I can use my phone as a hotspot.
This one pop up in my news feed at the weekend - http://www.pocket-lint.com/review/142352-lenovo-tab-4-10-plus-review-the-android-based-answer-to-the-ipad
Might be worth a look
Quote from: Brad on October 01, 2017, 03:29:24 PM
bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. I can add the keyboard
That's what Theresa did. I tried it with the keyboard and it's pretty good for typing. This came up because I was traveling with just my phone and I had to handle a long email chain and deal with a bunch of things and a keyboard and larger screen would have made it so much easier.
So for me, I felt the Chromebook would be the solution, but the tablet plus keyboard is totally viable and definitely better if you'll read books or watch movies on it.
The Kindle Fire purchase I mentioned above was driven by the fact that, at the time, Amazon video allowed you to stream on other tablets, but you could only download and watch later on the Fire. They have since changed their policy, which might have resulted in me changing my decision (though they have also lowered the price on Fires so much, I might still go that route)
Ergo,
Thanks for the feed back on the keyboard. It's good to have the opinion of somebody I know and trust should I add the keyboard.
This stylus might work out, but I need to combine it with the OneNote app from Microsoft where it will sync my handwritten notes across devices like my tablet and my phone. I've been playing with it and I can write far faster than I can type.
Theresa, and I in the few times I've borrowed the tablet, have found the stylus mostly useful for when touch targets are too small to reliable use the fingers. You can touch a lot more precisely with the stylus.
I see the biggest use of the stylus in marking up pdf documents.
My business partners often email pdf drafts of proposed agreements, memos of understanding and real estate development plats and I always wanted to just be able to mark them up with my comments and suggestions with a pen and send them back. Now I can.