technology Lets Talk Tablets

[Sks_Burns 730]

As many of you working class ponies know, its the beginning of a new year, which means its almost tax return time. That fabled time of year when we're able to buy something fun if we desire, and this year is no different. However, ive decided to take the plunge and purchase some sort of tablet to replace my netbook. Its not that my netbook is bad, i just have different needs and my netbook just doesnt do it anymore. i sound like im breaking up with it... anyway, lets talk tablets

 

im mostly looking for recommendations or suggestions on what i would fit my needs best. Lately ive been into reading fanfics at night, so i need a tablet that will do that and do it well, which i assume is 99.99991% of them. I dont want to spend more then $350 USD, and it doesnt have to be 3G/4G/90G or whatever is the latest form of high speed cellular internet, as ill primarily be using it from the safety of my home. besides reading and browsing, ill most likely dabble in videos and whatever dumb apps i install on the thing. 

 

All this being said, im torn between the Nexus 7 32G and the Asus Transformer 16GB. i like the portability of the Nexus, but the screen might be a bit small. i gain a ton of storage, but im not sure ill ever need it all. Buying the Transformer will cut my storage space in half, but i gain 4 inches of screen space, which will be better for reading and general browsing, plus it has a card slot, so i could always expand if i needed. however, the added bulk might make it uncomfortable to hold while reading in bed. the difference is price is roughly $100, if anyone is curious. i demod the Transformer at gamestop and liked it, but i still need to try the Nexus before i choose between them. 

 

All that being said: what do you guys use/own and what would you reccomend? dont say ipad either, i refuse to be tied to itunes. 

 

TL;DR version: i want to buy a tablet thats not an ipad. what do you guys use?

[AnonyPoni 564]

I have a nexus 7. It's  really nice and awesome. It's size feels really nice, actually, and the size feels just right (really good for reading fanfics ) Its relatively powerful for it's price.

 

 

We also have ipads, and their size vs nexus 7 size and I feel like the N7 is the best in terms of both size and portability (and price)

Edited January 30, 2013 by AnonyPoni

[THE WILD HUNT 213]

A Samsung Galaxy tab is what I use. It isn't bad at all, it works efficiently and has a lot more to offer than the iPad such as apps and outside download sources.

[joeyh3 153]

Are you planning on storing music or video on the tablet, or will you be streaming most of your media? If you're planning on streaming content, then the storage space probably won't be something you need worry much about. 

 

So the main thing is if you want the larger screen or not. Both devices have the same resolution, so size is the biggest difference. Personally, I carry around a larger-sized tablet (iPad 3) every day at work, and use it a lot at home as well, and I've never found the size to be a burden to carry around. I find it to be the perfect balance between portability and screen size. 

[Sks_Burns 730]

Hard drive space isnt TOO important, as most of my media will stay on my desktop and possibly be streamed, if the tablet can stream from a linux platform. i imagine that my tablet habits will be the same as my netbook. install a few useful apps, couple games, and use it mostly for net related activities. i think i have a 16gb SSD in my netbook, and i still have a solid 10gb to spare. shows how much stuff i save on it. 

 

i honestly didnt want a tablet till i started reading fanfics online, and now i want to do it in more comfort. screen size might be the deciding factor when it comes to my purchase. i like the 7" on the Nexus, as it will be easier to one hand, which will be great of bedtime reading. 10" screens are tempting too though, as i will be able to get more text onscreen at once, as well as have an expanded view of websites. tough decision

 

ive been watching vids and reading input on both the Se7en and Transformer, so those are my top 2 right now. still open to additional suggestions though, as i have all the time in the world to research them. 

[HallowsEve 52]

I own a 7' 16 GB Kindle Fire HD. I primarily bought it for reading, but found that I'm addicted for a ton of games on it. The web browser on it, silk, isn't that bad either. I had to pay to get the ads off of the lock screen though, which was a pain. 

[Retro*Derpy 3,115]

I own a 7' 16 GB Kindle Fire HD. I primarily bought it for reading, but found that I'm addicted for a ton of games on it. The web browser on it, silk, isn't that bad either. I had to pay to get the ads off of the lock screen though, which was a pain.

I too own a kindle fire, and it does alot more than I previously expected. Though I never had ads on the lock screen...

But yeah I would suggest the kindle fire, it has the amazon mp3 player with cloud, and can even play apps not in the app store. (I had problems with that with other tablets)

[Kamil 315]

I would recommend the Nexus 7, but can't really say that's from personal experience. The other 7-inch tablets available are decent competitors, but they all have more restrictions on what can be installed and such.

 

As for 7 v. 10, I don't think you need the larger size for reading. If the text is too small you can always zoom in easily and the screens are nice enough that everything will look fine. I can definitely say from experience that 10-inch is bulkier than I like to have in bed for anything but watching videos, and have actually been fairly satisfied with my iPod Touch for late-night reading or casual YouTube (for comparison, that screen is a bit less than 4 inches).

 

Another option that I don't REALLY want to recommend, I think the low-end iPad Mini does fall within that price range just barely. I've heard that the wider screen is better for reading, and it is very light with a long battery life. Objectively speaking I can't think of a particular reason it's worth $150 more than a Nexus 7, but it is an option.

[Prismatic 49]

I'm one of those fellows that don't like tablets.  The thing that irks me the most is that they're disposable electronics (i.e. only good for 2 years).  I know most upgrade by then but I tend to keep rather old technology afloat for the oddest of reasons.

[Mightymags 1,053]

I don't personally own a tablet but I have a Nexus phone and I'm really pleased with it's usability. I've heard a lot of great things about the Nexus 7. The new Kindle Fire HDs seem like a pretty good deal as well from the people I know that have them. 

[Gigachip 148]

I'm one of those fellows that don't like tablets.  The thing that irks me the most is that they're disposable electronics (i.e. only good for 2 years).  I know most upgrade by then but I tend to keep rather old technology afloat for the oddest of reasons.

Pretty much how I feel about the tablets as well. I like Desktops more because of the option to upgrade them over time if needed. Which you don't get in a tablet or a laptop. Even then I'd get the laptop over a tablet.

 

I actually regret buying my iPad for those reasons. I take my laptop to school more than the tablet too.

 

BUT...to stay on topic

 

Maybe look into the Samsung Galaxy tablets or even the Nexus as some have already stated.

[Mr Dash 1,818]

First of all it depends on money. Second of all it depends on if you want a tablet that has a keyboard attachment.

 

I own a Transformer Prime and I just got the keyboard dock for it. It is the 32gb model. With the keyboard dock, it is now basically a net-book running Android. The keyboard dock itself add up to another 6 hours of battery life and it has an SD card slot and a usb port on it. Since the new Transformer pad Infinity is out, you might be able to find the Transformer Prime at a cheaper price.

 

If you don't care about the keyboard dock, or having a keyboard attachment, you could just get the tablet itself. 

 

Here is a list of some good tablets to look into.

 

Nexus 7

Nexus 10

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

Kindle Fire HD 8.9

iPad (any)

 

If you are interested, there is Microsoft Surface which runs Windows 8.

[Twinhead B 482]

I'd recommend the ASUS Transformer over the Nexus 32. 32GB is great and all, but expandable memory means you essentially have unlimited storage space. 10" screens are much better for video and games than 7", and typing is much easier too. As for the weight, it's a tablet for Celestia's sake, if you find a 2lb tablet to be "heavy" and "bulky" you're either weak or a mouse.

 

The only negative I see to the Transformer is the price, as it's very nearly $350, but it's up to you at the end of the day.

[Prismatic 49]

Note: Pretty much almost all tablets should be able to support Bluetooth keyboards.  It might cost a little more for the keyboard but it'll prevent you from being wedged into expensive accessories (e.g. Motorola keyboard set for $40 for my old phone vs. the Lapdock 100).

[Harmonic Revelations 8,833]

I dislike tablets in general. Touch screens are hard to use in my opinion. I much prefer the traditional mouse and keyboard set up, it's just so much easier to use. Tablets are only good for drawing, which they make easy.

[Concord 1,980]

Hello!

 

For christmas, i received the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

 

It's a great tab, very comfortable. I choose it over the Ipad 3 just for the games. Android sells their games a lot cheaper then Apple does. Almost everything, is cheaper on android.

[Sks_Burns 730]

im most likely going with the Nexus 7, but i still have 3 weeks to wait before my tax return comes in, sooo ill keep my ears/eyes open and see what else is out there. i loved the Transformer that i demoed, but i feel the 10" screen is overkill for my needs, as well as bulkier then i would like. ive been reading reviews on the Samsung Tab 2 as well, so thats another option. 

 

ive had the same netbook for 3 years now, and ive had the same laptop for 6 years, havent upgraded either of them... just replaced parts. i like desktops as much as the next person, you just cant take them to bed and read under the covers, which is my main draw for wanting a tablet to begin with. the whole "disposable electronics" thing doesnt bother me either, as it only adds up to like $11 a month... and i spend more then that on Java Monsters every month. that thought is actually kinda scary.. anyway, moving on. 

 

ipads. cant do it. im primarly a Linux user and i cant be tied to itunes at all. my netbook runs XP, so i COULD have itunes available to me, but it puts a bit of strain on the meager 1.6ghz cpu thats already in the thing, so its not really a viable option. not to mention theres options out there for similar or less money, with basically the same features. im not willing to pay extra for a logo and the chicness. its just not important enough to me, and they really dont do anything better or worse then anything else on the market. 

[Prismatic 49]

I typically carry around a brick of a laptop (I think 12 years old now) that's only an 800MHz Pentium III.  I'm a person for oddball features and my nerdiness, haha.

 

I tend to use VLC (VideoLan) for most of my media needs since it's well written and very easy on the CPU.  Well except for HD videos obviously.

Edited February 1, 2013 by Prismatic