Tablet suggestions......
 

Gents, looking to throw the switch on getting a tablet. I have held off due to living out in the sticks and not having DSL or Cable internet, so it renders itself almost useless at home, however with the amount that I have been traveling this year, I am starting to feel like it would really make life easier.

Any suggestions besides an IPad? I am anti-apple and refuse to conform.

Basically, all of the browsing of a computer, has the ability to use a keyboard with it if possible, have some nifty add ons and what not.

I am not a tech savvy guy, so i figured someone here may have a suggestion based on past use, trips and abuse........

Thanks!

:rolleyes:

Jayson here and after doing considerable research I settled on a Playbook. Why? Simply because it met my needs the best. What do you plan to do with a tablet that is what must it do to make you happy? I am a Kindergarten teacher and use mine solely in the classroom so listing my reasons for purchasing a Playbook I would suspect would not apply to you. If you tell me what you want it for, I may be able to offer some advice.

jaYson

This may be worth waiting for!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1607331.html

I have an iPad3 WiFi.

Very versatile, great for traveling.

I didn't bother with the 4G version. With so much free WiFi out there, I didn't want to pay for another service.
sf

I also do not subscribe to the Isheeple line of thought,, but...

The wife's 8yo think-pad was getting old, so I purchased an Ipad II for Mother's Day. I love her but she is not PC enabled when it comes to computers.

After two days on the Ipad she was on her own. I check weekly for updates. I am amazed at the easy of use.. :D

It helped that our daughters and their hubbies have Isheeple fever. Even our 6yo G-daughter spends quality time teaching Na Na how to use her new toy.. :eek:

I am still not an Isheeple..

As suggested, I would wait until the new Microsoft Surface hit the streets. They will be dumping them on the market for Christmas and back to college kids.

The Surface will have a couple ports I think are needed that apple doesn't want to give you:

USB port, preferable v.3.0
SD or micro-SD card slot, preferably SDXC, that will go above 32BG

Maggie has the same one,but elected to go with the 4G also since most of the hospitals I'm in don't support WiFi yet.......So when she leaves it for me it's the only way I can access the forum.........:D

Big Teddy :munchin

I'm with you JJ; I guess that makes us iLuddites...

Android
 

I'm right there with you. I would go with an Android enabled device. I'm not sure what your budget is, but you can't go wrong with a Samsung Galaxy. If you do end up purchasing a different 'droid be sure to check where it is made and what version of Android it is running.

A friend of mine bought a Coby (made in China) and it will not allow him to install many of the major apps that can be downloaded from the Google App market. If you want more detail just PM me and I'll elaborate and/or give you a list of decent ones to review.

Good luck!

DIYP

A little while back I heard about the Samsung Galaxy that blew up, seriously where you aware of that?..........:eek:

Big Teddy :munchin

For the Price...
 

You won't get better than a Kindle Fire.

At $200.00, for an individual that isn't tech-savy or trendy this is all you'll need and you'll save at least $200.00 against it's competitors.

Tweeder

Same Same......

On both Samsung Galaxy and case/screen protector.

My wife and I have the 7" Galaxy, and we both really recommend Samsung price/quality in this example.

Whichever tablet you decide to go with, strongly consider what type of use you will need out of it.

If someone gave me a 10" Samsung Galaxy or iPad it would probably gather dust...since I like to keep my smaller tablet in a pants pocket as I prefer the portability.

If I needed it just for lying on the couch reading/surfing I'd go with a 10" tablet.

Just my 0.02c

OOPS!

Holy Cow! I had not heard of that!!! I did a quick search and found this story. Is that the one to which you referred? If so, that is the Samsung Galaxy cell phone. I have one of those, too, and have never had that problem. However, it sounds pretty scary. I do know that the batteries in most of today's devices can get very hot and mine has heated up, but never to that extent.

Can you play Farmville on that thing?
 

Does anyone have suggestions on which tablet is best suited for searching through, reading, and annotating .PDFs? I need a tablet that has the horsepower to handle a lot of PDFs. (I have about 35,800 of them. But I'm not OCD.:rolleyes:)

At present, I'm torn among the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, the Blackberry Playbook, and a pre-owned device from this website.

Also, what is the conventional wisdom on extended warranties with tablets?

Because ALL the tablets are so dam thin, damage to the display/screen is very common. In the case of apple the glass and display are glued together. Not sure they will even fix it, just mail the busted one back for a new replacement.

The g-kids left theirs on the couch while at lunch, came back and sat down, cracked glass. It still ran but my daughter didn't want the kids sliding their finger over the crack(s)..

It was a week old... :mad:

Now, on the other hand, IF you are a Isheeple, you will sell the USED one to purchase the newest toy every 10-15 days, and don't worry about warranty..

Net Net: If you plan to keep it more than a month,, An extra 100USD is probably worth it with today's hyper-thin, hyper-lightweight, hyper-disposable toy market..

These things are like TP,, use more than one time at your own risk... :D

From the guy that thinks the extended warranty business is a 100 bazillion dollar scam...

My $00.0002 :munchin

Yep that's the one that almost blew the guys nuts off..........:eek:

Big Teddy :munchin

Didn't you know, they don't sell the old ones. They put them in the closet next to the shrine to Steve for an offering.

Just curious
 

What did you end up going with?

These are coming out soon and they look sweet

http://www.asus.com/Tablet/Nexus/Nexus_7

$200 for the 8GB $250 for the 16GB

Our customers (regional retailers) are getting stoked for pre-orders

Tweeder

I like this one.

No problems with squaretrade warranty. Pleased with service and coverage.

microsoft Surface FAIL
 

Bad omen at unveiling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-pMZd1fupw

That's a salesman worst nightmare,to have your presentation freeze up on you like that!.........:rolleyes:

Big Teddy :munchin

Nice! :D

I am looking into the Sony tablet. I hear good things about it and it does a lot of the things that I want. I have to get my hands on one when I get back from England. I will let you guys know. I am going to wait until I get a chance to check out the Google Nexus 7. I am hearing a lot of things about that.

Sigaba,
Adobe is a memory and CPU hog, considering that the Galaxy and the Playbook essentially have the same specifications, in my slightly biased :D opinion, I would stick with the Galaxy as I feel that Android or more specifically, Linux, runs more efficiently on ARM based hardware than RIM's QNX based OS. Again, YMMV. Hit an electronics retailer and spend some time playing with both.

My .02

Am looking hard and wondered, now 3 yrs down the road, if anyone has ditched their original purchase. Tablet prices are very competitive now (well, except for Apple) & am looking hard at the Samsung 10.1. I'd prefer a slightly smaller form-factor but, after getting a chance to handle several tablets (actually connected) at the BestBox store there are some notable improvements in processing speed & resolution from their 9.5" offerings.

No cell carrier for it; use will be at home, reading, searching, settling "discussions" etc. running a browser, GoogleEarth, and a PDF reader like Foxit.

Sticking with apple. At work we are using the Surface 3 Pro. They work great but are pricey also....

Thanks for the update.

Edit: I wonder why the time postings for me are displayed way off? (Posts saying 0539 & this one 0554.) I have Central Time set in my profile, it's now 1156 local, 1756Z.
Things that make ya say "hmmm."

I'm getting to the age where I should be looking at reading glasses, but vanity and stubbornness is preventing that from happening.

I'm running iPad Pros 9.7(received for grad school programme) and 12.9(bought this one).

The 12.9 is a far better reading experience for me, while the 9.7 is a bit more portable.

If I had to pick one, I'd go with the 12.9.

If you're a heavy traveler and constantly mobile I'd go with the 9.7 as form factor becomes an issue.

In short, with tablet shopping I would suggest that when looking at screen form factor and screen resolution it's better to err on the side of bigger/better, especially if used mostly at home.

Samsung screens are excellent on new/recent models.

If I wasn't locked into Apple, I'd be on a Samsung tablet.

If you happen to have an Amazon Prime account or are a Amazon purchaser, Amazon Fire tablets are a budget choice consideration.

Amazon offers a 10.1 fire tablet that is quite cheap, although the screen resolution is only average. But it now has built in Alexa voice search built in and integration with Amazon music/video which is a free add on for Prime subscribers.

Disclaimer, I used to work for Amazon back before they became "The Man".

If you are willing to give the iPad a chance, the PX had the IPAD 2Air 32GB on sale for $249 recently.

Thanks for the insights as to reading; after all, the eyes are a prime user of this stuff. This won't be going on the road unless I'm hijacked to the in-laws for a weekend. But, as you mention, the ease of actually reading is a consideration. Only reason the 10.1 (and its improvements) are getting my attention; like many, I did not get the extended warranty on the eyes and any cataract-like things aren't "bad enough" yet to get lens replacement. (Which my wife got awhile back & now sports "fighter pilot eyes.") As I thought about this more this morning, form-factor much less of an issue. At idle, it'll be laying next to the LR chair, lol.

I'll probably end up hitting Amazon & bundling the few odd things I'll want with it (whatever it is), unless I use them as a proxy comparison beat-down of the local retailer. I've had good luck with Amazon, no privacy issues, and I get to spend it via smile.amazon for the GBF.
:)

Agreed,, I have been using the Ipad lite for several years, with a keyboard. I just can not do the thumbs things.. The Ipad w/ZAGG KB is less than 2? lbs and a small form factor. Allowing it to slid into a modest man-bag with my wallet, passport, and fixings..

I agree, and if this was to be the primary device I'd look at that hard, thanks for the great pic (lovely family btw). It's going to be more of a chair-side convenience than anything. "Work" I do upstairs, which is where I'm not when I suddenly want to look something up or drop-off the planet for some reading.

Well, turkey & all the other stuff calls so the hammer is about to drop in the dining area on PED's in general.
;)

Last year about this time I was at the BX and they had 2 iPad minis for 200 off because no one wanted them because they were AT&T and they were only selling the wifi ones. I snatched it up and love it. Still have not needed to activate the cell. The PX/BX sometimes has good deals.

Thanks!
 

Thought to drop by & say thanks all for the suggestions & feedback. After a hard look in the mirror of what I needed just ended up with a Galaxy 9.6. I've found over some days that there exist the same vagaries as with other computers in terms of applications keeping up with OS.

One example would be that App A that facilitates exported Google Earth overlays worked good with OS A but with OS B.0.1 won't recognize the files if they're stored on removable SD card, vs. the inboard memory. This kind of stuff is not a huge issue to me; I don't expect something with a battery to read my mind & don't mind a couple of taps into my files to fire up the file. Only mention because it's a familiar type of thing that exists in the tablet community as well as larger computers. (This one comes witih Android 6.0.1) But I can pull up all my fishing spots off-line (for when the water gets softer & the bass wake up).

One thing I did notice is the above exists quite a bit and could be mitigated by simply making a better decision when mounting the MicroSD card expansion. I selected the option to make it removable storage, rather than integrate it into the 16GB already on the tablet. My tactical side out-foxed my long-term process; really if I need removable that's what I have a thumb-drive and a dongle for. So I will do a temp copy back over to save some stuff & re-install as a regular onboard. Just something to think about HARD when someone's installing their additional little SD card, before you make the key-press when it's asking you about whether you want to format that SD chip as onboard storage.

As the Admiral recuperates in her Lazy-Boy it was completely worth the purchase to sit together and literally do some Christmas shopping and let the transporters take care of the delivery while seeing what she's ordering. For that, worth every penny. Battery life is pretty good - but then I disabled a bunch of the default Samsung & Google shit, don't run outdoor brightness on the display, and use the toggle to turn the WiFi off when I'm just reading. The 10.1 with some resolution improvements had been under consideration but one reason they put that bigger battery in there is that all that stuff comes with a price in terms of battery endurance. Most of these things seem to have a resolution greater than the thing they're looking at. Analogy: Don't need a multimeter good to .02% tolerance if the components you're working on have +-10% of manufacturing slop built in anyway.

Cost was a non-Cyber Monday $160 plus a price-matched 64GB chip & a hearty-laugh and a "YGBSM" when the in-store-visiting Samsung rep tried to steer me to a $100 Otterbox.

Not much into games or apps, but did find a good & simple little WiFi signal analyzer that showed many people in the neighborhood all stuck in the same channel on their router - seeing that and 2 minutes into the router to select a channel all by my lonesome yielded a small-but-noticeable performance increase. That & the aforementioned utility to incorporate my existing KMZ files on GoogleEarth are about it. It already reads PDF's fine and will play MP3's if I want to put some music on it.

Pretty happy and wanted to say thanks again gents. Now time to go move powder while it's powder before it becomes rock. Wonder how many layers the talking-heads will have on today for the Packer-Bears game, LMAO. Someone down in Sierra Vista asked me once how we deal with this; I told him we have these things called buildings and we go in them.
:cool:

I picked up an iPad Pro this year for doing industrial design work away from the home. It was recommended by several designers I know so I thought I'd give it a go. One can do all kinds of sketching and design work with this one, to include sketching over photos you just took with it.

The irony of having it is that I got to use it more at home than over here on the job in A-Stan. The turn around time on projects over here is so quick that I don't have the luxury of sketching out pretty pictures before I develop and build them. I make a few crude sketches on a piece of paper, maybe come up with a CAD template if I know I'm going to do a short production run, and then I'm off and running designing and building a piece of kit for the boys to use over here. Perhaps when I get back home I can take the time to digitally sketch out these products on my tablet just so I can say I got some use out of it.