# Tablets?



## Casper Parks

Looking into buying a tablet, 10 inch size. Microsoft looks good. I think it can download reading the reading app for Kindle books.

Anyone have one or know of someone who does?

Would like to know if there are any bugs or issues with it.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

I have a Win8 tablet that I quite like. It's an Acer; was *much* less expensive than the _Surface_. It's a full computer though, so a little heavier. Not, to my way of thinking, really suitable as a regular reader. But, yes, there is a Win8 app for Kindle.

There are ones that are purely tablets, though, which are perceptibly lighter. But you can't, for instance, load programs unless you can find them via the Microsoft "store." (Kindle is available there.) I needed a couple of programs that were not available that way which is why I went that way.

I did look at the _Surface_. It's nice looking. But a reasonable keyboard is extra; I could not get out of them whether any old BT keyboard would work. So, again, it came down to money. AND, I wasn't looking so much for a tablet replacement as a laptop replacement, which the one I got is PERFECT for.



Besides the stand shown, it also came with a case the tablet fits in that has a nice keyboard connected and lets it be configured as a laptop. Or take the tablet out and use it as a tablet only. OR put it in the stand and use any BT keyboard and it functions as a desktop system. I'm quite happy with it. It also came with a cable to connect it to a larger display, if needed.

Oh, and battery life is quite good. Since it's my secondary computer, I have frequently left it for several weeks without using it. I've never opened it up and found the battery drained to death unless it was really close when I left it. I have, in fact, fully charged it, left it several weeks, and woken it up to an, essentially, full charge.


----------



## Casper Parks

Ann,

Thanks for the reply... Lot of good information.

A friend suggested I wait until the new models come-out and buy old model on sale.


----------



## kwajkat

Stay away from the Surface RT model especially the first generation one. Too many problems. The Surface Pro runs Windows 8 and and you can install programs that work on your desktop. If you look the 2nd generation Pro is much better spec wise and if you look at the 64 or 128 models they are only a $100 difference between the 1st and 2nd gen.  The RT model does not run window 7/8 programs because it is Xbox based.  The Nexus 10 is very good and much cheaper than the Surface. The ipad is also very good as well. It will depend on what you want to do with it as to which one would be best for you. 

You can get a kindle app for just about all platforms so that isn't a concern.


----------



## Casper Parks

kwajkat said:


> Stay away from the Surface RT model especially the first generation one. Too many problems. The Surface Pro runs Windows 8 and and you can install programs that work on your desktop. If you look the 2nd generation Pro is much better spec wise and if you look at the 64 or 128 models they are only a $100 difference between the 1st and 2nd gen. The RT model does not run window 7/8 programs because it is Xbox based. The Nexus 10 is very good and much cheaper than the Surface. The ipad is also very good as well. It will depend on what you want to do with it as to which one would be best for you.
> 
> You can get a kindle app for just about all platforms so that isn't a concern.


I want to avoid something based on a gaming system. Nexus 10 is on the list of considerations.

Thanks...


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Yeah -- I wasn't keen on the Surface RT because I couldn't run my own programs. Windows RT looks and feels exactly the same as Win8 PRO, but you can't load your own programs.  You can only download what's in their 'store'.  

Mind you, if you're the sort that keeps everything in the cloud anyway, that might be just fine.  But, as I mentioned, I needed some programs that were actual programs.  I couldn't even load MS Office -- it came with some compatible cloud based version, but what I needed was to be able to sometimes print out contact lists. I couldn't find anyone who was able to confirm for me that I'd still be able to do that. 

And the Pro version of the Surface was more expensive and heavier.  So I went with 3rd party hardware that ended up being cheaper overall.  Not much lighter, but definitely lighter than the laptop I had.


----------



## nico

At the risk of starting an age-old debate, i recommend an iPad. Lots more apps available and a really great overall tablet experience that might make you get rid of your computer.

New models are likely out in the next few weeks, so if i were you i'd at least hold off until October to see what Apple has to offer.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

nico said:


> At the risk of starting an age-old debate, i recommend an iPad. Lots more apps available and a really great overall tablet experience that might make you get rid of your computer.
> 
> New models are likely out in the next few weeks, so if i were you i'd at least hold off until October to see what Apple has to offer.


See, and an iPad wouldn't work for what I need a _computer_ for. And I'm quite happy with the android devices I have for other stuff.

That said, I will note one major difference between the two. It has to do with the shape of the rectangular screen. The iPad is just slightly more square, if you know what I mean. This makes it better, for example, for showing a 'page' as from a PDF at a good, readable size. BUT, on the larger android tablets, the more elongated rectangle may make the screen better for movies.

At this point either one, android or apple, is going to have a LOT of apps and good screens and all the bells and whistles you want to pay for. But they are, for some people, not going to be good enough to be the ONLY computing device they own. So the key is to really figure out what you want to do with it, what it needs to be able to do for you, and go from there.


----------



## The Hooded Claw

nico said:


> At the risk of starting an age-old debate, i recommend an iPad. Lots more apps available and a really great overall tablet experience that might make you get rid of your computer.


Despite being a longterm putter-downer of fruity computers, and an avid user of Android phones, I agree with this. I love my iPad, and recommend it highly! Much stronger app ecosystem.

Having said that, one of my best friends who has historically been my computer guru has an ASUS Transformer tablet and swears by it. Other than reporting his approval, I can't offer direct feedback. But that's the best I can do to actually answer the original question.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

The Hooded Claw said:


> Despite being a longterm putter-downer of fruity computers, and an avid user of Android phones, I agree with this. I love my iPad, and recommend it highly! Much stronger app ecosystem.


That was definitely true a couple of years ago, but I think now there's probably an android version of just about any iThing app. Or something equivalent. Now the MS app ecosystem is definitely less robust. It doesn't even have "Words with Friends"!  But there is a Kindle app, so, you know, that's all you need.  

(Really, I use my Win 8 tablet as a computer -- you can use the 'apps' but can load actual programs as well.  )


----------



## The Hooded Claw

Ann in Arlington said:


> That was definitely true a couple of years ago, but I think now there's probably an android version of just about any iThing app. Or something equivalent. Now the MS app ecosystem is definitely less robust. It doesn't even have "Words with Friends"!  But there is a Kindle app, so, you know, that's all you need.


I did another informal evaluation of the iTunes and Google Play app catalogs. It is true that for most of the stuff you want to do, there are plenty of alternatives in Android-land. But for a lot of fun stuff (admittedly not life-and-death stuff) that I want to do, that's not the case. I use Audubon Nature guide apps to support my nature photography hobby, and they have improved a lot since last I checked (a couple of years ago there was a bird app, and that was about it) and now have most of their "family" type apps covering identifying birds, trees, etc., moved. I haven't done a app-by-app comparison, but I know for sure that at least one app (Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians) has been on Apple for years, but is still not on Android. And they have regional apps for some areas (California, etc.) that don't appear in Android at all. Similarly, National Geographic has a bunch of cool apps on Apple,but not a sign of them on Android. There are travel guides for all sorts of areas from Fodor and Lonely Planet (two big providers of such) in the Apple store, but none in Android. Android does have lots of travel guides, but most are for unknown providers and it is a lot more work to evaluate and choose rather than willing to blindly purchase an app and assume it will be at least half-decent because it comes from a big-name provider. Finally, there are lots of esoteric "interesting" apps such as a History of Jazz app I bought when on sale from Apple:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/history-jazz-interactive-timeline/id411521458?mt=8

The Jazz app isn't on Android. I have some very nice Apple collection apps covering art information and such, for example Art Authority. There are some of these on Android, but they are fewer and far between. I see a fair number for individual artists, I used to have an app called Quintessart that was more of an omnibus, but I see it is defunct now. These things aren't essential, but I like them. Android does have a few, I see that the British Library, which produced an app showing off some of their artifacts on the iPad that I really liked a year or two ago has an app for Android! Bully for them!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.toura.britishlibrarytreasures

I enjoy this on my iPad, I assume it will be similarly pleasing on the Android. My review of the iPad version is here:
http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,48968.0.html


----------



## Casper Parks

That ASUS looks nice. A couple people advised wait until next models come out and prices drop on current ones. Looking at the price tags, waiting a month or two is sound advice. 

A tablet is an investment and want to make sure I get the right one. Add-on keyboards are nice. That ASUS has a Google Maps app, not something I had thought about prior. There are three memory sizes and something else to consider.

Thanks for the input.


----------



## Mike D. aka jmiked

The Hooded Claw said:


> I did another informal evaluation of the iTunes and Google Play app catalogs. It is true that for most of the stuff you want to do, there are plenty of alternatives in Android-land.


Although I have a foot in both camps, having mostly moved from IOS to Android a year an a half ago, I'll admit to still using my iPod touch quite a bit (and to a lesser extent, my iPad 1). Being a movie buff, I use the Leonard Maltin Movie Guide on my iPod touch frequently, and no such app exists for Android. I asked the Maltin app people and was told there are no plans to ever make an Android version. There's no equivalent alternate for this app on Android at all.

At this point, I'm about equally happy/unhappy with each platform. Depending on which day of the week you ask me, I'm annoyed enough with something to move to the other OS. 

So I still frequently carry both the Android phone and the iPod touch. And my Nexus 7 if I want a larger screen for maps when I'm spending the day driving around the countryside geocaching.

I generally end up being the guy who carries around or uses several devices that each do particular thing well rather than stick with one device that does none of the functions all that well.

Mike


----------



## Casper Parks

Gained a lot of good information from everyone. Learning about what features to look for that meets my needs. 

It started with desire for e-reading and evolved. Having a port for memory and data is good. Like idea of add-on keyboard. Seeing 16GB, 32G and 64GB, not sure if that would make a difference for watching a video.


----------



## The Hooded Claw

Casper Parks said:


> Seeing 16GB, 32G and 64GB, not sure if that would make a difference for watching a video.


Shouldn't make any difference for watching, but will make a difference how much video (in other words how many movies or shows) you can carry around with you. The operating system and other programs will take up some of your space, so 16 gig won't allow much in the way of video choices. Of course you can switch movies in and out so what you are carrying is always fresh.


----------



## JuliMonroe

I use both an iPad and a Nexus 7 (and a Nook HD). I still prefer the iOS device. It annoys me less. Things seem to work better, and it (for the moment) is the only way on this hemisphere to play Plants vs. Zombies 2 

Neither Android device screen rotates quite as smoothly as my iPad. Seems petty, but I rotate the screen a lot, both on purpose and by accident. I end up locking the rotation on the Android devices because it annoys me. I've seen others complain of this too, so it seems it's not just me.

On the other hand, no swipe input keyboards on the iPad,which always makes me sad. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## Mike D. aka jmiked

JuliMonroe said:


> On the other hand, no swipe input keyboards on the iPad,which always makes me sad.


Sometimes it's those little things that make a big difference. I regularly use both an iPad and Nexus 7, and one of the things I like about the Nexus is that the letters on the soft keyboard change to capitals when the shift key is tapped. It makes it easy to tell if the caps are locked or not.

Mike


----------



## HappyGuy

The Hooded Claw said:


> Shouldn't make any difference for watching, but will make a difference how much video (in other words how many movies or shows) you can carry around with you. The operating system and other programs will take up some of your space, so 16 gig won't allow much in the way of video choices. Of course you can switch movies in and out so what you are carrying is always fresh.


And now that these are available on-board storage is not so much an issue.



I bought a 16 gb version, slipped in a 32 gb micro SD card I had and seems to work pretty well. I'm gonna try a 64 gb card if I get one, just to see if it will work. But I like it for take-with-me storage.


----------



## kwajkat

I have both the ipad 4 and the Nexus 7 and 10. I use them in my classes on tablets. While I like them all, I find the ipad to be more user friendly, the kindle app runs much more smoothly on the ipad than on the androids.  For storage I use a 1TB Seagate wireless plus which works with all the devices. I use the usb cable to move stuff from my computer to the Seagate then I use the wireless to run it with the ipad and Nexus.  Am a huge movie fan so having the extra storage is a major plus. One major difference between android based devices and ipads if you are a movie fan, you can store your movies on the external HD and play them on any device you have. With androids you are prevented from doing that and have to keep your movies on the specific device main memory rather than moving it to external storage. Google says it is because of copyright issues. That is the same issue with any amazon devices and/or movies.  With iTunes that is not an issue.

As for the external storage drives, one thing you need to pay attention to is how the device uses them. Some of them move the movie or whatever onto the actual device before you can use/see it.  That is the main reason I went with the Seagate as it leaves everything on the HD so you do not have to worry about the amount of storage space you need to leave open on your device.

I would wait until after Oct 22 and see what the new ipads will offer.  The new surfaces will be release on the 22nd. Also Samsung is coming out with a new device in Nov and most likely ASUS will as well.


----------

