thinking of a tablet

msbarnes

msbarnes

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I want a tablet for two purposes:
1. Read internet articles / PDFs / browse forums. (primary reason)
2. View images via flickr/tumblr, mostly. (secondary reason)

I don't care about:
-apps (I'm fine viewing flickr off of a regular internet browser, I think)
-camera
-email/pc/phone synchronization
-the latest and greatest features and technology

Any thoughts/suggestions?

I am inclined to go with the Nook HD. The tablet isn't expensive it should fit my needs, like every other tablet. Does anyone have experience with one? I have a Nook e-reader, and I like it. I went to B&N to try it out, and the sales rep told that the next generation of tablets is coming from Microsoft (next month supposedly). I will wait, but this alarms me because I find MS products confusing and complicated.

Also, most tablets come in a mini size and a full size. Does anyone find the mini size tablets too small for what I intend on using it for? I value portability and also ease of use. I can try it out at the store, but sometimes, testing out a piece of equipment at the store is not the best means of assessment. I realized after purchasing my 11.6" laptop, that 11.6" is too small ;0, but it isn't that big of a deal, and so I didn't return it.
 
Get a Nook and give yourself a headache when Barnes & Noble goes belly-up. (There are rumors.) Your best bet is to go with the market leader; you'll always have whatever support, apps, games, etc. you could desire. You say you don't want them now, but that might change once you see everything that's out there: iPad Air, or iPad Mini.
 
We have 2 ASUS tablets in the household - they are extremely fast compared to most other tablets I have seen. One is a Nexus 7, and the other a T300. Both are running all the software you mention - and with no branding or non free software.
 
I am using a Nook HD. I bought it last fall, knowing that it could very well be dead technology before too long. I picked it up used for $100.

No regrets. It has been perfect for me to test the tablet waters. Sure, I'm missing lots of bells and whistles, but I already knew that I didn't want most apps and such. I've been through a few rounds of 'Gee this tech device will solve so many problems and make my life so much better!!' to know that isn't how I work.

There is one thing that I wasn't ready for- how absolutely tedious it is to type on a screen. Sure, if you LOL and such, and don't care about writing sentences and paragraphs. It made it clear to me- tablets are for happy contented consuming. As production devices, even for producing a coherent email to a friend, screen-typing and me have a long way to go.

So- the Nook HD was a great way for me to see if tablets are for me. There may be more sensible tablets for testing like this? But since the Nook HD is hooked into Android, it isn't a completely closed system if B&N disappears. Anyway, I'll be getting a 13-14 inch laptop with a keyboard in the next few months, and leave the tablet world behind. Live and learn.
 
I have three tablets: original iPad, iPad Mini, Asus Fonetab. My experience is that the original iPad is the best by far for viewing images and PDFs. The Fonetab comes last for those two activities (but is better than the iPads for other uses).

Bottom line: no-one can tell you what is best for you, only what they think is best for them.
 
Nexus 7
Least expensive, great for reading and it's small enough that it doesn't weigh you down or require a "big" pocket - I fit mine into the back pouch of my ONA Bowery.

Cheers,
Dave
 
aperture64 said:
I do all the above with an iPad and hardly use a computer anymore.
Click to expand...

Same here with an iPad. And that's after 40 years of intense computer use in engineering.

The only thing I use our laptop for is loading picture files from CDs.

There isn't much out there that works for everyone, but the iPad comes pretty close. Opinion.
 
I think your options really boil down to iPad v. Android.

I use an Android tablet (LG G Pad 8.3) for just about everything in my day to day activities. I use it with both a stylus and a fitted bluetooth keyboard. I do use personal management apps, as well as notebook/note-taking and diagramming apps. I also like the fact that (most?) Android tablets accept OTG cables so I can hook up just about anything via USB, although my primary use is viewing photos stored in my portable drive.

I have nothing against iPad's, and probably would have gotten one had I not gotten a great deal on the LG. My only regret is that I didn't get one much sooner than I did. I also have a Kindle 3G for reading eBooks. IMHO, nothing beats Kindle for reading books (black text on plain white background), and I'm reasonably confident Amazon isn't going to go belly up anytime soon.
 
I just moved from an iPad gen3 to a Mini Retina. Both are good for different reasons. Found I needed the cellular connectivity over time and the increase in portability has been a plus. Running Lightroom on the pad and on my laptop (Sony flip) for an interesting combo.
 
We have two original iPads at home. Which we were given for free, almost. One have dead screen, another goes crazy after change of broken screen. Non Removable batteries lasts for one game or movie at both of them. If you hold it into the sun with autobrightnes enabled it boosts the brightness and after few minutes the Ithing is getting hot. Web browser doesn't support one very common plug-in. And it is amazing product to view images. No matter if it is taken with phone, lomo camera, digital FF Leica or MF Hassi with color slide. All looks the same.
To me it is useful only to write some messages and read e-mails if I have no access to computer.
 
I really can't see the lure of the 7" tablets like the iPad mini. To big to carry around, simply use a 5" smartphone and you have the connectivity and portability of your phone and a big enough screen for occasionally web browsing. A 7" tablet only makes sense when you use a smaller phone like an iPhone.

Unlike others did I buy an laptop after starting using my iPad (3rd generation), not that my 10" iPad was bad, but I missed the ease of use of a laptop. So, I got a Sony Vaio Pro13 with a 13" screen. I find 13" the ideal size for a laptop, it is small but not too small. If you want bigger, go all the way and get a big desktop screen. IMHO ofcourse ;)
 
am working with Android apps, but should I recommend tablet/smartphone for anyone for their personal use, go with Apple. costs bit more in the beginning, but saves in longer run.
 
I'd go with a good mini (7") tablet - iPad if you want to marry into an expensive, but sophisticated family, Android otherwise. I can recommend the Nexus 7 and Asus Memopad. Stay clear of the Kindle HD (media player strictly tied into Amazon, castrated and near useless for any other purpose), Microsoft tablets (going by their track record, probably artificially obsoleted within 24 months), and of cheap Rockchip chip set tablets (tediously slow and failure prone).
 
My wife & I share an iPad. Bought it May 2013. Has Retina display.

Terrific tool.

Wish:

It had a USB port so I could hook up an external HD. Have lots of them.

Understand Wi-Fi enabled HD's are available.

I need to up grade my router someday so as I can plug in an external hard drive.

Wonderful product.
 
Wish:

It had a USB port so I could hook up an external HD. Have lots of them.
Click to expand...

The good news is that you can buy a USB socket adapter. The bad news is that you can't use it to connect a hard drive. Being charitable, I guess that Apple would say (a) the iPad battery isn't big enough to support a HDD and (b) in any case, allowing you to plug in a HDD would defeat the IOS security model.

Might be true :angel:

Yes, there are various WiFi external drives aimed at the IOS family. Some of them look like good value but I haven't tried one yet.
 
I figured that Sejanus.

Going to have to spend the moola on a new router someday!

My MacBook from 2006 still works fine, still allowing me access to the sites I frequently use.

Thanks.
 
I have a Nexus 7 (original model, with sim card option for travel) with an after-market fold-over protective cover that contains a USB hardware keyboard. Different mind-set needed for navigation compared to the workstation normally used at home, anyway the likes of Flickr are 'bending' their architectures to favour use with tablets ...
 
Thanks for the advice. I need to digest this, but it sounds like Nooks and Kindles aren't very popular.

I'd still pursue one of those because they are cheap, or maybe an Android. I'm not anti-apple per se but I don't value technological devices enough to pay a premium.
 
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