I recently found myself in a job with more airline travel. I hate lugging my laptop around just so I can check email and watch movies.

So I think I want an inexpensive tablet.

So what am I looking at?

Size?

Brands?

Deals?

One tablet make you larger....



One tablet make you small...



and the one that mother gives you don't do anything at all...



go ask Alice when she's 10 feet tall.

The iPad is great for travel. I no longer bring my laptop on trips/vacations.

Ipad mini.  Perfect for travel.  $330.

Just to be clear.

If you're traveling a lot, you're going to be a slave to crazy wireless fees at airports, airlines and hotels unless you get a tablet with 3G/4G cellular, and they're usually much more expensive.



I'm partial to the Kindle Fire, and with the older model at $159, that's a pretty hard deal to beat.  Email, browsing, games, books, video - enough to keep me amused, but, then again, I'm a cheap date.


 

ipad

I am answering this on my new Samsung Galaxy 10.2 Android tablet.  Great screen, fast, and it just works ( people write that about iPads, and my Galaxy does the same).  

I love it.

4G version not available yet

Nexus 7 16Gb for $199, 32 Gb for $250 ––––- wireless only




Watchout for the Nexus 6 though

I was thinking about a Kindle Fire, hoping for a good black friday deal.

What is this about pay 2 play wireless in airports and hotels? I've never had to pay.

This. I bought one a couple of weeks ago.  16 GB, but I added a 32 GB SD Micro card.  Apple doesn't have that feature.  I also have a blue tooth keyboard that I use when I'm doing a lot of typing.  I don't know if Apple has that.  I like the fact that I could root the tablet and limit permissions.  Apple won't let you do that.  I looked at iPads and I decided to buy the Samsung Galaxy.  Google Play Store is the equivalent of the iTunes store.  





 

Ipads are generally the best because they have a picture of an apple on them.

Our family has both an iPad (I'm posting on this) and a Kindle Fire.

iPad is more capable––more better apps.  But I like the size/shape of the Kind Fire better, and it sure does all my wife needs.  She loves it.

I think 7 inch tablets are much more portable than the larger ones.  If you are going to carry something the size of an ipad or 10 inch tablet, go ahead and take the laptop IMO.  As far as iPad vs Android here is the breakdown:

Android:

Flash works
SD card storage usually available
No fucking around with iTunes
4G available in 7 inch form factor
Screens are much better in 7 inch and comparable in the larger
Did I mention not having to fuck with iTunes?
Easy to drag and drop (like a USB drive) files
More than 1 button (back, home, info/menu, search) iPad has one button, to fuck with settings is a major chore usually
Great GPS navigation Apple's navigation is a thing of ridicule at best

Apple:
Same OS as the original iPad, if you used it then, it will still be familiar
Usually more stable, apps generally always work just right because there is only one platform to design for.  With this being said, I have only found 1 or 2 problematic apps for my Tablet, both of which were fixed shortly (one today, it went out when I updated last week, but they fixed it quickly)
Anyone who says that Apple has better apps is usually smoking something.  Most apps are offered on both platforms by the same people.




I think you can see my bias.  I tried an original iPad and took it back.  Picked a Samsung Galaxy 7 and loved it.  Wife has an iPad 3 with 4G.  Other than the improved screen resolution, I still like my Galaxy better.  Why?  For one the iPad is just too big to comfortably travel with for me.  It works best sitting on the coffee table and your lap.  My G fits in my cargo pocket, or tucked in my waistband behind my back, or in a backpack.  I love being able to just plug it in to any computer, drag and drop music, movies and books on it and not have fuck around with iTunes or some other shitty software.  Apple wants everything to go through iTunes so they can make money off it if they can. So they make it a pain in the ass to get it on your iPad to nudge you into buying it from them instead of uploading it to your device from your computer.  I never use my GPS anymore, I use my tablet to navigate now.

Whatever you buy, ensure you can return it.  What would I buy right now?  Without researching it, I would buy the latest Samsung small tablet.  I am currently waiting on my Samsung Note 2 to arrive.  I will probably replace my small tablet with it and buy a larger Samsung tablet for around the house.

I strongly advise you to get 3G/4G though.  My tablet costs me 10 bucks a month for cellular access.  You will spend a lot more getting wifi access and a lot more hassle.

HaM

Nexus 7.

$200.

Fantastic tablet.  Inexpensive.  Runs bare Android.  Fast.  The best deal in the tablet world IMO.

If you're looking for value, the Nexus 7 has to be about the best thing going.

You can get one with tons of storage now for 199$.

It is wi-fi only. The 4g is more expensive and I am debating between that or just another wi-fi only one for my SO. If you can root your smart phone, you can have a hot spot and anywhere your phone has service the so will the tablet, wi-fi or not.

That may be the route I go for her. Much cheaper and you dont have to pay another monthly fee.

I really like my ASUS Transformer.


Got my girlfriend a Moto Xoom32gb 3G+WiFi and she really likes it.

Asus transformer 300. comes in wifi and 3/4g

 

I will say this, like buying a good rifle or good glass.......buy once, cry once........

This

You might also look at a different laptop.  You can get them in the ultrabook form factor now that are less than an inch think and under 4lbs but still have a 13 or 14 inch screen.

I find responding to an email with any substance on a tablet, without a keyboard, a waste of time.  Could get a Bluetooth keyboard for the tablet, but then it's a quasi laptop anyway.

I would highly urge you to go with the iPad2.  After playing with my original iPad, my father (who is not a electronic geek) went out and got the iPad2.  I like it a lot more than mine.  The biggest advantage the 2 has over the original is the a docking keyboard.  So if you are going to be typing a lot of emails and surfing around the internet, the iPad2 would be your best bet.

The best part about them is that their battery life is fantastic.  I can go days without plugging in.


I actually need to start looking for one for myself.  My iPad is actually my wife's and I would like the iPad2 to take to my night class lectures.

I really love my kindle fire (the first one). It does everything I want in a small package. Its cool to be able to watch a documentary or something while waiting around. Or late at night when you can't sleep.

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OST for possible gift idea for someone

Edited to add:

I really do not know dogshit about these hi tech gadgets ... except that it obviously needs to grab onto wireless internet when you are away from home with it.

Is there a super cheap way to get pre-paid wireless and pay as you go vs buying into a plan that charges you an endless monthly fee ? Kinda like the pre-paid cell phones are cheaper for occasional use vs the AT&T monthly plans.

Samsung Tab 2



With a Micro SC card slot it's a no brainer

The new ipad mini is perfect for travel. The full-size would work too but I really did the new size and before the Apple haters chime in, no one is close to the iPad.

There have been several tablet threads lately.

Seems the Nexus 7 is the highest recommended of non-iPad people and the best overall value.

I'm really like my Nexus 7. If you are considering a Ipad Mini.... do you research. Nexus 7 beats it coming from many different reviews.

Brian

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2012/11/19/ipad-alternative-new-200-chromebooks-holiday-hit/

 


 

You were doing it right. If you try hard you will find "pay"wifi at airports hotels etc.

 

mine was connected yesterday - LTE at ATT.

––

I purchased it 12 minutes after they went on sale, arrived yesterday.  After one night of surfing - yes there is room for improvement.  I suspect I will get a decent amount of use out of it however before I hand it down to the kids (and get the next one).



Personally I wish it was slightly smaller (6-7 in versus 7.9 - no way in hell it will fit in a pocket with anything more than the basic apple magnetic cover.  Even putting it in a sock makes it a tight fit).  And wish it had better ppi - infinite scaling can cause text to get way too aliased.    I found myself rescaling some pages slightly a few times to get it to come into focus.



That said, more time with the screen and I may simply accept that the extra size is worth more than the ability to pocket.  I also wonder if the reason for making a 8" tablet was so that eventually they can make a 6" touch.
 

Asus Infinity... I like mine.

fyi



http://www.woot.com/offers/asus-10-1-tablet-keyboard-dock

Yet no one has explained why the Nexus 7 is so awesome other then it Has Google apps. My wife wants to get me a Kindle fire HD as she is a big amazon fan, and I just surf the web and want it for movies and travel. what would I miss if I got a Kindle vs. a Nexus??

In details please.

I'm also trying to decide between the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7.  Anyone have details/recommendation?  I'm looking for toddler games, movies, media...

I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7" (GT-P3113). BestBuy has them for $170 Friday, they're normally $199. Amazon has them all the time for $180 with free shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-7-Inch-Wi-Fi/dp/B007P4VOWC/

I liked it so much, I have it to my 4-year-old and bought myself a GT-P3100 from South Korea. It's a phone, too - so I replaced my Android phone with it in addition to having cellular data. I paid $380 for mine, and they're going for $360 on Amazon these days.

http://www.amazon.com/GT-P3100-Galaxy-Tab-8GB-Unlocked/dp/B008HTCF9U/

They run Android 4, and are about the best compromise I've seen. They accept MicroSD cards, so the 8GB storage isn't a huge factor. The only bad things I have to say about them - they're not incredibly powerful if you're a gamer, and the camera is near-useless. Otherwise - excellent.

Bonus- the WiFi version has a built-in IR remote. You can change the channels on TVs in hotel bars and stuff. Hilarity ensues.

I see no reason to get a Kindle Fire. They run a proprietary OS. The Nexus 7 is a Google device, so it's sure to see updates first, before any other tablets. Between those two, the Nexus 7 wins.

Neither take microSD cards, though...

The Nexus 7, being a flagship Google device, will get updates right out the gate - potentially 6 months ahead of other devices

The Kindle Fire's default browser runs everything you visit through Amazon's servers.

The Kindle Fire doesn't have access to Google Play.

It *does* give you access to Amazon's lending library though, I think.

iPad.  Or iPad mini.  If you have a briefcase around while traveling the regular iPad could be worth it.  Otherwise the mini is a lot more handy and convenient to use.

Yeah, the Nexus 7 is pretty awesome.

I also love my Asus Transformer, I've got the original TF-101. I like it because it's a good tablet to begin with, and it docks onto a keyboard that makes it like a netbook so it's easier to type. Plus, the keyboard also has an extended battery that doubles battery life, 2x USB ports for a mouse, USB drive, USB hub (if you want more devices) and a full-sized SD card so I can have 64GB+64GB storage on top of th e32GB it comes with.

I had this in India for a month, and this thing saved my sanity!!!! I loaded this up with movies and TV before I left, and filled my phone (turned it to airplane mode, just bought a local phone there cause fuck Sprint) with music, and G2G.

Great for watching movies, listening to movies and reviewing documents.

I use mine for Adobe Connect conferences, checking graphic information (mostly maps with overlays and icons) and modified instant messaging.


It is not as fast as a notebook.

Or a Lenovo IdeaPad A1 at $200 or less.

With 32GB of storage and WiFi + Mobile data, this Nexus 7 tablet comes with an AT&T sim included.

$299.00, WiFi + Mobile data, 32 GB, Unlocked + AT&T SIM

https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_32gb_hspa_att

With Straight Talk for $45/month you have a tabphone.  

Exactly.  

Don't get me wrong;  The wife likes her iPad.  She, like 99% of the country, use about 10% of its capability (As far as its standard features go.)  They are mostly $499 Facebook machines to those people, who take a break from FB to play angry birds.  

AND, the same thing can be said about any android tablet.

I love my Nexus 7.  I run google music on my home machine.  Any song that gets added to my "My Music" folder gets uploaded to the cloud.  I stream said music to my car stereo over bluetooth from either my phone or tablet.  I use Google voice as my dedicated phone line (By using an Obi100 box.)

... And so on and so on.

Whichever ecosystem you decide on, it it nice the way everything from the appstores to the hardware integrate.  Of course, if you go apple, you wont be streaming your iTunes over your HTC or Samsung IOS product...  If you go Apple, and you want to keep everything integrated, you are kind of locked into the whole Apple ecosystem (Iphone, ipod, ipad....).  With android, you can switch from an HTC phone to a Samsung galaxy when your contract is up, and not worry about moving your music from one program to another, DRM issues, etc.


(I'll leave the argument of "Which OS is better" to the other internet toughguys...)

That's not a tabphone - it's a tablet with a mobile data plan.

See above - the GT-P3100 I linked has a speaker and microphone, and is a phone. You look like a douche talking on it, but it works :) I use mine daily.

Let's not forget it does have targeted advertisements displayed to you on it based on  your usage and activity.  That was the main deal killer for me.

Wife has the Kindle Fire, I have the Nexus 7.
I like them both, but prefer the Nexus. It just seems to be faster and more responsive. It has access to the Google play store where the Kindle doesn't.

Oh, and if you want to run Linux on it you can...Ubuntu. I tried it but think they need to do more work on the input controls for things like scrolling and the different mouse clicks. Now if I had a Bluetooth mouse it would have been fine, but I didn't. Flashed back to a factory Android build.

Nexus 7.  Goes everywhere w/ me.

I'm reading this on my Samsung 10.2 and everything said above is true.