Nexus 7, iPad or Surface?

[dysfunction]

I think the MS Surface could well be a step towards eliminating the office pc. Dock the tablet and use it as a pc.

Detach and use as a tablet pc on the train or in meetings etc.

 

[soze]

In my ideal world your tablet will dock at a 45 degree angle and replace the mouse letting you use it for touch interfaces like "The Windows 8 User Interface, because someone copyrighted Metro" then taking it with you when you leave the office.

 

[dysfunction]

I'm not sure I'd like that.

 

[ECA]

Using a touch interface instead of a mouse is shit.

 

[soze]

Using a touch interface instead of a mouse is shit.

Not on Windows 8 its not, and a touch screen can be as sensitive as a mouse pad on a laptop? Not for gaming but for a work machine it should be fine. But depends on how you use your mouse I suppose.

 

[SheepCow]

When I was in the USA the Google Play Magazines and TV Shows bits started working, looks like a reasonable offering. It just hasn't launched in the UK yet.

I really like the Windows Phone interface so I think I'll be getting a Surface when it comes out. Like Kryt says though, you don't want to be doing officey things on them too often. From an office point of view they're good for notes in meetings, browsing the web, quick searches, email - but I wouldn't want to write a document on a tablet!

 

[Lamp]

can you get a version of microsoft office at all with these tablets or something thats compatible ? or is that with windows8 (think i read it somewhere)

I've tried 3 or 4 spreadsheet apps on Android, and all are shite compared to Excel on a proper PC. You get bare bones functionality, and the keyboard takes up so much screen space, it makes the entire experience painful.

Maybe if you had a 12 inch Microsoft Tablet running Tablet Excel (or whatever its called) and you had a stylus, then, yeah, otherwise, stick to a PC. No knowledge of office apps on ipad, can't comment there.

 

[Aada]

Well after 2 days use me and the wife are absolutely sold on the iPad and Tablets.

We always thought the idea of a tablet as useless and pointless we were really wrong, its just been a joy to use.

Recently had a baby only 4 weeks old so not really a lot of room on your lap for a laptop while trying to rock her to sleep but a tablet is just the right size and weight to sit on your lap.

Also handy for those 3am in the morning feeds, wife has an iPhone so she was really pleased when I swapped the Nexus 7 for the iPad as she personally hates Android after using 3 phones with the OS.

A little bitter about seeing £360 go out of my bank but at least im 100% happy with what I have bought oh and not had one app yet that says ''sorry incompatible device!".

Apple might be damn expensive but I've not bought one of their products that hasn't worked with the apps on their store or the OS has crashed etc.

 

[Lamp]

Android: you're buying a good quality pair of pants, a lovely jacket, a hand-made shirt...all of which look lovely, they fit, but none of them really goes all that well together. And then you top it off with a kipper tie sporting a naked lady There are a million tailors out there, and none of them talk to each other.

Apple: 3 piece suit everything matches perfectly, but its only available in one colour, and one size, and everyone's wearing it, whether or not they look good in it or not.

 

[soze]

I took 7 iPads to the Apple Store Friday. 5 had smashed screens (who thought giving farmers iPads to do work they don't want to do on would go bad?) 1 the wireless had gone completely and 1 never went past the apple logo. 30 minutes and £560 later I left the store with 7 new (maybe refurb) iPads and that is why I love Apple

 

[Aada]

Just looking at some of the games the graphics on some look amazing will buy a few soon

 

[Ono]

I have the Galaxy Tab 7.7 which is the right size for me to be able to carry everywhere. Personally, I will only update that if they release another 7.7 or so (maybe with a S-Pen and the Quad Core cpu). The 7.7 is certainly not as smooth as my S3 or the Note 2 I just got the Missus but it is probably the best Tab out there at the moment.

 

[soze]

iPad 4 and Mini iPad have been announced, 16GB is the smallest configuration with WiFi, priced at $329.


For sale 1 slightly used Nexus 7, highly overstated barely used



Tim Stevens 6:56 PM
"Others have tried to make tablets smaller than the iPad and they've failed miserably. These are not great experiences."

Tim Stevens 6:56 PM
We're looking at iPad mini vs. the Nexus 7 -- though Phil isn't saying it's the Nexus 7.

Tim Stevens 6:56 PM
Time to pick them apart...

Tim Stevens 6:56 PM
The iPad mini has a thinner bezel and metal design, but is thinner and lighter than the Nexus, they say.

Tim Stevens 6:57 PM
The .9 inch increase on the diagonal gives 35% more display area, says Phil. "That's a huge difference, and it doesn't stop there."

Tim Stevens 6:57 PM
We're looking at some webpages now to see what that means. "You can see a huge difference" when surfing the web, says Phil, 49% more content since there are no on-screen controls.

• Tim Stevens ...but we're not looking in full-screen on the Android side.

Tim Stevens 6:58 PM
Basically, you have a lot more space at your disposal, without having to step up to the 10-incher.

• Tim Stevens Of course, if you really wanted a lot of space for web surfing, you might just buy the 10-incher...

Tim Stevens 6:58 PM
"You get a tablet experience on the iPad mini, you get a scaled-up phone experience on the other."

Tim Stevens 6:59 PM
Again, we're seeing a lot of examples of how iPad apps are much better optimized for tablets than Android tablet apps.

Tim Stevens 6:59 PM
"It is a great iPad. In fact, the technologies inside are equal to or better than the iPad 2 in every way."

Tim Stevens 6:59 PM
Dual-core A5 processor, FaceTime HD camera and 5-megapixel iSight camera on the back with 1080p recording.

Tim Stevens 7:00 PM
LTE wireless and the new dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi and, of course, a Lightning connector.

Tim Stevens 7:00 PM
"Of all this technology, all this incredible capability in a thin and light device, but the team has worked really hard to give you incredible battery life." Still 10 hours!

• Tim Stevens We're looking forward to testing that out.

 

[Ch3tan]

£269 .... LOL

And a slightly improved ipad so they can change the connector and sell more accessories? Milk those hipsters dry!

 

[soze]

£70 more for 35% more display thinner lighter for a superior OS and Apps I do not mind being milked at all.

 

[soze]

But the iPad 4 so soon is a fucking pisstake, they should offer a huge trade in discount to anyone who owns a 3 as it has not even lasted a year.

 

[Kryten]

It's a pile of cunt.You're not just being milked, you're being milked with a cheese grater by skilled piss takers.

 

[old.user4556]

iPad 4? New connector? Already?

Bitch pleeeeeaaaasssee! I suppose it's only a piss take if you allow the piss to be taken, but the tiny updates really seem stupid to justify a '4'.

 

[soze]

The 4 is stupid with that I agree.

The mini though is good if it hits the UK for £250-£270 it is a great option and the software makes it worth it over the Nexus which two weeks in still feels awkward.

 

[DaGaffer]

Its too expensive. To get the equivalent memory and connectivity of my two year old Galaxy Tab you'd be looking at US $559! That's just insane. Shame because I was thinking about it.

 

[Yaka]

kinda miffed about it have a faster processor no doubt infinity blade will get an update soon. as for the mini i'd hold off untill apple hit with the retina stick next year

 

[soze]

Mini is the cheap option add a retina and it will not be much cheaper than a standard.

 

[cHodAX]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6385/microsoft-surface-review

The reviews are in...

Surface is very well built and extremely well designed. It’s easily among the best built products I’ve had the opportunity to handle, and definitely puts a lot of earlier attempts from far more experienced companies to shame. I wouldn’t say that it looks better or worse than the iPad, it’s simply different. I talked about perspectives earlier, Microsoft’s perspective on tablets is a bit more utilitarian than Apple’s and Surface’s design reflects that reality.

The added weight is offset by superb internal weight distribution. Microsoft claims a lower moment of inertia by more evenly distributing weight inside Surface’s chassis. I don’t know that I’d consider Surface light but it is very comfortable to carry around. It’s not quite like porting around a pad of paper, but carrying Surface feels very natural.

Microsoft wants you to be able to quickly transition between notebook, tablet and display modes. It’s rare that I see a goal so well executed. Surface really masters the art of quick transitions between all three modes. I can be in word, typing out this review and quickly switch to a tablet mode where I’m browsing the web with the keyboard cover folded neatly behind the display. If I need to respond to a comment or answer an email, I can just as easily switch back. The kickstand is a necessary part of enabling these quick transitions, and it does its job well.

Microsoft is particularly proud of the acoustics and feel of the kickstand. In my experience I felt the kickstand actuated nicely but I don’t know if I’d go so far as to draw the luxury car door comparison. The best way I can put it is the kickstand never feels cheap and doesn’t rattle, it works and gives you the confidence that it’ll always work and not just break after half a year. It’s not often that I find a substantial moving part on a mobile device that I feel is more functional than gimmicky. Surface’s kickstand is definitely a job well done.

 

[DaGaffer]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6385/microsoft-surface-review

The reviews are in...

And...http://gizmodo.com/5953866/microsoft-surface-rt-review-this-is-technological-heartbreak

Summary: lovely hardware (except the cover, which is a disappointment) but Windows 8 RT is undercooked and you should wait for the full fat version.

 

[Aoami]

Thats a shame. I was considering one as a laptop replacement, but if the keyboard is naff then its a definite no go.

 

[dysfunction]

We know that windows rt is rubbish. With the full version it will make the surface an awesome piece of kit!

 

[Zenith.UK]

I'm interested in how the Nexus 10 will play out.
http://www.techradar.com/news/mobil...le-video-confirms-32gb-and-3g-nexus-7-1106089

 

[Ch3tan]

Mini is the cheap option add a retina and it will not be much cheaper than a standard.

Rubbish, apple pay pittance for the components. You have th retina display in the iphone and the ipod touch, so why not on a 7.9 screen?

 

[dysfunction]

It's so they can release a 'new' version in a few months time and fleece everyone again!

 

[ECA]

Ofc, the ipad 4S and ipad mini S update in 6 months. obv.