Question Thinking of getting a tablet PC

[cHodAX]

No, not a cnuting gayarsed pinko fashion obsessed fanboi iPad shitfest. A proper tablet.

So, I am looking for advice on which models are worth considering, also if new stuff is on the horizon then is it worth hanging on for a bit longer?

 

[leviathane]

i'd say wait abit tbh.

 

[FuzzyLogic]

Might want to wait until Android 3 is released, i'm led to believe that's what a fair few of the major manufacturers are doing before they push on with their offerings.

 

[cHodAX]

Thanks fellas, done a little bit of reading too and it does indeed seem that the best hardware is being held back until Android 3 or whatever the new version will be called. Will wait a while.

 

[Billargh]

iPad. Nothing else compares.

 

[cHodAX]

YouTube - Andy Rubin with Motorola Tablet Prototype with Honeycomb

Looks nice.

 

[Job]

Got an Android 2.1 10.2 inch screen, bit slow.
What it doesn't do...
No adhoc wi-fi connections.
No 3g usb drivers.
No gamepad drivers
Rather slow on internet, as in takes like 10 secs to display bbc news.
Really fucking annoying 'can't close down apps' shit.

As much as I hate to say it, you'd better wait for the new gen of windows 7 tablets, you know it makes sense.

I just wish Nokia would make a symbian full size tablet, I mean instant on, a weeks standby, my 5800 is 640x360 ffs, they could just use that res in 7 inch form.

 

[Aoami]

theyre all fucking gay, ipad or not.

 

[cHodAX]

theyre all fucking gay, ipad or not.

Ahh go wipe your face with a tea towel if you have nothing to contribute!

 

[Lamp]

Was out last night with a few pals. One of them has the iphone 4 and can't stop going on about it - kept telling me to get one. I can't see the point in an iphone. Especially as I don't do the whole facebook / social networking thing. So many touch screen fones out there probably with better OS and with an equally silly number of useless apps to choose from. Then he pulls out his ipad. Quite nice, I gotta say, but I think I'd prefer a Windows Tablet. I miss my Compaq TC1100.

 

[Edmond]

Ok, now the iPad has been around a while, is it worth getting. I just want to be able to use it around the house for surfing, email and then watch tv/film stuff on it when i'm out and about and bored

I am getting conflicting answers from mates, i do like it and have had a play on it, but should i just get a lappy?

Cheers

 

[Gwadien]

Ok, now the iPad has been around a while, is it worth getting. I just want to be able to use it around the house for surfing, email and then watch tv/film stuff on it when i'm out and about and bored

I am getting conflicting answers from mates, i do like it and have had a play on it, but should i just get a lappy?

Cheers

I've only heard problems after problems maybe it's just because it's microsoft lovers slagging iPad off, but a friend of mine got one for her birthday, and she only uses it for standard things - FB etc and it's doing her head in, randomly 'liking things' I've also heard of people giving them away to friends because they hate them that much, ungrateful, I know

 

[cHodAX]

The problem I have with it is that beyond the screen the rest of the hardware inside the iPad is pretty low spec, especially considering the price.

 

[Aada]

I've only heard problems after problems maybe it's just because it's microsoft lovers slagging iPad off, but a friend of mine got one for her birthday, and she only uses it for standard things - FB etc and it's doing her head in, randomly 'liking things' I've also heard of people giving them away to friends because they hate them that much, ungrateful, I know

Giving them away to friends because they hate them that much? oh comon what a big load of SHIT.

iPad = big arse version of an iPod Touch/iPhone and they are great to use, had a 10min go of one in PC World the other day and that was my thoughts after 10mins use i knew where everything was from the moment i pressed the home button.

Would i get one? no as a Tablet at the prices they are for what they do just don't justify spending £400-500 on one when you could get a Netbook for half the price that can do a lot more.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Buy bacon for £200, will make you happier, leave a better taste in your mouth and you'll have an INTERESTING story to tell for the rest of your life.

 

[megadave]

i still don't get paying that much so you can surf the internet on your sofa in a slightly different manner

 

[DaGaffer]

First thing you have to ask yourself is "what do I want a tablet for?" For me, the priorities were video, ebooks, music, games, web, pretty much in that order, and when I want to use it is mainly when commuting. I chose a Galaxy Tab over the iPad for a number of reasons based on that requirement:

1. Video. Android has better file support than iPad and I don't have to fanny about with iTunes. I can torrent an avi or MKV file when I get up in the morning and have it straight on to the Tab before I leave the house.

2. ebooks. The Tab is the perfect size for ebooks, the iPad is too big. I have Kinldle and a separate ePub app on it and it works like a charm.

3. Music. Spotify, We7 etc all have apps we're developing one at work as well that will support Android, so its fine, and the Tab is more pocketable than the iPad.

4. Games, much less satisfactory than an iPad at the moment, but the Sony PlayStation announcement gives me hope, and for now I have Angry Birds.

5. Web. Good enough, and certainly fast enough, even when handling Flash. Switching between 3G and wireless isn't as slick as I'd like but its not a big deal.

Expandable memory and two cameras are just nice bonuses. Right now I don't see a tablet, even a 10"+ one, as a viable laptop/netbook replacement, and as I therefore don't really see my Tab as much of a productivity tool, I'm not frustrated by its limitations, for what I want it for, its terrific.

 

[Helme]

Just get a proper fucking laptop for the money instead, it'll do the same things but faster. It will also do things the tablet won't, like you know... write text documents or what have you.

The only tablet I could see an excuse for is the Kindle type for e-books, the rest is just hyped up moneywasting.

 

[Aoami]

get a fucking phone with 3g. There is literally no point to tablets.

edit - also, if youre seen out with a tablet everyone thinks your a faggot.

 

[nath]

Switching between 3G and wireless isn't as slick as I'd like but its not a big deal.

It's Android though, surely you can make it as slick as you'd like to toggle where your data comes from. I've got all of the toggles I need (audio, wifi, bluetooth, gps) on my notification bar. Can't you get something similar on your tab?

 

[pikeh]

get a fucking phone with 3g. There is literally no point to tablets.

edit - also, if youre seen out with a tablet everyone thinks your a faggot.

 

[ford prefect]

We have two ipads - fantastic surfing machines and some great apps. As has been mentioned - on paper, the spec looks a little low - buit then the OS is specifically written for the hardware, rather than having software changed to fit it. It is fast enough, it now multitasks. If you want to you can put flash on it too.

I now have a Samsung Galaxy incidentally - I was given one for christmas - I find it terrible in comparison. It has sat in a drawer unused for the three weeks and will be a recylced BD pressie next week.

 

[Tilda]

Get a Notion Ink Adam, they are miles ahead on the hardware (tegra, Qi E-ink/LDC screen modes, bluetooth, rotatory camera) and half the price of an ipad.
The software is apparently a little buggy atm but it will be getting Honeycomb as soon as Google finalise the release.
It is shipped unlocked and has already been rooted and extensivley modded.
It might not be as simple out of the box to use as an Ipad, but after 3 weeks, that ipad is still simple, while the android on adam will get better and better with honeycomb, supportive devs and a huge hacking/modding community already.

 

[cHodAX]

Get a Notion Ink Adam, they are miles ahead on the hardware (tegra, Qi E-ink/LDC screen modes, bluetooth, rotatory camera) and half the price of an ipad.
The software is apparently a little buggy atm but it will be getting Honeycomb as soon as Google finalise the release.
It is shipped unlocked and has already been rooted and extensivley modded.
It might not be as simple out of the box to use as an Ipad, but after 3 weeks, that ipad is still simple, while the android on adam will get better and better with honeycomb, supportive devs and a huge hacking/modding community already.

Yep NI Adam for me once they hit full production and get the kinks worked out.

 

[Edmond]

This is the thing, i want it for a bit of surfing and to travel with, i think a lappy will be too much.

Ford you say it will take flash, i have been told otherwise, but if you say so, as the person who told me that isn't exactlly an IT genius

I love its size, and i dont want to do quantum physics on the damn thing and i dont want to use it as a camera either

 

[ford prefect]

It will take flash if you bother to jailbreak it which is extremely straight forward and it just goes stright on to safari as you would expect. However, if you are just interested in video (most of which has a html5 alternative now), skyfire is the way to go. Its an app that detects flash video and seemlessly converts it to html5, it costs around £1 I think.

 

[Tilda]

If you're traveling the Adam has another thing over ipad. The Qi screen gives you crazy long battery life (20+hrs of usage), even more if you're using it in e-ink mode rather than LCD mode.

Obviously the e-ink leaves ipad trailing in the dust if you might want to read it outside or in direct sunlight.

 

[Lamp]

but the galaxy tab has a phone

 

[ford prefect]

but the galaxy tab has a phone

Why would you want an seven inch phone?

 

[Lamp]

why take 2 bottles into the shower when you can wash & go?

My lifestyle does not require me to have a phone (which if you get the iphone already does absolutely everything you could ever need) PLUS an ipad (whch does absolutely everything you need except a phone) PLUS a kindle (which doesn't make sense if you've already got an ipad or iphone) PLUS an ipod (even my microwave plays MP3's).....

how many metrosexual apple gadgets does one man need?

Surely its not too much to ask for ONE piece of technology that caters for everything? Internet / Music / Phone / Book / Games / etc etc etc