Tablets

The way I see things is this:

If you need a truck of a PC you get a Windows machine. (Truck in this sense means huge business class applications, science research, CAD, etc.) Work.
If you just want something easy to run and not really into programming, buy Apple.
If you want to consume media, Apple or Amazon tablet.
If you want to work with a tablet. Android or Windows, with a bluetooth keyboard in tow.
If you want to experiment or be a cyber monkey. Unix distro. But NOT Apple.
You want to game. PC or Console. I favour console, because the controllers lessen the RSI issue.

For getting a tablet I'm rather picky.
I do want Android, as it tends to have less restrictions than Apple. And usually you can run a modded version on it.
I do want to be able to run more than one app at a time.
I need a micro SD slot.
I do want a mini-HDMI out, HDMI out or the ability to port the display to a flat panel.
I do want a decent bluetooth stack that can support all devices not just a few. (cough, HTC, cough)

So far I have yet to find a good site that you can select these kinds of options and then get an aggregate answer.
Notebook and PC sites have them, but so far none for tablets.

Apple of course doesn't have such a thing because Apple only believes there is ONE kind of PC user.

And YES an Apple is a PC, a personal computer. The marketing people at Apple hate that. But got to call a spade a spade.
I agree with you! And I think there will be no site which would give such kind of information.. Then most of these manufacurers are going to lose market, don't they!!
 
I love tablets, especially for teaching. I am a high school teacher and the happy owner of 10 Android tablets that I use in my lessons. The kids love them and so do I: they're incredibly versatile and easy to use. My students have used them to watch videos, write texts, read PDFs (no more photocopies in class!!), listen to music, make their CVs. We've also used a tourism app called WalkMe, an IRS simulator, a VAT calculator and a meme generator.
 
I have a Galaxy Tab 10.1. It was given to me as a gift but I would buy it again if I had the money, I guess. I haven't had any issues with it but I would prefer a small laptop so I can play games. In my opinion, tablets have a long way to go before they replace a good ol' PC.
 
I have an Android phone (Razr M rooted), and while it has its uses, I wouldn't want to use it (or a larger tablet) for my main PC. I don't like having to touch the screen to control my computer (other than for drawing). To control the phone it's ok, but not my main computer.
 
How many have tablets, what are they and would you buy them again with 20/20 hindsight?

I have yet to find a new for one yet.

I've got a couple.

The first one I bought was a 10" Acer Iconia A200. I got a 10" as I thought I would use it for web browsing and going by the display on our e-reader, had felt I'd find a 7" too small. I keep it charged up but it's hardly ever used. My laptop is a far better tool when anyone wants spend any time browsing the web or replying to emails say in the living room.

I then got a Nexus 7. I bought it as I needed something running KitKat. This one does get a bit of use (both by myself and my mother), mainly as a dictionary/thesarus (I use the Chambers ones) but it does find other uses around the home. It's also sometimes taken in the car for sat nav if we go somewhere. Whereas I can't see myself replacing the 10" tablet at the moment, I think it's useful enough to replace if/when the current one breaks.

The most important devices for computing to me by far remain PCs (running Linux -I haven't used Windows as a main operating system in over 10 years).
 
The way I see things is this:

If you need a truck of a PC you get a Windows machine. (Truck in this sense means huge business class applications, science research, CAD, etc.) Work.
[...]
If you want to experiment or be a cyber monkey. Unix distro. But NOT Apple.

Sure some high end software may only be written for Windows (although I think in certain areas eg. graphics and audio, Macs may also be supported) and the need for that particular app(s) may dictate one's choice of operating system.

Linux distributions can be very good for just general users. My own tale is that when I reached a sort of end of the road time with Win2K and maintaining my parent's computer (something I still do), I gave them the choice of giving Linux a spin or them forking out for XP. They chose the Linux route and loved it. They particular liked the vast reduction in times they found themselves calling me (well I live with them but they still have to approach me) because something had gone wrong.

Maybe it still does need a bit more know how to set up but I've found it's even a great system for not so tech able 70+ year old users.
 
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I'm such a dits. I thought the word, tablet, meant clay tablet like in Plypton 322 or the Epic of Gilgamesh.
@dits- Nah, I'd say that's a pretty reasonable assumption on a site where people spend a lot of time discussing ancient texts
 
I knocked this little app up for my Androids yesterday. I don't see it as being particularly useful (and I'd have to get rid of an annoying peep the Google speech recognition produces if I did want to use it...) but it will serve as a talking point next time I meet someone...

It gives the live status of the lights in the house and a few sensors around, highlighting an item when the status changes, plus will respond to basic voice commands like "Jon Light On".

lights.png
 
The most important devices for computing to me by far remain PCs (running Linux -I haven't used Windows as a main operating system in over 10 years).

Thinking a bit more on this, I guess I'm a bit to set in my ways. I prefer to be sat at my desk to browse the Internet. I like a real keyboard and a big (mine's at 28") monitor. I'm not a great media consumer (something these things seem to be good for).

It's funny I suppose the way my Android experience has gone.

I got the phone to replace my ageing Sagem when I was starting going out for walk in the woods on my own. Only a mile or so but I wanted something I felt more reliable plus I thought I ought to at least try to get myself a little bit in touch with this technology.

While I liked some things about it, for something Linux based I was quite disappointed. Google seem more interested in supporting Word documents than OS Libre/Open Office and lack both nfs (file sharing) and CUPS (printing) support - basic stuff that I still feel any Linux type system should offer as built in.

I've used alternatives (eg. Samba shares) for the former and written my own apps (none of the letsprintdroid, etc. at the time actually met my requirements). A particular for reason I had for wanting CUPS was to print snapshots taken on the phone to make 4x6 prints on glossy paper. But I found I didn't care much for the Ace 2's camera. Pay a few hundred for a more expensive phone or get a reasonable camera that fits in my pocket? I opted for a Panasonic Lumix camera.

I can't remember why the Acer tablet came in but the Nexus 7 came as a result of an email. A user of my CUPS app emailed me asking if I'd consider adding support for the new print services. I was willing but needed a device that ran KitKat. So where am I now?

I pulled the Android by that time apps (the one with printservices was a separate app targeting kitkat - I didn't want to risk breaking what I felt had pretty much proved itself) from the PlayStore following a period of personal problems which coincided with a spate (the first run it had) of poor feedback scores. The newer app great for me to use Chrome and say print off a couple of copies of the Guardian crossword when our PCs are off but I use it for little else except, eg. show family how I can print when they visit.

We have MythTV on Linux and that has DLNA built in. I also installed Media Tomb on that box. The tv also has DLNA. I can, via 3rd party apps,
view tv recordings on the Android, use the Androids to send music to the living room speakers, etc. but what for? None of us use it except maybe to show someone else what can be done...

I'd put the app I mentioned in the previous post in the same sort of category. I'd done (well sort of - I must revist one day but it's good enough for now) my attempt at home automation over a year ago. It was easy to tie that in with the code I'd already written (Android app just uses a websocket for status updates and I just needed a more compact page for that part to work with a webview) but what for? Am I better off having sensors turning the areas we've wanted automatic (mainly the route from kitchen to hall to living room) or shouting at a phone? (still as said above it will serve as a talking point with someone that plus I suppose it at lease gave me another reason to look at Android coding so maybe a small memory refresher.

Then of course I can only use whatever I try to do within the home. I can manage to buy a lower end phone for example but my phone is on PAYG. I can't get involved in commitments like the £x per month for a contract with data built in and pretty much view the phone as a family/emergency contacts only device.
 
The most important devices for computing to me by far remain PCs (running Linux -I haven't used Windows as a main operating system in over 10 years).

Thinking a bit more on this, I guess I'm a bit to set in my ways. I prefer to be sat at my desk to browse the Internet. I like a real keyboard and a big (mine's at 28") monitor. I'm not a great media consumer (something these things seem to be good for).

It's funny I suppose the way my Android experience has gone.

I got the phone to replace my ageing Sagem when I was starting going out for walk in the woods on my own. Only a mile or so but I wanted something I felt more reliable plus I thought I ought to at least try to get myself a little bit in touch with this technology.

While I liked some things about it, for something Linux based I was quite disappointed. Google seem more interested in supporting Word documents than OS Libre/Open Office and lack both nfs (file sharing) and CUPS (printing) support - basic stuff that I still feel any Linux type system should offer as built in.

I've used alternatives (eg. Samba shares) for the former and written my own apps (none of the letsprintdroid, etc. at the time actually met my requirements). A particular for reason I had for wanting CUPS was to print snapshots taken on the phone to make 4x6 prints on glossy paper. But I found I didn't care much for the Ace 2's camera. Pay a few hundred for a more expensive phone or get a reasonable camera that fits in my pocket? I opted for a Panasonic Lumix camera.

I can't remember why the Acer tablet came in but the Nexus 7 came as a result of an email. A user of my CUPS app emailed me asking if I'd consider adding support for the new print services. I was willing but needed a device that ran KitKat. So where am I now?

I pulled the Android by that time apps (the one with printservices was a separate app targeting kitkat - I didn't want to risk breaking what I felt had pretty much proved itself) from the PlayStore following a period of personal problems which coincided with a spate (the first run it had) of poor feedback scores. The newer app great for me to use Chrome and say print off a couple of copies of the Guardian crossword when our PCs are off but I use it for little else except, eg. show family how I can print when they visit.

We have MythTV on Linux and that has DLNA built in. I also installed Media Tomb on that box. The tv also has DLNA. I can, via 3rd party apps,
view tv recordings on the Android, use the Androids to send music to the living room speakers, etc. but what for? None of us use it except maybe to show someone else what can be done...

I'd put the app I mentioned in the previous post in the same sort of category. I'd done (well sort of - I must revist one day but it's good enough for now) my attempt at home automation over a year ago. It was easy to tie that in with the code I'd already written (Android app just uses a websocket for status updates and I just needed a more compact page for that part to work with a webview) but what for? Am I better off having sensors turning the areas we've wanted automatic (mainly the route from kitchen to hall to living room) or shouting at a phone? (still as said above it will serve as a talking point with someone that plus I suppose it at lease gave me another reason to look at Android coding so maybe a small memory refresher.

Then of course I can only use whatever I try to do within the home. I can manage to buy a lower end phone for example but my phone is on PAYG. I can't get involved in commitments like the £x per month for a contract with data built in.
 
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