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I spend a considerably amount of time on my laptop - probably more than is even healthy - and I am thinking of getting an upgrade to my Acer Aspire 5552, which is around 2 years old now. At present, here is the specification of said laptop...
AMD Athlon II X2 processor P320 clocked at 2.1Ghz in speed.
15.6" HD LCD display with a resolution of 1366x768.
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 with 256MB dedicated video RAM.
4GB DDR3 Memory/RAM.
500GB HDD plus USB ports and SD card slot for extending the storage.
Other than that, it is just a usual laptop with a DVD drive, wireless and a Li-ion battery. It performs fairly well, but I'd like something that offers a new and preferably faster user experience.
On a typical day, I spend a fair amount of time on my laptop - around 5 hours or so - and below I have listed what I usually do below.
Web browsing to visit sites such as the XDA-Developers (here).
Social networking and messaging through the likes of Facebook and Skype.
Listening to music through iTunes.
Watching HD YouTube videos.
Playing some light games (my laptop can't run high-end games, but small ones run fine).
Homework on Microsoft Office.
So, in all honesty, my laptop doesn't get any usage that I personally don't feel able to perform on my current Samsung Galaxy Note. The 5.3 inch device is pretty atypical and, whilst it serves quite well as a portable (7.0 inch) tablet/phone hybrid, I still find myself turning my laptop on a lot because of two things. Firstly, a 15.0 inch display is much more comfortable to look at for longer periods of time - regardless of the amazing resolution of the Samsung Galaxy Note - and, secondly, giving my phone the heavy usage of a tablet leaves me without battery life before I have even left the house (The Note's battery dies after 5 hours of screen time at a maximum).
I initially refused to purchase a tablet, as there are times where I simply need a keyboard for homework and more long-winded typing sessions. As an aspiring author and frequent Blogger also, touch-screen keyboards simply aren't good enough. But, I have recently discovered the Asus Transformer Pad 300. It is available to purchase here on PC World for £400 GBP including VAT, which is just about within my budget. A tablet would serve my usage, I think, rather well and the keyboard dock would allow me to complete some homework and heavy typing sessions. I'd still also have access to a main family PC which runs Windows Vista, so what do you think?
Do you think that, under my circumstances, the Asus Transformer Pad 300 could replace my present laptop and serve my daily usage well?
Attached
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/asus-...let-pc-with-docking-station-13657744-pdt.html
EDIT 1: Whilst I am here, I'd like to ask anyone here who has owned, currently owns or used an Asus Transformer Pad 300 (not the Prime or even more expensive Infinity) what they think of the device.
I actually might think you could be a candidate for a tablet to replace your laptop.... especially with the full keyboard and access to a full desktop.
I couldnt ever do it, but I use my laptop for alot more than you seem to.
Cinco5 said:
I actually might think you could be a candidate for a tablet to replace your laptop.... especially with the full keyboard and access to a full desktop.
I couldnt ever do it, but I use my laptop for alot more than you seem to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I use my laptop a ridiculous amount, but for actual dedicated Windows apps - not so much. With a keyboard dock, I could even manage to do my homework itself on the tablet thanks to Polaris Office. All I would miss from Windows would be Steam, which is a real shame, but I could still use our family PC as much as I'd want to play Steam games or do the few things not capable on an Android tablet. I am reluctant to replace my laptop with a tablet, but the more I think about it the more it seems to make sense from a convenience point of view as a tablet will be much more comfortable than my current process of using a laptop on the sofa. Thanks for your opinion, anyway. Do you think the Asus Transformer Pad 300 is any good, by the way? Has anyone here perhaps owned or tried one?
EDIT 1
Whilst I am here, I'd like to ask anyone here who has owned, currently owns or used an Asus Transformer Pad 300 (not the Prime or even more expensive Infinity) what they think of the device.
Well I don't have a TF300 but I do have a TF101 and all-in-all, I am extremely happy with it. In fact I use it more than my laptop. However, I do still use my laptop as a repository or sorts for hosting, downloads and some other Android-type things that a tablet just can't do.
There have been some stability issues with the whole line of Transformers in one form or another. But if you are experienced enough to figure out that it is not a hardware problem, then they all can be fixed one way or another.
I had always thought that tablets were nothing more than just large phones but then I used a friend's Xoom and realized that there was much more to them than that. So, I searched and searched and read and read some more about all types of tablets and what would best suit me. I wanted to know about support (XDA type support), Rooting, development as well as manufacturer support, O/S updates and basic compatability with my daily life.
After all that was done, I decided to purchase the TF101 (in Feb of this year) and have been happy with it. Later, I eventually bought a keyboard dock and between that and my usage patterns, it has beyond outstanding battery life (3-5 days with moderate use). There are several apps that emulate Xcel, Word, microsoft family as well as Polaris. Can watch HD YouTube vids just fine too. i had jury duty a few weeks ago and while I was waiting, I watched Netflix for about 3 hours and didn't put a dent in my battery life and it didn't get hot either.
Storage is unbeatable. Tablet comes with 16/32gb (I have 32gb version), External Micro-SD (up to 32gb) and the dock holds up to 32gb full-sized SD. So if you do the math that is 96gb of storage on a tablet.
I know you are thinking about the TF300 but this is my POV from the TF101. I say pull the trigger on it. You already have the laptop so it isn't like you have to choose between getting one or the other.
Woodrube said:
Well I don't have a TF300 but I do have a TF101 and all-in-all, I am extremely happy with it. In fact I use it more than my laptop. However, I do still use my laptop as a repository or sorts for hosting, downloads and some other Android-type things that a tablet just can't do.
There have been some stability issues with the whole line of Transformers in one form or another. But if you are experienced enough to figure out that it is not a hardware problem, then they all can be fixed one way or another.
I had always thought that tablets were nothing more than just large phones but then I used a friend's Xoom and realized that there was much more to them than that. So, I searched and searched and read and read some more about all types of tablets and what would best suit me. I wanted to know about support (XDA type support), Rooting, development as well as manufacturer support, O/S updates and basic compatability with my daily life.
After all that was done, I decided to purchase the TF101 (in Feb of this year) and have been happy with it. Later, I eventually bought a keyboard dock and between that and my usage patterns, it has beyond outstanding battery life (3-5 days with moderate use). There are several apps that emulate Xcel, Word, microsoft family as well as Polaris. Can watch HD YouTube vids just fine too. i had jury duty a few weeks ago and while I was waiting, I watched Netflix for about 3 hours and didn't put a dent in my battery life and it didn't get hot either.
Storage is unbeatable. Tablet comes with 16/32gb (I have 32gb version), External Micro-SD (up to 32gb) and the dock holds up to 32gb full-sized SD. So if you do the math that is 96gb of storage on a tablet.
I know you are thinking about the TF300 but this is my POV from the TF101. I say pull the trigger on it. You already have the laptop so it isn't like you have to choose between getting one or the other.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, and I'm going to be getting rid of my laptop should I get one of these. It is either a new 15" laptop or a new 10" tablet. I've never owned a tablet, just an old HTC Desire which had no storage and my first proper Android phone with some decent specifications is a 5.3" Galaxy Note. Do you find 10" enough to run desktop versions of websites comfortably and use it heavily? Will it be enough of a step up you think from my Note? So, it is actually one or the other.
Bump.
This may be a little off-topic, but if you upgrade and want to sell your laptop. PM me
Sent from my XT862 using Tapatalk 2
I was actually going to give it to a relative, so sorry.
Sent from my GT-N7000
The other issue I face is whether or not I even need a tablet with my 5.3 inch Galaxy Note always arm's reach away.
Sent from my GT-N7000
Not In My Opinion
I bought myself a HP TouchPad, now i know its not exactly the best lol, but the way i see it, is that if it requires WIFI for internet access then you may aswell just stick with the laptop.
Yes. I have a Note already which is kind of like a 7 inch tab almost anyway. I would rather save the money abd perhaps buy a new PC next year. Problem solved!
Sent from my GT-N7000
I honestly can't see myself using a tablet over a laptop.
I wouldn't get rid of your laptop honestly.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
My wife uses a laptop, I used to, but now I use my Acer A200 tablet which I am very happy with. Of course that is when I'm not on my Note which is quite good on its own.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
i use tablet in the bed only for the web and notebook on the desktop for all :good:
I think it's going to be a while until a tablet can fully replace a laptop.
A tablet with a dock could nearly replace one for me, but not quite yet.
i know several people who think tablets can replace laptops but for me i'm afraid not
I never thought a tablet could replace a pc but when i got a tablet I virtually do everything i need on it. email, word processing, surf, skype, stream and probably play more games not then before (not any crazy 3d stuff of course). It really depends on the type of user.
nope
I don't think a tablet can replace a laptop..atleast not the ones that are currently out. But i think eventually all Laptops will be tablets..basically the screen just detaches from the keyboard and you can take it to go.
So, feel free to flame, but I was writing something in another thread about tablets and the following came to mind:
Are tablets worth what we pay for them? Or are they just a marketing 're-deploy'? Allow me to expound:
Literally just before tablets careened onto the current computer scene(I know windows failed to promote tablets years back), there existed Netbooks. What it seems to me is that Netbooks are what the Industry thought we would want, A very portable yet still completely functional computer. As if even the small laptops weren't small enough...anyway. What I think happened is these things weren't cool enough. Maybe not powerful enough either, but that point should be moot because modern hardware can support this, as proven by current tablets.
I bought a Netbook and loved it, BUT I don't do a lot of gaming, just some simple web browsing, skyping, some skript kiddie type hacking. Plus for me the ultra small design was essential due to the nature of my work/constant traveling blah blah. This thing played movies, had the latest support of my favorite *nixes and performed pretty well except for battery life(typically a measly 3-4 hours) and of course gaming. Then came tablets; they look cooler, offer touch screen capabilities which sometimes feel as cumbersome as alt-tabbing, and have much much better battery and gaming performance, with the added benefit of blending nicely with the current "app store eco-structure".
Ahh, finally my point!!!:
A trend I see rising with tablets is the ability to add a keyboard and mouse....really? So what, then you have a laptop again? Or just the ability to go from cool-tech-but-not-too-nerdy tablet guy, to an fully functional device, and back again? I don't get it, other than the obvious shift to more clever marketing and selling us yet another device. On top of that I can use a USB 2.0 anything on my netbook, or be stuck with a proprietary connecter as with the Transform or iPad. Why would we choose this other than to look cool or because it's being shoved down our throats? What I see is a device (tablet) that is less fuctional, less productive, and more money compared to the more practical, just as portable netbook. I just miss the support of my Netbook, which I only paid $200 for....
Any thoughts...like maybe I'm a crazy hippy that needs to go live in a commune?
my points why my a500 is better use then a netbook,.
portability - no one can say its not easier to carry a slim tablet with a integrated keyboard
functionality - being able to do such things as stand in the street looking through the tab with the camera and seeing augmented reality deal, offer, new location without having to open startup, login and hold a massive block of hardware to do the same, and also a whole plethora of other uses such as barcode scanning, video making ,etc etc imaging scanning barcodes to find cheaper prices with a netbook,,,.,..one handed possible? probably not
battery life, my tablet can go 2days on a single charge with medium usage, a netbook would last a few hours,
i can do pretty much anything on my a500 i can do on my laptop.
i can access and use my laptop with screen and sound from anywhere else in the world.....from my a500 tablet (phonemypc)
also most usb devices connect to my a500 i think the only thing my lappy has that my tablet doesnt is a dvd drive, but the one in my lappy is dusty as hell as i download all my movies and move them between devices to play in diff' areas anyway. and then again my laptop has no gps. and only a front camera
if my laptop im writting this message with was a tablet it would probably be a crap one lol
no gps,no touchscreen, no back camera, front camera is weak no accelerometer no hdmi port lol etc etc
Major edit:
I see your point and don't want to convolute my thoughts too much. I just think a lot of the things you mentioned could be implemented, if the money was there.
You have pointed out that I have kind of answered my own questions...
Why tablets, because the phone market was so successfull and it allows for a lot of control on the developers end of the OS, so it's easier to implement the apps, market place as apposed to a traditional PC software sales setup.
r0zj0k3r said:
I think that depends on what you want to do. with my netbook, I literally could do everything I could on my computer because they were the same OS!!! That means, compiling software, video/audio editing, skype with group video , a similar app store could be integrated into a netbook style os (see ubuntu store). The industry just doesn't want to push it, and because it was easier to shift from phones to what amount to "really big phones"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you think that the new windows OS will allow you to switch between a Tablet and your Netbook without loose of functionality?
warus1 said:
Do you think that the new windows OS will allow you to switch between a Tablet and your Netbook without loose of functionality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it would be a great way for windows to break away from the pack, but I don't think they want to do that now. They seem to be in the same mode as everyone else, lets follow the market instead of trying really new things.
Hi, i am currently looking for a tablet, i am hoping in the long run it may replace my laptop but i am not going to sell that yet incase, but for day to day use i would like to use a tablet more.
i understand that on here we maybe a little more biased to apple, i usually am myself lol
i have always used android on my phones, i currently have a Samsung galaxy s2 using a custom rom, resurrection remix. So i do like android a lot and very comfortable using it.
on the other hand my girlfriend had an ipad 3 already and i do kind of like it a lot and use it a lot when im at hers, i never find any fault with it, it runs extremely smooth giving its lower specs to current new android tablets out. on my phone i must admit i will get the odd app saying it has to close or it couldn’t start and vie had to restart my phone etc.. i have not once seen my girlfriends ipad crash.
This now leaves me unsure about what to get and would like some opinions, my hearts telling me you have to stick with android because its what you know and love.. and your supposed to hate apple!
But my brain is telling me deep down, you know the ipad is going to be better long term with less problems and a much bigger market.
giving that android are having so many issues now with patents, they have lost the right to carry on using flash etc which used to be a big bonus for android users. how many other issues are going to crop up where every time you update your android tablet you will lose some of its function because android have been ordered to take it out because of a patent ruling.
this all kind of worries me a little in terms of the future, will devs start favouring apple before anyone else when it comes to making apps, will at some point they say we aren’t making them at all for android because of all these issues (of course they already make more for apple than they do android now) im just wondering if it will get worse? i know android was certainly catching up but i think that may start to reverse a little soon.
Most of the above comes from what i have either heard people say or what i have read, i dont know 100% of everything above is correct or not. so some advise would be good.
How good / bad is the android market and is the apple store that much better.
will all my current bought apps, and the majority of free ones probably work fine on an android tablet, or would some look stupid stretched, or do they have to be designed especially for tablet use?
I was wanting to be able to transfer files from usenet on my tablet to a media player, I’m guessing from what i have read that will be impossible with an ipad and do-able on an android tablet but still probably nowhere near as easy as from a laptop, this is one main reason i am not going to get rid of my laptop to soon incase it proves a nuisance. If i got an ipad i assume i would have to keep my laptop for this purpose?
is there any reason why the specs of say the ipad are fairly standard compared to some of the newer android tabs and i still hear a lot about the android tabs being sluggish sometimes and the menus not being smooth, if apple can do a dual core 1ghz pad with 1gb of ram and it be soo smooth, how come android tabs which are also 1 and sometimes 2gb have multi core cpu's at 1.2 - 1.6 ghz yet they perform much more sluggish to the ipad?
is it because android is being added into a whole host of different makers to fit their specs, where as the ipad is being made only for apples own operating systems therefore its always going to be smoother as its all been made for the one system rather than for multiple systems?
i am assuming if android also made their own hardware the two would go together much more smoothly, or am i wrong?
From reading the above back it feels like in am heading more towards the ipad, but i would like reasons why i should maybe not choose the ipad.
the tablets i have been looking at are:
Huawei MediaPad 10 (which i have literally only just come across but looks good specs)
Asus transformer pad infinity 32gb (i don’t know how much this is going to cost without the dock, i think i would only need the dock if i was to get rid of my laptop)
Samsung galaxy note 10.1
Ipad 3
Up to now that’s my shortlist, i would be looking at the 32gb versions unless the 64 wasn't a bad price, i am looking to spend about £400 - £500 max, i have seen new ipad 3's 64gb on ebay for £480, not sure how much the others will be, i would need to hold out for the 32gb or 64gb versions of the galaxy note 10.1 if i was to get that, not sure why they have only released a 16gb version and no others.
Thanks for any feedback you give
James
james_lpool said:
Hi, i am currently looking for a tablet, i am hoping in the long run it may replace my laptop but i am not going to sell that yet incase, but for day to day use i would like to use a tablet more.
i understand that on here we maybe a little more biased to apple, i usually am myself lol
i have always used android on my phones, i currently have a Samsung galaxy s2 using a custom rom, resurrection remix. So i do like android a lot and very comfortable using it.
on the other hand my girlfriend had an ipad 3 already and i do kind of like it a lot and use it a lot when im at hers, i never find any fault with it, it runs extremely smooth giving its lower specs to current new android tablets out. on my phone i must admit i will get the odd app saying it has to close or it couldn’t start and vie had to restart my phone etc.. i have not once seen my girlfriends ipad crash.
This now leaves me unsure about what to get and would like some opinions, my hearts telling me you have to stick with android because its what you know and love.. and your supposed to hate apple!
But my brain is telling me deep down, you know the ipad is going to be better long term with less problems and a much bigger market.
giving that android are having so many issues now with patents, they have lost the right to carry on using flash etc which used to be a big bonus for android users. how many other issues are going to crop up where every time you update your android tablet you will lose some of its function because android have been ordered to take it out because of a patent ruling.
this all kind of worries me a little in terms of the future, will devs start favouring apple before anyone else when it comes to making apps, will at some point they say we aren’t making them at all for android because of all these issues (of course they already make more for apple than they do android now) im just wondering if it will get worse? i know android was certainly catching up but i think that may start to reverse a little soon.
Most of the above comes from what i have either heard people say or what i have read, i dont know 100% of everything above is correct or not. so some advise would be good.
How good / bad is the android market and is the apple store that much better.
will all my current bought apps, and the majority of free ones probably work fine on an android tablet, or would some look stupid stretched, or do they have to be designed especially for tablet use?
I was wanting to be able to transfer files from usenet on my tablet to a media player, I’m guessing from what i have read that will be impossible with an ipad and do-able on an android tablet but still probably nowhere near as easy as from a laptop, this is one main reason i am not going to get rid of my laptop to soon incase it proves a nuisance. If i got an ipad i assume i would have to keep my laptop for this purpose?
is there any reason why the specs of say the ipad are fairly standard compared to some of the newer android tabs and i still hear a lot about the android tabs being sluggish sometimes and the menus not being smooth, if apple can do a dual core 1ghz pad with 1gb of ram and it be soo smooth, how come android tabs which are also 1 and sometimes 2gb have multi core cpu's at 1.2 - 1.6 ghz yet they perform much more sluggish to the ipad?
is it because android is being added into a whole host of different makers to fit their specs, where as the ipad is being made only for apples own operating systems therefore its always going to be smoother as its all been made for the one system rather than for multiple systems?
i am assuming if android also made their own hardware the two would go together much more smoothly, or am i wrong?
From reading the above back it feels like in am heading more towards the ipad, but i would like reasons why i should maybe not choose the ipad.
the tablets i have been looking at are:
Huawei MediaPad 10 (which i have literally only just come across but looks good specs)
Asus transformer pad infinity 32gb (i don’t know how much this is going to cost without the dock, i think i would only need the dock if i was to get rid of my laptop)
Samsung galaxy note 10.1
Ipad 3
Up to now that’s my shortlist, i would be looking at the 32gb versions unless the 64 wasn't a bad price, i am looking to spend about £400 - £500 max, i have seen new ipad 3's 64gb on ebay for £480, not sure how much the others will be, i would need to hold out for the 32gb or 64gb versions of the galaxy note 10.1 if i was to get that, not sure why they have only released a 16gb version and no others.
Thanks for any feedback you give
James
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you prefer the ipad then go for that, it's fine asking what people think but they don't have to live with the tablet you get, you do and it sounds like you've made a choice and are hoping people can change your mind.
Regarding not seeing ipad crash, well no one does because when it does crash it won't actually tell you and on startup of an app it shows a picture not the app itself.
This makes it seem to start quicker as user thinks they are seeing the app starts and if app crashes and restarts the user won't usually realise.
Android didn't lose the right to have flash, adobe chose to pull it....but it is still available for uk android users from play store.
You can stream media from an android tablet to other devices using free apps like mediahouse upnp dlna. You can try some apps on your phone to see if they do what you need.
Android appears more sluggish than ios because ios prioritises user input whereas android multitasks fully and so doesn't single out one aspect for more attention although jellybean does try to improve ui interaction to be much smoother.
The ipad will be easy to use and do what you want, you will lose the customisation and lack of restrictions offered by android so you might get bored a bit but it will do the job just fine.
Apps wise both markets are fine but apples is safer if you're worried about malware, both have a large amount of apps to choose from but a lot of devs do release to ios first because it is easier to code for (ie not hundreds of different spec devices to get an app working on, just a few) and has a high number of users who pay well for apps.
As for apps on android tablets, some do have special tablet only versions but most adapt to your tablets resolution so most should look fine especially as more and more phones are released with higher tablet like resolutions and as these resolutions are becoming much more common developers make their apps display better on them.
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk 2
Whichever you decide... You have to keep in mind what you are going to use the tablet for to begin with... There are alot of things that tablets cannot do well which in turn we use our personal computers for... These tablets are new technology, and will be growing at an exponential rate... As of now the tablets are performing more and more than once originally released... I myself will not be giving up or replacing my computer for a tablet because I do lots of photo editing, video editing and most importantly my music software... So as for a tablet, I would only be using it to browse the web and social networking alongside the other various basic needs for internet use... As of now I currently own a Galaxy Nexus from Sprint, and it suffices for the daily rounds of networking and web search... But in the future with the new implementation of Microsoft Windows 8 and tablets, it seems that I might be replacing my PC... But in my opinion... Wait for the better tablets... Apple builds it's hardware to do what it does... There is little room to upgrade anything efficiently... Android is working on making their devices more breathable like a personal computer...
And in my opinion, Microsoft is the leading factor here as far as developing the better tablet... I am not a big Microsoft guy as opposed to Linux... But the money, resources, and experience tend to lean at Microsoft... In my opinion... Get the low cost Nexus 7 tablet for now... Keep the laptop... And save up for the swagger that Microsoft might develop here in the near future... or wait for Android to steal the spotlight and WOW us with the new tablet that might one day surpass the PC...
As far as Apple and their products... I am against them simply because of the crybaby courtroom antics... I will probably never buy another Apple product again because of their David Caruso like opportunistic grievances over their patents... They simply lost money because they're not on the ball as quick as Samsung... They lost out on sales due to the minimal changes in the iPhone hardware and design... It was a great run for the awesome product when it FIRST came out on the market... I think that their devices are well put together... but on the same note... the patents are ridiculous... and pretty soon someone will see the lawsuit rulings and get the bright idea of making car companies start having to pay royalties to whomever developed the first vehicle, and we'll all be driving on 3 tires instead of four...
Okay, first off, the myth about ipads never crashing is not true. iOS has a weird way of force closing crashed apps in the background, so you would never know that it happened. The reason why iOS seems very fast is that the OS itself is optimized to run on less resources and iOS has zero fragmentation. The main problem with android is the lack of unity in hardware and software. Apple has full control of iOS and hardware, so it is very efficient in that sense.
Moving on to the issue of replacing a computer with a tablet. My own view is that the easy things that you do on a laptop is a bit harder on a tablet as its OS tends to be much simpler and that means it can include a limited number of features. My suggestion is to wait for the new Microsoft Surface RT and Pro. http://www.pcworld.com/article/2601...s_surface_pro_which_tablet_will_you_want.html
The Pro version has a fully-powered intel ivy bridge cpu with a fully featured windows 8 in a tablet form. If the form factor has you staying away from laptops, then this is the thing for you. Keep in mind that the surface pro is essentially a laptop in tablet form and I think that's pretty cool.
If you really insist on just a android tablet, then it's either the asus transformer infinity or the galaxy note 10.1. I personally have used asus transformer pads and they are AMAZING. They are designed beautifully and definitely high-end. I haven't used the galaxy note 10.1, but the exynos quad does give it a significant boost over the asus tablet.
Reasons for not choosing ipad:
1. The ipad 3 is nothing that new. It still packs the outdated A5 cpu, but the gpu is something noteworthy. Retinal display is alright, b/c to tell you the truth, I can't tell the difference.
2. You cannot customize the ipad to your liking, that means no custom ROMs, kernels or skins, just plain-old iOS
3. The truth is between ipad and android tablets, it comes down to control and whether you like rooting and flashing ROMs. If you're tech-savvy and like to tinker with stuff, then go with android. If not, then it's down to personal preference, ipad or android, choose what you like.
4. Don't support Apple and it's anti-competition ways (more of a joke reason)
Good luck on choosing a tablet
If you want apps go for the iPad simple as. It has a greater catalogue of apps designed for the tablet which is lacking on Android. I've had an android tablet before but now own the new iPad. The apps are far better, and better optimised to make use of the hardware. The OS is smooth and optimised.
I use an android phone and an ipad to give me best of both worlds. I got bored with my Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet as it just felt like a bigger version of of phone.
Also Apple hardware tends to hold value better than most other products. So that's another thing to consider if reselling in the future.
Both are good don't get me wrong but choose one based on what you need and want it to do.
I use my iPad for streaming my music via home sharing, browsing the net, social networking, I watch my tv on it whilst in my bed by streaming off my satellite box, reading books, editing images now and then for quick fixes, and more.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
The people above have already summarized the main points, but allow me to emphasize a few things:
james_lpool said:
Hi, i am currently looking for a tablet, i am hoping in the long run it may replace my laptop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The tablets currently out will not replace your laptop. Both android and especially iOS are pretty much toy OS's that, for example, only let you work with one app at a time (though there are some limited efforts on the android side to overcome it). The closest you might come to replacing your laptop is the Surface Pro, coming Jan 2013ish, or the mysterious Ubuntu tablets that haven't materialized so far. Even those probably won't be powerful enough; it'll take a few years for the technology to catch up.
That is why I bought my tablet (the nexus 7) in a completely different niche than my laptop. It's meant to be an easy-to-carry, convenient device for mostly consumption.
Of the ipad alternatives you listed, I reckon that the galaxy note 10.1 is the most interesting. Who knows, maybe the stylus actually would be as useful as they portray in those business commercials.
Personally, i would stick with android. you have so much flexibility with it. and if you do want to get the framework of the ipad on your tablet, you could always flash miui also, you can download apps without using installous. you can view your storage files and folders with the android, but you can't do so so easily with the ipad.
As someone forced by work to use an ipad3 I have to say it is crap.
My sensation browses the web faster, android apps are cheaper or totally free, the iPad is buggy as hell.
Apps crash on it a lot, despite being on the same network as my phone, even with a stronger signal the 3G speed is much slower.
XDA takes longer to load fully, even in chrome on the iPad, and if you try to type a reply before it has fully loaded expect to find yourself unable to type at all do you have to reload the page.
Scrolling any pages with images is laggy as hell, really jerky if you flick the page up or down.
Predictive text is a joke, you type a word and one letter from completion it makes a suggestion, and god help you if you don't want the word it suggests!
I'm fricken fed up having to change keyboard mode for punctuation or numbers too!
Oh nearly forgot, a couple of weekends ago it started needing hard reboots if I wanted to spend more than 10 minutes online with 3G.
My razors all I need I just "dock" it and I've got a working linix computer. But I too am waiting but I want to see the windows 8 also first. I own apple stock but I'd never buy an Apple phone. I have thousands of songs hundreds of cartoons dozens of movies and all for free . and I'm also 99 percent add free
XT912 - .215 radio - SimplexROM 1.2 - AIDE - Tether - Wigdetsoid - Linux Installer w/ Ubuntu 10.10 - Otter Box - Safestrap - Chrome - Tweaked Camera
Android tablets are closer to replacing laptops than Apple tablets. iOS is just too restrictive to be productive on. You can't even download files off the internet on the iPad.
That being said, the Surface Pro will actually be a laptop replacement, as you can run all your favorite laptop software on it, and it runs a full fledged OS.
xaccers said:
As someone forced by work to use an ipad3 I have to say it is crap.
My sensation browses the web faster, android apps are cheaper or totally free, the iPad is buggy as hell.
Apps crash on it a lot, despite being on the same network as my phone, even with a stronger signal the 3G speed is much slower.
XDA takes longer to load fully, even in chrome on the iPad, and if you try to type a reply before it has fully loaded expect to find yourself unable to type at all do you have to reload the page.
Scrolling any pages with images is laggy as hell, really jerky if you flick the page up or down.
Predictive text is a joke, you type a word and one letter from completion it makes a suggestion, and god help you if you don't want the word it suggests!
I'm fricken fed up having to change keyboard mode for punctuation or numbers too!
Oh nearly forgot, a couple of weekends ago it started needing hard reboots if I wanted to spend more than 10 minutes online with 3G.
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Click to collapse
Serius,crash???my gilfriend have the nexus and the galaxy 2,and my ipad 3 is 300% better,than nexus,100% more stable,more beautiful,and responsive etc!!!!ipad =the best ecosystem in the world(in tablet)
Pd:just walk to bestbuy and touch the nexus and touch the ipad the diference is too long!!!
Hey everybody I'm in the market for a new computer and I'm getting a laptop for several reasons. Anyway I am looking to be able to build aosp ROMs from source for my galaxy nexus. I have been told I should get something with at least 4gbs of ram. How much HD space should I get? I will be putting Ubuntu on it when I get it. I've been looking online at some different models, not sure if I see anything I like or can afford lol. Price range BTW is like $300-500. Maybe a little more. Thanks in advance for any insight
Well, my standard question is "why a laptop"? You could build a very decent desktop for that price. I understand needing portability - but what kind of power needs to actually be portable? Desktop + Chromebook (or other low-priced solution) could even possibly be squeaked out, very nearly in that price-range. You could skip a video card in the desktop at first, and if you don't play video games probably wouldn't miss it too much.
Anyway, if you still really want a laptop, I'd ask you to think exhaustively about what you'll do with it. Any video games? Anything that needs a good GPU? AMD still has some good deals when it comes to laptops without a dedicated GPU (if you don't need one) - and at your price point will outperform any integrated Intel ones. You can get a laptop with dedicated GPU in your price-range, but it really depends on what you need.
I don't think HDD space is a huge issue - I'd want at least 350-500Gb,but could make due with less. It depends on what you're going to put on it. I know some people can tear through terabytes with HD video collections. If you plan on having a lot of "collection" type data, an external solution might be best - and/or a backup disk, always good to have.
At your price range, I'd look for sales, "scratch and dent" deals, and used machines.
I had an Inspiron for a while and I and everyone I've know who had one ended up with problems / failures. On a whole, a desktop is likely to be around longer - since failures are inevitable and at least you can easily access and replace them I a desktop.
I'd probably check out Craigslist if I was you - see what people are selling locally (since shipping will add quite a bit)
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Hi Everyone,
I wanted to gather people's thoughts on the best tablets currently out, or due out in the coming 3 months, that would be viable laptop replacing options.
I am currently in this situation, where I want to purchase a tablet and sell my Macbook 13". I travel a lot and a tablet would be very useful because of it's size, portability and the fact that my Macbook is from 2008, so an update is about due I think!
Currently I use my laptop for :
- Browsing the internet
- Occasional listening to music (Use my phone more though)
- Occasional word editing (however, not that often to be honest)
- Transferring photo's from my camera (Sony NEX-6), viewing photo's and occasionally doing minor editing of said photo's
So as you can see, my usage is fairly limited these days. A good screen is of importance to be because of the photo's, as well as watching movies whilst travelling.
Operating system is not a massive deal, I've used all three. I got bored of IOS after I had the iPhone 3GS for a while, then moved to Android (currently using). I've also played around with Windows 8. All have there own advantages and disadvantages.
I have to say, even though most things I say about Apple these days is negative (I feel they've stalled quite a bit in the past 2 years), the Ipad probably still has the best look and feel, but I'm not sure if I would grow bored again with it's tired and outdated looking operating system? I love the photo options and journal options though!
Android is more customisable, I still find new ways to keep myself entertained on my HTC Sensation, thanks to amazing developers, but would a tablet just be an enlarged phone for me then? Would this become unappealing?
Windows 8 looks lovely, it's a fresh faced interface, something new and shiny! It's great fun to play with, but the current Windows RT version is quite limited I'm not sure it's worth gamling on any of the current lineup of Windows Tablets, perhaps not until they get to there second generation at least.
So what would everyone top choice be for a laptop replacing tablet? Personally, I would want something within the same budget as the iPad 4 or less. But, would love to see opinions for any value!
Mike
I don't have experience with the Windows tablets, but the Transformer Infinity - TF700, is a great choice in the Android department. The keyboard dock allows for easy document-editing when you want it, but without being stuck with it.
The older versions of the Transformer line can still offer good performance - not sure what your budget is. You can use bluetooth keyboards with other tablets, and that's an idea, but the integration on the Transformer line is great. Since I built a desktop, I have largely stopped using my laptop and have replaced it with one of the Transformer tablets. With Flash and Drive and office software it does everything I needed my laptop for now that I have a desktop for the video games that require a bit of oomph (and I'm enjoying the gaming on the tablet as well - something I never really got into on my phone).
Not sure how your camera works for transferring photos, but the TF series docks have full-size USB ports and a full-size SD card reader (as well as the microSD slot in the tablet). I have hooked an external hard-drive up to it and all went well.
Pennycake said:
I don't have experience with the Windows tablets, but the Transformer Infinity - TF700, is a great choice in the Android department. The keyboard dock allows for easy document-editing when you want it, but without being stuck with it.
The older versions of the Transformer line can still offer good performance - not sure what your budget is. You can use bluetooth keyboards with other tablets, and that's an idea, but the integration on the Transformer line is great. Since I built a desktop, I have largely stopped using my laptop and have replaced it with one of the Transformer tablets. With Flash and Drive and office software it does everything I needed my laptop for now that I have a desktop for the video games that require a bit of oomph (and I'm enjoying the gaming on the tablet as well - something I never really got into on my phone).
Not sure how your camera works for transferring photos, but the TF series docks have full-size USB ports and a full-size SD card reader (as well as the microSD slot in the tablet). I have hooked an external hard-drive up to it and all went well.
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Click to collapse
I've done quite a bit of research on the TF700, I even came close to committing, however I've just read about too many issues with the I/O and internal memory performance that has put me right off. It seems to be a problem for almost every owner I've encountered. I love the look and style of the tablet, also the connectivity and battery are brilliant. But I want something with excellent performance and I think this is outdated already in that regard. The fact that you have to void your warranty to root it and then install a ROM to make it smooth is a worry.
I was hoping Asus came up with an update to it at CES, but it seems this won't be happening.
The TF700 and the Nexus 10 are the two I consistently hear people say are the best and the fastest right now. I'm not sure about the N10 as laptop replacement, it seems like for that or a tablet without a dock that you'd have to do so many work-arounds that you might look into an ultrabook instead. It would try my patience, but I suppose it's personal preference what you're willing to do and put up with.
I'd recommend you take a look at the Surface RT tablet. It is not anything like as limited as you might think and it would meet pretty much all your requirements. I have one and for most purposes I have stopped carrying a full-on laptop and just take the Surface.
There is also the Pro coming out this month - it would be over your budget but actually is a genuine laptop replacement. There was a review of it on the Verge yesterday.
Inadorel said:
I'd recommend you take a look at the Surface RT tablet. It is not anything like as limited as you might think and it would meet pretty much all your requirements. I have one and for most purposes I have stopped carrying a full-on laptop and just take the Surface.
There is also the Pro coming out this month - it would be over your budget but actually is a genuine laptop replacement. There was a review of it on the Verge yesterday.
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Click to collapse
I wish I could have a play with one in a store... Hopefully soon. What is the screen like? This is an important aspect for me. It doesn't need to be as good as the Nexus 10 for example, but a HD screen would be a minimum I think for me.
Maybe the thinkpad tablet 2 could be a good choice for you. It has win8 pro, is beautifull and light. So no RT limits, no IOS boaringnes, real USB port, HDMI port and a good display.
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olarf said:
Maybe the thinkpad tablet 2 could be a good choice for you. It has win8 pro, is beautifull and light. So no RT limits, no IOS boaringnes, real USB port, HDMI port and a good display.
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Click to collapse
Looks quite nice. Concerned about the battery life being reported on most of the Windows tablets though? As i'll be travelling quite a bit, this could present an issue?
Hi guys, is the Lumia series of Nokia can be an option to replace a laptop computer?
Anyone else have any thoughts?
I recommend Nexus 10 is way to go especially when your priority is photos. Ipad could be the best choice, but if you want to enjoy quality with reasonable price, Nexus 10 won't disappoint you.
lkirra said:
Hi guys, is the Lumia series of Nokia can be an option to replace a laptop computer?
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Click to collapse
No comment
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Magnector said:
I recommend Nexus 10 is way to go especially when your priority is photos. Ipad could be the best choice, but if you want to enjoy quality with reasonable price, Nexus 10 won't disappoint you.
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Click to collapse
This is probably my top choice right now, although I'm in the UK, so have to wait until they are back in stock to even consider it... I don't have to rush out and get something luckily, I can probably hold off until around May / June before I will have to buy. So it might be worth me waiting as there are bound to be some new releases by then. Hopefully a few Tegra 4 devices start showing themselves by then.
Mikeparakh said:
Looks quite nice. Concerned about the battery life being reported on most of the Windows tablets though? As i'll be travelling quite a bit, this could present an issue?
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Click to collapse
So far all tests talking about 10 hours of serious use. I get one tomorrow so soon i can tell you if 10h is a fact.
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olarf said:
So far all tests talking about 10 hours of serious use. I get one tomorrow so soon i can tell you if 10h is a fact.
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I'd really appreciate that, thanks! Is it the Surface RT you've bought?
No the thinkpad tablet2 with win8 pro. So far it is great but still loading so i have no idea about Akku durance. Soon i have
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I have a Surface RT, and it gets the job done pretty well. I know some people still complain about a "lack of apps" on the Windows RT platform, but it hasn't been an issue for me - IE10 as a browser and Office (just Word, PPT, Excel, and OneNote, of course) comprise most of my use.
I get between 7.5 and 9 hours of battery life out of the device, depending on what I'm doing. On average, it'll get me through about a day and a half of classes - that's three hours each day, plus about 1.5 hours of additional use outside of that on each day (until the battery runs out after usually 8 or so hours). It charges really fast, though - I don't often have to charge it for much more than an hour to nearly fill the battery. A full recharge from a dead batter will probably take you 2 hours, though.
About the only thing I miss on it is the ability to run some programming interfaces (Python, Java, etc.), but with that fancy new jailbreak tool this may be changing - they've already ported most of Python 2.7, for example. I'd heartily recommend the Surface, given both its advantages and shortcomings.
MacBook replacement?
Mikeparakh said:
I'd really appreciate that, thanks! Is it the Surface RT you've bought?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you purchased a replacement for the MacBook? Would love to get your thoughts.
Best computing options for general use
Mikeparakh said:
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to gather people's thoughts on the best tablets currently out, or due out in the coming 3 months, that would be viable laptop replacing options.
I am currently in this situation, where I want to purchase a tablet and sell my Macbook 13". I travel a lot and a tablet would be very useful because of it's size, portability and the fact that my Macbook is from 2008, so an update is about due I think!
Currently I use my laptop for :
- Browsing the internet
- Occasional listening to music (Use my phone more though)
- Occasional word editing (however, not that often to be honest)
- Transferring photo's from my camera (Sony NEX-6), viewing photo's and occasionally doing minor editing of said photo's
So as you can see, my usage is fairly limited these days. A good screen is of importance to be because of the photo's, as well as watching movies whilst travelling.
Operating system is not a massive deal, I've used all three. I got bored of IOS after I had the iPhone 3GS for a while, then moved to Android (currently using). I've also played around with Windows 8. All have there own advantages and disadvantages.
I have to say, even though most things I say about Apple these days is negative (I feel they've stalled quite a bit in the past 2 years), the Ipad probably still has the best look and feel, but I'm not sure if I would grow bored again with it's tired and outdated looking operating system? I love the photo options and journal options though!
Android is more customisable, I still find new ways to keep myself entertained on my HTC Sensation, thanks to amazing developers, but would a tablet just be an enlarged phone for me then? Would this become unappealing?
Windows 8 looks lovely, it's a fresh faced interface, something new and shiny! It's great fun to play with, but the current Windows RT version is quite limited I'm not sure it's worth gamling on any of the current lineup of Windows Tablets, perhaps not until they get to there second generation at least.
So what would everyone top choice be for a laptop replacing tablet? Personally, I would want something within the same budget as the iPad 4 or less. But, would love to see opinions for any value!
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For general use like web surfing , email, youtube and netflix watching with a little gaming to pass the time away I would say a tablet ( your choice ) . If its for all that plus working in office regularly along with photo editing and such I would say a laptop . You can get them from basic like an i5 or i7 or even a Celeron or pentium based ones to almost as powerful as a desktop ( Razer , Alienware , MSI, are all gaming laptops and workstations like thinkpads and such and are very powerful ) If you will be doing anything harder like working in CAD or developing or 4k video editing and exporting although many laptops can do these you would be better suited using a desktop , (the CPU , ram , mother board components will be more robust and able to keep cool longer under load than in a laptop). Tablets like the iPad or android tablets are great to pass the time away , are capable to play games or watch videos on and for many people is all the computer they need . I only used my iPad for 3 years ( before that I ran several windows pcs , 4 Macs, and a linux desktop running all the programs I used in my computer repair business ) until I got my MacBook but honestly with what I do on the laptop now the iPad did just as well . I am retired now so my time on the laptop is nothing like what I had done for many years before ( since 1994).