Tech Folk - Is a tablet worth it yet?

[radioguy6]

My gf has the original iPad and uses it everyday, she barely uses her PC anymore. Good battery life and she can do about 75% of things that can be done on a PC. I used to hate on tablets but they are actually pretty useful tools. I'd personally never drop the money on an ipad since it lacks things like Flash support. Tablets will continue to keep getting better and better, and every major tech company seems to be making their own. Just hope they improve on the batteries too. I'll probably buy one some day too but for now I can wait.

 

[Lord Tin Foilhat]

The problem with the Android Tablets and Android as a whole is fragmentation. With Apple, programmers have a few devices to program for and thus don't need to account for different operating system versions, different resolution screens, different processing power, etc. So while Android has this beautiful marketplace, you have to be really careful about what works where. My brother's Mytouch 3g plays Angry Birds at something like 5 frames a second.

This problem doesn't exist with the iPad and because of it's popularity and the fact that you don't have to account for a bunch of extra variables, programmers flock to IOS in spades.

So while people like to have the fight about what's better, the Android product or the Apple product... Well, the Android products are often better but the Apple product has the software and at the end of the day that's the only thing that matters.

IMO, right now as far as tablets go, iPad is it.

Plus, Mr Mook, you like racing and shit. There's this game called Real Racing for the iPad right... If you have an Apple TV you can wirelessly stream the game to your TV in 1080P and use your iPad as your dashboard/ steering wheel. In short, this is fucking awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GaT9EGsLrk

agreed, but its only a matter of time before it becomes less fragmented. plus if you think about it, its not that big of a problem. you only have to write code once for it to work with any device that uses that hardware. then its just copy and paste. the problem is the hardware is changing faster then the software, so developers are constantly in a losing battle

BUT thats also the point of android/linux... open source so an almost unlimited amount of developers to work on it, and usually for free. a majority of the android community has been improved by forums more then developers

 

[Mr Baytchos]

Are you doing a Wi-Fi only version?

 

[Mook]

i would, ya. i have zero reason for another contract w/ a provider so screw 3g, etc. this would essentially be replacing my laptop and my phone as my go to "computer".

 

[Diavolo]

I love my Blackberry Playbook. It bridges with my phone (blackberry) so I get internet without paying for a tethering fee. I like the 7" design bc it's much more portable than the bigger ones.

It has completely replaced my laptop for web browsing around the house as it supports flash and has great battery life.

If you are using your laptop just for browsing, a tablet will replace it right away.

 

[importcrew]

Hard choices. The galaxy, xoom, and the iPad 2. I looked at them and they all have their strengths and weaknesses like mentioned previously. In all honesty, I think it'd be a nice thing to get (getting a tablet), especially while you are on the go. Bigger screen compared to your phone, lighter/thinner than a laptop...ect. I say go for it.

 

[EmersonHart13]

http://www.tanga.com/products/sylvania-7-inch-hdmi-tablet

Check that out...

 

[epic]

I have the Acer Iconia A500. Love it.

$450 = real usb port, micro usb, bluetooth, micro hdmi, mini sd slots. Runs honeycomb, same processor as Xoom.

 

[GTwolf]

I would take a look at a wi-fi only xoom. I was thinking about buying one, but I think I'm going to wait for the ipad 3 and whatever motorola releases for an upgrade to the xoom to come out. Rumor is that the ipad 2 was just a quick thing so they could get something new out there to compete, and the ipad 3 is going to have a serious feature set and actually be a new product, which of course the android tablets will have to compete with. No point in getting 3g IMO, if I'm using something that big there's most likely wifi around. If I were to buy a tablet now though I'd probably spend the extra $50 (iirc) on the xoom.

 

[Stink Star]

iPad 3 coming out soon FTW.... Who can even keep those android tablets straight? Not even the manufacturers since they can't even reliable produce a damn software update on a regular basis. Did they SELL 100k xooms yet? I know they shipped that many but most were being returned by the stores before even being sold. What do you figure the hardware support or software support is going to be like for 20 different "xoom" like tablets? Sure you can root it and hack it up but at that point it just becomes another pain in your ass to monitor like your phone to make sure everything is working ok and not chewing up battery life. Plus getting files on and off is a cumbersome and involved process requiring apps and user intervention. With the iPad and iCloud all your filesmove around seamlessly without you even having to intervene. I mean honestly with ios5, what does android really have over iOS? I've used those tablets side by side and not even looking at specs or what brand anything was I can say 100% that the iPad ran everything much smoother than any other tablet. The only reason I don't have one is because I want to wait for the upgraded screen on the iPad 3 because I'm completely spoiled by the ip4 screen

 

[Mook]

Went with the galaxy 10.1. Its pretty awesome so far.

 

[GTwolf]

Went with the galaxy 10.1. Its pretty awesome so far.

Nice, enjoy. Make sure you update to 3.1 if it didn't ship with it.

 

[budsang1]

nice, i have the original galaxy tab and like it alot. What changes does the 10.1 have vs the original...anyone know? besides screen size obviously

 

[EmersonHart13]

Went with the galaxy 10.1. Its pretty awesome so far.

Eggsellent! Full review in the future?

 

[Mook]

indeed

 

[bikrboy128]

i've been wanting a tablet for awhile too. that new samsung is lookin pretty sexy
what are your thoughts so far?

 

[Mike K]

How much does the Galaxy cost?

 

[bikrboy128]

$500 for a 16gb

 

[Mook]

I love it. So smooth and fast. Honeycomb is really refined.

 

[Mook]

The screen is reeeeealy nice too.

 

[SinisterSHO]

Can 3.1 run java?

 

[Hefeweize]

Just buy it!

Pros:
Bigger screen
Better Battery Life
Watch Movies!
Chat on Aim with ease!

Cons:
Not as portable as a cell phone