Tablets?

[climbjtree]

Ive been looking into picking up a tablet lately, but I don't know all that much about them. I've looked through the tablet section of bestbuy.com, but I'm so out of touch with OS's and other specs these days that I don't really know what I'm looking at.

I've got an iPhone 4, love the interface and use the crap out of it. This leads me to believe that I'd dig the iPad, though I'd be willing go bet that it's a bit pricey for what it actually does. Then there's the other OS's I'm not too familiar with: the Windows one, android, webOS, and probably some others that I'm unaware of. I also don't know a lot about the manufacturers.

Do any of you have tablets and if so, were they worth buying? Anything I should stay away from or anything considered a must when it comes to these things?

[K9]

Serious question: why do you want a tablet, what do you want to use it for?

[climbjtree]

Browse the internet, watch movies, read/write email, skype. That's about it. Same things I use my iPhone for, I suppose, but I think I'd appreciate a larger device.

[ghost]

You might pay a bit more for an iPad, but I think the functionality and longevity of the device will be better than some of the other players.  schild apparently hates his, but I've yet to see what his reasons are.

[Trippy]

If you really want a tablet and you already have an iPhone just get an iPad. It's not more expensive than the competition and your iPhone apps will transfer over (i.e. you don't have to rebuy them).

[K9]

What Trippy said, it sounds like you want an iPad.

I do not personally own one since they do not offer me anything useful. I have several friends who have them and use them. If you commute around or travel a lot they are definitely better than a phone or netbook for entertainment and the internet. I know several folks who use them to read papers. The only complaints I heard was that keeping everything synced across three devices (phone, computer, iPad) was a hassle; I have no idea how much substance there is in that though.

[MahrinSkel]

As much as I hate Apple, if you already have an iPhone and like it, an iPad makes sense.  In a few months when comparable Android tablets are half the price instead of just 20% lower, it would be different.

--Dave

[Merusk]

The only complaints I heard was that keeping everything synced across three devices (phone, computer, iPad) was a hassle; I have no idea how much substance there is in that though.

Enough of a hassle that at the Apple conference yesterday they focused the announcement of their free cloud system on how it's a solution to deal with it.

[Ingmar]

The only complaints I heard was that keeping everything synced across three devices (phone, computer, iPad) was a hassle; I have no idea how much substance there is in that though.

Enough of a hassle that at the Apple conference yesterday they focused the announcement of their free cloud system on how it's a solution to deal with it.

I just use Dropbox for my Android stuff, I kind of have to assume there's an iOS app for it too.

[Trippy]

The only complaints I heard was that keeping everything synced across three devices (phone, computer, iPad) was a hassle; I have no idea how much substance there is in that though.

Enough of a hassle that at the Apple conference yesterday they focused the announcement of their free cloud system on how it's a solution to deal with it.

It is a big pain in the ass. I can't wait for iCloud to be available.

[01101010]

The only complaints I heard was that keeping everything synced across three devices (phone, computer, iPad) was a hassle; I have no idea how much substance there is in that though.

Enough of a hassle that at the Apple conference yesterday they focused the announcement of their free cloud system on how it's a solution to deal with it.

It is a big pain in the ass. I can't wait for iCloud to be available.

I am a bit disappointed with the whole iMatch system. $25 is not a bad price - but not for shit I actually bought and burnt from cds which I have. Especially ones I had to buy simply because the shit is not available in my iTunes zone. Sure, iTunes has it, over in Europe... *ahem*

Sorry about that. Back to task: you have an iPhone, familiar with the OS and enjoy using it but want something a tad bigger? iPad is sort of a no brainer at this point. I think the other tablets out there would be chancy at best and you'd have to learn how to use them - why flub around with learning new shit if you have the iOS down and like it?

[Merusk]

The only complaints I heard was that keeping everything synced across three devices (phone, computer, iPad) was a hassle; I have no idea how much substance there is in that though.

Enough of a hassle that at the Apple conference yesterday they focused the announcement of their free cloud system on how it's a solution to deal with it.

I just use Dropbox for my Android stuff, I kind of have to assume there's an iOS app for it too.

Possibly, but given the way Apple stores songs and other media on their devices it would be useless when it came time to play any of them.  You'd essentially turn your iPad/Phone/Pod into giant, expensive USB sticks.

[climbjtree]

I'm not sure that learning a new OS would be that much of a hassle.  I mean, I continue to have PC's because I feel like they've got more flexibility than Macs. Does that same flexibility carry over to tablets?

[Engels]

People do realize that the iCloud is not a 'cloud' cloud, but a sync procedure for your devices. Its not dropbox or the amazon cloud service.

[Chimpy]

People do realize that the iCloud is not a 'cloud' cloud, but a sync procedure for your devices. Its not dropbox or the amazon cloud service.

Actually, it does store files as well. It is just not your typical "throw stuff up on a virtual hard drive" system.

[Engels]

From what I've read, it won't store any old documents, only approved document types. As for music, you have to pay $25 a year

[Merusk]

Unless you bought it on itunes, yeah.

[Chimpy]

From what I've read, it won't store any old documents, only approved document types. As for music, you have to pay $25 a year

I have not read anything that has made it crystal clear that you won't be able to upload your personal music to their servers. That is not to say that you will be able to, but that is a murky area at this point. The $25 is for Match service which they go through your library and sees if the songs are on iTunes and gives you the 256k AAC iTunes version of the song (and there is no details on if you lose access to those songs if you don't pay after your year expires either).

[Prospero]

You get 5 GB of storage for free which you can upload anything to. If they don't have that cool indie band CD you bought from you neighbor you can just upload it.

If you like the iPhone get an iPad. Most apps worth owning are universal so you save on software.

[apocrypha]

I've been seriously considering a tablet for some time now, specifically as a photography tool - portfolio display, for showing poses/inspiration shots to clients and models, for tethered shooting and even basic location editing.

The only tablets that I think are even in the running at the moment are the iPad2, Motorola Xoom and Acer A500/501. The iPad2 is by far the best looking, most familiar to clients and nicest to use. The Apple ethos (we must control everything), lack of USB/HDMI, lack of Flash and price are the only things that even made me consider the others. No USB port is less of an issue with Dropbox but still cripples the idea of tethered shooting without resorting to clunky and complicated solutions like a WiFi SD card and battery-powered router. No HDMI is annoying but an adapter is available. No Flash is a serious issue when 90% of photogs websites use Flash heavily. In the UK the prices of non-iPads still aren't low enough to have a decisive impact. My current position is wait a few months and see what the competition comes up with.

So, long story short, if none of my objections are critical to you... get an iPad. If the price is an issue then think carefully about whether you really need 64Gb and 3G.

[Merusk]

While on tangential tablet stuff, I think I'd be locked into an iPad were I to get one.  AutoDesk released AutoCAD for iPad and it doesn't look like it'll be coming out with an app for the other tablets.  I was doing plans from someone else's field dimensions this week and all I could think was, "Damn, if only they'd taken an iPad with this app with them they'd have seen why they needed THIS dimension, not the one they took."

[Sky]

People do realize that the iCloud is not a 'cloud' cloud, but a sync procedure for your devices. Its not dropbox or the amazon cloud service.

Because apple has had cloud storage for years.

[ghost]

Because apple has had utterly shitty cloud storage for years.

[Quinton]

While on tangential tablet stuff, I think I'd be locked into an iPad were I to get one.  AutoDesk released AutoCAD for iPad and it doesn't look like it'll be coming out with an app for the other tablets.  I was doing plans from someone else's field dimensions this week and all I could think was, "Damn, if only they'd taken an iPad with this app with them they'd have seen why they needed THIS dimension, not the one they took."

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.autodesk.autocadws ?

[Merusk]

Thanks, but it doesn't matter.  A few hours after I posted that I mentioned it to another guy in my studio and he said he and another PM had tested it 3 months ago.  Apparently it's a great interface for making marks like "CHANGE THIS *draws bubble*" but shit for anything else actually useful - like drawing -  while in the field.

No BIG surprise, but still a disappointment.

[schild]

Oh hey, I got called out.

I bought an Alienware M11x a few weeks ago because I needed a new laptop and as mentioned I had a vague hatred for the iPad.

By vague, I mean what I was called out for in this thread. I hate the thing because it does nothing I can't do better on a sub-laptop. Not to mention I now have a sub-laptop that can run any game on the market at full speed with very little turned off. In other words, get an Alienware M11x with the WiMax option. No reason to upgrade to the nicer screen really, it's 11.x inches, it's not like your experience will change drastically and it'll just put more strain on the 540M.

One day tablets may have a meaningful function, until then, my iPad is basically a color kindle with some tower defense games on it. Oh, and it's a portable Scrabble board.

I also have an ipod touch (which I actually like), an ipod video (which I like more), a handful of android phones (increasingly wonderful), a Zune (yay tiny wireless syncing thing), and other gadgets in the vein of an ipad (switchblade gadgets). The form factor of the ipad doesn't make it all that suitable. Exhibit A: Look at all the enclosures they're making (an arcade unit, laptop case w/ bluetooth keyboard, etc) to make the iPad serve a purpose better than what it does out of the box.

This post is an incoherent mess. Run it through your Bloodworther, I'm not reading it to fix it.

[MahrinSkel]

Tablets are excellent for couch websurfing, so-so for looking up reference materials when you're out and about, and crappy as soon as you need to actually input or change anything.  The Asus Transformer looks *really* cool, a $400 tablet of decent performance and size that you can turn into a netbook with a docking station, it's my current pick for "Best of Breed" on tablets.  But they're essentially media consumption devices that may or may not be useful for more (with the chances being much higher for Android systems).

--Dave

[Surlyboi]

Mmmmmm.... I love the smell of neckbeard in the morning...

[Hawkbit]

Just as a ballpark, how long do you plan to use the Alienware, schild?  Just wondering what kind of life to expect out of that system, I need to upgrade from my desktop soon.  i7 with a 540m should be decent at $1300, I think.  Saves me from having to build, too.

[schild]

I'll use that Alienware til it's dead. It replaced my Dell 8600 from like 2003. I take pretty good care of laptops, but always buy whatever has the best chance of running games without weighing enough to break my back in half. I'd suspect realistically I could play new games til 2013-2014 on it given the resolution is only 1366x768 (note: I plan on replacing the harddrive with an SSD within a couple months, Dell wanted too much for the SSD).

[Thrawn]

Tablets are excellent for couch websurfing,

I can get a Wii-U for this!   

[apocrypha]

Quick question regarding tablets actually...

Is it possible to tether tablets and smartphones sensibly? I.e. if I get a tablet without 3G could I somehow access the internet on it using the 3G on a phone? I don't really want to pay for a voice/data contract for a phone *and* a data contract for a tablet, but I will often be using a tablet in areas where WiFi coverage isn't guaranteed.

[Merusk]

I thought most plans make you pay for tethering anything to your phone.  To the tune of $30 a month, the same as a data package.

[Thrawn]

I thought most plans make you pay for tethering anything to your phone.  To the tune of $30 a month, the same as a data package.

If tablets are similar enough to phones I know on my Android I can install a free tethering app, and with a rooted phone I can install an app that will act as a wireless access point.

[Tebonas]

I thought most plans make you pay for tethering anything to your phone.  To the tune of $30 a month, the same as a data package.

WTF? I play 1 Euro per month, and that is the only provider here who even takes money for tethering. All the other providers do it for free. You need a day of the rope for your phone providers as well.