Tablets 101 help!

[CEK40]

Good Morning and Happy Christmas to all...

After the new year I am looking to get a table that I can do a number of functions with. I want to be able to read books and magazines, watch dvd's if I am traveling, access the internet and load photos on. I would like to access some apps as well and maybe even have a game or two on it. I know some are better for one thing than the other, but does anyone have any input that is versatile in a lot of areas.

I am not "Tablet" savvy but I know there are differences in the ipad and the android based tablets. I have been told is is a bit trying to take photos off the ipad and load them on your computer. I know some are better for reading too. I do like the idea of being able to add a memory card to the table for extra storage and to view things on the card.

I do hope someone can shed a ray of light maybe from personal experience or knowledge.

I appreciate any help you may have.

Thanks,
CK in VA

 

[HeatherC]

If you want a 7", I would recommend the Nexus 7 or Galaxy tab 2. They all do what you want, get great reviews and are much less than the Ipad or Ipad mini.

The Galaxy even has a slot that you can add more memory if you need it down the road.

They are both priced around $200.

 

[stsomewhere]

I have a nexus 7. Love it.

 

[Mel522]

Android
Pros:
Price, they run $100-200 cheaper
Slot for external memory
Google’s tablets have more hardware features like a video-output jack and stereo speakers
More customization. You can change your launchers, ROMs and keyboards with Android, but not with Apple.
The Nexus 7 has a quad-core chip and is nearly twice as fast as the mini (the bigger tablets are about evenly matched with the newest Ipad.)

Apple
Pros:
Better screen. Google tablets technically have more dots per inch, but it is essentially unnoticeable when compared to non-retina display apple products. Compared to retina display, Apple wins.
Better design. The metal back of apple products vs the common plastic back of androids.
Better apps and more of them.
Slightly better battery life.

I didn't include cons because as long as you avoid cheep knockoffs you will probably be happy. Both are about evenly matched, just have different strengths. The deciding factor is going to be the operating system. The best thing would be to go to a store and play with both and decide which is best for you. Same thing with the different sizes. I find the Ipad and larger tablets too large to comfortably read, but find the small tablets too small for day to day play. Google tablets are great and Apples biggest competitor. If you go android, I highly recommend Google.

I personally chose the Ipad because I already own Apple products. I already had apps for my Ipod touch that also had the Ipad version of the app included for no charge. It is very easy to move pictures and everything else to my Ipad. It is just as easy to do the same with the Android tablets.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I own both a Kindle Fire (android based) and an iPad.

Books, magazines and internet browsing are going to be pretty similar on both. However, Apple does not do Flash so if you go to a lot of websites that utilize Flash Android would be better.

If you want an external memory slot, you will have to get an android tablet (but do your home work not all androids come with them).

I have absolutely no problems getting photos on and off my iPad since I bought the usb camera accessory. All I do is plug my camera into the accessory and attach it to my iPad and it transfers photos over. Once I am home and attach my iPad to the computer is automatically downloads them onto the computer into my photo folder. Only takes a couple of minutes depending on how many photos I took. I have never even tried messing with photos on the Fire so I don't know how well it would work.

My iPad's battery life is much better than the Fire's (10-11 hours compared to 6-7)

You will not be able to watch DVDs on either (none of them have a DVD slot) but you can convert your DVDs to digital files that both can read. I use these instructions and the files work on both my iPad and Fire so I don't even have to keep two versions of each movie which is nice:

http://tabletorials.com/2011/11/convert-dvd-to-kindle-fire-for-free/

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I own both a Kindle Fire (android based) and an iPad.

Books, magazines and internet browsing are going to be pretty similar on both. However, Apple does not do Flash so if you go to a lot of websites that utilize Flash Android would be better.

[snip]

Just a note: most newer Android tablets do not have native support for Flash. If Flash is important to the Kindle Fire may be the right choice or read about the workarounds to us it on an iPad, Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab 2. -- Suzanne

 

[Fyrefly]

Just a note: most newer Android tablets do not have native support for Flash. If Flash is important to the Kindle Fire may be the right choice or read about the workarounds to us it on an iPad, Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab 2. -- Suzanne

I have an Asus Transformer 700T running Jelly Bean and it took about 3 seconds on my part to find someone who was distributing the old Ice Cream Sandwich Flash installer and I put it on myself. You don't want to buy a tablet with an older version of Android just for flash as it just won't run as well as the newer versions - Example, why run Windows 98 when you have access to Windows 7?

Anyway I dislike Apple's "walled garden" approach and I've found my tablet to be much more customizable than Apple devices. I also don't know why a PP described having a metal case is a uniquely Apple pro, my Transformer has a metal case and cost the same as an iPad.

As with most electronics in life you get what you pay for. The specs of my Transformer exceed that of the current gen iPad and I wanted that. You can also get a much less expensive 7 inch like the excellent Nexus 7. Just don't buy a cheap $100 no-name Android tablet and whine when it doesn't perform like you want, I see a lot of people doing that.

 

[Colleen27]

I got myself a Galaxy Tab 2 for Christmas after waffling about what sort of tablet to get for DD4 and DH to share. Rather than get them a cheapie I upgraded my own. They've got my hand-me-down Nook Color now.

So far, I love this thing. It does everything I want - games, internet, e-books, music and GPS. Hardware wise it is more than adequate for daily use and I love the expandable memory because with a card reader on my computer it is super simple to keep a couple of cards to swap out depending on what we need (cartoons for the kids, my music collection for in the car, my movies if I'm going to be traveling solo or killing time somewhere). I do plan to pick up a Bluetooth keyboard eventually but the predictive typing is far more intuitive than my older Android phone or my Nook, and I strongly prefer the Android platform over iOS on DD11's iPod. But the real selling point over Apple products was the expandable memory and not having to replace the entire device if I decide I need more capacity, and that was also why I settled on the Samsung rather than the Nexus.

 

[Gillennj]

As many have said, the first decision is simply Android vs. Apple. Each has their own "ecosystems" as they like to label them. Apple really excels at this. Basically, if you are already familiar with the iPhone or iPod Touch and iTunes, you will already be very comfortable with the iPad. All of these devices work seamlessly with each other (or so I'm told, I'm not an Apple fan).

Android has is similar, with the Google Play store, but Android devices are produced by many manufacturers and each can customize the Android operating system for their own devices. Android devices can also be customized further if you are tech savvy.

I personally don't care for the Nook tablets or the Kindle Fire tablets, as those each limit you to the Barnes and Noble app store and the Amazon app store respectively--at least I believe so, someone can correct me if I am wrong.

I am an Android guy and LOVE all my Android devices. I have heard many people say Apple has far more and better apps. I don't know if that's true or not, but I have found no limit to any app, music, video or book I have ever looked for for my Android devices, and I can honestly say I have never paid for an app. Every one I use has been free.

HTH and good luck in your search.

 

[Aliceacc]

I am so NOT computer saavy. As a result, I did a LOT of research on this last summer. Each of my 3 kids will be receiving a 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7 tomorrow morning. I got them in late August, when the Student Editions were available, so they came with a keyboard and adaptor.

For me, the Apples were simply too expensive. After researching all the other models, it came down to Nexus vs Galaxy.

The advantage to the Nexus was pretty much in terms of screen resolution. For the Galaxy, it was pretty much the ability to expand the memory.

Once I found the student editions, it sealed the deal. (Unfortunately, I think they were only available for the 2 weeks I happened to be looking.)

But shop around, and see what you can find. Based on everything I've read, you won't be disappointed with either tablet.

 

[poohbear2]

I own both a Kindle Fire (android based) and an iPad.

Books, magazines and internet browsing are going to be pretty similar on both. However, Apple does not do Flash so if you go to a lot of websites that utilize Flash Android would be better.

If you want an external memory slot, you will have to get an android tablet (but do your home work not all androids come with them).

I have absolutely no problems getting photos on and off my iPad since I bought the usb camera accessory. All I do is plug my camera into the accessory and attach it to my iPad and it transfers photos over. Once I am home and attach my iPad to the computer is automatically downloads them onto the computer into my photo folder. Only takes a couple of minutes depending on how many photos I took. I have never even tried messing with photos on the Fire so I don't know how well it would work.

My iPad's battery life is much better than the Fire's (10-11 hours compared to 6-7)

You will not be able to watch DVDs on either (none of them have a DVD slot) but you can convert your DVDs to digital files that both can read. I use these instructions and the files work on both my iPad and Fire so I don't even have to keep two versions of each movie which is nice:



http://tabletorials.com/2011/11/convert-dvd-to-kindle-fire-for-free/

Thanks for this info.

 

[Gillennj]

I am so NOT computer saavy. As a result, I did a LOT of research on this last summer. Each of my 3 kids will be receiving a 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7 tomorrow morning. I got them in late August, when the Student Editions were available, so they came with a keyboard and adaptor.

For me, the Apples were simply too expensive. After researching all the other models, it came down to Nexus vs Galaxy.

The advantage to the Nexus was pretty much in terms of screen resolution. For the Galaxy, it was pretty much the ability to expand the memory.

Once I found the student editions, it sealed the deal. (Unfortunately, I think they were only available for the 2 weeks I happened to be looking.)

But shop around, and see what you can find. Based on everything I've read, you won't be disappointed with either tablet.

This is the exact thought process DW and went through. We ended up with a Galaxy Tab 2 7" for the kids and the GT2 10" for us. So far we LOVE them. If the Nexus lines had SD card slots, we probably would have gotten those, but like I said we are NOT disappointed in the least with the Galaxy Tab 2's.