Thinking It Might Be Time for a Tablet

[WDW*Dreamer]

My laptop is ready for replacement, but, before I went the laptop route again, I thought I’d take a look at the tablets. I’ve done some browsing around the web, but the options and opinions are a bit overwhelming. So, I thought I’d add to my confusion by getting a few more opinions on the DisBoards.

I’m not committed to iOS or Droid. I have an iTouch and a Droid phone, and I like them both. Right now my big questions are:

1. Can you store data and applications on a USB device (thumbdrive)?
2. Can you print direct from the device to a standard wireless printer?
3. Are there any good personal finance apps (like Quicken)?

Any help I can get with these questions and any other opinions you may have are appreciated.

Oh yeah...and the countdown to my first trip as a DVC member is in the SINGLE DIGITS

 

[Micca]

No answers here, but these are great questions and I would like to learn more too. I read the other day that Apple is projecting sales of 246 million Ipads by 2014, so I think it's safe to assume that many of us are or will be tablet shopping.

And now, a word from the Dis computer experts...

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

No expert here.....We just purchased an Ipad.....still gun shy.

 

[SueInBoston]

My laptop is ready for replacement, but, before I went the laptop route again, I thought I’d take a look at the tablets. I’ve done some browsing around the web, but the options and opinions are a bit overwhelming. So, I thought I’d add to my confusion by getting a few more opinions on the DisBoards.

I’m not committed to iOS or Droid. I have an iTouch and a Droid phone, and I like them both. Right now my big questions are:

1. Can you store data and applications on a USB device (thumbdrive)?
2. Can you print direct from the device to a standard wireless printer?
3. Are there any good personal finance apps (like Quicken)?

Any help I can get with these questions and any other opinions you may have are appreciated.

Oh yeah...and the countdown to my first trip as a DVC member is in the SINGLE DIGITS

I'm not an expert, but this at point with the tablet technology, I cannot see how a tablet can replace a laptop. I also believe that you need a laptop to back up your tablet. I have IPad2 and I love it, more than my laptop. It also get use a lot more...but if I have to do any intensive stuff (photoshop, database, Quicken) I need my laptop.

Now to your questions..(my exp with Ipad)
1) not with IPad
2) There's an App that has excellent review and I meant to try it.
3) I'm looking for the same thing...

 

[Binnie]

I have a Xoom, which I love, but it will never fully replace a laptop for me. I'm not a real techie, but even still it's not really robust enough for me.

To respond to your questions:

1. Can you store data and applications on a USB device (thumbdrive)?
No. The Xoom has an external mini-SD slot, which is one of the reasons I bought it, but there's not a USB port at all.

2. Can you print direct from the device to a standard wireless printer?
Probably, but I haven't tried it. I haven't tried to do anything real on the Xoom in the time we've had it (just shy of a month). I also haven't looked for any word processing or other productivity app.

3. Are there any good personal finance apps (like Quicken)?
Again, I have no idea. I would recommend browsing the App stores. Amazon's is pretty robust for Droid, too, so look there, too.

Not much help, but I hope it helps a little!

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

Just took a trip this past week, and people kept asking me if my tablet was an Ipad, and when I tell then no, that it's a G Tablet running Google Android OS. Then I tell them it only cost $280, and does about anything an Ipad can do they get interested. A tablet probably is not a good laptop replacement, but it comes in handy when I'm travelling. I had movies loaded to keep me entertained, as well as that stupid Angry Birds....can't get through the last level. It can also run Flash, which Ipad doesn't. It came with 16G and i added a 16G micro SD card to put my movies and music on. I can access internet wherever wifi is available, and with a whole slew of coffee shops, Mcdonalds, and other public access points available, I'm hardly without internet.