Tablets - iPad, Galaxy Tab, Playbook, XOOM & More

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by PeteLFan

If you have a iPhone and laptop already, what use would a tablet be? I still have not found a reason to shell out 500 plus on a tablet, it doesn't do anything better then a iPhone or a MacBook cannot do already.

When I bought my tablet, my laptop basically started collecting dust. Laptops are great for school in that I can take it to the university, but once I was done, I only used it for portability at home. But it always took so long for it to start up, plus it was a bit of a clunker compared to a tablet. So now that my laptop finally died, I don't really have any reason to replace it. Any actual computer stuff I use my desktop anyways.

[FlamesPuck12]

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

iPad gets the full site, with all videos, etc.

Hmm never tried it on the iPad but yeah browsing on the iPhone mobile version is not a very good experience.

[FlamesPuck12]

Originally Posted by silentsim

Your not limited to the mobile version. It defaults you there if you are on a mobile device, but it's not mandatory. Scroll to the bottom and hit View Full Site.

Yeah you're not limited to the mobile version but that doesn't mean the full site works very well on the iPhone.

[TSXCman]

Any android users using their tablet for taking lecture notes?

i asked for an adonit jot stylus for xmas, now i need app recommendations for notes,equations, and diagrams that will not react to my hand touching the screen and causing errors.

[fleuryisgod]

Just wondering if you guys could give me a tablet suggestion for my needs. I will be using it mainly as a travel "entertainment" system. Basically I want to be able to watch movies and also have a ebook reader of some sort included. Other uses would be minor internet browsing as well as limited amount of game play on it. Price point isn't the biggest factor for me as I would just want to make sure I get the best suited product for myself.

Also as a side note I won't need it asap but have about a 5 week window before I would really need to purchase it...was thinking probably boxing day if I figure out what I actually want and if there was a sale worth putting up with crowds for.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by fleuryisgod

Just wondering if you guys could give me a tablet suggestion for my needs. I will be using it mainly as a travel "entertainment" system. Basically I want to be able to watch movies and also have a ebook reader of some sort included. Other uses would be minor internet browsing as well as limited amount of game play on it. Price point isn't the biggest factor for me as I would just want to make sure I get the best suited product for myself.

Also as a side note I won't need it asap but have about a 5 week window before I would really need to purchase it...was thinking probably boxing day if I figure out what I actually want and if there was a sale worth putting up with crowds for.

One of the big selling points of the new ASUS Transformer Prime (coming out this week) is that it can play 1080p HD video very fluidly and beautifully.

Almost all tablets would be suitable for use as an e-reader.

The Transformer Prime won't likely be available right after release (it sold a LOT of units in pre-order). However, certainly within the next 5 weeks it will be available I would imagine. Especially if you order it from somewhere (MemoryExpress) rather than waiting to try and find it in a store.

There is an optional ($150)keyboard dock for the Prime and while you might not need the keyboard functionality, it adds very significantly to the battery life of the tablet (approx. 10 hours without dock, 16 hours with dock).

I haven't done extensive research on other tablets but I am sure there are other CP members that can fill you in on the benefits of the iPad2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and others.

[Torture]

Anybody heard anything about the Transformer Prime release date in Canada?

I pre-ordered one from Memory Express but got an email the other day saying it's delayed and no idea yet when it will arrive.

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by Torture

Anybody heard anything about the Transformer Prime release date in Canada?

I pre-ordered one from Memory Express but got an email the other day saying it's delayed and no idea yet when it will arrive.

Sounds like after Xmas. http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/a...d-at-best-buy/

I have heard due to wifi issues.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Sounds like after Xmas. http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/19/a...d-at-best-buy/

I have heard due to wifi issues.

Supposedly the wifi issues are simply rumour... and the fact that they're already being released on TigerDirect and in the US in general would probably support that. Last I heard the TF Prime isn't due in Canada until after the New Year

[MrMastodonFarm]

http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/12/19/go...midt/#comments

Google’s ever-vocal Chairman, Eric Schmidt, has told an Italian newspaper that the company plans to bring a Nexus tablet to market in the next six months. While the Motorola Xoom is ostensibly the first “Nexus” tablet, since it runs a Google-moderated stock version of Honeycomb and will be the first with Ice Cream Sandwich, it is still very much a Motorola product.

According to Schmidt, “In the next six months we plan to market a tablet of the highest quality,” though he didn’t give any specifics as to who would manufacture the device. Considering Google is closing out a $12 billion deal to purchase Motorola Mobility it would make sense for the Xoom maker to be the one, but as they’ve shown with their latest Nexus phones, Samsung has proven a worthy OEM partner.

I've been thinking about ditching the iPad in favour of the Asus Transformer, but if Google is coming out with a stock Android Nexus Tablet.. might have to wait.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

=
I've been thinking about ditching the iPad in favour of the Asus Transformer, but if Google is coming out with a stock Android Nexus Tablet.. might have to wait.

I dunno...Google sure likes to talk about how great their stuff will be in six months.

[Hanni]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

I dunno...Google sure likes to talk about how great their stuff will be in six months.

Don't most companies do this now? Seems to me the whole tablet/smartphone strategy is to constantly be announcing upcoming devices in the hopes of stalling people from buying a competitors product and waiting for yours.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Hanni

Don't most companies do this now? Seems to me the whole tablet/smartphone strategy is to constantly be announcing upcoming devices in the hopes of stalling people from buying a competitors product and waiting for yours.

That's what happened to Apple in the 80s. Both times IBM announced the IBM PC and the PC Jr, lots of people put off buying Apples to wait for the IBM machine even though the PC Jr. turned out to be one of the biggest POS ever.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

That's what happened to Apple in the 80s. Both times IBM announced the IBM PC and the PC Jr, lots of people put off buying Apples to wait for the IBM machine even though the PC Jr. turned out to be one of the biggest POS ever.

The grandaddy of those predicaments is known as the Osborne effect, after Osborne Computers started showing off and talking up their next system, causing sales of their existing machine to plummet, putting the company into bankruptcy. That was right around the time the first IBM PC was introduced.

[Otsy]

So do I buy a playbook back on sale next week for $198? I'm just looking to replace using the laptop around the house, sitting on the couch, light surfing, email, would also like to use an ereader. Better options around that price range? I like the HDMI to stream some stuff to the TV, I have a blackberry PDA so bridge is fine, I don't like the memory is not expandable if I go with the 16GB model.

[Rathji]

Not really better options if that's what you want to spend, especially if you have a blackberry already. Until the new OS is out for the Playbook, it is a little bit crippled w/o a Blackberry.

If you have the money, there are certainly better overall tablets - at least ones with better apps, but the Playbook has some upsides.

[Anduril]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Not really better options if that's what you want to spend, especially if you have a blackberry already. Until the new OS is out for the Playbook, it is a little bit crippled w/o a Blackberry.

If you have the money, there are certainly better overall tablets - at least ones with better apps, but the Playbook has some upsides.

On the spot with that comment. The Playbook is ridiculously limited right now. Say what you want about it still being in its infant stages, there's not much to the Playbook until Febuary (assuming there's not going to be another delay...)

If you're willing to take that risk for the 16GB (Keep in mind it won't actually be 16GB. Closer to 11-12) then it could pay off quite nicely as a 7" tab that has a great physical form and pretty good OS.

Until then, browsing is going to be the main reason you'll be using it. If not the only.

[onetwo_threefour]

While the playbook is limited, using it only for browsing is ridiculous. I use it for work calendar, email, some games, especially flash games my kids play on it, but also as a media server. I use orb and stream audio to my HDMI receiver from my PC. Although my receiver is network enabled, the Orb interface is much nicer than the receiver's network browsing.

I can download HD movies with up to 5.1 PCM sound (haven't figured out 7.1 sound yet) and play over HDMI as well, blu-ray quality, which saves having to screw around with my Samsung BD player's and other media server's crappy limitations.

I recognize the limits of the playbook as it is now, but if you're willing to learn, it's got some pretty amazing functionality right now, and the OS update can only help.

[Rathji]

I am really impressed with it playing media as well. One of my main uses of the device is to watch video on the bus.

I do wish there was a 'watched' marker for episodes etc.

[Violator]

The scrapbook app for playbook made by blackberry is pretty cool you can upload what you made for facebook.it uses the camera to take a picture and if you save it.It looks like its hanging on a clothes line its pretty neat.my laptop took a dump so now i need to figure out how to put movies on it.