Which Tablet should I get?

soapybonbon

Hello,
Thanks for your help in advance!

I want a tablet for surfing the internet and typing notes! I'd love an ipad but its out of my price range I think, but i wouldn't mind a first generation ipad! I have 200-300e to spend. I just want it to be reliable, I feel like, if you can't afford an ipad, everything else is a cheap japanese model no ones heard of, can anyone shed some light or recommend a brand or model?

Thanks so much!

Eoin

First off, I think the first thing to look out for should be a capacitive and not a resistive screen. Resistive screens are crap.

I'm not mad on using my tablet for taking notes, but you can get keyboard/case combos which are quite good - though then it's taking as much space as a netbook. Or there's the Asus transformer which can clip into a keyboard so it looks like a netbook - but it's double your budget. They're very cool though.

The Android forum will have loads of suggestions. The Archos 101 gets good reviews, but in my opinion, I thought it felt cheap. I think it's one of the older ones out there too.

If you don't mind a smaller screen (e.g. 7 - 8 inches), then that might give you other options.

Have a look at the tablets listed on this page and then check to see what they're going for on eBay.

Ballyman

Get yourself a Motorola xoom. It's higher specd than an ipad and most other androids and can be got for about €320. It got bad reviews when it came out first and as a result the price dropped like a stone but since the software upgrade to 3.2 its an absolute beast of a machine and for the price is far and away the best available.

Eoin

We have one at work, and it's... OK. Don't think the firmware has been updated; might try and give that a go. But a few of us have tried it out, but it just doesn't feel nice to use. The annoying thing is that they're all really minor niggles, but they just seem to add up.

If that's the price they're going for now though, it's definitely value for money on paper.

soapybonbon

Eoin wrote: »

First off, I think the first thing to look out for should be a capacitive and not a resistive screen. Resistive screens are crap.

I'm not mad on using my tablet for taking notes, but you can get keyboard/case combos which are quite good - though then it's taking as much space as a netbook. Or there's the Asus transformer which can clip into a keyboard so it looks like a netbook - but it's double your budget. They're very cool though.

The Android forum will have loads of suggestions. The Archos 101 gets good reviews, but in my opinion, I thought it felt cheap. I think it's one of the older ones out there too.

If you don't mind a smaller screen (e.g. 7 - 8 inches), then that might give you other options.

Have a look at the tablets listed on this page and then check to see what they're going for on eBay.

Thank you very much this is very helpful!:) Particularly advice on what to look out for!

soapybonbon

Ballyman wrote: »

Get yourself a Motorola xoom. It's higher specd than an ipad and most other androids and can be got for about €320. It got bad reviews when it came out first and as a result the price dropped like a stone but since the software upgrade to 3.2 its an absolute beast of a machine and for the price is far and away the best available.

I have a look into this and see if I know anyone who owns it! Thanks

zxcvbnm12

Ballyman wrote: »

Get yourself a Motorola xoom. It's higher specd than an ipad and most other androids and can be got for about €320. It got bad reviews when it came out first and as a result the price dropped like a stone but since the software upgrade to 3.2 its an absolute beast of a machine and for the price is far and away the best available.

ive heard about this tablet alright.are there any shops in limerick where u cud get it for in and around the price u mentioned

Bellu

Well, if you only want a tablet for surfing the internet and typing notes, and since you could afford the iPad 1, then you could go for it.
Or maybe I will turn to the Kindle Fire.
For the iPad review: http://reviews.cnet.com/ipad-16gb-review#reviewPage1
Kindle Fire: http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/amazon-kindle-fire/4505-3126_7-35022491.html

Redderneck

Eoin wrote: »

We have one at work, and it's... OK. Don't think the firmware has been updated; might try and give that a go. But a few of us have tried it out, but it just doesn't feel nice to use. The annoying thing is that they're all really minor niggles, but they just seem to add up.

If that's the price they're going for now though, it's definitely value for money on paper.

Am hearing this from many sources. Quick question - various convenient sources of 32Gb Wifi only Xooms that I'm finding, at decent prices, are listing units running Android 3.0. How straightforward is upgrade process to 3.2; and will it be/is it upgradable further to 4.0?

Eoin

I'm afraid I don't know.

I imagine that it's running a customised version of Android specifically for the Xoom, so Motorola should have their own specific patch available.

Redderneck

Thanks anyway Eoin - I'll keep digging. Decent bit of hardware - if the upgrade to ICS is doable (legit) from 3.0, I'll be biting someone's arm off.

Eoin

It does have good hardware specs - the two minor things that annoyed me the most was that the weight distribution didn't seem great when you're holding it in one hand. It's only marginally heavier than then iPad, so I don't think it's the overall weight.

The lack of a physical home key on the front is very annoying. When the screen times out, you have to find the button on the back that enables it again. Sounds very minor, but it gets old very quickly.

If at all possible, I'd try one out for a while if you can. A few people at work who were keen on the idea of the Xoom were turned off by a load of minor usability issues like that which added up.

Ballyman

Redderneck wrote: »

How straightforward is upgrade process to 3.2; and will it be/is it upgradable further to 4.0?

Simple. Press the Update Software button when you turn it on and it takes about 10 minutes for the Xoom to download the software and install it.

In relation to the power button and its location, if you are used to an iPad then you might find it an annoyance until you get used to it but if you never had an iPad then it's in the perfect place as when you hold the Xoom in your left hand the power on button is exactly where your index finger is so you just press it. I find it simple and ergonomic to use but I never had an iPad.

Like mentioned, you should go into a shop and play around with it and get a feel for it. Take no notice if the software is laggy etc. on the shop models as they are probably running 3.0 and are half knackered from people using it. The software upgrade removed ALL the lagginess.

For the price, there is nothing within an asses roar of the specs on the Xoom. When I bought mine Motorola were doing a deal and gave you a free bluetooth keyboard and mouse with it so thats' another €80-€100 worth of accessories.

If you get one you'll wonder how you ever survived without it!!

Redderneck

Cheers lads. I've used a friend's iPad, but not so often as to have been conditioned to it's ergonomics/UI. Network Police will not allow me hang whatever I get off work system, so I'm not going to spend the shekels needed on a 32Gb+ iPad; this is an indulgence and the Xoom pricing is more realistic for that sort of effort.

Appreciate the guidance.

ninjasurfer1

For those of you interested, the Xoom is back on sale on the carphone warehouse website for €349.90

http://www.carphonewarehouse.ie/Product/strong-Motorola-strong-Xoom-WiFi-Tablet/238307/328.0

Just bought one myself.

zxcvbnm12

that sounds a very good price.do ye reckon the xoom is on a par with the i pad or is the i pad better?

Eoin

That's a can of worms right there!

Hardware wise, I bet the Xoom is far better. In fact, probably any half decent Android tablet with a capacitive screen probably has at least equal specs to the iPad. But for me, usability is paramount when it comes to a tablet device, and that's why I bought an iPad - I just much prefer iOS. I've tried to like Android as I'm not an Apple fanatic, but it just wasn't for me. (Cue the Apple haters slating me).

Ballyman

It's horses for courses really.

I used to have an iPhone but got rid of it as I found it was sometimes impossible to do the simplest thing on it due to apples restrictions, I mean I paid enough for it so should I not be able to do what I wish with it?? So I got rid of it and bought a HTC and that's me finished with iOS forever!!

The compatibility Android has with Google is just brilliant (and we might as well face it, Google is getting bigger and more important every day) and it means I never have to use iTunes again which is an added bonus!!

As mentioned above most of the similarly priced Android tabs have specs in excess of what the iPad has so you needn't worry about that and in the case of the Xoom there is a big difference especially when compared to storage and available ports. The Xoom came to the market too early and for that they have suffered with poor initial reviews and have had to lower prices hugely to gain back the damage created by coming to market before Android 3.0 was ready. However their marketing department must be on holidays since launch as most people I speak to have no idea what a Xoom is whereas 100% of people know what an iPad is.

As much as I prefer Android for 99% of stuff I will admit that the responsiveness of the touchscreen is better on the iPad. The colours also look better on the screen but they are oversaturated and the colours on the Xoom are more realistic but most people prefer the highly saturated colours.

You won't be disappointed whatever you choose to be honest.

patq16

Just wondering is the Xoom in The irish Carphonewarehouse site the original model .They are selling the Xoom2 in the uk site for £379 .. http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/mobile-phones/MOTOROLA-XOOM-2

Is it worth buying the new model???

Just came across this site http://www.mobile88.com/news/read.asp?file=/2011/12/22/20111222104008&phone=comparison-motorola-xoom-vs-motorola-xoom-2

ninjasurfer1

patq16 wrote: »

Just wondering is the Xoom in The irish Carphonewarehouse site the original model .They are selling the Xoom2 in the uk site for £379 .. http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/mobile-phones/MOTOROLA-XOOM-2

Is it worth buying the new model???

Just came across this site http://www.mobile88.com/news/read.asp?file=/2011/12/22/20111222104008&phone=comparison-motorola-xoom-vs-motorola-xoom-2

The lack of expansion options put me off going for the xoom 2.
I'd prefer having the original 32GB with a 32GB card (64GB total) rather than having to delete and copy stuff across every week or having to tether the xoom 2 to my phone to access cloud storage.
(either that or i wanted a new toy now!!)

patq16

ninjasurfer1 wrote: »

The lack of expansion options put me off going for the xoom 2.
I'd prefer having the original 32GB with a 32GB card (64GB total) rather than having to delete and copy stuff across every week or having to tether the xoom 2 to my phone to access cloud storage.
(either that or i wanted a new toy now!!)

Thats what i was thinking aswell, but the scratch and splash proof screen would be handy. Thoses stick on screen protectors are a nightmare to put on with dust and air bubbles. (That was on phones and ds screens not to mind a 10" screen)
Still not decided what to do yet.