Which tablet

football girl

Surface or Ipad..? Thanks in advance

bumper234

football girl wrote: »

Surface or Ipad..? Thanks in advance

Not really one for details are you?

Do you need it for college or home use? Do you want to just surf the web and check emails or do you want to work on documents for work?

Different tablets will be better for different things.

football girl

Well I'm looking to use it in college for everyday use as I'm a third year. The fact that the surface has office is really handy but the iPad seems to be everyone's favourite at the moment. I'd be typing up notes on it and things like that. Can you save notes on the iPad for viewing without wifi? I have an iPhone and a windows laptop so I'm used to both technologies. I don't think the surface can connect to wifi in college though which would be a big negative. Is the surface like using a computer but smaller or what? Like I said, I have a windows laptop but it's a bit chunky to be bringing in and out everyday.
Sorry for lack of detail initially, was just looking for general opinion.

GreyEagle

I’m also in the market for a tablet. One that I can take with me on my travels by bike so it’s got to be small(ish). I have a Versus Touchpad 7 that keeps crashing app and is a most frustrating machine to operate so I think it’s time to break out the piggy bank and get something of quality.

Here is a list of what I need to begin with:
• Wifi is a must, 3G not so important.
• I’ll need to store some books and maybe a few films.
• Must have a good photo editing app and of course a micro SD card slot to import photos and video.
• Needs to be fast and reliable.
• Needs to have good battery life as there may be some long days without re-charging.

I was looking at the new LG G Pad today which seems to fit the bill. Listed in Harvey Norman at €339, already discounted to €319 in the Airside branch in Swords. Available online in Ireland at €310 from Expansys. Should be even cheaper after Christmas in the sales.

robot7080

I'd a an apple fanboy (mac, iphones etc.) and was considering getting the iPad. I had a chance to mess around on one for a while but it never really grew on me. It's a little to big to carry around IMO also but fine in the house and the fact is its very rigid in terms of what you can download and put on it.

Decided to get the new Nexus 7. The best spec'd tablet by a long way for the price - screen, processor, ram and HD (considering size) are all tops. The good thing about this is that you can get office on it also and it should run fine given the power. The other thing I like also is the fact that it's small - you can fit in in your pocket and it's also comfortable to hold in one hand. I think I paid €252 for the new 32GB version which is a long way from apple.

GreyEagle

I see Samsung Galaxy Note 8" now on Amazon for Stg £199.99:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00BUH6Q6E/ref=sr_1_2_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1387829789&sr=8-2&keywords=samsung+galaxy+note+8&condition=new

That's about €100 less than the best price I've been offered here in Ireland in the pre-Christmas period. Free delivery to the Parcel Motel near me as well. This seems like a seriously good price. D.I.D. Electrical say it "may" feature in their sale on 27th but that might just be a suck-in.

The other tablet on my short list is the LG G Pad 8.3", exclusive to Harvey Norman for 6mths from last October @ €319. That's also coming in around €300 delivered from the UK. Looks like a price war may break out in 2014.

Unlike the previous post, I had to rule out the Nexus 7 as it did not have a micro SD slot which is a requirement for me.

I'd appreciate any price updates on either machine, Samsung or LG, so I can take the plunge at the right moment.

janeparker

No doubt, Ipad is better than others.However, you can check other option beyond Apple & Microsoft i.e. Google Nexus.

Regards:
Jane

Xictus

GreyEagle wrote: »

I see Samsung Galaxy Note 8" now on Amazon for Stg £199.99:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00BUH6Q6E/ref=sr_1_2_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1387829789&sr=8-2&keywords=samsung+galaxy+note+8&condition=new

That's about €100 less than the best price I've been offered here in Ireland in the pre-Christmas period. Free delivery to the Parcel Motel near me as well. This seems like a seriously good price. D.I.D. Electrical say it "may" feature in their sale on 27th but that might just be a suck-in.

The other tablet on my short list is the LG G Pad 8.3", exclusive to Harvey Norman for 6mths from last October @ €319. That's also coming in around €300 delivered from the UK. Looks like a price war may break out in 2014.

Unlike the previous post, I had to rule out the Nexus 7 as it did not have a micro SD slot which is a requirement for me.

I'd appreciate any price updates on either machine, Samsung or LG, so I can take the plunge at the right moment.

Wow, that was a great deal, since a week after (today) i'm seeing it at £249.95 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CH0FE7K

vard

My choice would definitely be the Surface 2.

Firstly, multi-tasking is an absolute must for me; I don't particularly like the limited/closed workflow you tend to get with typical tablets. Multi-tasking and running windows and apps side by side on the surface enables me to be productive.

I need to type a lot and I don't like typing out lengthy documents/emails on a touchscreen. The inclusion of the Surface type keyboard sets the tablet apart from the rest, and as far as usability/ergonomics go I'd say it's in a league of its own. I'm aware you can get various 3rd party add-ons and peripherals for the competition, but they don't quite match up in my opinion - plus, as the Surface includes the kickstand, you can actually use the keyboard + tablet combo propped up as if it were a laptop, which doesn't seem to be possible with the others unless you get a 3rd add-on case.

Following on from the above, the 2 stage kick-stand is very well designed, and importantly, it hides a very useful micro-SD expansion slot. There is also a full size USB port, which can be used to connect various devices or as a secondary power source/charger.

Finally there is the included productivity software. Microsoft Office is obviously a big draw for anyone who's looking for something that will compliment/aid their workflow; there is also premium Skype (which includes free conference calling and landline calls) and free storage for Skydrive, which has been integrated into the OS very successfully (I can't remember the exact amount).

I believe the Surface is the best tablet you can buy at the moment. However, there are a few glaring drawbacks which may be of concern to people. It comes down to individual needs. Microsoft's tablet ecosystem is still very much in its infancy. The selection of apps at present is very limited compared to the competition. You'll find the basics, necessities and pretty much anything important, but don't expect to find the more obscure stuff. If you're looking for a tablet to play games - while there are great titles on offer - you'd probably be better off going for an iPad/Android alternative.

You could also look at getting a Surface Pro2 if your budget allows - although then you'd be looking at more of a 'hybrid' laptop replacement.