Why buy a tablet?

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Giggs

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#95803 13-Jan-2012 13:39

Hi All

I have been reading with interest the tablet threads on the forum and been thinking about getting one.

My issue is (and my apologies if this has been raised before but I did look and didn't see a recent thread) I am not sure what benefits a tablet has over other devices?

Currently I have a smartphone and a laptop which on the face of it seems to me to cover my needs so I would be interested to know what a tablet does (if anything) over and above those or perhaps alternatively when the laptop needs replacing, which isn't that far away, should I look at getting a tablet over a new laptop?

FYI I generally use my smartphone to check emails, play of the odd gaming app, a personal trainer, for music and as an rss reader. The laptop I use to browse the Net, email, hold my photo & some of my music collection, and do the odd word/excel/powerpoint document.

Any comments appreciated.

Cheers

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#568392 13-Jan-2012 13:43

If you can't think of a use case where a tablet will be handy for you then it's likely not a device for you.

heavenlywild

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#568398 13-Jan-2012 13:49

I was an early adopter and bought the first tablet from Samsung, the Tab, 7.0".

Loved it, then hardly touched it after the first few months. Like you, I have a smartphone, laptop and PC.

So tablets aren't for everyone. More I would say for those on the road.

dclegg

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#568400 13-Jan-2012 13:58

gehenna: If you can't think of a use case where a tablet will be handy for you then it's likely not a device for you.

Not sure I agree with that. My wife felt that way until we got a tablet for free (won an iPad thanks to last years Vonage promotion). Now I can't get her off the thing.

But to answer the OPs question... in our household we have a netbook, a laptop and iPhones & iPod Touches. Prior to getting the iPad, I'd often curl up on the couch and browse the Internet using my iPhone. If I needed more screen real estate I'd fallback to my laptop, but that meant I'd have to sit upright to use it comfortably. It also can get quite hot sitting on my lap. And because my laptop is kept in my office, its not readily at hand in the lounge.

Since getting the iPad, I rarely feel the need to fall back to my laptop when I feel too constrained by my iPhones small screen. And because the iPad lives in the lounge, I generally will grab that before I grab my phone (provided my wife isn't monopolizing it; which is usually the case ;-))

If you are partial to surfing the web from the comfort of your lounge, or are partial to a spot of casual gaming, you may find that a tablet is a good fit for you. Even though I've always lusted after an iPad, I didn't realize just how useful it would be, and now I can't imagine being without it. It is definitely my "go to" device if I want to browse content, or trawl through my Twitter feed.

kiwijunglist

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#568418 13-Jan-2012 14:44

I would say that if you you use your laptop a lot in bed/on the couch and want to recline more then get a tablet. Tablet is a lot more comfortable to use in situations where you want to relax and don't need to type. Especially things like reading the newspaper in bed, or watching a movie in bed (if you don't have tv in your bedroom).

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

scuwp

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#568421 13-Jan-2012 14:50

Since getting an iPad 2 the laptop at home hardly gets fired up at all. Son raided his piggy bank and also brought one, now he never uses the computer either. Our ipad goes just about everywhere with us now, emails, movies, games it does it all.

It was explained to me that a tablet is perfect for 'viewing' things, if you want to 'create' anything then a laptop/ultrabook is probably better. That description has worked out spot on I reckon.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

dclegg

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#568429 13-Jan-2012 14:53

scuwp:
It was explained to me that a tablet is perfect for 'viewing' things, if you want to 'create' anything then a laptop/ultrabook is probably better. That description has worked out spot on I reckon.

Yep, thats my take on the situation too. As a content consumption device, they're pretty hard to beat.

Jaxson

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#568431 13-Jan-2012 14:56

This will sound well obvious, but the big difference I see is that it's a larger touch screen. Kids especially find the touch screen very intuitive but you have to be very precise with a tiny cell phone screen. That's where tablets come into their own and it's a genuine niche of the market.

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nakedmolerat

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#568433 13-Jan-2012 14:59

i bought tablet to use it as my tv/sky remote, games and browsing while on the couch

Jaxson

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#568443 13-Jan-2012 15:04

nakedmolerat: i bought tablet to use it as my tv/sky remote, games and browsing while on the couch

Can it flip over for left handed people?

nakedmolerat

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#568446 13-Jan-2012 15:08

Jaxson:
nakedmolerat: i bought tablet to use it as my tv/sky remote, games and browsing while on the couch
Can it flip over for left handed people?

do you mean for reading etc? yes

LookingUp

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#568479 13-Jan-2012 15:43

nakedmolerat: i bought tablet to use it as my tv/sky remote, games and browsing while on the couch

Hmm - interesting - is there somewhere where I can find out more about the remote control functionality? The sort of things I need to know are:

1. How customisable is it? I've got significant number of devices to control, some of which have features that don't map very well onto traditional learning remotes.

2. Does it support macros? The sort of thing I've got my current remote doing is turn on amp + turn on TV + switch amp to satellite decoder input after a pause - all off the TV On button.

3. Does it work over the same distance as a typical remote?

Cheers & thanks.

Things are LookingUp.... A photo from my back yard :-)

timmmay

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#568482 13-Jan-2012 15:52

I use it to read articles and check email at work, in bed, and on the sofa. It plays movies for me when i'm away, and does email and web then too. I play games on it, I read stuff on the train.

It's a good toy.

gundar

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#568485 13-Jan-2012 15:53

If you have a modern TV or a mediacentre that is DLNA compliant (most new ones are) then Twonky client for iPad/iPhone is for you, it will negate the need for a remote in many, many ways.

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#568486 13-Jan-2012 15:58

LookingUp:
nakedmolerat: i bought tablet to use it as my tv/sky remote, games and browsing while on the couch

Hmm - interesting - is there somewhere where I can find out more about the remote control functionality? The sort of things I need to know are:

1. How customisable is it? I've got significant number of devices to control, some of which have features that don't map very well onto traditional learning remotes.

2. Does it support macros? The sort of thing I've got my current remote doing is turn on amp + turn on TV + switch amp to satellite decoder input after a pause - all off the TV On button.

3. Does it work over the same distance as a typical remote?

Cheers & thanks.

Most tablets don't have an IR port, so it can't replace any IR remotes. If a tablet doesn't have an IR port it can only control devices that support control via ethernet or wifi, unless you run an HTPC with an IR blaster connected to the IR devices.

If your tablet has an IR blaster then it could potential replace any remote and do marcros etc with the appropriate app. The newer galaxy tabs have IR ports.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

LookingUp

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#568490 13-Jan-2012 16:05

kiwijunglist:
LookingUp:
nakedmolerat: i bought tablet to use it as my tv/sky remote, games and browsing while on the couch

Hmm - interesting - is there somewhere where I can find out more about the remote control functionality? The sort of things I need to know are:

1. How customisable is it? I've got significant number of devices to control, some of which have features that don't map very well onto traditional learning remotes.

2. Does it support macros? The sort of thing I've got my current remote doing is turn on amp + turn on TV + switch amp to satellite decoder input after a pause - all off the TV On button.

3. Does it work over the same distance as a typical remote?

Cheers & thanks.

Most tablets don't have an IR port, so it can't replace any IR remotes. If a tablet doesn't have an IR port it can only control devices that support control via ethernet or wifi, unless you run an HTPC with an IR blaster connected to the IR devices.

If your tablet has an IR blaster then it could potential replace any remote and do marcros etc with the appropriate app. The newer galaxy tabs have IR ports.

Ahh - but the Sony one in the link in nakedmolerat's post does have an IR port, and specifically mentions the remote control functionality in the product spiel.

Things are LookingUp.... A photo from my back yard :-)

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