Anyone have much know how or experience with tablets?

[blue_bird]

Hey folks, I've been thinking of getting a tablet as an upgrade from using my smartphone.

The truth is I have zero knowledge about them and i don't wanna get taken for a ride. I saw this one advertised and it's in my price range.

What do you guys think?

Any advice will be welcome

:: Welcome to Nextbookusa.com ::

 

[The Penguin]

I got once recently but it an Android. I can't speak much of Windows Tablets.

 

[The Penguin]

Found a review. Person doesn't see happy with the modal your picking. He does say the Insignia version is better.

 

[The Penguin]

I found a video Insignia 8 tablet that is also $100 that might be a better tablet than the one you thinking of buying.

 

[superboyian]

Windows tablets from what i've experience from demos at PC World seemed somewhat responsive and from what I can see from the link you've posted, it's definitely not the most powerful tablet but somewhat reasonable for typical work stuff tbh, not so much on the gaming end. Android tablets are ok but they always have this issue where they would freeze in the middle of an app and as for an iPad, they're definitely worth getting but not so much if you have less income and not so much fun when it comes to customisation.

Best bet would be a windows tablet.

 

[The Penguin]

Android tablets are ok but they always have this issue where they would freeze in the middle of an app

Well it depends on the manufacture how stable their tablet is. As for app freezing in the middle, this issue can happen on any tablet. It up to the developer how well they develop their own app.

 

[wyverary]

I have an iPad 2 and over the years it's gotten reaaallllyyyyyy slooooowwwwww. Great as it is, I don't trust Apple when it comes to planned obsolescence. I've only ever toyed around with Android and Windows tablets, and to be honest I liked them both, but I don't have any real long-term hands-on experience with them.

I'm actually thinking about getting a Kindle Fire once my iPad kicks the bucket (which hopefully still won't be for quite a while). They started out kind of crappy but they seem to actually have gotten really good. Also, the newer Nook tablets that we sell are quite nice...but of course, if you're into eBooks, having either a Nook or a Kindle locks you into one or the other.

My favorite tablets so far, actually, at least the ones I've tried, have been the iPad Minis. Perfect for typing with the tiny little-girl hands that I have.

 

[Suzanne]

I cannot truly advice, since my knowledge is pretty limited.

I have a samsung galaxy tab4 and the only complaint I have is the camera, but still works lol

Personally I think you cannot go better than with Penguin's advice!

 

[SignOfLazarus]

If I were to buy a new tablet today I would likely buy a kindle fire tablet HD 6 or 7. The difference is about 40 dollars and 6" vs 7" screen, if you start at 8GB.
I currently own a kindle fire [not HD].
I love it. I love that I can store a bazillion things in the amazon cloud and save progress on games or books, take them off my device, reload them back on the device. The reason this is useful is that my current Kindle Fire is 8GB and there is no SD.

There are clear price differences between the tablet you are looking at and the Kindle Fires I suggest.

Amazon's customer service is amazing, though. Even that by itself is one reason I suggest the kindle fires. If something happens to your device they provide amazing customer service and will likely help you get it replaced for almost nothing or even nothing.

I've experienced this with two different kindle models- the kindle fire and the kindle keyboard. [but don't try to abuse it] Also, the kindle itself is in my opinion extremely durable.

I'm pretty clumsy and I've dropped even the SECOND ONE several times. Down the stairs, on the side walk, on the tile floor. Actually- I'm embarrassed but there are two large cracks in my screen and it has affected nothing at all about performance- touch response, visual on the screen, nothing.

It holds a charge for forever when not in use and it does hold a charge for pretty long even when in use, so I would trust that the newer models do actually live up to the battery lives.

If you use any streaming services- hulu, netflix, or amazon, you can get apps and stream all of those. The android market [google play] is not automatically set up to download onto the kindle fire, so that is one thing to note.

The reason being, I believe, that google and amazon are in such competition [someone can correct me if that is not the issue]. However, there are ways around that and now it is much easier to do that so getting android apps that are not offered by amazon is easier and possible, where as before that was a large criticism.

Obviously, I'm a fan.
It's not for everyone though. If you are looking for something like windows, this is not going to be the tablet for you. If you go to amazon.com and search for their kindle fire models you will find a lot of info on all of them.

 

[blue_bird]

Thanks so much everyone for your input.

Penguin, thanks for the links. I did read a review on the site that offered the tablet I showed and it had the the same complaint about the screen. Unfortunately I haven't seen any of the major retailers in my country offering the Insignia tablet, which does look better. I think I'll give that Nextbook tablet a pass, despite the price.

Can you guys tell me what is the major difference between the Android and the Windows systems?

Wyverary, unfortunately all the Apple products seem way out of my prince range.

Suzanne, there is one Samsung that's on sale and is at the moment looking like the best deal for me. Not sure how long it will be at the current price, so I may have to act quickly.

It's a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4, 7 inch, 8GB + 8GB card. My current smaartphone is a Windows smartphone and I have never used Samsung's before.

Signoflazarus, thanks for the advice. I'm not really into ebooks though so will that make a difference? And what OS does the Kindle use? I checked the price of the one you stated and it's closer to $200 where I am.

 

[The Penguin]

Can you guys tell me what is the major difference between the Android and the Windows systems?

Well Windows tablet you can run traditional Windows applications and mobile apps from the Windows App store. Note though because the tablet you want only haves 1GB of ram, you won't be able to run many traditional Windows applications compare to other tablets that haves more Ram. Despite the tablet don't have the greatest screen, you can hock it up to a monitor or TV that haves HDMI.

Android haves 1.3 million apps compare to Windows have 300,000. However, the app count is not important. What is important is what kind of apps you want to use for your tablet. If gaming is your focus and want to play many 3D games, I would go with Android as they have more mobile games compare to Windows. Note if you want to play 3D games, weather it Android or Windows, you would want a more powerful tablet.

Any tablet can handle web browsing with no issue. If possible, I would get a tablet have expandable storage. The one you want to buy supports this. You can hock up a bluetooth mouse and keyboard to use your tablet like a laptop.

It's a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4, 7 inch, 8GB + 8GB card. My current smaartphone is a Windows smartphone and I have never used Samsung's before.

If your happy how your Windows Smartphone works, or like Windows Mobile as a whole, you might want to stay with getting a Windows tablet. Samsung uses Android which is a different operating system.

 

[The Penguin]

And what OS does the Kindle use? I checked the price of the one you stated and it's closer to $200 where I am.

I know newer versions of Kindle using Android.

As for ebooks, even if your not into ebooks, Amazon haves an free app to read kindle books for Android, iOS, Windows(Desktop and Mobile), and MacOS.

 

[SignOfLazarus]

RE: Kindle Fire and ebooks.
ha.
When I first bought a Kindle Keyboard [the grey ones with e-ink, that aren't tablets] I mostly bought it for ebooks but you could actually also use it for internet.

The kindle fire truly is a tablet. Only, since it comes from the kindle line, it is geared with extra bells and whistles for those who are keen on reading, but if that's not especially your thing you don't miss out by buying the kindle fire or feel like you are wasting money on features that you don't use.

I don't read NEARLY as much on the kindle fire in the way of books as I did on the keyboard. Something that has come in handy since I bought it is that it reads .pdfs well and you can email any document or .pdf to yourself [via a free kindle email] and it will go to your documents on your kindle next time you sync.

[eta: This is pretty similar to some other tablets, which likely have a way to load things via email but it's one of the cloud uses that I find more convenient than having to email to myself, then open my email, than download it.]

This includes .doc and other formats also.
So I think a lot of people are turned off because it is a kindle- but it is really a tablet with all the kindle stuff available to it.
One idea might be to look for the applications available for the various tablets you are interested in.

 

[The Penguin]

So I think a lot of people are turned off because it is a kindle- but it is really a tablet with all the kindle stuff available to it.

That something Amazon needs to work out for their marketing. It like the iPod. The original only played music. Then they came up with the iPod touch that supports apps, video play back and other features. It did took time for people to learn iPod could do more than music when the touch came out. Since it been out long enough, many people know it can run apps.

Because Apple, Google and Microsoft does a better job marketing tablets, Amazon haves a lot of work to do to catch up to get people to understand, they sell tablets too.

 

[SignOfLazarus]

That something Amazon needs to work out for their marketing. It like the iPod. The original only played music. Then they came up with the iPod touch that supports apps, video play back and other features. It did took time for people to learn iPod could do more than music when the touch came out. Since it been out long enough, many people know it can run apps.

Because Apple, Google and Microsoft does a better job marketing tablets, Amazon haves a lot of work to do to catch up to get people to understand, they sell tablets too.

...and so now I own an iPod touch and a Kindle Fire.

 

[Detheco]

I would like to add, be aware that not all windows tablets can run desktop applications. Windows on tablets comes in two build flavors, one for ARM processors (like the one that's in your smartphone) and one for IA-32 processors (PC, the tablet you linked in the OP). These cater to two very different types of processors and applications made for one flavor will not work on the other unless there is a ported version of that application.

In a nutshell, if you want to run PC applications, make sure you get an intel (or amd) processor, if you just want a tablet to surf the web and are content with the same apps that a windows phone has, then you can opt to spend a little less on a Windows RT tablet

 

[The Penguin]

I would like to add, be aware that not all windows tablets can run desktop applications. Windows on tablets comes in two build flavors, one for ARM processors (like the one that's in your smartphone) and one for IA-32 processors (PC, the tablet you linked in the OP). These cater to two very different types of processors and applications made for one flavor will not work on the other unless there is a ported version of that application.

In a nutshell, if you want to run PC applications, make sure you get an intel (or amd) processor, if you just want a tablet to surf the web and are content with the same apps that a windows phone has, then you can opt to spend a little less on a Windows RT tablet

Good information to know. Didn't know that.

 

[blue_bird]

Well I went to check the Samsung tab 4 today and it was sold out. It was cheaper because it was wifi only and couldn't be used as a phone for calling or instant messaging and it had Android Jellybean, which I have learnt is an older OS.

Signoflazurus, the guy there actually told me the Kindle is just for ebooks, but can be used as a tablet. I have to say though the fact that it isn't regarded as a tablet and will thus not be used by most as one, I think it's made it more alluring to me. But at the moment it's just out of my price range.

I would like to add, be aware that not all windows tablets can run desktop applications. Windows on tablets comes in two build flavors, one for ARM processors (like the one that's in your smartphone) and one for IA-32 processors (PC, the tablet you linked in the OP). These cater to two very different types of processors and applications made for one flavor will not work on the other unless there is a ported version of that application.

In a nutshell, if you want to run PC applications, make sure you get an intel (or amd) processor, if you just want a tablet to surf the web and are content with the same apps that a windows phone has, then you can opt to spend a little less on a Windows RT tablet

Having only used Windows on PC and smartphone I think I'm at the stage of wanting to try something different. That being said though a mini PC like type of tablet wouldn't be too bad either. If I do get a tablet I think I would prefer it to be slightly more of an improvement on the smartphone, so I guess I'll have to take that into consideration. Thnaks a lot for the advice.

 

[The Penguin]

Having only used Windows on PC and smartphone I think I'm at the stage of wanting to try something different.

Android is comparable in price.

 

[The Penguin]

Well I went to check the Samsung tab 4 today and it was sold out. It was cheaper because it was wifi only and couldn't be used as a phone for calling or instant messaging and it had Android Jellybean, which I have learnt is an older OS.

Well you need to consider most tablets does not have 3G/4G/LTE, etc to connect with Cell Phone mobile networks. Any tablet can support instant messaging. You might need to download an app if it don't come with one. As for tablets having an older OS, it might be possible they have an update you can download. I bought an ACER tablet that came with Jelybean. After setting up the tablet, there was a update to get KitKit. It worth checking the manufacture website if they have new updates for the OS.