Tablets vs Laptops

[heiso]

I didn't know where to put this thread since there wasn't a tablet only section.

I want to know your thoughts on a tablet, specifically the iPad.

■ Is it worth it? Is it a want or a need? Is it a waste of money?
■ Can it do anything a phone or laptop can't do?
■ What sort of work do people use it for?
■ Does it put all your "stuff" into one place and is it convenient? For example, to carry around magazines, games, calendars, etc?
■ Any other points would be appreciated. I want your own thoughts and personal opinions.

 

[blazorthon]

I find the iPads to be more costly than they're worth, but that's me. I have a Nexus 7 and thus far it's been everything that I could want from a tablet, but I've heard that some people had issues with it, especially with the latest update (I have the latest update and no problems, but that doesn't mean that everyone else was as lucky).

I don't think that tablets can do anything that a phone or laptop can't do. They're just a different form factor and I find the larger than any phone's screen more convenient than any phone for almsot everything and also more convenient than the larger 10" tablets because they're just too big to hold upright comfortably.

I use it mostly for some light games and web browsing, but also a few other light tasks. I have toyed with some stuff such as virtualization and such too, but I doubt many people are interested in that.

It pretty much centralizes everything AFAIK IE magazines and such all have their place, but I don
t use any magazines on it myself.

It doesn't replace my laptop for anything that involve a lot of typing. No electronic screen can replace a physical keyboard IMO.

 

[assasin32]

I prefer laptops, you able to get more done with it. And when your trying to type something or just plain researching something nothing beats a good old fashion keyboard.

Where as tablets are good for media consumption and looking up 1 or 2 random websites and nothing all that heavy from my experience. Any real work or amount of research done on a tablet tend to hurts my hand as these things just aren't designed with that in mind.

What I currently have is my primary desktop I use. And on the go I bring my chromebook which works great for taking notes, research, etc. And my android phone and I have everything sync up with each other with google drive, calender etc. So that I can typically move from them fluidly. And I use each one for the task that best suits it. I don't see a tablet helping me as my chromebook boots up quite quickly and fills the role of something larger to use in place of the phone to be quickly used and is as portable as a tablet with it being almost the same size.

So for me I prefer my laptops. If you primary want a tablet for angry birds and reading ebooks and things like that, I go with a tablet. But for me this combination works out well for me.

 

[jaguarskx]

For "work" related activities I've seen managers use iPads to view and response to emails, check their calender to schedule meetings and refer to some documents for meetings and maybe make some notations.

All of that can be done on an iPhone with the exception of reviewing documents just because the iPad has higher resolution than an iPhone and the screen is physically larger so it is both easier to review and present something with an iPad. With an iPhone you need to pass it around so that other people can see what you are referring to. Not very efficient and it is a rather foolish thing to do in a meeting.

For consumption purposes a tablet can be very convenient. However, to me it is a supplemental device rather than an essential device. A smartphone is essential because at the very minimum you need to make and receive phone calls as well as important e-mails (whether personal or business). A laptop is essential because that is what you are going to be using for work whether it is a spreadsheet, graphic design or programing.

I have a Nexus 7 which I generally use to study while commuting on the train. It is more convenient than carrying textbooks and it is also lighter. During a typical 5 day workweek the Nexus 7 allows me to squeeze in about 3 - 4 hours of studying because I would just be a bit too lazy to bother with carrying textbooks on the train.

A tablet is great for consumption if you do a lot of reading or watching videos. They can all be on one handy device. And as long as you have access to wireless data you can also use it send and receive e-mails. Even though the Nexus 7 is not a phone I believe there is an app that allows you to use it as a phone as long as you also have an Android phone. Holding a 7" tablet to your head to use it like a phone might seem silly, but if you need to make an emergency and your smartphone is dead, well... it's okay to look silly under those conditions. You would need wireless data to use this feature though whether you are in a hotspot that you can access or if you get a tablet with a data plan.

Do you need a tablet? No.

 

[ballerslife]

It's hard typing on the iPad, I have one myself and It's terrible typing with it, your fingers touch unwanted letters, especially since it's multitouch. Plus the iPad is very overpriced. I would recommend an Android tablet, since its cheaper. If you like the iOS, you can install it on your android tablet manually.

 

[blazorthon]

It's hard typing on the iPad, I have one myself and It's terrible typing with it, your fingers touch unwanted letters, especially since it's multitouch. Plus the iPad is very overpriced. I would recommend an Android tablet, since its cheaper. If you like the iOS, you can install it on your android tablet manually.

You can install iOS on Android devices? That's the first that I've heard of it. I'd think that iOS wouldn't be compatible with their hardware because it's unlikely that Apple is making drivers for hardware that they don't use and no Android tablet has the exact same hardware as any of the iPads. Are you sure that can be done?