Mnmnngngngngngn tablets

[HereComesPete]

So, tablets. I'm looking at a note 10.1 2014 edition and a tab 4, the only differences I can see is 1 has an s-pen and is a bit faster. Samsung's naming policy baffles the fuck out of me...

HALP!

[Shada]

the note has a Wacom digitizer in it that basically adds full graphics tablet functionality. the tab doesn't have that. that's about it, really.

I bought the original note 10.1 because I thought I'd use it for drawing. turns out it's a piece of shit to draw on in any serious capacity, the screen is quite slippery as a surface and it's difficult to rest your hand on it without it thinking you're touching it, causing drawing software to zoom in and out or pan around a lot and ruin stuff.

[HereComesPete]

Hmm, well I draw like a scopey so the extra cash monies doesn't seem worth it. Now to work out tab, or tabpro! because they also seem very similar and the pro is only a bit more money on pc world of all places.

[Shada]

if Samsung is confusing you - which they will, because they prefer to mass churn products out rather than actually think - I'd say consider a google nexus 9. It's their latest tablet release, so you know it'll be good, and it comes with shiny new Android 5 and no Samsung touchwiz bloat.

BUT I pretty much hate Samsung nowadays and swore to only buy pure android google products like some kind of fanboy idiot, so maybe I'm biased. Look at the Nexus 9 though, it does look pretty good.

[Shada]

also you can buy them direct from google, which is a plus.

I failed two interviews to work in phone/gadget shops, can you tell why?

[HereComesPete]

Noooo, don't confuse me!

It does look nice though, spec is spiffy. Damn you and your good shout.

[buzzmong]

Related to the topic of tablets if you need or want a stand, these are amazing and work on black magic!* One of the chaps has one in the office and it's really impressive. Pretty much anything smooth sticks to it.




*It's actually polyurethane with micro holes creating a suction horse, sometimes known as nano suction pads.

[Mr. Johnson]

Seeing as I was turning the laptop thread into the tablet thread I'll put this here. Me and Mrs.J decided that a decent tablet+bluetooth keyboard is the way to go but now we're presented with the questions: windows or android? And are there even any good windows tablets?

Please halp bitches!

[FatherJack]

I recommend an A4 pad of paper and a large magenta crayon.

[Dog Pants]

Personally, right now, I'd go with Android. Windows 8 mobile isn't the same OS as the desktop version, and it isn't as well supported as Apple's App Store or Google Play. I don't believe it's any less proprietary either - it still has a shop in which to buy most of your apps, there's just less in it. Come Windows 10 then I might have gone Microsoft's way if it acted like a mini PC, but as far as I know they haven't announced what's going on there.

Beware of crap hardware support with Android though. The OS gets updated quite often, but if the tablet's manufacturer doesn't release an update for your hardware then you could end up stuck on an old version, and a lot of popular apps won't work with old versions. I found this out to my detriment just before Christmas - 2 versions out of date and the manufacturer stated that they weren't releasing any more updates. I couldn't use half the apps I installed, including Spotify and 4OD. Fortunately I got it sent back within the 14-day cool-off and got my money back.

Incidentally, Apple will naturally support their hardware forever and a day because you can't buy third party. My iPad 2 remains better than the technically more powerful and much newer Android I had. However, obvious expense (and requirement to sell your soul) aside, the last iOS update I put on it took almost half the storage space - probably double the size of what it was before. Part of me thinks this is how Apple will make their old stuff obsolete and horse people to upgrade. Plus their store ties you into their expensive hardware forever if you don't want to lose all the apps you bought. Plus they're cunts who make you book an appointment to go into their shops for support from their cultist 'geniuses'.

I'm waiting to see what Win 10 does, but if I wasn't I'd probably go with a Samsung/Android.

[Dr. kitteny berk]

and horse people to upgrade.

that sounds rough.

[Dog Pants]

and horse people to upgrade.

that sounds rough.

No, that's when they hound people.

[Mr. Johnson]

Thanks for the advice pants, though now I'm once again doubting whether a laptop is still a better idea.

[Dog Pants]

Caveat my advice with the fact that I'm no expert, but that's based on my experience. I reckon an Android is probably fine unless you go for a no-name or Tesco Value. The one I got was end of line and designed for corporate use, so might be exceptional.

[deject]

Get a Surface 3! Full Windows, Surface Kickstand, pen input, great touchscreen display...

I have a Dell Venue 8 Pro, which is kinda similar but older and slower and I can even run Civ 5 on it without any real trouble. They are a tad bit expensive, but considering you're getting a complete computer and a year of Office 365 it's not a bad value.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/04/ ... er-better/

[Mr. Johnson]

The surface 3 might be a bit out of our price range but those dell tablets look pretty good. We'll let you all know what we decided in the end. Knowing Mrs. J that might take a while.