Tablet or IPad

[tonicha]

We are thinking about either a tablet or ipad, once the computer goes to computer heaven, or even before then, so I can skype, down in Ourique.

We don't know enough about either of them and it's not use asking in the shop, they'll just flog us the most expensive

Any ideas?

[Rodo]

Well I like my tablet because it uses the Android system, like my phone.

[Workingman]

Well I like my tablet because it uses the Android system, like my phone.

Similar here, my tablet and phone both run on W8 Mobile and are configured by me to be similar in feel to W7.

Ton, the best advice I can give is for you to sit down and think about how you intend to use it in as much detail as you can and then get the views of as many users with different devices as you can on the aspects you identify. At their core the three major systems, IOS, Android and W8 Mobile, all perform adequately, but they all have strengths and weaknesses - though possibly not deal breakers for the average user.

[Gal]

Well I have an iphone so ideally I'd like an ipad to use in conjunction. However I was bought an android Fire for my birthday (considerably less cost than an ipad I believe) so that put paid to that, LOL. Apple products are so simple and straightforward to use, they 'read' each other so it's easy to transfer files from one to another, even for computer dimwits like me!

It's whatever floats your boat tbh Ton x

[Suff]

Hi Ton,

Just to be a total pedant here... (you never knew that did you ... ) an iPad is a tablet. It's just a tablet made by Apple.

Let's try and re-run some discussions between me and Mrs S.

Mrs S: I want an iPad as all the kids have one and they're just wonderful.
Me: Do you really know what that means and how you will use it?
Mrs S: Of course I do, just because you're in IT doesn't mean you know everything. You just don't like Apple.
Me: You won't be able to use your mail the way you do, won't be able to use Microsoft Works, won't have a keyboard unless you get a Bluetooth one, on screen typing sucks and takes up all the screen space. Many websites change when you use an Apple or Android system and you can't stop them you wind up having to install tons of apps.
Mrs S: You don't know what you are talking about, you just don't like Apple.

One year later. After the "setup tantrum", "touch interface trantrum", "mail tantrum", system being taken over half a dozen times, me having to "un freeze" it at least twice.....

Mrs S: I need to get a Windows machine, like a tablet with a keybord.
Me?: Why?

Well I can't use my mail properly, I don't have works, I don't have Office, I can't do my banking on it as it keeps on being attacked and I can't stop it. The screen is too small with the keyboard on it every time I type, the websites don't work properly on it and I keep on having to use the PC to do what I do.

Me: Gritting my teeth with a pasted fixed expression. So what do you really want....

In the end we "negotiated" a Toshiba Click Mini. I would not have bought it but Mrs S wouldn't pay for a Surface. Even though I'd have willingly shelled out for the Pro £1,300 to get her something totally bullet proof that would do everything she needed.

This is the reality of "portable" computing devices. They sacrifice function for portability. Note that Apple has never tried to put iOS on it's Mac and has never tried to put the Mac OS on the iPad or iPhone. Microsoft, in this way, has been much more brave.

What it comes down to is that I knew exactly what Mrs S did with her computer so I knew that she simply would not be able to do what she wanted on an iPad. Even besides trashing the security every few months, there are websites which would not work for her on Safari (notably the French sites for online bill paying).

You have to look at what you do. Not just skype because nobody just does skype. Just look at things like. I use Ryanair from time to time. The website really sucks on a mobile so I use the app for online checkin and I can use my mobile for the online boarding pass.

However and this is the critical bit, the Ryanair app doesn't allow you to pay by paypal. My debit cards are on UK banks with French addresses. They won't work. So I "have" to go to the browser and I "have" to have a browser which works correctly with Ryanair in order to purchase my tickets.

This was the driving reason behind me buying my latest tablet. It's a dual boot Android and Windows tablet, 11.6 inches and with a keyboard. It's really a compromise and all compromises leave a bad taste in the mouth. But I need it and it allows me to have one personal device when I travel.

The best advice I can give is really "think" about what you do on a computer and then see if the iPad or any other non Windows tablet can give you.

The one solid bit of advice I will give you is that if you are thinking about a Windows portable device, don't get one with less than 8GB of RAM (memory not storage).

My eldest daughter bought a Lenovo Yoga which switches between Tablet and Laptop mode seamlessly. It's not cheap, more expensive than an iPad, but it is what she needs for what she does. Interestingly she also has Mrs S' old iPad2 because it's better for some stuff...

Hope I haven't confused you. I really just want you to think about it because nobody can tell you what is right without knowing exactly how you intend to use it.

[tonicha]

Thanks Suff - it was a moment when I was thinking, this blasted wifi is pants, I need to speak to my daughter and I can't.

So we thought of getting something that we can use - but then again, seeing the price of them - is it worth it?

We'll probably not speak to any-one - they can come and visit instead

[Suff]

Just as a thought, is it actually the wifi or the signal coming in the house? Can you check? Because if the connection to the house is too poor, no amount of machine changing will make it better when using skype.

If it's just Wifi, things can be done about that without buying a whole new machine.

[tonicha]

We're between 2 masts Suff - on a good day, it's brilliant, but it's mostly rubbish. Further up the road it's better, as they're nearer one of the masts.

Think it's something we just have to put up with, sadly. Fibre optic is in the village, just not connected to anything and as we don't have a landline anyway...........

[Suff]

Hmmmm, you can't fix that with a new machine.

You need something like this (3g) or this (4g).

As you can see they are pretty damned expensive but they do give you more than just a better signal for the computer, they give you a really good signal for every mobile device you have.

Pricey though which is why I don't have one. Our signal is not too good either but it's always been so expensive that I've never bothered.

[tonicha]

Think I'll just have to grin and bear it