Electronic Tablet Recommendations

[Fresh]

Hi everyone..Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Do any of you guys have any electronic tablets that you would highly recommend? I'm thinking of buying one and wanted something fast and reliable. I feel overwhelmed with all the choices available. My budget is $400 and I would mainly use for email, surfing and an occasional movie/music. I'm not a gamer-type kid

Fresh

[justbroke]

I have both an iPad (3rd Generation Retina Display) and an Asus Eeee pad. Both are very good. I prefer the Apple iPad more mainly because I have a 27" iMac and an iPhone so it makes sharing all my data and information much easier (although I do not use the cloud). I don't think I need to say anything about Apple and the iPad/iPhone/iPod trio. The applications are plentiful and it is really simple for the average user.

The Asus Eeee pad is very good and runs Android 4.X. I would say that a novice could use it, but it is a little more flexible and "bleeding" edge if you like to tinker and run things a little different. I bought it because I'm trying to develop some applications for both iOS (iPhone/iPad/iPod "operating' system), and Android ("operating" system). Keyword is "trying"!

I have heard good things about the Samsung Galaxy as well. All of these pads will cost you $400 or slightly higher. All are reliable. If you want to have 4G/3G Cellular Broadband, you will need to add another $150 to the price of any of the models (I think only the Galaxy and iPad have a cellular option).

If you're more into reading books, you might want to consider the more dedicated book readers built on Android. I just bought a Kindle Fire HD (not for me!). I use the Kindle reader on my iPhone, iPad, iMac, Asus and my PC. The Kindle Fire HD has books, movies, surfing, and runs the Android operating system just like the Asus and Samsung Galaxy. It's 7" so it much lighter than the 10" pads.

It's a tough choice, but I think narrowing down maximum pricing may help.

[Logan]

I have the Samsung Tablet 10.1. I prefer Android over Ipad and it's cheaper for very similar products. The Samsung Tablet's have dropped in price and I know Costco has good deals so I'm sure other places have dropped the price.
I would take a hard look at the 7 inch tablet as well.
Logan

[Fresh]

Thank you both for the replies. I should have said that I was leaning toward Android. I feel like there are more options with it. Plus, a friend of mine told me how I could use 2 Google products to turn an Android into a phone as long as I have a WiFi connection and Bluetooth capabilities. Justbroke, thanks for the words about Asus. I have been reading a lot about their products and I think I would prefer them to Samsung, especially with the gamer-type processor for the Infinity series. With that said, Logan, that Samsung you have is a powerful tool. I have several friends with it, and it's also quite beautiful.

Fresh

[sbatman]

Samsung Galaxy tab 2 7.0. I bought mine. Then my computer guru son bought one. Hubby is next as he's jealous of me watching Hulu+ or Netflix in bed, while lying down. While he's sitting there with his huge, heavy, 9 battery laptop. I'm just waiting for a sale. I got mine through Costco, the student edition, with a keyboard. My son sneered at the keyboard, "You're never gonna need that!". He's snitched it, so I guess he changed his mind. I saw the tablet on sale for 179$ pre-xmas, but now I can only find it at $199 at Amazon or Newegg. I'm waiting for the price to come down (and my next paycheck) before I buy one for hubby. Battery's not the best, but for what I use it, it's fine. I still have my old amazon Kindle for reading books. There's no reason to waste so much battery power just to read. My Kindle battery lasts one month+.

[tobee43]

i'm sold on the ipad hands down! we are turning into an "apple" family...just love my iphone 5 as well. i got the keyboard thinking i would use it, but i just usually speak into both the ipad and the iphone...no more typing. and since i'm so bad it, it was great for me typing is certainly NOT me.

as jb points out they are a bit more money than the $400, but i think worth the wait and saving a bit more before buying one. however, each to their own!

we got the grandkids 4 and 5 kindles fire hd's for Christmas and i can't believe how good they are at using them. (it's not for me as well, but for the kids just fine), their parents were a bit upset with us as first, but i said that leap froggie thingy cost $30 a lesson for learning game, and is out of touch with them in no time, whereas with the kindle you can just keep updating with age appropriate educational games and lesson apps either for free or very little money, as they grow and learn. this 4 and 5 year olds really knew how to use them...not so much to my surprise, but to their parents LOL!

[HHM]

Depends what you want it for?

If you see yourself only using it for entertainment, basic apps, and email, then Kindle Fire

And for under $400, about any Tablet you get will only be good for those things anyway. Also, at sub $400, you are pretty much priced out of the Ipads except the most basic IPad mini, but for the price, the Kindle Fire is a better value.

If you plan on using it for more robust activities, work etc, you probably won't find much under $400, but any of the Android powered Asus machines can probably handle what you need.

My self, I am waiting for the Surface Win 8 Pro.

[Pjmax]

I've been an iPad fan since they first came out. I've had my iPad2 since last Xmas, and sold my iPad1 for about $350. I would have kept using my original except I received a new one as a gift. There are many people who need the latest and greatest, even though there is nothing wrong with a prior version. You can find perfectly fine iPads for sale under $400 if you don't mind having one a generation back.

I would suggest going into the stores and trying them out in person before you buy.

[katztoo]

I have the kindle fire hd 8.9 and wish I'd got a apple. Not too user friendly for surfing the web. Good for reading books and playing games.

[tobee43]

like hhm points out..it depends what you are going to primarily use the for.

the ipad we found perfect for emails, facetime, surfing the web, storage of documents and records...i guess if i downloaded the kindle app i can read books, also watch movies, but i don't really use it for that. they all have their own personalities, that's for certain. oh!and the ipad takes great pictures which you can download into your computer, or your email. it's endless really.

[ValleYum]

I like my Nook tablet (B&N's version of the Fire). I can read/reply to forums and Facebook just as if I was on my PC (only thing to get used to is the on screen keyboard and a limited C&P capability).

Hubby has the Asus Eeee pad and really enjoys it. He has the detachable keyboard dock for it as well. He travels for the railroad and uses a backpack for his 'suitcase' so weight and size as well as performance were his main considerations. He is also able to store and access all of his railroad and DOT manuals on the Asus Eeee pad so he is freed from 10+ pounds of books/manuals to carry.

We haven't been Apple'd yet. We are probably one of the few houses in the US that has never even owned at least an Ipod or Iphone. LOL Although my daddy at 78 is now a dedicated Apple convert. Who'd have thunk it?

[tobee43]

i was not a big apple fan either. our son uses them for his business and keep saying GET AN APPLE and i kept saying PAY FOR IT!! you order 50 at a time! his entire order dept uses them. also he downloads windows in his apples...i'm not cool enough for that stuff. we finally broke down and i got one for my dh when he was so ill thinking it would help exercise his brain, but it's mine now LOL!!! i won't switch back now. we have a few pc's still, but when they go they will be replaced with a larger version of an apple for the house.

[bcohen]

The only "tablet" I would ever buy is the kind with a cardboard backing, and sheets made of paper. These so-called tablet computers are the biggest waste of money. They cost more than a decent laptop, but lack the processing power to run real applications, or even to view many websites without lag. They have a sealed-inside non-replaceable battery, and require that software be purchased from an "app store" rather than loaded from a disk, or downloaded from websites for free. And if you want to do serious work on it, or type long emails/messages, you'll discover that the keyboard is an extra-cost option, costing as much as $100.00! My advice is to save your money. The tablet computer is a passing fad, which will surely go out of vogue as people see how useless these things really are!

[tobee43]

i have to disagree with you b...i can do very long emails on my ipad. i can download comparable apps at little or no costs unlike spending a small fortune on software. but each to their own i believe soon there will be no pc's.

[justbroke]

I disagree with you as well bcohen. I run everything from a credit card processing application (PayPal Here), to remotely monitoring cameras at home, to logging into servers that host a bunch of websites that I manage (and host). Not to mention I do not have this mysterious lag issue. I'm on an iPad 3rd Generation with 32GB. I do not use an external keyboard with it. The battery life is very very good (10+ hours).

I do my banking as well without any problems. Most of my apps are "free" including my credit card application(s). The cost for mine was $599 but was far less than what I call a "decent" laptop. (Laptops that I use for "serious" development work run around $1,500-$2,000 and generally have a quad-core i7 processor. I actually prefer tablets and desktops over "laptops" and desktops. I find the laptops too middle of the road -- they may as well just be... tablets! I am typing this from my 16GB Intel i7 quad-core iMac 27".)

I believe for most people who do simple things (only) like surf, browse, banking, light games, light e-mail, tweet and Facebook... a laptop and desktop are overkill.