Any good tablet deals?

ponder

ponder

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Not for me but in the 7-10" size range, something decent with a good display & enough storage. I know zip about tablets.

Ta
 
Get someone in the US to get you a HP Stream 7

Or use a middleman like MyUS.com ;)

Can run Windows 10 no problem and with the extra 16 gig you can actually install applications not just use it to browse the internet :)
 
ponder said:
I know zip about tablets.
Click to expand...
Skipping the specifics...crash course in tablets (android only):

1) Decide on whether you need 3G or not...thats the key decision & drives price to a large extent.
2) Screen...you want a nice 1080p screen. Anything less is unacceptable. Personally (cue religious pixel war) anything more is a bit of a waste @ value unless its a 10".
3) For androids you really want something "mainstream" because that gets you long term support & OS upgrades (my 2013 edition nexus has newer OS than chinese stuff you buy today)
4) Pay special attention the review parts that mention the smoothness of UI interactions...the combination of touch interface + laggy interface is not fun

Decision 1 as I said is key. If you're lying in bed w/ wifi coverage then wifi only is a bargain...if you regularly move with it then you need a cell w/ wifi hotspot...gets old fast. 3G implies maybe getting another contract / whatever...so not a perfect solution either. So thats a very practical thing that you absolutely have to get right.

You mention storage...to me this is a non-issue. The only real use I see is watching movie...and I've got a flatscreen TV for that. So I personally don't understand this, but to each his/her own.
 
ponder said:
It's not for me, older person so not sure whether ms or android would be better for them.
Click to expand...
Well my (old) parents didn't respond well to the Nokia > Windows tile transition at all...so personally I'd go for a customised android config
 
Have a Huawei mediapad 8 I bought for my mom but my sis got her one before I could give it to her. PM me if you are interested.
 
HavocXphere said:
Well my (old) parents didn't respond well to the Nokia > Windows tile transition at all...so personally I'd go for a customised android config
Click to expand...


They really redid everything with Windows 10, it's like a netbook but without a keyboard.

If it's for someone older I suggest the iPad mini might be easier to use.
 
HavocXphere said:
Skipping the specifics...crash course in tablets (android only):

1) Decide on whether you need 3G or not...thats the key decision & drives price to a large extent.
2) Screen...you want a nice 1080p screen. Anything less is unacceptable. Personally (cue religious pixel war) anything more is a bit of a waste @ value unless its a 10".
3) For androids you really want something "mainstream" because that gets you long term support & OS upgrades (my 2013 edition nexus has newer OS than chinese stuff you buy today)
4) Pay special attention the review parts that mention the smoothness of UI interactions...the combination of touch interface + laggy interface is not fun

Decision 1 as I said is key. If you're lying in bed w/ wifi coverage then wifi only is a bargain...if you regularly move with it then you need a cell w/ wifi hotspot...gets old fast. 3G implies maybe getting another contract / whatever...so not a perfect solution either. So thats a very practical thing that you absolutely have to get right.

You mention storage...to me this is a non-issue. The only real use I see is watching movie...and I've got a flatscreen TV for that. So I personally don't understand this, but to each his/her own.
Click to expand...

You're wrong about almost everything.

1. 3G is essential for any normal use - Maps requires an internet connection, so unless you're going to carry around a MiFi or drain your phone battery with a hotspot, best you get 3G. And a R199 a year prepaid SIM is good enough for this application - it's just for email notifications and maps. LTE, on the other hand, is a complete waste of money.

2. A good screen is essential, but it's not all about the numbers. I hated the screen on the 8" Makro Windows tablets so much that I returned the piece of ****, but the 720p screen on my Huawei is good enough for all uses.

3. I have a 2013 Nexus, with the latest Android, and I don't see anything useful added compared to my 4.something Huawei. And having had trouble with my Nexus, I can safely say that the after sales service is abysmal.

4. You want a fast chip, but it's a nice-to-have feature, not an essential. The only time I notice lag is load times in Plants vs Zombies.

Storage is a non-issue, but an SD card slot isn't. You absolutely must have an SD card slot. The Nexus doesn't, and now I've got to carry a OTG SD reader wherever I go. Don't even think about copying anything more than a few megs (eg: photos you took and want to email) onto a tablet over WiFi or USB - use SD cards or OTG flash drive.
 
Drunkard #1 said:
You're wrong about almost everything.

1. 3G is essential for any normal use - Maps requires an internet connection, so unless you're going to carry around a MiFi or drain your phone battery with a hotspot, best you get 3G. And a R199 a year prepaid SIM is good enough for this application - it's just for email notifications and maps. LTE, on the other hand, is a complete waste of money.

2. A good screen is essential, but it's not all about the numbers. I hated the screen on the 8" Makro Windows tablets so much that I returned the piece of ****, but the 720p screen on my Huawei is good enough for all uses.

3. I have a 2013 Nexus, with the latest Android, and I don't see anything useful added compared to my 4.something Huawei. And having had trouble with my Nexus, I can safely say that the after sales service is abysmal.

4. You want a fast chip, but it's a nice-to-have feature, not an essential. The only time I notice lag is load times in Plants vs Zombies.

Storage is a non-issue, but an SD card slot isn't. You absolutely must have an SD card slot. The Nexus doesn't, and now I've got to carry a OTG SD reader wherever I go. Don't even think about copying anything more than a few megs (eg: photos you took and want to email) onto a tablet over WiFi or USB - use SD cards or OTG flash drive.
Click to expand...


1. Offline maps.
2. Screen resolution is important it depends on how big the screen is. 720p on an 8" is fine for me.
3. The Nexus isn't officially sold in SA so I'm not sure what after sales support you need.
File transfers over WiFi is generally faster than usb 2.0
 
Lenovo or Galaxy Tab 4 if it's for someone not technically inclined. My mum hasn't used a touchscreen device before but she found the Galaxy Tab 4 easy to use, good build quality bright and colorful sharp screen and knowing of Samsung repair centers means it takes the headache of me from having to carry out any repairs on the device should it break. My advice is best to go to a few stores and try out a few tablets.

Hisense were running a special on the Sero 8 Pro with retina display for R1800 at HiFi Corp last week. Maybe check that out too.
 
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