Tablet Advice

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Sarcasm

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Hi Guys,
I'm going to university this year and really want to get myself a tablet, I figure it would be nice for some ebook reading, web browsing and maybe some games. I already have a 15" full hd laptop and a galaxy s2 so was wondering what you guys would recommend in the nexus 7 price range. The way I see it I could either get the Nexus 7 or I could buy a second hand or Asian 10.1 inch. Thing is the Nexus 7 and all the 10" tabs in that price range share the same resolution so my question is should I just get the nexus, should I get something like a second hand Sammy 10" or an old transformer or import something like one of these

http://www.pandawill.com/icoo-icou1...1-ips-screen-2g-ram-4k-video-gold-p70663.html

http://www.pandawill.com/teclast-a1...2gb-ram-16gb-hdmi-4k-video-silver-p70899.html

http://www.pandawill.com/ainol-novo...-screen-101-inch-16gb-dual-camera-p70835.html

http://www.pandawill.com/nextway-f9...-ips-screen-2g-ram-4k-video-black-p70987.html

Thing is they all have the same res as the Nexus 7 except that last Asian one including the second hand sammy and Asus options.

Any input would be appreciated, thanks guys.
 
Don't go cheap.

For hardcore ebook reading I'd really get a Kindle. Tablets works OK too, but its just not the same. Kindle will def not work for anything other than reading though.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Depending what you are studying might be worth checking...

http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/
Click to expand...

iTunes U is awesome. You don't require an Apple device to get the content, you can download the content via iTunes on your Laptop; Having an Apple device just makes the downloads easier.

I would suggest either the Nexus or iPad mini; They will do fine for your requirements.
 
Best choice in the Nexus 7 price range: Nexus 7.
Best choice in the slightly higher price range: iPad Mini.
 
VG008 said:
iTunes U is awesome. You don't require an Apple device to get the content, you can download the content via iTunes on your Laptop; Having an Apple device just makes the downloads easier.

I would suggest either the Nexus or iPad mini; They will do fine for your requirements.
Click to expand...

Very interesting, didn't know that.
 
I definitely recommend any 7" tablet, perfect size imho :)
 
Get yourself an iPad bro, the amount of high quality content from newspapers, magazines, catalogues, games, apps etc... Optimized for iPad trumps what you get with Android tablets.

I'm also a a university student, doing my honors degree this year, back in 2011 I got a Samsung Galaxy Tab10.1, I loved having Android in a huge display especially for web browsing, but over time I just got bored and really couldn't find any decent apps optimized to use my tabs screen, up to now there is no Facrbook or Twitter app optimized, there are alternatives but they just aren't as good as having an official app, and when it comes to magazines and newspapers both locally and globally Android is left in the dust, the few that do have apps for it have done a half assed job of them even with apps, just look at the Bloomberg app for iPad and compare it to Bloomberg for Tablet in Android, the Android version is just so basic and nasty looking.

I got an iPad4 this Xmas and immediately my Newsstand began filling up with my favorite magazines, namely Forbes, Men's Health, CAR and STUFF, all of them are done in incredible quality, optimized for the Retina Display with crisp images and text, if that wasn't enough I discovered that the The Star, Saturday Star, and Mail&Guardian had dedicated apps that go straight to Newsstand, again with crisp images and text, I never read the newspaper, but thanks to them now being available digitally I have started to, I can never go back to paper back, never again.

Sorry for the long post but when it comes to tablets I think it's important to know what you're getting yourself into, as if you get the wrong one then you will regret it and realize you've wasted money on something you may not even use. I think Android tablets must be given time to mature, they have a lot of functionality, but when it comes to content, UI and support (Apps and Games) they are being beaten to death by iPad. The only alternative to iPad I would recommend maybe the Kindle Fire, it is Android but its not like your typical Android tablet as it has Amazon backing it with tons of content.
 
Tsepz_011 said:
Get yourself an iPad bro, the amount of high quality content from newspapers, magazines, catalogues, games, apps etc... Optimized for iPad trumps what you get with Android tablets.
Click to expand...

Games...maybe. But magazines, newspapers and catalogues? Have you heard of Zinio? Runs on my iPad, my Android and my Windows laptop.


For what it's worth - get the iPad if you are not a power user and just want to screw around on the web, play some games etc. Forget about flash drives and sharing stuff.

Get the 7" if you find the size to not be a problem. I'll actually consider the a smaller tablet once this iPad goes.

Get the Nexus 10" (if available, anyone?). It is probably the best tablet out there.


EDIT: Make no mistake, if you get an iPad you won't be disappointed. Some stuff might irritate you a bit but overall you'll be happy with it.

...and forget the Win8 tablets for now. Give it another year.
 
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Seeing as you already have an S2, I would go for the nexus 7. That way all your apps will be available on your profile and you won't have to buy them twice.

If you are using it as an ebook reader, I suggest using kindle or kobo as you can use your book purchases on any device.

Kobo also allows you to import your existing epubs into the app.
 
HavocXphere said:
Don't go cheap.

For hardcore ebook reading I'd really get a Kindle. Tablets works OK too, but its just not the same. Kindle will def not work for anything other than reading though.
Click to expand...

I bought a Kobo and it's awesome (and cheaper than a Kindle)
 
Hamster said:
Games...maybe. But magazines, newspapers and catalogues? Have you heard of Zinio? Runs on my iPad, my Android and my Windows laptop.


For what it's worth - get the iPad if you are not a power user and just want to screw around on the web, play some games etc. Forget about flash drives and sharing stuff.

Get the 7" if you find the size to not be a problem. I'll actually consider the a smaller tablet once this iPad goes.

Get the Nexus 10" (if available, anyone?). It is probably the best tablet out there.


EDIT: Make no mistake, if you get an iPad you won't be disappointed. Some stuff might irritate you a bit but overall you'll be happy with it.

...and forget the Win8 tablets for now. Give it another year.
Click to expand...

Esquire. R4799 ex VAT.
 
phaktza said:
I bought a Kobo and it's awesome (and cheaper than a Kindle)
Click to expand...

Have you used a Kindle? From what I've seen, heard from a friend who bought one and many, many reviews and comments on the internet the Kobo doesn't compare to the Kindle. Not even close.
 
avokodo said:
I definitely recommend any 7" tablet, perfect size imho :)
Click to expand...

I agree.

I am an Apple fan but my wife and 10yr old daughter are both on Android and I am ever so slightly jealous (but so are they!).
The Nexus 7 is an amazing little thing.
 
dagwood4455 said:
I agree.

I am an Apple fan but my wife and 10yr old daughter are both on Android and I am ever so slightly jealous (but so are they!).
The Nexus 7 is an amazing little thing.
Click to expand...
I've got the nexus 7 and the iPad mini and they're like chalk and cheese. The nexus is cheap - in every respect - whereas the build quality of the mini is amazing, but you're paying for it.
 
Another factor in your decision is whether your lecture notes are going to be distributed to you in pdf format, and if so would you want to have them all accessible on your tablet.
 
undesign said:
Have you used a Kindle? From what I've seen, heard from a friend who bought one and many, many reviews and comments on the internet the Kobo doesn't compare to the Kindle. Not even close.
Click to expand...

Touch screen, open ePubs, you actually own a copy of the book that can't be revoked by Amazon, WiFi and SD card expansion - all for half the price of the Kindle. Kind of a no brainer, right?

EDIT: first South African review

As for the reading experience, I found the Kindle and the Kobo much the same. Although I slightly prefer the Kindle, it was not enough to fork out an extra R1 000 for it.
Click to expand...
 
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phaktza said:
Touch screen, open ePubs, you actually own a copy of the book that can't be revoked by Amazon, WiFi and SD card expansion - all for half the price of the Kindle. Kind of a no brainer, right?

EDIT: first South African review
Click to expand...

Kindle touch screen $119. Not that a touch screen is needed at all for a proper e-reader experience - $69 Kindle. (probably a R1,000 to land in SA) Copy to Calibre, book yours forever. Wifi - ditto. SD - wtf do you want to do with that?

Whoever wrote that article is an idiot. Comparing to a R2,499 Kindle? Cheapest Kindle R1,499? Nonsense, I've landed Kindles here for just over R1,000. Kobo taking 50% of SA market? He must be smoking something.

The new Kobo Touch definitely seems an improvement on previous models though.
 
I would say it is a horses-for-courses situation... Or in this case "student for courses."

The need would be for a versatile unit that can help fill the gaps for student needs.

Both Android and iPad will be able to fill the basic reading, browsing & researching needs with the appropriate ebook reading apps.

However I think that a Tablet device that can also be used for note-taking will be much more beneficial.. Like the Samsung Note 10.1 coupled with the Lecture Notes App.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.acadoid.lecturenotes&hl=en

The ebook reader debate sort of fades here due to versatility, but I can add that both Kindle and Kobo are excellent readers... I have both.

Kobo is more versatile as it reads PDF, MOBI & ePubs.
Just couple it with Calibre.

Quality differences are not noticible.
 
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