UKC

Hi

I know some of you have android tablets and I'm considering joining you. I already have a macbook pro which I use for uni and general web browising, word processing etc.

I am considering getting a tablet for using on the train to uni (45 mins) for books, music, movies etc. as well as veiwing PDF's, powerpoints etc. for uni to work alongside the laptop.

The problem is, I dont know which one to get. I've looked around and theres loads of options so can anyone recommend which one to get.

What I'm looking for is:
7" for portability, weight etc.
Fast enough to read books on kindle, view PDF's, powerpoints and word docs etc.
Reasonably sharp, bright and easy to read screen
Easy to use
Will sync with macs
Not too expensive (probably max budget of £150 although could be stretched a bit if its really going to be worth it)

A lot to ask for so thanks a lot for any help

David

In reply to climber david:

There's only one answer to this... nexus 7! Haha it's epic

But seriously is really powerful and looks pretty good.

In reply to climber david:

Tesco's Hudl at £119 beats them all!

http://www.tesco.com/direct/hudl-7-16gb-wi-fi-android-tablet-black/629-5239...

In reply to climber david:

Just avoid Windows laptops - http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2013/10/why-does-windows-have-terrible-bat...

ALC

PS. Given your requirements I'd second the suggestion for the Nexus 7.

In reply to Womble:

There are actually two answers to this.

The Nexus 7 or Tesco's own Hudl tablet.

The Hudl is on a par with last year's Nexus 7 and for £120 is a fantastic deal. You can even use your Tesco club points to reduce the price way down to £60.

I bought my dad a Nexus 7 for last Christmas. And I am seriously considering the Tesco Tablet for myself.

If money is no object then get the new Nexus 7.

My best advice would be to buy an Android Tablet with a Vanilla Android operating system. This means you should try and choose a device with as little bloat on it as possible. That way you stand a better chance of getting the latest and greatest Android updates long before companies that like to customise their versions of the operating system.

Very few companies do vanilla Android, ie bog standard and no third-party bloat crap. Nexus is one, ASUS is another and from what I can tell Tesco are virtually there as well however their bloat is exceptionally discrete.

In reply to Ron Walker:

I had looked at the hudl but a couple of reviews I read said that it pushes tesco out at you all the time. Nothing against them but I dont really want that tbh. Cheers for helping though

In reply to spamo:

Cheers for helping Not the first time I've heard that so something about them must be good :P

One other question, Do you know if the wifi will work with 802.1X/wpa2 enterprise? Long shot I know but thats what we have in uni and since I'll be there for the next 4 years I wouldnt mind it working

Cheers

David

In reply to climber david: I've got the Hudl... seriously impressed for the price and you only get the Tesco stuff if you press the link for their apps, nothing comes up at you otherwise. So apart from some apps pre installed its a vanilla operating system. The battery life is excellent, the screen is sharp, typing has a very mild delay but no worse than others I've played with. For the price it's a no-brainer. Co:

In reply to climber david:

I just got a Nexus 7 and it's brilliant, but a bit above your price range. I have heard good things about the Tesco tablet.

Neil

In reply to The Lemming:

Nexus 7 is Asus hardware...

Neil

In reply to The Lemming:


You do know what Nexus is, don't you? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Nexus

Nexus will always be plain vanilla Android - that's what it's for. The hardware comes from whoever offers Google the best deal on the hardware spec they want.

In reply to climber david:

Thanks to everyone for their help so far. It seems to come down to 2 options, the Nexus 7 or the tesco Hudl. PC world have the nexus for £140 and I dont have a clubcard so the Hudl will be £120. Think I will go for the nexus 7 since theres only £20 difference and it has so many good reviews (not saying the hudl is bad, just that I know the nexus will last)

Thanks everyone

David

In reply to climber david: is that the new Nexus? Also look up the Asus MeMo something or other, priced in between.

In reply to Nick Harvey:

No that's the old Nexus that's £140. Lower res and spec than the Hudl! The new Nexus is stil £200. I'd have gone for the new one over the Hudl if it was that cheap! Co:

In reply to climber david:

What is so much better about the Nexus 7 than the Samsung Tab 2 7 inch?

In reply to climber david:

Hadn't realised that was the old nexus. Will most likely go for the hudl unless the Asus memo something or other is worth looking at. Cheers again everyone

In reply to climber david:

I've bought one of these for use on a recent holiday in Canada http://www.amazon.co.uk/CAMBRIDGE-SCIENCES-StarPAD-Android-JELLYBEAN/dp/B00...

A Great little tool for under £100. I think I paid an extra tenner for a case with a built in keyboard

It has one feature that virtually no other tablet has - a full size USB port that allows you to connect external keyboard, memory stick, Card Reader or even a full blown portable HDD without the need for fancy USB / USB mini adaptors.

I thought I'd killed it when I forgot that I'd left it charging via the car charger when the car was parked in full sun one day when outside air temperatures were in the high 30's, however after being allowed to cool naturally all was well.

The 7" is great, but if I was getting another I'd go for the bigger model.

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

"The 7" is great, but if I was getting another I'd go for the bigger model."

This depends on what you use it for. I started with an iPad (just under 10") and have swapped to a Nexus 7 (7"). The latter is harder to type on, but you can always have a Bluetooth keyboard in your bag if you need it. But it's so much nicer to be able to hold it in one hand when e.g. reading Kindle books, and it just about fits in a combat trouser pocket. Much more convenient, IMO.

Neil

In reply to a lakeland climber:


The same could be said for Android devices a couple of years ago... before they fixed it.

In reply to CarolineMc:

I'm really glad you said that - mine's coming on Friday! got it down to £48 with clubcard vouchers. could do with cheering up at the moment, and something bigger than my phone for short doses of web surfing. any hints/tips? did you get a case for it?

In reply to climber david:

I have an original nexus 7 and use it for what you want to do, I'd say it was perfect for the job: keeping in touch and entertainment when travelling etc.

But I suppose any 7" tab would do the trick it is just a matter of price and finish quality (I think the nexus 7 is about the best value)


Coming from leftfield a bit but what about getting a massive phone like a "Note" or "Megga"? they are neawly as big as a nexus 7 and have 3g and phone?

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

does this have a built in gps? and is it compatible with google maps etc?

In reply to Martin W:


Yes I do, but not everybody does know this fact and it isn't just Nexus kit that does Vanilla Android either. I just wanted to suggest that people think about choosing a product which has a bog standard version of Android with as little bloat as possible because then they have a better chance of getting updates.

I learnt this lesson with a Samsung Ace using Gingerbread. By the time I stopped using my Samsung phone, there had been a further two updates that never got officially released onto my phone. I either had to accept this or learn how to hack my phone to do the updates myself.

For me I, to buy Android kit I would discount companies that have a poor reputation of pushing out updates irrespective of them having the best product at the time.

In reply to andic:

Personally I like a small phone that fits nicely in any pocket, the main purpose of which is phone calls, texts, train information and quick checks of email/FB etc but not writing them. A tablet can be brought out for when I want to spend more time responding. I hate this trend towards awkward, almost-tablet-sized phones.

Neil

In reply to The Lemming:

Check you like the screen, by the way. There is a current trend (guilty parties include HP and Samsung) to dim LED backlights by flickering them at around 40-50Hz. This absolutely does my head in - I couldn't use a Galaxy S3, for instance.

The same thing applies to car LED tail-lights, it really hacks me off. 100Hz should be the minimum sensible flicker as almost nobody can discern that.

Neil

In reply to Removed Userlfenbo:

Mine is the older model running Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich' has GPS and runs Google Maps just fine.

The one problem I found was that unless you've got a good wireless connection to a network, the map function will not 'refresh' with any detail - which is not a lot of use if you're looking for a turnoff in the back of beyond. The Tablet knows where it is - and is very accurate. Just put mine on now and its got my location to within about 20 metres - but then again it's within range of my wi-fi router.

In that respect my Android phone was possibly more useful as long as I could get a cellphone signal -- which was not always the case in the wilds of British Columbia once you get away from the major cities and main highways.

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

ok thanks for that info los.

In reply to climber david:

I've just ordered a 7inch Nook HD. They've stopped making them so now they're priced at a mere £79 (or £99 for a 16Gb rather than 8Gb) though it seems like they're selling out. I ordered mine from Blackwells.

Pros are:
1440x900 screen,
bluetooth,
SD card slot (up to 64Gb card),
dual core processor,
1Gb RAM,
alternative free OS/ROM available

Cons are:
no camera,
no GPS

There's also a 9 inch version now down to £129.

They've both got properity Barnes and Noble software on top of regular Android but the good thing there are good alternative free ROMs so you can get rid of it if you don't like it (which I intend to do).

http://uk.nook.com/tablets/nook-hd

CyanogenMod ROM
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2317500



For a bit quite a bit more cash the Hisense Sero 7 Pro gets very good reviews and has great specs. Unlike the more pricey Nexus it has an SD card slot.

http://www.ebuyer.com/521621-hisense-sero-7-pro-32gb-tablet-m470bse

In reply to The Lemming:


Know what you mean. I hate all that propriety crap. The other way round it is to choose a device that has a custom OS available. There's quite a few:

http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Devices

In reply to Womble:


What seriously put me off the (original) Nexus 7 is that it has no external SDCard slot, and it looks as though the new version still doesn't have that.

I don't particularly want an SDCard for massive storage, I want it for ease of management, ease of backing it up to my computer or transferring data.

Yep, I can connect my Andoid tablet / device to my computer, but I'd rather transfer files "raw" and so on.

So, I liked the look and thought of the Nexus 7, but it was missing something, for me.

Probably doesn't bother most people, though.

In reply to climber david: I got a Tesco Hudl this week.

I've not had a tablet before, so nothing to compare it with, but to my mind it works a treat. The screen looks good, it responds quickly and the battery seems to be performing well.

We got it with Tesco Vouchers, which double up (£60 of vouchers for the £119 Hudl)plus a case. They'd run out of screen protectors but I got one for another 7" tablet for a couple of quid that does the job.

I've seen Tesco vouchers on Ebay which could save you a few quid if you don't have a club card yet.

In reply to freerangecat:

I just got the flip case that tesco sell, it fits well and works as a stand in two positions. Nothing special but works fine! Co:

I've had a Motorola Xoom for 2 years, it's 10 inch. I wouldn't want a smaller tablet. An e-ink kindle is okay with a book-sized screen but 7 inches for reading websites and documents is like going back to an old 14 inch desktop monitor.

Just go and look at them side by side in curry's before you waste any money.

There is a nexus 10 and I think it's getting a refresh today - Google are apparently announcing it and the nexus 5 today.

In reply to CarolineMc:

thanks. a bit annoyed I missed the offer to save £5 on a case if bought with the hudl - started a couple of days after I ordered mine but was wary of cancelling the order and redoing it given the demand for them.

In reply to climber david:

We have 2 samsung tablets, the 10 inch and the 7inch. The 7inch was purchased as a direct result of being very impressed with the 10 inch version.

When we started looking at tablets we had no idea what was available or what to look for. I'd used an iPad a few times and liked the slickness of the whole package but I didn't want an iPad.

What sold it for us originally was at the time (9 months ago or so) the Samsung had the best feel to it and it came with a stylus and Photo shop touch. It just seemed a lot slicker than everything else on the Android market and felt like an iPad. It has the benifit of having an external SD slot so the memory can be expanded and therefore when or if you fill it you can get another SD. We did look at various other brands including the google tablets but a bit of research showed that the google tabs were actually made by samsung but to a slightly lower spec (no dual core processor/split screen working/stlyus etc). So in the end we took the plunge.

6 months later the missus wanted a iReader so she and was pretty sold on the Kindle with a back light. We also happened to have a voucher for £50 off electricals at Tesco, so off we trotted to tesco and we walked away with a Samsung 7 inch with a case for £100, the same price as the Kindle (the samsung was on offer plus the voucher). When it came down to it she liked the fact you can play games, access the internet, access your calender etc etc on a proper tab and all you have to do is download the kidle app and you have an iReader.

Now, the missus never puts it down. She hardly ever uses the 10inch tab now (it's all mine now... ) she finds it easy to read books on, even in the sun due to the brighness and clarity of the screen and has never complained about eye strain etc.

But strangley enough I don't get on with it? I think my fingers must be a little fatter than hers as when I touch the screen to try and move things around it zooms in as if I've double tapped (this doesn't happen on the 10 inch). This is something you might want to test on the various tablets that have been suggested and then plumb for the one that is easiest to use for you.

Either way I'm sure you will be pleased with whatever you end up buying.

In reply to climber david:

One thing you might want to be aware of is customization potential (or lack of).

My Nook HD has come bundled with a bunch of dodgy apps I neither need nor want. This wouldn't be a big deal EXCEPT I've just found out these can't be deleted!! Most are a bunch of Google shite, like apps for Gmail Google+, Chrome browser etc. So I don't know if this odious little game is a result of Barnes & Noble or Google or what but I'm sure this is not the only tablet manufacturer trying it on in this way.

Another problem is that you can only install apps from two places: B&N shop and Google Playstore!! Utter crap.

I actually wonder if the above is even legal. Microsoft got in a load for trouble for having their browser embedded into the Windows OS some years ago and had to change it as I remember.

Fortunately part of the reason I went for the Nook, aside from the £79 price tag, was the fact that there are custom ROMs available for it. I'm really glad I did now and as soon as my micro SD card arrives the stock ROM is getting wiped. I guess you can change stuff like this by rooting the device but as someone who knows naff all about Linux I'm guessing a stock ROM is easier to install as well as offering other advantages like better performance, support etc.

In reply to climber david:
Nexus 7 all the way. I have a 2012 model and it's a good workhorse of a tablet, bloatware free, inexpensive, fast, and capable of using bluetooth or USB input peripherals if necessary.

In reply to stp:

Why would you want a tablet without a browser?

I don't get the IE issue. If you want not to use IE, install something else.

Neil

In reply to Neil Williams:

You should have the freedom of choice to use what ever you want to use. Personally I don't want to use Google's browser but I might want Firefox or Opera or one of the others. Someone else might not even want to use their device for the internet at all.

Microsoft got into trouble with IE because I think it was deemed unfair competition as I remember. It was some years ago but I'm sure there's lots on it if you do a search.

The thing about Android is that its Open Source and the whole point of that is about freedom: free to make your device whatever you want it to do. But of course Google is not an open community of voluntary developers. It's a massive advertising corporation. I think of them as the equivalent of a pedophile standing outside a school giving away free sweets: the real intentions are not known or understood by the children enjoying the candy.

The open source nature of Android is the one thing it has over MS and Apple devices - but only if you take advantage of it of course. A lot of Android devices are in various states of being locked down - controlled to some extent by the corporations.

In reply to stp:

"You should have the freedom of choice to use what ever you want to use"

You do. You can install what you like, unlike on the iOS devices where only Webkit browsers are permitted.

But I would be miffed if I bought a tablet and a browser was not included. They are consumer devices! Nobody is forcing you to use this stuff.

Neil

In reply to stp:


Google is in the process of taking Android for themselves and converting it into a closed platform like iOS, so Android won't be "open" for long.

In reply to Neil Williams:



With the Nook you can only install apps from two places: Google and Barnes and Noble and both places you need accounts to do so. You can't sideload apps and you can't install from other web sites. So artificially limited choice by the manufacturer.

If your choice is limited and the ability to remove apps is limited then I'd say that pretty much does amount to being forced to use it.

Its not about whether a browser is included its about whether you have the freedom to remove it or replace it.

Essentially it comes down to this: "Who is in control of your computer?" Is the you or some faceless corporation?

In reply to Only a hill:

Interesting though: why doesn't that surprise me? I had wondered before about why they decided to go open source in the first place given their similarity to Apple etc.

Still the Firefox OS is coming as are full Linux tablet OS's.

In reply to stp:
My theory is that Google has a very clever long-term strategy in place. Witness what they have done with Chrome: spend years building it up as the go-to browser of choice before slowly converting it into a trojan horse for their own Web operating system. You've got to admire that kind of long-term thinking...