Any tablet suggestions?

Moderator: admin

damagi
Platinum Member
Posts: 927
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:06 pm
Location: near Seattle, WA

Post by damagi »

if you can wait - the microsoft surface should be a really sweet choice:

http://www.surface.com
Mark 7, Pro Planer, Jointer, Bandsaw w/Kreg, Biscuit Joiner, Belt Sander, Jig Saw, Ringmaster, DC3300, Overarm Pin Router, Incra Ultimate setup

JWBS-14 w/6" riser, RBI Hawk 226 Ultra, Bosch GSM12SD Axial Glide Dual Compound Miter Saw

-- I have parts/SPTs available, so if you are in the Seattle area and need something let me know --
damagi AT gmail DOT com
User avatar
JPG
Platinum Member
Posts: 35600
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:42 pm
Location: Lexington, Ky (TAMECAT territory)

Post by JPG »

damagi wrote:if you can wait - the microsoft surface should be a really sweet choice:

www.surface.com
How well does it work as a cutting board?:D
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
paulmcohen
Platinum Member
Posts: 1578
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Contact:

Post by paulmcohen »

Gene Howe wrote:Thanks for the info, Paul. I may be calling you in Aug. The Ultra books look like the best of both worlds.
Any brands you'd recommend? ACER?

Most Ultrabooks are designed by Intel with very tight specifications, then the various manufactures configure them and manufacture them. There is really little difference that is not visible in the specifications.
Paul Cohen
Beaverton, OR
A 1982 500 Shopsmith brand upgraded to a Mark 7 PowerPro, Jointer, Bandsaw (with Kreg fence), Strip Sander, Ring Master and lots of accessories all purchased new
12" Sliding Compound Mitre Saw, 1200 CFM DC
paulmcohen
Platinum Member
Posts: 1578
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Contact:

Post by paulmcohen »

lightnin wrote:@ work we have Galaxy tablets They seem to be nice I have never used any others for a fair comparison though.
I doubt they are windows based. We use then on a 3G connection but I'm pretty sure you can do WiFi through a wireless router.

The Galaxy runs Android and have loads of apps, the most important being Flash. iPADs don't have Flash. It two years when HTML5 really starts being used this will not matter, today lots of FLASH based content on the web doesn't work at all on the iPAD and works poorly to not at all on Android.

The best way to decide if you need a tablet or laptop is to uninstall FLASH, bring up Google Chrome (if you are thinking about Android) or Safari if you prefer iPAD and try doing whatever you do, REMEMBER no other Windows APPS. If after a week you are ready to throw you PC out the window, tablets are not for you yet. If you are happy then you are a good candidate for a tablet. We have 3 tablets in my house and 4 PCs for 4 people. Everyone except me uses a tablet daily but we all also use Windows on a daily basis.

Just got a new Windows laptop because I needed more storage and better graphics then I could afford/get on a Ultrabook. I don't use a tablet because they are 20X slower than the 8 core PC I just got and I run applications that only run on Windows. For mobile use I use an iPhone with 100 very useful applications including one that lets be use my iPhone or any tablet as a display for my PC.
Paul Cohen
Beaverton, OR
A 1982 500 Shopsmith brand upgraded to a Mark 7 PowerPro, Jointer, Bandsaw (with Kreg fence), Strip Sander, Ring Master and lots of accessories all purchased new
12" Sliding Compound Mitre Saw, 1200 CFM DC
User avatar
tom_k/mo
Platinum Member
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:58 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO
Contact:

Post by tom_k/mo »

I've been a die-hard Windows user since Christ was a Corporal. That being said, I just got a iPad 2 32Gb. Got the iPad because I got it for free. My son has an Android O/S based tablet. We'll set side by side and there's not a whole lot of difference, other than Mike's android does Flash where the iPad doesn't. Many of the apps are available on both platforms. From what I've heard, Steve Jobs intentions were to wait until the implementation of HTML5, at which time flash type apps will be part of the HTML standard and won't require a browser plug-in.

I am impressed with the display, and battery life, much longer than my laptop.

My biggest complaint with the iPad is that there is no cursor arrows and no DEL key on the keyboard. It does make navigating and editing text "interesting"... :mad:
ShopSmith MarkV-520 with Belt Sander, Jointer, Band Saw, Strip Sander, Scroll Saw and Biscuit Jointer SPTs and a DC-3300...
Woodworking Hobbyist (Check out all my Woodworking Plans (http://vbwhiz.isa-geek.net/plans)
Aspiring Sandcarver: Breaking glass one grain at a time.
Black Powder Shooter (love the smell of burning sulfur).
roy_okc
Platinum Member
Posts: 816
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:15 pm
Location: Moore, OK

Post by roy_okc »

Gene Howe wrote:Hey all you tech savvy folks out there, can you help an old man out? I need to replace a lap top. I'm thinking a tablet might be the way to go. The only thing we do is surf and email and occasionally print.
I'm looking for suggestions for a really good Windows based machine.
Thanks guys
Gene,

There is one reasonably priced Windows tablet that I'm aware of, the Acer Iconia W500 (http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/iconia-tab-w500), at around $550. It includes a detachable keyboard, so it can be used as netbook/laptop as well as a tablet. It gets pretty good reviews on Amazon.

If you didn't need to print (at least not yet), I'm pretty pleased with my Android tablets (7" Nook Tablet converted to run Android and 10" Acer Iconia A200) for light email, surfing, etc. Lots of other good Androids in 7" and 10" sizes.

Roy
User avatar
Ed in Tampa
Platinum Member
Posts: 5834
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida

Post by Ed in Tampa »

damagi wrote:if you can wait - the microsoft surface should be a really sweet choice:

http://www.surface.com
A growing number of experts have predicted the Surface will never see production, that it was never intended to go into production. That is was Microsofts attempt to spur the field into manufacturing something that could compete with Apple. All past attempts have been dismal failures and most have been pulled from the market.

The latest Google tablet shows the biggest problem with the android tablets the inability to upgrade to the latest level of android. The new google table is using a new level of android that fixed many past problems and existing tablets can't be upgraded to it.

The announcement of Surface also served to freeze the market, many who were on the verge of buying another tablet have now been convinced to wait for the surface which just happens to coincide with release of Windows 8.

The fact there was no firm price affixed, no specs given for the really important specs is what is making the experts think this was chain rattling my Microsoft.
Ed in Tampa
Stay out of trouble!
User avatar
cincinnati
Platinum Member
Posts: 1172
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:40 pm
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Post by cincinnati »

Ed in Tampa wrote:A growing number of experts have predicted the Surface will never see production, that it was never intended to go into production. That is was Microsofts attempt to spur the field into manufacturing something that could compete with Apple. All past attempts have been dismal failures and most have been pulled from the market.

The latest Google tablet shows the biggest problem with the android tablets the inability to upgrade to the latest level of android. The new google table is using a new level of android that fixed many past problems and existing tablets can't be upgraded to it.

The announcement of Surface also served to freeze the market, many who were on the verge of buying another tablet have now been convinced to wait for the surface which just happens to coincide with release of Windows 8.

The fact there was no firm price affixed, no specs given for the really important specs is what is making the experts think this was chain rattling my Microsoft.
I took a look at the Surface unveil video. Noticed it locked up on them during the presentation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QRWa68MtLc
"Prove to all the world Metal rules the land"
-Judas Priest, Heavy Duty.
User avatar
Ed in Tampa
Platinum Member
Posts: 5834
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida

Post by Ed in Tampa »

tom_k/mo wrote:I've been a die-hard Windows user since Christ was a Corporal. That being said, I just got a iPad 2 32Gb. Got the iPad because I got it for free. My son has an Android O/S based tablet. We'll set side by side and there's not a whole lot of difference, other than Mike's android does Flash where the iPad doesn't. Many of the apps are available on both platforms. From what I've heard, Steve Jobs intentions were to wait until the implementation of HTML5, at which time flash type apps will be part of the HTML standard and won't require a browser plug-in.

I am impressed with the display, and battery life, much longer than my laptop.

My biggest complaint with the iPad is that there is no cursor arrows and no DEL key on the keyboard. It does make navigating and editing text "interesting"... :mad:
Flash has been the gateway of many many viruses and is on its way out.
HTML5 makes far more sense of course the owners of Flash aren't going down without a fight. But I think their destiny has already written.
Ed in Tampa
Stay out of trouble!
User avatar
Ed in Tampa
Platinum Member
Posts: 5834
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:45 am
Location: North Tampa Bay area Florida

Post by Ed in Tampa »

paulmcohen wrote:The Galaxy runs Android and have loads of apps, the most important being Flash. iPADs don't have Flash. It two years when HTML5 really starts being used this will not matter, today lots of FLASH based content on the web doesn't work at all on the iPAD and works poorly to not at all on Android.

The best way to decide if you need a tablet or laptop is to uninstall FLASH, bring up Google Chrome (if you are thinking about Android) or Safari if you prefer iPAD and try doing whatever you do, REMEMBER no other Windows APPS. If after a week you are ready to throw you PC out the window, tablets are not for you yet. If you are happy then you are a good candidate for a tablet. We have 3 tablets in my house and 4 PCs for 4 people. Everyone except me uses a tablet daily but we all also use Windows on a daily basis.

Just got a new Windows laptop because I needed more storage and better graphics then I could afford/get on a Ultrabook. I don't use a tablet because they are 20X slower than the 8 core PC I just got and I run applications that only run on Windows. For mobile use I use an iPhone with 100 very useful applications including one that lets be use my iPhone or any tablet as a display for my PC.

8 Core pc what did you buy?

I'm looking to replace my desktop and I can't decide destop or laptop and what power I really need.
Ed in Tampa
Stay out of trouble!
Post Reply