The official tablet (and other useless electronics) thread!

[ViPER1313]

Get a Motorola sb6121 for the modem to save on the rental fee and get a wireless router with 10/100/1000 lan and wan ports.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

[Evan]

lol, so the ipad 3 was out for what, 6 months before getting replaced?

never more relevant
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[caa337]

Ipad mini seems useless, I would rather pay 200 for the Nexus versus 329 for the mini. Seems like the nexus has a better screen and processor as well.

[Apoc]

Surface - I kinda of like it. PC fanboi or is the thing kinda a legit attempt (that needs more revs)?

[G.Irish]

Surface - I kinda of like it. PC fanboi or is the thing kinda a legit attempt (that needs more revs)?

Yeah I definitely want to skate on by the Microsoft store and check it out. Not sure if I'd rather get a Surface tablet or just get a Transformer Prime.

[Evan]

I think its the first tablet thats not just a toy. You can get real work done and can act as a laptop replacement. The card reader and usb alone are huge, not to mention full version office apps.
Im looking forward to playing with one. Is there still a microsoft store in tysons?

Id be tempted to wait for the win8 pro version though for full app compatibility. Although for the prices those will go for I might buy a touchscreen ultrabook instead.

[Mike]

i'll be getting a mini and the new ipad for no other reason that i have to. if i were a regular consumer [already happy with my devices], i wouldn't be getting either.
all the updates are just in time for the holidays so that makes sense.
the pricing on the mini is apple saying "we don't give a shit about the low-end. if you want a junky, plasticky experience, go ahead and save that $130. we make nice shit and you have to pay for it." they've always said that and are continuing the message here... it's done them well in the past so why change?
i don't like the 7" form factor so we'll see if 8" changes much. some of the things they showed about how it being a 50-67% larger web browsing experience than the N7 were compelling.
the new ipad doesn't provide any reason to upgrade from the... last new one. if you're running a 2, it'd be a nice upgrade because "retina" is awesome.
best part about upgrading apple hardware? resale values are insane.
i really want a new imac (have for about two years now, but they've been dicking around with them), but have to wait until december. bleh.

[G.Irish]

I think its the first tablet thats not just a toy. You can get real work done and can act as a laptop replacement. The card reader and usb alone are huge, not to mention full version office apps.
Im looking forward to playing with one. Is there still a microsoft store in tysons?

Id be tempted to wait for the win8 pro version though for full app compatibility. Although for the prices those will go for I might buy a touchscreen ultrabook instead.

Yeah MS still has the store in Tyson's. I too am intrigued by the touch screen Win8 laptops. Might try to get the wife-elect to upgrade to one of those if it all checks out.

[Ken]

Surface - I kinda of like it. PC fanboi or is the thing kinda a legit attempt (that needs more revs)?

Yeah I definitely want to skate on by the Microsoft store and check it out. Not sure if I'd rather get a Surface tablet or just get a Transformer Prime.

Was the skate reference a play on this http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/10/s...kateboard/?

Anyway, i really want one, looking forward to going to the store and playing around with one first though.

[Apoc]

I think its the first tablet thats not just a toy. You can get real work done and can act as a laptop replacement. The card reader and usb alone are huge, not to mention full version office apps.
Im looking forward to playing with one. Is there still a microsoft store in tysons?

Id be tempted to wait for the win8 pro version though for full app compatibility. Although for the prices those will go for I might buy a touchscreen ultrabook instead.

I think I'd get the Win8 version, as the RT version isn't really any different (feature wise) from a Transformer with a keyboard.

Most reviews I've read said the hardware is much better quality than most Androids and they were really encouraged MS just might have something on their hands.

[Dave]

I'm not a techie guy at all (don't buy new phones, just got a kindle this summer, no tablet, etc), but the Win8 concept of a full-fledged desktop + tab/phone's app launching screen is pretty compelling to me. I'm REALLY interested to get my hands on one of these new devices to see what it's really like, as I would love to get a laptop that can operate as a tablet on the go (tablets are really just toys for media/content consumption). I hate being tied to my desktop, and our laptop is 5 years old, slow, and heavy - feels like time to update but just not sure if I want win8 or win7 + a cheap tab...

[Mike]

"tablets are toys for media/content consumption" only if you've never used one properly. or maybe if you've only used android there simply aren't any good apps to allow you to work properly (i tried a day on the nexus 7... the apps are all unfathomably bad). web browser + rdc client + vpn + document editing apps + mail = not much else i need in a day. i only tote the laptop with me now and then to have an extra screen to work with.

[WRXtranceformed]

(tablets are really just toys for media/content consumption).

This is basically what my tablets have ever been, but I am not a developer / IT guy. The most my N7 ever gets used for in the work space is to answer emails in an airport, view work documents, etc. SalesForce and some of the other programs we use are I believe optimized now for the mobile experience, but it is way easier to connect to VPN / edit & send out contracts / put together presentations on a laptop.

[.RJ]

I agree that you *can* get work done with a tablet but I think, for me, I am just more effective/efficient with a laptop.

[Jake]

I'm tempted by all of these new tablets, finally. I have an iPad 1 and I'm kinda tired of the tap-and-wait game.

I've got a strong argument for sticking with Apple as I'm already invested in the Apple/iTunes/iThings infrastructure and I really like it. I want to check out the iPad Mini in person for size purposes. The only deterrent there is that the hardware is kinda old-spec (so why not just buy a used iPad 2 for cheap?). I dunno, I'll have to check out the Apple/MS stores and make some decisions.

The Surface does seem really cool though - but I think I'd want to wait for the full-Windows-8 version.

[Mike]

(tablets are really just toys for media/content consumption).

This is basically what my tablets have ever been, but I am not a developer / IT guy.

Maybe because Android?

A stat that Apple has now used twice in media events because it's so damning... The iPad has ~50% market share, but accounts for over 90% of all tablet web traffic.

"Great, you own a tablet, but you're not getting much use out of it." :thumbup:

[Mike]

I'll have to check out the Apple/MS stores and make some decisions.

Oh let's be real. You're going Apple.

Because you don't like products that suck.

[Apoc]

"tablets are toys for media/content consumption" only if you've never used one properly. or maybe if you've only used android there simply aren't any good apps to allow you to work properly (i tried a day on the nexus 7... the apps are all unfathomably bad). web browser + rdc client + vpn + document editing apps + mail = not much else i need in a day. i only tote the laptop with me now and then to have an extra screen to work with.

I think it works for your job, but you're in a minority.

I have enough trouble doing my job on a laptop; it would be nigh impossible on a tablet.

[Dave]

Mikey - please let's try not to make this another idiotic Mac v PC discussion.
Ultimately, the setup that you just described as allowing a person to "work" on a tab STILL involved having a secondary (presumably more useful and powerful) computer that you're connecting to; the tablet is nothing more than an intermediary that lets you connect to it from a separate location. What about those people who want a single device to do it all effectively? That is where I think Win8 really has potential.

[Mike]

The world will always have servers. I RDC into servers. I also RDC to them when I'm at my desk.

Virtualize everything and connect to it through a window. That's the answer.