Tablet for commute - recommendations

[Cub.]

Looking for some help here please. I have changed role at work and will be heading back into London. This means a commute of 1.5hrs each way, and I'm looking for advice on which tablet I should get to stave off the boredom. Details;

- I have an Iphone 4, will this do the job?
- I will mainly use it for watching series, movies, playing games and listening to music. Oh and browsing CS.
- I don't really want to spend a fortune, and it needs to be able to go in a rucksack / be used comfortably on tube / train.

I'm a bit of technological r****d when it comes to tablets, I've always been a laptop man, so go easy on me. Also, what is the best way of downloading films etc (Netflix account? - I ask as I have one of these already that I use for Xbox / laptop viewing).

​Cheers!

 

[Jack!]

Why not go for one of those laptop & tablet things?

 

[unofficialPete]

iPad mini, it'll sync apps and iCloud/Photostream/Boomarks which is great if you have an iPhone. I'm trying to ditch apple but my mini is stopping me. Can use the iPhone as a hotspot easily, although this should work with any wifi enabled device.

I could be tempted by a nexus 7 but haven't played with one.

 

[DB.]

iPad mini, it'll sync apps and iCloud/Photostream/Boomarks which is great if you have an iPhone. I'm trying to ditch apple but my mini is stopping me. Can use the iPhone as a hotspot easily, although this should work with any wifi enabled device.

I could be tempted by a nexus 7 but haven't played with one.

iPad mini's are perfect for the commute. Wouldn't use my phone as it would drain the battery. Use the same iTunes set up and everything this way.

 

[Cub.]

Cheers for the reply. I'll have a gander at both the iPad mini and nexus.

 

[Fletcher]

iPad mini all day.

 

[Cub.]

Have you got one Fletch? If so, mind bringing it to the next SC meet, so I can have a play about on it?

 

[Chapppers11]

iPad Mini.

 

[Fletcher]

Have you got one Fletch? If so, mind bringing it to the next SC meet, so I can have a play about on it?

No mate I haven't got one yet (waiting for the mini to have a retina screen) I just have a iPad 2 ATM.

 

[Cub.]

A retina screen? WTF?

 

[Addicted]

A retina screen? WTF?

It won't be the same screen as the normal iPad, Retina just means that the Pixels Per Inch (PPI) is higher than the eye can detect (aka you cant see any pixels).

 

[Tim.]

Treat yourself to a library card (free), go and get some books (free) and learn yourself something

You can read, can't you?

 

[Cub.]

Ah, cool. See - told you I was a techno r****d.

Been looking at I-pad Mini, due to the response on here. 16gb or 32gb? Is it still the case you can't add memory to apple products?

 

[Cub.]

Treat yourself to a library card (free), go and get some books (free) and learn yourself something

You can read, can't you?

But then I wouldn't look cool on the train, would I.

 

[Addicted]

Ah, cool. See - told you I was a techno r****d.

Been looking at I-pad Mini, due to the response on here. 16gb or 32gb? Is it still the case you can't add memory to apple products?

Nope no memory adding, I'd go for 32gb for Films etc (but I'd also go Android for easier access to expandable storage - much easier for music/films if you don't use itunes).

 

[DB.]

Nope no memory adding, I'd go for 32gb for Films etc (but I'd also go Android for easier access to expandable storage - much easier for music/films if you don't use itunes).

I'd go 64GB!

Small/medium music collection plus photo's can often fill out 16gb with ease. I've used 32MB on my iPad out of 64GB and haven't put much in terms of films/tv on it yet, will be soon though before going abroad etc.

 

[Sym0n]

and learn yourself something

You can read, can't you?

Really? REALLY?!

Anyway, has anyone said an iPad Mini yet? 32Gb minimum and ideally 64Gb for what you're wanting to use it for.

 

[Tim.]

learn yourself something

Really? REALLY?!

The winky face should have told you I was joking, I ent fick!



And Oli, I forgot to say, if you decide on an iPad and you choose the Network of Champions I might be able to sort you out some further line rental discount... tbc.

 

[Cub.]

Cheers Timborine! I'll bear that in mind. Lol at network of champions.

Looks like a 64gb IPad Mini then. Go big or go home, as they say.

Cheers for the replies, very helpful.

 

[aucky]

Good choice.

I have an iPad retina which is perfect for sofa browsing, but if I was a bus/train wanker I'd definitely get a mini.

 

[Cub.]

Lol at bus / train wanker. Unfortunately, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse, hence the return to the commute

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Nexus 7. Pocket the change

 

[Sym0n]

The winky face should have told you I was joking, I ent fick!

This is CS, I had to check!

Android could be a shout, but if you've already got an iPhone you may as well stick with an OS you know and have the added benefit of universal apps.

 

[Filippo]

I'd try a Valium.

 

[Cub.]

What witty jibes

 

[Andy.]

There are rumours that the next gen iPad and iPad mini will be presented this month. I'd hang on for a possible better screen, or a discounted iPad Mini original if you aren't fussed with the upgrade.

 

[cava83]

There are rumours that the next gen iPad and iPad mini will be presented this month. I'd hang on for a possible better screen, or a discounted iPad Mini original if you aren't fussed with the upgrade.

I heard July :S

Can you let me know where this was provided, as I purchased an iPad mini a couple of days ago.

Thanks,

G.

 

[Dan519]

Nexus 7 with 3g/HSPA

https://play.google.com/store/devic...wNV9uZXh1c1VLXzJfcHJvbW9fMTM2NDIzMTAyMzQxNCJd

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Nexus 7 with 3g/HSPA

https://play.google.com/store/devic...wNV9uZXh1c1VLXzJfcHJvbW9fMTM2NDIzMTAyMzQxNCJd

£210 extra for the ipad mini the same specification as that! Apple are so overpriced.

 

[Cub.]

Mmm, the Nexus 7 is definitely tempting. Think I'm going to head into town and have a play on both.

 

[kaz19880]

Asus transformer get the best of tablets and a full size laptop perfect especially with 10hours battery life

 

[cava83]

£210 extra for the ipad mini the same specification as that! Apple are so overpriced.

When you put it that way, I think you are right.

Bought the 16gb iPad Mini 3G for £379, even though I like it, starting to think it might have been a waste and better to buy a Nexus 7 with 3G.

 

[sn00p]

Nexus 7 all day long. iPad mini is inferior, that's what happens (short term) when you (Apple) end up playing catch up.

Apple stopped innovating (bizarrely) and now it's biting them on the arse, even their most loyal of i"Something" users will only stay around on an inferior platform for so long before they get tempted by something a bit more up to date.

From "top of the class" to "must do better" in just a few product iterations.

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

When you put it that way, I think you are right.

Bought the 16gb iPad Mini 3G for £379, even though I like it, starting to think it might have been a waste and better to buy a Nexus 7 with 3G.

Apple stuff is good, but when you can nearly have two nexus 7's for the cost of a mini it starts to get silly!

 

[Don]

Be careful with the Ipad Minis as if they break, you can be looking at over £100 for a decent screen (so around £150+ for a screen repair if you are not confident to do it yourself). Had one in my place which went and was £145 to sort out (and we didn't make that much out of doing the job if I'm honest)...so for a lesser spec...it wouldn't be feasible to get repaired.

 

[Tom]

Nexus 7 all day long. iPad mini is inferior, that's what happens (short term) when you (Apple) end up playing catch up.

Apple stopped innovating (bizarrely) and now it's biting them on the arse, even their most loyal of i"Something" users will only stay around on an inferior platform for so long before they get tempted by something a bit more up to date.

From "top of the class" to "must do better" in just a few product iterations.

You seem to have lost your objectivity. £ for £ Then yes, the nexus 7 makes sense.
Is it a better device over all? That's debatable, Android on tablets is still far from perfect, even in stock form.

iPad's and Nexus devices are the only tablets people should buy. But between those two it comes down to what you feel comfortable with and what you can afford.

 

[Cub.]

Cheers for the input in here guys. Tom's right - I think ultimately it will come down to which of the IPad Mini and Nexus I feel comfortable using, and whether I think the IPad Mini is worth the extra dosh. Going to hit the shops this weekend and have a play about on them, see which one I like using more.

 

[BigDaveRotary]

Use my Nexus 7 on the train each day. Purely for music, films and reading. I love it, because it is relatively cheap if it gets bashed and broken it doesn't matter as much.

So thumbs up from me with the Nexus......O and there are rumours of a new Nexus 7 in the pipeline possibly to be announced in the next month or so!

 

[sn00p]

You seem to have lost your objectivity. £ for £ Then yes, the nexus 7 makes sense.
Is it a better device over all? That's debatable, Android on tablets is still far from perfect, even in stock form.

iPad's and Nexus devices are the only tablets people should buy. But between those two it comes down to what you feel comfortable with and what you can afford.

Not entirely, I just got fucked off with the lacklustre product and software updates that Apple were producing.

Sure, if the iPad Mini did what I want then I'd be happy, however, I'd be less happy if I'd bought one and subsequently then used a Nexus 7, I think I'd have buyers remorse big style.

Apple missed the boat with the Mini (ok, not in terms of sales - we all know they've shifted a lot), it was delivered far too late (compared to competitors) and with a spec that is (to be kind) underwhelming, oh and there's the price - but if you can shift them at that price.....

While I agree that it's difficult to keep upping the game in hardware (there's only so many things you can add), they (Apple) redefined the smartphone platform, every phone manufacturer and phone user is reaping the rewards of what Apple did, can't complain about that. But they've sat back again, iOS6 was and should have been a iOS5 "dot" release.

I sure as heck don't know what's going on, my friend who was senior in the iPhone team left for google - I don't know if they lost more of the talent, my friend sure as hell is a smart cookie - but their is something definitely wrong with their development teams. The latest thing of "taking teams from OS X to iOS" is laughable...thats just not happening, you don't just up developers from one product to another and get them writing code right away. It was laughable last time they used that excuse, it's embarrassing this time.

The good news for everybody is that Forstalls head has rolled, there has never been anything likeable about him, Jonathon Ive is not the right person (imo) to be heading up a software team either...so that's a bit of a bizarre one for me.

Will Apple continue shifting huge volumes of iPhones? Sure.

Are they the innovator that they once were? Nope.

But like you say, horses for courses. You pay your money and you take your choice, you just have to be happy with your choice.

FWIW I still think the Mac is the best computing platform out there and I have no intention of going anywhere else soon.

 

[Tom]

You sure? Someone on here (i wont mention names) claims a atom powered windows 8 tablet is a genuine ipad slayer.

Might be time to ditch your mac?