Why do people buy tablets ?

BrokenArrowBrokenArrow Posts: 21,665
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I can see the point of Kindle's, you can see their displays in sunlight and they are smaller than a book, so they have a specific use.

But tablets, whats the point ?

I ask people that have them and the answers I get are just odd.

When I question people about the obvious flaws ie they fall over when you let go of them and the crap text entry mechanism and the fingerprint mess all over the screens, the answer I get is "oh yeah I bought a stand and an external keyboard".

Well why not just buy a netbook for half the price in the first place then, duh ?
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Comments

  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    I use mine when I want to quickly check something on the net without having to wait for my desktop PC to boot up. And I use it to play simple/fun type games whilst lounging in bed or watching YouTube clips or surfing the net. I also use it to play music whist I have my earphones in later on at night if I am up but my wife is asleep and I am making my model cars. I also use it to read books - although not great on the eyes.

    I've Blackberry Playbook which was £129 so there would be no way I could get a netbook for half price!
  • BrokenArrowBrokenArrow Posts: 21,665
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    I use mine when I want to quickly check something on the net without having to wait for my desktop PC to boot up. And I use it to play simple/fun type games whilst lounging in bed or watching YouTube clips or surfing the net. I also use it to play music whist I have my earphones in later on at night if I am up but my wife is asleep and I am making my model cars. I also use it to read books - although not great on the eyes.

    I've Blackberry Playbook which was £129 so there would be no way I could get a netbook for half price!

    My phone does all that :confused:
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    My phone does all that :confused:

    So does mine - but it's only got a 3.5" screen and a little on the slow side.

    It's the screen size that I wanted it for mainly. It makes the usability a lot better.
  • paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    My phone does all that :confused:

    yep, in most cases a smartphone wlil do the same as a tablet. the tablet just does it on a bigger screen.

    Obvious example - on my Galaxy S2, there's a pre-installed Zinio app, which lets you read digital conversions of popular magazines. Trying to read pages which print out as a4 on a 4.2" screen is pretty hard, even zooming and panning as required. Doing so on a tablet is great.

    You can just about get away with reading books on a phone, but its much nicer on a tablet screen. Likewise looking at photos (as long as the tablet is high-res), watching films, using maps....

    If I could get my tablet to receive calls, I'd almost be tempted to bin my phone entirely.
  • koantemplationkoantemplation Posts: 101,293
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    Tablets are good for showing people videos and photos.
  • CoolboyACoolboyA Posts: 10,447
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    I have 2 tablets and I have them because I use them for things that my phone either cannot do or things it cannot do as well.

    I have a Galaxy Note II, so it has a lovely 5.5" HD screen, but it's not really that big - especially in comparison to my 10" ASUS tablet and even my 7" Nexus. Plus, because the Nexus and ASUS have barebones Android, they are a lot snappier doing certain things and I like the look of the stock apps over TouchWiz UI.

    The main reason, browsing on a tablet is so intuitive - and with Chrome linking all your devices together it's made even better. *sales pitch over* :p
  • scruffpotscruffpot Posts: 4,570
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    Tablets are good for showing people videos and photos.

    Im going to rant waffle about this^

    But do people actually want to be shown photos and videos by other people? Or do we all show a fake interest for example being shown other people's holiday photos?

    For example one of the reasons why i hate social media is I couldn't give a monkeys ass what your kid did at school or what type of food you made for dinner and took some grainy yellowed photo.of it. if you want to tell me about things email me, not push things onto me.

    And this takes me back to what i hate about the post above (sorry koantemplation) do we want to be shown videos and photos by other people?. No not really. these devices maybe good to show them on but I want the choice to see them or not. Not some one to sit there next to me and and say
    "here you go look at my tablet phone at this picture or video of my kids eating a pickled gerkin while on the slide or some dinner i made or here is a really nice picture of a sunset and a video of a hamster on youtube"
    its the acceptance of these devices into society and having the acesss of the services that these devices pander too is just so boring and the constant voyeurism of people's lives is so boring..

    I deal with people everyday as I work in the mental health sector and a large majority of the people I see live in this social media pseudo world, it helps as an escape but it stops them from facing a reality..

    anyway i went off topic there.. but tablets are useful but i have man hands and like buttons.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    Tablets are good for showing people videos and photos.

    I find laptops/desktops better for that, but each to their own.
  • paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    I find laptops/desktops better for that, but each to their own.

    bit of a pain to pass a desktop round though eh. laptop marginally better, but not as nice to hold as a tablet.

    Don't see how a keyboard aids viewing photos...
  • koantemplationkoantemplation Posts: 101,293
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    paulbrock wrote: »
    bit of a pain to pass a desktop round though eh. laptop marginally better, but not as nice to hold as a tablet.

    Don't see how a keyboard aids viewing photos...

    Neither do I.

    it's just so much easier to boot up, press the video or gallery icon, and then show the photos with a swipe of the screen.
  • paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    Neither do I.

    it's just so much easier to boot up, press the video or gallery icon, and then show the photos with a swipe of the screen.

    yep, I've started using it to show my portfolio to prospective clients.
  • koantemplationkoantemplation Posts: 101,293
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    paulbrock wrote: »
    yep, I've started using it to show my portfolio to prospective clients.

    Portfolio of photos or a presentation?

    I use mine mainly to show my badger and fox videos.

    But they are also good for showing web pages as well.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,019
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    I have an i-pad 3 via my job but hardly ever use it at home, they are pretty pointless for anything bar having something small you can tuck under your arm and access things on the fly.
  • kidspudkidspud Posts: 18,341
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    My phone does all that :confused:

    Using that logic, I assume you don't own a TV;)
  • 2shy20072shy2007 Posts: 52,577
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    My ipad fits into my bag, we have mifi so when out and about the kids can watch sky or a movie,we have all different apps to keep them occupied too, I have all my music on there, and some tv programmes. we have laptops for in the house, but for out and about you cannot beat the ease of an ipad IMO.
  • JasonJason Posts: 76,557
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    I suppose you have to rewind about 20 odd years to get a comparison of sorts. How many people have come back from a holiday or a special event (wedding?) with a big wedge of polaroid photos that they want to show people ?

    To do that today, you'd likely pass the person your phone or tablet.
    scruffpot wrote: »
    do we want to be shown videos and photos by other people?. No not really. these devices maybe good to show them on but I want the choice to see them or not

    See this, for me, seems to suggest that you have this perception that people will just randomly sit beside you, thrusting their tablets under your nose to show you all sorts of pictures and videos.

    I would have thought that most people do have the choice about whether or not to view someone's photos and/or videos in certain social situations.

    But then if you're sitting there with a couple of friends who have come back from a holiday they've enjoyed and they offer to show you some pictures, would you say "No Thanks" or would you politely accept the offer of the relevant device to have a look ?

    That, for me, is how that notion would work.

    Same goes for, for the sake of argument, an elderly parent or relative. Do you think it would be better for them to see pictures of nieces and nephews on a small phone screen or a much larger tablet screen ?
  • LostFoolLostFool Posts: 90,623
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    Tablets are good for showing people videos and photos.

    In my experience most people show their photos and videos via Facebook or Flickr.
  • TheBigMTheBigM Posts: 13,125
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    A lot of the point isn't about the form factor but they have been running simplified OSes and apps which are great for people who aren't so computer literate like my mum. They are more reliable, they are light so can be taken everywhere and they have good battery life so can be used on the sofa without needing to be plugged in.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 155
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    I don't own a tablet, though have considered it.

    As a web developer a tablet wouldn't really be a replacement for the computer because I can't do any programming/builds on one - unless it was a really expensive 'laptop sans-keyboard'.

    But I do also do write in my spare time, which was the main reason I considered it, to be able to pull out a device to write on that is no bigger than a notebook would be ideal. However, I tend to do alot of my writing on my phone.

    I did borrow one from work (iPad) but used it for all of 20 minutes over a 4 day weekend.

    I often ask myself, other than it being yet another screen, what is the point? especially when we already have 2 laptops, 2 smartphones in the house?
  • Stewie_CStewie_C Posts: 1,739
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    Another one who can't see the point of tablets. I recently went on holiday to Italy, and at one tourist site there was a group of people all taking pictures with ipads - looked ridiculous, especially as the image quality is crap.
    scruffpot wrote: »
    For example one of the reasons why i hate social media is I couldn't give a monkeys ass what your kid did at school or what type of food you made for dinner and took some grainy yellowed photo.of it. if you want to tell me about things email me, not push things onto me.

    Off topic I know, but to me that's one of the advantages of social media. There are some people where I want to see their pictures and video's (my new great-niece) and there are some people I can't be bothered to look at their photo's. With facebook I can choose to look at what I want, skip the boring ones, and not look at others at all. I can even block people when they become too boring.

    Facebook avoids the situation of people bringing round photo albums of their holidays / baby etc and you have to sit there and politely go through them. That never happens to me any more, and if tablets are going to bring back that happening then they need to be banned - simples!
  • CubeGameCubeGame Posts: 987
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    Most people who bought them did so because they were made by Apple and therefore instantly became a must have item.
  • JasonJason Posts: 76,557
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    Stewie_C wrote: »
    Off topic I know, but to me that's one of the advantages of social media...

    I suppose technically it's not off topic - it's certainly relevant to why people might buy a tablet i suppose.

    I'm actually (hopefully) getting my first tablet in about a week and half - it's currently being shipped from china. I've been on the fence for a while, mainly because I live on my own and my desktop is in the living room about a foot away from the settee so in that respect, i know if i wanted to go online for a bit, i can just boot the PC up and take about two steps from the sofa and i'm there.

    But I can certainly see how having a tablet can be more convenient for quick and simple things in that respect. I've often been on the phone to my mum and she's asked me about things that need looking up online so having a tablet to hand would certainly make that a faster process at least.
  • Mark SmithMark Smith Posts: 2,728
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    CubeGame wrote: »
    Most people who bought them did so because they were made by Apple and therefore instantly became a must have item.

    A lot of people who own tablets would never consider buying any Apple products. It's the iPad that started the explosion in popularity of tablets but it's losing market share all the time.

    Of all my devices, it's my iPad I use more than anything. It's far easier to read than my phone. But each device has a purpose. I use the computer for serious work or playing big screen games, the iPad for general web browsing and research, my GS3 during breaks at work and when out and about and my Kindle of course for reading. The iPad is too big and heavy for reading comfortably for long periods and the Kindle too slow for web browsing as well as lacking colour.
  • boyzieboyzie Posts: 3,346
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    Could not be without my iPad,can hardly see anything on my iPhone.The iPad is extremely portable,fast,and does most things my laptop does.Also have a Galaxy Tab 2 and a Motorola Xoom.I use the Android tablets mostly to hack,personalise etc.Im coming up to 70 now but still love all sorts of gadgets and the tablet is one of the best.
    And Mark I have a very light stand for my iPad and is ideal for reading,tho I dont read books on it but the wife does.:mad: :)
  • scruffpotscruffpot Posts: 4,570
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    I suppose you have to rewind about 20 odd years to get a comparison of sorts. How many people have come back from a holiday or a special event (wedding?) with a big wedge of polaroid photos that they want to show people ?

    To do that today, you'd likely pass the person your phone or tablet.



    See this, for me, seems to suggest that you have this perception that people will just randomly sit beside you, thrusting their tablets under your nose to show you all sorts of pictures and videos.

    I would have thought that most people do have the choice about whether or not to view someone's photos and/or videos in certain social situations.

    But then if you're sitting there with a couple of friends who have come back from a holiday they've enjoyed and they offer to show you some pictures, would you say "No Thanks" or would you politely accept the offer of the relevant device to have a look ?

    That, for me, is how that notion would work.

    Same goes for, for the sake of argument, an elderly parent or relative. Do you think it would be better for them to see pictures of nieces and nephews on a small phone screen or a much larger tablet screen ?

    in my experience the concept of being shown photos and videos by other people by them thrusting their devices under my nose has grown thanks to tablets and phones and also with social media. I've had it 4 times this week, 2 friends a work colleague and a stranger on a bus who was randomly talking to me.
    It could be argued by us using these devices sharing photos and videos we are looking for confirmation and wanting receipt/giving of emotional strokes off one another, what do you think the Like button is on Facebook. It goes towards pack mentality and wanting acceptance... there's a book about social media and its psychology i can't remember the name..

    In the olden days (says grandad) you could choose to not go over someone's house to see their pictures where as someone with a tablet or a phone will have it always with them and will show you
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