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Following Christmas boom, half of all Britons use a tablet
Jason
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http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/following-christmas-boom-half-of-all-britons-use-a-tablet-50013132/
And I still don't know what i'd use one for
I suspect these numbers will keep going up with better quality tablets getting cheaper and cheaper. You'll still have your tablet snobs who will always tell you to "spend £20 or £30 quid more" though.
We are a nation addicted to tablets, according to new research. Between 12 million and 13 million tablet PCs were sold in the UK this year, which was an increase of more than 50 per cent on 2012, according to research company Deloitte, the Telegraph reports. By the end of January, that should mean half of all Britons will own or have access to a tablet, which is up from 36 per cent in the summer.
Unsurprisingly, the recent slew of cheap slate PCs has fuelled this rise, with the devices regularly selling for less than £100. The likes of the Bush MyTablet from Argos, Avoca 7 from Carphone Warehouse, and the Tesco Hudl have brought tablets to the masses, meaning they're no longer the preserve of tech trendsetters.
And I still don't know what i'd use one for
I suspect these numbers will keep going up with better quality tablets getting cheaper and cheaper. You'll still have your tablet snobs who will always tell you to "spend £20 or £30 quid more" though.
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I used to think that, until I got my iPad a few years back. Even with a decent Android phone (currently S3) I'll still use the iPad for stuff like comiXology, taking notes or watching Netflix in bed
I'm surprised by those numbers, though. The leap in users is amazing.
I suppose it's the portability and 'all-in-one' aspect that people are latching on to - as you say, the ability to watch Netflix (or Sky Go e.t.c..) in bed is probably appealing to a lot of people, especially, I would imagine, couples who do have seperate viewing habits.
A tablet is probably much, much simpler to watch stuff on than sitting up in bed with a laptop on your lap
I've actually had a couple over the years but i've always sold them on within a day or two because I've never really found any use for them - mainly because my desktop is mere feet away in my flat and also if i want to do any quick surfing or gaming, i use the iPhone.
Snobs?
No, I don't use one regularly and currently don't own one, but I do also understand that some people might want one for a specific purpose and might only want to spend X amount on one.
One of the lower end tablets I bought, and subsequently sold, a few years back went to a man who said he wanted something cheap and cheerful to display his artwork to people and didn't want to spend more than £40 quid.
He wasn't in the slightest bit bothered it had a single core processor, 512mb and a fairly bog standard screen as well - he just wanted something that worked.
So it certainly does happen.
Having done both, yes it is
My only regret is that maybe I should've got a 10" rather than 7", but then again I don't have a smart phone.
I have a desktop, which is in the spare bedroom and I have a netbook. My misses got fed up with me spending more time on the PC, rather than downstairs with her. So I bought a netbook, as I could use it downstairs, and she was quite happy with that.
Then I bought a tablet, and the netbook hardly gets used. I use the tablet all the time. You cant beat the PC, for 'proper' surfing, gaming, MS Office etc. However the tablet it great for just checking something. I could be watching a film, and wonder what other films an actor is in, so I use my tablet. If I am watching QI, I may want to google something they are discussing etc etc. There is no way I would go upstairs to check these things on my desktop, and the netbook whilst it saved me a trip upstairs, wasnt worth the hassle (mainly due to boot up times etc). The tablet however is great for these tasks.
For me the tablet is worth it, as my misses uses it. She hardly ever used my desktop, and only used the netbook a bit when we first got it. The tablet however she uses it quite a bit. Its probably the only bit if tech she is happy I bought.
Of course it is horses for course, and not everyone will find a use for it. For some its not required, for others it will be essential. For me its between the two, leaning more towards the essential.
which is why my guess is that half of Britons don't actually have a tablet, but quite a few Britons have more than 1. Probably an age demographic as well as income.
And that explains why 12-13 million have been sold!!
This is exactly how I would describe it. I used to think I would have no use for a tablet considering I had a phone and laptop, but since I've had one I've used it for all kinds of things: emails, web browsing without waiting for a laptop to boot up, Twitter, gaming, reading, writing, Netflix in bed, and so much more. Plus I now have a bluetooth keyboard to use with it, meaning typing for long periods on it is almost as seamless an experience as it is on my laptop. Basically, I would simply not be without one anymore.
I also think that tablets are excellent devices for consuming media on, whether it's music, a quick YouTube video, or entire movies or TV shows via Netflix. Yes, you can do this on a plethora of other devices but not with the same degree of convenience as a tablet. The subscriber numbers of something like Netflix show that streaming video is an extremely popular thing these days, and it pretty much goes hand-in-hand with tablet usage.
It's an Archos 80 Cobalt 8" that Tesco are knocking out for £59 on their ebay outlet store.
It's currently sitting next to me, unopened, as i need to leave it untouched in case i want to return it for a refund - I have 10 days to decide apparently ..
Where the tablet really is fantastic is when I'm out and about or travelling. The Nexus slips into a jacket pocket or bag and is useful for when you need a bigger screen than your phone.
I have 2 tablets (an 8" and a 7"), a netbook and a laptop. I still use my laptop more than any of the others. My poor netbook hasn't been used for months and I probably should just sell it.
I am typing this on my laptop and watching something on the 8" tablet.
ETA I rarely take the the tablets out of the house as I use my phone. I do take one on holiday with me.
Distance selling regs allow you to open and use it and then send it back if you want.
good to know, thanks. it's still sitting here untouched
I got the 7" to connect to my tv as the 8" doesn't display properly. It's also the one I take out with me as it's lighter than the 8" one.
I use the 10 inch Android tablet (Galaxy tab)in the house.I keep the Galaxy tab 2, mainly for watching Netflix,sky go, YouTube and movies etc in the house as it has a big screen and the OH tends to hog the TV and the laptop. Don't want to have to go to the bedroom all the time. I also like the fact that it can take a micro SD card so I can load it up with lots of things.
I use my iPad mini when I'm out and about . The Galaxy tab is too big and cumbersome to be dragging around with me. The iPad mini is light and fits in my handbag. Also there are tons of TV shows that I can get from iTunes which are not available on the Google play store so I use my iPad to watch those. There are also apps and games that I can't get from the Google play store, like love film. I also use the airplay feature to mirror my iPad to my TV via my apple TV.
Just before Christmas I bought a nexus 7. It was mainly bought for my other half who Sometimes likes to take a Tablet out with him but also finds the ga
Galaxy tab, too big. I've also persuaded him to use it in bed instead of using the laptop, which he agrees is much more comfortable . I use the nexus 7 in the house Sometimes.
I have an old Blackberry Playbook but haven't turned it on in months. It is gathering dust in my Cupboard of Obsolete Technology.
I also have a Kindle which gets a lot of use when I'm on holiday and have time to read. It's better for e-books than a regular tablet and the battery lasts much longer.
These distance selling regs also apply to Click and Collect