We are going to buy 2 tablets.
We are pretty sure that one will be an iPad for my wife - a basic one, small GB and without 3G. This is an easy choice as she's been seduced by one her brother has.
The other will be for me. I do not want to spend iPad type money on a unit which I will primarily be using for basic web browsing. This is proving to be a harder choice. I've tried reading up on the cheap ones, reading reviews etc (which vary massively). I don't even know which technical features I need. So I thought I would explain the uses to which I will put it, and see what advice I get.
I use an Asus Eee at present, and notice a couple of inconveniences, 1. I cannot get Street View and 2. most web pages do not fit the page width
So, my new tablet will do the following:
1. Be able to view Google Maps, Google Earth and Street View
2. Be able to view Bing Maps and aerial photos
3. Have access to Apps (Android? What are the benefits of higher revisions - 2.1, 2.2, 3.x etc? - does a step up suddenly unleash a facility I need that is not on earlier versions?)
4. Do I need "Flash"? What does it matter if I don't have it?
5. My phone (Nokia 5800) is on Virgin Mobile's Pay As You Go. If I get a tablet with Bluetooth, would I be able to use the Virgin systems data allowance of 25MB per day at 30p, for (very) occasional access when away fron home? (This is probably more to do with the Virgin contract than the tablet). If I couldn't use it to link via my phone then I wouldn't need bluetooth. If I could then it would be a nice to have, but not essential as I can use my phone on its own at a pinch. (I do not need 3G on the tablet, as there's no way I'd make use of it to justify the cost of a sim and contract).
6. Be able to fit web pages to the screen width (using Opera, maybe?)
7. Expansion either by micro SD and or USB, and the ability to take the odd downloaded film or TV programme on holiday. Otherwise I don't expect to meed much storage. So I presume solid state storage would be adequate - I would not need the capacity of a hard drive.
8. To do what I want "Out of the box", or with straight forward Apps downloads. I'm not interested in playing with root directories etc.
9. Wi-Fi
10. 7" or 8" screen tablet.
Sorry about the scattergun approach re questions, but I thought some people in the know would be able to easily answer (at least some of the) questions which I would otherwise spend ages trying to research and still not understand it properly.
I've seen several tablets in the £60 to £100ish range on the eBuyer and Amazon sites and wonder if anyone can comment on them in terms of my needs. I understand that I will be getting what I pay for, and do not expect a super dooper machine for the money, but will any of them do what I want? Thanks.
We are pretty sure that one will be an iPad for my wife - a basic one, small GB and without 3G. This is an easy choice as she's been seduced by one her brother has.
The other will be for me. I do not want to spend iPad type money on a unit which I will primarily be using for basic web browsing. This is proving to be a harder choice. I've tried reading up on the cheap ones, reading reviews etc (which vary massively). I don't even know which technical features I need. So I thought I would explain the uses to which I will put it, and see what advice I get.
I use an Asus Eee at present, and notice a couple of inconveniences, 1. I cannot get Street View and 2. most web pages do not fit the page width
So, my new tablet will do the following:
1. Be able to view Google Maps, Google Earth and Street View
2. Be able to view Bing Maps and aerial photos
3. Have access to Apps (Android? What are the benefits of higher revisions - 2.1, 2.2, 3.x etc? - does a step up suddenly unleash a facility I need that is not on earlier versions?)
4. Do I need "Flash"? What does it matter if I don't have it?
5. My phone (Nokia 5800) is on Virgin Mobile's Pay As You Go. If I get a tablet with Bluetooth, would I be able to use the Virgin systems data allowance of 25MB per day at 30p, for (very) occasional access when away fron home? (This is probably more to do with the Virgin contract than the tablet). If I couldn't use it to link via my phone then I wouldn't need bluetooth. If I could then it would be a nice to have, but not essential as I can use my phone on its own at a pinch. (I do not need 3G on the tablet, as there's no way I'd make use of it to justify the cost of a sim and contract).
6. Be able to fit web pages to the screen width (using Opera, maybe?)
7. Expansion either by micro SD and or USB, and the ability to take the odd downloaded film or TV programme on holiday. Otherwise I don't expect to meed much storage. So I presume solid state storage would be adequate - I would not need the capacity of a hard drive.
8. To do what I want "Out of the box", or with straight forward Apps downloads. I'm not interested in playing with root directories etc.
9. Wi-Fi
10. 7" or 8" screen tablet.
Sorry about the scattergun approach re questions, but I thought some people in the know would be able to easily answer (at least some of the) questions which I would otherwise spend ages trying to research and still not understand it properly.
I've seen several tablets in the £60 to £100ish range on the eBuyer and Amazon sites and wonder if anyone can comment on them in terms of my needs. I understand that I will be getting what I pay for, and do not expect a super dooper machine for the money, but will any of them do what I want? Thanks.




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