My Experience With A Tablet

[pokeplayer984]

In a simple understanding, these things are overpriced.  I spent $500 on mine (Mostly from Birthday Money and a bonus I recently got at work.) and it really doesn't feel like it's worth even close to that. (Maybe 100-something, maybe 200, close to 250 possibly, but nowhere near 500.) However, despite this, I will try to get the most use out of this thing.  It's not really a piece of junk in it's own right.

My choice of tablet was the Acer htc Flyer 7" tablet.  It's small enough to fit into my pants pocket and feels rather light in my hand.  It indeed doesn't hold much space, (Only 9 GB in this case.) but one must understand first hand that it wasn't even meant for something like this in the first place.  The one thing it is meant for is mobile connectivity, which it does rather well in it's own right.

It's main attribute is documents and video on the go, which for the most part, it does well at.  As long as you are within range of a connection, (mostly the Wi-Fi Hotspots out there.) you can surf decent video (up to 360p) and read all the on-line documents you want.  However, the big problem with hotspots is that you can only be on-line for a limited amount of time and that limit varies from hotspot to hotspot. (I was able to find one in the huge outside mall near my home that goes for 30 minutes, but that's the best I could find so far. (Maybe there's a longer one out there, but I'm unsure right now.))

Typing is mediocre at best.  If you are a phone-keyboard-texting-expert, you should feel right at home with the set-up.  However, for one without much experience, you'll find yourself to be rather slow and take up a good chunk of time typing.

On top of that, it is sensitive with where you touch for the link.  With the 7" screen, you really need to be precise with where you touch.  It is especially cumbersome with YouTube, and not all too recommended if you're in an area where you'll be interrupted often.

It is more of a device meant to access stuff on "the cloud" as it were, and even then it is overpriced.

If you're planning to get one, do yourself a favor and find one with a discount on-line. (Even go for "Used" to save some bucks.) At least that way, you won't feel as cheapened-out as I was.

It is definitely good as a more mobile on-line access device, but at the end of the day, I find a laptop to be better for something mobile. (Despite the problems mine may have, I still find it more reliable.)

So yeah, that's my experience and boy, do I feel ripped off. -_-

[DarkHououmon]

I can see a tablet PC being a bit pricey since it's essentially a computer. But I never used a tablet PC before, so I dunno.

I have used a regular tablet once myself, though I never used it much. I spent only about $75 in mine. It got it from a computer convention. They were selling older computers and many different computer parts. And other stuff too.

The tablet worked just fine, but I didn't use it much because I never got the hang of it. I still have it laying around somewhere.

[landbeforetimelover]

A tablet is nothing but a toy.  A cell phone isn't because you can actually call people on it and do things that matter.  Nor is a computer because it's made for work.  But a tablet is nothing but a way for these huge corporations to try to get people to buy 10 times the number of devices they really need.  You need a desktop and perhaps a laptop depending on your lifestyle.  A cell phone is also necessary for most people to have.  But tablets, netbooks, Ipads, and other devices like that are just useless.

I actually picked up an HP touchpad because it went from $499 down to only $99 (just goes to show you how successful these things are, right?) and I must say I'm not impressed.  In my gut I know it was a great deal, but it's just so useless!  I'm selling it to the next client that walks through my door.

And on top of all that, tablets are 100% disposable.  If something goes wrong, just throw it away.  It's just as disposable as a paper bag.  A $500 paper bag that is. : I can't believe people are actually stupid enough to be baited into buying stuff like this.

EDIT:  Though I don't fault people for being curious and buying one once, but if the buy another one after that they really are stupid.  Either that or they work for a company that gives them one.  One use for tablets is for doctors and nurses and some advertising agencies.

[Petrie85]

Yeah that is a waste of money if you ask me. Those things are a waste of time and money. It's just a way for multi billion dollar company's to earn a few more dollars. That is it. I can't believe also that morons buy these. But hey it's your choice and there money. Unless you really need one for your drawings and so fourth. That is what they're manly for is for art and other stuff I bet. I've seen them never wanted one nor will I get one. A huge waste of money. If you want to draw better take a class in stead.

[Justin1993]

Yeah that is a waste of money if you ask me. Those things are a waste of time and money. It's just a way for multi billion dollar company's to earn a few more dollars. That is it. I can't believe also that morons buy these. But hey it's your choice and there money. Unless you really need one for your drawings and so fourth. That is what they're manly for is for art and other stuff I bet. I've seen them never wanted one nor will I get one. A huge waste of money. If you want to draw better take a class in stead.

They're talking about PC tablets, not art tablets  
I don't think they live up to the hype.  <_<
They're basically an overpriced cell phone. Without calling and texting built in.

[Petrie85]

I know that. It's a waste of money and time to own any kind of tablet. PC Tables also a way for billion dollar computer companies to make a few bucks. Morons these days.

[Justin1993]

Hey! I own an pen tablet! And I am not a moron! They aren't even expensive. Mine was $66 and it came with Corel Painter Essentials, which is $60 worth of software. Which means I paid nearly half the price I could have paid. I didn't feel cheated at all. I paid for something I wanted, and it delivered. I agree, PC tablets are just a waste of money, but pen tablets used for arts and such are a great contribution. I have no steady hand when it comes to using a mouse. It's not just used for art. I can use it to navigate through my computer, make notes on my school assignments (online school) or e-books. I use mine to write stories, too. I just write a word in this little box and *bam* it's right there in my word document. I usually avoid typing errors when I use it. I have ADHD and sitting down for a prolonged period isn't something I do, so the tablet was good as I can stand and pace while working with it. They're also used in schools for virtual whiteboards. They have actual uses. And calling people who buy them "morons" is uncalled for.

[Petrie85]

Well there ya go if you actually need one than it's worth the money. And I wasn't saying that to you or people. If you have a need for it than by all means buy it.

[DarkHououmon]

Look, LBTLover, that was rude of you to call people who buy expensive tablets "stupid". There was no reason for you to say that.

As for tablets being a toy, I disagree with that, as you contradicted yourself when you said that doctors and some companies use them to make money. If tablets were truly just toys, then companies and doctors wouldn't use them.

While I agree that a tablet is not necessary for most people, that doesn't mean it should be labelled a "toy". Not many people need a computer monitor that's 32 inches (or however big they are now), but I don't call them a "toy", nor do I call the people who buy them "stupid".

If you don't like tablets, fine. I don't care if you don't. My point is be more respectful towards people who would be willing to buy them. Just because they buy something that you find useless doesn't mean that they are "stupid".

[Kor]

Not everyone wants or needs a desktop.  For some a netbook may be all they really need.   Some professions may find a tablet handy.  Some folks may find a tablet handy.  Some who travel and want something with them to watch some videos they can put on flash cards, instead of carrying around dvd's, and can play some basic games like bejeweled and some like that, and some some other basic stuff.  Or at home if they want to have an alternative to using the desktop all the time for everything.

[Malte279]

Everyone is entitled to the own opinions, but I appeal to everybody to remember the need to present opinions as such (rather than claiming for them to be facts without evidence). Also please mind the border between opinions and attacks on people. Unreflected statements that proclaim for every owner of a tablet to be "stupid" or "morons" are certainly not helping to get a sensible discussion going.

[Pterano]

Yeah I mean, good statement there, Malte. Let's try to respect each others' opinions. If you have facts, fine, but opinions are opinions and should be respected.

As for me, I think it's interesting and a bit pioneering too. My friend, who's a teacher, got one for free as part of a study to see how it enhances teaching in the classroom. Some of my college professors used them too to play video through projectors, or present powerpoint presentations on, or even put up their notes via overhead. They seem pretty convenient, and in all honesty, technology is only going to get smaller as we go on, so the tablet actually seems pretty forward thinking. So if it's such a big conspiracy by corporations... why are they giving them away for free to conduct a study? That's not profitable. My friend and his colleagues didn't have to pay a cent for theirs, so the notion that it's just out to rip people off doesn't really make any sense to me, especially if they're giving them out.

 It sounds to me like they're testing the waters, and wanting genuine input from teachers and other workers as well. If it enhances the classroom, great. If not, then they know it wasn't quite as pioneering as they thought.

[Nick22]

I myself don;t have a tablet, but I don;t think people who own them are stupid. Lets be civil here. calling them morons or stupid for owning them, comes close to a personal attack. and just as pepople are entitled to like videogames movies and rv shows, they are entitlked to like whatever gadget they chose. Or dislike as the case may be.

[landbeforetimelover]

Tablets really are a toy.  Doctors and advertising agencies that use tablets have their own custom software on there.  But tablets that come directly from the factory are totally useless.  Now if you load one up with a custom Android OS and actually use it for a PURPOSE, that's one thing.  But all these people buying tablets to replace or supplement their computers are sure getting a rude awakening.  Just look on the first page of Craigslist in the computer section.  There are at least 10 tablets on the first page that have been "used once or twice."  In other words, people get them and realize how useless they are.  Then they try to sell them at a $20 discount. :

What really pisses me off is when people call them "Tablet PC's."  Okay, it's not a PC.  It's a cell phone with a big screen that can't make a phone call.  A tablet PC is an actual laptop that you can turn the screen around on and use touch capabilities.  Or a computer with a REAL processor, upgradable ram, and a replaceable hard drive that has a screen instead of a keyboard/mouse.  THAT is what a tablet PC is, and they're no where near useless.  I used to own a tablet PC.  It was pretty awesome, but I rarely used the touch capabilities on it so it was kind of a waste.