Android Tablet, Section 2

H

hardee

New member
Android Tablet, found hereis informative, passionate and funny… and very likely outdated. With that in mind,and the end of the year coming, and maybe there are still some good opportunities for acquisition available, I am opening Android Tablets, Page 2 here.

I am interested in Android information, mainly because my family use Android operating devices, and my phone is also Android. Nothing against Apple products, just that I’m not going there. Whichever device, it will probably be 7 or 8 inch size, and preferably with a good camera and GPS when not hooked to wifi.

Those of you from the 2012 version, have you updated? Did you change devices, or are you still using the same device? If so, it must be sturdy and functional.

Do you use it for music? With speakers (internal or external) or head phones of some type? How about on the boat? Navigation on the road or on the water, or both?

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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m2cw

I have a discontinued ASUS 10" with keyboard and builtin second battery, USB ports and other ports and features. very useful. It has a lot of features except ASUS didnt release OS updates to new version. It was a dead head
I thought it was under powered CPU and not enough RAM, and installed OS was RAM hungry and has poor memory management.

I bought an iPad Air later and gave the ASUS to my daughter, and my phone is Samsung Note 3 big screen and waiting for Verizon to release new OS update

I am OS independent (as an aside I use DOS, WIN XP, and up software, MAC OS along with embedded OS and software and alot of cloud based apps and server sided apps at work) and focused on apps to accomplish a task. The only games I play are Cribbage and Sudoku so I am boring

I would look for a tablet that the OS can be upgraded, a fast CPU and 2G memory RAM is m2cw

I like Dealnews for deals
www.dealnews.com

today's tablet posting at
http://dealnews.com/c594/Computers/iPad-Tablet/Tablets/

m2cw

on edit I have earplugs, headphones, USB and bluetooth speakers and listen to Audible books and podcasts, and music.

Basically a couple if microSD cards held everything (books, music,apps etc) on ASUS uding the builtin card reader and memory expansion slot . On iPad, I keep some items on it and the rest in the cloud. It is easy to manage.

I use WAZE for the car and love iExit when traveling. Last week I bought an OBDII wifi scanner to look at engine and pull any codes using Dash Command on ipad and Torque on the Note. I am running Navionics on the boat and like tides4fishing for fishing reports and wish it was an app.

I hope this helps
 
I have the Android Tab 3. I use it for GPS in the truck; works great! I also carry it on the Harley and use it in the motel or when I am a guest at a friend or family member's house. It was probably obsolete when I got it over two years ago. It works great; still has original battery!
 
Brent, Thanks, yes some of that was helpful, and though I'm not very tech savvy there was helpful info there.

Rain, I have been using a Samsung G-5 phone and so thinking of going with a Samsung Tablet. At last with them it is easy to determine if they have an internal GPS. Primary use is going to be for MC travel. 7 or 8 inch will fit into the Saddle bag. How's the boat coming? If this weather keeps up we are all going to need ot be sleeping on the boats.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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The Android OS improves greatly with each new version. I found it terrible that large companies like ASUS didn't release OS updates to their devices. This may not be important in your purchasing decision but if it cant be updated then it's obsolete to me and resale value decreases


I purchased Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700

It is very well made, the screen is made using Gorilla glass and high resolution like an iPad, a fantastic keyboard that attaches and becomes a cover with lots of other features, built-in GPS and one of the best cameras but the OS was stuck in KitKat 4.0.
ASUS stated no plans to make it upgradable, awful and I really liked the included apps like Launcher, Task Manager and other apps

I know you discounted iPads, I assume on very good reasons but nothing wrong with kicking the tires on the new models.
 
It is important to buy a tablet or large phone that is popular enough to have many units out there which drives the update process longer for a given unit regardless of the unit's independent specs.

Or buy a Google product and you can count on updates practically beyond the useful life of the unit.

worst case: If you buy a niche model it will get left behind within a year.
best case: If you buy a Google Nexus product, you will be supported the longest because that is a google product.

We use a couple of large Samsung phones everyday, plus an older Nexus 7 tablet and both an 8 and 10 inch Samsung tablet as well. We have moved largely away from tablet use in the last year as the larger phones keep making them unneeded to us. The older 7inch unit has become a permanently boat mounted co-pilot screen with navionics or wifi screen share of the Garmin at the helm using the Helm app.

Aven uses the 10 inch for movies and games so that is her unit and the boats movie theatre.

Cindie and I have exclusively used our phones instead of tablets for everything during the last 6 months and will not buy another tablet until our vision gets a lots worse. The tablets have served us well and are good units.

We also use an Apple 5c, 6+, and ipad for work and they do well enough for that. But our personal preference is Android all the way

(Disclaimer: we are IT people and like more control than Apple allows)

Greg
 
Thanks for asking about the boat. It is progressing about as I thought, slower than promised! I am going to put the letters on her today while she's out of wind and rain! Should be able to pick her up next week. I wouldn't be doing much boating this week anyway!

You might consider using your smart phone on the bike. I purchased a bracket for mine and mount it on the handlebars. It is great to have a "moving map" in front of you all the time that includes construction, traffic jams, alternate route suggestions, time and distance to destination, etc.!
 
Brent, I looked at ASUS, but their ad was all style and flash. I could not find that it had an internal GPS, but I did like the camera. As to updates; I don’t get the need for daily, weekly updates for an operating system. If it works well, don’t mess with it. My first (and last) Motorola android phone on it’s first update, scrambled about 1500 pictures that were laboriously organized into 14 albums. “Yup, who cares right, let’s just dump ‘em all into this bin.” The next best use for that phone after that was as a target for some 44M practice. Updates to aps, I get them regularly and they take up a lot of space and for the most part seem unnecessary. If I had started with Apple or I-phones long ago, I might still have the first one. I’m not into the newest one out every few months.

Greg, Thanks for your input. I am leaning in the direction of Samsung. My phone has already out performed my Motorola by tons. The Galaxy Tab A 8” keeps coming to the top of the compare lists. Yup, my eyes are getting old(er) than I am ;-( and I can’t really do CBRATS on my phone. It does have a GPS, will fit into the saddle bag, and includes MS Office.

Rain, You may need that boat just to get to the boat. Good luck there. Once you get the name on, it starts taking on some personality. Should be fun. I thought about using the phone but have not decided on that….yet. I’d like to see a secure way of making sure it stayed there. I have a RAM mount for my Garmin Handheld. Still need to get it figured out, for routing, but it is pretty solid in the mount. I do like the moving map idea. Thanks.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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Hi Harvey,

You know we use Apple products, but I had a couple Droid phones before the iPhone could get 4G. Really, they are more alike than they are different. While I do keep up with technology, I am not an IT person like Greg.

From my perspective, when Apple comes out with a new iPhone, there are updated features that are useful - it isn't a "here's another one" type of thing.

I use an iPhone 5s that is now two generations old - works fine. I used it on the whale watch boats this summer (for marine nav and phone). We both have phone cases that are mounted on our scoots - works about the same as a stand-alone GPS unit.

We both use iPads for our tablet use. You may remember from posts I made here (when the iPad was first released) that we were early adopters of the tablet for marine nav use... and the never-ending barrage of "not a real GPS" misinformation. The models with cellular capability work. Our first old original iPad still works fine. Joan got that as a hand-me-down, when I got an iPad Mini. We have since updated her iPad with a more current model. She has almost no use for her MacBook Pro these days, doing all our bookkeeping on the iPad.

No need for concern about moving between the different platforms. If you buy a new Samsung, you are jumping in with new technology. If you buy an iOS phone or tablet, you are jumping in with new technology. Either is easy to use. Support for the Apple products is outstanding. Apps for the iOS are generally well developed and supported.

We are still boatless, but Joan pulls up Navionics on her phone when we are on the ferry. :wink: We have an overly complicated built-in navigation unit in the new motorhome. Winnebago and Rand-McNally think it is "state of the art." Pulling up routes and points of interest is faster, easier, and more convenient on Joan's phone or iPad. 8)

Good luck whichever way you go. I have to agree with the advice you have been given on not buying an inexpensive "niche" machine - being able to update is a useful feature.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Thanks Jim. Yes I remember the stuff about using the i-pads on the boat.

So I am going to pull all my "dumb" cards out and lay them on the table here. I'm not sure what the term "Niche machine" is referring to. Tablet, specific brand or ?????? I'm thinking Kindle, or Amazon or even Google branded stuff, or are we talking tablet size, to big for a phone and not big enough for a computer?

:?: :roll: :oops: :?: :arrow:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

"cause I'm in the dark here"
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Really depends on what you are going to do with it.

For the boat I got a Dragon 10" Android tablet from eBay. It is an octo core, 1366 x something display, and an excellent screen (very wide viewing angles), and HDMI output. The screen is the best of any tablet that I have owned (including Samsung)

It has WiFi but no GPS and currently runs the 4.4.? version of Android.

Since it doesn't have GPS I can still look at the charts using MX Mariner (with all the tools except follow me mode). Dragon also makes tablets that do have GPS.

It is intended mostly as an entertainment device and works very well for that purpose. It can also be used for web surfing and email via the wifi.

This tablet with a case and a screen protector (installed by the vendor) was about $85 including shipping. For the value, I'd do it again in a second. I also won't be all that upset if it meets some misfortune while on the boat.

IMO, it is not always worth the premium to get a name brand device. For the price of one iPad, I can get about 6 of these Android tablets.
 
We are Apple all the way in this household! iPhones, Macbooks, iMac, Macbook Pro...except...well, there are a couple of exceptions!

Patty and I each have cheap Chromebooks, not Android of course, but that was the first chink in the armor! BTW, LOVE our Chromebooks, mine has hot key switchable Ubuntu, Patty just uses straight ChromeOS because it does everything she needs a computer to do!

Then I got a wild hair and instead of buying another iPad, I bought a Samsung Tab 3 at Best Buy, the Verizon version with the real GPS, but I did not buy a data plan. So I do have an ANDROID device and am not hijacking this thread, Harvey!

I love the little thing. It is a lot different from my iPad, but it is really not too difficult. The thing I like best about is is the physical "Back" button. Apple missed the boat on that one! Got to get Navionics on it, but so far, so good!
 
Oh my goodness, Pat, I am picking myself up off the floor :shock: :lol: :oops: glad to know you are actually human. Thanks for the insight; I thought you were actually trying to hijack the thread. OK, seriously, I think the Samsungs are in the running, partly because I usually keep stuff a long time, and I am leery of some of the less known (popular) brands. Seems like there is a reason for popularity, and yes, I know I-Everything is popular but as mentioned, they don’t have a “back button” and I need that a lot.

Rain, I love that mount. That looks really doable. I’m sure there is a way to keep my phone screen on for the duration when riding. Need to look into that. Can’t be too hard. I have a way to plug the phone in so the power issue is covered.

Ssobol, Thanks for the link. That might do it except for the size. I have to stay at 8 inch or less, and there are not many less, that have GPS. Another thing I learned today: Tablets are not equipped with really great cameras. Usually 5meg or lower, so that has come into play too.

Still looking for the “perfect tablet” and learning new stuff every time I look here, plus spending lots of time pouring through the soup on I-net. I really appreciate all the input.

Thanks again,

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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Harvey,

This is my opinion (based on an adult lifetime as a professional photographer): do not buy any phone or table based on the camera. Yes, people take photos with their phones. Occasionally, you will see people take photos with their tablets (less now than when the iPad w/camera first came out). None of those come close to even an inexpensive pocket camera with an actual zoom lens.

No zoom lens on phones or tablets means you are using a wide angle lens and cropping when you "zoom" by pinch/pull on the screen. The "closer" you get to the subject, the more pixelation.

It has been said that the best camera is the camera you have with you, thus the reason so many people use their phones. Better than nothing, but not better than a real camera with a real zoom lens.

Suggestion offered to ease your angst of what to buy. You will make whatever you choose work. There isn't a "best one", or we'd all be using that. You know what boat is best for you... is that the boat you recommend to everyone? For every usage?

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Jim, that might be true, but I think depends a lot on what kind of real camera you have. As an example, I use to take some very good photos with old SLR's made by Minolta. However, with everything going digital, I have two small digital cameras. One I payed maybe $50 for, the other $150. The cheaper one took better photos than the more expensive one, but my new iPhone 6 takes better than either... so now days I'm using my iPhone as much as my $150 camera. Colby
 
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