Mobile phones & tablets thread

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mark

How can you preorder something which hasn't even been announced yet, Apple haven't even confirmed there will be a new iPhone released ever!

---

Preordered in my mind whilst waiting for the official announcement ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jag_Warrior

What does the group here think of the Microsoft Surface announcement... hero or zero?

---

Looks great, with the i5... The price will be the deciding factor.

Would have bought myself an HP Slate, but last I checked it was more than twice the price of other tablets (it has come down significantly since). Couldn't justify it really, with Windows 8 perhaps I could the Surface.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Simple. You don't have to. For example the iPad on-screen keyboard is perfectly adequate for writing short or long emails. It may take a little getting used to, but once that's done you're set. Adding a physical keyboard simply makes it what you're used to not what it actually is.

---

I have used tablets over a couple of weeks to do simple things like prepare word documents and type out 4-5 pages, and NO, the on-screen keyboard simply isn't a match, NOR a replacement for a physical one. Accuracy and speed go for a toss as well and you end up wasting double the time on something which would be much easier with a physical keyboard, and that is the reason why all tablet makers are offering physical keyboard attachments now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Ultimately that's what it's about. Choice. If a tablet doesn't do what you want it to do then don't buy one. That doesn't mean a tablet isn't suitable for others.

---

I'd like to see what a tablet can do for the same price of a laptop, that the laptop can't, and vice versa. They can run almost the same kind of apps that a sub $300 netbook can. Tablets can only go up to 64 GB at the moment, while on a laptop you can go up to 1 TB AND increase it with external hard drives or even cloud storage as long as you're in city limits.

You can find everything on Windows 7 that is available for iOs or Android. Portability and the ability to make calls is a moot point since current tablets are too big to fit even in a coat pocket, so you need a small bag anyway (unless you are willing to wear those ridiculous chest strap thingies). And when it comes to running anything higher spec, you need to have a better computer. So then, what's the point?

Until tablets can run the same applications smoothly that a laptop can, and provide 10 times the storage, and the user is not forced to "cloud store" their files, tablets will remain what they are now: impractical toys to swipe your pictures and browse Facebook.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden

I have used tablets over a couple of weeks to do simple things like prepare word documents and type out 4-5 pages, and NO, the on-screen keyboard simply isn't a match, NOR a replacement for a physical one. Accuracy and speed go for a toss as well and you end up wasting double the time on something which would be much easier with a physical keyboard.

---

My experience of using a tablet in the last 18mths is entirely different. Dismissing them as "impractical toys to swipe your pictures and browse Facebook" is, in my view, underestimating their capability. But, as they say, the customer is always right and we're both customers :s mokin:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden

Until tablets can run the same applications smoothly that a laptop can, and provide 10 times the storage, and the user is not forced to "cloud store" their files...

---

Then they'd be a laptop and you'd be happy :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden

I have used tablets over a couple of weeks to do simple things like prepare word documents and type out 4-5 pages....

---

You have been using a device for something that it was never intended. I understand your frustration. To alleviate this, in the future use a laptop :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CaptainRaiden

...Until tablets can run the same applications smoothly that a laptop can, and provide 10 times the storage, and the user is not forced to "cloud store" their files ...

---

This will never happen, so don't sweat it.
Use a laptop :)

Sounds like the Captain wants to his apples comparable to his oranges :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pino

Preordered in my mind whilst waiting for the official announcement ;)

---

LOL! In that case I've preordered it too!

As ever you need to use the correct tool for the correct job ;) .

The advantages of tablets, portability, they are a lot lighter and smaller than the vast majority of laptops - sure there are exceptions but in the main this holds true.

And for their size the battery also lasts much longer than a laptop.

I'm not sure I get the point about having to buy a keyboard, you have to buy a keyboard with your PC and with your laptop (it's in the price!), the only difference with a tablet is that it's possible to do without on, but you don't have to!

That said for serious work the only thing that will do is a proper desktop machine with a desktop OS with a massive monitor or two.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by henners88

I certainly wouldn't use our iPad for typing up word documents, what's the point? LOL.

---

I don't either, I have my desktop PC for that, and if I'm away, my Dell laptop. I merely wanted to try how much serious work I could get done on a friend's tablet. Turns out not much! ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

My experience of using a tablet in the last 18mths is entirely different. Dismissing them as "impractical toys to swipe your pictures and browse Facebook" is, in my view, underestimating their capability. But, as they say, the customer is always right and we're both customers

---

:D But then what more do they do? The only argument in their favor is portability and battery life. You still need a bag to carry them around. Why not buy a bigger bag and put a kickass laptop in it for the same price? :p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ArrowsFA1

Then they'd be a laptop and you'd be happy

---

They damn well at least should perform closer to a laptop for the money they ask!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by schmenke

You have been using a device for something that it was never intended. I understand your frustration. To alleviate this, in the future use a laptop.

---

Like I replied to Henners above, I don't use a tablet for my work. I tried the new iPad out for a few weeks, as MAYBE a future replacement, and found it an utter waste of money. It does half the things a laptop does, and is pretty much sold at the same price. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by schmenke

This will never happen, so don't sweat it.
Use a laptop

---

It will. With manufacturers making thinner chips with the latest architecture, don't be surprised if 5-6 years down the line, tablets are as good as the laptops. If they can cram a quad core chip in the current models, the future looks bright. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by schmenke

Sounds like the Captain wants to his apples comparable to his oranges.

---

More like comparing polished turd with good, sweet, value-for-money apples. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mark

The advantages of tablets, portability, they are a lot lighter and smaller than the vast majority of laptops - sure there are exceptions but in the main this holds true.

And for their size the battery also lasts much longer than a laptop.

---

These are pretty much the only pluses in favor of tablets. For the rest of it, they seriously lag behind even a half-decent laptop.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mark

That said for serious work the only thing that will do is a proper desktop machine with a desktop OS with a massive monitor or two.

---

True and agreed 100%. I guess when I start earning more money, I can afford to throw $500 on a toy to scroll Facebook or play Angry Birds while sitting on the crapper, because a laptop is too "heavy". :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by henners88

I see alot of people moaning about the price of Apple products in comparison to Android, and Windows equivilents but when there is an established desirable brand, they can control it in anyway they wish. I would like to go to Tesco in a Ferrari and do my weekly shop, but do I whinge Ferrari don't produce a reasonable priced family car? No, because they don't need to in their particular chosen market and Apple don't need to produce products that are affordable by all. There are plenty of alternatives depending on affordability, personal preference etc and Apple fall into a catagory where a certain type of person will buy their products. Its not really for anybody to judge because as an individual you will buy what you want.

---

That's a wrong comparison IMO.

Ferrari make very well engineered performance cars, which are at least on par if not better than its competitors like Lamborghini, Mclaren etc. And they charge a premium partly because it's an established marquee, has rich racing history, the cars look good and have the performance to boot.

Apple makes overpriced, under-performing products by making them pretty and selling it to gullible customers with flashy TV and print ads and by having futuristic looking showrooms (Ooh, everything is white, don't bring dirt in). Its main competitors don't get the same love when they put much better performing hardware on the table at lesser or around the same price. They are deemed cheap because they don't have the bitten apple logo on them.

Case in point Galaxy S2 vs iPhone 4S. Galaxy S2 has a faster processor, double the RAM, extendable memory, bigger screen and the same quality camera, which BTW was also judged smartphone of the year 2011 by majority of the reviewers. And it's CHEAPER than the iPhone. Apple fanboys still don't mind paying the extra $150. Why? Just because of the brand name or iOS?

Android 2.3 and 4.0 are as good, if not better, than the iOS 5 at least in my opinion, and give you limitless freedom on customization, whereas iOS is pretty much what it is out of the box. But no Apple, please shut up and take my money.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by henners88

Nobody is disputing that. My desktop at work is faster than my laptop, why do I need the laptop in that case? I could put the desktop on a trolley, hook it up to a car battery and get connectivity through a 3G connection and laugh in the faces of people using laptops could I not with my super fast personal computer. Seriously dude, don't worry about the 'fools' wasting their money on tablets :p

---

No offense Henners, but you would look quite stupid lugging around a desktop PC on a trolley. :p

Again, wrong comparison. There's a huge weight difference between a desktop PC and a laptop, at least around 20 kilos. Is there such a huge weight difference between a laptop and a tablet? NO. Maybe maximum 1.5 kilos.

I don't wanna get into how much more you get with buying a laptop again. But until current tablets can do some serious multitasking and help me do my work, my opinion on these expensive "toys" remain the same. ;)

Having said that, hey, if I was bicycling to camp in a forest every weekend and wanted to play Bejeweled for 5 hours or check my Facebook (but how would I? There's no internet in the forest), then I definitely won't mind throwing away $500 on a brand spanking new tablet. :)