Tablet Computers

[Iggy aka IG]

Do you own and utilize a tablet?  What are the pros and cons?

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

I have an iPad. My primary reason for getting one is that we eliminated our landline. My captioned phone uses landline, but they have an app for iPad that serves the same function and uses VOIP. Since it is portable, I use it as a live map to help DH navigate, we listen to audiobooks on it. I listen to music on it while I am working, and I also have the Kindle app on it for reading. I also use it for surfing the web.

[billisonboard]

I sit in the evenings in my La-Z-Boy recliner and use a Samsung Galaxy 7 tablet to post here and play solitaire2048/mahjong with the TV adding its noise.  Doing this allows for the desktop to be tucked away in a different room and used only when necessary.

Pros are light weight and easy to just set aside.  Touch screen is easier without the keyboard in the way.  Also my wife seems to feel it makes me less "disconnected" from her than when I was at a desk facing a larger screen.  My wife uses a laptop (literally) and grumbles about it being a pain to deal with when she gets up.  Cons are that you have to have one hand holding it when using it as I do and typing longer responses is painfully slow.  (I am at a desktop typing this. ;~) It allows for slide type which is a mixed blessing.  It is faster and does provide, at times, entertaining words but requires frequent retries to get the right word.

I got the Galaxy 7 with an AT&T data plan because it was a cheap deal and it is nice to have when out and about, particularly waiting for the wife to finish shopping.  I had a no plan bigger tablet (10 inch) that I had been using at home.  It has started to have problems so I just have switched to the 7.  It is easier to hold and harder to see.

[Chocolate Lover]

I have a Kindle Fire, 7 inch size, probably 3 years old at this point. I do a boatload of reading on it, surf the web (except it hates this site) and sometimes watch stuff on it. I have a case that lets it stand up in landscape mode so it's most often just sitting on the table or arm of the couch instead of being held. As it has aged, the keyboard is getting slower and less responsive, but that's all I have to complain about. 

DH has a newer 10 inch version and it is much heavier. With a good case/stand it's good for streaming stuff but I could never hold it and use for extended times. 


It's good for about 99% of what I want to do with it. Now and then there's not an app for something I sort of wanted to use (ex: HGTV app to watch stuff), but all the major ones are there. 

[TheOtherMe]

I had an iPad2.  When it began slowing down, I felt iPads were too expensive for no more than I used it.

I have two Kindle Fires and I do use those.  It is worth the money for what I use it for.

[wvugurl26]

I have an older Kindle fire. It works for me to surf the web and read books.

I bought DH one as well a year or so ago. He plays games, surfs the web, and watches some stuff. He'll download shows from Amazon to watch during flights. He was slow to adapt but now he likes it. He was able to watch hockey games on it via Comcast this year. They screwed up our install and we had no cable in our bedroom for two weeks.

It's not a substitute for our laptops but it works well for entertainment purposes.

[Tennesseer]

I have both a tablet (Samsung Galaxy 10.1) and PC.  I can use the tablet anywhere versus the PC and being stuck at a desk.  The PC is the workhorse.  The tablet is for fun.

Don't save a lot of apps and other stuff to your tablet and you should be fine for a few years.

[msventoux]

I have the 12.9” iPad Pro. I use it almost exclusively at home. I have a MacBook Air if I need an actual computer. I really only use it at this point to prepare my taxes and scan stuff into Evernote. It did take awhile to get used to using the iPad so much.

I can access Ynab on the iPad and a number of apps for my finances. I can access the Evernote app on my iPad and phone. I do like the split screen functionality of the iPad so I can watch a movie on one screen and do other stuff on the other half of the screen, or I can watch a webinar on one half and take notes on the other half using the Apple Pencil. I love the pencil, it’s such a huge improvement over any other stylus I’ve tried in the past. It’s also fun to use the pencil to do artwork in different apps.

[toomuchreality]

I have a 7" tablet and a desktop PC in addition to my phone. I use all 3. But my desktop is the one I use most.  I get tired of squinting at that little screen. However, a 7" screen is easier to look than a 3-4 inch screen is.  I am VERY glad I have it! I have used it a ton during the 5 yrs I've had it.  -Mostly I use my tablet when I'm laying in bed & can't sleep, or I'm just being lazy.
I easily got my money's worth out of it.

Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy tab 4
Desktop PC is a Lenovo- It's about 7½" X 7½"


Are you thinking of getting something new? 

[Iggy aka IG]

Thank you all so much for taking the time to post!  There is a lot of good info here.

toomuchreality, no, I actually bought one Black Friday as a rather inexpensive impulse purchase, and didn't realize at the time it would add to my cell phone bill.  (It's not much, but still, I'm scrambling to save every penny I can for retirement.)  Thought I would use it to work from home on snow days, etc.  I only use it a few times a month, so I've been thinking about dropping the service.  However, after reading this thread, I don't think I will.  I just need to get into the habit of using it for games, Pinterest tweaking, etc.  My middle aged eyes get cranky quickly with my cell phone. 

[saveinla]

Iggy, Check if you can remove it from the cell pone bill. If you are using it at home, you can use it on the wireless and it will still work. I don't have any connection on my ipad other than using it where I have wireless. I have the kindle app, download free books when I can and then read it whenever.

[toomuchreality]

Yep. Although I can use my tablet via data, I don't. I always connect using my Comcast wifi or hotspot.
There should be a setting that you turn off- unless you want it to connect using your data.

[Anne_in_VA]

I have an IPad air that I got for Christmas a few years ago.   I use it for almost everything, checking the boards, emails, online shopping, news, etc.  i like it, but typing a long email orbreply to a thread is really slow.  I prefer using a laptop or a desktop with a keyboard is much more user friendly.  I do like that it’s light and easy to use though.  I tried getting a keyboard for my IPad, but I could never get it to sync, even with tech help so I gave up on that.  F I could find something similar with a keyboard then I would go for it.

[toomuchreality]

Jun 15, 2018 20:38:24 GMT -5 Anne_in_VA said:

I have an IPad air that I got for Christmas a few years ago.   I use it for almost everything, checking the boards, emails, online shopping, news, etc.  i like it, but typing a long email orbreply to a thread is really slow.  I prefer using a laptop or a desktop with a keyboard is much more user friendly.  I do like that it’s light and easy to use though.  I tried getting a keyboard for my IPad, but I could never get it to sync, even with tech help so I gave up on that.  F I could find something similar with a keyboard then I would go for it.

I got a bluetooth keyboard to go with my tablet. It was easy to connect and can connect to windows, mac or android. 3 different devices can be paired at the same time. You simply turn the knob and it switches devices. I got mine for $40.
 
BLUETOOTH MULTI-DEVICE KEYBOARD K480

A wireless desk keyboard for your computer, tablet and smartphone

www.logitech.com/en-us/product/multi-device-keyboard-k480


Maybe one of these would work for you?

[Deleted]

I really hate typing on tablet but like it for carrying around and outside.

[toomuchreality]

Jun 16, 2018 15:30:27 GMT -5 @xmascookie said:

I really hate typing on tablet but like it for carrying around and outside.

This is how I feel too. But having the wireless  keyboard  when  I'm  at home makes my tablet that more enjoyable.  (it's  battery  operated  so I can take it with me if I choose )  Anvd I can use the keyboard  to type text  messages  on my phone too. I just turn the knob.

Jeez, I feel like a salesperson  for the keyboards !   LOL   I'm not. 

[resolution]

I have a cheapo RCA tablet that has a carrying case with a tiny plug-in keyboard. I got it just to familiarize myself with tablets in case I ever need one for work. I just use the wifi at home and don't have a data plan. The only thing i ever use it for now days is the cat. I have a friskies app where the cat can paw at some fish and it scores how many fish he catches.

[toomuchreality]

Jun 16, 2018 21:45:11 GMT -5 resolution said:

I have a cheapo RCA tablet that has a carrying case with a tiny plug-in keyboard. I got it just to familiarize myself with tablets in case I ever need one for work. I just use the wifi at home and don't have a data plan. The only thing i ever use it for now days is the cat. I have a friskies app where the cat can paw at some fish and it scores how many fish he catches.

Hilarious!  Does the cat ever really play the game?  If you turned it on and put it in front of the cat, would your cat know what to do, and do it?

[resolution]

Jun 16, 2018 21:49:18 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

Jun 16, 2018 21:45:11 GMT -5 resolution said:

I have a cheapo RCA tablet that has a carrying case with a tiny plug-in keyboard. I got it just to familiarize myself with tablets in case I ever need one for work. I just use the wifi at home and don't have a data plan. The only thing i ever use it for now days is the cat. I have a friskies app where the cat can paw at some fish and it scores how many fish he catches.

Hilarious!  Does the cat ever really play the game?  If you turned it on and put it in front of the cat, would your cat know what to do, and do it?

I have had mixed results. He doesn't have a lot of interest, but every now and then it will let out a pretty authentic meow and he will perk up and start batting at it.

[Iggy aka IG]

Jun 14, 2018 18:55:55 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Iggy, Check if you can remove it from the cell pone bill. If you are using it at home, you can use it on the wireless and it will still work. I don't have any connection on my ipad other than using it where I have wireless. I have the kindle app, download free books when I can and then read it whenever.

saveinla , toomuchreality , and everyone else, thank you so much for the information!  This is one of the reasons why I love this board-the coming together of ideas.  I learn so much!    I contacted my carrier and asked them to remove it.  Seems I'm locked in with a contract for the tablet until Nov 2019 with an early cancellation fee.  However, I was given the option to "suspend" the tablet and a month's charge, and then a reduction down to $10/mo thereafter.  At the contract renewal time I will have the option of cancelling altogether.

Next up, I'm going to check out one of those wireless keyboards toomuchreality mentioned above.  The lack of an external keyboard is one of the reasons why I rarely use the tablet. 

[Anne_in_VA]

I bought a keyboard to try and sync it to my IPad, but was never able to get it to consistently work even after going back to Best Buy to have them try it.  I bought and returned two different keyboards before giving up on that.

[toomuchreality]

Jun 18, 2018 20:26:28 GMT -5 Anne_in_VA said:

I bought a keyboard to try and sync it to my IPad, but was never able to get it to consistently work even after going back to Best Buy to have them try it.  I bought and returned two different keyboards before giving up on that.

That's unfortunate.
A few years ago, I bought one (different brand) that I wasn't impressed with. But I have LOVED this Logitech keyboard I posted. I've never had a problem with it connecting to anything. On the Logitech website, they are $50. But I think in Dec 2017 I saw them on ebay for $25-28, I think.