Android tablets

[Heinz57]

Hi all,

I'm interested in getting a tablet. I'm not a fan of Apple, so don't want an Ipad. I was perhaps thinking of an Android one.

I'm not sure which one to go for/best place to buy from.

I'm looking for one to use in both landscape and portrait; watch programes via iPlayer, youtube etc; play a few games and access websites. I'm not botherd about camera. Screen size, not too small but not too big.

My buget is around £160. I've seen the Samsung Galexy Tablet for £158 at Argos. So I bet I could get the same or better for cheaper elsewhere?

Is the Galexy any good? Is it fast or slow?

I did look at the Kindle Fire, which is of a similar price. But thats probably not what I'm looking for. It can do videos, but I dont think it has web browsing and I'm not sure what the games are like on it. But it has the advantage of books/magazines which is a feature I'm not sure is avalible on the others?

Thoughts?

Cheers,

Heinz

 

[D365]

Pretty sure Kindle Fire has a browser; Kindle e-readers have them despite the disparity in design. Kindle and other e-reader apps are available for tablets, of which there are a many out there. iPad (or not in your case), Kindle Fire, Blackberry Playbook and Microsoft Windows/Surface (based) are just some of the names!

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Kindle fire HD is what I reccomend. Games are fine on it, pretty much the same range as everything else. Can do music and video. Also has web browsing, dont know where you got that it doesnt. I have just sent this via kindle fire hd from it's web browser. Its what I recommend if not an Ipad or Nexus

 

[jon0844]

Google Nexus 7 would be my choice. Will always get the latest OS updates as a Google device.

Has full access to every app/fame, a choice of browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera etc) and you can still use it as a Kindle!

 

[tony_mac]

Another vote for the Nexus.

A Kindle Fire will do everything that you would expect from a tablet, but it's (unsurprisingly) best if you buy media from Amazon. You can't, for example, easily load all the Apps that you can with other Android tablets.

There is a Kindle App for android tablets, as far as I remember it does do all the books and magazines, but not the Amazon videos.

You can also get a half-decent unbranded tablet for less than £100, but I wouldn't really recommend it if you don't know much about them and something well-supported like the Nexus is within your budget.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Something like the Nexus or the Samsung Galaxy Tablet?

 

[sonic2009]

Nexus 7 gets my vote

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Nexus 7 gets my vote

And mine. Excellent piece of kit

 

[starrymarkb]

I'll let you know on the Nexus - I have one on order

 

[Heinz57]

Thanks guys.

Just looked at the Nexus 7, it does look pretty sweet! Although it is priced higher than my budget.

However, I was thinking this morning I might stretch my budget a little further. If I can.

 

[DarloRich]

Google Nexus 7 would be my choice. Will always get the latest OS updates as a Google device.

Has full access to every app/fame, a choice of browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera etc) and you can still use it as a Kindle!

I would go for the Nexus 10, but seeing as it seems to be a myth i went for an Asus transfomer pad which is very good.

Both are more than the budget set out by the op.

 

[jon0844]

I would stretch the budget, as the Nexus 7 is high-end and a lot of other tablets around the £100 odd mark are, frankly, awful. Slow, out of date OS (and no likely updates) and with awful screens that can only be viewed straight-on.

I don't think the 8GB Nexus 7 is available anymore, but you might find one second hand as a lot of people upgraded when the 16GB came own in price and the 32GB model appeared. The Nexus 7 with 3G is also an absolute bargain if you want to use it out and about, with a prepay SIM for data.

Later this year (May, when Google has its big developer conference) there's a rumour of a new Nexus 7 with 1920x1080 pixel display and possibly a newer chipset (Tegra 4 or Snapdragon S4 Pro?) but expect that to potentially cost a little more. It won't make the current one any less useful in my opinion.

 

[DarloRich]

Yes get the Nexus 7. My brother has one and it is fantastic but i wanted the bigger screen so went for the Asus

 

[Heinz57]

I've found the Nexus 7 with 32GB memory capacity for around £199. Thats at Currys.

I've been reading a little more into it since my last post and it seems, well, perfect. It seems loads better than the Samsung Galexy. Considering what I want to use it for, and what I'll get out of it.

Size wise, what do people who have used one think to the 7" screen? Is it too small, or just right?

 

[DarloRich]

I've found the Nexus 7 with 32GB memory capacity for around £199. Thats at Currys.

I've been reading a little more into it since my last post and it seems, well, perfect. It seems loads better than the Samsung Galexy. Considering what I want to use it for, and what I'll get out of it.

Size wise, what do people who have used one think to the 7" screen? Is it too small, or just right?

Well i wanted the 10" screen but the 7" seems good on the Nexus. It is a bit small for me and always seems like an oversize mobile.

it is a great tablet though

 

[WestCoast]

I own an iPad 3 and since purchasing an Android phone even I'm tempted to get a Nexus 7!

 

[Heinz57]

Judging from the positive comments, it looks like its deffinatly got to be the Nexus 7 then. I'd be daft to go for the Samsung Galexy Tab2 instead.

 

[Clip]

Another vote for the nexus 7. I'm typing, sorry, swyping this post on it now. Great bit of kit.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I have the 64Gb version of the Playbook and it does everything I need it to (though to be fair that isn't much), haven't tried the e-reader bit yet, but adobe reader and the document thing are quite good. Also, Currys have this (64Gb) tablet at under £130 at the minute.

 

[Yew]

Google Nexus 7 would be my choice. Will always get the latest OS updates as a Google device.

Has full access to every app/fame, a choice of browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera etc) and you can still use it as a Kindle!

What he said (I currently have mine next to me )

 

[ExeterStDavids]

I have an iPad and my Dad has a Nexus 7 and to be quite honest I prefer the Nexus! And it's an awful lot cheaper than an iPad.

 

[tony_mac]

I've found the Nexus 7 with 32GB memory capacity for around £199. Thats at Currys.

I've been reading a little more into it since my last post and it seems, well, perfect. It seems loads better than the Samsung Galexy. Considering what I want to use it for, and what I'll get out of it.

Size wise, what do people who have used one think to the 7" screen? Is it too small, or just right?

The 16gb version is £159, if that's enough storage. Unfortunately, they don't have an SD card slot, although at a push you could temporarily use a usb memory stick.

https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_16gb

 

[starrymarkb]

TNT delivered my Nexus today - very impressed!

 

[Kneedown]

I've not got one, but i hear good things about the Galaxy Note 10.1. Meant to be better and quicker than the Tab.
Samsung gear takes some beating IMO as i've had their phones since the D500 came out. I currently have the Galaxy sIII and could not wish for anything better.

 

[Clip]

I've not got one, but i hear good things about the Galaxy Note 10.1. Meant to be better and quicker than the Tab.
Samsung gear takes some beating IMO as i've had their phones since the D500 came out. I currently have the Galaxy sIII and could not wish for anything better.

Samsung are terrible for updates of Android though - in fact I dont think they have released Jellybean 4.2 for any of their models yet. I got mine instantly upon turning on me Nexus 7 last november.

 

[chris89]

TNT delivered my Nexus today - very impressed!

Great to hear and enjoy

Another recommendation for the Nexus 7. All the previously purchased apps i have for my phone work as well, via the Play store.

So far only brought Widget HD for my Nexus to make it more inline with HTC Sense style.

Fantastic thing to use on Rail Journeys, as worked perfectly for myself over New Year period, battery lasts for some time as well. Since got it as a very special present from other half

Chris

 

[radamfi]

I would also recommend the Nexus 7. One caveat though, regarding apps. Some Android Apps won't work on the Nexus 7, although they probably won't work on any other tablet either. Also, some apps, such as Skype, come as special tablet versions, which may not be to your taste.

 

[Heinz57]

Thanks.

I'm not too botherd about Skype. But fingers crossed the other apps I want will work. The top three for me to have on the tablet are BBC iPlayer, Sky Map and Angry Birds.

What is the battery and internet like on them?

I got paid today so me thinks a trip to Argos to fetch my new toy will be in order for tomorow

 

[jon0844]

Skype is just one app that adapts for smartphone or tablet (based on the DPI settings of the device - so you can, if rooted, make your smartphone show tablet apps and vice versa - but the text and icon size will change and might be massive, or unreadable!). The latest update of Skype now works for tablets in landscape AND portrait modes, but I suspect it will still kill your battery and take up all your memory!

Unlike iOS, most apps aren't split between a smartphone app and one for tablets, so if you buy an app you can run it on every single Android device you own. A real benefit, especially when I review the devices and currently have in excess of 50 Android devices registered to me on Play! (No, I don't still have all of them in my possession).

Some apps aren't available for the Nexus 7 but only because the developer hasn't set things up right on the Play store - it can certainly run every Android app, as well as the Tegra optimised games. It doesn't do any harm to contact the developer and see if they'll update the app - as they would be mad not to do.

The Amazon app (to buy stuff, not Kindle etc) isn't shown as available, for example, but you can 'sideload' the APK and it works just fine. Maybe Amazon is deliberately holding the app back, although I can't see why when you use it to spend money.

 

[Bungle73]

Skype is just one app that adapts for smartphone or tablet (based on the DPI settings of the device - so you can, if rooted, make your smartphone show tablet apps and vice versa - but the text and icon size will change and might be massive, or unreadable!). The latest update of Skype now works for tablets in landscape AND portrait modes, but I suspect it will still kill your battery and take up all your memory!

Unlike iOS, most apps aren't split between a smartphone app and one for tablets, so if you buy an app you can run it on every single Android device you own. A real benefit, especially when I review the devices and currently have in excess of 50 Android devices registered to me on Play! (No, I don't still have all of them in my possession).

Some apps aren't available for the Nexus 7 but only because the developer hasn't set things up right on the Play store - it can certainly run every Android app, as well as the Tegra optimised games. It doesn't do any harm to contact the developer and see if they'll update the app - as they would be mad not to do.

The Amazon app (to buy stuff, not Kindle etc) isn't shown as available, for example, but you can 'sideload' the APK and it works just fine. Maybe Amazon is deliberately holding the app back, although I can't see why when you use it to spend money.

There are plenty of iOS universal apps; and an iPhone app will run quite happily on an iPad. Also, with Android there is still a dearth of tablet-optimised apps. If you want apps, the iPad is still the tablet to get.