Using a tablet as a laptop replacement

[Barrington Womble]

Has anyone tried using a tablet instead of a laptop?

 

I currently have a MacBook Pro (early 2011). I travel with my job loads and it has been well and truly twatted and I'm going to replace it before it dies on me. I'm looking to replace it with something I can watch movies on, use a bit of web and cover email and MS office for work related stuff. I don't think I need anything else anymore (i had a different use case when I bought the laptop), but when I travel I nearly always take both my laptop and my old iPad 2 (mostly to watch tv and movies on long haul flights as the battery life is great), I'd sooner just take the one device.

 

I now use office365 and was thinking of having a look at those Windows tablet/hybrids initially, then when I've looked closely, I didn't really fancy one. I then got to thinking after using my android phone through the office app and 365 a few times to patch some office docs together I could get away with using a nice android tablet/keyboard combo on the move and leave my current laptop at home which would extend its life.

 

Has anyone tried to use an android tablet like this? I was thinking of getting a Samsung note pro 12.2 or whatever they're called now the arse has fallen out of the price. Am I just thinking shite that this could be workable?

[ratcatcher]

Yep. Been using my Iconia A510 tablet like this for the last 3 years almost.

 

If I have meetings, I use the record function so I can make notes later if I need although I rarely do. Always wise to let others in the meeting know Im recording, only had a couple of objections in all that time.

 

I prepare documents and spreadsheets via the office like function. I can load these to the cloud so I can sync to my laptop if needed. Although I used to do this a lot, I find Im loading less and less to the cloud and instead prefer to download to a memory stick which are piss cheap nowadays for shedloads of memory.

 

All my appointments are recorded to the tablet's diary and I get reminders before they come due.

 

The Iconia's got a 10" screen and a good battery. Its a little on the heavy side though. I dont bother with a bluetooth keyboard, I just use the inbuilt screen one. Im looking to update with the new 10" if Google ever get to bringing it to market!

[Barrington Womble]

Yep. Been using my Iconia A510 tablet like this for the last 3 years almost.

 

If I have meetings, I use the record function so I can make notes later if I need although I rarely do. Always wise to let others in the meeting know Im recording, only had a couple of objections in all that time.

 

I prepare documents and spreadsheets via the office like function. I can load these to the cloud so I can sync to my laptop if needed. Although I used to do this a lot, I find Im loading less and less to the cloud and instead prefer to download to a memory stick which are piss cheap nowadays for shedloads of memory.

 

All my appointments are recorded to the tablet's diary and I get reminders before they come due.

 

The Iconia's got a 10" screen and a good battery. Its a little on the heavy side though. I dont bother with a bluetooth keyboard, I just use the inbuilt screen one. Im looking to update with the new 10" if Google ever get to bringing it to market!

Thanks. Thays good info. Are Google still going to do a 10 inch tab now they've got the nexus 9? I would go for the nexus 9 if it had SD expansion.

[ratcatcher]

Thanks. Thays good info. Are Google still going to do a 10 inch tab now they've got the nexus 9? I would go for the nexus 9 if it had SD expansion.

 

I dont know mate. They've been saying the 10" v2 was expected this year but Im beginning to think it may have been dropped in favour of the 9" now.

 

Google devices dont come with an SD card expansion as such but I just use the micro USB to standard USB lead to plug my memory stick in and download to that!

[Barrington Womble]

I dont know mate. They've been saying the 10" v2 was expected this year but Im beginning to think it may have been dropped in favour of the 9" now.

 

Google devices dont come with an SD card expansion as such but I just use the micro USB to standard USB lead to plug my memory stick in and download to that!

Most of what I have read is the 9 is supposed to replace both the 7 and the 10, I assume now the phone is 6 inches there seems less of a point to a 7 inch tablet.

 

I have been looking a bit more at the Samsung range. I'm starting to lean towards the 10.5 inch Tab S.

[Guest Super Sub]

I use my iPad as a laptop replacement but I find that some websites are not fully functional on tablets. I know you are looking at an Android device but you may still find you have the same problem.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Funkasy]

Have you tried the windows surface 3pro?

[Barrington Womble]

Have you tried the windows surface 3pro?

 

i did think about it. went no further than walking into a shop and feeling it seemed shite to be honest - but i actually walked in intending to buy. i've used windows 8 for almost a couple of years and i am not against it (which is a surprise as i feel like i have fought against windows for years) and i keep thinking how much better the experience would be on something touch screen. the surface didn't convince me though and i felt i'd be better looking at a good ultrabook/macbook air type solution instead and both would represent equal value. 

[Funkasy]

Ok, i bought wrongly a windows surface 2 (not pro) and its running on a NT system, its totally shit because i cant do anything without going through windows shop. But i have been thinking about getting a 3 pro. 

[chrisbonnie]

I'm still an old school man. I like to rest my cup of tea on my laptop, as I watch it.

 

You just can't do that with a tablet. Get yourself another laptop. Far better.

[Barrington Womble]

I'm still an old school man. I like to rest my cup of tea on my laptop, as I watch it.

 

You just can't do that with a tablet. Get yourself another laptop. Far better.

i get that point of view in fact i have never used tablets in anger and only really used it as a toy - but there are times, especially on flights when i much prefer a tablet. i would probably end up carrying both devices and i am not sure how much longer my ipad will last too and don't want to replace both devices. 

[chrisbonnie]

I know where you're coming from. I just find because I type so much on forums. It takes a bloody age with a tablet. But I agree on the plane issue. They sure can be cumbersome at times.

[Barrington Womble]

I know where you're coming from. I just find because I type so much on forums. It takes a bloody age with a tablet. But I agree on the plane issue. They sure can be cumbersome at times.

this is why i was thinking of getting these combinations with the very good keyboards. i 100% wouldn't be typing on the screen. 

[KopOut]

I'm using a Samsung mini TAB. I'm watching the

matches on it and using tapatalk and FB etc, but it sucks pretty much.

 

Should have bought an ipad, and then I'd probably ditch the idea of a laptop but spend mega on a high end games pc.

[Barrington Womble]

I'm using a Samsung mini TAB. I'm watching the

matches on it and using tapatalk and FB etc, but it sucks pretty much.

 

Should have bought an ipad, and then I'd probably ditch the idea of a laptop but spend mega on a high end games pc.

 

good to know that is shit, I have not decided on anything yet. is the mini tab the 8 inch thing? 

[stringvest]

I find that the keyboards designed for this type of thing are mostly shite.  If you have a spare bluetooth keyboard for a desktop, or are happy to splash out on one, then it becomes viable.  I've got a small mac bluetooth keyboard which works well from a typing perspective, though it doesn't always connect to the tablet reliably, which obviously could be a major problem.  

[Barrington Womble]

I find that the keyboards designed for this type of thing are mostly shite.  If you have a spare bluetooth keyboard for a desktop, or are happy to splash out on one, then it becomes viable.  I've got a small mac bluetooth keyboard which works well from a typing perspective, though it doesn't always connect to the tablet reliably, which obviously could be a major problem.  

is it very portable? 

[KopOut]

good to know that is shit, I have not decided on anything yet. is the mini tab the 8 inch thing?

Yeah. Honestly though, the screen is fine in terms of size and the tab is very lightweight.

 

No, the issue is the touch screen. I haven't had the thing for long and already certain letters dont "fire" on the keyboard. Its a massive task just to accurately type a few sentences, then go through and correct the high level of missing letters. I'm using it now.

 

Grrrrrrrrr. Mustn't grumble. Life is shit for half the world, but come on Android buck your ideas up. At the heart of it i suspect a dodgy OS.

[KopOut]

Just for the record, mine is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite.

 

Like I say, handy but not ideal.

[Barrington Womble]

Yeah. Honestly though, the screen is fine in terms of size and the tab is very lightweight.

 

No, the issue is the touch screen. I haven't had the thing for long and already certain letters dont "fire" on the keyboard. Its a massive task just to accurately type a few sentences, then go through and correct the high level of missing letters. I'm using it now.

 

Grrrrrrrrr. Mustn't grumble. Life is shit for half the world, but come on Android buck your ideas up. At the heart of it i suspect a dodgy OS.

What keyboard do you have? The Samsung ones seem to get decent reviews.

[stringvest]

is it very portable?

Reasonably mate, and I only use it when typing for an extended period. It's solid aluminium so it's robust.