03-20-2013, 09:44 AM | #1 |
Cheese Whiz
Posts: 1,986
Karma: 11677147
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.
|
Looking for a CHEAP tablet and could use some advice. . .
I live in the USA if that matters, and use a Motorola Droid Bionic smart phone.
My son-in-law is an Apple guy and swears by his iPad. I'd like to explore an Android tablet as an eReader and general media consumption device. (netflix, Pandora, news videos, etc.) Possibly, I might do some writing on it if the hardware and software seems reasonably competent and a real keyboard as an accessory is available, but that isn't a deal breaker on something like this. Portability is important to me but as I age, so is legibility. I'm not currently having any trouble reading on my Bionic, but diagrams and maps are pretty useless on it. Will a 10 inch screen be significantly better than a 7 inch screen? Are 7" screens truely more portable than a 10" screen? I might store around 100 or so books and maybe a few hundred songs on a device. I don't mind 'managing' my media to fit my short term future moods. For video, I am far more likely to stream via wifi than to download and store, it seems to me, I could probably get by with 8 - 16 gig of RAM. Can anyone see any faults in my logic on this? I don't see me adding such a device to my Verizon account until I feel that I have experienced a strong need to do so more than once! I'm mostly a photographer. Is there much difference image display quality between most devices? I don't care about on board cameras, those "camera on a chip with plastic lens" devices all sort of stink for serious photography anyway. I am OK with a non color calibrated device since as near as I can tell from preliminary research, none exist! Since the photo utilities that are currently available aren't much more than toys (even from the main photo software publishers), I doubt it will function photographically for me as anything much more than a viewer, but I want as good a photo viewing experience as possible. Are there any CHEAP devices that I might find suitable? I'm willing to let you define the term cheap, but I am thinking more of a cost between $60 - 150 US. Anything I should avoid at any cost? Any features that might tempt me to extend my budget? How important is the absolute newest version of the Andoid OS for general media consumption if I'm connecting only with wi-fi? Any advice you can offer would be appreciated. Last edited by GlenBarrington; 03-20-2013 at 09:58 AM. |
03-20-2013, 11:02 AM | #2 | |
Wizard
Posts: 1,759
Karma: 30063305
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Singapore
Device: Boyue
|
Quote:
Nook HD and Kindle HD are locked in to the respective stores so are a bit restricted compared to Nexus which has the pure android experience but lacks an sd card slot. My advice if you really want to try an android device is to get a nexus 7 8gb used of ebay you should be able to get it anywhere between $50-100 but its a google based device so would give you the full or real android experience. |
|
03-20-2013, 12:55 PM | #3 | |
Cheese Whiz
Posts: 1,986
Karma: 11677147
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.
|
Quote:
B&N and I parted ways philosophically when the first Nook was released, and I foolishly bought a book from them and tried to read it on my first Sony ebook reader. Haven't used them since for anything. |
|
03-20-2013, 01:05 PM | #4 | |
Bookaholic
Posts: 14,391
Karma: 54969924
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Minnesota
Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +
|
Quote:
That said I'd go for a Nexus if you can find one in your price range. |
|
03-20-2013, 01:23 PM | #5 |
monkey on the fringe
Posts: 45,460
Karma: 158151390
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
|
As to the Fire, just download 1Mobile Market and you won't have to sideload. 1MM has all of the book apps readily available.
|
03-20-2013, 03:48 PM | #6 |
Guru
Posts: 891
Karma: 8893661
Join Date: Feb 2012
Device: Kindle
|
There is a rumor that Amazon will be offering a $99 Fire later this year. If true, this will likely drive the prices of some other devices down.
As for portability... A Nexus 7 is about the size of a standard DVD case, though not quite as wide. I can fit one in a pants, coat, or shirt pocket. It's a bit tight in the shirt pocket and a lot of it sticks out the top. |
03-20-2013, 04:22 PM | #7 | |
Cheese Whiz
Posts: 1,986
Karma: 11677147
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.
|
Quote:
|
|
03-20-2013, 08:26 PM | #8 |
monkey on the fringe
Posts: 45,460
Karma: 158151390
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
|
|
03-20-2013, 08:35 PM | #9 |
Non-Techy
Posts: 4,454
Karma: 15499273
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: WV---USA
Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders
|
COBY while it only has 4 gig you can expand it up to 32 gig. Run around $100
KINDLE FIRE HD comes with 16 to 32 gig But it too can be expanded. $200. I just got a Segate WiFi external HD 500 gig on sale at Best Buy $111. |
03-21-2013, 01:48 AM | #10 | ||
monkey on the fringe
Posts: 45,460
Karma: 158151390
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Seattle Metro
Device: Moto E6, Echo Show
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
03-21-2013, 05:08 PM | #11 | |
hopeless n00b
Posts: 5,111
Karma: 19597086
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: in the middle of nowhere
Device: PW4, PW3, Libra H2O, iPad 10.5, iPad 11, iPad 12.9
|
Quote:
As long as the tablet has Android 4.0/Ice Cream Sandwich or newer, you should be fine. Android versions was a problem before since Android 2.3/Gingerbread or older just doesn't provide a good experience for tablets. Nowadays, even the knock-offs come with ICS and there are even some that come with 4.1/Jelly Bean so it's not as much of an issue. |
|
03-31-2013, 05:16 PM | #12 |
Enthusiast
Posts: 28
Karma: 10
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: British Columbia, CA
Device: Kobo Arc
|
For ereading, you want 6-8". For photos, get one of the 1280x800 7" tablets: Nexus 7, Nook HD, Kindle HD, Kobo Arc for $200. For around $150, several new 1024x600 tablets with Jelly Bean are coming. All do 720p HTML5 video.
|
04-08-2013, 01:35 AM | #13 |
Surfin the alpha waves ~~
Posts: 24,208
Karma: 459220161
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New Jersey
Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids
|
Check out the inexpensive Android tablets at vendors like Newegg. I just got one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834686007 The brand name is Avatar, but I've never heard of it before. I've had mine for two or three weeks now, and I'm very happy. The overwhelming number of reviews are good, but there are some reporting disappointment. I've got the Kindle and Nook apps installed and both work well. I just had a Skype video call with my daughter at college, other apps that I've tried work very well. The only negative I have is wi-fi strength, which seems a bit low. That seems to be a common complaint for inexpensive tablets. The screen is not as bright or sharp as the specs would seem to indicate, but it's more than good enough for me -- I don't think it would serve for critical examination of photos, etc. Basically, there were several makes/models in the under $100 range. This one seemed like a good bet, but the others looked good, too. All have their fans and detractors. Good luck! EDIT (3:06 EDT): Looks like the Avatar tablet will be a "Shell Shocker" special today, starting at 10:00 AM, PDT. I don't get a commission -- I just happened to notice. Last edited by cromag; 04-08-2013 at 03:09 AM. Reason: Was looking over upcoming deals. |
04-08-2013, 08:37 AM | #14 |
Gadgetoholic
Posts: 1,462
Karma: 2731820
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Sweden
Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6
|
As to the difference in how 7" vs 9" (I have not tried any 10")are to handle I think there is more of a difference than I thought it would be!
Reading magazines on the 9" is a joy, but not so much on the 7". On the 7" I have to zoom constantly! On the 9" I do need to zoom when reading an article (or use "text only" with a decent font size), but I get a good overview even without zooming. On the other hand, the 7" is a joy to hold. I can hold it in one hand, it's light, it's convenient. For text book reading (what little I do on LCD) i prefer the 7", hands down! For more graphic things the 9" is better. I am very lucky to have both, becasue I go between them quite a lot! FWIW, a Nook Tablet running CM10 is a great device in my opinion. Refurbs available at eBay for $99. Installing CM10 is very simple. |
04-08-2013, 06:48 PM | #15 | |
Surfin the alpha waves ~~
Posts: 24,208
Karma: 459220161
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New Jersey
Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids
|
Quote:
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Cheap E-book Reader - advice and recommendations please! | SterlingKingSize | Alternative Devices | 5 | 04-22-2012 02:36 PM |
let the cheap tablet wars begin! | linux_author | Android Devices | 3 | 11-04-2011 10:50 PM |
cheap tablet at Big Lots | soondai | Android Devices | 1 | 04-21-2011 06:08 PM |
Cheap Netbook Tablet - Always Innovating | ieatpaste | Which one should I buy? | 4 | 06-07-2009 04:00 PM |