Which tablet should I get?

[PKFFW]

So the missus tells me we need a tablet and as they say "happy wife, happy life".

Main use will be convenient entertainment such as youtube and game apps, web browsing, email checking and possibly some reading. We will be taking it travelling with us next year and the missus likes the idea of it having a camera because she thinks taking pics with an actual camera and then uploading them is just so last century.

Features I'd like are;

Don't want to break the bank but doesn't have to be the cheapest thing going around.
10 inch screen
Light weight
Decent battery life
Not Apple(wife is adamant on this point, don't ask why as I don't know, I assume an apple product once came alive and bit her on the hand or something!)

All else I'm not really fussed about.

We will be getting a new windows laptop computer soon too so I was thinking a windows tablet would make sense from an ease of cross platform use point of view. Is that right or will an android tablet prove no problem in that respect?

So please give me your thoughts and recommendations.

[EowynCarter]

A 10" tablet is not ideal for photos. And any low-end camera will do better.

Android tablet and windows do fine together.
Windows tablet, don't know them. Avoid win8 RT though.

[ProfCrash]

What game apps are you talking about? If you are talking main stream games, then an android is fine. If you are talking games like the European Strategic Game Genre (a niche market) you will be better off on an IPad.

So Farmville, Words with Friends that type of thing, buy what you want. More serious gaming, you probably want to look at an IPad. I spent 6 months trying to buy an Android tablet and ended up with an IPad because of the game issue but when I bought mine, Ticket to Ride and the like had not made it to Android so the strategic board game market was pretty much IOS only.

Seriously, make a list of the type of apps you think you are going to use and then compare across the different app stores. Make sure that the apps you want are there. Then make a decision.

[dwig]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

...
Seriously, make a list of the type of apps you think you are going to use and then compare across the different app stores. Make sure that the apps you want are there. Then make a decision.

++1, This is, always has been, and always will be the first step to take when you begin shopping for a new computer of any type.

If the OP's wife retains her dislike for Apple products then the OS choices are Android and Windows 8.1. As EowynCarter stated, it is probably best to avoid Windows RT.

Tablet cameras, even the best, are quite limited. The decent ones are generally decent for simple family snaps so long as they are primarily for email and web display. Printing should generally be kept to 4x6" to at most 8x10". Also, tablet cameras, like smart phone cameras, generally have only a fixed somewhat wide angle lens. Any "zooming" is done in software by cropping, which further reduces the quality.

I live in a tourist town (Key West FL) and see thousands of tourists with cameras every week. I see a moderate number using tablets as cameras, and see significantly more using smart phones. I presume that they are satisfied with their images.

Personally, I would get a compact "life proof" compact camera that has a modest zoom. For serious shooting (most of what I do) I use a larger sensor interchangeable lens camera but for the more causal snaps my wife and I use her waterproof Panasonic compact.

[robko]

Originally Posted by dwig

++1, This is, always has been, and always will be the first step to take when you begin shopping for a new computer of any type.

What DWIG said!! I have a Win 8.1 tablet and would never go back to Android, BUT that's because of my uses. Win 8 will let you run virtually everything you can run on a laptop. Depending what you want to run this means you aren't getting a "dumbed down" app version on Android (this is especially true for something like any of the Office family of products). If you want productivity software I'd go Win 8. If you're after entertainment and game apps you're probably better with Android.

[Mivo]

If you want a 10" Android tablet, I would still get the Nexus 10. It supports the newest Android version, which is really the chief advantage of getting a Nexus. Many other Android tablet makers don't maintain their devices well and you get stuck with an older Android version (or something customized). Google does that much better.

There may be a Nexus 8 later in the year, but probably not a new Nexus 10. I can also very much recommend the Nexus 7 (2013 version), but that may be too small for you. So my vote goes to the Nexus 10.

As for cross platform compatibility, I stream music and videos from my Windows laptop to my Android tablet. They also share files remotely, and bookmarks, documents, etc are also shared. It isn't a problem. Windows tablets are expensive and heavier. You'd also need a Surface Pro to use the same programs you use now, which is another cost increase.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by PKFFW

So the missus tells me we need a tablet and as they say "happy wife, happy life".

Main use will be convenient entertainment such as youtube and game apps, web browsing, email checking and possibly some reading. We will be taking it travelling with us next year and the missus likes the idea of it having a camera because she thinks taking pics with an actual camera and then uploading them is just so last century.

Features I'd like are;

Don't want to break the bank but doesn't have to be the cheapest thing going around.
10 inch screen
Light weight
Decent battery life
Not Apple(wife is adamant on this point, don't ask why as I don't know, I assume an apple product once came alive and bit her on the hand or something!)

All else I'm not really fussed about.

We will be getting a new windows laptop computer soon too so I was thinking a windows tablet would make sense from an ease of cross platform use point of view. Is that right or will an android tablet prove no problem in that respect?

So please give me your thoughts and recommendations.

A 10" is not handy to carry around, for travel purposes I would recommend you look at 7" or 8" tablets instead. My Nexus 10 never leaves the house for this reason.

The Nexus 7 2013 is expected to be replaced soon, so it can be found at discounted prices, worth a look.

[kristalana]

Originally Posted by PKFFW

So the missus tells me we need a tablet and as they say "happy wife, happy life".

Main use will be convenient entertainment such as youtube and game apps, web browsing, email checking and possibly some reading. We will be taking it travelling with us next year and the missus likes the idea of it having a camera because she thinks taking pics with an actual camera and then uploading them is just so last century.

Features I'd like are;

Don't want to break the bank but doesn't have to be the cheapest thing going around.
10 inch screen
Light weight
Decent battery life
Not Apple(wife is adamant on this point, don't ask why as I don't know, I assume an apple product once came alive and bit her on the hand or something!)

All else I'm not really fussed about.

We will be getting a new windows laptop computer soon too so I was thinking a windows tablet would make sense from an ease of cross platform use point of view. Is that right or will an android tablet prove no problem in that respect?

So please give me your thoughts and recommendations.

You should take a look at the ASUS Memopads, they're pretty good tablets for the price.

[PKFFW]

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

Games will mostly just be simple games like candy crush and crap that the missus likes to play. The rest of the apps I have no real idea about as I've never used many. Guess I will have to have a further chat with the missus and see what exactly she wants.

I totally agree about the camera aspect. I think I will just forget the camera aspect and take care of uploading pics from our camera myself.

Any brands that have particularly good or bad reputations? Besides google with the nexus.(which I will definitely take a look at)

[susan_cassidy]

It's also difficult to take pictures without a viewfinder (e.g. if the tablet only has 1 camera, which most do).

[Rizla]

If you get an Android tablet, I suggest a Samsung. They are well-made and competitively priced. The only bummer is a lack of a menu button, but you can get round it. It comes with its own interface overlay called Touchwiz (I think). I can deal with it, but I'd prefer a stock Android front-end. I'll probably rip it out and install cyanogenmod when the warranty runs out. My one (Tab 2 I think) also has a non-standard USB connector, but the newer versions are standard.

[JSWolf]

Of course, you could scrap the laptop and just get a Surface Pro 3 which would be your laptop and tablet in one.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Of course, you could scrap the laptop and just get a Surface Pro 3 which would be your laptop and tablet in one.

I wouldn't recommend it. Much as I enjoy using my Surface Pro as an ultra-portable PC, it really doesn't make a terribly good tablet - it's too heavy.

[PKFFW]

The idea of the laptop and tablet is so we can both be using one at the same time. Laptop more for cpu intensive things and work and typing heavy sort of stuff and the tablet more for general easy use and simple entertainment.

Have decided android will likely be the way to go. Now just to figure out which one! So many!

[Rizla]

Also the old Nook tablets can be had for a song and are well built, if you can find one. Again, install cyanogen mod.