Android Tablet Newbie Needs Shopping Advice

[ringwitharose]

Hello all! I'm new to the android world and after swimming through countless review videos on Youtube, blogs and other news articles and websites I've come here for help because I still have no idea!

Long story short, I'm in the market for a tablet. I have an iPhone but I'm not really sold on the iPad, it seems glorified, cocky, and not very good for what you pay. So an android tablet seems like the way to go. Naturally, the cheaper the better, but I also understand you get what you pay for. I don't currently own anything android so I have some questions about that too...

Android OS questions:

1. Can you download files (like e-mail attachments for example) to your "desktop" like a normal computer?
2. Conversely, can you upload files onto the internet through the normal "browse" button and file selection also like a "normal" computer?
3. Are there programs that can be installed? Like .exe files? If so how many and how does that work?
4. How is the android app store? Lots of Apps? E-readers?
5. Can iTunes work on it? Having an iPhone I do have a lot of apps and songs and I was wondering if there is any support for iTunes on the tablet?
6. How well does the office suite work on Android?
7. Can you have two windows open at once side-by-side? Like have word in one window and an internet browser in the other and have them next to each other.

Basically my focus is how much is android like a "normal" PC, what software functionality am I sacrificing by having a tablet instead?

Moving on... I was wondering if anyone could recommend me a tablet model, or models. Here's what I'm looking for:

• USB Port(s)
• HDMI/some kind of tablet to projector/TV hook-up
• 7" ish screen, I could go up or down depending on price difference
• Expandable memory through card ports
• Front and back facing cameras
• Accelerometer, with that horizontal and portrait keyboards
• I don't really know the speed/processor measurements but obviously no one wants something super sluggish, so average speed I'd say for a tablet, a responsive keyboard would be the most important
• Internal memory I think like 12gb would be about right?
• I don't really care about full 1080p HD, I don't want bad graphics but full 1080p seems a little in excess

Please help someone, I really want it soon. I travel a lot and manage websites and I want something I can do simple blog posting on, watch videos, and substitute for my PC on the go as much as possible. Is there a good tablet for me?

 

[ringwitharose]

I almost forgot, I'd also like good battery life. Is 13+ hours for basic operations and word document writing delusional?

Okay that's it, thanks again!

 

[feverhost]

1. Can you download files (like e-mail attachments for example) to your "desktop" like a normal computer?
2. Conversely, can you upload files onto the internet through the normal "browse" button and file selection also like a "normal" computer?
3. Are there programs that can be installed? Like .exe files? If so how many and how does that work?
4. How is the android app store? Lots of Apps? E-readers?
5. Can iTunes work on it? Having an iPhone I do have a lot of apps and songs and I was wondering if there is any support for iTunes on the tablet?
6. How well does the office suite work on Android?
7. Can you have two windows open at once side-by-side? Like have word in one window and an internet browser in the other and have them next to each other.

• Yes, that won't be a problem... you can download attachment. The default Android Email App is actually pretty good. Although you can download alternatives in the Marketplace.
• Yes, there are also apps that you can upload files to the Internet/ftp etc..,
• Google's Marketplace currently has 200,000+ apps that are in .apk format. They work very similar to an .exe file on Windows.
• 200,000+ apps.. quite a large selection of free and paid apps.
• Not that I know of.
• You are able to open exel, word, pdf files etc...
• That is a possibility in Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) tablets...

• USB Port(s)
• HDMI/some kind of tablet to projector/TV hook-up
• 7" ish screen, I could go up or down depending on price difference
• Expandable memory through card ports
• Front and back facing cameras
• Accelerometer, with that horizontal and portrait keyboards
• I don't really know the speed/processor measurements but obviously no one wants something super sluggish, so average speed I'd say for a tablet, a responsive keyboard would be the most important
• Internal memory I think like 12gb would be about right?
• I don't really care about full 1080p HD, I don't want bad graphics but full 1080p seems a little in excess

Please help someone, I really want it soon. I travel a lot and manage websites and I want something I can do simple blog posting on, watch videos, and substitute for my PC on the go as much as possible. Is there a good tablet for me?

I would recommend the Motorola Xoom, or the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

 

[ringwitharose]

Thanks for the input! I'll look into those...

Something I'm confused about, can you update the software on a tablet like a computer? If a tablet is released with Android 2.2 can you upgrade it to honeycomb later?

 

[jpfx]

it's more like with phones (iphone) where a new version is released periodically. there's also the android dev 'scene' which releases 'alternative' versions. one of the advantages of android is the amount of control you have over customizing your device how you want it.

 

[feverhost]

... some tablets you are able to upgrade the firmware to a higher version, but most tablets you are not. There are groups like XDA that will release new firmware versions that you can use, but these are not official updates. The problem with Android OS is when it upgrades it changes quite a lot of features, which then will require minimum specifications. That is why an Android 1.6 tablet wouldn't be able to run Android 3.0 successfully.

Just like a computer that only has 2GB space and 56MB RAM wouldn't be able to run WinXP.

 

[swancity]

Hi, Pls buy brandname tablet not chinese tablet, I recently bought Flytouch2 and it's giving me problem, website suddenly crashed,can't passed google, now the charger broke, china made products are very flimsy, and company that sells these(china),they don't honor their policy, their website said return guaranteed if problem, but when you email them, they give so many excuses,ask you to do this n that which doen't work.

 

[zakip]

Moving on... I was wondering if anyone could recommend me a tablet model, or models. Here's what I'm looking for:

• USB Port(s)
• HDMI/some kind of tablet to projector/TV hook-up
• 7" ish screen, I could go up or down depending on price difference
• Expandable memory through card ports
• Front and back facing cameras
• Accelerometer, with that horizontal and portrait keyboards
• I don't really know the speed/processor measurements but obviously no one wants something super sluggish, so average speed I'd say for a tablet, a responsive keyboard would be the most important
• Internal memory I think like 12gb would be about right?
• I don't really care about full 1080p HD, I don't want bad graphics but full 1080p seems a little in excess

Please help someone, I really want it soon. I travel a lot and manage websites and I want something I can do simple blog posting on, watch videos, and substitute for my PC on the go as much as possible. Is there a good tablet for me?

The Asus transformer seems to fit that pretty much perfectly. You do get the high screen resolution, which is better than both the ipads but has the added advantage of a plug in keyboard boosting the battery life, and I am looking at it very carefully myself.