View photos from my camera on an Android tablet - now I'm confused

[freedda]

Okay, here's the scoop:

I want to view the photos I've taken while traveling. I was thinking of an Android-based tablet for this, then a converter of some kind that would which allow me to hook up a SD card reader to the tablet, then view the images on the tablet from my memory card. I may want to futher do some editing of the images, and perhaps do a 'save as' to the tablet with some of the images.

I'm looking at several tablets, including the Acer Iconia A200 or A210, which both have USB 2.0 ports on them so I wouldn't need a converter to hook up my card reader.

In an earlier post of mine I was told that I can do what I want using an Android tablet (assuming it's not one that operates entirely in the 'cloud' like the Chromebook.)

However, people at two computer stores have warned me against trying to use an Android tablet to view my photos. I gather (from them) that either the Android operating system won't allow it, or the connections won't allow it, or the Android system may have been messed with by whoever built the darn thing, so again, it won't read a memory card with photos on it. As an aside, I was told I can only buy from the Google Android app store if I have a Gmail account.

Both places have recommended that I instead look at either an iPad or a small netbook or notebook (but not running Windows 8, which one of them called Windows Ain't).

So, needless to say, I'm confused. Can anyone definatively tell me that I can do what I want with any other Android tablet (or more specifically, with the Acer A200 or A210 which I mentioned). And is it true about the Android app store, that I have to have a gmail account to use it?

Thanks, David.

 

[leeshor]

Well David, what I think about those store people I can't say on the forum. But in short they're nuts. Their are quite a few apps on in the Google Store that will view and manipulate virtually any type of photo. I have a customer, (a photographer) who uses a ASUS Transformer with the keyboard dock and can view his photos several ways because that tab has an SD Card slot, a MicroSD card slot and a USB port. He is only one of several of my photography customers who use Android tablets. The key is having a way to get the photos onto the tablet. There are other ways if you have an Internet connection.

 

[freedda]

Thanks Leeshor. I would normally suspect what a store person told if they were trying to steer me towards a sale of another product, but at one place they had neither tablets or iPads, so it wasn't from a sales point of view. The other place had both iPads and Tablets, so hmmm. The main thing is, I would want to view the images directly from the memory card, and not have to upload them to the 'cloud' or some such thing. I will continue to look into this, maybe try visiting a store where I can try out what I want to do.

Best, David.

 

[Adelamarc]

You have three tablet options for a full sd card slot. The transformer as mentioned by Leeshor, the Toshiba Thrive, and the Toshiba Excite. If you have some patience a transformer with the keyboard dock shows up on Woot every so often for 300. Thrives have tegra 2 dual core processors and can be found around 200 to 250 refurbished. The Excite is a quad core tegra 3 based tablet, however only one excite model, AT300 I believe, has a full sd card slot. Toshiba has three tabetls called Excite so be sure the specs say sd card slot instead of micro.

If you're ok with an adapter, the samsung galaxy tabs have a full sdcard reader adapter available.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 10

 

[Spider]

And is it true about the Android app store, that I have to have a gmail account to use it?

Somehow this question got lost in the shuffle. Yes, you do need to create a GMail account, and you also have to provide your credit card information. Even to download free apps.

 

[freedda]

Thanks Adelamarc, the other part of my question is: do these tablets allow me to upload my image files, view them, create folders for them, allow editing, then when needed, to download the files back to an SD card to put on my desktop at home? In part because of the open, fluid, and ever-branching nature of Android, I've been told that some tablets/OSs allow this, others do not. And at least one place that sold Android tablets warned me about this, so it wasn't a sales issue. Best, David

You have three tablet options for a full sd card slot. The transformer as mentioned by Leeshor, the Toshiba Thrive, and the Toshiba Excite. If you have some patience a transformer with the keyboard dock shows up on Woot every so often for 300. Thrives have tegra 2 dual core processors and can be found around 200 to 250 refurbished. The Excite is a quad core tegra 3 based tablet, however only one excite model, AT300 I believe, has a full sd card slot. Toshiba has three tabetls called Excite so be sure the specs say sd card slot instead of micro.

If you're ok with an adapter, the samsung galaxy tabs have a full sdcard reader adapter available.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 10

 

[leeshor]

Thanks Adelamarc, the other part of my question is: do these tablets allow me to upload my image files, view them, create folders for them, allow editing, then when needed, to download the files back to an SD card to put on my desktop at home? In part because of the open, fluid, and ever-branching nature of Android, I've been told that some tablets/OSs allow this, others do not. And at least one place that sold Android tablets warned me about this, so it wasn't a sales issue. Best, David

The answers are yes. There are more ways to upload than I can count and an equal number of ways to get them back on the external SD card. I think your best bet is the aforementioned ASUS Transformer, and the optional keyboard/dock will give you even more options and run time.

I still don't understand where the sales people were coming from unless it was simply from a total lack of brains/knowledge.

 

[Adelamarc]

The answers are yes. There are more ways to upload than I can count and an equal number of ways to get them back on the external SD card. I think your best bet is the aforementioned ASUS Transformer, and the optional keyboard/dock will give you even more options and run time.

I still don't understand where the sales people were coming from unless it was simply from a total lack of brains/knowledge.

Well I believe some tabs can't write to the external sd card without root due to a permission change in android 4.0. However the big manufacturers figured out how to make it work and adjusted the code accordingly. The sales folks were probably only half informed of the issue.

Leeshor is 100 percent correct that the Transformer gives you the best flexibility regarding sd and usb options when paired with the keyboard dock.

A galaxy note 10.1 with the pressure sensitive stylus and adobe photoshop touch may be worth a look since you're planning on editing photos. It has a microsd card slot, but adapters are available to get a full size reader. The galaxy note 10.1is expensive though. Refurbs are typically in the 370 range.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 10