Anyone Managed To Get By With Just A Tablet And No Computer?

[landzw]

As above really, i've found myself really only surfing the net and doing e-mails and was thinking of ditching my computer for a tablet.

I know i will not be able to burn playlists to cd no more but its not the end of the world, If i got an ipad i could put all of my music in the cloud or get an android and put the music to sd card.

Would it be worth waiting for the Microsoft Surface Tablet as this is meant to be in the middle of tablet and desktop ?

Not sure what to do and it would be good to hear if anyone has done this

 

[smbmetal]

Yep, I've been using my iPad 1 for two years. I've stored my music and films on a Netgear ReadyNas and have not needed to get my laptop out for anything. I guess it depends what you use your current computer for, but for 99% of the time my iPad s fine!

 

[fr0g]

No chance.

Typing on a tablet, no matter which, is a compromise. No physical feedback and a screen that eats up space.

The Asus Transformer or the upcoming Surface or other W8 tablets would be better.

But then again, I am now typing on my laptop, 17" screen. It's a million miles away from typing on my tablet (Samsung Galaxy 8.9)...which is great for consuming media only IMO. And if I could choose I'd be using my desktop, 24" screen.

Another problem (for some) is that current tablet operating systems are just phone OS's and only serve one user. Bad if you wish to share the device. Windows 8 should fix that one, which is a far more serious OS than iOS or Android (imo)

just to add. If I had to live with just one machine, it would be a desktop PC, and use a larger screened phone for the mobile stuff...

For the price of the basic iPad 3 you can get an extremely capable desktop PC with a nice big screen. Park it somewhere convenient and use a phone when you can't access it.

 

[mykspence]

The lappy gets fired up to load cd's onto my nas and once a week to save emails that I need to keep, but that's about it.

 

[scene]

I'm toying with getting a Transformer Pad Infinity. When the android version of LibreOffice comes out, I may well not need a PC OS (i.e. Windows / MacOS) based system - I'll let you know...

 

[Paul.]

I got rid of my iPad 1. I found that I was happy browsing the internet on my phone, and when I stopped needing the iPad for work I stopped using it.

 

[John Duncan]

No chance.

Typing on a tablet, no matter which, is a compromise. No physical feedback and a screen that eats up space.

The Asus Transformer or the upcoming Surface or other W8 tablets would be better.

But then again, I am now typing on my laptop, 17" screen. It's a million miles away from typing on my tablet (Samsung Galaxy 8.9)...which is great for consuming media only IMO. And if I could choose I'd be using my desktop, 24" screen.

Another problem (for some) is that current tablet operating systems are just phone OS's and only serve one user. Bad if you wish to share the device. Windows 8 should fix that one, which is a far more serious OS than iOS or Android (imo)

just to add. If I had to live with just one machine, it would be a desktop PC, and use a larger screened phone for the mobile stuff...

For the price of the basic iPad 3 you can get an extremely capable desktop PC with a nice big screen. Park it somewhere convenient and use a phone when you can't access it.

Agreed. Anybody who thinks we're in a post-PC world should probably be putting theirs back in the box anyway...

 

[landzw]

Ok i agree , at the moment you can't replace a desktop pc / laptop but if you'r like me purely using it to surf the web and e-mails , can i get by with just a tablet? i think just using your phone is maybe taking things another step.

I'm really thing of boxing up my desktop computer and getting a cheap refurb iPad 2 of Apple website and see how i get on

Just to note my wife has her own laptop and the kids are to young for computers so it would just be me that would be using it

 

[landzw]

I got rid of my iPad 1. I found that I was happy browsing the internet on my phone, and when I stopped needing the iPad for work I stopped using it.

Do you own a desktop or laptop Paul Hobbs?

 

[John Duncan]

Ok i agree , at the moment you can't replace a desktop pc / laptop but if you'r like me purely using it to surf the web and e-mails , can i get by with just a tablet? i think just using your phone is maybe taking things another step.

I'm really thing of boxing up my desktop computer and getting a cheap refurb iPad 2 of Apple website and see how i get on

Just to note my wife has her own laptop and the kids are to young for computers so it would just be me that would be using it

Setting aside flash on the web (wich will go away eventually) depends what the emails have in them - if somebody sends you a spreadsheet and it's huge and you want to edit it, a tablet is a PITA. If it's just talking to people, you might get away with it. I personally couldn't.

 

[bigboss]

I mainly use my iPad 2 for surfing & checking emails. But there are some serious limitations due to which it cannot replace a laptop just yet:

1) I cannot transfer files from & to a USB flash drive.

2) I cannot attach multiple documents to a single email.

3) I cannot scan documents from my scanner.

4) Some attachments don't open at all, especially password protected Excel sheets, even if you want open as "read only".

5) I cannot post pictures on this forum, nor can I create hyperlinks.

There are a few more, but its too late in the night for me to think about it further. :roll:

 

[Paul.]

I got rid of my iPad 1. I found that I was happy browsing the internet on my phone, and when I stopped needing the iPad for work I stopped using it.

Do you own a desktop or laptop Paul Hobbs?

17" Laptop. I used to use the iPad as a portfolio, and for one on one presentations etc. Have no need for that anymore, and Cat Physics looks better on the iPhone

 

[nads]

somethings are just easier on a PC than a tablet. iPhone surfing is for when nothing else is available. but iPad linked via iPhone works better but then is is more for finding stuff than surfing for fun.

 

[MajorFubar]

I'd like a tablet, but if if I had to have one or the other, a tablet wouldn't get a look-in. Connectivity is useless, memory-capacity is poor, storage is poor, screen-size is poor, they're much slower than PCs, there's no native keyboard or mouse, and they don't run the right apps (Win8 tabs might be an exception to that rule, but they aren't here yet).

 

[relocated]

I have been looking at tablets recently and can certainly appreciate the high res screen of the 'new ipad' but I can not see how useful they are up against a 'netbook'.

Although not as fast, it can do just about everything a laptop can do, has a screen I don't have to hold or buy a seperate cover/stand for, the screen doesn't get damaged and is multi-angle adjustable and has a proper keyboard. Ok it's not anywhere as thin as a 10" tablet but I was never keen on anorexic models.

Why does the netbook seem to have been sidelined?

 

[daveh75]

IWhy does the netbook seem to have been sidelined?

The specs and the screensize?

An 7/8/10" screen is fine on a tablet, where you're using it up close...

 

[relocated]

IWhy does the netbook seem to have been sidelined?

The specs and the screensize? An 7/8/10" screen is fine on a tablet, where you're using it up close...

:? My netbook 10" is used at the same distance as I would use a tablet. It just sits on my lap or desk and has many viewing angles and I don't have to hold it up. Are tablets so much quicker that they outplay the large number of netbook advantages??

 

[cheeseboy]

IWhy does the netbook seem to have been sidelined?

The specs and the screensize? An 7/8/10" screen is fine on a tablet, where you're using it up close...

:? My netbook 10" is used at the same distance as I would use a tablet. It just sits on my lap or desk and has many viewing angles and I don't have to hold it up. Are tablets so much quicker that they outplay the large number of netbook advantages??

Horses for courses.

I think that a lot of people who bought netbooks, or would have bought netbooks, only wanted to surf the internet and send emails etc.. With a netbook you have the boot up/shut down times etc as it's running a fully fledged os. Tablets on the other hand are pretty much instant on and off, plus you dont' have to bother with virus scanners etc, hence a lot of the netbook market went tablet.

 

[professorhat]

Indeed - I had a netbook for a little bit, but the screen was too small to do anything meaningful on it, so I sold it. For web browsing / email / games / movies etc. a tablet is thinner and lighter, so makes much more sense for most people. Plus the battery on netbooks generally didn't last anywhere near as long as most tablets.

You can still get them, but demand I think has plummeted in favour of tablets because of the above.

 

[BenLaw]

I mainly use my iPad 2 for surfing & checking emails. But there are some serious limitations due to which it cannot replace a laptop just yet:

1) I cannot transfer files from & to a USB flash drive.

2) I cannot attach multiple documents to a single email.

3) I cannot scan documents from my scanner.

4) Some attachments don't open at all, especially password protected Excel sheets, even if you want open as "read only".

5) I cannot post pictures on this forum, nor can I create hyperlinks.

There are a few more, but its too late in the night for me to think about it further. :roll:

Re 5, I can post pictures here on my iPhone (after I put them onto photobucket), is there a difference with the iPad?

 

[bigboss]

I mainly use my iPad 2 for surfing & checking emails. But there are some serious limitations due to which it cannot replace a laptop just yet:

1) I cannot transfer files from & to a USB flash drive.

2) I cannot attach multiple documents to a single email.

3) I cannot scan documents from my scanner.

4) Some attachments don't open at all, especially password protected Excel sheets, even if you want open as "read only".

5) I cannot post pictures on this forum, nor can I create hyperlinks.

There are a few more, but its too late in the night for me to think about it further. :roll:

Re 5, I can post pictures here on my iPhone (after I put them onto photobucket), is there a difference with the iPad?

How?

Both iPhone & iPad should be the same as it's iOS.

 

[BenLaw]

Just like on a 'puter. Once I've copied the direct link, clicking the tree icon brings up a new page which is the same as the box that appears on the 'puter'. Insert link as usual. Sometimes takes two goes, but I've done it frequently.

 

[bigboss]

Thanks. How do I get the image URL if I want to post a google image?

 

[RobinKidderminster]

I think the ipad has limitations not seen on android. I have a 128gb usb stick solving all memory problems. Free office clones allow me to read excel files etc. I think, using my Galaxy to type this, the biggest question is do I need a proper keyboard for lots of typing? I think a wireless keyboard with a tablet is a decent solution here but the op needs to be very clear about his needs.

An interesting post I recon. Me? I need my laptop but enjoy my tablet.

Cheers

 

[relocated]

Indeed - I had a netbook for a little bit, but the screen was too small to do anything meaningful on it, so I sold it. For web browsing / email / games / movies etc. a tablet is thinner and lighter, so makes much more sense for most people. Plus the battery on netbooks generally didn't last anywhere near as long as most tablets.

You can still get them, but demand I think has plummeted in favour of tablets because of the above.

You make a very good point about battery, up against tablets my netbook is rubbish. Don't carry around so thinner & lighter matter not and if left on standby, I THINK startup time is roughly the same.