Need help with xmas present info

[muc33]

Gang, I want to buy my daughters 10" tablets for xmas, but not to the level of a Ipad or anything. More for surfing, facebook, games ect. They have Ipods so won't be for music download or anything major like that, what do you suggest that is reasonable and not too expensive. I guess, I don't understand the 2gb, 4gb, 8gb ect, we have fiber to the home and surfing at 10mb in our wireless network at home.

[LMITOUT]

The "gb" number is just the amount of onboard memory.

This shouldn't be much of a concern if their use is like you described and won't be loading it full of movies.

Some have built in SD card ports which will give you another option if memory space becomes an issue, but it doesn't sound like it. 16gb will probably be more than adequate and even 8 might be plenty.

[MN Mike]

I had a Toshiba Thrive last summer, I liked the device but Toshiba had some lockup issues when it went to sleep mode, sounds like they have rectified the issue and everyone's pretty happy with them now, I might give them a shot again. Lots of good expansion options with the Toshibas since they have USB/ Mini USB / HDMI ports and SD Card Reader.

If you decide on a device, just make sure you do some searching, lots of them out there and some have issues. Buy from a place that has a good return policy just in case you need to do just that.

Seems like Amazons' Kindle Fire has had a pretty smooth release also, even though its a 7" screen, it might be worth looking at.

Mike

[upnorth]

There are several styles of tablets out there. You looking at the flip lid or the just plain tablet style? But for the most part just plain surfing, email and youtube types of things 2g-3g should be fine. That is the RAM or random access memory, that is would be like how big a desk is bigger the desk top the more stuff you can have open working, same with RAM, the more RAM more apps you can open. CPU speed on those things not that great, but again for surfing email etc not that big a deal. If they are going to be working with movie making etc I would look at a laptop instead.

Your fiber to the home should be fine. You may see some slow downs if multiple sessions downloading youtube but even then 10 mb should still hold up pretty well.

Are you looking at any particular models yet?

[LMITOUT]

But for the most part just plain surfing, email and youtube types of things 2g-3g should be fine. That is the RAM or random access memory, that is would be like how big a desk is bigger the desk top the more stuff you can have open working, same with RAM, the more RAM more apps you can open.

I don't believe that is what he's referring to. One of the main specs stated on tablets is memory/storage size...like a hard drive in your PC. Not RAM.

Most common on-board memory sizes are 8, 16, and 32 GB's, but some of the cheaper tablets have 2 or 4 GB's.

[upnorth]

There are a few styles of tablet out there. Not just the droid/iPad things.

[LMITOUT]

Those would be netbooks, another viable option for what muc is looking for.

[upnorth]

We buy other stuff called tablets tablets in our facility. But when it comes to terminology in computers the same term can be used to cover more than one thing and it does cause some confusion.

Dell "tablet"

[LMITOUT]

MUC -

I checked my tablet which has 32GB of memory and I have 27GB unused. About 4GB are from the operating system (Android) and whatever other applications they pre-load from the factory. I have a fair amount of apps but they only amount to 1GB and have no movies or music loaded. I use Google Music so all my tunes come from the "cloud" which I moved from my iTunes library.

I'm not sure how the OS is configured on those tablets that only have 2-4 GB of memory. I would do some research into how much available memory is actually there to use compared to the 2 or 4GB that is advertised if you look at one that small.

When I bought my tablet I opted for the 32GB version because it doesn't have a SD card slot and was nervous that 16GB might not be enough. In time I may put more media on it which will use some of that space up but for now it is used primarily for surfing.

[muc33]

Thanks for the input, I think I may go with an 8 inch with 4gb storage and it runs android 2.3. To me that doesn't mean much and I couldn't find much " real " help in reviews because they mostly just say this model is better and this model is worse opposed to, this is very adequate for such and such. But that would be easy. I wih I could justify ipad2's for both my daughters but I just can't at 5 bills each, just looking for a good alternative at less than half that. Thanks guys.

[upnorth]

The 4 GB storage is just that how much you can store on the device. Android 2.3 is simply the version of Android on the device. Which is pretty much the same as the Android 2.3 system on the "droid" phones. The apps for the droid system tend to be cheaper than the iPhone/iPad system.

If they aren't downloading music/photos and such 4GB should be fine.

Other than the name the droid systems are about the same as the apple products at least from a performance/functionality standpoint. Just don't expect things to look the same.

[Dbl]

Take a look at the Kindle Fire post HERE I made a mini-review of it. I really have enjoyed mine.

At $200 it is a bargain and would appear to meet most of what you are looking for except, as MN Mike said the 7" screen.

[LMITOUT]

Read an article yesterday regarding the Fire and it sounds like kind of a flop. Many disappointed buyers. I think people saw it as a cheap way to get into a tablet with the Fire being somewhat of a crossover device and found out that you get what you pay for.

[Dbl]

An expected 6 million units to ship in the first quarter hardly qualifies as a flop. I am curious if you have purchased a Fire LMITOUT or have used one? I have been using it since the first hour it was released and it is the device I reach for first and I have many of them. For what it is designed for it does the job very well in my opinion.

[delcecchi]

Read an article yesterday regarding the Fire and it sounds like kind of a flop. Many disappointed buyers. I think people saw it as a cheap way to get into a tablet with the Fire being somewhat of a crossover device and found out that you get what you pay for.

I read that article. There are some teething problems for sure, and I think there were also people who wouldn't have been happy unless it was and iPad for 200 bucks, which of course it isn't.

I will give you a review from my perspective after Christmas.

[MN Mike]

I read that article. There are some teething problems for sure, and I think there were also people who wouldn't have been happy unless it was and iPad for 200 bucks, which of course it isn't.

+1

[LMITOUT]

I am curious if you have purchased a Fire LMITOUT or have used one?

No, hence the preface of my post where I stated that it was an article that I read in which it said there are many disappointed users.

Last I checked it was OK to say that...

Anyway, there were common complaints of screen sensitivity and lack of a volume button. Once again, I think it is due to people trying to slide into a tablet on the cheap and the Fire not living up to their expectations. Using it primarily as a book reader and occasional web browser it probably is fine...as long as you understand that.

[simple1]

If you don't want to spend 500.00 for the iPad 2, then I would still consider the Kindle Fire. Android just has not got the tablet market quite right The fire is sold at cost by Amazon(Runs Android OS) and you have to remember to take reviews with a grain of salt as some people are really tech heads and can do a lot with electronics. For what your kids are looking for the Fire at 199.00 would be the best bet unless you change your mind and go with the iPad2. Android will get it right eventually, just not yet.

Simple1

[LMITOUT]

I had the iPad2 for about a month before selling it and getting an tablet with Android. Much happier.

[CAMAN]

Quote:

Android will get it right eventually, just not yet.

???

There are a TON of tablets being sold with the Android platform, not just the Fire. From what I have heard many people are happy with their Android tablets. The ones that are not happy are the ones buying the cheap tablets and expecting it to run like an iPad or high-end Android tablet.

And Android(Google) has no say on where their platform gets installed, it is open source, unlike iOS. You can't blame Android for the cheap components it's running on.

[Bigbartguy]

a buddy runs a programming development group for tablet computers and he's played with them all extensively. The 2 he uses at home:

IPad and Kindle Fire......and he now uses the Fire more often than the IPad.

Is it personal preference? you bet. But for what he uses it for at home: surfing, email, games, tv/movies - he likes the Fire better.... alot of it may be due to the smaller size. He's mentioned the Fire is easier to handle & carry around.

but Amazon needs to get the bugs fixed quickly or risk alienating buyers

forever. The 1-click and buy & feature would be scary if youre giving it to a kid (or anyone). Next thing you know they've maxxed out your credit card on MP3 purchases

[simple1]

I am simply stating that right now fragmentation is a problem on android devices with many devices running different versions of Android and even new phones entering the market not running the latest offering. Getting an update depends on A. is your device capable of running the newest Android OS and B. is the carrier going to push the update out to the end user. But that is all i will be saying on the subject because i don't want to get into the Android is open source and better debate.

Simple1

[harvey lee]

An expected 6 million units to ship in the first quarter hardly qualifies as a flop. I am curious if you have purchased a Fire LMITOUT or have used one? I have been using it since the first hour it was released and it is the device I reach for first and I have many of them. For what it is designed for it does the job very well in my opinion.

Purchased one for my granddaughter for books.

I would say that if you want more out of any unit other than what it was designed for, maybe an upgrade would be better.

[delcecchi]

I looked at a samsung 10 inch tablet while laptop shopping. It was pretty nice. It also cost as much as a laptop.

The problem seems to be that to get a good full function tablet is going to cost like 500 bucks, perhaps with a small premium for Apple. If all you want to spend is 200, then compromises are required.