For all you Tablet experts

[transward (imported)]

I would like to throw another tablet into the mix. Samsung just came out with a 10" Note tablet I'm trying out - like I need another tablet. I'm really impressed with it so far. It's seems super fast, and has a pen you can use on the screen. I haven't used the pen yet, but it may be quite useful, if what I've seen so far, demonstrations, etc., is any indication.

I will be curious to get your impression of the pen. For years I used Palm organizers and smartphones with a stylus (after transitioning, an acrylic fingernail). When I was forced to switch to the current generation of touchscreens it seemed a frustrating step backwards. With a stylus or fingernail I could make precise selection. But the contact patch of my finger is about 3/8" diameter and I have relatively small fingers, while it is often necessary to select links that are about 1/8" apart. I spend too much time backing out of wrong links and trying to get the right contact patch on the screen. Sometimes it takes several attempts and I have to enlarge the screen to make the right selection. And many sites have every corner of the screen crammed w/ ads that link if you accidentally touch them, and the text mined with links to adword pop-ups, so when you have to navigate around the screen finding someplace to put a finger down is annoying. And none of the after market touchscreen stylus work very well.

Transward

[Slammr (imported)]

I'm really liking this tablet and the pen so far, and I haven't yet really learned the special pen apps. It's especially handy surfing the web and you want to click on a button. Like Transward, I often had trouble selecting those with my fat finger. It's much easier done with the pen.

One thing I've found, too, is that if you already have an android device and a Google account, all your apps will automatically load on your new devices. The IPad still has the best apps, but Android is catching up fast. You also have apps available from Samsung.

The tablet, a 16GB model, cost under $500 at Costco and came with a case. This tablet will take a micro SD card, and I stuck a 32GB card I had into it. The cards are available in 64GB I believe.

I particularly like the SD card option. You could have some with nothing but movies on one of them, for instance. I think I paid less than $20 for two 32GB SD cards.

I have the Nexus 7, a Kindle Fire, and an IPad. I can use the Kindle Fire (non HD model) at work because it doesn't have a camera, and I'm also an Amazon Prime member and having a Kindle device gives some advantages there. For an all around 7" tablet, the Nexus 7 is better than the Kindle Fire. Apps are much more limited on the Fire. You have to get them through Amazon.

I did not like the IPad mini. It's much too expensive for what you get. Of the Android 10" tablets, I'm really liking this Samsung Note 10"

[Slammr (imported)]

For those looking for a new tablet and want a 10" tablet, I can't say enough good about the Samsung Note 10.1. I love this tablet. I'm a gadget nut and I currently have 5 tablets, the IPad retina display version (not the latest that just came out), an Asus transformer, a Nexus 7, a Kindle Fire (7", not HD), and the Samsung Note 10.1.

I bought the Note just to check it out intending to take it back to Costco if I didn't love it. Well, I love it. If I were buying my first tablet, it's the one I would buy. Android is rapidly catching up with Apple as far as Apps are concerned. There are a few I still like better on the IPad, but the nice thing about an Android tablet is that, your Google account will automatically load your new tablet with all the apps you had on your old tablet.

I have the Kindle Fire - I had an old one that died - because it doesn't have a camera, and I can use it at work. They will not let me use any device that has a camera.

After using both the Kindle and the full Android devices, I would never recommend the Kindle even for those with Amazon Prime accounts, unless you intend to watch Amazon Prime movies on it. You can easily watch them on the IPad (Amazon has an app for the IPad) or on the Kindle, but Amazon doesn't seem to have an app (that I have found) to watch them on a standard Android tablet. You can watch them using the browser, but the browser display of the movie isn't full screen - unless I am doing something wrong.

I only take the Kindle with me to work. Otherwise, I carry the Note or the Nexus 7.

[Riverwind (imported)]

Thank you Slammr,

This is maybe the best review of the tablets that are on the market I have been going back and forth on Kindle or Nexis you just pushed my decision its the Samsung Note 10.1.

Thanks again,

River

[Slammr (imported)]

I'm learning more good things about the Samsung Note 10.1.

It will run multiple apps at the same time on a split screen. I don't know of any other tablet that will.

Best Buy has them on sale at a cheaper price than Costco has them, $449 for a 16GB model and $499 for a 32 GB model. Remember, these will also take a mini sd card, which can be had in 32GB and 64GB sizes. If you were going on a trip, for instance, you could take along movies loaded onto several sd cards, and switch out the cards when you had to.

This is a sweet tablet.

[Prudence (imported)]

Thanks for mentioning the Samsung Note. I am considering buying a Tablet soon, and the Samsung Note 10 looks like just the thing!!

[Slammr (imported)]

Thanks for mentioning the Samsung Note. I am considering buying a Tablet soon, and the Samsung Note 10 looks like just the thing!!

The more I use the Samsung Note 10.1 the more I like it. I have an IPad, but it stays home, and I take the Note 10.1 with me.

I have an Office app on it, and I can type into the Note faster, with its great touchscreen keyboard, than I can on the Ipad using a bluetooth keyboard. Usually, all I need to do it type a couple of letters and it will anticipate what word I want.

Also, I can update, using Dropbox - in my opinion, the best cloud storage service - a word file I've made on my home computer.

There may be an Office type app on IPad that will do the same thing, but I haven't found one yet. Using Pages on IPad, I was having to email the updated file to myself.

IPad still has a few apps that Android doesn't, but

Android is rapidly catching up

on apps. When I'm out and about, I haven't yet missed not having my Ipad with me.

The Note display beats IPad's display, in my opinion.