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I'd been wanting a tablet ever since they came out with the iPad. I had to wait until the prices came down, what they want for an iPad is outside my budget, but the other day I was killing time at Best Buy and came across one that I could afford, it was $140, and I got it. It's an Acer Iconia Tab 8, and after the initial learning/frustration curve I find I really like it a lot.
This was my first experience with an Android device, and I found the Google has it's corporate tentacles all through this device. It came loaded with apps I have no use for, each of which wants my money and each of which wants all the information about me it can get, my phone number (I don't think so!) my data usage, my location, etc, etc, etc....
I work as a driver, and have to spend hours sitting in my car in a holding lot waiting to be called to the airport for passengers. Many of the others I work with have tablets too, so they have some entertainment while they wait, instead of just sitting there listening to their hair grow.
This tablet came with 16gb memory, which of course was not enough, so I got a 32gb microSD thingy to stick in it, giving me 48gb, and promptly loaded it up with video to watch at work, since we have a lot of time for that. Now I'm thinking maybe it would be nice to have a bluetooth keyboard for it so I can do email and other typing things on it. Typing on a screen isn't something I can do fast or well.
So, has anyone gotten one of those for an Android tablet? Recommendations?
Didn't even know there was a tablets forum. I guess I've been properly dressed down....
Don't feel bad Amy, I have been on here quite a while and I did not know it either. I guess I never looked for it since tablets really do not interest me.
My wife has a couple of tablets and we also have android phones and she like them all. I bought her a cheap tablet at first years ago and she liked it so much that when I saw a Samsung on sale last year I bought her one of those in 8 inch for a special occasion and she has been happily playing with it ever since. I prefer a computer because of the keyboard and mouse but now they have keyboards that attach to tablets as well. Maybe one day I will buy one of the upgraded versions of a tablet such as the Microsoft Surface 3 but by then they will probably have a surface 10
I have a 10in tablet and I quickly decided that typing on the screen was something I wanted to avoid. I got a case and keyboard similar to this one (but cheaper on eBay): http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-Key.../dp/B00LZL83M0
It works OK but it's still a poor substitute for a real computer. Still, if I don't expect to do much typing, it's usable as a travel computer, and it has built-in GPS, so it's good for navigating.
I'd been wanting a tablet ever since they came out with the iPad. I had to wait until the prices came down, what they want for an iPad is outside my budget, but the other day I was killing time at Best Buy and came across one that I could afford, it was $140, and I got it. It's an Acer Iconia Tab 8, and after the initial learning/frustration curve I find I really like it a lot.
This was my first experience with an Android device, and I found the Google has it's corporate tentacles all through this device. It came loaded with apps I have no use for, each of which wants my money and each of which wants all the information about me it can get, my phone number (I don't think so!) my data usage, my location, etc, etc, etc....
I work as a driver, and have to spend hours sitting in my car in a holding lot waiting to be called to the airport for passengers. Many of the others I work with have tablets too, so they have some entertainment while they wait, instead of just sitting there listening to their hair grow.
This tablet came with 16gb memory, which of course was not enough, so I got a 32gb microSD thingy to stick in it, giving me 48gb, and promptly loaded it up with video to watch at work, since we have a lot of time for that. Now I'm thinking maybe it would be nice to have a bluetooth keyboard for it so I can do email and other typing things on it. Typing on a screen isn't something I can do fast or well.
So, has anyone gotten one of those for an Android tablet? Recommendations?
Is it cellular? Or is there a free wifi spot close enough for you to connect with? Can't send e-mail if you can't connect to the net... Just saying.
Learn to type with your thumbs. Lol
- To reply to Sydney123. You don't need Cell service to use a tablet ANY TIME for email. When Amy connects to WiFi at home, her email is synched to her tablet. When she gets to the lot with no service she can open her email. She can reply to email. She can forward email. It will go into her queue. When her tablet is next online, it will synch all her changes and send/forward/reply to...all those emails.
- Google Tentacles: don't be paranoid Amy. Be careful, sure. Not paranoid. If you ever have privacy conerns about tablets, this is the place to ask. Well, the Tablet forum is. (the totally not needed "tablets" forum...)
A lot of the things those apps are asking for is to HELP you, not to track you and spy on you. And what apps are "asking you for money" that are FROM Google? Not one Google app begs for money. Not one. The Google PLAY Store will ask for a Credit Card (which you do not have to provide) in case YOU WANT to PAY for apps. and you may find yourself wanting to.
Asking for LOCATION? That's so if you do a search for "PIZZA DELIVERY", Google Maps will know you are in Naples, and not show you a pizza joint in Cleveland.
Asking for a phone number: this is for your PROTECTION. I have my phone number set up with Google. Any time I login to Gmail from a computer that is not my normal one I get a text message: "Are you trying to get into your email? Use this code". This is to prevent someone from trying to hack into my Gmail account. A very high level of security.
- To reply to Sydney123. You don't need Cell service to use a tablet ANY TIME for email. When Amy connects to WiFi at home, her email is synched to her tablet. When she gets to the lot with no service she can open her email. She can reply to email. She can forward email. It will go into her queue. When her tablet is next online, it will synch all her changes and send/forward/reply to...all those emails.
- Google Tentacles: don't be paranoid Amy. Be careful, sure. Not paranoid. If you ever have privacy conerns about tablets, this is the place to ask. Well, the Tablet forum is. (the totally not needed "tablets" forum...)
A lot of the things those apps are asking for is to HELP you, not to track you and spy on you. And what apps are "asking you for money" that are FROM Google? Not one Google app begs for money. Not one. The Google PLAY Store will ask for a Credit Card (which you do not have to provide) in case YOU WANT to PAY for apps. and you may find yourself wanting to.
Asking for LOCATION? That's so if you do a search for "PIZZA DELIVERY", Google Maps will know you are in Naples, and not show you a pizza joint in Cleveland.
Asking for a phone number: this is for your PROTECTION. I have my phone number set up with Google. Any time I login to Gmail from a computer that is not my normal one I get a text message: "Are you trying to get into your email? Use this code". This is to prevent someone from trying to hack into my Gmail account. A very high level of security.
What I meant was that she wouldn't be able to go online while sitting in the parking lot unless she has an available connection that she could access, or her tablet was cellular. What she can or can't do at home has nothing to do with what she can do while parked at her job site... Which was the reason for getting a tablet to begin with. ( or at least part of the reason).
Just pointing out that offline access works pretty well on these newer tabs, as designed.
Get up in the morning. Fire up the tablet. Let it sync while you get ready.
Get to work, have downtime, you can open the tab. Read, Respond. And everything syncs when you get back home.
Pretty acceptable solution as opposed to paying monthly for your tab to have cellular.
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I guess I never looked for it since tablets really do not interest me. 
