Reply With Quoteused iPad Air
Just superb
As many of you might no I am a complete techno fool, having virtually no understanding of new fangled computers and there mysterious workings.
Now my venerable Motorola Xoom 4.1.2 keeps being told by Apps etc thats its completely inadequate and needs to retire.
So it looks like to keep my kids happy I need to replace it...I hate change and it take me ages to get used to things but I am not sure if sticking to the same brand will be of any advantage.
My wife has an older Samsung GT-P3110, running Andriod 4.2.2 it is a little small but OK...are the bigger newer Galaxys any good.
I do like that it can be charged via USB, where as my Xoom cannot unless you buy an additional charger.
Oh..budget is pretty modest so no Airs, foams, or Surfaces..
used iPad Air
Just superb
I always try to run alternate platforms - I had Linux when Windows was in full flow, Android on my phones, Blackberrys for ages, raspberry pi and so on...
...the best tablets are iPads. They really are.
What's the budget? Used is not such a daft option.
I got a Motorola Xoom a few years ago, having chanted the "must avoid Apple" mantra to myself countless times. I'm afraid I found it pretty poor and after a few months Mrs Draftsmann gave me an iPad Mini which is still serving me well three years on. And when it dies it will be getting replaced with whatever successor model is then current. I still don't like a lot about Apple but their products are just so well developed and user friendly. As above, going used or indeed Apple refurbished would be good options.
In our house we have 2 Lenovos, an Asus, an Amazon Fire HD, even one of the Blackberry ones (forget the name now) and an iPad Air.
The first four are all ok, but the iPad blows them into the weeds in most respects.
Like an earlier poster, I'm not one to gravitate towards the 'obvious' choice and I certainly don't subscribe to the "Apple just works" principle (I'm not a great fan of their phones and iTunes... Grrrrrrr), but the iPad is just the best tablet I've tried, by a long way.
It's worth spending a little more for it (only downside I can see is that you need to use iTunes to move files from your computer to it - eg Photos, MP3s, etc - I hate using iTunes EVERY time I do... although I guess I could get around that with Google Drive or something similar, perhaps, for many file types now I think about it, it's not a common occurrence.)
M
Agree with what's been said so far. Just get an iPad - they are the best on the market.
iPad Pro if no budget restrictions, I've not touched my iPad since I got the Pro
Although, as he feels the iPad is too expensive, I guess there is a budget restriction...Originally Posted by Vanguard
I only upgraded from an iPad 2 to an air as I decided I needed more than 16GB and the cost of going to an air was negligibly more than just getting a bigger 2...
I'm sure the Pro has benefits, but the prices are eye-watering...
M.
As the op confesses to being non techy then using iTunes with an ipad will drive him nuts, it does me and I am reasonably techy.
Ipads are great but if only running a few apps and web browsing then a 10" Lenovo tab2 or tab 3 will be perfectly fine for a third of the price.
Arrgghhhh...the not want I wanted to hear voice of experience telling me to get the one brand I am afraid of, and I strongly suspect its the best advice..
However, I have trouble enough working around basic problems within Windows/android/apps etc..trying to make my stuff work with Apple will be nigh impossible for me I expect.
and my IT savvy mate Gary is already getting exasperated with my requests for help...
Not looking to spend more than £300 ideally, which puts most Apple products out of reach, and there is no point buying something that will also be non-compliant with the latest requirements,
lots of my Apps will no longer update, even though ( on paper ) the Xoom still meets them.
That said, I shall put it too him, maybe gently once I have soothed him with a pint or two.
And if I do not return, please do not feel responsible for my passing.
I'm a complete and utter technology numpty Keith. My iPad (and two iPhones come to that) have cost me no sleep or hair whatsoever.
I recommended iPads to my parents who are in their eighties, and a friend of theirs who is 91. They have all found them pretty easy to use.
I think no matter how tech un-savvy you are, you'll find it easier than any of the other options.
Ipad Air costs £349 new, which is not far off your budget. If you can stretch to this, I would strongly recommend it, because you will have one of the best tablets in the market, and (considering their strategy so far) one that will still be fresh for years ahead
Alex
I picked up an 64gb iPad Air 2 off the Apple Refurb store for £340ish. There are alot of other spec'd iPads in your budget.
This is the 3rd Apple refurb product I've had and have only ever had one warranty claim and Apple just swapped out the product straight away (the issue wasn't a refurb related, it could have happened to a full retail product)
Apple refurb are as above excellent. Your budget will get you a 32gb refurb air with change for a case, lunch and a couple of pints.
http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product...2gb-space-grey
The ones I've handled appear to all intents and purposes to be new - they swap the outer shell and battery and test them before giving them a warranty.
You can get an Amazon Fire HD 7 for £39 at the moment. I've got the older HDX version and I'd rather have that over any of the iPads that my family use.
I have an iPad Air and a Samsung 10" tab3 - the iPad is the better tablet by a street. Not too much difference in performance new but the Samsung has slowed dramatically and the iPad remains unaffected. Same apps on both.
Really? Why? I'd be interested to know what you feel the Fire does better than the iPad, having tried both.
£39 is a bit of a bargain, even against a used iPad, but I find the Fire rather awkward to use (app availability, for instance) compared to even our vanilla Android tablets.
M
Has to be an IPad, I bought 2 x 4th generation IPads second hand 'refurbished' from eBay for the kids for £160 each a few months ago from a business seller utterly reliable and stable.
I don't think it does anything better, but it certainly does it as well and for a fraction of the price. I want my tablet for internet, music and occasional books and films. I've got no need for apps, I can access my Amazon music and film content on all my other devices and I can also charge my Fire with any of the plugs I use for my phones.
Thanks - That's fair enough, it's certainly good value and if it meets your needs, that's great.
It's clearly a good tool if you get all your content from Amazon, less so, I feel, if not.
I think the price reflects that, they know you'll probably just use them for everything if you have a Fire - I guess the same goes for Apple's hopes and iTunes, but that's so awful I never buy anything from it...
I reckon the Kindle app is the one I use the most on my iPad!(Actually it's probably Real Racing 3, but Kindle's close).
M.
^I'm a full Amazonist. I've got Prime and Fire TV too.
Just get an iPad
A used one will be fine
You don't need the latest crap on it
You'll get one for well under £200 used
Easiest thing in the world
Refurbished iPad Air. No other choice in my opinion. £249 direct from Apple with 12 months warranty. What's not to like.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
iPad Mini 2 is surprisingly cheap:
http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-ipad/ipad-mini-2
Way better than any Android at a comparable price-point unless you have specific hardware needs that Apple doesn't cater to. I prefer this size myself over the 9.7", although it's not so good for watching movies etc., if that's something you do.
The iPad Pro is much more powerful, but for most uses it's overkill. I have a Mini 2 as my primary tablet (and own several others including a Pro and two Nexus') and I haven't come across any app, other than the most demanding of games, that'll really tax it, even though the CPU is a couple of generations behind. The only tablet that's starting to feel a bit slow is the iPad 3 and even that is still pretty usable.
Personally, I also prefer the Mini 2 over the latest generations because of the hardware rotation lock that Apple, in their wisdom, has done away with. I'm starting to get used to having fingerprint recognition though, which is the one thing that might get me to upgrade at some point (but I'll wait and hope they bring back the rotation lock or make the software one more usable).
+1 for iPad - never had an issue with any of ours.
iPad Air for £249 which is not bad.
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/ipad...direct-2452460
Android for phones
iPads for tablets.
We've had several android tablets in the house all bar one has had issues and that one we gave to a relative when there identical model died. Not had any issues with the iPads.
To echo many above, iPad is the King of the tablets
I so agree I always buy Android phones but tablets must be iPads :)
I'll offer an alternative. I'm no Apple fan, I just don't like their ethos, all too cliquey for my liking. I use one at work if I have to but there is far too much logging on, sharing stuff before it will let you do anything and invariably it doesn't do it first time. I also find that whilst their OS is easy to use on a superficial level you don't learn much about how to get around problems as you can even with windows.
I bought a Hudl2 a while back. Now I'm not pretending its the cutting edge of android tablets and its not huge but as long as you ignore the Tesco screen I find it quite adequate. And a rather different budget to an Ipad Air.
there can be only one!
Scottish Tablet
900g (2 lb) caster sugar
125g (4 1/2 oz) butter
1 tin condensed sweetened milk
150ml (1/4 pt) milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Prep: 5min › Cook: 1hr › Extra time: 1hr setting › Ready in: 2hr5min
In a large deep pot place all ingredients except vanilla over medium heat until all melts, stirring frequently. Simmer for 40 minutes stirring now and again.
Bring to boil, add vanilla, remove from the heat stirring all the time; be careful.
Electric whisk for 5 minutes; mixture will thicken.
Spread mixture in a flat tray leave to cool for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares and enjoy.
My son has an iPad air which he wants to sell. It's vodafone purchased so has the option of sticking a sim card in and using it on 3g. Pm if interested.
Inspired.there can be only one!
Scottish Tablet
900g (2 lb) caster sugar
125g (4 1/2 oz) butter
1 tin condensed sweetened milk
150ml (1/4 pt) milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Prep: 5min › Cook: 1hr › Extra time: 1hr setting › Ready in: 2hr5min
In a large deep pot place all ingredients except vanilla over medium heat until all melts, stirring frequently. Simmer for 40 minutes stirring now and again.
Bring to boil, add vanilla, remove from the heat stirring all the time; be careful.
Electric whisk for 5 minutes; mixture will thicken.
Spread mixture in a flat tray leave to cool for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares and enjoy.
Although given the time to cook I'll stick with my local deli tablet!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have had two refurbs and recommend that route for an iPad typically save 15%+. My Mrs had an Amazon and we bought one for one of the kids, but leave an iPad around and it gets borrowed. Better screen and graphics, nice interface and feels more logical.
So Android and low budget...a bit like me!
I felt the need to upgrade from my Samsung Tab 10.1 and recently bought (£210 on eBay) a Samsung Tab S 10.5. It does everything I want, has a !0.5" screen, runs Android, it's lighter...and it isn't an Apple product. I couldn't be more pleased...without spending another £200 plus.
To the OP: Yes, the newer Galaxy products are good, they integrate with later Samsung phones etc and don't cost the earth. Their latest products are smaller, but I have a feeling that extreme portability isn't one of your criteria, so used is the way to go (even if it's not an iPad). Best of all, you don't have to invest in and learn another OS.
Samsung Galaxy Tab.
I had an Android tablet and phone for a couple of years. Both were a bit of a pain to set up. Both had to be factory reset a few times and even though they were restored from back ups they were still a pain to reconfigure.
I went back to iPhone and bought an iPad mini. Like everyone says, they just work. It's easy.
Seeing this topic come up a few times in different places it always reminds me of the standard 'what folding bike?' thread. The answer is always iPad/Brompton!
nexus range are pretty good. Sorry refuse to give apple my money..
I liked my original Hudl, but one day the screen just packed up (it was on, but nothing was readable) and I found out Tesco had stopped selling their Hudl range.
I got mine with Tesco's points so, kind of, free, which makes it easy to tolerate little faults, but it's not a patch on my iPads.
I like, though, a small tablet for reading on the train when I go to London (as rarely as possible!) - Currently I have a Lenovo (bought for my wife to replace a broken Nexus, but she didn't like it, so we bought her another Nexus) and a Kindle Fire HD (nice to read on, but a fiddle for other stuff, compared with vanilla Android tablets), but neither is as good, all round, for me as the Hudl was... iPad Mini is too expensive for my requirement.
M
Last edited by snowman; 31st May 2016 at 10:04.
My 11 month old Apple iPad died on me, took it back to the Apple store in MK, hey presto they gave me a brand new one.
Would always give my money to Apple just for the peace of mind.
You won't get that with a Nexus or anything else from Samsung.
The biggest thing you actually want in a tablet is support and apps.
Apple with very high prices is still a good choice non the less due to the app store.
I still think android hasn't reached maturity yet even though they have gone a long way.
Thanks for the recipie, this will be tomorrow's activity, however I will blame you if I end up in a diabetic coma lolthere can be only one!
Scottish Tablet
900g (2 lb) caster sugar
125g (4 1/2 oz) butter
1 tin condensed sweetened milk
150ml (1/4 pt) milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
Prep: 5min › Cook: 1hr › Extra time: 1hr setting › Ready in: 2hr5min
In a large deep pot place all ingredients except vanilla over medium heat until all melts, stirring frequently. Simmer for 40 minutes stirring now and again.
Bring to boil, add vanilla, remove from the heat stirring all the time; be careful.
Electric whisk for 5 minutes; mixture will thicken.
Spread mixture in a flat tray leave to cool for at least 1 hour. Cut into squares and enjoy.
Which I guess is why apple products are 3 x the price.
Someone earlier in the thread mentioned using iTunes with the iPad. There is no need to ever connect an iPad to a computer if you don't want to. It will sync with iCloud. The only reasons to use iTunes are to perform a local encrypted backup or recover a device that becomes faulty.
Seriously, people need to get over this "Apple are so overpriced lol" meme. I dislike some of Apple's business practises as much as anyone, but seriously, look at the alternatives objectively.
If you actually compare what you get, like for like, Apple are not overpriced at all. The only difference is, they do not have cheap, crappy models in their line-up, so the entry point is higher.
As I pointed out above, an iPad Mini 2, which is still one of the best tablets you can buy, is under £220. Brand New. From Apple.
Compare that to ANY other Android at or below the same price and it will be objectively worse in at least one way. For example, I have a Nexus 9 and the screen is just horrible compared to an iPad. It feels cheap and flimsy. iOS is still a far more usable and far more secure operating system than Android, despite suffering from some rather unnecessary UI tinkering since version 8.
Similarly, my MacBook Pro cost me £2,500 a few years ago. Not cheap for a laptop. However, it is still the best laptop I have ever owned and when I sell it to upgrade, it will actually have some residual value, unlike every PC I've ever owned. Not only that, but I originally set out to buy a PC, because that's what I've been using since around 1990. For a serious, developer-grade, workstation laptop, the closest PC equivalent is the Dell M-series, which would have cost me £4,000 for a comparable spec, at double the weight and thickness. My last PC was, in fact, a Dell M6400 so I know exactly what you get at that level.
And as has been pointed out, Apple support is unmatched by any other computer hardware company. And you get free (easy to access but non-mandatory) software upgrades for years. And they don't pull any forced upgrades to Windows 10 (Microsoft). They don't subsidise their prices by tracking everything you do, because they are the largest advertising business in the world (Gooogle).
About the only thing Apple are not good at is making workstations capable of handling serious 3D applications or AAA games. However, the situation for tablets is the complete opposite. Apple's A-series SoC is for far ahead of the competition it's ridiculous. That's not the only reason why there are more high-quality iOS apps and games than on Android, but it's one of them.
I have several iPads that have never been connected to another computer, so yes, this is true. The only exception was the original iPad 1 running (IIRC) iOS 5 out of the factory, which did require a PC for the initial setup.
My workhorse tablet is a Samsung Note 8.0. I use it a lot. Although it is oldish, it is running the latest version of Android (6.0.1 / Cyanogenmod 13). I just ordered a second hand Samsung Note 10.1.[1] I also have a Note II phone from 2012, which also runs Android 6.0.1, the latest version. You might see a theme here. I have no general special liking of Samsung. Indeed, I've never been keen on their changes to Android. However, I do really, really, like using the s-pen and having a first rate Wacom digitizer built in to the device. I use handwriting input instead of virtual keyboards for everything.
[1] The Note 10.1 is going to be used as a tablet and laptop replacement for a long trip we are taking to New Zealand this summer. It will run nearly full fat linux as a task under Android. It will be coupled with the best blue tooth keyboard I've yet seen, the Logitech K380, which I'm also using as my desktop keyboard now (e.g., typing this).
Best wishes,
Bob
If you must have the best and can afford it then it is IPad all the way, just choose the size. If funds are a factor then I would add a further vote for the Tesco Hudl 2. They are cheap as chips, have been available at £80 or less at times and are perfectly adequate for general surfing. A novice can remove the Tesco screen branding/customisations in seconds and at the price are hard to beat.
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