Recommend a tablet please.

mickywillis

mickywillis

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Looking to purchase a Tablet computer.
Don't want an Ipad, so looking at alternatives.
So that would be an Anderoid/Windows based unit.
Ideally would like a 9"-10" screen, but not essential.
With my budget of £150 I think I'd be looking at purchasing a secondhand unit.
Now the main want with the tablet is GPS and 3G/Cellnet network capability, unlocked so I can use either my Vodaphone or Tesco SIM card (standard size, not micro SIM)

Anyone suggest a suitable device or point me in the direction of a new/used item? Been scouring Ebay for a few weeks now and have come up with the Samsung GT-P1000 as a suitable candidate, but can't find a decent one within the price range!!
 
I have a Asus Transformer TF101. Very happy as it comes with a keyboard that contains batteries so extends the power time to many hours. However does not have a SIM card. I use my phone for a wireless hotspot if required. I have a tablet clamp at the wheel and the TF101 runs navionics nicely

Apparently the TF201 is not as good as the original

TS
 
I have a Lenovo A2107 Idea Tab: £120 from PC world. Does everything and does it a lot better than most entry levels. It has space for 2 sim cards (unlocked), has a good fast GPS, WiFi, cameras front and back (pretty rubbish but OK for skype and the odd you tube vid) and is full Android 4.0 spec. Touch screen is average, and not as good as the Samsung Galaxy at £15 more, but then the Samsung doesnt support phone connectivity. Only a 7 inch screen, but there was a 10 inch version around £160, though I cant see it on the PCWorld site. Seems quite reliable, and at the price very competitive.

The screen? Its not as bright as the Samsung, and has a rather narrower field of view than the pricier ones, but I find it perfectly livable with. Also the touch screen is not quite as positive as the Samsung, but again entirely livable with. Yes you can get something bigger and better, but you pay quite a lot more for the privilege, and the Lenovo does it all. You have to pay quite a lot more to get this level of connectivity - worth it if you want to pay the extra, but on a tight budget the Lenovo is about as good an all rounder as you will get.
 
surekandoo said:
I have an Archos 80G9. Runs Android & has 3G facility as optional extra, which I have running on the 3 network. Micro SD card slot.

I've had it for about 18 months and use it at home on wifi and on board my boat on 3g.

Quite pleased with it on the whole, but to be fair I've nothing to compare it with.
Click to expand...
I have one of those. Very nice machine. Only slight reservation is that the battery sometimes appears to be full, and it stops charging, but when the charger is disconnected, the true battery level is displayed which by then is often very low. I guess a future software update will fix that.
 
|Have a Samsung 10", came as part of the mobile contract. via Carphone Warehouse, cheaper than Orange direct - explain that.
Going to be unlocked, because it doesn't do phone things. Well you can do Skype type things if you organise hings properly.

Anyway, it is Android, reliable, reasonable battery life, can get internet via the mobile phone. Easy to recharge on the 12v supply on board. Never be confused with a laptop for speed but otherwise ideal.
 
If I could only recommend one tablet it would have to be Stugeron. Without it sailing would not be a joy.

(My Nexus 7 with Navionics is pretty good too. £150 won't get you a 3g one, but it will get a new wifi example. If you have an android phone you could tether it to your phones data via WiFi?).
 
Have my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7in since Jan. Runs the Navionics Uk and Holand chart app , cloned from my phone.
Makes a good sized chart plotterand accesses the net on my smartphone via the free Blue VPN App,
I dont bother with the laptop these days. Great battery life and seems to take the odd knock in its stride.
 
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As you have dismissed ipad you clearly are beyond the benefit of rational assistance so no mount of advice will improve you're situation. :D
 
Actually I do think Appe's iPad still is the gold standard of the tablet pc market but I doubt you could buy one in the OP's price bracket. However I've been very pleased with my Lenovo IdeaPad K1 3G running Android 4.0.3 (2 x 32 GB storage). For 299 plus 50 quid for the keyboard dock it does everything I want at half the price. As a BSD user I'm probably biased but Android really does it for me. I would not consider Windows, even with the announced reduction:
http://www.zdnet.com/microsofts-900-million-surface-rt-write-down-how-did-this-happen-7000018275/
 
Motorola Xoom 10", no sim slot, I tether it to the mobile via bluetooth and no faffing with sims/two sim accounts, numbers.

Up to 10hr battery life, quicker than my laptop and very stable even when running multiple progs, sorry, apps.

It's specifically mentioned as ideal by 'Visit My Harbour', I run Memory Map.

Bit heavy, only just viewable in the cockpit so kept in shade, rather delicate charging plug/socket (Xoom 1)

Don't know what I did without it!

Nick (no, I'm not selling it on Ebay....)
 
+1 for the Xoom. I have the 3G version. Excellent bit of kit, but like all tablets/screens etc useless in direct sunlight.

I run Marine Navigator on mine and it is excellent.

Should be able to pick one up for your budget
 
Thanks all, good info.
The reason behind looking for a tablet with 3G is obviously to use it on the boat.
But I do have a Huawei dongle which I could use. Anyone tell me if a tablet running Android would support such a dongle? I bought it some time ago with a Vodaphone PAYG data service and use the SIM from it in my ASUS EEPC notebook> So is it possible to get an Android app to recognise the dongle, plug the SIM card back into it and use this?
Alternatively, I have LG L3 E400 mobile which can be set up as a mobile hotspot (via wifi) so guess this would be anotheralternative ( but the LG is fairly power hungry when running on wifi)

Anyone have any experience with a Sony Tablet S as these seem to be available close to my budget?
Also, is it a good idea to stay away from the "Chipod" type tablets as these seem to do everything but at a fraction of the price?
 
depends what you want to use it for on the boat. a simple smart phone will look after 3G if all you want is to read emails and get weather forecasts. if you want to use it for back up gps and plotter, the nexus 7 should go down in price when the new version comes out later this month.

that will be my choice, teamed with a smart phone for 3G access. and don't forget as the previous post says, you can create a local wifi hotspot with a tethered smart phone and connect the tablet that way.
 
mickywillis said:
Thanks all, good info.
The reason behind looking for a tablet with 3G is obviously to use it on the boat.
But I do have a Huawei dongle which I could use. Anyone tell me if a tablet running Android would support such a dongle?
Click to expand...
No. If you don't have a '3g' version your best bet is to get a mobile wifi access point or put the local SIM in a phone and use it as a hotspot. (I used Joikuspot in a Nokia N95 last year with an iPad).

This year I used a Nexus 7 with a Greek SIM. I found the battery life disappointing - the machine takes too much power (compared with my old Nokia N810). My wife's iPad was better - but I guess the battery is about 5 times as big. If I were buying again I'd get a 10".

You can cut a standard SIM down to micro size - I've done several.
 
Asus Fonepad. Like a 3G Nexus 7 only cheaper. And it has a slot for a micro SD card to expand the memory. And you can use it as a phone if you really want to. Battery life seems good.
 
I have an Asus TF101G which has 3G connectivity. Runs Navionics very well now that Navionics seem to have stopped mucking around with their availability. I only use it down below so can't comment on sunlight viewing but battery lifei s very good, especially with the key board plugged in
 
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