Your choice of Mobile and Ipad/Tablet for travelling

I am able to purchase the following Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 32GB WiFi Tablet GREY + Genuine Samsung Card Reader for $399 do you think that this would be a good one and a good buy?

That's not a bad price for sure.

That is the old model but that should not be a big problem, I think the adapter is for SD cards ( for your camera shots etc)

I am not that familiar with the different models so check that it has GPS or AGPS if you want it for mapping. Also there is a Galaxy tab 2 10.1 but I think that is a few hundred bucks more.

If you want it for basic browsing, photos and videos, mapping and maybe games then it will be fine PROVIDED you either have a phone with a wifi hotspot ( any 1 or 2 year old Android or Iphone 4, 5) or are happy to only browse the internet at hotspots or home. If neither apply you will need a 3g card version.

have to agree android has it all over apple by a huge margin for practicle uses such as that

also you wont need 2 seperate sims as with a smart phone you can use it and its data as a wifi hotspot to run the tablet

depending something like a samsung galaxy S3 might fit both bills dpending on your eyesight

i dont need a tablet with that - small enough to be a phone but is also an extremley powerfull navigation device with 100s of maps on its 64 gig SD card running through ozi explorer - i also watch movies and TV series on it and it has 1000s of songs

no apple built can compare to its storage space and its the 16 gig base model giving it about 80 gig usable storage

you will quickly tire of fluffing around with inflexable itunes compared to being able to drag and drop anything from your computer to your phone and have it work

theres a big reason apple shares are nosediving - people have been seeing what else is available

LOL I have an absolute apple addict as a friend, Iphone 5 bla bla bla, when he played with my Note 2 for 30 mins or so he declared that he had to get one. prior to that, his view of android as a few years old and clunky movement etc. Based on his view of the world, Apple had better have a large screen just around the corner, he has said a few times since that he is so dissapointed with his phone now, especially how tiny the screen is and hard to type. hahaha

Having said that Apple shares are a good buy, I just got a bunch at $430 each. It is kind of hard to believe that apple announced the largest quarterly profit of any company, in any country ever, and the price dropped 20%. Anyway apple is a premium content comapny now according to their 10Q filings

Des, Lynley I have a asus transformer TF300 ( its a cross over laptop = tablet ), has a GPS that dozent need phone coverage for it to work , longer battery time than sum, +++
paid around $ 500 from H.N a week later had drop by $ 60 :-(

make sure you research what you are going to buy ,inc USB , SD card ,3g or wifi etc , there's more than Ipad 's & samsung to look at ...good luck with it .

I'm still using my original iPad and still loving it after nearly three years (come May). It has obviated the need to take bulky computers on trips and has been reliable and fun to use. It does everything I need.

Some of the claims about the cost savings in buying Android devices seem a bit 'exaggerated' to say the least.

"You will save $300 - 400". I bought a 16 GB Nexus 7 for $249. The iPad mini is $369. OK $120 more. But I find I never drag the Nexus 7 out because Android is much less pleasant to use compared with iOS. I bought an Android tablet from Kogan which I literally gave away it was so bad.

An iPad 2 16GB with Wi Fi and 3G is $569, a Nexus 10 is $469 but with no 3G. A 32 GB iPad 3 is $649, the Nexus 10 is $569.

Frankly, it doesn't seem a lot of difference to get the extra quality and functionality. Of course if you are desperate and don't mind fiddling around with memory cards etc then buying a low end tablet with a card slot might be your way into a cheap bit of kit that might last a year.

Owning both I can report that the iPad is a easy and intuitive to use, and the Nexus is clunky and unpleasant. The Android Play app store is a disorganised joke - be prepared to be deluged with spam. Comparing iOS with Android is like comparing a Land Cruiser with a Hyundai. Sure there may be more Hyundais around but I know what I'd rather drive.

The only thing Android has going for it is OziExplorer, however, the iOS navaps deliver enough functionality for me not to miss it. (Its the maps not the app).

Given the exaggerated claims re cost differential I'd be very wary of believing everything (anything) some of the regular fAndroids (above) have to say.

Bob

And also beware of Apple fanbois peddling blind bias.

Yes . Comparing about apple with a pos nexus
A true comparison would be a Samsung galaxy note. It will cane an iPad both on specs and price as well as functionality

This is becoming a Toyota / Nissan debate with fanboys on both sides. Yes, nissans are cheaper but toyotas.....Yada Yada Yada.
Sound familiar?

And don't worry iOS and android fans. The windows fanboys will be surfacing soon.
Sorry, couldn't help that...lol.

ok

Echucan Bob
ive been onto kogan and for some reason your talking about the ipad2 which would immediatly put you way behind as its several models old

now the 16gig Ipad 4 with 4G (useless might as well say 3G)

is $600

howeveer the Higher specced samsung galaxy note 10.1 is $560

BUT wewre still jot comparing apples with apples in real terms prtactical use 16 gig for a tablet is nowhere near enough (I have !4gig of maps alone on my phone not including music and movies)

so realistically the cost of the Samsung goes up to $600 with the addition of a 64 gig card giving it 80 gig

to get the maximum specced Ipad your now so far behind the 8 ball its not funny, having to fork out over $800 and still ending up with only 64 gig
so its not hard to see Boobook was right it will cost you $200 more

to go apple -- and you still dont get to use quality mapping apps like ozi explorere

Echucan Bob, since you are directly referring to my post, I should point out to you that you are comparing a 7.9 inch Apple's price to 10 inch Androids!

Also the Kogan is a $180 device running version 2.3. If you seriously want to compare it's functionality to Apple, go ahead, but use IOS verson 4 which is from the same era.

Re your comment that my savings examples are exagerated, no they are not, go check them. Perhaps you are referring to the fact that the savings can overlap like any other product. Ie the individual savings do not add up to the total, that obviously is correct. But you can still get a good device for $400 less ( similar size and functionality), and you can upgrade it without throwing it away.

Don't get me wrong, Apple has it place, typically for people who will pay extra for a simple, controlled environment, but you should really check a recent Android device before you say they are not as easy to use. Oh and not a $180 Kogan based on a 3 year old version of the operating system. For $400 you can get an up to date device.

I own a significant number of Apple Shares, and recently bought a lot more. As a business they are excellent marketers, and sell at well above industry standard margins ( for the devices and music and video), that is good for shareholders -thank you.

These are the reasons why I feel an iPad just doesn't cut it as a practical mobile device (and price isn't one of them, people can do what they like with their money):

No input sockets unless you buy adapters.

You can't transfer photos from your camera, unless you buy an adapter.

You can't upload photos to websites unless those websites have installed specific software.

If you go to a website that uses Flash video you're buggered. Why is that? Apple laptops support Flash but not the iPad.

It's all down to the late Steve Jobs brilliant but very flawed character. He was a control freak and that control extended to what he thought his customers could or could not do. And if he had a blue with his competitors, he would not allow his devices to use their product. Strange but true.

...and how many people say "I wish I bought the next memory size up, now I have to buy a completely new device".

That's right! I forgot: no memory card slot.

Thanks for your reply, and I understand where you come from, but we have 90yr parents and family and Grandchildren around the world, whom we like to know that we can be contacted by if needed it is a necessary when away for 4 to 6 months on end.

No Problem, though you will not get total coverage with any mobile phone provider, you will just get a bit more. Satellite phone will give you the best coverage, but at a cost,

I agree 100% with you on this we have all these devices including IPhones x 2, iPods x 2, iPads X 1, Android tablet x 1, Android Phone x 1 and I currently use the Android tablet for OziExplorer based vehicle and boat navigation.

I am waiting for the Surface and tablet devices to come more into the main stream end of the market. I hate different operating system Android is good but really it is a little clunky and I think Google has dropped the ball a little on this. Windows 8 does look promising I have been using it on a few virtual machines for a while and Office 2013 with Skydrive. I want the USB connectivity to anything (like GPS's which Android does not do) and a greater capacity to store bulk data such a camera & video downloads. I am waiting just a little longer as Feb is the launch date for a load of new stuff from Microsoft and I expect the Surface will Surface even more soon.

I did notice that Dell has a laptop/tablet cross-over call XPS - I am keen on this device it really looks good but is pricey however the SSD drives do it for me - do not care ho much it costs provided it has large capacity SSD.

David

David,
Have you had a play with the Surface? We have and were disappointed in it's performance. We definately wanted to like it, I was hanging out for the pro model as a work-leisure crossover. Not keen now and looking at other brands of Win 8 pro tablets.

Cheers, Mike

Mike,
I must confess no but I was wanting to see the Windows 8 unit not the one with the RTM product on it. But there there will be a wealth of new machines hitting the market soon with the detachable keyboard thing. The Dell XPS machines do look good but I have not fully researched thee either.

I have been using Office 2013 for several months and must say I like it, I am using it on Windows 7 but moving from 2010 to 2013 was easy and brings the Windows 8 look to the application products. I do still hope that the Surface box will do the job but if not there will be heaps of choices unlike the iPad (but the iPad is a good machine and has a place, just not what I want, Michelle uses ours now and loves it).
David

David, FYI

http://www.crn.com.au/News/331530,surface-pro-gets-tough-early-reviews.aspx?eid=4&edate=20130207&utm_source=20130207&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter

Thanks Mike,

I was sus i was not going to be that great but I am not in a rush to change to anything as yet. I have noiticed some really nice machines of late ASUS has been doing some really good work in this area.

My daughter at private school will next week bring home an ASUS tablet with detachable keyboard and seemingly good specs and another member pointed me at http://www.asus.com/vivo/en/taichi.htm

So even if MS misses the boat and it does not sound promising there will be a lot of other choices and is one of the reasons to skip the iPad revolution.

David

On the other hand:

Surface Pro Review

Des, Lynley & Millie,

Living in western Qld, I've gone the way that Dennis suggests.

Have a Telstra T54 phone, with external aerial socket, which really improves the reception.

If you were thinking along these lines try the following website for a range of aerials and other phone "stuff".

www.telcoantennas.com.au

No affliation etc.

Bob.

I rarely reply in most threads as I simply don't know enough about most of the topics posed, however…

If you are travelling 6 months or more a year , then use a dedicated machine for each need. A gps for getting unlost, a mobile phone for communications , and some sort of device for internet usage and face to face/email communications.

I am not an Apple fanboi like Nutta [well , almost :P ] , I just use what I now find is simple , reliable , and effective.

I use my mac Air and the Telstra 4g wireless modem for my 'net fun. The little Mac is not much thicker than a tablet , has a good storage memory, and has an excellent battery life. Should you require more memory , then a very small 1 terabyte hard disc should be more than adequate.
The Air also has a firewire port , a USB port , and the mini port for A/V use. All the data transfer hardware you will need

My wife has her own laptop , plus stores her 10's of thousands of photos on the HD . If you need to access any previous activity , use time machine to store every page and action you have ever partaken.

The TLS 4g modem works quickly for both of us. In remote areas , the 3g is more than enough , however the price difference is quite minimal so upgrading is not a real issue. It also works with your smart phone too.

We also use an ancient little Tom Tom that does it's job just fine.

All the machines do what they are supposed to do. There are no issues , and if one unit was to pass away , then your whole life does not come crashing down with it.

I ran over my iphone 4s in the B-double last week. I purchased a new one , connected it to itunes, and my old phone had returned . All my messages , notes , missed calls and apps were there. Only the hardware had changed.

This was simple and took about 10 mins , with the 4 g modem. If you are still happy with your little flip phone , then just keep it! it will still make calls and sms as it should.

So , really , buy a gps that you will love. Then get yourself as simple but reliable phone should you feel comfortable with. Finally , get a small size laptop , and you have all that you will need that will not need an upgrade for years. It can be any os that you are happy with.

I use Apple as Windows always let me down and Android was clunky for me , but that was versions ago so I am in no position to comment on the latest stuff.

Truthfully , Android , Apple os , Windows mobile , will all be too limiting and really never does it all brilliantly in 1 simple unit. There is always a trade off. DON"T trade off as one day you will need them all to work perfectly , especially in an emergency.

Holidays are meant to be memorable , but not for equipment issues. Spend a few $$$ extra and do it properly on the gear that you prefer.

I have already done the hard yards and spent the bad money for you :) , so have a good think about it , and is your family worth a few extra pennies to make sure you can access them when you are really needed?

Anyway , I will now go back into the shadows