Author Topic: What tablet should I get (Read 978 times)

zahc · « **on:** May 23, 2019, 03:55:56 PM »

Requirements:

cheap
not too big
headphone jack and USB charging
wifi-only is fine

besides that, it will be used almost exclusively for watching Netflix, YouTube, and a few kid apps. So I guess it would be nice if the battery lasted a while.

Galaxy S2? Is there anything cheaper?

BlueStarLizzard · « **Reply #1 on:** May 23, 2019, 04:09:19 PM »

I bought dad the lenovo yoga tab last summer. The built in kickstand is really sturdy and nice. I've mostly been using it as an alarm clock, but it's nicer to watch stuff on than my other tablet. The kickstand also has a hole in it for hanging it on the wall.

Ben · « **Reply #2 on:** May 23, 2019, 04:09:48 PM »

I'd probably stick with the Galaxy. I don't have one, but if I ever decide to get another tablet, I'm not going to scrimp.

My first one was a $40 Chinese knockoff that got great reviews (apparently from Chinese forced labor) and was horribly slow and twitchy (oh, and came with malware). I then got a Lenovo - can't remember which model, but it was around $120) and it will also annoyingly lag. Not as bad as the Chinese one, but to me, irritating enough that it's sitting in a drawer somewhere.

If it's something you're going to use a lot, cry once and spend some dough for something responsive.

Calumus · « **Reply #3 on:** May 23, 2019, 05:51:37 PM »

The Amazon Fire HD in either size might fit the bill. Inexpensive and you can jailbreak it pretty easily.

zahc · « **Reply #4 on:** May 23, 2019, 06:19:01 PM »

I look at those, but I had ads and bloatware. Maybe I will look up jailbreaking.

This looks good.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8" 32 GB Wifi Tablet (Black) - SM-T380NZKEXAR https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075VSG1TQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gXX5Cb5G25E1J

Calumus · « **Reply #5 on:** May 23, 2019, 07:27:59 PM »

Quote from: zahc on May 23, 2019, 06:19:01 PM

I look at those, but I had ads and bloatware. Maybe I will look up jailbreaking.

Literally a 5 min process and you end up with a decent quality tablet, dirt cheap.

MillCreek · « **Reply #6 on:** May 23, 2019, 07:42:40 PM »

I have two Kindle Fire HD 8 tablets, that I use primarily for reading and web browsing, and a Kindle Fire HD 10 tablet, that I use primarily for reading, TV and movie viewing, and for travel. I have a cool Fintie Bluetooth keyboard and case for the Fire 10, and it turns it into a quasi laptop for travel. This is sufficient for me keeping up with the work email and what not while I am traveling away from the office. The Fire HD 10 was the most cost-effective 10 inch tablet for me at $ 150.

K Frame · « **Reply #7 on:** May 23, 2019, 07:59:52 PM »

Take a look at options on the Dell refurb page and Newegg used models.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

zahc · « **Reply #8 on:** May 23, 2019, 09:31:56 PM »

I was just about to pull the trigger on a Samsung Tab A for $200, but then I saw it doesn't have an HD display. I would have assumed that was standard nowadays. My phone has 1900 lines of resolution; I think an 8 inch display with less than 1200 would be annoying if I tried to read books on it. Although it would be fine for video.

Not many cheap tablets with high resolution displays unfortunately.

brimic · « **Reply #9 on:** May 24, 2019, 07:22:47 AM »

Look for a refurbed iPad on amazon. I’m partial towards iPads as mine has been running trouble free for 2 years with constant use, my wife has an older, slower model which is going on 4 years old- with no problems.
https://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPad-A1474-16GB-Wi-Fi/dp/B00M4L4NHY/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?keywords=ipad&qid=1558696720&s=gateway&sr=8-10&th=1&psc=1

^example, but there are many different models on amazon in the sub $200 range^

K Frame · « **Reply #10 on:** May 24, 2019, 08:10:48 AM »

woot.com also often has decent deals on refurb tablets.

K Frame · « **Reply #11 on:** May 24, 2019, 08:13:36 AM »

Well bummer. Dell doesn't have any refurb tables right now.

Newegg has tons of tables, though.

K Frame · « **Reply #12 on:** May 24, 2019, 08:45:43 AM »

Woot's tablet page...

https://www.woot.com/category/computers/tablets?ref=w_cnt_cdet_pc_7

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #13 on:** May 24, 2019, 08:52:54 AM »

For the few entertainment-based apps listed in the OP an Amazon Fire HD will do just fine. The HD 8 latest-gen was released last fall and gets solid, if middling, reviews. SWMBO has a previous-gen 7 and uses it all the time.

Brad

dogmush · « **Reply #14 on:** May 24, 2019, 09:20:39 AM »

I have a Galaxy Tab S2 as well as an S3.

I like my S2, and it's a well designed tablet. Thin, light, and good battery life. I see on Amazon and Best Buy that it's still $300 though. That seems kinda steep for a 4 year old design, even a good one.

I will say I use my 4G S3 a LOT more than I used the wifi only S2 when it was my main tablet. I kinda got talked into the 4G, but it's really nice.

zahc · « **Reply #15 on:** May 24, 2019, 12:17:23 PM »

iPads don't have headphone jacks. The are only $250 now, and good hardware, but without a headphone jack and no USB charging, that's just too much Apple BS for me to even think about dealing with.

I went ahead and bought a 32 GB 8 inch Tab A for $199. The resolution might bother me when reading books, but I decided I'm not rich enough to spend another $150 to make my text look prettier. I'll put the money toward a real Kindle instead.

K Frame · « **Reply #16 on:** May 24, 2019, 12:23:07 PM »

I had an HP windows 10 tablet for a couple of years. Pretty darned nice tablet. Came with the keyboard cover.

Battery started to crap out, and I was going to replace it, but I dropped it and killed it. So now I have a laptop.

zahc · « **Reply #17 on:** May 25, 2019, 11:23:56 AM »

Does anyone create a separate Google account for certain devices like tablets or e-readers? I don't really like the idea of leaving my main Google account logged in on a tablet that I might deliberately want to leave lying around. It doesn't have a fingerprint reader, so I will have to use a weak PIN to secure it. Plus if I want the kids to be able to use it, they need to be able to unlock it. If I create a separate throw-away account, then I'm not sure if I can still log into Netflix (probably), or YouTube, or sync my bookmarks in Chrome, etc. With everything converging it seems no choice but to use my main Google account?

Ben · « **Reply #18 on:** May 25, 2019, 01:10:45 PM »

Quote from: zahc on May 25, 2019, 11:23:56 AM

Does anyone create a separate Google account for certain devices like tablets or e-readers? I don't really like the idea of leaving my main Google account logged in on a tablet that I might deliberately want to leave lying around. It doesn't have a fingerprint reader, so I will have to use a weak PIN to secure it. Plus if I want the kids to be able to use it, they need to be able to unlock it. If I create a separate throw-away account, then I'm not sure if I can still log into Netflix (probably), or YouTube, or sync my bookmarks in Chrome, etc. With everything converging it seems no choice but to use my main Google account?

I keep mine, along with my smart devices like security cameras, smart thermometers, etc on a guest network on my router. I also don't stay logged in to any accounts on anything accept my main computer and my phone, which are either physically secure, or on me.

I'm pretty sure both Netflix and Youtube let you add "household accounts" that work under your account for only one charge.

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Author Topic: What tablet should I get (Read 978 times)