Any tablet geeks out there

[DocGlock86]

I start college in a couple weeks. I'm kinda wanting to buy a tablet that will serve as a good college tablet. Right now I have a bigger sized laptop and a Kindle Fire HD. Both are great but not really something I think will serve best in a classroom setting.

Pretty much just looking for something to take notes on, use .pdf files, definitely has to be compatible with Google Drive, and so on.

My budget is $500 and I'm leaning between the iPad mini or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10"

I've always used Android and never had an Apple product but I'm not an Android fanboy. So if the Ipad Mini is the better option, I'd go for it.

What's ya'lls thoughts???

 

[Limpy88]

i think the apple is great for old ppl and kids. simple to use and has one button.

for every one else android, until apple can run flash player well, it will always be useless.

so android hands down.

 

[Lock load]

I haven't used any droid tablets yet. So I can't speak to positives or negatives of them.
I have a full size ipad and love it. if you have a $500 budget and decide to go the way of ipad. You might as well get a full size one.

 

[maddawg138]

I have a Kindle Fire HD but i rooted it and made it look like most other tablets out there


personally i would prefer the Google Nexus 7 but the Kindle Fire HD is a close 2nd. If you can get the Kindle to look like a normal tablet and not with the stupid carousel its right up there with the Nexus 7 IMO


I can link you to a website that can assist in rooting and making the Kindle look different but thats if you are interested in doing so.

 

[rgrimm01]

Take a look at the Galaxy Note 10.1. Makes use of a stylus for taking notes.

 

[DocGlock86]

I have a Kindle Fire HD but i rooted it and made it look like most other tablets out there


personally i would prefer the Google Nexus 7 but the Kindle Fire HD is a close 2nd. If you can get the Kindle to look like a normal tablet and not with the stupid carousel its right up there with the Nexus 7 IMO


I can link you to a website that can assist in rooting and making the Kindle look different but thats if you are interested in doing so.

I'd like to look into rooting my kindle but I'm so flipping worried that I'll jack it up then be SOL warranty wise...

 

[Armed*Italian]

#2 galaxy note 10.1, I have both an ipad 2 and galaxy note 10.1. I don't use the ipad 2 ever since I purchased the galaxy note 10.1. The S pen is a great added feature.

 

[lizerdking]

I'd like to look into rooting my kindle but I'm so flipping worried that I'll jack it up then be SOL warranty wise...

Rooted my kindle a while back. Just follow the instructions online, xda-developers.com has everything you need to know

I bought mine with the intention of rooting it.... this was pre nexus days, or I just would have bought a nexus.

it still does everything i need it to and now i can't justify buying a nexus

 

[andski3]

Skip the IPAD. I have a Windows 8 tablet that I dual boot with android. Now I have the best of both worlds. Simple to do and if you try hard enough you can get one for under $500.

 

[maddawg138]

I'd like to look into rooting my kindle but I'm so flipping worried that I'll jack it up then be SOL warranty wise...

its not too hard really as long as you follow it step by step...just make sure you back it up is all and they even tell you how to do that

Rooted my kindle a while back. Just follow the instructions online, xda-developers.com has everything you need to know

I bought mine with the intention of rooting it.... this was pre nexus days, or I just would have bought a nexus.

it still does everything i need it to and now i can't justify buying a nexus

^^ thats the website i was talking about...they have everything from tablets to phones heavily modded and completely different. I went there for my Straight Talk Galaxy S2 which is heavily locked down and was able to root it and get a different rom on there. same with my kindle


i got my kindle for christmas and was asking for a nexus 7 but with the kindle being modified i don't have a use for the nexus 7 now

 

[Dirtebiker]

I haven't used any droid tablets yet. So I can't speak to positives or negatives of them.
I have a full size ipad and love it. if you have a $500 budget and decide to go the way of ipad. You might as well get a full size one.

I agree. I'm totally tech-stupid! And I like my iPad!

 

[breas1]

If you are not going to get a full size then buy a mini. I carry mine around every day and I love it. It's screen size compared to the other mini tablets is huge. Text looks good unless you are accustomed to retina displays. I use mine for word, excel and power point as well when I'm working. I'd buy a keyboard for it to make the typing quicker npbut I'd say that for any size tablet.

 

[Mad Macs]

I vote for iPad. That and a good Zagg folio case to type with.

 

[Icemancometh]

I just got an IPad Mini. Threw an Otterbox case on it and love it.

 

[breas1]

I had an otterbox on my mini but I felt it killed the display so I bought the targus folding case and a screen protector.

 

[sepe]

I used an Acer Iconia a200 for the last couple semesters. The ebooks were pretty cheap. When I took notes, I wrote them down in a notebook. You could take that $500 and buy a more inexpensive android based tablet, a case with a USB or bluetooth keyboard, and have some money left over.

From my experiences, do NOT get an iPad if you're going to be getting ebooks instead of textbooks. At the beginning of a class, I'd have people look at my android tablet like "not an iPad?" and after a few weeks they'd get frustrated with the ebook experience....they'd usually end up buying the textbook. Some texts are amazing on the iPad but, side by side with the android version, many left a lot to be desired.

Btw, there have been comparisons done by articles written by tech departments and tech nerds from various universities, the only thing that the iPad won on was the pretty metal case.

 

[DocGlock86]

After looking over the posts and watching a crap ton of reviews and what not, I went ahead and ordered the Galaxy tab 2 10.1.

Really was thinking iPad mini for a moment but I felt dirty leaving the Android side (must be a fanboy after all)

 

[rgrimm01]

After looking over the posts and watching a crap ton of reviews and what not, I went ahead and ordered the Galaxy tab 2 10.1.

We have enjoyed our TAB 2 so much that we will be getting another one. My Lady and I both enjoy reading our ebooks , e-mag subscriptions and surfing the net in the evenings. The TAB is more convenient and comfortable than the desktop.

Still have not chosen a file directory but all in good time...

 

[IndyBeerman]

I know you've already jumped and bought a Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, but wish I could have seen this thread a little sooner.

My buddy bought a ASUS Transformer pad TF300T 32gig and it's a wonderful tablet, 8 megapixel rear camera with large F/2.2 aperture, 1.2mp forward facing camera, and a 1280x800 screen that produces a great look for graphics.

Speakers and mic are very good

Also has G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, E-compass and GPS.

I liked it so much I bought a good used one off of Ebay Friday night for $200.00 and I'm in the process of jumping on a dock for it.

He bought his new with a dock for almost $500.00 and he's miffed that I'm getting a almost new condition TF300T. Now if I can score on that dock, I'm in like Flynn.

Also, one thing to note, one of the reasons I'm getting this is to use it for Google's Hangout video conferencing, we did a test run on my buddies TF300T and linking up with my Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone and was very impressed. So now we are trying to get a lot of the family hooked up because you can Hangout with up to 8 people @ a time.

It'll be nice to have in the living room when something pops up on TV that we want info on and don't have to run to the other end of the house to hop on the computer.

 

[bwframe]

What kind of insurance do you guys have on your high dollar tablets? I only have an inexpensive Nexus 7.