Searching for a tablet, any recommendations?

[TubeTote]

Hello all,

I noticed a similar thread below, but my needs are quite a bit different than the poster's. That being said...

I was able to take advantage of a T-Mobile promotion to add an additional line for free. This promotion coincided with receiving a free Samsung Galaxy Note 4 from my mother...she won it in a golf tournament and already had a better model.

Unfortunately, it turns out that the tablet I received is an older model and it does not support 4G/LTE. This renders the extra line useless, as I planned on using it for an extra 10GB of mobile hotspot (and for unlimited 4G data on the tablet itself). I don't have home internet as it is quite useless in my location (currently DSL is only at 3MB...I investigated other options but they don't work for me either). The mobile hotspot is essentially my home internet other than just working off my mobile devices, which obviously doesn't work for every situation. With 3 mobile devices, I would have 30GB per month allotment instead of 20GB I currently have with my two smart phones.

So, I need to find a tablet that is 4G / LTE capable, and compatible with T-Mobile / unlocked. I looked at what T-Mobile offers on their website, and all of them were too small or Apple (no interest in their products). I'm looking for at least a 10.1 inch screen, that is what my current tablet has and it is pretty small for my larger hands (plan on using a keyboard case). I noticed a nice but expensive Samsung tablet with a 12 inch screen, but it turns out it is Windows based, so that won't work for me. I'm mostly familiar with Samsung devices as they are all I have used for many years now...but perhaps someone might have some insight on other brands of tablets that might work for me? Or perhaps a Samsung model that is no longer offered by T-Mobile or on the Samsung website (I looked there)? I'm OK with a used tablet as long as I can find one in good condition, and I am hoping to spend no more than $500. About the best thing I have been able to find searching Ebay and Amazon is the Galaxy Tab S with a 10.5 inch screen, unfortunately most are a bit worn as far as condition.

Thank you in advance for any insights.

 

[slackerinabox]

ipad's the only tablet worth the dataplan if you ask me. i have 3 android tablets and they're all different compromises, I can't imagine living with any of them for the life of a cellular contract

 

[Commodus]

I'm largely in slackerinabox's camp. Like it or not, the cellular Android tablet situation is pretty dire, at least in the US. They tend to either be small or are carrier-locked. Apple is relatively rare in not only offering unlocked 10-inch or larger LTE tablets, but making that option consistently available across capacities, colors and sizes -- for the most part, you can get the exact iPad you want with cellular data.

That and Android tablets just aren't as good as the phones, mainly due to software. It's ridiculous that it's 2017 and Google still doesn't do much to foster quality Android tablet apps. There are some, but head over to the iPad side and you'd be surprised not just at the wider selection of tablet-native apps, but their general quality relative to their Android equivalents.

On that note: the new budget iPad is available for $459 in a 32GB cellular model, though you'd have to get a third-party keyboard (the official Apple keyboard only works with the iPad Pro due to the connector).

 

[Suijin]

Best I found was http://www.cube-tablet.com/cube-i7-core-m-4g-lte-tablet.html

I never got one because I wanted something better than a Core-M processor. I did try the Acer switch alpha 12 which was somewhat nice but I did have hardware/software issues so I returned it. That one does not have a SIM slot though.

 

[TubeTote]

Best I found was http://www.cube-tablet.com/cube-i7-core-m-4g-lte-tablet.html

I never got one because I wanted something better than a Core-M processor. I did try the Acer switch alpha 12 which was somewhat nice but I did have hardware/software issues so I returned it. That one does not have a SIM slot though.

From my limited understand of tablets (this one I now have is the first one I have ever owned), the one in the link is a Windows based tablet, so it won't allow me to use the T-Mobile network (4G/LTE) except via WiFi. Am I correct about this, or is there a way to use the 4G/LTE network directly with a Windows based device? I thought only Android or Apple devices could do that, but maybe I have been misinformed.

 

[Commodus]

From my limited understand of tablets (this one I now have is the first one I have ever owned), the one in the link is a Windows based tablet, so it won't allow me to use the T-Mobile network (4G/LTE) except via WiFi. Am I correct about this, or is there a way to use the 4G/LTE network directly with a Windows based device? I thought only Android or Apple devices could do that, but maybe I have been misinformed.

Windows tablets can do LTE! It's just that they're much less common. Not sure whether T-Mobile thinks there's a plan difference, but probably not as it's just another data-only device.

 

[TubeTote]

slackerinabox and Commodus...thank you for your responses.

I had a feeling that what you are saying may be the case. I have searched and searched but nothing offered in the Android realm seems very good, and it is extremely disappointing. The phones get larger and the tablets get smaller...WTF? Can't the industry see that there are different uses for these devices?

I have never owned an Apple product for the simple reason that they have completely different hardware and apps than what I am used to. My few experiences messing around with their products have lead to much frustration. For example...I have quite an extensive music collection. But it seems that my collection must be in MP3 or the Apple format for any of my files to work on their products...that irritates the hell out of me since most of my collection is in the FLAC format. I just don't want a product that isn't really compatible with what else I have going on (and my signature is BS I really need to update it, so it isn't based on that). That is my concern with going the Apple direction, though I agree I haven't found sh*t in searching for a decent tablet as I have described above.

 

[TubeTote]

Windows tablets can do LTE! It's just that they're much less common. Not sure whether T-Mobile thinks there's a plan difference, but probably not as it's just another data-only device.

Really? Wow, I will have to look into that. I haven't had any luck with the devices I have investigated, but good to know. Thanks.