Tablet Owners: Do you really USE it?

[tonygeor]

I use Pulse
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pulse-news-for-ipad/id371088673?mt=8

 

[SpicyTime]

I hate laptops so I don't have one. Use my desktop when I'm at home; when that's not handy, I use my smartphone. A tablet would be a nice step up but it's not worth the cost since tablets aren't portable enough to take with me places.

I'm basically the same. When I'm at home, I like to be on a desktop, with a legit keyboard/mouse and a massive monitor. For travel purposes, a smartphone handles everything I need, plus I can count on always having it since it fits in my pocket.

I personally hate doing work on a laptop, and I don't think that's even an option for tablets. Entertainment wise, it's the same story. I'd rather read articles, play games, and watch movies from my desktop (with large monitor) instead of on a laptop/tablet.

 

[SlitheryDee]

My iPad 2 is my favorite way to surf the Internet now. As I type this I'm sitting in a recliner while netflix is playing on my htpc. I also read kindle and iBooks books on it nearly every night. Because my usage is only at the two extremes, that of power computing that could only happen on my desktop and light surfing that is easily handled by my iPad, it's a perfect fit for me.

Someone mentioned earlier that they couldn't imagine being more comfortable that they were with a laptop in the couch, but I disagree. With my laptop I had to constantly be aware of remaining battery power or else be tethered to a wall by a cord that would get in the way should I need to change position or get up. The iPad has enough battery life that I no longer think of that at all. If I'm looking at something that is particularly interesting I have the option of simply taking the iPad with me as I move about the house. When sitting I'm not locked into the knees-together, upright position required to balance a laptop in my lap. I'm free to recline backwards with my legs crossed and the tablet balanced on the inside of one thigh, or most any other way I choose. If I have to get up I can easily set the tablet aside at a moments notice. I'm not trapped by a considerably more unwieldy laptop and any wires it may have attached to it. The web surfing experience of a tablet, while perhaps not as fast as a desktop with a keyboard and mouse, is still superior to the experience with a laptop due to the advantages the touchscreen has over a tiny touch pad.

For my uses the iPad can replace a laptop, but a laptop could not replace the iPad, which is the opposite of what many fear. Of course that most certainly won't be the case for everyone.

 

[alent1234]

What app do you use for RSS feeds?

Pulse, news360, zite and mobilerss

 

[Fritzo]

I'm basically the same. When I'm at home, I like to be on a desktop, with a legit keyboard/mouse and a massive monitor. For travel purposes, a smartphone handles everything I need, plus I can count on always having it since it fits in my pocket.

I personally hate doing work on a laptop, and I don't think that's even an option for tablets. Entertainment wise, it's the same story. I'd rather read articles, play games, and watch movies from my desktop (with large monitor) instead of on a laptop/tablet.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Someone mentioned earlier that they couldn't imagine being more comfortable that they were with a laptop in the couch, but I disagree. With my laptop I had to constantly be aware of remaining battery power or else be tethered to a wall by a cord that would get in the way should I need to change position or get up. The iPad has enough battery life that I no longer think of that at all. If I'm looking at something that is particularly interesting I have the option of simply taking the iPad with me as I move about the house. When sitting I'm not locked into the knees-together, upright position required to balance a laptop in my lap. I'm free to recline backwards with my legs crossed and the tablet balanced on the inside of one thigh, or most any other way I choose. If I have to get up I can easily set the tablet aside at a moments notice. I'm not trapped by a considerably more unwieldy laptop and any wires it may have attached to it. The web surfing experience of a tablet, while perhaps not as fast as a desktop with a keyboard and mouse, is still superior to the experience with a laptop due to the advantages the touchscreen has over a tiny touch pad.

For my uses the iPad can replace a laptop, but a laptop could not replace the iPad, which is the opposite of what many fear. Of course that most certainly won't be the case for everyone.

That was me with the couch reference. I use a 13" MBP and am pretty much as mobile as you describe yourself as being with the iPad. The battery life is such that I never have to worry about it. The cord is the breakaway type so it's not like there is any hassle there even if I do need to be plugged in.

To be honest my biggest problem is trying to figure out how in the world I would type a message, such as the one I'm typing now, with the iPad without going crazy. I definitely appreciate the use if you're just going to browse the web, watch Netflix, check your email, or do some reading but the thought of actually composing an email and/or a forum post with a touch screen keyboard is not a pleasant thought to me. I'm sure it's not 'that bad' but the trade off is just not worth it for me yet.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm right, etc. This is more in line with the different strokes for different folks line of thinking.

 

[sm625]

That was me with the couch reference. I use a 13" MBP and am pretty much as mobile as you describe yourself as being with the iPad. The battery life is such that I never have to worry about it. The cord is the breakaway type so it's not like there is any hassle there even if I do need to be plugged in.

To be honest my biggest problem is trying to figure out how in the world I would type a message, such as the one I'm typing now, with the iPad without going crazy. I definitely appreciate the use if you're just going to browse the web, watch Netflix, check your email, or do some reading but the thought of actually composing an email and/or a forum post with a touch screen keyboard is not a pleasant thought to me. I'm sure it's not 'that bad' but the trade off is just not worth it for me yet.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm right, etc. This is more in line with the different strokes for different folks line of thinking.

Yes I would go crazy typing that on a touch screen. There's no way. You would simply end up changing your writing style to suit the device. Iow, rly short horrid net ghetto speak.

 

[Elganja]

all the time when watching TV or laying in bed.

It's my internet consumption device

 

[Looney]

I use my Xoom all the time. Mostly in bed though, but occasionally i'll carry it with me if i know i'll be waiting somewhere.

 

[AstroManLuca]

That was me with the couch reference. I use a 13" MBP and am pretty much as mobile as you describe yourself as being with the iPad. The battery life is such that I never have to worry about it. The cord is the breakaway type so it's not like there is any hassle there even if I do need to be plugged in.

To be honest my biggest problem is trying to figure out how in the world I would type a message, such as the one I'm typing now, with the iPad without going crazy. I definitely appreciate the use if you're just going to browse the web, watch Netflix, check your email, or do some reading but the thought of actually composing an email and/or a forum post with a touch screen keyboard is not a pleasant thought to me. I'm sure it's not 'that bad' but the trade off is just not worth it for me yet.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm right, etc. This is more in line with the different strokes for different folks line of thinking.

I agree with the typing thing. I've tried to type on an iPad and it's a pain in the ass. It's just a bit too large to be able to two-thumb type, so you have to either type one-handed (slow) or rest it on your legs (awkward angle, not steady).

I don't understand the whole "couch surfing" thing either. Or at least why it's worth $500. I sometimes use my phone to look something up while I'm watching TV or a movie, but I don't know why I'd pay $500 for a device to surf the internet while I'm watching something else. Why bother watching TV then? And if I'm not watching TV, why not just go into the next room and use my PC?

Unlike some people, I don't have the TV on just for it to be on, otherwise I probably would enjoy having a tablet. When I'm watching TV, it's usually tuned to a show or movie on Netflix, so I'm actively watching rather than just having it on as background noise.

 

[Ns1]

Why bother watching TV then? And if I'm not watching TV, why not just go into the next room and use my PC?

talented people can do both at once.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I don't understand the whole "couch surfing" thing either. Or at least why it's worth $500. I sometimes use my phone to look something up while I'm watching TV or a movie, but I don't know why I'd pay $500 for a device to surf the internet while I'm watching something else. Why bother watching TV then? And if I'm not watching TV, why not just go into the next room and use my PC?

Once you become married this particular usage becomes obvious. My Nook Color has already paid for my next tablet for all the times that I made my wife happy by sitting next to her while she watched TV (instead of being locked to my desktop in my office by myself), yet thanks to my tablet I don't have to even care for a moment how Desperate her favorite Housewives are.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Once you become married this particular usage becomes obvious. My Nook Color has already paid for my next tablet for all the times that I made my wife happy by sitting next to her while she watched TV (instead of being locked to my desktop in my office by myself), yet thanks to my tablet I don't have to even care for a moment how Desperate her favorite Housewives are.

I am married. We find stuff that we both like to watch. She doesn't mind if I'm in another room if she's watching something that I don't like.

It only gets tricky when we're watching something I do like, but I want to do something else for a while... but that's a whole different issue.

 

[poofyhairguy]

She doesn't mind if I'm in another room if she's watching something that I don't like.

My problem with that is that the Bravo Network exists. If I left the room every time she had it on we would quickly become distant strangers.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Heh, guess I'm lucky I found a woman who loves watching sci-fi. We've seen all of Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek TNG, DS9, and Voyager, and now we're doing Stargate SG-1. So when I'm watching those types of shows there's not much reason to have a tablet. I sometimes pull out the smartphone to look up some actor on IMDB but that's it really.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Lol that is awesome. I am trying to push my wife in that direction. She has loved Farscape, Firefly, BSG and ST:NG so far. I have been collecting all the Stargates like a crazy person hoping that next she will give them a shot!

No matter what I do though, her favorite shows (that I dislike) like True Blood or Desperate Housewives aren't going anywhere so my tablet will still get plenty of use even if I succeed.

 

[trmiv]

I would use my Transformer a hell of a lot more if HBO would get off their asses and make an HBO GO app that works on Honeycomb. I watch a lot of HBO shows on HBO Go that I never watched when they aired because I never had HBO. Since I can only get it to work on my Grandpa Box, I end up watching them there, and since I'm watching them there I end up just browsing the web from that too. Meanwhile the Transformer collects dust unless I want to play a game.

 

[Bacstar]

I have a tablet for the 3 OS's out there: iPad1, Galaxy 10.1, and HP Touchpad. Got the Touchpad over the weekend when I heard about the sale. The price drop is now permanent.

After spending time with all three, I've gotta say I'm liking WebOS 3.0, probably my favorite. I'm missing one or two specific apps, but when they do get published, I'll probably get rid of the Apple & Samsung. I use the heck out of them.

I keep important data for work such as network passwords, IP addresses, product keys, licensing, etc. I have an app that keeps it all encrypted and password protected, so I'm not worried about security. Using Splashtop remote, I can remote login into user workstations for support issues. I have a database app that I use for inventory, and whatever else I think would come in handy. The form factor makes it easy to carry around, so I always have everything with me since I may be on-call.

At home, I use it for anything that doesn't require me to log on to my desktop or my laptop. IF only HP had released their tablet sooner, I wouldn't have had to deal with the other two brands.

 

[roguerower]

I turned my school desktop into a HTPC after I graduated so the main device I use around the apartment is my Asus eeePC 1101. It's pretty useful and the battery life is such that I don't have to worry about running out of juice and can leave it unplugged for a day or two (or three). I've had it for almost 2 years now and while I don't use it as heavily as when I was in school.

I've been calculating whether or not I wanted to put it on the "just-in-case" shelf and pick up a tablet, but can't seem to quite justify it at this point. I know I'll use a tablet as much as I use my laptop, but I won't use it for reading books because my Kindle is much better for that.

Pretty basic needs:
-Netflix
-Hulu
-Youtube
-Excellent browser
-USAA/NFCU banking
-Some sort of productivity suite
-Multi-tasking
-Can watch ripped DVDs in .vob structure.

Maybe the second generation of the transformer, we'll see.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Pretty basic needs:
-Netflix
-Hulu
-Youtube
-Excellent browser
-USAA/NFCU banking
-Some sort of productivity suite
-Multi-tasking
-Can watch ripped DVDs in .vob structure.

I have a friend with a Xoom and he has basically the exact same list except the vob thing, which comes down to finding a third party player that supports that (maybe Mobo does I haven't tried because I think vobs are the devil).

 

[roguerower]

I have a friend with a Xoom and he has basically the exact same list except the vob thing, which comes down to finding a third party player that supports that (maybe Mobo does I haven't tried because I think vobs are the devil).

Instead of .vob I move to .iso? Shit, with 300 movies in the collection that would take a while.

 

[poofyhairguy]

There has to be some player on Android that takes vobs I bet. Personally I shift all DVDs to single file mkvs with just the main movie.

 

[electriccircus]

i wish i had one, i use your girlfriends all the time. Why dont you sell me yours for cheaper =). I just made a post of me using my ipad check it out.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?p=32115567#post32115567

 

[roguerower]

There has to be some player on Android that takes vobs I bet. Personally I shift all DVDs to single file mkvs with just the main movie.

What program do you use for that? I use DVDshrink to strip the crap away and leave me with a 100% quality DVD in a .vob format. If I could get a single file and not have to worry about folder structure that would be great!

 

[ponyo]

What program do you use for that? I use DVDshrink to strip the crap away and leave me with a 100% quality DVD in a .vob format. If I could get a single file and not have to worry about folder structure that would be great!

Why don't you use Handbrake to convert?