Tablet to replace Macbook Air suggestions

[jav3]

I travel a lot and currently use a 2011 Macbook Air 11" when on the road. Now that the airlines allow tablet (but not laptop) use gate to gate, I am really thinking of getting a tablet.

My main uses are movie watching (ripped DVD's from my collection) and reading. Reading can be Kindle, pdf's, word documents, or RTF's. Plus playing music. Often I'll read and have music or a movie in the background.

I'm thinking a Win 8.1 or Win8.1 RT tablet due to the multitasking abilities. I also would like a LTE modem, since T-mobile is doing there thing now.

Any suggestions? Right now, I am thinking a Nokia 2520. I would like to pull the trigger by x-mas. Anything else? Thanks.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Nexus 7?

 

[jav3]

Nexus 7?

I have a 2012 Nexus 7 (wifi only) for the home. I don't think it will multitask well. My understanding is Win8.1 / RT can have 2 windows side by side. On a 10" tablet, that may be ideal. I don't think that would work on a 7". maybe an 8" though.

Jeff

 

[TheStu]

This is just another silly distinction. There's no real functional difference to the interference that a phone or tablet can potentially put out versus what a laptop will. And in the case of a Windows 8.1 tablet, it's the same guts as the MacBook Air, just with the keyboard chopped off.

 

[bearxor]

Dell Venue 8 Pro

This is just another silly distinction. There's no real functional difference to the interference that a phone or tablet can potentially put out versus what a laptop will. And in the case of a Windows 8.1 tablet, it's the same guts as the MacBook Air, just with the keyboard chopped off.

Indeed. I didn't know the new rules were excluding laptops.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Jeez, don't invest in RT.

 

[MrX8503]

Don't get RT. Its a dead end.

 

[Viper GTS]

My guess would be laptops are excluded due to impact on evacuation times. I haven't flown under the new rules yet but I'd be surprised if seatback and tray table rules have changed, and some dumbass with a 17 inch laptop on their lap could become a problem.

I don't think I have a problem with the distinction.

Viper GTS

 

[tfinch2]

Asus Transformer T100

 

[FiLeZz]

yoga 2 pro

 

[vi edit]

Are you really going to gain that much more productivity in your life by switching to a somewhat compromised device (tablet) to be used during the 15-20 minutes of a flight that you aren't using a device today?

Just saying...it seems very silly to go down in function in the remaining 2-5 hours of a flight to gain ability to use it for the beginning/end 10-20 minutes of it.

 

[saratoga172]

Are you really going to gain that much more productivity in your life by switching to a somewhat compromised device (tablet) to be used during the 15-20 minutes of a flight that you aren't using a device today?

Just saying...it seems very silly to go down in function in the remaining 2-5 hours of a flight to gain ability to use it for the beginning/end 10-20 minutes of it.

I agree with this from a productivity standpoint, but sometimes an extra 10-15 minutes before and after can be nice. I know for me when I fly for business I'm on of the first on the plane, so it's about 20 minutes before push back.

From a media standpoint it's almost worthless to pull out a laptop for ten minutes then put it right up until correct altitude. Having a tablet lets him consume movies and music and games.

Op...I'd choose surface pro 2 personally. Or for a cheaper option surface rt is nice. Even cheaper yet just keep your nexus 7 tablet. Use it for movies and music and when the plane gets up to altitude break out the MBA.

 

[zerogear]

surface 2 or surface pro 2

 

[openwheel]

Surface 2 Pro

 

[vi edit]

Where does the distinction really fall between "tablet" and "laptop". Especially in the case of an 11" MBA that is nearly the same dimesion and weight as some tablets. How would a surface pro with a touch cover be considered *any* different than a MBA 11"?

I shake my head at humanity sometimes. I was reading some news articles about the FAA announcement. There was a guy interviewed who chose to take the train over flying because of the take off restrictions. Get some help. Really.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...74b04e-4243-11e3-8b74-d89d714ca4dd_story.html

“I would appreciate flying more if I could use my devices,” said Kristopher Keating, a frequent traveler from Richmond, who often chooses to travel by train because of the existing restrictions during air travel. “While I do appreciate downtime, it seems that the restrictions during takeoff and landing are arbitrary and often ignored.”

 

[Imaginer]

Where does the distinction really fall between "tablet" and "laptop". Especially in the case of an 11" MBA that is nearly the same dimesion and weight as some tablets. How would a surface pro with a touch cover be considered *any* different than a MBA 11"?

I shake my head at humanity sometimes. I was reading some news articles about the FAA announcement. There was a guy interviewed who chose to take the train over flying because of the take off restrictions. Get some help. Really.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...74b04e-4243-11e3-8b74-d89d714ca4dd_story.html

“I would appreciate flying more if I could use my devices,” said Kristopher Keating, a frequent traveler from Richmond, who often chooses to travel by train because of the existing restrictions during air travel. “While I do appreciate downtime, it seems that the restrictions during takeoff and landing are arbitrary and often ignored.”

The distinction is, the Macbook Air is still the same laptop clamshell, monitor and keyboard design, whom has not the flexibility of being condensed down in full normal use (Yoga it is not).

The other distinction is, the new crop of 8.1 tablets allows to be just as productive (the thumb keyboard on the Surface Pro and other like Windows 8 tablets are a bit slower than traditional keyboards) and allow a usage that you can't do holding a laptop 'serving tray' style and one hand typing or navigation on a trackpad.

Think of holding a tablet as you would using a book or clipboard. That is the distinction between convertibles and a strict laptop.

 

[Imaginer]

The OP did mention gate to gate, meaning the device is deployed the entire time. Now take in mind the traditional strictly laptop only design and paradigm. That is what the OP is looking at.

 

[Imaginer]

By the way, if you do not need the performance of a electromagnetic resonance pen (Surface Pro and Pro 2) the Yoga 2 Pro fits being able to be just as laptop like in usage like the Macbook Air, but allowing condensed tablet usage for your gate to gate with the performance as the Macbook Air.

Pen wants or needs? The Dell Venue 11 Pro or Surface Pro 2 fits the bill. The Dell uses different pen technology however. Instead of Wacom, Synaptics is used and the pen uses a battery.

 

[Chrono]

iPad Air? I'm playing around with one right now and it isn't bad. Just kidding, it's the same really as all the other iPads just a little lighter but multitasking is crap. T100 is great for it's price since it's both a tablet and dock with 11hrs battery life. 64GB version was $350 a week back or so as well.

Don't go with RT. The Windows store is limited, so getting a Windows x86 tablet would be best since you can still install x86 software.

 

[zerogear]

Surface 2 is actually a lot more useful than you guys think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG1b0yBJHLM

If you need to do work, but don't need a full blown OS -- Surface 2 is definitely the way to go.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Surface 2 is actually a lot more useful than you guys think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG1b0yBJHLM

It is not how useful that device is today in 2013 (even though I would argue most of my "use" on mobile platforms is in third party apps).

The problem is anyone with any sense of vision can see that the RT eco-system has no future. It is a stop-gap, a bandaid, until Intel can make competitive mobile chips.

Hence why I would never recommend anyone buy into the RT ecosystem, and why many developers won't support it.

 

[Imaginer]

Surface 2 is actually a lot more useful than you guys think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG1b0yBJHLM

If you need to do work, but don't need a full blown OS -- Surface 2 is definitely the way to go.

Indeed. If one hasn't been into PC computing in the past, doesn't need to leverage Adobe, Corel, Autodesk, ProE, Steam, Origin not to mention all other software of x86 free and paid or any past peripherals, Surface 2 is a bit more viable. Still, I rather take the complete compatibility spectrum.

 

[Imaginer]

RT eco-system has no future. It is a stop-gap, a bandaid, until Intel can make competitive mobile chips.

Hence why I would never recommend anyone buy into the RT ecosystem, and why many developers won't support it.

This may hold true, until many software out there can fully take advantage of .NET frameworks.

 

[s44]

The problem is anyone with any sense of vision can see that the RT eco-system has no future.

But so is Windows in the true portable format. I see no signs of relevant third-party development for any Windows form factor without a keyboard.

Unless you need a particular x86 app right now, both are equally useful now, and you'll probably have to readjust after the life of whatever device you get. But the same will be true for iOS, Android, whatever... what ends up working for productivity in two years won't have much in common with what you can buy now, so you might as well use what's best for you at the moment.

The T100's ridiculous screen makes it unrecommendable in 2013.

 

[desura]

RT is a fine tablet to have.

Just know the limitations and you'll be fine.

Basically, the RT is much less flexible than a pro. So you're not going to be able to say, hack blu-ray playback into it. And for movie watching, you're going to have some very restricted formats so you have to be aware of that before ripping the movies. Just taking any MKV file and expecting it to work will...not work out in the same way as you could with a google device.

So that's a bit more work which is annoying.

Good things about RT though...

-- significantly thinner than pro
-- significantly better battery life along with less heat.
-- significantly cheaper than pro.
-- much more flexible than iPad in many ways. Full-size USB port is amazing.
-- you get full microsoft office with each RT. Office retail is like $150.
-- some of the UI design aspects are truly innovative compared to google or apple's offerings.

I've found the RT tablet I own to be far superior to the iPad for things like word processing and e-reading. As an e-reader, it is actually better than barnes and noble's own nook hd tablets.