Recommendations for a tablet this Christmas?

[RandBlade]

I'm considering getting Amanda a Tablet for Christmas but I'm not sure what to go for. Currently we both have iPhones and I have an iPad but Amanda has already decided that next year when the phone comes to getting renewed she's going to switch to getting a Samsung. Eg an S4 or whatever is the model by then. I'm thinking therefore of getting her a Samsung as I imagine it'd be better to get her a device that will work well with her phone (my iPad 2 works well in conjunction with my phone so I imagine a Samsung would work well with hers, or maybe any Android would)? Any recommendations?

Her main usage I'd expect would be internet/Facebook/Twitter, Skype video calls and using apps to watch catch up TV. She used to regularly use my iPad to watch TV shows with an app while doing her make up etc until it broke earlier this year (no longer plays sound without headphones) and now uses her Laptop to do so. She already has a Kindle for reading ebooks.

I've been thinking about the Galaxy Note or Galaxy Tab but I can't tell what the difference is or which is better. It doesn't have to be a Samsung though, any make I'm open to so long as it'd be good for her.

Any advice?

[Ominous Gamer]

Asus T100

not joking

[Aimless]

If windows 8 then Asus T100 isn't bad at all

If Android, first decide on size. At the moment there's very little to be gained from matching brands on phone and tablet, but the nexus offerings in each category are actually very very good as well as being reasonably priced.

So, in the 10" category, Nexus 10 is still a good contender. A number of Asus tablets, esp. the transformer line, are well-designed, good quality and good value. If you really like Amazon and if it works for you, the Kindle Fire HDX may be worth a look. The Xperia Z is beautiful, very light and well-made but I dunno if I think it's worth the money. You gotta hold it in your hands before you decide

The latest ("2014" edition) 10.1" Galaxy Note seems to be pretty sweet and sounds like it would be very comfortable to hold, but you'll have to decide if it's worth the premium pricing. I have a couple of friends who love their Note phones and tablets and actually use the note-taking features (mostly for schoolwork). I dunno if your wife would find any use for those features at work, but she might enjoy being able to write and draw and whatnot while she's home with the tadpole

In the 7" category I don't think there's a better android tablet out there than the latest Nexus 7. The nearest contender in that category is the iPad Mini which is by all accounts a very nice tablet if the size works for you


As for phones, do consider the new Nexus 5! Nicely designed, high quality and great value.

[Dreadnaught]

I got a Nexus 7 last year and quite like it. I haven't tried the updated version, but I imagine it's similarly good.

[Hazir]

when it comes to tablets I'm still an apple fan. If you don't by a 4g model but use tethering on your phone they're really not that excessively priced. The iPaid air is really considerably lighter than the old types. And it' s fast. For an internet consumer and e-reader it' s all that you need.

If you're really going android and don' t really care about brand, you really should check out Chinese alternatives, some of which are using the same components for their models as the big brands are for their top models.

[Ominous Gamer]

If windows 8 then Asus T100 isn't bad at all

Entry level price with surprising value at $399, a solid keyboard, Windows 8.1, and a copy of Office.

Its a great starting point for someone who hasn't had a tablet before. The transition is made super easy because of the detachable keyboard and a full blown OS. And this is the type of device Windows 8 shines on. I've got a couple of tech coworkers who use them, and I'm planning to upgrade to one from my current gaming netbook. Especially after how much I've come to love my Windows 8 phone.

The only negative is the glossy back.

[Timbuk2]

Got my other half a Samsung Note 10.1" for xmas last year.

She uses it every single day - loves it.

Can't comment on other brands as I've not used 'em, but the Note gets a big thumbs up here.

[RandBlade]

Play.com have iPad Air £70 off at just £329 on a one day sale until midnight. That's got me temped as I know iPads are good. The Note 10.1 2014 edition seems to start at £449. Is it worth over £100 more than the Air? I don't want price to determine which I choose but it seems a major difference.

Quick responses please if possible as it is a limited sale if I go for that one.

Is 16GB enough for a new tablet. Mine is always fully used but I have some big game apps like FIFA Football. I don't think Amanda is very big on apps.

[Aimless]

If she's OS-agnostic and has little real use for the stylus then no the Note, nice though it may be, is probably not worth the price premium over the iPad Air, from what I can tell. iPads tend to have great resale value too.

I've always found 16GB to be enough because I stream most of my media and my apps and books etc don't take up all that much space. Unless she has a desperate need to store all her porn I mean TV-shows and music offline 16GB might be more than enough even for any hospital stays.

[RandBlade]

Urgh I decided I'd go with this and went to order it and the listings been removed.

[Aimless]

Bummer

Maybe you could pick up the Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet when it comes out in about a week? Likely £399, very well-specced, apparently an amazing screen, Nokia's great design, expandable storage.

[Ominous Gamer]

Windows RT. If its got the same restrictions as Windows 8 phone, the expandable storage is useless unless you want to dick around in the registry.

Far to many full fledged Windows 8 devices popping up to consider an RT OS worth it.

[RandBlade]

Any thoughts on the Sony Xperia Z tablet? Looks interesting, found it for £329 for 16GB or £389 for 32 which makes me tempted to upgrade to the 32. Waterproof is a neat feature but just how waterpoof is that, I wonder if you can sit in the jacuzzi of a swimming pool on holiday and use it.

[Ominous Gamer]

A Jacuzzi is so full of nasty shit and chemicals I don't even take waterproof watches in with me.

But the waterproofing is rather impressive, cousin was showing his off the other day by dipping it in the pool and snapping shots.

[RandBlade]

Besides the waterproofing how is it as a device? Seems priced about the same as the iPad Air, the Air seems to have the slightly better processor due to 64 bit, but the Xperia seems to have a slightly better camera for Skype.

[Flixy]

I have the Xperia z phone - it is waterproof, which is nice, but touchscreen doesn't work so great on a wet display. If you want to watch something it works fine.

One thing though, the rubber edge of the cover of the USB connection was damaged from opening and closing often. So I'm not sure if it's still waterproof now. And I'm not sure about the tablet but the screen of the phone appears to scratch more easily than the one on my previous galaxy.

[Hazir]

Play.com have iPad Air £70 off at just £329 on a one day sale until midnight. That's got me temped as I know iPads are good. The Note 10.1 2014 edition seems to start at £449. Is it worth over £100 more than the Air? I don't want price to determine which I choose but it seems a major difference.

Quick responses please if possible as it is a limited sale if I go for that one.

Is 16GB enough for a new tablet. Mine is always fully used but I have some big game apps like FIFA Football. I don't think Amanda is very big on apps.

buy buy buy (the iPad) and yes 16GB is quite sufficient. I have that on my iPad and never had the need to delete anything from it in the almost 3 years that I owned it.

oh... the offer is off ?

[RandBlade]

Emailed the company yesterday and got a response saying that they sold out of stock at 8pm

[Hazir]

Emailed the company yesterday and got a response saying that they sold out of stock at 8pm

Not the least bit surprised. I would have bought one and I don't even really need a new tablet

[RandBlade]

I have the Xperia z phone - it is waterproof, which is nice, but touchscreen doesn't work so great on a wet display. If you want to watch something it works fine.

One thing though, the rubber edge of the cover of the USB connection was damaged from opening and closing often. So I'm not sure if it's still waterproof now. And I'm not sure about the tablet but the screen of the phone appears to scratch more easily than the one on my previous galaxy.

That's concerning about the screen.

I think I've narrowed the decision down to two choices. Either the Samsung Note 10.1 2014 edition which seems to be the best Android by reviews out there, or the Xperia Z which seems to have been one of the best before that and is waterproof. I can imagine she might use the device to watch shows in the bath which is what I think the waterproofing could be good for. Any advice as to which to go for?

[Flixy]

Well it still doesn't scratch easily, it's just that by comparison the old galaxy S screen seems even better. If you want to watch porn, I mean, 'shows', in the bathtub, it should be perfectly fine.

[GGT]

I recommend loose leaf stationery paper over a tablet. The paper should feel smooth, not too heavy, not too light, with a museum grade quality that will last forever. There are some lovely rice papers that make writing feel like art, but they're pricey. Well worth it though, especially using a great fountain pen with high quality ink. Maybe you could do a romantic boxed-set gift, and have her initials engraved on both the paper and pen?

[Khendraja'aro]

Yes, GGT, because paper displays moving pictures so exceptionally well.

[Aimless]

I recommend loose leaf stationery paper over a tablet. The paper should feel smooth, not too heavy, not too light, with a museum grade quality that will last forever. There are some lovely rice papers that make writing feel like art, but they're pricey. Well worth it though, especially using a great fountain pen with high quality ink. Maybe you could do a romantic boxed-set gift, and have her initials engraved on both the paper and pen?

They are two completely different things that may complement but not replace one another.