Recommend me a tablet

[Hosey and Housie]

[SIZE=11pt]I’m in the market for a tablet,[/SIZE] [SIZE=11pt]I travel a lot so I’m looking for something where I can download movies/shows and do some web surfing, email, Facebook, Instagram etc. Everybody I know has an Ipad so I don’t know much about other tablet options so I’m looking for some feedback as I start the search. [/SIZE]Any help would be appreciated!
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Tim Naehrings Girl]

What size are you looking for?  

 

[Scoops Bolling]

Nexus 7. It's great, it's cheap, and perfect for travel (I've even bought a bluetooth keyboard for it so I can leave the laptop at home).

 

[Monbo Jumbo]

Posting from my Nexus 7. Love it.

 

[Soxy]

Are you an Android person or an Apple person? How much do you want to spend? What size screen do you want? Ask yourself those questions.

I bought one of the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S's a few weeks ago, the 10.5" version. I like it a lot but I'm also an Android guy who rooted and debloated it almost immediately. I also wanted a bigger screen than my first gen Nexus 7, which was getting long in the tooth. If you're already into Android, I think it's a great option. I've also seen some great deals on the Samsung Tab Pro, which has similar specs though not as nice a screen. The 2nd Gen Nexus 7 is a great option for an affordable, smaller Android tablet.

If you're already an Apple person, iPad or iPad mini is a no brainer. It's probably the best option for a platform agnostic too. Especially if you're not the type to root a tablet and enjoy the benefits of such.

Figure out what you're going to use it for (seems like you've already done that), what platform you prefer, what size you want, and how much you want to spend. Then read some reviews from reputable tech sites and go from there.

 

[Hosey and Housie]

Are you an Android person or an Apple person? How much do you want to spend? What size screen do you want? Ask yourself those questions.

 

 
I have an Iphone but my laptops are PCs. I'd like to keep it under $500. Size? Was looking in the 9-10 inch but not opposed to smaller.

 

[jayhoz]

How invested in iTunes are you?

 

[Soxy]

If you already have an iPhone then I would go iPad. I can understand the appeal of dabbling a bit in both ecosystems (variety is the spice of life, yeah?), but it's cheaper and easier to stay with the one you're already invested in.

Personally I feel like the extra screen real estate is worth the extra cost but you should go into a store and check them out. Play around a bit, see which one feels better in your hands, check how web pages and movies look on them, etc. You may actually prefer the smaller form factor.

 

[mt8thsw9th]

One thing that should factor in when people get sticker shock is what you can resell it for in a couple years when you want to upgrade. An iPad bought in 2012 will still get you $100 from Gazelle, and more on eBay (over $200 on eBay). The Galaxy Tab from the same time will net you $25 on Gazelle (and sells for about $60 on eBay). When new, the Galaxy Tab 2 cost $500, and the iPad cost $500 (both were dropped to $399). So in order to save $0, you actually lose $100+. 

 

[saintnick912]

A coworker of mine has a Sony (Android) tablet and really likes it because it's thin and waterproof.
 
I have a Nexus 10, it's showing its age.  A bunch of people at work have Nexus 7's.  I think they're a bit on the small side.  There are a lot of rumors about a 8-9" Nexus tablet, it may be worth waiting for that announcement and seeing how it stacks up against the iPads.
 
The iPad mini retina is a pretty remarkable piece of hardware if you're undecided or into the Apple ecosystem.

 

[SumnerH]

I'm currently waiting for the new Nexus release(s) before possibly making a purchase.  I may just wind up getting a Kobo HD e-reader, but if their display is as nice as rumored and the battery life is reasonable then I may go with one of the Nexus tablets instead.

 

[bosockboy]

The photo stream feature has kept me on iPhone/iPad and likely will forever.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

One thing that should factor in when people get sticker shock is what you can resell it for in a couple years when you want to upgrade. An iPad bought in 2012 will still get you $100 from Gazelle, and more on eBay (over $200 on eBay). The Galaxy Tab from the same time will net you $25 on Gazelle (and sells for about $60 on eBay). When new, the Galaxy Tab 2 cost $500, and the iPad cost $500 (both were dropped to $399). So in order to save $0, you actually lose $100+. 

 
Target's done a few of these as well. My father was able to turn in an original iPad 16gb for an iPad Air and they gave him $200 plus a $25 giftcard.