Am I the only one who hates tablets?

Routerronin

So, the laptop is down, dont ask, its stressful.

The wife loaned me her ipad.

Functionality of what I can do as a network guy is running down to null here. Hate it.

Would never spend that much money on this thing for myself.

Mishra

I can't say I -hate- them but I definitely don't see the price-per-functionality that they give. Another post that was submitted here outlined this kind of discussion and most people here seem pro-tablet. I don't really get it.

I received a free Microsoft Surface RT though and if I could install basic Windows programs on it, I could find lots of uses for it. But not at 900 dollars (Surface pro...)

cnfuzzd

I felt the same way until I added a bluetooth keyboard case and then it suddenly became amazing. The only thing I don't use it for is longish research projects as I am a strong user of multiple monitors.

John

cyberguypr

Tablets were never intended to be main tools for people like us that need to troubleshoot all kinds of IT infrastructure related gizmos as well as spend 8 hours in front of a screen. They are fine for their intended purpose: portability, light games, internet, reading ebooks, etc. I commute via train and carry both on a daily basis because I hate reading ebooks on the laptop.

DevilWAH

Out of office, traveling around, picking up email, reference tool, one notes, etc. tablet beats laptop hands down. Instant on, massive battery life, nice easy interface. But I carry my laptop in the bag as we'll and have desk top at work.

Same as a smart phone, great to have google maps on my phone, or access to this forum, but it's not going to replace my PC.

Need to stop comparing tables to desktop PC,'s its a different tool for different situations. You don't try to use it forcli work on a network.

SteveLord

They're consumer devices first. Need to realize that. Same thing with smartphones for the past few years.

krjay

I'm a fan of this device with the keyboard. I mainly like the fact it's running desktop version of windows 8:

Samsung ATIV smart PC - Misty Blue

jibbajabba

iPad is the problem

I am using a Nexus 7 with console cable for my Cisco lab for quick fixes - does what it should

networker050184

Mishra wrote: »

I can't say I -hate- them but I definitely don't see the price-per-functionality that they give. Another post that was submitted here outlined this kind of discussion and most people here seem pro-tablet. I don't really get it.

My thoughts exactly. Having a smart phone and a lap top makes a tablet nothing but a waste of money for me. There is absolutely nothing I can think of that I would need it for.

Spaced

I've been in love with the kindle since the first one came out and I can't stop myself from getting the new ones either. However, I didn't expect to have it replace my laptop. I do have keyboard and use it at all my meetings, but I heavily use it for the internet, emails, books,magazines, music, and video. I don't want to lug a laptop with me either. I even u s e it for audio books in the car, although I could use my phone,but my kindle has more space than my phone. Right now I'm listening to a ccna book as a supplement on my commutes. My kindles though are very reasonably priced for what I get. ipads to me are ridiculous though. There is nothing they do that my kindle can't and they don't do it faster or better and they are so completely locked down unlike kindle (despite contrary belief, I can access all android apps without rooting or side loading). Thanks Apple but I don't need a 75% markup to do everything I can already do.

DevilWAH

SteveLord wrote: »

They're consumer devices first. Need to realize that. Same thing with smartphones for the past few years.

I disagree, there is a huge scope for tablets in the corporate world. Staff who travel and managers love them. As do sales staff. And our scientist think there great. A lot of these people are looking at info more than entering it. So a tablet is perfect, it's not aimed at data entry roles such as a IT engineer, it's a device to display info, and if your job is 90% retrieving info from docs and email! and 10% responding! and you are on the move it's head and shoulders above a laptop.

Example,

all our site maintanance engineers, use tablets to pick up there jobs around site, massive improvement over laptops. They can read the case notes and put updates on jobs as they move around.

£1million project to introduce tablets as the only form of electronic device in laboratorys. Allow reading of SOP's, research papers, email and voice via Lync. And basic data entry for results and note taking either handwriting or onscreen keyboards. Stil will have desktops in write up areas for writing journal articles for publishing, but for labs tablets are far better.

In both cases the users have been the ones pushing for it. Tablets are great if you look at the requirements of the user and they fit. Just like some times a laptop is the correct choice and other times a desktop is. But neither of these is really "better" than the other.

antielvis

I think the tablet holds a great deal of potential and very little of it has been recognized. I don't see them as a replacement for a laptop. Tablets are great as a device to listen to music/watch video, use as a reading device or even watch CBT Nuggets. I could never imagine working on one. I also agree they are WAY overpriced for what you get. They should be around $199.00 bucks, not $400.

ScrawnyRonnie

I'm always going to prefer a big ol' tower PC over newer portable devices (laptops not included). Keyboard and mouse kind of person.

paul78

meh - you kids and your fancy tablets and smartphones - I prefer one of these old school portable devices - http://geekrevolutionradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/36396-best_computer_backpack.jpg

olaHalo

The Surface Pro is the exception.

DevilWAH

antielvis wrote: »

I think the tablet holds a great deal of potential and very little of it has been recognized. I don't see them as a replacement for a laptop. Tablets are great as a device to listen to music/watch video, use as a reading device or even watch CBT Nuggets. I could never imagine working on one. I also agree they are WAY overpriced for what you get. They should be around $199.00 bucks, not $400.

Think what you get. GPS, phone, touchscreen, 8+ hours battery life! high def screen! and more storage and computer power than a laptop had a few years back. In a package smaller than a sheet of A4 and as thin as many phones. Tablets and phones are generally underpriced for what you get. The average smart phone and tablet are sold at a loss in terms of hardware, as they are at the leading edge of was it possible to pack in to limited space. Manufactures rely on app stores and regent for phone companies to recover losses.

You in get a tablet for £100 that is equilivent to an ipad1 in terms of performance, but that's like spending £200 to buy a desk top and expecting it to perform like a £1500 gaming rig.

netsysllc

I have to agree the Surface Pro is the exception. I was looking at getting a Laptop at the time and what I was looking at was about the same price. I gained touch screen and better portability. Having more RAM and SSD space would be nice but the Surface Pro 2 has that covered when it comes out. The Surface Pro has been the best tablet/laptop I have ever had. The iPad has not been touched in 8 months.

Zartanasaurus

I don't hate them, but I don't see them as much more than a portable bookcase/web browser/email checker. Hacker's keyboard makes managing devices at the CLI possible/tolerable. Asus Transformer style tablets are a decent replacement for a laptop for the network admin since they are still light and portable with a real keyboard attached.

bdub

You are certainly not the only one. I am not even a big smart phone person, I mean sure its convenient but I rarely use my phone for much more than calls/text/email. Sometimes I get frustrated with how much my wife stares at her phone, looking at FB etc...

About7Narwhal

As far as work goes, I try to use a computer when possible. At home, my tablet controls my video player on my TV, receives/sends texts from my phone, controls my lights, etc. A good network can make a tablet a universal remote. I get home; I dock my phone and pick up my tablet. From there I can control my TV and my media server, dim the lights and do other stuff. They can be a nice addition if deployed properly.

djfunz

I have been trying to convince myself to buy a tablet for over a year now and still can't seem to justify the purchase. I have a $3500 water cooled gaming rig that I built that can destroy everything I throw at it along with an S4. The S4 handles everything I need on the road and the desktop more than suffices for home use.

Maybe if something like a Surface Pro 2 comes around at the $500 price point I might pull the trigger, but until then, I think I'll wait.

Everyone

My limited exposure to iPads have made them a toy in my mind. Most people I know with them don’t use them much themselves, they mostly hand them to their kids to keep their kids busy.

I didn’t find much use (I played games and watched movies on the Airplane, not much else) for my Surface RT UNTIL I got the 8.1 update and was able to install Outlook 2013 on it. A couple weeks ago I accidently left my laptop at the TSA checkpoint. Showed up to my customer, went to get my laptop out, and found only my Surface RT in my backpack. I thought I was screwed, but I was able to do everything I needed. I even hopped on my customer’s wireless and changed a host file entry on the Surface RT to test something. Since then I’ve really started using it a lot more.


I can't wait for the Surface Pro 2. The docking station is the killer here. Yeah it doesn't come with it and is an extra cost, but hear me out... I've been saying this for a long time now, a mobile device powerful enough to replace a desktop should be huge. The ability to go between tablet, laptop, and desktop, with the same device... yes please! Especially if you commute on public transportation at all. For me, it would be used as a tablet when I'm on an airplane. Used as a laptop when I'm in my hotel room. Used as a desktop when I'm at my home/office, with my ergonomic keyboard, laser mouse, and 26” 16:10 monitor hooked up to it. Unfortunately I just had my hardware refresh, so I’m stuck with this monster HP 8570w for a while.

I’m still waiting for something more like the Motorola Atrix. I thought that was a great concept even though it didn’t do too well. Part of the problem was it only ran Android, and the phone version of it at that. As chips get smaller, more powerful and more efficient… I can imagine the day when I’ll have a phone (no bigger than 4” please, I don’t like “phablets”) running x86 architecture that I can slide into some sort of dock that converts it to a 10” tablet/laptop hybrid (i.e. detachable keyboard like the Surface), and another dock for full desktop. Running Windows of course.

DevilWAH

This is that same as the tablet syndrome,

a £1000 we'll planned gaming rig has 90% the performance of a £3000 one. And from personal experience back when three kings lead the field in First person shooters. The extra £2000 May no difference to who one or detectable frame rates. (Honestly I don't know any one who can tell if a system is running at 90 or 100 FPS.

When you are running computing modes that take 10 days to complete a run, saving a days processing can be worth lots of money. So buying the cutting edge can be worth the price premium. ( or if you just want to get in the top ten on future mark ). Otherwise getting one or two generations back from current can save lotswithout sacrificing a huge performance margin.

Back when I was building PC a £150 graphic card consistently had 80-90% of the performance of a £350-£400 pond one.

So just because the current crop of tablets might be £900+, does not mean the £300 ones are rubbish.

ratbuddy

Fine, I'll be the one to say it: When you want to check email or watch/read the news while taking a ****, tablets have laptops beat hands down.

About7Narwhal

@ratbuddy

What if it is cold? A good laptop will easily provide 1st or even 2nd degree burns to keep you warm. Lets see a tablet provide that kind of value.

epcg

Dont care for them. Got a nook color I rooted with android that I use for a ereader and some web surfing. Much rather have a laptop or desktop.