Android Tablet vs. Tablet PC

[tuftycone]

Hey y'all! I am heading to college this fall (SMU) and I am building a desktop this summer to take with me. I will also need a tablet to take to class with me. There are 3 different routes I can take on this one: I can get an android tablet (the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity), pony up the $$ and get a nice core i5 tablet, or wait until winter-time to get a tablet running the much improved next generation Atom processor that will release then. I can't decide which route I should/want to go so I figured I would enlist your help. I would be using it for typing documents, watching movies/Netflix, web browsing, and other stuff like that (i.e. no rendering or heavy-load type stuff). If I got a Windows 8 tablet I would also use it for iTunes. What do you guys think?

NOTE: I would also love recommendations for tablets from you guys!

 

[Saga Lout]

To a degree, the answer could depend on what software you're putting in the PC to make it easier for the two to co-operate. If you have Linux on he PC, Android has to be the choice of tablet. advantage - lower or even zero OS costs.

However, if you are that rarest of souls - the wealthy student - you could always enrich Microsoft by buying two W8 systems.

An interesting Poll but at the moment, I have insufficient information to base a vote on.

 

[tuftycone]

To a degree, the answer could depend on what software you're putting in the PC to make it easier for the two to co-operate. If you have Linux on he PC, Android has to be the choice of tablet. advantage - lower or even zero OS costs.

However, if you are that rarest of souls - the wealthy student - you could always enrich Microsoft by buying two W8 systems.

An interesting Poll but at the moment, I have insufficient information to base a vote on.

My desktop PC will either have Windows 8 or 7 (leaning towards 7, seems like its better for desktops). One of my worries is that if I get an android tablet (I've been in the cellular android ecosystem for years though), I wont be able to start a Word document on my desktop and finish it on the tablet (as in, I would have to type a whole paper on one or the other). I also would want the tablet to last a while, and it seems like the Windows 8 tablets would last longer as they are more powerful and use a fully-fledged OS

 

[Saga Lout]

I couldn't agree that any non-Microsoft systems are less fledged than theirs are, for starters but merely made the point that the two should match. A large local authority near me in the UK is about to [strike]spend[/strike] waste a lot of money on iPads while continuing to prepare all their documentation in Word and I'd hate to see anyone else do the same.

 

[tuftycone]

Yeah that makes sense, I'll go looking around Google Play to find their Word-like programs

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

I didn't vote either as the i5 and Android are both good at different things....

FORGET Atoms though...they are childish underpowered junk....

All the best Brett

 

[tuftycone]

I've heard that the current Atom tablets are junk, but the next generation of them is supposed to be twice as fast, which should be all the processing power I would need I would think.

 

[Brett928S2]

I've heard that the current Atom tablets are junk, but the next generation of them is supposed to be twice as fast, which should be all the processing power I would need I would think.

Hi

Twice junk still equals junk...lol

You would need at least 5 times....

All the best Brett

 

[jaguarskx]

Current Atom based tablets are on average a little slower than the typical current generation ARM based tablet. If the next generation of Atoms will be 2x more powerful than the current generation, then performance should not be an issue. However, comparing a Win 8 tablet compared to an Android tablet is kinda comparing apples to oranges. Much like comparing Android to iPad. For tablets, the 1st choice you make is the OS whether it is iOS, Android or Win 8. Then comes the hardware choice.

The obvious competitor to Atom (after settling on a Win 8 tablet) is Core i3/i5 CPU which is no contest at the moment. However, if the next gen Atom is going to be 2x more powerful, then that will definitely help close the gap since the performance increase from Ivy Bridge to Haswell will likely be increment. Similar to Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge.

 

[ethan_white]

Android tablet is best

 

[Asus_USA]

I personally used a netbook to get through college, so I guess that is the equivalent of an Atom tablet nowadays? Granted, the netbook was used in class and the library only, as I already had a pretty good desktop at home. Compatibly between both devices were definitely important at the time.

If I was in school today, I would go with an Android tablet. They do have word processing apps that are pretty good and will play nicely with the MS Office suite. Setting up a Dropbox will allow you to transfer/open/view files on both your tablet and PC at home. I prefer the ARM devices A LITTLE more than than current ATOM ones, and I would not spend the money on an i5 tablet if I am just going to be using it for school. Just my 2 cents.

Also, I am new to this; how do I submit my vote up there?

 

[tuftycone]

I will keep that in mind! I really won't be using the tablet for anything more than typing some homework assignments and watching stuff. All of my gaming and other work will be done on the desktop I am building. You're saying that an Android tablet should sync up with a WIndows 8 computer just fine, correct?

 

[Saga Lout]

I've failed in only one are in syncing between Android and M$ OS and that's in the calendar department. I've tried several Apps which claim to synch an Android calendar with outlook but with no success. If anyone has a suggestion, I'd be grateful. It's important to me because the diary forms the basis of my entire accounts system and with my memory (it's an age thing) I can easily forget to set up an account and follow through on the PC if the phone can't synch properly. The only suggestion I don't want is to buy a Windows phone.

 

[ethan_white]

I'm a big fen of Android