Anyone else not impressed by tablets?

[Crono]

I'm the same way, I keep getting close to buying one, but then just can't bring myself to do it.

You're not missing anything.

Tablets are convenient and the battery life makes it great for travel, but they don't do anything revolutionary.

 

[fatpat268]

I bought a $99 CVS Netbook, and I thought it was aweful. Sure, I could read AT and FW forums, slowly. But that was about all I could do with it.

The ARM platform is horrible, IMHO.

I'll stick with my IB Ultrabook, thanks. (Well, when and if I actually get one. I currently have a C2D laptop.)

And for distributed computing, I'll keep my "macho" desktop, thank you.

Did you just compare a POS drugstore laptop to an ARM based tablet?

 

[IronWing]

I'm impressed by tablet technology. I simply haven't thought of use for one yet that doesn't involve adding on a keyboard at which point I might as well stick to a netbook.

iPad's camera is cool.

 

[Mike Gayner]

iPad's camera is cool.

I gotta say, the camera on my iPad 2 is shiiiiiiiit. Less than 1mp and extremely shit quality.

 

[goog40]

Did you just compare a POS drugstore laptop to an ARM based tablet?

That's like comparing those $30 digital cameras made for kids to a real camera.

 

[IronWing]

I gotta say, the camera on my iPad 2 is shiiiiiiiit. Less than 1mp and extremely shit quality.

Yeah, but it's still a cool interface.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Yeah, but it's still a cool interface.

I disagree - IMO there's nothing good about the camera on iPad. Even when I do use it (very very occasionally), I find it supremely irritating having to reach across the screen to take a photo. Why can't I use the volume buttons for the shutter?

I wouldn't even care if the iPad didn't have a camera. I only use it for Skype (front camera) and barcode scanning.

 

[n7]

Good living room devices.

Useless for me.

 

[Imp]

Yep. Got my full-priced Playbook sitting on my desk behind me. Haven't booted it up in a few weeks. Tried giving it away, but everyone else has an iPad 1 or 2.

In my head, I thought I could get a GPS, camera, e-reader built into one unit. Camera works great, GPS is useless, and reading is difficult due to form factor and size. Didn't really get it for internet, and I enjoy my full-sized computer over a 7" screen.

Should have got me a Garmin Oregon 550 or 62sc, which I'm looking into now.

I'm more interested in something like the Transformer/E or whatever the ones that run Windows 7 are. But then there's no keyboard...

 

[kranky]

I can see they are very nice for consuming media but I have to have a laptop, with software (word processor, spreadsheet) and a real keyboard. If you could write on the screen with a stylus and have it converted to text (like Windows Tablet PC does), I could give some thought to switching, but I don't see that happening.

 

[0roo0roo]

That's like comparing those $30 digital cameras made for kids to a real camera.

yea i read a review of those once, i'm sure those things are returned constantly...i'd be surprised if the store isn't reselling the same one they've had from the start

 

[sdifox]

I have a touchpad and I use it for browsing and youtube.

 

[djnsmith7]

I wasn't impressed the day the iPad was released & I'm still unimpressed today (regardless of said improvements in the new iteration).

I still think they're extremely overpriced & not worth half of what they sell for (iPads, that is, or any other tablet near their price point).

 

[Lemon law]

I would like to view tablets assets, but instead view them as public enemy number one to the wireless spectrum.

Being in a rural area, leaves me only wireless ways to connect to the internet, but the wireless spectrum is finite in size, and if everyone and their brother in law gets a always connected to the internet tablet toy, there will not be any wireless spectrum left for cell phones and those who need wireless data.

 

[GrumpyMan]

They have their uses. Nice to have by the TV remote control for couch surfing. But if they ever make with a PS3 or Xbox with Firefox on it, with a wireless keyboard, then I would rather have that. At work don't need one since I don't travel and there is a computer every 5 feet.

 

[tokie]

I own a Nook Tablet.

I only use it for reading magazines (Wired, etc) or watching movies/TV shows when I travel. If I'm at home, I will browse the internet on my laptop and if I'm out and about I will do it on my iPhone.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

 

[boomhower]

I love my iPad 2. I use it as an second device to my notebook. I don't use it daily but use it most days. I use it to surf the web at the house and take it to work for movies and book reading on slow night shifts. My daughter loves to play games on it, she does use it daily. I am happy for what it does for the price I paid. Sure, it's not cheap at $500. But I don't intend to replace it with a new model every year. There is nothing in the new one that even has me tempted to upgrade. I'll probably upgrade next year and that'll be because the battery on this one will likely be shot by then. You just have to have your expectations in line with what they are designed to do.

 

[trmiv]

I own an Asus Transformer. Even with ICS now I have to make excuses to use it. The screen is just too small for major web browsing. If I want to look up something quick, I can just grab my Galaxy Nexus. For most web browsing and other tasks, I'll take a laptop any day. At work our CIO has these grand plans that tablets will replace all laptops and desktops within 5 years, we won't even know what desktops are anymore, and only super power users will use laptops. I don't agree. I can't do anything productive on a 10" screen, and if you dock them up to a keyboard and monitors to do work, why not just have a real laptop at that point?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Speaking of tablets, I just officially started my furnace with my Playbook.

There's an app for that.

 

[lxskllr]

I own an Asus Transformer. Even with ICS now I have to make excuses to use it. The screen is just too small for major web browsing. If I want to look up something quick, I can just grab my Galaxy Nexus. For most web browsing and other tasks, I'll take a laptop any day. At work our CIO has these grand plans that tablets will replace all laptops and desktops within 5 years, we won't even know what desktops are anymore, and only super power users will use laptops. I don't agree. I can't do anything productive on a 10" screen, and if you dock them up to a keyboard and monitors to do work, why not just have a real laptop at that point?

I love my 9" netbook. I wouldn't want any bigger, but 10" may be acceptable. I'd have to use one for awhile to know for sure. For a desktop, bigger is better. I like my 24" as a primary display, and if I needed more, I think I'd rather add extra monitors than go larger.

 

[SKORPI0]

It has it's usefulness compared to a Notebook/Desktop.

I'm able to use it as a GPS Navigation device (with a bluetooth GPS, Google Maps Navigation), read the latest news/check the weather, read some e epub/pdf eBooks, 720p mkv video files. Neff ATOT with it once in awhile.

Pretty handy while pursuing B&M Hot deals (using free Wi-fi around me) and sometimes check updates where local stock could be available.

Sometimes doing a quick video chat via Skype.

 

[IronWing]

Speaking of tablets, I just officially started my furnace with my Playbook.

There's an app for that.

Cool, er, hot! While I appreciate the pure nerdlyness involved in such an endeavor I choose not to incorporate the single most expensive appliance in my home into my geekly tinkerings.

 

[purbeast0]

i have used them before and think they are 100% useless too, but today i actually used it for something i needed to do.

i was putting a new bumper on my car and had my moms tablet with me looking at the instructions the whole time i was doing it. i know i could have used my laptop as well, but the convenience of the tablet was definitely nice. and i didnt have to worry about the battery running out.

 

[GeekDrew]

I would like to view tablets assets, but instead view them as public enemy number one to the wireless spectrum.

Being in a rural area, leaves me only wireless ways to connect to the internet, but the wireless spectrum is finite in size, and if everyone and their brother in law gets a always connected to the internet tablet toy, there will not be any wireless spectrum left for cell phones and those who need wireless data.

... confused, i am