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tablets... what are you using if you have one?

rjssigns

Active Member
Android Triple E. Gets used by me for Square. The wife uses it for her blog, Twitter feeds, her online store etc...
 

SightLine

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Another Motorola Xoom here..... Might be a couple of years old model but still works perfect. Granted I do not use it for business though.
 

Gene@mpls

New Member
I bought the original Samsung Tab 10.1 and still like it. I bought a MS Surface
RT before I went to San Diego at xmas and returned it when I got home and
bought a Samsung ATIV 500t running the full Windows 8 OS and took that to
Islamarada with me three weeks ago and LOVE it. It is a laptop when docked
to the keyboard and a tablet when I want to lay in bed and read the Mpls
paper or listen to training videos (bought a ShopBot). It is a 'real' computer
in a tablet. It will run any program my Win XP computers will run. Also has
a stylus for those of us with short stubby fingers. Gene
 

omgsideburns

New Member
I have an iPad 2. I don't use it at the office much, except to run my print queue away from my desk, like while I'm in front of the printer on the other side of the building.

I use AirDisplayIt to act as an extra monitor for my laptop when I need the extra screen real estate.

I've got Adobe Ideas on there, which is a neat layered drawing program. Not a powerful program, but it's great for doodling ideas, and it is fully vector. I believe Von Glitchka is using it for his 5 minute $5 logo gag he's running.

I use it with Garageband and a USB audio interface to record music. The interface is also compatible with my laptop, and the tracks can be transferred to my laptop after I've got them worked out.

My lady has to get to sleep a couple hours before me. I'll watch Netflix or Hulu on it after she falls asleep. Just put in some headphones and turn the brightness down a bit. I watch a LOT of video on the iPad. Sometimes I play Xbox on my TV while watching video on my iPad. Or I use it to surf the web when I'm just hanging out.

I also play a lot of games on it.

It's a convenience but I love it. It fills a tiny gap between the phone and the laptop, and honestly my laptop gets very little use outside of doing real work now (unless there is a computer game I am playing). I don't always bring it with me, but it does get daily use at home.
 

StarSign

New Member
We love our iPads and iPhones, the apps that we use are very helpful and if you have SignVox the iPad is great!
 

David Wright

New Member
I bought the original Samsung Tab 10.1 and still like it. I bought a MS Surface
RT before I went to San Diego at xmas and returned it when I got home and
bought a Samsung ATIV 500t running the full Windows 8 OS and took that to
Islamarada with me three weeks ago and LOVE it. It is a laptop when docked
to the keyboard and a tablet when I want to lay in bed and read the Mpls
paper or listen to training videos (bought a ShopBot). It is a 'real' computer
in a tablet. It will run any program my Win XP computers will run. Also has
a stylus for those of us with short stubby fingers. Gene

Have you tried to run Photoshop or any good Windows program on it. I thought about this but with an Atom processor, it appears way underpowered for using it as a computer replacement.
 

signcrafters

New Member
iPad 2 3g - just for work.

-Sales person goes to client, takes photos. Opens in Pages, draws in measurements. Emails to designer as pdf with description of work.
Sometimes proofs are ready when sales person gets back to the office.

-Photostream for completed jobs.

-Portfolio

-Quote request forms.

-Contacts

-Location and time based reminders.

-Calendar

-Time tracking.

Love the iPad, wouldn't get anything else.
 

TheSnowman

New Member
Love my iPad. I am in a band and I use it a lot in that setting to connect with our sound board to adjust levels in my headset, use a metronome, keep my music on it, etc. It's also cool to be able to mix your soundboard from anywhere in the room.

If you just want it for web surfing and facebook, email stuff, you can probably get whatever is the cheapest...but it seems like cutting edge apps always come to the iPad first and it's more versatile. Just depends what you want to do with it.
 

rjpjr

New Member
...So what is everyone using and does it work for you?

Read or download books...
I'm considering a Samsung note...
iPodTouch, 8 gig, use it for everything, music, streaming radio, books, audiobooks, passwords, contacts, games, camera, internet, etc.
http://www.apple.com/ipod-touch/
I also have an iPadMini, but rarely use it because it is to big to put in my pocket.

+1

I liked the iPod touch so much, I eventually upgraded it to an iPhone. I Also have an iPad 2 which I love. If I would change anything, I think I would prefer an iPad mini. The iPad is just a bit to bulky.

My youngest daughter (16,) has a Samsung Galaxy S3 phone (she pays for it) and if the rest of their products are anything like it, you will be very pleased.

I am responding to this thread with my iPad.
I do not use the iPad for anything work related, purely entertainment.
I love them most for reading books!
 

Gene@mpls

New Member
Have you tried to run Photoshop or any good Windows program on it. I thought about this but with an Atom processor, it appears way underpowered for using it as a computer replacement.

I have not but I ran Sketchup (3d prog) and Aspire (cnc router prog) with
no problems. It is an atom processor but the latest one- clover trail I think.
 

choucove

New Member
The great majority of tablets out on the market are meant as entertainment and media devices, they are not really meant for work. For example, you might be just fine using any tablet out there to occasionally check up on your email or look up directions online to someplace, but how much would you love to type up a detailed proposal on a tablet touch screen, or try to make changes and design work on the touch display? You can't really just install your Quickbooks software, or your Flexi or Adobe Photoshop either.

If you're looking for a basic contact tool, like web browsing or email access, even task lists, then any tablet out there will do the job. I'd recommend the Google Nexus, there are four sizes available to fit your preferences, and it's well regarded as the best Android tablet out there especially given the price.

However, if you're looking for an actual production tool, then you're probably going to be looking into a Windows 8 tablet. If you get a Windows 8 tablet, you CAN install your normal desktop software (such as Quickbooks and Adobe) and do everything on it that you could do on a desktop system.

There are a few options out there for a full Windows 8 tablet. Microsoft just released the new Surface Pro, which comes with a much more robust processor and the full Windows 8 Professional compared to the originally released Surface RT. I'd also suggest looking at the new HP ElitePad 900 which seems really nice and has some optional accessories which seem great for a very mobile workforce.
 

David Wright

New Member
Brett is right about serious work on most tablets, it can't be done. I do have all my estimates on the Ipad because it helps being mobile. Also to do apps and content reading but the rest is just entertainment.

For me, a windows 8 tablet is going to be my next purchase but not one with atom processors which is most except the Surface, Samsung ativ pro, and a few others. Also a digitizer pen is a must, especially for our trade.

Still a desktop is the main computer but for secondary serious work away from the desk while not wanting another laptop, the Windows 8 pro tablets are it. Not the RT versions of Windows.

A lot of apps out or coming will do fine for notes, scheduling etc. but if you want photoshop even occasionally or Quickbooks, a serious Core i3 or i5 is a must. Right now that means close to $1000 or more which is too pricey for me at this point.
 

tsgstl

New Member
I have a new Samsung tab, I love it mostly. My first android because of the price. But I always wish it was a apple product.
I'm always having to adjust or tweak it. A iPad just runs so smooth in all my experiences. Android lets you do more but it forces you to do more. With a apple product I rarely need to tweak anything. I get much more frustration out of my android experience.
I'll relate it to cars. Apple is like my Audi S4. My tab is like my Mustang 5.0
The mustang was faster but I felt better driving the S4. Btw both cars were money pits.

I held off buying a tablet because I had a spanking new laptop and a spanking new IPhone. I thought it was more of a luxury item and just couldn't see dropping $600+ on a iPad. For that reason I'm glad I got the Samsung but to be honest I never feel comfortable holding it. I think I would with a case that stands it up like a laptop but then I would just rather use the laptop.

I saw the title and was hoping I would find some awesome use for it that I haven't thought of. Sadly it just convinces me more that if you have a laptop and a smart phone there is not much need for a tablet.
If you just want one, go with a kindle or a Samsung tab 7.0 both are at the $200 mark which make them great for viewing YouTube and Facebook on the krapper.
 

showcase 66

New Member
I have my iPad 2 still but just picked up the nexus7 (used). My brother has one and loves it. Only draw back is that it is not compatible with any card readers like square, paypal or ituit.

Thats a big draw back to me.

I also have the note 2 which I now use this more than my iPad. iPad is for presentations and as a portfolio and that is about it.

I have quickbooks mobile so I can do an instant invoice or add to an already created invoice on either device.

I would not trade my note 2 in for anything right now.
 

JoeBoomer

New Member
Ipad mini

I got rid of my ipad and got an ipad mini. It's the best $300 I have ever spent. The mini is more mobile as it fits in my back pocket and I can hold it with one hand and still use it.

I use it for:

- vehicle measurements (draw measurements directly on photo),
- taking meeting notes,
- displaying portfolio
- manage 15-30 computers using LogMeIn
- remote printing (using logmein)
- calendar, contacts, directions,
- production scheduling,
- scanning customer & internal documents,
- stream presentations (using Apple TV also)
- etc etc.

my brand new laptop sits in the bag most of the time now


unless you have a specific software package that only runs on Android I wouldn't get a Nexus or whatever tablet. The construction of other tablets is nowhere close to that of apple. Plus android's OS sucks. Whatever jellybean sandwhich cramp their pushing these days isn't worth the headache. Do yourself a favor and get an ipad or ipad mini.
 
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