Computer or tablet?

[MoBry]

I'd like some advice regarding a choice between buying a new computer or tablet. Basically my main computer is used for my digital art, but we'd like to get a basic device for my husband who enjoys music on YouTube and newspaper sites. Would our best option be a basic computer or would a tablet be more appropriate and cost-effective, and where's the best computer shop to buy computer/tablet?

[turtle]

Tablet for me Mo !
I have both but find myself using my Nexus 10 tablet much more than the laptop.

I think laptops have the edge for more "office" type functions but for day to day general stuff the tablet is much more flexible.

[MoBry]

Okay, thanks for that advice. Did you get the Nexus here or overseas or in the south?

[ToastLady]

I've got both laptop and 8" tablet, and prefer using the laptop, mainly for the ease of typing. The tablet is more portable and comes into it's own for carrying about/travelling.

There's a bit more choice than simply going for a laptop or a tablet, you can get a combo tablet with keyboard too, which gives the best of both worlds. I'd be considering this if I was looking for a new device.
http://www.laptopmag.com/best-2-in-1s

Also, don't think that a tablet is a cheaper choice than a laptop. Whilst you can buy cheap tablets, please don't go for a cheap unnamed brand, you're better off getting something decent, that you won't want to throw at the wall.

[MoBry]

Thanks for that info, ToastLady, as it happens I mentioned my request to my husband just casually and he reared up in horror saying he can't handle tablets and all the touch stuff, drives him barmy. So it'll end up being a computer after all. He actually hates techie stuff but needs his own computer as I've created a monster introducing him to YouTube as he loves music and now I'm fighting him for access to do my own work. Plus I'm sick of bagpipes!

[ToastLady]

Well, that's that sorted now, you know which way to go, and also get a set of headphones/earphones, so that you don't have to listen to the bagpipes! Alternatively introduce him to the Red Hot Chilli Pipers you can maybe suffer them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbY8eNkaW4k

[Mollie the cat]

I am with you husband, my better half has a tablet, my thick fingers cannot hack it at all! I just bought a Acer Aspire brand new off ebay £170, works like a dream.

[waddo]

Your question is not easy to answer because it asks many things - the most import for you is what will work best for me - nobody knows you and what you do with your current technology and that just makes the answer more difficult to produce - try not to fall asleep reading this but maybe it will help.

I have all the above, computers, laptop, tablets and of course Internet connected touch screen phone. I have years of experience in working with, operating, repairing, upgrading, software/hardware installation and Network operations and support. When I retired here (8 years ago) I brought with me loads of spare parts/software/working computers and screens (both desktop and laptop) which, over the years have now gone on to more deserving homes for the local kids. One thing I can tell you as an absolute truth - the majority of laptops are not manufactured for continuous operation in the high temps we experience in the summers of Cyprus! This is because they contain moving parts such as the hard drives and fans, the fans are never up to the job and require external cooling to supplement their weak output of cooling air, additionally the processor in a laptop has to work very hard and produces massive heat when it works. Desktops are similar in design and although they have larger fans than laptops you need to remember that the fan is simply sucking in air to pass across the electrical components - if the air temp the fan is sucking in is 40C then it is not going to get considerably cooler on its way through the hotter components! Here you will find some information for you: http://www.nmbtc.com/nmb-component-appl ... index.html

So why will a tablet operate without a cooling fan? Now you enter truly into my world. I can give you loads of good technical reasons why and provide proof such as "The reason is that heat load is driven by parasitic capacitance and switching energy. Making components smaller helps synchronous chips run faster (speed-of-light issues) and enables more complex pipelining (on-the-fly code optimization), but both of those issues increase heat load. Smaller devices have more capacitance, and therefore must dissipate more energy every time they switch from 1 to 0 or vice versa. More complex pipelines have more transistors, each of which is dissipating heat every time it is switched." but now you are dropping off to sleep - lol. Simply put the processor in the tablet works slower, slower means less heat, less heat means no fan needed!!

First ask yourself what you use your device for. I use one Acer Revo RL80 as an office machine to maintain house/financial/personal records and emailing friends. I use another Acer Revo RL80 connected to my TV, with an external Hard Drive attached, to watch downloaded films/series and to connect to Internet TV. I use one Acer Revo R3700 as a development and play time PC (this is the one I use for downloading to from the Internet so if I do manage to get a virus through all the security measures it contains it is no big loss) - this one is currently on Win 8.1 whilst awaiting Win 10 - it is slow but fits in with my age - lol. Both RL80's run Linux Mint 17.1 instead of any Windows operating system. I have a half built fast Windows based PC in many bits across a spare desk. I use my Nexus 10 tablet for general "keeping in contact" with friends and reading the news, listening to music (with headphones), watching bits on YouTube and general "Browsing". My mobile just helps me stay in touch with the world when I am out and about as it has the 29TL a month Internet package on it - after a year I am still not sure its worth the money but I do find it useful.

From your posts I would think you already have a Desktop computer and no longer wish to "share" your time on keyboard? If so then it will be in a "fixed" position where you can work on your Digital Art on a good sized screen and in the comfort of your operators chair? Unless you can persuade hubby that a tablet is easy to use and learn plus that the volume output would be far better for him if he was wearing headphones, then you are faced with the choice of a laptop - not a good idea - or another basic desktop that would give hubby a keyboard/screen and mouse that he is already used to.

That brings up other questions in itself, do you use WiFi around the house or are you connected to the internet via a dongle or through a cable connection? All of those bring their own little problems when you decide to add to your current set up. Unless you use a dongle then when you add another device you will enter the realms of bandwidth sharing (both of you using the speed that was once only available to one) and your Internet speed to each device will drop according to useage. If you are on a cable connection then you need to share that connection, either from your router or if it only has one outlet port then additionally through a switch to allow for use by more than one equipment.

Enough!!! Quick answer is I have a spare old model PC that will happily run YouTube and pump out music through headphones or speakers - you can have it for free - BUT - it is only the box itself, no screen, keyboard or mouse! It may not run anything beyond Win 7 but that is all you need anyway.

[thornaby]

Just got my new Sony Xperia z4 tablet. High end tablet so is pricy. It came with a detachable keyboard. Very light weight, makes my old nexus 10 feel like a brick. Does it replace a laptop? Don't know.

[waddo]

Is the display as good as the Nexus - the reason I bought the 10 in the first place.

[thornaby]

Hii waddo
Had two nexus 10, both suffered from screen burn.
Forget the resolution of both tablets but Google will answer your question.
The Sony will take a sd card

[MoBry]

Thanks for all the replies, and also your extended response, Waddo. Fascinating stuff and yes, I really enjoyed reading your info - also explains why I need to regularly get a new fan! Thanks also for the offer of a free PC, my husband also says thanks, but he's decided to go with a laptop as it's portable for him - he can sit on the sofa and look at it as well as look at it in his workroom. The delayed response is because we've been swapping rooms - I've moved into his and vice versa. His room is much cooler and he doesn't mind the heat whereas I do. I have a small tablet but am thinking of getting a bigger one, as I don't mind the touch screen whereas my husband gets the screaming heebie-jeebies using them and a strong urge to throw it across the room!

[waddo]

thornaby, thanks. The thing that is missing from the Nexus is the ability to add more storage for sure - that and Adobe Flash Player grrrr. My screen is fine - so far - but its only a year old and gets light use anyway.

MoBry, if hubby sits on the sofa to use the laptop tell him not to put it across his legs - laptop burn can be nasty!!

[Keithcaley]

... if hubby sits on the sofa to use the laptop tell him not to put it across his legs - laptop burn can be nasty!!

I would just add to that - it does really need to be on a hard surface, so that air can get in underneath - trousers (or hairy legs ) would tend to restrict the airflow.

I'm generally hopeless at balancing anything on my knee, (including dinner plates!) and much prefer to have a small table in front of me, but I have found that a large solid table mat, or a plastic chopping board can make things a little more manageable...

[wanderer]

Fan tables /trays were at China Bazaar for about 25tl works off laptop usb also gives you a cold lap

[wanderer]

Tablet friendly USB sticks are available so you don't need or have an SD slot
http://www.ebuyer.com/656987-32gb-kings ... tduo3-32gb

[MoBry]

Thanks for the info re computer on your lap - I'll pass it on to His Nibs who, I'm sure, will be very grateful not to set himself on fire!

[erol]

The thing that is missing from the Nexus is the ability to add more storage for sure - that and Adobe Flash Player grrrr.

I have a nexus 10. Give flash fox (from play store) a try . It has 'native' flash support (different from say puffin browser). It's not perfect but its better than no flash support at all. Can be found here

http://play.google.com/store/apps/detai ... hfox&hl=en

[waddo]

Thanks Erol, will give it a shot.