I need some Gadget buying advice...

[Bigum1969]

I've got a couple of bucks burning a hole in my pocket...

I have been looking at getting an iPad for the past year or so. I just never could pull the trigger. But I really love the idea of a tablet. I spend a ton of time working on my iPhone in the evenings and late at night doing work. Mostly emails and other communications stuff.

But I've also been giving serious thought lately to picking up one of the droid-based tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Pretty slick device and it is smaller than the iPad, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

Lastly, I've been considering getting an HP TM2 Touchsmart Laptop/Tablet. For under $1K, it is a full touchscreen laptop that folds into a tablet. A friend has one and it's a pretty neat device to use. The interface isn't nearly as polished as the iPad's or Galaxy Tab's, but it is a powerful device with an i3 or i5 processor that can also serve as a regular computer.

I'd love to here from INGOers your thoughts on which direction to go.

There are a lot of new tablets coming out soon, and it might be best to wait. But, I'd love to hear what you all think.

Thanks in advance!

 

[OneBadV8]

I think you should get all 3 and review them. Then you can tell us which one you like best in case we find ourselves in a similar situation.

 

[Bigum1969]

I think you should get all 3 and review them. Then you can tell us which one you like best in case we find ourselves in a similar situation.

Great idea!

 

[zombiehunter]

my personal preference would be to stay away from the HP....I don't like the company or their products anymore! (I use to love them, but now I have 2 HP laptops and 1 Compaq laptop sitting on a shelf upstairs for spare parts and my laptop and my wifes are both about to crap out too....which are compaqs and HPs!)

I like iOS on the iphone/ipads and I like how many apps there are available and how it seems that developers are making all the best apps for those devices.....BUT I like the open-source of the android OS and how easy it is to customize android. For me, the biggest thing I like about android is the drag-and-drop ability with music/pictures/videos! I for one HATE itunes!

I have owned an ipod touch and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread...until I got my HTC Incredible! I immediately sold my ipod touch and have never looked back! Android is 10x better in my personal opinion!

 

[lovemachine]

You have the iPhone now. You're used to the setup. Get the iPad. That's what I would do.

 

[Expat]

The PC tablets have been around for a long time and never caught on. Why do you think they will now? The Mac tablet caught on immediately. Which do you think will continue to be popular. I would stick with the Mac.

 

[Bigum1969]

Great points, folks.

The only reason I'm even considering the HP TM2 is because it functions as a laptop as well.

In reality, the touch interface isn't nearly as strong as either the iPad or Android systems...

But now the new Android 3.0 Tablets are coming out... do I have the patience to wait...

 

[indyjoe]

If you want a laptop. Get a laptop or a netbook. If you want a tablet, I would wait until after Feb 9th. WebOS is the slickest multitasking mobile OS currently out there. Palm will be showing the tablets and new phones for WebOS that were possible with HP money.

I have tried to use an iPad and after using a fluid OS, like WebOS, I wanted to throw it across the room. Android's Honeycomb is trying to catch up to the notifications and card system of WebOS, but it isn't quite there. iOS is third place in usability now. Blackberry blatantly ripped off the WebOS gesture style on their Playbook, but it still has issues. The iPad is still the cleanest implementation, if you can deal with their hacky sort of multitasking and living in their walled garden. I expect the new WebOS table announced on the 9th will be pretty rockin'.

Windows 7 on a tablet is a non-starter. It just doesn't work. I fully expect my mobile solution will soon become a WebOS tablet with a Bluetooth folding keyboard. Something about pausing apps on my phone and continuing on my tablet is pretty dang cool. And other stuff that I can't talk about due to NDAs.

 

[HandK]

Just sayin!! It never fails to work! you can get a new one anytime you need it!! Don't worry you don't have to thank me!!

 

[Griffeycom]

I have a Dell Latitude XT Tablet PC. Latitude XT2 Tablet PC - Touch Screen Laptop | Dell

It's probably my favorite electronics device I've ever owned. I used it for the last year during class and would take notes on it rather than type them out (helped with memory retention for me!!) Anyway, it's a really slick device. When shut it's only 1" deep and it's got a 12.1" screen so it's pretty small. When you have it folded into tablet mode you can write with your pen or use your fingers to scroll/select things like you would an iPad. The best part is that it's a computer too so you get EVERYTHING a computer would do in the shape of a tablet.

I got mine on eBay for ~$650 lightly used, the guy I bought it from said he used it for two conferences and then his company gave him a new one (must work for an awesome company), and I believe it because it was like new.

You can buy new ones on eBay for about ~$1,000 I think, much cheaper than the prices at Dell.com.

When I return to school in 4 years I plan on buying another one since this one will be outdated by then, seriously is one of the best things I've ever purchased and I HIGHLY recommend Tablet PC's, especially for students!

 

[JayPea]

One nice thing about the iPad is that is shares apps with your iPhone and your iTunes account is fully integrated, which is very convenient. That said, my wife and I use iPad pretty regularly but both agree we wouldn't pay for one (I got this one as a bonus). It still seems pretty limited compared to a laptop but i also realize that it's not really meant to replace a computer. It is basically a big screen iPhone that doesn't have a camera and can't make calls.

 

[bwframe]

I have high hopes for this:

Motorola Xoom - Experience Xoom

I believe I'll let others be guinea pigs for a few months though. Hopefully the price will come around a bit too.

 

[Bigum1969]

I have high hopes for this:

Motorola Xoom - Experience Xoom

I believe I'll let others be guinea pigs for a few months though. Hopefully the price will come around a bit too.

Ahhh... me too.

 

[Lucas156]

I just hate touch screens but its probably not the touch screens' fault because the only one I ever had I hated with a passion.

 

[eatsnopaste]

If you get an ipad, make sure you check out the cases at saddlebackleatherco.com pricey but very nice.