Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with tablets

Digital edition of a small arts magazine - the best way to do this?

Cantdosleepy — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 02:19:45 -0800

I work for a small literary magazine. The incoming managing editor wants us to have a magazine app for tablets that appears on those virtual magazine racks. Is this a good idea, and if so what's the best way to do this? The manager definitely wants to monetise a significant amount of our digital content. We simply don't have the kind of money (small arts magazine!) to use the site as a loss-leader.

Honestly I feel the tablet magazine/app ecosystem is bordering on scammy; in how much they charge to set up, how much of a cut the manufacturers get, how much of a cut Apple gets, and how poor the online stores are in terms of browsing and finding new titles. I'm really disappointed the way things are turning out: it seemed for a while that things were opening up across the web and now there are all these walled-gardens appearing, and all these hip web 3.0 snake oil salesmen.

Most of the advice online comes from 'interested' parties, and there are no hard figures anywhere about subscription numbers.

Am I being an old-fashion curmudgeon here? Are magazine apps now pretty established and sensible for asmall magazine? Sales of tablets are increasing all the time. I'd appreciate links to articles about the sector, opinions from knowledge app-makers or magazines, or any other thoughts about the best way to proceed on this.

Suggestions for tablet and e-games for bedridden senior?

falldownpaul — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:43:34 -0800

My 66 year old father will be bedridden for a few months. He's not tech-savvy but loves simple comp games like solitaire, free cell, etc. Would a tablet pre-loaded with games be a good gift? Recommendations? Dad broke his hip and will be laid up for awhile.

He doesn't tolerate boredom or inactivity well (to put it VERY mildly) so this is depressing and frustrating for him.

He's not a "reader" so books, magazines and e-Books aren't going to appeal to him... too bad, I know. He also doesn't do puzzles, crosswords, Suduko, crafts, etc.

I thought maybe a tablet would help pass the time, but- I have zero experience with tablets, I'm not very cutting edge with the e-gadgets. Would love to hear your ideas and suggestions.

Cost really isn't a concern (within reason). He has good use of his hands (some arthritis) and sees okay.

I also don't know if there will be wifi in his hospital or in the nursing home where he will be recovering. He definitely doesn't have wifi at home and won't get it. So I think I would want to download some games before giving him the tablet, yes?

Would love to hear from you, all ideas welcome. thanks!!!

Best Kitchen Mounting System for Nexus 7?

rhiannonstone — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:17:04 -0800

My Nexus 7 has become a near-indispensable kitchen tool, and I'd like to find a way to mount it in the kitchen so I can use it more easily while cooking. I have zero counter space available, so a stand is out, and I can't mount it on the underside of a cabinet, either. Safe wall space is close to zero, too, so I guess that leaves me with the fridge. Are there any decent fridge-mounting systems for the Nexus 7 or other 7" tablets? Ideally I'd like something that allows me to easily insert and remove the tablet, since it won't live in the kitchen all the time. I could probably DIY this but I'm working on so many other household projects I'd really like to be able to buy an out-of-the-box solution and be done with it, though I'd be willing to add magnets to a great non-magnetic mount.

E-readers and tablets and smartphones oh my.

Modica — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 11:36:21 -0800

I can't decide if a tablet or an e-reader AND a new phone* is more suitable for my purposes. I don't know much about either market which is why I come to you guys for advice. My main goal is to spend less time on the Internet and more time reading. I waste a great deal of time on the computer, time that I'd rather spend reading and writing. This is why I thought about the e-reader. I had a Kindle several years ago when they first launched that I liked but it broke down on me twice with a weird burn-in issue. But while I had it, I read a lot more due to the easy access to all my books, to periodicals (which I had never spent much time reading but read all the time on my Kindle), and due to the form factor. It also made me feel less physically fatigued than reading a book did.

The problem is, I'm doing a lot of research and reading for my writing these days and most of those come in the form of PDF articles and I know that e-readers in general have been pretty poor at PDF readability and displaying PDFs. That said, these articles are almost entirely text so there are very few graphs or charts to fiddle with. And that's to say nothing of the graphic novels that I'd like to read too.

In addition, I also take a lot of notes as I read. And from what I've read, the onscreen keyboards for the e-readers are not the fastest nor the most accurate. Now, I'm not writing big blocks of text, but I do write notes pretty frequently. Tablets would have a much better keyboard or opportunities for external keyboards.

As far as e-readers go, I want one with light. So I'm between the Kindle Paperwhite and the Nook Glolight, leaning very heavily towards the Paperwhite. And as far as tablets, I want a smaller size too, which is why I'm gunning for the iPad Mini or maybe the Kindle Fire HD.

*The bit about the new phone: For the price of a tablet, I can get an e-reader and upgrade my phone. My current phone (Optimus V) is old and terrible and by upgrading my phone (to an HTC Evo V or One V), then I'd have that internet access when I need it for things like reading blogs/internet articles, listening to music/podcasts, etc., which is primarily what I'd use a tablet for, or so I'd think having never had a tablet or used a tablet. My current phone can do these things, but not very well at all.

What would you guys recommend I do? Do y'all have experience with PDFs and graphic novels on e-readers/on the Paperwhite?

Help me choose the right tablet

no regrets, coyote — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:29:50 -0800

I know this is well trodden ground, but I have a question about tablets. I want a tablet that will mainly be for reading/annotating pdfs (academic papers). My main worries are eye strain and stylus integration. What's my best bet? The Galaxy Note 10.1 seems like it has what I want, except the resolution isn't up to the quality of other tablets at that price point. I hate reading for long periods of time on my computer monitors, so I'm worried the lower-res screen might have the same effect.

The iPad and Nexus 10 both have great resolution, but from the online reviews I hear mixed things about how various apps work with 3rd party stylus (for example not being able to rest your hand on the tablet surface while writing). I'm also a lefty for bonus difficulty.

I'm pretty sure I want the larger size screen, so the 7" tablets are out.

Do you have any experience with any of these tablets -- or others -- using them for long periods of reading/note-taking? I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!

tablet that can run my old Windows programs, has a full-size USB port.

skwt — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 08:34:23 -0800

Tablet-as-word-processor search: I'm looking for a tablet that can run (at least some of) my old Windows programs, and has a full-size USB port. I'm thinking about getting a tablet, but I'm wondering if one exists that would be able to:
1. run an old Windows program called AutoHotKey that runs constantly in the background and performs realtime macros on what I type (ie changes "t" to "the"), and
2. take my old Fingerworks keyboard, which connects via full-size USB.

Does something like this exist? I don't know anything about mobile/tablet OSs. Someone in a previous thread mentioned that the Acer Iconia Tab A200 was the only one he'd seen that had a full-size USB in, and that might be fine, but it runs Android 4.0 and I don't know if that or any mobile OS can run a program like AutoHotKey.

I'm thinking of this machine as basically just a very lightweight word processor, so screen resolution, processor speed and memory are low priorities, but battery life is still important.

Any advice? Thanks.

Goodbye netbook, hello iPad?

JoanArkham — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:20:34 -0800

I'm going to have to work some stupid overtime in the next few weeks, and I'm thinking of treating myself to a replacement for my well-loved but on-it's-last-legs EEE Asus netbook, used mostly for sitting on the couch and surfing while watching TV at home. Things I'm pondering: 1. The number one thing holding me back is a lack of keyboard...I have an iPhone and I'm ok with using a touchscreen for texts and short messages, but anything longer than that and I really prefer a keyboard.

2. I'm grandfathered in to a Verizon unlimited data plan, and I understand that if I ever change it (like add a tablet) I'll have to do the shared minutes thing...so I'm thinking I'd use it on WiFi only.

3. I'm not into ebooks at all yet, but after carrying around the "Song of Ice and Fire" books for several months, I can kind of see the appeal.

4. Because of work compatibility issues, my main computer at home is a PC.

5. I'm open to other tablets, but I do really like my iPhone.

What say you, hivemind?

What tablet should I buy?

lea724 — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 12:49:24 -0800

Should I buy an Acer Iconia A200, if I mainly want wireless capability and the ability to watch my .avi and .mp4 (and occasional .mkv) media files? If not, then what should I be looking at? I think I'm in the market for a tablet.

My highest priority for wanting one is that I want to be able to watch my .avi and .mp4 movie and TV files on a more portable machine than my current Sony Vaio laptop. Wi-fi capability is also important.

I have an iPhone, but I don't necessarily want to stay in the Apple family. I started this search by assuming that the easiest way to watch my media files on a tablet would be to read directly from a USB flash drive or transfer files to the tablet, itself, using the USB, which means that I was able to narrow my search to only those tablets that have USB ports already built in. I know that there are additional cables you can buy that have the USB function, but I'd prefer to not have to buy something extra like that (I also know there are ways of transferring files over wireless, but I do specifically want to focus on tablets that can transfer with USB).

I went to Best Buy today to get a feel for tablets and was playing with the only tablet they had with USB built-in, which was the Acer Iconia A200. I liked it well enough and did a little bit of research where I found that the MX Player will play those types of files I want to be able to play, so I think as far as I'm concerned, that's my player. It was selling for $350 at Best Buy and it looks like I can find it online around the $200 range (which I think is the most I'm willing to pay at this point)

Is the Acer Iconia A200 an acceptable machine for what I want? Should I look into the Acer Iconia A500? Is there a better tablet out there that you would recommend?

Any advice for a first-time tablet buyer? Thanks.

Ipads

pakora1 — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:14:46 -0800

Choosing between Ipads, how? We are looking to gift an Ipad to my siblings (guy and a gal) but have no idea which one to go with. Are there any sites that have a side by side comparison to help us decide. Will be used for web surfing, videos, facebook and some office stuff. Any personal experience with these would be helpful also. Thank you

Which tablet is best for reading many, many pdfs?

munichmaiden — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 15:30:21 -0800

Looking for a thin, light, rectangular device on which to read scientific papers... which one?? I know nothing about tablets, except that they exist. My husband travels often for work and lugs around a 5-inch stack of print-offs of scientific papers. I would like to give his spine a break and provide him with a tablet or something similar where he could store and access the pdfs on a whim. Bonus points if the screen is large and color. Bonus bonus points if he can use a stylus to take notes on the paper. the Kindle DX seems like the right size, but no color really makes it less than ideal. I have only heard tell of all of these things, never actually seen one. He has a windows laptop, but also has access to macs, if that makes a difference. He will not be doing extensive watching shows/listening to music/etc. on this item.

To Buy or Not to Buy; That is the question

theobserver — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:15:35 -0800

What is a good mini tablet to gift an 8-yr old? External Storage is critical as this will be used primarily as a wi-fi device and on long drives. My kid's B'day is coming up and we are looking for a sub $200 mini-tablet for her. She will use it to primarily read books, watch movies on Netflix and Youtube, check her school emails and play games.

The requirements from this device are pretty simple: decent screen, responsive processor, long battery life and external storage (for music and movies).

The external storage option stumps me, since both the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 don't have the option to connect a USB flash drive or an SD Card and [the inbuilt storage is pathetic], while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 7" does not have the recent Android OS and is dual core.

The other factor that kind of scares me is that there might be new Amazon Kindle Fires, iPad minis and even the Microsoft tablets coming out soon and I don't want to be feel foolish with an older device (recently happened with a DSLR purchase).

What device should I buy? or should I wait for a couple of months?

I have both Netflix and Amazon Prime, if that matters.

Samsung or Nexus?

pakora1 — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:51:25 -0800

Samsung Galaxy tab 2.7.0 v.s Google Nexus Tab either. Which one to chose? Help me decide. I am in the market for a tablet and like both the Samsung 2.7.0 which is 8GB and the Nexus which is cheaper. Besides the price and the GB (8 or 16), I am trying to decide which one to chose. My need is pretty basic-read a book and get on the web. I however do like the streaming video and music abilities.

Which one is better? Would love your thoughts and experiences with it. Thanks

The Kindle Fire or the Nook Color, what's the better tablet for cartoonists??

Rosengeist — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:08:52 -0800

Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet. What's better for a cartoonist? Hello,

I am a young cartoonist and illustrator who is looking to buy a tablet. I have been told repeatedly and by several of my teachers that this is becoming a very, very important tool for someone like myself to have. Mostly because it allows an artist like myself to carry and exhibit work quickly, cleanly and professionally without needing to print copies of my work. Currently, my work is becoming more and more digitally based, and even my traditional pieces tend to get some digital enhancement.

Until very recently I had not been able to afford a tablet on my budget, but since the Nook color and Kindle fire have hit the market, I am now in a position to buy one.

This is something I would be using primarily for only a few basic things. 1.) Storing and exhibiting digital copies of my professional work. 2.) Writing and reviewing word documents (I also work on scripts a lot.) 3.) Reading ebooks and e-publications, especially pdf documents, which I often have to read for school. 4.) Light internet usage.

One thing I am also considering in this decision is the fact that this summer I will be traveling to Hong Kong for about a month and will not be able to bring my computer (or possibly even my phone) along with me. This is a school trip where I will need to be able to access emails and do light internet work. Does anyone know how well the Kindle, or the Nook work in China? Do they work their at all?

I'm quite torn between the Nook and the Kindle Fire. The Nook is cheaper, and I actually like it's general appearance and the way it feels in my hands more, but the Kindle is not so different that it bothers me. I know that the Kindle can handle Sketchbook Pro, but I'm not certain if the Nook can. That's a program I'd genuinely like to be able to use since I am doing more and more digital work. I know the Kindle can handle the materials from itunes, amazon and other major app and digital media retailers. The Nook, I'm not as certain about, it seems like it's more of a Barnes and Noble only sort of deal. If that's the case, I believe that Amazon is the stronger company which will have longer staying power, and is probably easier to access outside of the United states.

I've also considered buying a certified used 1st Gen Ipad...but I feel like it has more flashiness than I need, and that if I buy an ipad, it makes more sense to buy a newer model (Even if that's outside my budget). I could afford a used 1st gen, but not a newer model, even used.

I would also like to know how the Kindle and Nook handle stylus pens. I like sketchbook pro, but using my finger is a pain in the but for that.

Any thoughts guys? I need to purchase this tablet in the next few days because I will be attending an editor review day in the next few weeks and need to start cleaning up and fixing my portfolio for that. If anyone who reads this uses a tablet for art, or for the purposes that I'm in need of I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks so much!

Why are these pills the same size?

Bulgaroktonos — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:17:48 -0800

Why are these pills smaller than I expected? Last night, after several hours of chest pain that didn't seem to be heartburn, I went to the hospital. I didn't have a heart attack (yay!), instead they diagnosed me some sort of inflammation of the cartilage in my chest and sent me home with a prescription for 600 MG ibuprofen tablets.

The ibuprofen I normally take for headaches and the like (Liquid gels) are listed at 200 MG, but the size doesn't look that different from the 600 MG tablets to me. It's bigger, but it's not 3X bigger.

Why is this? Are Liquid Gels just bigger than tablets for some reason? Or am I just bad at judging size?

Content for Tablets

vecchio — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:10:21 -0800

What is the best/coolest/most cutting-edge multimedia content being created for tablets? I'm interested in creating content for tablets and on the search for inspiration.

I'm aware of the Atavist, Moonbot Studios, Al Gore's Our Choice, and James Frey's bizarro studio. I get the New Yorker, the Economist, National Geographic, and Wired on my Ipad.

What else should I know about? App magazines? Appbooks? Enhanced books? Design pieces? Basically, who's doing the most interesting work?

I'm specifically interested in content, not games or practical apps.

If it helps, I'd also love to see any:

1) Blogs/commentary about digital publishing or content for tablets.

2) Awards given for this kind of thing.

3) Compelling web-based work that combines text, sound, and video.

Thanks in advance! I'm excited to see what comes up.

Why can't I write in this title box? With a pen?

Weebot — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 18:35:38 -0800

Tablets and handwriting recognition. What's the deal? One thing that I've noticed with the advent of tablet computing--which is to say the iPad and it's imitators--is the distinct lack of handwriting recognition. Sure, there are some apps out there, and strangely thick styluses (a result of the capacitive screen?) for sale, but I'm curious as to the lack of these types of programs/hardware as the default input, or at least an input that is emphasized.

Seems to me that using an iPad as a replacement for a legal pad is its destiny, but what's holding that up? Is it a hardware not being up to snuff? The software? What challenges does that type of interface present that just hasn't been addressed that would make tabletmakers decide to not bother (at least outside of third party apps)? Seems to me that the advances in voice recognition have come along faster than handwriting recognition, yet that, from my layman's perspective, seems like the heavier lift. Any thoughts?

Is there anything like Garageband for an Android tablet?

DMelanogaster — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:53:48 -0800

Vicissitudes of switching from iPad to Android I have an iPad1 but am thinking about getting an Android tablet. Is there anything like Garageband for Android? What I mean is, recording various built-in instruments and also my voice with the internal mic in a multitrack format.

(I love using Garageband but it turns out to be quite buggy.)

Also -- would it ever make sense to have a small table such as the 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab as one's only phone? using Voip I guess. Could I make a Voip application actually ring when a call came in?

thank you

When I Was a kid I would have loved one of these things

spitbull — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:01:55 -0800

B&N Nook Color for a kid: seeking tips on making it child-friendly, child-safe, best apps, and how to provide a budget for buying books that cannot be exceeded . . . I have decided to purchase a Nook Color as a birthday present for a child turning 11, a very avid reader and a typical gadget-loving technophilic kid of that age for whom an iPad would be a bit too much and for whom a dedicated e-reader with a direct purchase capability is potentially a perfect fit. Kid has a laptop for schoolwork and writing and art, and also spends a lot of time on it for entertainment, but also spends hours at a time reading books and can easily spend 2 hours reading in the aisles at Barnes and Noble and still be reluctant to leave even with an armload of new books.

So I'm looking for tips on setting this up for maximum use value from any other parents who have bought a Nook for a kid. I'd like suggestions for specific apps, unexpected cool things a kid can do with the device, library borrowing on the Nook, etc.

But I am also specifically interested in whether one can implement parental controls on the web browser or on the Nook store itself.

Finally, I'm trying to game out how to provide the recipient with a regularly replenished budget for purchasing books on the Nook store, but I'd like to prevent her from going (massively) over budget on my credit card. B&N rep tells me there is no way this can be implemented directly on the Nook store, although I can keep her stocked with store credit through gift cards (but if those are exceeded, it would just charge my regular credit card behind the account). I suppose I could create the account linked to a debit card or a prepaid credit card, although the rep wasn't sure this would work. So . . .has anyone tried that and did it work?

And an add-on Nook Color question: is there any app that accepts handwritten/drawn input from a stylus or a fingertip?

What's the best Tablet for editing/reviewing documents?

mateuslee — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 05:52:43 -0800

Tablet Advice: I read/review/edit manuscripts all the time - Which tablet should I get to facilitate this on the go? I am looking for a tablet that will let me read PDFs and Word documents. Although I don't need to edit those documents very much, I would like to be able to highlight potential problems/questions for review on my work computer.

I commute and travel a good deal and it occurs to me that a Tablet may be a good "intermediary" device to allow me to do this without having to lug around a laptop to inconvenient places, especially on the train or in the airport.

I am a PC user who mainly operates out of the cloud (mainly google-docs), but sometimes I just edit/read Word docs stored in dropBox. I'm concerned that doing this on the iPad may result in some formatting changes.

I have an Android with a data-plan already, so I can tether the device without any problem. Also, I already have a Nook -- but as it doesn't allow for editing (and doesn't do a good job adjusting fonts or showing special characters), it isn't enough.

Anyway, I was looking at the Dell Streak (simple enough, and cheap!) or the iPad (I like how the backlight shuts off when you're reading an ebook, that's an excellent feature which I think would be worth paying for if any other device has it).

Does anyone have any advice?

How can the size of a potential market be accurately estimated?

jsturgill — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:21:14 -0800

How can I conduct research into whether or not there would be any interest for a paid tutorial website? After looking into it for a few weeks, I'm pretty opposite-of-impressed with the state of free online art instruction. (related previous question)

There are tons of speed drawing videos online, most of which seem to be a way to show off and are of limited instructional use.

I've also seen lots of step-by-step walkthrough of how artists have created an illustration, like this one. It does contain some information on technique, but I think only an art student of some experience is in any sort of position to synthesize the information and make it a part of their toolbox.

Then there are a bunch of random, disconnected videos that may do one thing or another pretty good, but it's a crapshoot and incomplete.

So I thought to myself, why not create a website that provides digital art instruction, with an emphasis on digital illustration and painting (rather than photo manipulation or effects work)?

A mixture of art tutorials (like the one linked above), Bob Ross style "paint along" videos, and straightforward instruction on technique, anatomy, etc, branching out from a core collection of videos building essential skills.

(Similar in idea to this site, which covers cooking.)

The only thing is, I have no idea how large a market this might be. Is there any way to find the sales figures for Wacom's Bamboo line of products? (Under the theory that burgeoning artists would be the likely purchasers of those products, and thus potential customers.) Is there any indication as to whether users of Deviant Art would be willing to pay for instruction, or does their community fulfill their needs to the point that an outside site would be a hard sell?

Basically, I'm planning on making some videos along these lines anyway. I got a tablet for a family member for Christmas, and I want to make sure they learn to like it instead of just getting frustrated and letting it gather dust on their desk. But is there a business opportunity here? Are there a thousand people who would pay $25 a year to have access for a library of these kinds of videos? Or is it more like 10 people willing to pay nothing?

I assume there are ways to research this and test the waters. What are they? Also, are there quality sites out there for art that already cover this territory?

Recommendations for PC drawing tablet

quintno — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 17:54:36 -0800

I've been a cartoonist for 30 years and have remained a firm Luddite, drawing everything by hand and submitting hard copy to my publishers. But, those days are now over, and I'm being asked to provide electronic files. I would greatly appreciate help in terms of purchasing a simple-to-use, but still "semi-professional" electronic drawing tablet (sorry, don't even know the right term for this). Also, what PC software would you recommend that won't take months to learn? thanks.

Should I get a non-wacom graphics tablet?

miniape — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 14:29:30 -0800

Does anyone have experience with non-wacom graphics tablets? I'm thinking about getting a cheap graphics tablet to do illustration with. My first impulse was to get the wacom graphire 4x5 (about $100), but I see there are some lesser known brands at that price with larger surfaces. I'm looking for some testimonials and advice. Wacom seems to be the defacto tablet. Is it all just hype or am I going to be sorry getting a cheaper brand? I'll be using it primarily with photoshop, and maybe some thing like artrage or sketchpad. (one of the reasons I hesitate is because of this warning on the artrage site.)

I'm also open to software suggestions.

Teacher Considering a Tablet PC

LarryC — Sat, 25 Jun 2005 19:20:03 -0800

Tablet PC Curious: Looking for advice from tablet owners, especially teachers. I am interested in replacing my laptop with a tablet PC. I teach in a wired classroom and online. I am thinking about getting a tablet pc with a keyboard, something like a Toshiba Tecra. I would use it for the usual laptop functions—word processing, surfing, etc., no gaming. But I am unsure what a tablet can above and beyond a laptop. I teach a lot on the internet, with a tablet could I mark up the student papers they send me in Word and send them right back to them? And if I wrote all over a student paper on my tablet, would they need any special software to read it? What other cool tricks could I do with a tablet? Is the display as good as on a good laptop? What are the disadvantages, and things to look for when buying a tablet?

Need New Graphics Tablet

jpburns — Thu, 27 May 2004 08:28:38 -0800

I've been drawing a comic book, and I'm assembling and coloring the pages in Photoshop. My old 4 X 5 Wacom Graphire 3 tablet seems to be falling short of my needs (poor tracking, and meager pressure sensitivity), and I was looking for opinions about replacing it with a 4 X 5 Intuos tablet (twice the pressure sensitivity) or a larger Graphire 3 (6 X 8)?

Thanks.