Sony tablet- would YOU buy one at that price?

[Gail]

Quote:

(Reuters) - Sony Corp put price tags on its long-awaited tablets on Wednesday that could hurt the company's chances to grab the No. 2 spot in the tablet market.

The Japanese company came late to the game with its first tablet due to hit store shelves in September, more than a year and a half since Apple Inc debuted the iPad and almost a year since Samsung came out with the GalaxyTab.

Two versions of Sony's main tablet cost $499 and $599, which matches the price of Apple's iPads for models with the same memory and will turn off consumers.

"Consumers want tablets but they are not prepared to pay the same amount they'd pay for an iPad for something that's not an iPad," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi.

"Despite the brand and different design, with its pricing so close to the iPad, it will be challenging for Sony," she added.

[Gail]

Who are they kidding?

[Outta Here]

Well, my son's high school is now requiring the students to use Apple iPads for their coursework. The school provides them and for the low fee of $250 per year we get the privilege of using them. Of course, there is an extra $50 fee for insurance in case anything happens to the device.

In our three weeks of experience using them, I am frustrated beyond reason. They are not worth the $300 we've paid. Everything has to be done through a "cloud" and it is nearly impossible to spend all day working on projects using a tiny keyboard and screen.

I wouldn't pay a penny to own another tablet. Not a single penny.

[Gail]

With laptops so cheap now, wouldn't it be just as handy to get one of those? You can get them about the same size, or nearly.

[Outta Here]

Yes, I agree (although the Macs we're using at home are nowhere near as cheap as the tablets). Laptops are much more adaptable as well. Too bad the school we're sending our son to doesn't agree with us.

[nuff sed]

BE SURE you know exactly what your tablet will do or not do according to your needs. I bought a dandy little Vizio tablet last week at COSTCO for $284.95.. It said that it would be perfect for Video calls, etc. I thought, "Hot dog, exactly what I need to communicate with my son in Hong Kong via Skype over the next five years of his term of service."...Alas...no App for SKYPE>>> Nuff Sed

[ClubV12]

I bought a tablet recently. Used it for about a week, took it back. I don't know what the big deal is, seemed rather useless, awkward, a bit clumsy and I was scared to death I was gonna drop it.

My friend thinks they are they are the BEST thing around. He's got an external keyboard that works with it, props up the tablet like a video screen. I looked at that and thought, "Thats sure starting to look like my lap top, and it still doesn't have a DVD drive...". :)

[Gail]

That's good for me to know, because I've been considering getting a Kindle for my reading materials. There is a website that offers free books for Kindle (or iPad, etc)

I was wondering if it would be worth my while to get the actual Kindle or whether to invest in a cheap laptop, because the prices now are about the same. Plus I can do the other stuff with the laptop.

The other option I have is just to get the iPad. But I've been also reading about angry Kindle customers who are complaining about iTunes with Kindle stuff. Most of what I'm interested in is free, but there might be times when I want to download e-books from Amazon for Kindle.

Anybody with any other ideas as well as more input about tablets?

[ClubV12]

I like audio books so whatever I got HAS to be able to accept generic mp3 files.

I have all the primary (and many others) SOP books on audio. I can't wait for a long drive to get in some good listening time. I also put them on my little mp3 player with an arm band and listen while I'm working around the house. Or, put them on the computer and sometimes follow along with the text on the computer as well. Sometimes, I actually (gasp) read them from a book.

The tablet had such a poor (low volume) sound system I couldn't hear the books without external speakers, which was clumsy.

Only have a couple more of the Testimonies series to finish up. I recently bought that new leather bound single book that contains all nine volumes of the Testimonies. Feels, looks, has notes inside, like a bible, thin pages, type is is OK, big enough to read without straining.

[CoAspen]

There is an app that will let you read ebooks from many sources on iPad. The advantage of an iPad is the apps.....you want/need it...an app is there for it. The other devices are so far behind in that category, well, it just not fair!

Go to Macworld.com and read everything you need to know about the iPad and Apps.

This is not a paid advertisement, I do not own an iPad.

[Stan]

Aubrey, you can hook up any bluetooth keyboard, apple has other keyboards that sits on as well.

[Outta Here]

Thanks, Stan. We do have a bluetooth keyboard for my son to use while at school. It's still smaller than a regular sized keyboard though, and difficult to use by men (and boys) with manly sized fingers.

Still doesn't change the fact that it is extremely difficult to use the apps for schoolwork and to upload and download the data into the proper programs.

[ClubV12]

The Android based tablets (non Apple products) come with considerably more ports, more like a regular lap top. Which is something thats important to me as Aubrey mentioned, for ease of data input/output at any location at any time.

BUT, it was also mentioned there are less Apps for the Android base. That a good point, slowly it's getting better, but I-Pad has a distinct lead at this point. If I really needed one (I don't, it's a toy) I'd go I-Pad for two reasons (and hate that I don't have any ports).

1. More apps, (I'd wait and go Android if I could wait).

2. More support from other owners, people around you, in school, work. More tips on how to do this or that and this app is great or that one not so great.

My friends blue tooth keyboard was kind of funky, no tactile feedback, I didn't care for it. I like the "click" when you hit a key.

[CoAspen]

An iPad can be used as a ' toy', but it is in the school class room and is also being introduced in to med schools. It is a very efficient device for portable use. If one wants more computor functionality and still small and lightweight, look at a MacBook Air...not cheap!

[ClubV12]

Point taken CoAspen, I thought I might have a use for the one I bought, turned it out, for me, it was little more than a toy. Our Pastor has an I-Pad, I see him use it a LOT!! Like one night in prayer meeting we had a question and everyone was scrambling in their bible footnotes and such to find an answer. "Google", Pastor had an answer in a heart beat, very impressive. You hardly ever see him without it.

I study my bible on the computer mostly, because I can have several versions at my fingertips. Plus the entire commentary set, plus all the SOP writings, plus Google (which I use a lot for basic history surrounding some event). Imagine how big your desk would have to be to have all that libary at your disposal, instantly.

I tried to get all that on the tablet and it was "problematic" to say the least. Plus the screen is substantially smaller than my lap top or desktop. Just didn't work out for me, but I'm retired, no school, no job.

No question though, tablets and I-phone type devices are steadily replacing both lap tops and computers. Phones may over take even tablets, maybe, but I think the limited screen size of a phone will continue to give tablets the edge.

Desktops? There almost dinosaurs already.... :)

[Outta Here]

Hehehe. I'm typing from a dinosaur. RAWR!

[ClubV12]

Hehehe,,, me too.

I like "old school", they will have to drag me out of the cave.

[Gail]

I am being swayed...

[LynnDel]

Isn't a tablet just a big smart phone?

[Gail]

Isn't a tablet just a big smart phone?

Kinda... LOL but easier to read. I'm looking for something I can put lots of books on and then take with me.

[LynnDel]

I have Kindle for my Droid - but you're right, it's hard on the eyes.

[Gail]

My boss downloads audio books to his phone from the library. But then he plants it in a dock to listen to it while he drives. That's okay but doesn't seem as convenient as a reader.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I have an Android tablet, and Archos Arnova 10. It's a narrow 10.6 inch screen. I like it, but it doesn't work well for reading books with Kindle, or with Aldiko, the ebook reader that came installed on it. Parts of the pages are cut off at the top with both apps. But I didn't get it for that, and it works great for what I did get it for.

I can carry it around the house with me more easily than my laptop when I need to make my grocery list, or to make "to do" lists, and its larger size also makes it much easier to work with than my pocket pc. I also put all the recipes I use a lot, or want to try, and it's easy to use for that too, especially as the case I got for it will stand it upright.

It has a USB cable to plug into my computer, for editing or moving files. One thing it won't do, and I don't really understand why, is to allow me to make folders for my data or move files between folders. I have to plug it into my computer to do that. But the way it would probably have to be done on the tablet, if it could be done, would probably be a bit more of a hassle than doing it with my computer anyway, so I don't mind.

[ClubV12]

I think Lynndell is onto something, the tablet is very much like a big cell phone. Easy to use, bigger screen, some what limited function.

But the more function (control of your environment really) you have, the more complex the operating system has to be.

[Outta Here]

Ah! But will a "big smart phone" allow the user to phone a friend?