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ag29

macrumors 6502
Oct 7, 2014
284
85
The problem with tablets is they are basically just an oversized phone, but you'd be surprised how comfortable it is using an oversized phone. It's so much nicer to watch videos on it, play games, web browing, etc..than on your regular phone because the screen is so much bigger.

I like having a tablet when I'm in an airplane or I'm traveling somewhere far by public transportation, it's really cool to just play games on it or watch a video. Seriously 100x more comfortable than doing it on my phone.

But the downside...there's so many things I just can't do on a tablet. I need a full OS that supports all kind of desktop apps, and thats why I have a Mac with Parallels desktop..If theres something I can't do on my mac it's ok because I also have Windows on it ;)
 

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,488
5,413
5.7" to 8" is a pretty huge difference IMO to be able to view webpages or get work done. Of course my 8" tablet is a windows tablet, so I get to carry around a full PC/OS with no compromises and don't have the issue of an "oversized phone". It still fits into my back pocket, and sort of in my front pocket if I have scrubs or dress pants on and need it out of my way for a second.

But this will all be moot once foldable screens catch on, that will be the true death of smaller tablets at least IMO.
 
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ronincse

macrumors 6502
Nov 2, 2013
297
270
Milwaukee, WI
The problem with tablets is they are basically just an oversized phone, but you'd be surprised how comfortable it is using an oversized phone. It's so much nicer to watch videos on it, play games, web browing, etc..than on your regular phone because the screen is so much bigger.

I like having a tablet when I'm in an airplane or I'm traveling somewhere far by public transportation, it's really cool to just play games on it or watch a video. Seriously 100x more comfortable than doing it on my phone.

But the downside...there's so many things I just can't do on a tablet. I need a full OS that supports all kind of desktop apps, and thats why I have a Mac with Parallels desktop..If theres something I can't do on my mac it's ok because I also have Windows on it ;)

Pretty much my thoughts as well, except I have a windows PC since I game a lot too ;)

5.7" to 8" is a pretty huge difference IMO to be able to view webpages or get work done. Of course my 8" tablet is a windows tablet, so I get to carry around a full PC/OS with no compromises. It still fits into my back pocket, and sort of in my front pocket if I have scrubs or dress pants on and need it out of my way for a second.

But this will all be moot once foldable screens catch on, that will be the true death of smaller tablets at least IMO.

I had a Surface for awhile and I thought it had tons of compromises on it as far as the UI was concerned. I ended up selling it to get my current iPad. To each his own though, it just depends on which compromises are more important to each person.
 

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,488
5,413
Pretty much my thoughts as well, except I have a windows PC since I game a lot too ;)



I had a Surface for awhile and I thought it had tons of compromises on it as far as the UI was concerned. I ended up selling it to get my current iPad. To each his own though, it just depends on which compromises are more important to each person.

The experience seems to be heavily contingent on what the user requires, for sure. I find windows UI has very little compromise as a tablet, but once again that's just me.

PS Gaming is pretty decent on my surface pro 4 if you are a gamer, of course it lends itself more to keyboard/mouse gaming but I've had some success with programs which let you create screen buttons/controls. Maybe one day we will get to play the full versions of things like Fallout 4, Skyrim or GTA 5 on the ipad, but not yet.
 

ronincse

macrumors 6502
Nov 2, 2013
297
270
Milwaukee, WI
The experience seems to be heavily contingent on what the user requires, for sure. I find windows UI has very little compromise as a tablet, but once again that's just me.

PS Gaming is pretty decent on my surface pro 4 if you are a gamer, of course it lends itself more to keyboard/mouse gaming but I've had some success with programs which let you create screen buttons/controls. Maybe one day we will get to play the full versions of things like Fallout 4, Skyrim or GTA 5 on the ipad, but not yet.

What did it for me was that it was just a windows computer. I trouble-shoot and deal with updates enough at work. When I get home and I want to just lay on the couch and lazily browse the internet or read something I just want to hit the power button and go. With my surface I had enough times where I had to wait for it to start up, install updates, or just act buggy that it got to me.

I do miss being able to play Civilization on my tablet though ;)
 
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JackieInCo

Suspended
Jul 18, 2013
5,178
1,601
Colorado
Honestly, I rarely use my iPad Mini anymore since I have my iPhone 6S+ and a Note 5.

I've also noticed that a few of the apps that I used on the iPhone and iPad have not been updated for the iPad in 6 months or more. It's like they are giving up on the iPad development due to the slowing sales on tablets.

I also have a Surface Pro 3 as well. The few times I turn it on during the month, it is used for internet or doing something with one of my many Android phones such as rooting one of them.
 

bufffilm

Suspended
May 3, 2011
4,227
2,536
Now we use our 5.1 to 6 inches smartphones every single day as our computers and of course laptops and desktops for heavy duty work like video editing, 3D work if neaded but there is tablets like the iPad and Android tablets which they are only giant smartphones with out the calling feature.

I use to love tablets and was a huge fan of them and they was my main computer but my opinion has completely changed about tablets after I got my Samsung Galaxy S6 phone that has a amazing 5.1 inche display and have been using it for over a week now and it is a beast of a smartphone haha!! :D :D

Now I don't really think tablets especially the iPads, Android tablets are not that good anymore because they are just like my Galaxy S6 but just have a bigger screen and set it and they don't offer tablet features that is not available on there smartphone counterparts or anything different.

And there are lots of people(including me) that thought tablets are the future and will kill the Laptop and desktop but as it turns out so far it seems completely the opposite way round the laptops are killing the tablets and by that I means hybrids(just basically glorified laptops) Surface Pro 4, Acer Alpha Switch 12 and HP Spectre X2 and lots more and many more people are buying hybrids to replace there old tablets(rather then replacing with a newer tablet) and sales figures from sales reporters like IDC proves that and the tablet sales including the iPad are declining just like netbooks did and usage of iPads are going down as well, So People are using there tablets less and less and not buying them which it is terrible news for the tablet market and tablets manufacturers like Apple/Samsung/LG/Google more.

And to make things 20 times worse so far this year in 2016 big tablet makers like Samsung, Sony and Google haven't announced and released there high end/flagship tablets yet, not surprised tbh, they will never be able to make money out of them anymore and I am sure Apple will abandon there iPads in the future because of the poor terrible sales and the people are not buying and using them anymore.

And all so it does not help that tablet makers like Samsung, HP, Lenovo are focusing making hybrids just glorified laptops with a ability to use it as a tablet) like the Surface Pro 4 then stand along/pure tablets like the iPad, a Galaxy Tab S2, Things are definitely looking terrible for the tablet market.

So after getting my Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone and been using it for just over a week now, After 3/4 years of using giant smartphones(tablets), I won't be using them anymore and I will just buy a laptop and use my smartphone Galaxy S6 in the future.


In my honest opinion about giant smartphones(tablets), I think tablets are completely useless, crap and pointless because the phones we have are good enough and big enough and still very portable and on the other hand laptops are very portable and very powerful which tablets like the iPad and Android tablets will never have that appeal anymore and hopefully due to the declining sales tablets will definitely become obsolete just like the netbooks did a few years ago!!!

I really hope tablets like the huge IPhone(oops I mean the iPad) and Android tablets die and disappear in the future just like netbooks did(a few years ago).


Anyone think tablets are completely useless and pointless now?? Do you agree or disagree?? And who wants my iPad Air 2 haha?? :D :D

I disagree w/your assessment.

Moreover, the iPad market differs from the Android or Windows market.

I'd gladly take your Air2 if you are offering it.
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,422
So... much... wrong... here

1. Android manufacturers have abandoned tablets? Might want to let companies like Samsung, Huawei and Lenovo know this. Samsung have the best tablet on the market with the Tab S2 and soon to be released Tab S3. The regular iPad pales in comparison on everything from hardware to software (I am not including apps when I say software. I am referring to the OS and Samsungs additions). One reason why I dumped the iPad in favor of the Tab S2. (I can not comment on the iPad Pro.)

2. I've seen plenty of apps not optimized for the iPad. Don't think that Android tablets have this exclusivity. It isn't as much on the iPad, but it still exists. The big problem with this on the iPad is that the apps look absolutely horrendous and pixeled out. In fact, I have run across apps on my iPhone that aren't even optimized for the iPhone 6 or 7 Plus models! They are still optimized for iPhone 5 and below! Scaling is at least present and works relatively well on Android. Not so much on iOS... still to this day!

3. You need to look at your self-fulfilling prophecy without rose colored lenses. There are reasons that iPad sales have been tanking for the last 2 years and marketshare has continued to decline since 2012 (albeit with minor bumps from time to time). One reason is that Apple made a phone that is 5.5" in size (finally admitting that Samsung had it right all along with phablets).
The other is because Android tablets have become better (like the Tab S2 I mentioned and Huawei now getting into the picture) and there aren't many first time buyers of tablets anymore (Android or iOS). The point is tablets in general are becoming less appealing to everyone. Link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/276635/market-share-held-by-tablet-vendors/
And Honeycomb?!? Are you fuc...ing kidding me! That was the worst POS OS ever made! And I'm not even talking by Google. I mean EVER MADE!

4. You need to look around more. Hard to see the forest through the trees when your head is buried in your ideology.

5. Google hasn't abandoned tablets. They are moving towards hybrids (which are the future.) Hence, why we are now hearing about Andromeda.

There is no Android tablet out there that can match the hardware of an iPad Pro 12.9. Period.
 
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Lloydbm41

Suspended
Oct 17, 2013
4,019
1,456
Central California
There is no Android tablet out there that can match the hardware of an iPad Pro 12.9. Period.
Like I said, I have no idea, as I have never used one. I haven't even bothered to look at the specs of one because iOS on a tablet is useless for me. To many obstacles to do simple things. I don't mind the roadblocks on a phone, but one tablet it is a PIA.

I'm sure the CPU is really fast though. The A series chips usually are.
 
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Klyster

macrumors 68020
Dec 7, 2013
2,231
2,642
I'm all about the screen, if it's not wide and omled, it's not going to be as good for watching video.
My friend has an iPad pro 12 and as lovely as it is to hold, it still looks noticeably worse than my tab 10.5.
Not to mention the massive borders... and the hassle of putting content on it, I have the option of microsd and otg via usb.
That's a win for me.
 

Tsepz

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2013
4,888
4,698
Johannesburg, South Africa
I certainly don't use my iPad Air 2 as much as I do my Galaxy Note 4, the 5.7inch display is good enough for most things and most websites are becoming Mobile Responsive, and if I want to do heavy work I do have my laptop.

I do however use my iPad, for browsing if I want a larger display at that time, if my phone is charging, as my 4G LTE hotspot and as my calender/diary. Unfortunately due to iOS's limited nature even in 2016, I don't use my iPad heavily, it just doesn't come near my Notes level of functionality.

I thought I'd get the iPad Pro, but thats more like an oversized iPad, and with the same limited functionality.
 

Tsepz

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2013
4,888
4,698
Johannesburg, South Africa
Like I said, I have no idea, as I have never used one. I haven't even bothered to look at the specs of one because iOS on a tablet is useless for me. To many obstacles to do simple things. I don't mind the roadblocks on a phone, but one tablet it is a PIA.

I'm sure the CPU is really fast though. The A series chips usually are.
You know what iPads are great for? Gaming, thats the only area I can truly justify the great internal hardware, but I have a PS4 at home so barely play on my iPad, and when traveling I tend to prefer to read and watch tutorials.

The iPad Pro is a mobile gaming beast, but thats about it, even against a 9.7inch iPad, the Pro doesn't bring much, no USB-OTG even.
 

The-Real-Deal82

macrumors P6
Jan 17, 2013
17,317
25,467
Wales, United Kingdom
Tablets are great for kids and people like me who absolutely hate phablet smartphones. I don't want to carry around a 5.5" smartphone that barely fits in my pocket and my daughters absolutely love their iPads.

They still have a huge market and the extra screen size is something no phone can compete with.
 

apolloa

Suspended
Oct 21, 2008
12,318
7,802
Time, because it rules EVERYTHING!
My opinions:

After having a 7" Nexus 7 and Ainol tablet a few years ago, I have always liked the tablet size, I went to the 8" Xperia Tablet.
I bought my mum an iPad 3 when they were out to get her online, I did buy her a MacBook but she really didn't get on with it. And I have always appreciated its lovely big screen, I upgraded her to the 9.7" iPad Pro this year it's the hope it'll last a while. I was so impressed with it I bought one myself! My computer needs replacing but with my iPad Pro I'm not too fussed when now, not least as it won't be cheap to buy a new one.

You get a nice media experience and typing experience with a tablet. I don't take it out with me but if I go to stay somewhere I would.

As for my phones as everyone here knows I had a Nexus 5 after several years of iPhones, still got it actually and it still works, I changed this to a Note 5 but at the time I really didn't like its size in my pocket when sat at work. So I settled on an iPhone 6S. Which for me was a great phone but the screen isn't as useful as its smaller then the Nexus 5, but the phone size was nice.
Now I have an iPhones he 7 and I hate it, really don't like it and wish I hadn't sold my 6S as that was a better phone. So I have a Note 5 on order again, it's a bargain on import.

Having a bigger screen phone is nice, you get a good media experi nice and it's easier to type on. But its not a tablet.

However... my brother in law is someone who got an iPhone 6 Plus when launched and he does use it as his tablet and phone device. He has an iPad 2 but the screen is cracked by his kids, so to save things breaking he got the bigger iPhone and has no tablet, he has an iMac though for his photos, he has thousands.

So for me when lounging around at home and when staying with relatives nothing can beat an iPad. When out and about nothing beats a smart phone.

Tablets are not crap and useless, they are incredibly useful and this year the 9.7" iPad Pro is the best tablet released :D so far..
 

spriter

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2004
1,460
586
My 12.9 Pro is the most used tablet I've ever owned and I used to use the first Retina 9.7 and Air 2 a lot.

My family also get a ton of use from it. Kids learning to write with the Pencil, edu apps, watching movies, writing, note taking, and a whole lot more.

Must just be us
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
Put me in with everyone else that uses their tablet everyday. I have only had one for just les thn two years as i never went out and got one for a long time. My Wife got me this one since i bought her a couple of them and she cant go thru a day without it lol.

I still use my laptop as well, though much less now but it is useful for some things that i dont like to do on the tablet. My Tablet is only the 8" screen(Galaxy Tab S) and thats big enough for me. The 9.7" to me was too big.
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,422
A shame then that the iPad will probably never get the games that the Nvidia chop will like Borderlands 2 and a Borderlands the Pre-sequel.

Of course they will. And they'll likely play them the same way Tegra things do, which is streaming from a machine actually capable of running them.
 

apolloa

Suspended
Oct 21, 2008
12,318
7,802
Time, because it rules EVERYTHING!
Of course they will. And they'll likely play them the same way Tegra things do, which is streaming from a machine actually capable of running them.

No you completely missed my point. The iPad will never get those games as the Nvidia chip runs them natively, but no dev will make those games run on an iPad because Apple won't ask them to. Games is one area the Nvidia chip destroys the Apple chip because Nvidia have fantastic games made to run natively on their chips, no streaming requied.
 

ozaz

macrumors 68000
Feb 27, 2011
1,615
577
And there are lots of people(including me) that thought tablets are the future and will kill the Laptop and desktop but as it turns out so far it seems completely the opposite way round the laptops are killing the tablets and by that I means hybrids(just basically glorified laptops) Surface Pro 4, Acer Alpha Switch 12 and HP Spectre X2 and lots more and many more people are buying hybrids to replace there old tablets(rather then replacing with a newer tablet) and sales figures from sales reporters like IDC proves that and the tablet sales including the iPad are declining just like netbooks did and usage of iPads are going down as well, So People are using there tablets less and less and not buying them which it is terrible news for the tablet market and tablets manufacturers like Apple/Samsung/LG/Google more.

Out of interest, can someone point me to the data which shows declining tablet usage? Or is that just the OP making an assumption based on declining sales?
 
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