Blackberry playbook tablet

[DREDIOCK]

well, to be honest, i had started a thread asking advice on them here before. the fire was recommenede, and i liked it a lot. that's why i got one for mom.
 the problem with them though, is as you've mentioned. i want more than that. what the kindle is is perfect for her. i need/want expandibility, and other abilities that the fire doesn't have. that's why i'll probably be getting one of the toshibas or samsungs for me.

You and I are still in the same boat I see. I like those toshibas and samsungs too. I just cant justify the $1500-$2000 for one.

I thing really what we are both looking for is a full blown laptop that you can convert into a tablet. Which both of those are.
Its the price thats the killer on teh deal

[eagl]

I thing really what we are both looking for is a full blown laptop that you can convert into a tablet. Which both of those are.
Its the price thats the killer on teh deal

I think Lenovo is working on something like that.  There are number of tablets that convert to laptops but I think almost all of them are still atom and/or android based.  I am pretty sure I saw some CES coverage of more powerful convertable tablets though.  The kicker is that they might be waiting for windows 8 since win7 just doesn't have the interface for a convertable tablet.

Win8 looks terrible to me (the interface looks like a child's educational toy I used back in elementary school) but I'm sure it'll either be usable or everyone will keep using win7 until microsoft re-learns that if people wanted their desktops to look/work just like their laptops/tablets, then why the hell would they even own a desktop in the first place?

[DREDIOCK]

Yea. folks I talk to all suggest waiting for win 8

The solution is simple
When in laptop mode I want it to look and work like my desktop. when in tablet mode I want it to act like a tablet.

What I want to be able to do is in tablet mode be able to carry it around like i would a pad and write my notes for my quotes that way.
then be able to flip it around into a laptop and take those notes and move them over to my quotes/proposals.

Ideally I'd still like to find a programmer who is willing to work with me to develop estimating software that works the way/s I want it to instead of whats out there making software that force the contractors to do the work their way.
And I'd like it so ti can be made compatible with excel. But not excel based.

Nobody should have to cough up extra money to Microsoft just so they can run their estimating software.

Kind of a breaking bad situation. the programmer knows the chemistry. But I know the business and the various ways we like to do things.

[DREDIOCK]

until microsoft re-learns that if people wanted their desktops to look/work just like their laptops/tablets, then why the hell would they even own a desktop in the first place?

Just to add. I think alot of people want their laptops to look like their desktops. Mostly because of familiarity. Its an already known interface.
People own desktops because of the power. You can do things on your desktop you simply cant on a laptop. And conveinience.

Why would you buy a mobile camper when you have a perfectly good home?

Camper you can take anywhere. but you can do so much more in a home

[eagl]

Agreed.  I do like my laptop to be somewhat simpler than my desktop because I'm a big multi-monitor fan for desktops so my desktop is somewhat more complicated and I like to keep the laptop simpler and streamlined to keep it more responsive, but I also expect to be able to do the same work on my laptop as I do on the desktop without having to learn a new interface.

Tablets and ultra portables are a different story...  For those things, responsiveness and screen space utilization are key.

[CptTrips]

Agreed.  I do like my laptop to be somewhat simpler than my desktop because I'm a big multi-monitor fan for desktops so my desktop is somewhat more complicated and I like to keep the laptop simpler and streamlined to keep it more responsive, but I also expect to be able to do the same work on my laptop as I do on the desktop without having to learn a new interface.

Tablets and ultra portables are a different story...  For those things, responsiveness and screen space utilization are key.

As I understand it, Win8 can run either Metro apps or "Classic" mode apps (which will look just like Win7) on laptops or desktops.
Mobile devices like phones and tablets (and consoles like the X-Box) will only be able to run Metro apps.
 
I thought the Metro stuff looked stupid at first too, but after see a lot more previews of it I think it might be interesting.  I at least appreciate the fact that MS put a big effort into actually coming up with their own interpretation of how a mobile interface should look like  and didn't  just blindly parrot what Apple had already done.  For that effort alone, I will give it a chance.

Regards,
Wab

[MK-84]

Hate to say it but I hate my Kindle Fire.

If all you want is books, movies, and some apps to kill time with then its great and fairly cheap. Otherwise it lacks...

The app market is fairly limited on it. There are no aviation apps for it and that was the main reason I wanted a tablet but this is what daddy bought so Im stuck with it. 

You can fix this by rooting it

[MK-84]

MK84 do any of the tablets you sell support Java apps?

Sorry for the late reply,  Any tablet running android that is not "locked" so to speak can do java.  By locked, I mean many tablets are designed with a specific function in mind (like the kindle fire) and you cannot access everything andriod (3.0 honeycomb in this case) has to offer.  You can however root any tablet which gives you full android access.  This is not hard either, but may void your warranty.

[MK-84]

Just to add. I think alot of people want their laptops to look like their desktops. Mostly because of familiarity. Its an already known interface.
People own desktops because of the power. You can do things on your desktop you simply cant on a laptop. And conveinience.

Why would you buy a mobile camper when you have a perfectly good home?

Camper you can take anywhere. but you can do so much more in a home

IMHO if Windows7 for cellphones had the product, and app support that android enjoys it would be a superior product.  Especially because of the live tiles, the simplicity and inability to "over clutter your homescreen" and for performance, and fit and finish.

[MK-84]

Can you print directly from it?
I need something that will run windows type software that I can print directly from either wirelessly or via USB that I dont need to have a 3rd internet connection contract for

You can through google cloud, which is free.  But printing is still sorta in its infancy with tablets.  There are paid-for programs as well, but you are not going to get a simple "print" function that we enjoy with a PC yet...

So in short, if you have a specific function you want to do, and you do not mind using a different program to do it, yes.  If you are looking for a universal "print" button not so much.

[CptTrips]

You can through google cloud, which is free.  But printing is still sorta in its infancy with tablets.  There are paid-for programs as well, but you are not going to get a simple "print" function that we enjoy with a PC yet...

So in short, if you have a specific function you want to do, and you do not mind using a different program to do it, yes.  If you are looking for a universal "print" button not so much.

I "air print" from my iPad.  Works beautifully.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/airprint.html

[DREDIOCK]

You can through google cloud, which is free.  But printing is still sorta in its infancy with tablets.  There are paid-for programs as well, but you are not going to get a simple "print" function that we enjoy with a PC yet...

So in short, if you have a specific function you want to do, and you do not mind using a different program to do it, yes.  If you are looking for a universal "print" button not so much.

Yea. thats exactly one of the things thats prevented me from just getting a tablet (at 1/3 the price).

Also cloud means having to put my customers info up on the internet. Which I am not willing to do. Having recently been the victim of identity theft myself (long story but I found out through the IRS) I am simply not willing to do it.
Not they may very well have done so themselves. But nobody is going to be getting any customers info through me. Either directly or indirectly.

[DREDIOCK]

This looks interesting.
emailed em to ask about printing capabilities. but based on its specs and Os I see no reason why not.

http://shop.skytex.com/skytex-skytab-s-series-9-7-windows-7-tablet-pc


newegg has one with win7 home premium for $500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834654001

[CAP1]

You and I are still in the same boat I see. I like those toshibas and samsungs too. I just cant justify the $1500-$2000 for one.

I thing really what we are both looking for is a full blown laptop that you can convert into a tablet. Which both of those are.
Its the price thats the killer on teh deal

 i may pull the trigger on the toshiba tonight. it's got usb and mini usb ports, so getting info from the tab to my computer will be easy. it has a lot of options for other usage that the other tabs don't seem to have, and it's under $400 now.

 the problem i've been having, is finding the dam thing. went to pc richards the other night. was messing with the demo, liked what i saw, so i told the sales guy i wanted one. so what does he tell me? after a friggin HALF HOUR?  I'M sorry sir, but we don't have any more in stock. i can give you this one(the demo), and talk to my manager to see if he'll throw the extended warranty in for free.
 i wanted to tell him i'd do it for half price on the tab, and the free warranty, but i felt like he'd lied to me, in not letting me know that they were out of stock before i told him i was interested in it. it pissed me off pretty bad.

 next night, i went to walmart(yea, i know, don't start) to see if they had them. they didn't. only the samsung, and some kindles. went out to my truck, and googled it on my phone. found a local radioshack that had them listed as in stock. i go there, and nothing. the kid spent the whole time trying to convince me to buy a kindle, which i like....but they don't do all that i want. and i told him that. he kept trying. i had to walk out while he was still trying.
 there's a best buy in mt laurel that lists them as in stock. gonna call there just before i leave the shop tonight. if they have them, i'm gonna go grab one.

[DREDIOCK]

Is the toshiba windows or android based?