Recommendations for Android wifi tablet?

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Walter Dnes <waltdnes-SLHPyeZ9y/tg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org>

| * real USB and SD ports (not the "micro" versions)

I'm not sure which have that.  On top of that you may want to think of
two kinds of USB ports: host and device.

The Asus Transformer has a full sized host port I think.  Never used
it.  To get a full sized SD, you need to buy the keyboard.

The Asus Transformer keyboard is interesting.  Bad and good points:

- expensive ($150; $100 if you get it bundled with the Transformer)

- some vendors sell only the bilingual keyboard which might throw you
  off

- bulky: seems to double the size of the Transformer

+ protects the screen  -- may no longer need a case/sleeve

+ adds full-size SD slot

+ more connectivity options (which I don't remember)

+ adds battery capacity

+ adds specific-to-Android keys that regular Bluetooth keyboards
  probably don't have.  And a touchpad (odd concept in a tablet).

| * decent camera

It all depends on what you mean by decent.  All are fixed focus, no
flash, as far as I know.  Not really decent.  But useful.  And some
have better specs (megapixels) than others.

| * I'm willing to get a wifi-only version.  If I need full internet, I'll
|   get a WInd Mobile data stick.  I have a candy-bar cellphone already.
|   1999 called, but they're not getting it back <G>.

A datastick might not be a good way to go -- awkward, power sucking,
expensive.  Think hard about whether you want non-WiFi connectivity.

I have used my iPad with a WiFi hotspot created by my Android
cellphone.  Useful but imperfect (may use a lot of battery power;
connectivity seemed to go away when the phone decides to sleep;
haven't used it enough to debug).

| * Motorola Xoom looks best so far, but I don't know them all
| 
|   Anything else to look for?

Funny as it sounds, I think size should be your first decision.

A 10" tablet is probably way more useful than a 7" one.
A 7" tablet is way more portable than a 10" one.

Until you have one, it is hard to know how you'd use one.  So I'll
tell you how we use these things.

We have two 10" tablets (my iPad, my wife's Asus Transformer).  They
are great around the house.  I throw the iPad in my briefcase when I'm
going out with a briefcase.  Otherwise, it stays at home.

My Android phone (which I don't (yet?) actually use as a phone) is
much less usable, but I very often carry it when outside the house
since it is so portable.

I was really tempted a few months ago by the Color Nook.  Inexpensive, 
small, reasonably powerful.  I'm not sure if it is still a good choice -- 
a lot of new things have shown up since then.

Web browsing on the iPad is a joy.  Even though the screen is smaller than 
my desktop screen, the fluidity of resizing and scrolling make up for 
that.  Flash is a problem, but I'm used to that -- none of my normal 
machines run Flash.

Typing on the iPad is not something I want to do very much of.  ssh 
works but is fairly painful.

We have a Bluetooth keyboard that works with the tablets.  We think
we'll use it with the Transformer for portable-around-the-house
data-entry but that is yet to be seen.

Summary: choosing size is an important trade-off.  You are the best
one to guess which would work best for you.

BTW, I haven't rooted our iPad, Transformer, or Android phone.  I
haven't learned of a reason why it would be worth my bother.  I have
hacked other things, so it isn't that I'm incapable.
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