[GTALUG] I not have a smaller phone, and therefor want it's big brother in a pad

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: David Collier-Brown via talk <talk at gtalug.org>

| Now I need something about the size of my Kobo,
| https://ca.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-aura (6.5 x 4.5") for programs like
| Open Street Map and Waites' Guide to North American Birds.  Any
| recommendations for good, relatively inexpensive pads that run Android 7 or 8?

The smaller a tablet is, the easier to carry and the worse to use.

If you were are always going to carry a tablet and a phone, it is clearly 
a mistake to separate the functions from a phone -- go for a phablet.

It seems as if Android tablets were mostly a fad.  Don't ask me why --
I can never make sense of the market.

The fact that you went for a small phone suggests you are only going
to carry the tablet sometimes.  If it isn't that often, and you really
intend to use it when you do carry it, go for a big tablet.  The Kobo
Aura isn't big and it is lighter than any tablet.

Are you going to need internet connectivity away from WiFi?

- do you intend to tether with the phone?

- do you need a data plan for the tablet (not throw-away money)?

There are a few sizes of tablets that I know of: 7", 8", 10", 12".

If you are carrying it, 7" is nice and light.  The Nexus 7 (second 
version) was very nice: 1920x1200 pixels.  But it is too old.  The Kobo 
Arch 7 HD had similar characteristics but it is even less well supported 
now.  I bought a refurb one for $40 a few years ago.

If you need more visual space, 10" is nice.  The Nexus 10 was great:
2560x1600 pixels.  But it is too old.  There Kobo Arc 10 HD tablet had
similar characteristics but it is even less well supported.  You can
find it for ~$100 refurbished.

If you like using a stylus, Samsung models with "Note" in their name
have an "S-Pen" that should be quite good.  Most people don't need
that.

Definitely try to get one with the latest Android.  These things age
quickly.  Maybe the Android One program will help future tablets but
there is no evidence yet.  Other than firmware, I'm not aware of
important advances in Android tablets.

If your eyes can benefit from them, get as many pixels as you can.

If you aren't picky, you can get Amazon tablets quite inexpensively.
With a tiny bit of hacking you can get the Android Play Store
installed on them.  That may not work in the future.  The Fire 7 was
$49.99 last month.  I don't think that I'd want one.