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bill12 · Guru

tablet type computers

copper1 · Guru

Hi Bill12, my kids encouraged me to buy an iPad which I did and I am very impressed, so much so that I got one for the wife. These little things are unbelievable, we have books downloaded on them for our travels and the wifi Internet is very quick. Now I'm no expert regarding the power usage but once charged we get about 9 - 10 hours I also brought an in car charger so you can plug it in and charge it on the go. The downside is I can not load photos from my camera but it does have its own inbuilt Camera, so still working it all out. Hope this info is helpful. Gaz :

Rip and Rosie · Guru

We too have ipads and love them.

Unbelievably useful for things like wikicamps, maps, CP info, tourist info, etc. I read my newspapers on it, use it for ebooks, ABC News, do my genealogy, etc.

Recently got the camera kit but haven't tried it yet, so you can load photos (or at least when I work it out I can load photos!).

We run 2 ipads from a Telstra mobile wifi, which saved us getting sim cards and accounts for each, - and as it takes up to 5 devices we also run the laptop from it as well (if we take that along).

It is heaps easier to travel with ipads rather than laptops- smaller, easier to balance (without hogging table space) and to carry, easier to use - however Rip prefers the keyboard on the laptop for word processing, so I guess it depends what you are using it for.

Last trip we used the ipads and recharged from the jumpstarter very successfully with no problems, we also ran the mobile wifi device from it as well, charged the phones, camera and ran lights some evenings while camping without 240 volt and still had charge left.

The ipad battery time depends on what you are doing- forums, newspapers and some games etc draw little battery power, but watching TV takes quite a bit. We didn't try downloading movies.

Regards
Rosie

Robyn K · Veteran Member

I purchased an iPad recently as my laptop was 15" & took up too much room on the dining table.
I did purchase the camera kit but like you Rosy have not attempted to use it yet.
I also bought a cover that comes with a keyboard.
So far I am very happy with it & it has been getting a lot of work over past few days.

Robyn

Cruising Cruze · Guru

G'day Bill12

My wife got an Asus android thingy with keypad
Last for hrs and she never using her laptop since she got it
It does the works

I would recommend an android type as well
hope this will help you

vk6tnc · Guru

I have a Sony Tablet running Android. Does everything fast and batt lasts nine hours. Just finished reading a 620 page novel on it....

jules47 · The Happy Helper

See them on offer sometimes, much better price for the android ones than apple, apparently. Just need to get the brain into gear to understand how it all works.
Will get one if the laptop dies, I think.

lukey · Newbie

Rip and Rosie wrote:

We run 2 ipads from a Telstra mobile wifi, which saved us getting sim cards and accounts for each, - and as it takes up to 5 devices we also run the laptop from it as well (if we take that along).
Regards
Rosie

Hullo Rosie,I have just purchased a tablet and I was wondering what a Telstra mobile wifi is or looks like,is it a monthly charge thing like a mobile or what?cheers Nev

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Hi lukey,
The telstra mobile wifi we use replaces the thing that looked like a USB stick. Its about palm size. You can run up to 5 devices from it, and we have a prepaid plan- which we only use when travelling, as we have a wifi set up at home already.
Its paid for same as a mobile phone etc.
Rosie

milo · Guru

for those with ipads and want to transfer pics/vids from there cameras its fairly easy
buy a camera connection kit, ie from harvey normans, dick smith or apple.com.au etc
then you can insert a normal sized sd card from your camera to to the camera kit
and plug that into your ipad , then it can upload to iphoto or camera roll ..

and you can also use the usb conecter too that comes with the camera connection kit

and plug your camera or iphone etc straight into the ipad, just do a search on youtube

should be some videos there.. hope that helps

milo

-- Edited by milo on Saturday 10th of November 2012 08:38:07 PM

allinone · Senior Member

Tablets like android or iPads can last up to 10 hours or moe usage on a full charge, depending on your gaming or ebook reading. Or 600 hours on standby. Bet you would like to see your laptop get that usage. They take up little room and emit relatively little heat as compared to a notebook. They come out of standby in a second or less.

Charging up from 12v is really easy if using a 12v plug when driving (ie cig lighter type plug). Sometimes need to buy one as they do not always come with these.

Battery draw is minimal my iPad drags 0.5amps according to the solar regulator when charging. This is like having two or three led lights on. So battery drain is ~5amps if left on overnight.

hope this helps and btw I have a Telstra prepaid yearly sim and will really struggle to use the allotted usage over a year period. But if you get a model that allows the tablet to become a wifi hotspot you could share the data among yr other devices.

countryroad · Senior Member

Hello, I've been quietly lurking trying to absorb some of the interesting discussions re all sorts of things....

Rosie said a magical word.....genealogy......I'm on ancestry, if I used some type of a tablet with a keyboard...touch keyboard, I have iphone3, is ok for texting only imho, I could spend time on ancestry I had thought screen too small and was intending

to buy my 1st lap top before I try this exciting sounding extended holiday. I'm retiring from my main workplace at end of school year.

Do most have a tablet/ipad or laptop ?

Robyn

countryroad · Senior Member

Hi Rip and Rosie

Thank you for replying

No I can understand about the power difference btwn the pc which is all I have atm.

If I went with ipad would be a 64gb card, not 8 or 16?

I didn't know abt scanning, an app for scanning what'll they think of next ?

I photocopy at the library...so I could visit libraries wherever and scan patterns from quilting mags, how to from a photography mag, but can I add my photo's from my cameras...how does the camera kit go...if it's apple one would assume they've ticked all the boxes

You obviously have some type of internet for this, not coffee and email and update ancestry in macca's or other free hot spot. You must have skype I'd like to see my family also, reassuring for everyone.

I have to say I had no idea you could do so much, maybe I should visit the apple shop at Penrith.

It seems the apple as opposed to a tablet is of more use ? can anyone add to this please.

Cheers...Robyn

-- Edited by countryroad on Sunday 18th of November 2012 12:09:17 PM

countryroad · Senior Member

Hi bill12

You were shopping for a 10 inch 7" quite a bit smaller.

I hope you let everyone know how your new purchase works out, does it do what you were expecting.

Are you travelling with any other gadgets, I shall be fascinated to read how your new toy goes.

Cheers Robyn

-- Edited by countryroad on Sunday 18th of November 2012 12:07:10 PM

bill12 · Guru

I have a 7 inch gps, so have a car bracket for that, and find that easy to read, so I hope the new one will be easy , also. The specs are impresive, thats for sure. I will post when I get it going. Bill

-- Edited by bill12 on Sunday 18th of November 2012 12:50:56 PM

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Hi Robyn

We use both Ipad and laptops when travelling, and both work well with ancestry and other geni sites. The Ipad screen is quite Ok by my preference, but smaller iphone and Ipod screens are way too small (for my liking).

I use the touch screen keypad, and like it.... nice and big and can get my fingers working on it, unlike the keypad on my phone which is way too small for old fingers (imho).

I find the Ipad best for travelling- size wise as well as easy to carry to show data to relatives etc, has camera for cemetery visits, and the scanner app lets me scan stuff in libraries etc.....love it!...... save photocopying! Photos come up beautifully, and are great to show around. Even elderly folk can enjoy seeing the old family photos on the big clear screen, and its easy for them to manage when we visit etc, and the kids can see the "oldtimers" photos and learn about their family history as well.

However, at home, I work on the p.c.

I can have multiple windows open, using ancestry, TROVE, multiple stat BDM indexes, and google are my standard ones, plus I flick in and out of Find My Past and Scotlands People, depending on "who" I'm working on. Additionally, I can flick in and out of my photo and media files.

The power of the p.c. doesn't compare with the ipad for all of this.

My preference of the ipad when travelling is that in addition to genealogy, it is a camp site guide, map, compass, satellite finder, radio, sound system, library, game console, camera, video, tourist info, weather station, internet, and lets me see the family while I talk to them.

bill12 · Guru

I bought a AINOL Novo 7 inch android type with a 16 gig hard drive, and 32g in other storeage.It comes with a leather case with plug in keyboard, and a 12v charger. I paid $140 on ebay, so I suppose I will have to grin and bear it. Am looking forward to playing with my new toy.It has a lot of installed programs such as gps, skype, Word , etc.I hope it works well. Will recieve it at the end of the week. Bill

03_troopy · Guru

What about the Micro$oft tablets? It seems for the same price you get more storage, better productivity (includes office) & better connectivity. I think the apps aren't as prolific as Ipad yet though, but it looks like the M$oft tablet is closer to a PC replacement than the Ipad. I played with one lastnight and didn't really like the interface that much. Personally I have an Asus Android tablet, but that's just because I hate being locked into a system that always requires you to add genuine OEM software and peripherals. The Android seems to have a better selection of free apps too.

bill12 · Guru

The tablet arrived, but it hasn,t got a patch lead so I can use the keyboard, or connect with the net. Aslo, the book is in chinese, which makes it a bit hard to use.Have contact the seller. Will post as it happens.

countryroad · Senior Member

to bill12

Have you managed to sort out the chinese...maybe it's mandarin...maybe lessons off Kev are required

Look forward to your update...hope it wasn't a return to sender, not suitable for aus use.

Maybe it's so good, you've given up fishing...