Category: Tools

Over the Xmas period I researched Android tablets. I wanted a  device where I could sit in the lounge and “surf the net”, answer emails, fiddle with my photos and read assorted documents etc. Furthermore, I wanted a very portable device that I could take travelling on holidays. Certainly the bias is towards consuming content and not creating it, although that is a goal as well.

Why not an iPad – it is more popular and has better “apps” – no need for research? Although I admire the creative and innovative nature of Apple products I am opposed to its closed eco system – an Apple product is always tethered to other Apple products and software. What’s more the iPad is just so limited with its ports and expansion possibilities.  Interestingly Apple’s innovative and creative approach is denied to its users.  My techie background was always going to demand a more flexible device, a more open eco system and more choice generally.

So what were my criteria:

1. To “surf the net”, read and respond to emails, and create web-site posts.
2. Basic editing and resizing of photos on my camera SD card
3. Basic editing of Microsoft Word/Excel/Powerpoint documents and reading PDF files from my “memory stick” if required
4. Not to cost an “arm and a leg”

You’ll notice that “gaming” and movie watching didn’t make the list. This list seems quite clear and straightforward to me – now!  It took all my research over many weeks to arrive at this list, it isn’t always easy. During this research I found the websites of MobileTechReview, TechRadar and The Verge very useful. Importantly, you must apply your own criteria to their reviews to end up with a device best suited to your needs. I also used the power and flexibility of Google Alerts to let me know what was happening in the Tablet world.

So what did this mean?

• A 10.1″ screen – big enough to comfortably read/edit documents and allow my pudgy fingers to operate the device
• A USB port and an SD card slot – I didn’t want to be carrying extra cables and connectors
• The ability to use an external keyboard as required

Any strict application of this criteria culls the field considerably. It rules out devices from Apple, Samsung and Acer etc. Basically, it left the Asus Transformer TF101 and the Toshiba Tablet AT100. I thought the products from Lenovo were too expensive.

So was it to be the Toshiba or the Asus?  To use the Asus to the full potential I would need the keyboard attached.  Of course the keyboard  is the Asus’s greatest asset: doubling the battery life and adding the full USB and SD card slot.

In the end the answer was quite obvious to me: I wanted to use the full potential of the tablet in the most unencumbered manner.  This meant the Toshiba.I do admit that I would’ve loved the screen on the Asus but something had to give!

Addictively, there are many accessories to support the Toshiba: an external keyboard, a combined case/stand, port dock, screen protector etc, and I’m doing my best not to buy all of them. I suspect I’ll fail.

At the moment I haven’t had the opportunity to use the Toshiba to what i think is its full capacity but I have allocated an hour a day to do so and hopefully I can write about that in the future.