Miss me? (Just nod along, since I know you did.)
So ever since my 3-year-old netbook decided it was going to start picking and choosing when it would take a charge about 3 months ago, I’ve been toying with the idea of upgrading my technological life. Currently, I own and use the following:
- Asus EEE PC, bought summer 2009, finicky adapter port
- Motorola something-or-other. It’s a flip phone. And an old one, at that. No camera, no frills. Been passed around my family for about a decade whenever someone breaks or loses a phone.
- iPod Touch, first generation, bought for $15 this summer
- Kindle 2 e-reader, received Christmas 2009, has free 3G (even from a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic!)
- Canon 12.1MP Powershot SD1300 digital camera, bought several years ago.
…….. I’m not very technologically with it. Now that’s not to say I’m not at least slightly tech-savvy; I can operate the newer devices just fine and I try to keep semi-updated on the newest releases. However, I simply can’t justify the money spent on a new timewaster in my life when I already have so many, and especially when I’m trying to get myself out of debt to go traveling again! It’s not like I need constant access to Google anyway; if I ever have a question, it’s almost guaranteed that someone around me will have a smartphone and be able to look it up.
But I digress. The point is, since it’s about time for me to look at getting a new computing device, I thought maybe it’s time to upgrade just a little instead of going for another cheap netbook.
One of the most important things to me is portability, which is why I’m looking at getting a tablet. If I could afford an iPad, it might be a no-brainer, but I simply refuse to pay $500 for one, no matter how user friendly it is.
I’m only beginning in my research of Android tablets, as it seems a bit overwhelming. The number of different tablets out there, combined with the rapidly changing market, makes me wonder if I’ll ever feel as if I’ve made the right choice.
Here are a few that I’m looking at:
- Kindle Fire HD, either the 7″ ($199) or 8.9″ ($299) – I do like Kindle and the friendliness of Amazon. I don’t like being confined to Amazon, however, and I wonder if this will be too much e-reader and too little computer, so to speak.
- Google Nexus 7 ($199) – This one seems like a great choice so far. One of the hangups I have with it is that there’s no rear-facing camera, only a front one. Not so ideal for wanting to snap a picture of the statues at Sala Kaew Koo, the sculpture park outside of Nong Khai, Thailand. It also is only 7″, which seems small to me but may be all I need.
- Motorola Xoom ($449) – I haven’t done much research into this one, but a friend got it on Woot for a great deal and really enjoys it. Obviously, I wouldn’t pay the retail cost of a new one, but it might be worth looking into if deals or slightly older models are out there.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab (good lord there’s a lot) – Yet another that I haven’t researched very much; I’m not even sure what models are out there. I’ve heard it’s a good brand, and it looks like the 2 gets good reviews and runs for $199 new.
Clearly, I have no idea which to be focusing on. I’m not even completely sure which features are most important to me.
- I worry that a 7″ will be too small, because I like the 9.7″ iPads that I’ve interacted with. But then, I’m not sure why I would need the extra size, especially for a couple hundred dollars.
- I have certain apps that I’ll be looking for, but most of them seem to be available under Google Play as well as the iTunes store.
- I’d like to have the ability to do at least some video editing on the tablet while traveling, in addition to basic photo editing, writing, internet, a few games, and preferably a decent amount Netflix-watching.
- I do need USB ports, which is one of the big things that rules out the iPad.
- I will certainly be traveling internationally, so wi-fi will be the major connector, as opposed to 4G.
Ideally, Dan and I will later have both a netbook and a tablet, which we can both use and sync together easily. The new netbook search will come later, I think, since my current one hasn’t completely abandoned me yet.
Whew, I feel like I just wrote myself in a circle, saying I’m not a technophobe (honest!) but then that I have no idea where to start with these tablets besides just reading review after review.
Any advice? What do you have, and what do you use it for?