Need help understanding a "tablet" computer

[sixdogs]

I am looking to get a tablet computer to make my time on the treadmill go faster but I know very little about tablets. As I understand it, it's just a portable computer that can only be used Wi-Fi.

That's my plan since there is free high speed Wi-Fi where I exercise. I figure to use this tablet for that purpose only and then I don't have to link it to my home computer. It would have zero personal info in there because I would never enter it because of the fear of hacking. But, I think I once read that you MUST link the tablet to you home computer. That's not what I want to do so if I must link I'm going to forget about the tablet and think of something else.

Can anyone enlighten me a little on tablets? Thanks in advance.

 

[newbury]

I am looking to get a tablet computer to make my time on the treadmill go faster but I know very little about tablets. As I understand it, it's just a portable computer that can only be used Wi-Fi.

That's my plan since there is free high speed Wi-Fi where I exercise. I figure to use this tablet for that purpose only and then I don't have to link it to my home computer. It would have zero personal info in there because I would never enter it because of the fear of hacking. But, I think I once read that you MUST link the tablet to you home computer. That's not what I want to do so if I must link I'm going to forget about the tablet and think of something else.

Can anyone enlighten me a little on tablets? Thanks in advance.

Most tablets don't require a home computer. But if you want to things like install and test apps a home wireless network would be great.

I've a Samsung Note 8.

I only "link" my laptop PC to my tablet when I want to backup the tablet or transfer a LOT of data.

If all you want it for is viewing pictures you can pick up a 7" model for less than $100. If you want a gaming one at 10" it's going to cost more.

 

[sseelhoff]

I am looking to get a tablet computer to make my time on the treadmill go faster but I know very little about tablets. As I understand it, it's just a portable computer that can only be used Wi-Fi.

That's my plan since there is free high speed Wi-Fi where I exercise. I figure to use this tablet for that purpose only and then I don't have to link it to my home computer. It would have zero personal info in there because I would never enter it because of the fear of hacking. But, I think I once read that you MUST link the tablet to you home computer. That's not what I want to do so if I must link I'm going to forget about the tablet and think of something else.

Can anyone enlighten me a little on tablets? Thanks in advance.

Tablets are great devices, but not as robust as a computer. But much better than a cell phone for surfing and other activities. To address the questions raised by your post:

1. You can get wi-fi or wi-fi and cell enabled. Wi-fi with cell works anywhere, but you have to buy a plan from a provider. Wi-Fi only works where there is an open wi-fi network available. Those are becoming prevalent everywhere.
2. You do NOT have to link the tablet to your computer. I have a tablet and it is not linked to any computer. You do have to establish an account, depending on the brand of tablet. If you are using Apple, you have to link to iTunes and create an Apple ID. Android based require a Google account. This may be what you are thinking of. The account gives you access to services and apps. It also backs up your tablet so data is saved if your tablet crashes, and has a few other benefits.
3. How are you going to be using the tablet? If it is just for reading, have you considered a Kindle? But then again, that requires an Amazon account to download books.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I have a Samsung Galaxy 8 (8" screen). This might be a liitle small for use on exercise equipment but is ideal for me while sitting in a chair.

It uses Wi Fi to connect to a local network and the Internet. I have never had to link it to my home computer or any other computer. I use it to do email and internet and am using it right now.

There are options to establish cloud based back up on the tablet as well as my home computer and I could get them to synch certain files if I wanted to but I dont want that.

I recommend you go to a place like Best Buy and see what they have to offer. Ive found the sales techs there to be quite knowledgeable and helpful.

 

[KennyG]

Like a lot of other computer related stuff, "tablets" have kind of a fuzzy definition. They may be either Android based, which is like an oversized smart phone, or Windows 8 based, which is like a touch screen computer without the keyboard. The size goes from just over phone size to small laptop sized. Either way they can run independent of computers. In general you would expect that the Android units would be cheaper and smaller than the Windows based units but they actually overlap a good bit.

 

[s219]

Lots of good choices, iPad, Android, Surface, Kindle. You can sort of narrow down to the best one for you by looking at your needs. Whatever the choice, you will need to sign up for some sort of account and app/media platform, so that may be the real choice -- pick one you will want to stick with for movies, books, apps, etc.

 

[/pine]

A touch screen interface is probably the biggest thing that separates a tablet from other computers...

 

[KTurner]

As I understand it, it's just a portable computer that can only be used Wi-Fi.

There were two different approaches to tablet computers. first, start with a laptop, make it smaller, flat (no hinge) and give it a touch screen. The second, which has really displaced the first, is to start with a smart phone, remove the phone part and make it bigger. This is mostly what you'll see now. So, if you have a smart phone, a tablet will basically be a bigger version of your smartphone with no phone capability (or bill!)

You can use a tablet without wifi, but you're limited to things which don't require internet. Do you need internet to play a game of solitaire? nope. You just need the internet connection long enough to install a solitaire app on the tablet. The way the smartphone type tablets are built, you're locking into a certain "app market" (sort of like the windows versus Mac situation on full computers). If you buy an apple tablet, you use the apple app store. Android style tablets (of which there are many different types) use the google store. There are some others, but those are the big two. I have an amazon tablet, which is really android under the covers, but is heavily customized to be a content distribution device for amazon (the previous generation was a custom device that was basically limited to reading e-books).

Keith

 

[WM75Guy]

Tablet originally meant a small thin wi-fi enabled computer with a touchscreen. They had limited computing ability due to the OS such as as Android like my Lenovo 9" tablet. They run apps rather than programs like a smartphone but have a larger screen. When comparing brands look at the app store. Android has 3 times more apps than Apple. Since many popular apps have to be bought at a price from $2-$20 each the number of free ones becomes significant. If you just want to read look at the Kindle White Paper as it works best under a variety of light situations.

The term tablet has morphed to mean any device that can be handheld with a touchscreen. My Panasonic Toughbook computer screen can swivel and lay flat and the image rotates. It is a touchscreen, comes with a stylus and a hand strap on the back so it converts into a "tablet" according to Panasonic. It is a regular laptop computer and runs Win 7 so it cannot run apps without a converter program.

 

[brewdog]

I have the IPAD mini. It works great. I picked this one because I wanted it linked to my MAC laptop.

The new android versions are awesome with far more apps available. Good luck.