Laptop or Tablet when travelling

[LJs GU]

For our upcoming trip, have been thinking of taking the laptop, basically for internet connection (tethered to our HTC phone).  However I've been contemplating getting a tablet instead.

So questions for those in the know...
What's a tablet like for things like up dating blogs/posting photos? 
Can the photos off my camera's SD card be easily transferred to the tablet for uploading? (This is my main concern)
Is it a pain typing on a tablet rather than the laptop keyboard.
Are tablets heaps more energy efficient than laptop?

Any other pro's and con's.  Impress me with your knowledge Myswaggers...

LJ

[Teabag]

We just use our IPad now as its smaller, easier and good battery life. Works for us....

PS: not sure how it goes with blogging as I don't play that game.....:-)

[Tassie devils]

I am with teabag love my iPad 

[lilstookie]

We left with an iMac and have since bought an iPad as well (also have iPhones). We bought a case which has an inbuilt keyboard for the iPad ($70ish). We use Blogpress app for the tablet and phones and FB app for our page. The biggest thing with our iPad is no USB port so we can't connect the hardrive to it for movies. Not sure if that's changed with the new one. We have a camera to iPad connector, so no need to remove the card from the camera (cable for camera to iMac too, so no issue for us). The iPad takes about as long to charge as the laptop on 12V. The iMac also has a disc drive...may be something else to consider if you think you may want to hire DVDs or for a multitude of other reasons (disc of photos to post to someone/backup, etc).

Lil

[gqcamper]

keen to see how this goes as i'm about to make the same decision for a trip in september,keep them coming.

[jnik]

What's a tablet like for things like up dating blogs/posting photos? 

You can get an SD card reader for the iPad that will allow you to transfer photos of your camera's memory card. I think you'd find Android to be more flexible though ... but a laptop will be even more flexible IMHO.

If you do get an iPad, look at dx.com for a less expensive option for the SD card reader.

Can the photos off my camera's SD card be easily transferred to the tablet for uploading? (This is my main concern)

As above, IMHO, order of preference is laptop, android, iPad (but I'm sure others will disagree).

Is it a pain typing on a tablet rather than the laptop keyboard.

If I need to type on a tablet for any more than the odd email, I'd be looking at getting a bluetooth keyboard, or, preferably, one of those cases that includes a keyboard ... but then you may as well use a laptop!

Are tablets heaps more energy efficient than laptop?

Yes. Ultrabooks are pretty good though. But if you've already got a laptop, see if you can get a 12v charger for it off eBay and go with that.

Any other pro's and con's.  Impress me with your knowledge Myswaggers...

An ultrabook would be my first choice. Flexible, efficient, light and they're reasonably priced too.
Regular Win 7 laptop with a 12v charger would be next, for reasons of flexibility.
Then an Android 4.0 or 4.1 with a keyboard (or keyboard case) ... you'd probably want a Bluetooth-capable unit to get the keyboard working, and a GPS in the unit would be nice.
I find the iPad a bit too "Apple" for me (great if you want to do what Apple thinks you want to do, but a bit restrictive if you want to do anything else).

Disclaimer: I've been in IT for more years than I'd like to count, and I've always been in the Microsoft camp.

Mind you, those Macbook Airs and the Macbook Pros with the retina display are pretty bloody nice, and running virtualisation software on one of those to give you access to Windows apps is the best of both worlds. But don't tell anyone I know that I said that!

[Burnsy]

We take a netbook (small laptop) and a tablet, saves on arguments .  So I need a both option.

I use the netbook for route planning and internet by tethering to my phone and the android tablet is our on dash gps using ozi android (which is great) and entertainment for my wife who likes playing word games.  Our little princess also likes to play afew educational games on the tablet which is a good evening wind down for her while we are cooking or doing other things.

[99disco]

Another vote here for the iPad. With the right apps they are a brilliant bit of gear.




Shane

[DannyG]

For our upcoming trip, have been thinking of taking the laptop, basically for internet connection (tethered to our HTC phone).  However I've been contemplating getting a tablet instead.

So questions for those in the know...
What's a tablet like for things like up dating blogs/posting photos? 
Can the photos off my camera's SD card be easily transferred to the tablet for uploading? (This is my main concern)
Is it a pain typing on a tablet rather than the laptop keyboard.
Are tablets heaps more energy efficient than laptop?

Any other pro's and con's.  Impress me with your knowledge Myswaggers...

LJ

A lot of what your asking depends on the brand/quality of the tablet/Ipad.

We use a tablet and a netbook.

They both do the exact same things but each has their good and bad points, and those good and/or bad points are only my opinion based on the products we use.

In our case both the tablet and netbook are similar in processor speed, ram etc so I am comparing apples with apples as far as performance goes.
Both of them accept the cameras cards and both have usb ports so they are the same for taking pics off the cameras.
The netbook is easier to type a lot of text using the key board but the mouse pad is a pain.
The tablet is great to use as far as using the touch screen for navigation but its a pain to type a lot of text using the screen imho.

Sure I can use a plug in key board for the tablet or I could use a proper mouse with the netbook...and we do both with both at times.

Our net book has a battery on steroids......it lasts 10 hours. The tablets battery is lucky to last 3 hours. But once again this is due to the brands we are using and doesnt mean our experience is that of all netbooks or tablets.

So in our situation they both have a place in our life.

The tablet is the tool of choice for comfortable web surfing and small amounts of typing. It also has the convenient apps.
The netbook is the thing to use for any serious typing and pretty much everything else.

We use our iphones hotspots to wirelessly connect both when on the road.

And now I mention the iphones, the majority of the time we just use those when on the road. We dont get too far into the computer thing when on holidays

[Bill]

Ipad with a keyboard is Morags preference.
I usually just use my iPhone to read forums...
Bill and Morag

[Mandrake]

We use Laptop for movies TV and camera picture storage on Samsung 650Gb plugin HDDs.
My Chinese Android 4 tablet 7" has Wifi , GPS , Bluetooth & 3G phone so its coupled to my handsfree BlueAnt in the Jeep.
Everything we have has a 12V charger - My work gave me Navman MY75 so we don't get lost in retirement.
When they all run out of charge at the same time we are in deep kaka ...LOL . ( never happens coz Solar Power won't let it happen !!!)
Cheers
Steve

[cm4x4nut]

Laptop for mum and dad for the internet, photos, tv and all those bits. The kids then have a 10" android tablet each that they use for movies and games.

at home we use the same laptop as our main PC.

I think the flexability of the laptop would be the best option for me. Also android seams to be more flexible that the apple store for games etc which is why the kids have android tablets.

[Pipeliner]

I just take the iPad with me - I have a 64Gb 3G iPad 1 (no camera) which has built-in GPS.  Apple sell an adaptor which allows an SD card or a USB connection to be made to the tablet, so downloading photos is not a problem.

I used to take a laptop around with me, but the tablet is much more convenient - when not being used it fits down between the passenger seat and the centre console.  Don't do a lot of blogging, I use Tapatalk to connect to these forums and find the on-screen keyboard OK for my two fingered typing technique, but a good typist would benefit from an external keyboard.

[Symon]

Well I'll go with my standard line and say anything from Apple sucks

I have the Asus Transformer Prime, which comes with a keyboard dock so you can use it as either a tablet, or as a netbook.  The keyboard has a USB port and at SD card reader built in, as well as an additional internal battery which charges the tablet when docked.

It uses the Android OS so if you already use a HTC phone you should be right at home with it, and all your apps will install on the tablet no problem.  I've watched HD movies on it without any issues and haven't noticed any speed problems.

http://eee.asus.com/eeepad/transformer-prime/features/

Best of all, it isn't a crappy Apple product

[singo-26]

I'm with Symon, my dad has one of the Asus transformers and it seems to do almost everything a laptop does. I've got a tablet and a laptop and only use the laptop occasionally now.

[Renno]

Well I'll go with my standard line and say anything from Apple sucks

I have the Asus Transformer Prime, which comes with a keyboard dock so you can use it as either a tablet, or as a netbook.  The keyboard has a USB port and at SD card reader built in, as well as an additional internal battery which charges the tablet when docked.

It uses the Android OS so if you already use a HTC phone you should be right at home with it, and all your apps will install on the tablet no problem.  I've watched HD movies on it without any issues and haven't noticed any speed problems.

http://eee.asus.com/eeepad/transformer-prime/features/


Best of all, it isn't a crappy Apple product

X2.
I'm waiting to see what the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 cost when it is finally released here. NO chance if it will be the $999 being whispered about.
Renno 
Renno

[WilSurf]

I have been thinking about this for months.
Every time my wife is asking when the tablet will arrive.
Every time there is a new model on the market which I need to "research".
Noew she told me that she will buy one from her own earned money.

[Bird]

A proper tablet is the go...
http://www.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/global/products/latit/topics/en/us/latit_xt_landing?c=us&l=en

Then a old Toshy A9 with Solid state drive as a backup for kids movies, with the large screen.

[Malcur]

We were given an iPad by my work as a retirement present the day before we headed off to the Cape. I was already taking a netbook, so took both, together with our iPhones. I haven't sorted the photos on the iPad yet, so copy the photos from the camera to the netbook as a backup. For everything else I use the iPad. I have fallen in love with the iPad, although I do find some of its limitations frustrating. It does have a 3G card, but I am thinking of going with Telstra's wi-fi 3G dongle so I can connect iPhone, netbook and iPad all at the same time (not a great fan of tethering, the iPhone seems to not handle multitasking too well).

Mal

[cruisindub]

Whatever you buy
It will be outdated by the time you get it home.

That's why I don't upgrade, its just all too difficult.  The new model will be cheaper, faster,better, smaller, (or bigger) and have more features.   And you'll just know your being oft behind if you don't have the latest.

Its all too difficult.

[chief_wiggum]

G'day.

Just made the plunge and i went with a netbook.  Cost and things like usb etc was a factor.  I think you just have to way up what you will use it for and what features you need and see whats available.

[Marschy]

Whatever you buy
It will be outdated by the time you get it home.

That's why I don't upgrade, its just all too difficult.  The new model will be cheaper, faster,better, smaller, (or bigger) and have more features.   And you'll just know your being oft behind if you don't have the latest.

Its all too difficult.

Hear what your saying and I agree, my Apple II still works a treat.

[madmax]

I used to take a notebook for photos and as a backup for OziExplorer.  Don't bother now, just take an IPAD (64Gb 3G) with SD card reader connection for photos.  Movies on ITUNES if you want (there are many apps to convert AVI to MPEG4 around) plus music streamed via bluetooth to car head unit and currently researching and testing mapping solutions (MUDMAP & BITMAP).  Will probably settle on MEMORY MAP down the track as this seems to becoming the default for IPAD mapping..

[Burnsy]

Whatever you buy
It will be outdated by the time you get it home.

That's why I don't upgrade, its just all too difficult.  The new model will be cheaper, faster,better, smaller, (or bigger) and have more features.   And you'll just know your being oft behind if you don't have the latest.

This is true but the last part about it being better and faster is garbage.  Unless you are running memory hungry programs any new PC will do most jobs.  My netbook (HP Mini) and my Tablet (Motorola Xoom) were top of the line gear that I bought when they were superceded for less than half the original price.  They are both more than capable and spending the extra for the latest in my mind is just keeping up with the Jones which is what apple is all about (yet another reason I hate apple).

[tjrobbo]

Another iPad vote. Some very handy apps and so handy to use, even when driving (by the passenger of course )