Netbook vs Tablet

matthew

matthew

Well-known member
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Hello Everyone,

In preparing for my west coast trip, I’m stuck between buying a used netbook or used tablet. I’d like to have something to contact people via www.airbnb.com or find hotels, as well as check maps, weather and skype with my friends.

I understand that a netbook will be larger, heavier and take up more room but has the advantage of a physical QWERTY keyboard, larger screen and I can install some software (Garmin GPS stuff) and transfer pictures from my SD card to the computer.

I’d like to get some opinions on this. I’d like to use a netbook but a tablet will save a lot of room.

I will be selling whatever I buy when I return from the trip, so cost isn't a big deal.
 
I'll play devils advocate...a tablet will most likely fit in the see through map pocket of most reasonably sized tank bags. I used an iPad in the pocket of my tank bag with google maps on and it was great. Attach a power cable and you're golden (this is assuming you have a GPS chip in your tablet of course). Add a bluetooth keyboard (Belkin or Kensington make good ones) and you have a mobile communications device with physical qwerty keyboard too. The tablet will likely have better battery life than your laptop too.

I take my iPad with me wherever I travel longer distances as it holds my tunes too that I play through bluetooth over my Scala.
 
Depends on what you want to achieve - an Ipad with a usb accessory for the camera will work well and small and has querty KB.

Frankly I like a lappie when travelling as it's good for reading etc and seeing a larger picture of the route ...but I've got lots of storage space.

Smartphone will do most of what you want but not the photos.
Assuming you're on the PC side not Mac?
 
I take my MBP when on a trip, use basecamp a lot and adjust routes as I go and send them to my zumo. The netbook is the only option really if you want to be able to do this. If I was not doing this, the iPad mini is perfect. Small, long battery life, you can get an SD card reader for the iPad as well so you can dump pictures, or connect your camera directly to the iPad and get your pictures that way.
 
If the both run the same OS (Android for example) then there's no real benefit to either unless you need to type a lot (keyboard good) or need it more portable (tablet would be better). If it were the debate between a laptop (more software options, better support for desktop-formatted sites, larger hard drive, etc) and tablet, then it would be different.

You can connect a lot of cameras and SD card readers to Android devices, as well, with a USB OTG (on-the-go) cable, supposedly. I've only ever tried to connect an xbox controller to mine and it didn't work.
 
I have carried a Netbook for the last 4 years on my yearly 4-5 week tours in the USA. I blog my way using TravelPod and for that I need the PC to transfer my days Photo's to the Netbook and then to the TravelPod website. As well as keeping friends and family informed (that you are safe) the Blog becomes your diary and is fun to recall years later. The Netbook also becomes a backup for my photo's.
If you are interested in the Blog, here's the link:

http://www.travelpod.com/members/muggeragem
 
I have had Netbooks for several years and travelled with them, and have had an iPad (64 gig 3G) for a couple of years. I have the USB and SD card kit for the iPad

The iPad takes *slightly* less space than the Netbook. Essentially the same width and height but the Netbook is a bit thicker than the iPad in a case.

Both have similar battery life running or on Standby. ( have left the Netbook in standby a couple of weeks and it still had battery left.)

Apple stuff can be amazingly annoying at how it controls what you can and can't do but it does work well and is generally bug free. I am used to using the on-screen keyboard but am not thilled with it. I do have a Bluetooth keyboard for it as well but find I don't use it that much. I just avoid typing on it if possible. The iPad is ready instantly. (The netbook takes about 5 or 10 seconds to be ready which really isn't long at all.)


The Netbook (Asus 1025c) Runs Win7 and since this particular one isn't expandable memory-wise it gets in to some issues now and then (it replaced an older one that I stepped on (it was expandable to 2 gigs but didn't have the battery life.) It has become my main computer at home as I plug in a full size keyboard, trackball and monitor at home. It does run all the stuff you can expect from Windows and most importantly runs Mapsource. So it is better to setup complicated routes, etc. I have a ZUMO 660 so it isn't that hard to build routes on the GPS but it is easier on the computer. It hooks up to wifi just fine but the iPad is slicker. What I tend to do is build routes ahead of time on the Netbook or at work and transfer them, and if needed modify the routes in transit on the Zumo when plans change (and they ALWAYS do!) Having 160 gig is nice, but really I have plenty of storage on the 64 gig iPad.

I find that most of the time I take the iPad and it is rare that I take the Netbook. I think the fact that it has 3G means I can be online even if I don't have wifi (I know I can get a stick for the Netbook but then I need another account.[On the other hand can I take the sim card from the iPad and use in a turbo stick?]) I have some stand-alone map programs in the iPad as backup in case the GPS stops working and I don't have internet.


For me the iPad is winning. But if I never had an iPad I am sure I could happily live with the Netbook for travel.

..Tom
 
Take a look at the google chrome books. They have 2 models both under 500 bucks. I own one and love it, I use it 50% more than my ipad.
 
Jampy00 said:
Take a look at the google chrome books. They have 2 models both under 500 bucks. I own one and love it, I use it 50% more than my ipad.
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I feel like a chromebook would be severely limiting in that there isn't all that much you can do without a continuous internet connection. I think it would struggle doing even some very simple things like dumping your photos onto it.
 
I take my iPad and MacBook Pro when travelling, but it's really overkill. If it was only one, it would have to be the Macbook. Figuring out routes on Google Maps, setting up routes in MapSource to upload to the gps, downloading pictures, etc. you really do need a proper laptop.

My ideal setup would be an 11" Macbook Air, maybe even a 13". The 11" is about the same size as an iPad and can do so much more. You can pick up a couple year old one for ~$500 which will be infinitely better than a netbook. Or if you can splurge this is a great setup, http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-computers-Macbook-Air-W0QQAdIdZ502751419

Netbooks, IMO, are absolutely terrible for everything. There's a reason why the segment is pretty much extinct.
 
regder said:
Netbooks, IMO, are absolutely terrible for everything. There's a reason why the segment is pretty much extinct.
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Exactly. Having owned or demo-ed close to a 1/2 dozen netbooks (I work for a manufacturer) they are all fairly useless for anything you would expect to use a laptop for. For anything they are somewhat OK for, a tablet does better.

While there is huge debate about whether to go iOS, Android, Windows 8 or rapidly sinking Blackberry, having owned 3 of the 4 (never tired the Playbook) I'm using a WIN8 tablet now (both partially because of my employment allegiance and actually because it does meet all my requirements while integrating well with all my corporate apps/presentations/files/tools).

I'd make sure tablet has a GPS Chip and Bluetooth for sure though to integrate with your headset and provide adequate navigation.
 
raydowe said:
I feel like a chromebook would be severely limiting in that there isn't all that much you can do without a continuous internet connection. I think it would struggle doing even some very simple things like dumping your photos onto it.
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I've got the Samsung Chromebook

http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/samsung-chromebook.html#ss-cb

which I quite like. It's got 16GB SSD so very robust. Has a Chrome OS with Chrome office compatible software so very cheap, around $270 at Futureshop. Also it's instant on!!

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/category/chromebooks/33655.aspx

It surely is underpowered and freezes when, for example, playing large movie files. Handles pictures OK for me but I do suggest you bring a jump drive and test it out at the store before buying.
 
The Airs are great for weight but a couple pounds is not a big deal and the cheap ones not much space for photos or movies
These are great for travel if weight is not an issue.

ku-xlarge.jpg

rugged as hell and very upgradeable as far as drives and ram goes...bright LED screen so you can take movies along ( or edit them ) music etc and every MacDonalds or coffee spot lets you report in here :D

No SD slot but that's a $15 dongle. We go through several hundred a year.
They were built for schools so very rugged and very long battery life. Will run Mac or PC. Ideally in a neoprene case to keep the vibrations down a bit.
An air I'd want to see carried in a back pack

I'd rent these if anyone wanted as we always have a dozen around.
 
^
When in university I tossed one of these off my bike down Erin Mills Parkway in Mississauga at about 100km/h and it still worked and gave me another year of use... ...ah the memories.
 
I can believe it....same material as most helmets....apple really built that model - too bad they dropped it last year.
I'm so desperate I'm flying a few in until my major supplier renews in Sept.
We set them up with an SSD and watch clients eyes pop when they fire them up. :D
 
I won't be keeping whatever I end up purchasing, so even if netbooks are useless, thats fine with me.

After reading all the opinions here, I think a netbook would still be best. I dont like having to buy accessories to transfer from a SD card. If i want to look at google maps and manipulate routes and all that, I think a mouse and a larger screen than what a tablet offers would fall into the netbook realm

I also like the netbook for having a physical keyboard. I'm no good with touch screen keyboards.
 
matthew said:
I won't be keeping whatever I end up purchasing, so even if netbooks are useless, thats fine with me.

After reading all the opinions here, I think a netbook would still be best. I dont like having to buy accessories to transfer from a SD card. If i want to look at google maps and manipulate routes and all that, I think a mouse and a larger screen than what a tablet offers would fall into the netbook realm

I also like the netbook for having a physical keyboard. I'm no good with touch screen keyboards.
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If you're not going to keep it, that's even more reason to buy a used MacBook as MacDoc suggested. You can use it for the time needed, then resell it on Kijiji for probably the same money as you paid for it.

Netbooks just plain suck, please try one out before you commit yourself to buying one. The keyboards are bad, trackpads are terrible, screens are poor quality, battery life is bad (you can buy extended cells, but what's the point then), they're not even that small. Most, if not all, are over an inch thick.

Those old white Macbooks that MacDoc mentioned are a good idea, I just sold a mint '2011 one for $400 back in the winter.
 
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regder said:
I take my iPad and MacBook Pro when travelling, but it's really overkill. If it was only one, it would have to be the Macbook. Figuring out routes on Google Maps, setting up routes in MapSource to upload to the gps, downloading pictures, etc. you really do need a proper laptop.

My ideal setup would be an 11" Macbook Air, maybe even a 13". The 11" is about the same size as an iPad and can do so much more. You can pick up a couple year old one for ~$500 which will be infinitely better than a netbook. Or if you can splurge this is a great setup, http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-computers-Macbook-Air-W0QQAdIdZ502751419

Netbooks, IMO, are absolutely terrible for everything. There's a reason why the segment is pretty much extinct.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I would say.
 
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