Reply to: Tablet or lightweight laptop?

[suityou01]

Depends whether you're going to use it mainly as a consumption or as an interaction device. Tablets are great for lying in bed having a surf, or sitting on the train reading a book. But anything you need to type for, they've got their limitations (although some hybrid devices like the Asus Transformer are closing the gap, since as you said they have an optional detachable keyboard, as does the iPad). The minute you mention spreadsheets and documents, though, I'd be thinking micro laptop if I were you. Tablet devices simply don't handle that level of interaction at all well yet (and may never do).

Whatever option you choose, I hope you enjoy your new toy.

A well thought out post, and succinctly put. Are you, me?

[Gentile]

Going to be travelling rather a lot and wondered what others use.

Looking for something for surfing and general admin (odd spreadsheet,docs, plans), so not something heavy duty.

Current laptop is a tad on the heavy side, great for working from home but not lugging about the place. Not sure whether to go with a tablet (android preferably) and bluetooth keyboard or laptop. Been looking at the Nexus 7, not sure about laptops, possible Acer or Asus.

Recommendations for anything mac related will be studiously ignored.

Depends whether you're going to use it mainly as a consumption or as an interaction device. Tablets are great for lying in bed having a surf, or sitting on the train reading a book. But anything you need to type for, they've got their limitations (although some hybrid devices like the Asus Transformer are closing the gap, since as you said they have an optional detachable keyboard, as does the iPad). The minute you mention spreadsheets and documents, though, I'd be thinking micro laptop if I were you. Tablet devices simply don't handle that level of interaction at all well yet (and may never do).

Whatever option you choose, I hope you enjoy your new toy.

[suityou01]

Going to be travelling rather a lot and wondered what others use.

Looking for something for surfing and general admin (odd spreadsheet,docs, plans), so not something heavy duty.

Current laptop is a tad on the heavy side, great for working from home but not lugging about the place. Not sure whether to go with a tablet (android preferably) and bluetooth keyboard or laptop. Been looking at the Nexus 7, not sure about laptops, possible Acer or Asus.

Recommendations for anything mac related will be studiously ignored.

I was staunchly anti-mac until I got my iPad. Great for surfing and you can get a Kensington case with built in wifi keyboard. I'm posting on the little devil as we speak.

That said the spreadsheet apps are wank, the word processing app isn't too bad. Using google docs is a chore.

Not the answer you wanted, sorry, but for a surfing machine I can check emails on, take meeting minutes and play angry birds on it's brill

Perhaps I am not using it properly though, and there's a ton more stuff I could be doing on it. Most sites have apps (Sky, IGIndex etc) so there's always some new gadget and something to learn so it satisfies my inner geek.

Best of luck with the lappy hunting, hope you get what you want.

[mrdonuts]

windows surface tab will be out shortly

[wurzel]

I bought the Toshiba Protege Z830. Its a basic ultrabook but I wanted a light laptop for travel and to just run Visual studio whenever I wanted.

For Photoshop you might want to look for one with a bigger RAM and SSD, there are ultrabooks with 256 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM costing about a grand.

Yeah, looks alright. Don't really need anything too high end on the spec front as I'm only using PS for simple web graphics. It's just that the requirement for PS precludes me from buying a tablet.

[fullyautomatix]

What did you buy? In the market for something myself at the moment with the same requirements as the OP. I need to use Photoshop so that rules out a tablet - was thinking of an ultrabook of some description.

I bought the Toshiba Protege Z830. Its a basic ultrabook but I wanted a light laptop for travel and to just run Visual studio whenever I wanted.

For Photoshop you might want to look for one with a bigger RAM and SSD, there are ultrabooks with 256 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM costing about a grand.

[sasguru]

But completely over kill for what the lady said she would be using it for!

See my previous post

[wurzel]

I bought an ultrabook recently. Bloody hell its light as feather with 6 GB RAM and an SSD in it.

I think tablets are great but I prefer a keyboard than the touch screen for anything other than browsing the web.

What did you buy? In the market for something myself at the moment with the same requirements as the OP. I need to use Photoshop so that rules out a tablet - was thinking of an ultrabook of some description.

[SimonMac]

Forget the toys - get a small powerful laptop. In the end you want to do everything in a small package.
I have the Thinkpad x1 (i7, 8Gig RAM) which cost 1200 a few months ago. Can't fault it - rock solid milspec construction if you're travelling a lot, probably the best keyboard on a laptop.
Small and light - battery life is good.
I use my 27 inch iMac as a screen for it at home.

But completely over kill for what the lady said she would be using it for!

[sasguru]

Actually, if cost is no issue, WSGS - the new ThinkPad X-series are astonishingly good quality.

Indeed. I know the OP has stated she doesn't want something too heavy duty, but my thinking is why not have a general workhorse that does everything. The X1 is a desktop replacement at home (with screen) and a tough, small and light laptop for travelling

[Durbs]

I'd wait to see what the full-fat Windows Surface tablets are like. From what I've seen so far, they look good.

[realityhack]

Actually, if cost is no issue, WSGS - the new ThinkPad X-series are astonishingly good quality.

[sasguru]

Forget the toys - get a small powerful laptop. In the end you want to do everything in a small package.
I have the Thinkpad x1 (i7, 8Gig RAM) which cost 1200 a few months ago. Can't fault it - rock solid milspec construction if you're travelling a lot, probably the best keyboard on a laptop.
Small and light - battery life is good.
I use my 27 inch iMac as a screen for it at home.

[fullyautomatix]

I bought an ultrabook recently. Bloody hell its light as feather with 6 GB RAM and an SSD in it.

I think tablets are great but I prefer a keyboard than the touch screen for anything other than browsing the web.

[realityhack]

These are nice.

Best of both worlds.