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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: Annette7 on Thursday 19 March 15 13:25 GMT (UK)
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Wondering if other RC's can offer any advice.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 GT-I8160 Phone which is android. Using it on internet for emails, facebook and some FH sites is no problem at all. Speedy and efficient.
However, I bought an android tablet just over a year ago - Fusion5 Xtra Compact Tablet 10.1" Screen which at the time had excellent reviews. However, it is driving me mad as just SO slow with 'browser not responding, page unresponsive' etc. etc. Battery life awful and consequently, not a joy to use.
I simply want a 10" android tablet that will work as well as my android phone does online? Is this possible? I can't afford an Apple ipad which is so expensive but prepared to pay around £200 to buy another android IF I can find one that will work as well as my android phone.
Does such a thing exist? Have been reading various reviews and not feeling optimistic really about any of the many tablets around.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
Annette
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Hi
As you are happy with your phone why not look at the Samsung Galaxy tablets? I have a friend who is more than happy with hers. I think they retail for about £229.99 for a 10 inch 16MB one.
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Thanks for responding, Groom. I have been looking at those but when I read individual reviews on the various ones alot seemed to encounter the same problems I'm having now. Just don't want to spend £200+ and be no better off than I am now.
In this technological age you wouldn't think it would be so difficult.
Annette
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What download speed do you get from your WiFi - it is usually that which affects the speed at which sites load. Do you know anyone who has a tablet which they could try out connected to your WiFi, either that or try your present tablet out at their house? My nephews all have really cheap tablets, but have fast BB speeds and have no problems.
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I've been very happy with my Google Nexus tablet, I went for the 7" screen so it would fit in my handbag. I think they don't make the 7 or 10 version of it now but they brought out a new model (poss 8" screen) just before last Christmas. Mine is very quick and responsive (much better than my Samsung phone actually ;D )
I think the new one came out quite a bit over the £200 mark but still cheaper than an iPad I think.
Happy hunting.
Pat
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I acquired a cheap 7 inch Android tablet some time ago which suffered the same problems, and worse. I fear it is a case of getting what you pay for as they're made to a price, using slower processors, smaller batteries, etc. I believe the GT-I8160 cost around £200 to purchase outright, so a comparable 10 inch tablet is almost certain to be more than that.
Unfortunately that is the limit of my experience, so I hope someone can recommend something affordable and prove me wrong :)
Mike.
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I have a Samsung galaxy phone and a samsung galaxy note 10.1 tablet. I have had it around 18 months now and never had any problems with it. It also syncs with my phone. Battery life is around 7 hours from memory. I use it every day and I certainly wouldn`t be without it.
Mo
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Thank you everyone.
WiFi speed?? No idea and no idea how I'd find out (not a bit technical I'm afraid).
My tablet is slow wherever I go and would seem to be a symptom of the tablet itself I think.
At the moment considering the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 £229.00??
Annette
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My wife and two daughters have a Google Nexus 7 each. Not a problem of any sort between them and they are never off them.
Imber
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I've been very happy with my Google Nexus tablet, I went for the 7" screen so it would fit in my handbag. I think they don't make the 7 or 10 version of it now but they brought out a new model (poss 8" screen) just before last Christmas.
I too have a Nexus 7 (Ver 2) and they do still make them. I think the price is down to c£160. The new Nexus is the Nexus 9 (8.9 inch screen). Like the Apples it has a 4:3 ratio screen, rather than the more common 16:9. Most reviews recommend 4:3 for internet browsing and 16:9 for TV and film watching.
I think your Fusion5 Xtra got a good rating due to its low price. It only has 1Gb of memory while most tablets now have 3Gb. But as already been said band width is the key to internet browsing (including live TV watching). One problem now is that a lot of web page designers assume we all have fast connections so the size of a page is increasing with lots of ads - which of course load first. If you have BT broadband and live in a built up area you may find the free BT hot spots are faster than your home connection.
If you can return your Fusion to its default settings you can sell it to increase your budget. Its value will half every year.
Here is a recent review of the 'best' ten - http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/10-best-tablet-pcs-in-the-world-today-1079603
A larger exercise by Which is also available on their website.
As to retailer I have recently followed my sister's advice and buy everything you can from John Lewis. They usually give free extended warranties, and their customer services appears to be on the side of the consumer.
Ken
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Thank you everyone.
WiFi speed?? No idea and no idea how I'd find out (not a bit technical I'm afraid).
My tablet is slow wherever I go and would seem to be a symptom of the tablet itself I think.
At the moment considering the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 £229.00??
Annette
I have the samsung galaxy tab 4 8" and paid about £180. I love it!
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I bought the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 and I love it. Kept checking prices and at Easter prices on 2 sites came down to £189.95 and I went for it. Does everything I want and as fast as my phone. Well pleased.
Annette
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That's great news, Annette.
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I have a Samsung Galaxy tab s 10.5 that i bought before xmas, it is brilliant & I use it more than my laptop.
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Hi, just found this thread by doing a search, so the "Galaxy Tab4 10.1" looks favourable.........
I'm looking around for one at the moment and didn't have a clue what to go for or what was any good.
Regards
Frank.
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Don't discount the Tesco Hudl2, check out reviews, excellent VFM, less than £100. 8.3 in screen perfectly adequate. I have one and love it.
maxD
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My mother has a Hudl, she likes it but the volume of the speakers is too low for her to enjoy watching programmes and videos on it. I thought it might have been her hearing, but it is just that the maximum volume isn't very loud.
We use various sizes of Nexus devices here (Phone and tablets Nexus 7, three Nexus 10). They are good value, offer great performance, and the Android operating systems are updated quicker before other android devices. The Nexus 10 (a ten inch screen) has been replaced by the Nexus 9 (a nine inch screen), but you can still buy new Nexus 10 tablets on Amazon (they are sometimes described as "Samsung Google Nexus 10" too, they're the same model)
In practice, as long as you stick with a familiar android tablet brand, you're not going to get a bad one.
Trystan
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I have a Samsung Galaxy tab s 10.5 that i bought before xmas, it is brilliant & I use it more than my laptop.
I'll second that. Not cheap but the battery life and sound quality are excellent.
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Trystan - I use my Hudl2 with a Chromecast to my telly for films/TV etc, could your mother perhaps try that.
maxD
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I have a samsung galaxy tablet,and do not like it,very short battery life and nowhere as good as my old sony tablet,which I unfortunately put on our plate warmer,not realizing it was still on....
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MaxD,
Good suggestion, but she already has a "Smart TV", so she just uses that to watch IPlayer, or uses her computer.
The chromecast things look very neat - are they any good?
I was mainly commenting on the low sound output from the Hudl.
Trystan
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Hi, just what is possibly a dumb question, :-[
can a "Tablet" be used the same as a "Laptop" for FH research etc.
Frank.
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Hi
I use mine for FH research - I can use all the usual sites eg Ancestry, FindMyPast, FamilySearch, Freebmd etc. The only thing to remember is that they don't have CD drives and most don't have USB ports as far as I know, at least the iPad doesn't.
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Hi, thanks groom, that's good to know :)
Frank.
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Hi, just what is possibly a dumb question, :-[
can a "Tablet" be used the same as a "Laptop" for FH research etc.
Frank.
Without wishing to hijack Annette's thread as I've been thinking about tablets too - I have the same dumb question - I have no doubt that a tablet can be used in general for website access etc. My problem is that I am using a very old Family Tree Maker (2006) and as I'm quite happy with it I don't want all the problems of moving to new versions, which I suspect I will have to if I use a tablet. Are there any particular problems with using any of the family tree software programs on tablets? Like needing a lot of memory?
Sue
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Sue,
Good question! You can't use programs that are designed for a PC on a tablet.
There are "apps" ('applications') on tablets that do similar things to 'programs'. Also there are some 'online' services (like online tree things) that might do similar things.
Trystan
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Someone in my household who is much cleverer than me, transferred my trees from Family Historian on the PC to my Ipad mini. Slightly different format but everything is there.
I haven't used it for adding information so unsure if I am able to do so. :-[
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Do you know the name of app you're using to look at your family trees on your Ipad?
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Trystan
Using Chromecast gets over the sound problem as one is then using the TV sound. I am quite happy with my Chromecast, use it chiefly for IPlayer and the like and also for films or TV shows not on players purchased, either downloaded or streamed, to the Hudl2 from, in my case, GooglePlay (other film purchase sites are available!). Needs a spare HDMI connection on the TV or connect through an HDMI switch. Good purchase for about £30.
maxD
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Do you know the name of app you're using to look at your family trees on your Ipad?
Trystan, it is 'Ged View' by David Knight.
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Well, I've bit the bullet, or should I say the good lady wife has, she's treating me to the "Google Nexus 7, 32 GB" ;D ;D ;D
Frank
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Well done Frank! Hope this one works for you.
And another question - does anyone use a tablet to hold their database and update it? I've had a look around since my last post and most of the apps are for use with an online tree or for view only. I could have really used one that I could view and update when I was in Scotland recently. If you do update them, how do you transfer the updates to your PC and main tree? I know some can send emails but does that mean manually sending an email with changes in or is there an automatic feature that sends when changes are made?
....... head hurts ???
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I believe with GedView you can update. Unsure how the updates transfer to your database though - I've never used it, but vaguely remember that it is a feature.