# Recommend me a new(cheapish) tablet (or even Chromebook)



## cybershot (Jun 4, 2019)

My iPad Air is not going to be getting iOS 13, and some good deals are already dropping for last years iPads. If you've read any of my posts in the tech forums you'll know security patches mean a lot to me. Not because I go on dodgy sites but because it's a fundamental part of my day job. Practise what you preach and all that.

It doesn't need to be latest and greatest, but it does need to be something where price = lastability.

E.g. I'm willing to trade in my iPad Air for £100, which means I can get the 2018 iPad from Currys for £185 once the £100 trade in is in my account (not necessarily currys trade in)

APPLE 9.7" iPad (2018) - 32 GB, Space Grey

So I consider £185 for a device that will still get 5 years more support from Apple if their current trends are to be followed which is extremely good value for money.

But, I'm willing to consider an Android device for less, but appreciate the support may not last as long, but if the price is good, I don't mind it lasting 2-3 years instead.

So rather than me spending forever searching, I guess I'm asking for someone to convince me of something else. Are the Amazon Fire tablets good value for money? How long do they get updates for?

The burning question, what do I use a tablet for, well, not a lot, hence don't really want to go above the £185 ceiling price after trade in for the 2018 iPad.

I stream music to a bluetooth speaker, and I quickly grab it when I'm stuck on a game and need to figure out how to get past the bit I'm stuck on as prefer the bigger screen when trying to follow instructions, plus it sits on my lap better than a phone!

ETA: Should have mentioned I have a Spotify sub, so storage not so much an issue for music, but I did forget to mention I'm likely to whack a few movies on it when travelling, I'll normally settle for 720P when storage is limited and screen is not huge, so I guess the speakers being half decent is also actually a requirement

Seriously, that's about it!



Maybe a Chromebook instead, or would I find it too bulky sitting on my lap in front of a 55" TV sat in a camping chair! (far more comfortable than gaming chairs I'll have you know)

Although the nice trade in prices of Apple equipment remains a massive plus too, as I suspect I'd still maybe get a similar trade in price for the 2018 iPad in 5 years time, probably not for anything else!


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## Don Troooomp (Jun 4, 2019)

You're spoilt for choice when it comes to Android tabs. My preference is Samsung, but there are a wide variety of very nice units from a wide range of manufacturers.
I'd be tempted to look for something with enough memory to carry your music, and nothing too big, preferably pocket slipping in size.

If you need just a little extra, maybe the tab A with S pen


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## editor (Jun 4, 2019)

cybershot said:


> My iPad Air is not going to be getting iOS 13, and some good deals are already dropping for last years iPads. If you've read any of my posts in the tech forums you'll know security patches mean a lot to me. Not because I go on dodgy sites but because it's a fundamental part of my day job. Practise what you preach and all that.
> 
> It doesn't need to be latest and greatest, but it does need to be something where price = lastability.
> 
> ...


Loads of Chromebooks fold back into a slightly bulky tablet so you get best of both works. I find it handy when I move it into a 'tent' shape for watching movies in bed!

I gave up on tablets because I want a proper keyboard.


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## cybershot (Jun 4, 2019)

Don Troooomp said:


> You're spoilt for choice when it comes to Android tabs. My preference is Samsung, but there are a wide variety of very nice units from a wide range of manufacturers.
> I'd be tempted to look for something with enough memory to carry your music, and nothing too big, preferably pocket slipping in size.
> 
> If you need just a little extra, maybe the tab A with S pen



Should have mentioned I have a Spotify sub, so storage not so much an issue for music, but I did forget to mention I'm likely to whack a few movies on it when travelling, I'll normally settle for 720P when storage is limited and screen is not huge, so I guess the speakers being half decent is also actually a requirement, I guess most Androids and Chromebooks can be expanded storage wise via SD too.


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## cybershot (Jun 4, 2019)

editor said:


> Loads of Chromebooks fold back into a slightly bulky tablet so you get best of both works. I find it handy when I move it into a 'tent' shape for watching movies in bed!
> 
> I gave up on tablets because I want a proper keyboard.



Am tempted to take Currys up on their 90 day refund offer on a Chromebook, if I don't get on with it after that long it's nice to know I still have the refund option.

My car is in for service and MOT however next week, so have decided to be patient rather than splurge now, because I can guarantee if I do, my car will end up needing hundreds of pounds of work doing to it!


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 4, 2019)

cybershot said:


> Should have mentioned I have a Spotify sub, so storage not so much an issue for music, but I did forget to mention I'm likely to whack a few movies on it when travelling, I'll normally settle for 720P, so I guess the speakers being half decent is also actually a requirement, but I guess most Androids and Chromebooks can be expanded.



Tbh I rather like my Chromebook, but it really sounds like a tablet would be a better fit.


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## Don Troooomp (Jun 4, 2019)

My wife fancied an Android tab, nothing fancy, so I bought a lower end Samsung. It's a really nice bit of kit, a tad fatter than the posh stuff, but easily handbag sized (or my trouser pocket), light, the battery does well, and the screen is decent. It's hardly as good as the top end stuff, but it's a nice tab for general internet, music and films.
A micro SD gives it more than enough storage for what she needs.
A new version has just been released that has an S pen but is otherwise very similar, and I'm giving it a thought as a replacement for my beloved Windows 8 tab that is slowly dying.

I suspect one might do the job for you


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## MBV (Jun 4, 2019)

I would be tempted to stick with an Ipad.


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## cybershot (Jun 24, 2019)

dfm said:


> I would be tempted to stick with an Ipad.



In the end I have. Car passed MOT etc so didn't break the bank. As I'm an avid watcher of HUKD, in the end I picked up last years 2018 iPad (which are still current) 128GB storage via ebay for £349, but as eBay are running 20% voucher codes at the time, total price was £280. Then minus the £101 CeX gave me for my original iPad Air, in total, it's cost me £179. Not bad imo.


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## MBV (Jun 24, 2019)

I have only had one tablet which is still grinding on. It is a Lenovo. I would be tempted to try an Ipad next especially as Google are now out of the tablet game.


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## Badgers (Nov 7, 2019)

LENOVO IdeaPad S340 14" Intel® Celeron™ Chromebook - 64 GB eMMC, Black


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## Fez909 (Nov 7, 2019)

Never had any Apple products, so no bias but I'd stick with iPad or move to Chromebook rather than get an Android tablet.

They're much better than they used to be (they were awful) but the whole experience is so much better on an iPad.

With Apple, you'll get the iOS updates for longer than your Android tablet manufacturer will provide updates, too.

Edit: that's a lie about never owning any. I have a Mac  I meant iPhone/iPad/etc


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Apr 13, 2020)

My daughter has obviously been doing her schoolwork at home the past few weeks. Most of the work she is sent to so is on and to be completed and emailed back in word. Trouble is we don't have a spare computer for her to use. I notice that chrome books can be quite affordable, can you sensibly write and save word documents on them or is everything all on-line?


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## editor (Apr 13, 2020)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> My daughter has obviously been doing her schoolwork at home the past few weeks. Most of the work she is sent to so is on and to be completed and emailed back in word. Trouble is we don't have a spare computer for her to use. I notice that chrome books can be quite affordable, can you sensibly write and save word documents on them or is everything all on-line?


Chromebooks are perfect for school work and Word runs just fine (and you can save files locally). I prefer Google Docs myself, btw, and that lets you view, edit and save Word files. 









						Yes, you can use Microsoft Word on a Chromebook — here's how to install it
					

It's easy to use Microsoft Word on your Chromebook if you prefer it over Google Docs. Here's how to install it.




					www.businessinsider.com
				







__





						How to access Microsoft Office on a Chromebook
					

You can access your Microsoft 365 apps on a Chromebook from the web — including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote, OneDrive, and Outlook.




					support.office.com
				







__





						Open and edit Office files on your Chromebook - Chromebook Help
					

On your Chromebook, you can open, edit, download and convert many Microsoft® Office files, such as Word, PowerPoint or Excel files. Important: Before you edit Office files,



					support.google.com


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## Throbbing Angel (Apr 13, 2020)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> My daughter has obviously been doing her schoolwork at home the past few weeks. Most of the work she is sent to so is on and to be completed and emailed back in word. Trouble is we don't have a spare computer for her to use. I notice that chrome books can be quite affordable, can you sensibly write and save word documents on them or is everything all on-line?




What editor said, and....

My daughter has access to Office 365 via her school email account - so uses Word online for school stuff.  She has a Win10 laptop too but I'm not paying for Office so we both have LibreOffice installed (which isn't an option on a Chromebook) which will do most stuff but for some reason some of her school stuff won't open in LO and we can't figure out why - probably some formatting _thing. _ 

Might be worth checking if your daughter has this too.

It is also *very easy *to save a Google Doc in Word format and is probably explained in those links of ed's.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 13, 2020)

editor said:


> Chromebooks are perfect for school work and Word runs just fine (and you can save files locally). I prefer Google Docs myself, btw, and that lets you view, edit and save Word files.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Taking the thread on a complete tangent, but can use those semi legit keys on ebay for Office on Chromebook? I don't use my Chromebook loads and Google Docs is OK, but if I could have Office for a very cheap price I'd certainly give it a whirl.


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## cybershot (Apr 13, 2020)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Taking the thread on a complete tangent, but can use those semi legit keys on ebay for Office on Chromebook? I don't use my Chromebook loads and Google Docs is OK, but if I could have Office for a very cheap price I'd certainly give it a whirl.



it’s just the web app isn’t it. Not a physical installation. So no keys required.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Apr 13, 2020)

editor said:


> Chromebooks are perfect for school work and Word runs just fine (and you can save files locally). I prefer Google Docs myself, btw, and that lets you view, edit and save Word files.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ok Google docs might be the way. I was using the Mac based free equivalent to open the word docs but the formatting (though supposed to be the same) is aways slightly different.  She just has to be able to make word docs. Bit miffed that they are all just expecting everyone to have a free computer at home when most people are now working from home. . .and that it has Microsoft office.


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## editor (Apr 13, 2020)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Ok Google docs might be the way. I was using the Mac based free equivalent to open the word docs but the formatting (though supposed to be the same) is aways slightly different.  She just has to be able to make word docs. Bit miffed that they are all just expecting everyone to have a free computer at home when most people are now working from home. . .and that it has Microsoft office.


The paper I work for insist on Word Docs, but I've never had a problem with mailing them Word docs converted from Google Docs.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Apr 13, 2020)

Great! Chrome book it probably is then. A lot cheaper I think. Thanks.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 22, 2020)

Hello I'm back again. Daughter has been working remotely again after the school shut down. I assume there will be more of this sort of thing to follow. I think she has just been using Google classroom this time so I assume a chrome book will be fine. Didn't get around to buying one last time. Anyone just happen to recommend a new model?


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## editor (Dec 22, 2020)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Hello I'm back again. Daughter has been working remotely again after the school shut down. I assume there will be more of this sort of thing to follow. I think she has just been using Google classroom this time so I assume a chrome book will be fine. Didn't get around to buying one last time. Anyone just happen to recommend a new model?


What's your budget/screen size preference?


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 22, 2020)

editor said:


> What's your budget/screen size preference?


I'm probably looking at a decent size screen 13 to 15 inch, at least 4gig ram. I think I'd like to spend around £300 but might be willing to do £500 if it's amazing. I have had a quick look around the web, but I just can't tell what's good or not.


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## editor (Dec 22, 2020)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> I'm probably looking at a decent size screen 13 to 15 inch, at least 4gig ram. I think I'd like to spend around £300 but might be willing to do £500 if it's amazing. I have had a quick look around the web, but I just can't tell what's good or not.


This is a fantastic Chromebook






						Laptops - Cheap Laptop Deals | Currys
					

Take advantage of amazing deals on our Laptops range here at Currys. Shop online and get free delivery or order & collect in store.




					www.currys.co.uk
				




As is this one (with a bigger screen)






						Laptops - Cheap Laptop Deals | Currys
					

Take advantage of amazing deals on our Laptops range here at Currys. Shop online and get free delivery or order & collect in store.




					www.currys.co.uk


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 22, 2020)

editor said:


> This is a fantastic Chromebook
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's fab thanks, I didn't see either of them on internet travels. I'll just get the daughter to choose which one. Thank goodness I had some solid work for the past six weeks, looks like there are a few things I need to buy for next term.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 23, 2020)

editor said:


> This is a fantastic Chromebook
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Bummer,  that first one has just shot up in price to £430 . . . bloody curries. 
I guess they will have a January sale so I will just sit tight for the rest of the month.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 29, 2020)

editor said:


> This is a fantastic Chromebook
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Arrrrhh, unbelievable. Now that I can click and collect. One is no longer available and the other has gone up in price by £100 even though there are apparently 'sales' on. Bloody bastards. £400 was already on the steep side for me, £500 is really too much. Bugger.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 29, 2020)

How about this one. Not touch screen but I don't think that's important for school work.




__





						ASUS C423 Chromebook Laptop, Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 14" HD, Silver
					

Buy ASUS C423 Chromebook Laptop, Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 14" HD, Silver from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.



					www.johnlewis.com
				




Or is it a bit duff?


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## editor (Dec 29, 2020)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> How about this one. Not touch screen but I don't think that's important for school work.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's a decent laptop at a great price, but it might struggle if you want to have loads of browser tabs open.

How about this for £400


			https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XH4TRH1?tag=lates05-21&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1
		


Or this?





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						ASUS Chromebook Flip C433TA, Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 14" Full HD, Silver
					

Buy ASUS Chromebook Flip C433TA, Intel Core M3, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC, 14" Full HD, Silver from our View All Laptops & MacBooks range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.



					www.johnlewis.com
				









						Buy ASUS C433 Flip 14in M3 4GB 64GB FHD 2-in-1 Chromebook | Chromebooks | Argos
					

Buy ASUS C433 Flip 14in M3 4GB 64GB FHD 2-in-1 Chromebook at Argos. Thousands of products for same day delivery £3.95, or fast store collection.




					www.argos.co.uk
				




Great review too Quality on economy: We review the Asus Chromebook C433TA


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 29, 2020)

editor said:


> That's a decent laptop at a great price, but it might struggle if you want to have loads of browser tabs open.
> 
> How about this for £400
> 
> ...



Cheers.
OK C433 flip it is. . . . . just a bit of a bummer as I could have picked it up from Curries today while I had time on my hands. Now I will have to wait for a pick up on Thursday when I don't. Not the end of the world.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 29, 2020)

OK got it.
Bit sad that we may all be working from home for a bit longer now.


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## editor (Dec 29, 2020)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> OK got it.
> Bit sad that we may all be working from home for a bit longer now.


Tell us what you think!


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Dec 29, 2020)

editor said:


> Tell us what you think!


When I say 'got it', I don't pick it up until Thursday.
I'll report back soon.


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## Throbbing Angel (Dec 29, 2020)

I loved my Asus Chromebook.  The M3 chip coped with everything I threw at it.


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## pinkmonkey (Dec 29, 2020)

Posting for those of you with ipads who need to do more typing and are not getting on with some of the shitty expensive cases and keyboards out there (yes I'm looking at you too Apple)  - I can't recommend these Zagg keyboard cases enough - they are great to type on - they're a bit heavy but are really tough and protective. I picked up a Zagg slim book go for my pro on ebay for £30. Search results for: 'keyboards'


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## Throbbing Angel (Dec 30, 2020)

pinkmonkey said:


> Posting for those of you with ipads who need to do more typing and are not getting on with some of the shitty expensive cases and keyboards out there (yes I'm looking at you too Apple)  - I can't recommend these Zagg keyboard cases enough - they are great to type on - they're a bit heavy but are really tough and protective. I picked up a Zagg slim book go for my pro on ebay for £30. Search results for: 'keyboards'



Cheers - will keep an eye out for one that fits my 10.2in iPad.

Had a Logitech case/keyboard that looked similar for my 9.7in when I had that. I didn't like the keyboard that much so it didn't get used.
If I could get one of the Zagg's for £30ish that'd be schweet.  I'm not paying a ton for one (or £85 if I sign up for their newsletter).  *CEX is great for stuff like this*.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (May 30, 2021)

New Amazon Fire 10s are just out and they are selling the 2019 model for £95. Been after a cheap tablet for a while for books in PDF format that don't translate well to a conventional Kindle, but did really want something that's full HD. I don't travel on public transport much, but takes a memory card, so the odd time I do, it could be quite handy. 

Not going to bother rooting, but apparently it's easy enough to remove the ads and install the play store and a different launcher so it's more like a conventional Android.

For those after a bit more out a tablet the new one at £160 will probably prove to be quite good value as well.


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## Doodler (Jun 2, 2021)

I'm after a cheap tablet too but need it to have a USB port too. This is so I can easily transfer photos from my desktop PC to the tablet, using the latter as a lightbox for tracing purposes. Any suggestions please?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 2, 2021)

Doodler said:


> I'm after a cheap tablet too but need it to have a USB port too. This is so I can easily transfer photos from my desktop PC to the tablet, using the latter as a lightbox for tracing purposes. Any suggestions please?



Most Android tablets let you plug them in via USB and read files that way. Alternatively many take an SD card and USB readers are super cheap. However unless you have super slow Internet, then using some kind of cloud is probably going to be easier. 

My Fire 10 doesn't arrive till next week, but seemed to be the best thing going for sub £100.


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## Doodler (Jun 2, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Most Android tablets let you plug them in via USB and read files that way. Alternatively many take an SD card and USB readers are super cheap. However unless you have super slow Internet, then using some kind of cloud is probably going to be easier.
> 
> My Fire 10 doesn't arrive till next week, but seemed to be the best thing going for sub £100.



That's helpful, many thanks!


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## Throbbing Angel (Jun 2, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Most Android tablets let you plug them in via USB and read files that way. Alternatively many take an SD card and USB readers are super cheap. However unless you have super slow Internet, then using some kind of cloud is probably going to be easier.
> 
> My Fire 10 doesn't arrive till next week, but seemed to be the best thing going for sub £100.



^^^this^^^

if you're tracing for art purps then the bigger the better I imagine.  These 10" fire tablets @ £95 take micro sd cards.
Dunno about sideloading photos into them as the ecosystem is quite obvs locked down to Amazon stuff. But you could access Google Photos or summat and download from there as UnderAnOpenSky  says.

*This article* has links to some good savings.  Samsung and Lenovo are good from my (limited) experience of using them in the workplace. Plus, y'know, ipads are good but pricey.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jun 8, 2021)

Update to anyone who might be interested. It arrived yesterday. Out the box it's a pretty uninspiring experience, especially if you are used to using a more standard Android device. Everything is so focused on Amazon. I was expecting that, but the scale of it is really quite something. Adverts on the lock screen are particularly horrific. App store missing much of what you'd expect to find.

Run the Fire Toolbox on it this morning. It's basically a wizard that goes through a series of steps, including removing the Amazon crap and installing Google Services (including of course Play store). You can use it to install different launchers, so now it's got Nova, it's basically like using a bigger version of my phone, which isn't a bad thing.

The hardware seems nice enough for the price. The screen is better then I was expecting for a cheap tablet, although clearly not OLED. I can't see myself watching loads of videos on it, but they seem nice enough. Most importantly books are sharp, which mostly what I've bought it for. It's not something I'd like to do much work on, unless I had an external keyboard, 10" doesn't work that well for an on screen keyboard, not helped as it's got bezels. One use I didn't think of when buying it, but I quite like is looking at OS maps when I'm drinking tea and planning a run for the day. No slowdown on anything I've tried to do with it so far, but not exactly thrashed it either.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 6, 2021)

Mine got nicked after a month on a job I was doing, but I see the new model which is a bit lighter and has 3gb of RAM is less then a £100 in a sale. Tempted, although I'm currently ordering the parts for a new PC so it feels like a bit of an indulgence. 

They are cracking value though, especially when you strip all the Amazon stuff off them.


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 6, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Mine got nicked after a month on a job I was doing, but I see the new model which is a bit lighter and has 3gb of RAM is less then a £100 in a sale. Tempted, although I'm currently ordering the parts for a new PC so it feels like a bit of an indulgence.
> 
> They are cracking value though, especially when you strip all the Amazon stuff off them.


Shame that.

When I look at the page on Amazon I get an option to buy it at £19 per month over 5 months. Not sure if this is a Prime only thing, but thought it may help to mention if you were unaware.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 19, 2021)

Black Friday so picked up a replacement for £80 down from £150. 

Reading reviews it seems there's nothing even close in the price range, it's stronger then £200 Samsung in some areas.


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## Sasaferrato (Nov 27, 2021)

cybershot said:


> In the end I have. Car passed MOT etc so didn't break the bank. As I'm an avid watcher of HUKD, in the end I picked up last years 2018 iPad (which are still current) 128GB storage via ebay for £349, but as eBay are running 20% voucher codes at the time, total price was £280. Then minus the £101 CeX gave me for my original iPad Air, in total, it's cost me £179. Not bad imo.



Whereabouts in Scotland do you come from?


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## Sasaferrato (Nov 27, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> What editor said, and....
> 
> My daughter has access to Office 365 via her school email account - so uses Word online for school stuff.  She has a Win10 laptop too but I'm not paying for Office so we both have LibreOffice installed (which isn't an option on a Chromebook) which will do most stuff but for some reason some of her school stuff won't open in LO and we can't figure out why - probably some formatting _thing. _
> 
> ...








						Office 2019 Professional Plus| Lifetime Activation Key| Windows 10 | Mac OS | by Email Delivery within 24 hours : Amazon.co.uk: Software
					

Office 2019 Professional Plus| Lifetime Activation Key| Windows 10 | Mac OS | by Email Delivery within 24 hours : Amazon.co.uk: Software



					www.amazon.co.uk
				




I have it, it works perfectly. All I use is Outlook, Excel and Word, it is worth £19.00 'Delivered ' for those alone.

Maybe get round to creating a database one day...


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## teuchter (Nov 28, 2021)

Looking to get a cheapish tablet, whose sole purpose will be for reading digital subscriptions to periodicals (part of an attempt to purge the living area of endless stacks of half read magazines and the like). Doesn't need to play videos and web browser performance isn't a concern.
Main thing I guess is a screen that's decent for reading text on, and I guess the larger the screen the better.

So is it better to get something current but basic (but does that limit options for large screen size?) or look for something secondhand for an equivalent sort of price?

I'm quite comfortable buying second hand hardware and factoring the risk it might stop working into the price. But increasingly the worry is that older but perfectly functional hardware gets made redundant by software updates ... Does that mean buying a 5yr old tablet is not a good idea?


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 28, 2021)

Periodicals in what format?
Lots of graphics or just text?
Which subscription service or software is used?
Will it work on a big Kindle fire tablet?


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## teuchter (Nov 29, 2021)

A couple of them seem to do the digital subscription in the form of their own app. Another looks like it's just via web browser. I don't know a lot about Kindles but aren't they limited to e-book formats?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 29, 2021)

If your very quick then Amazon still have their Fire HD tablets in the sale. They are great value at retail compared to the competition, with such hefty discounts, its a steal. I've recently picked up the 10" one, mostly for reading PDFs (I find these don't work as well on a Kindle) 

Out the box they come with Amazon own stuff all over them and the cheapest ones have ads. Takes a few mins with a third part tool to remove all this and put the play store on.


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## teuchter (Nov 29, 2021)

Thnks for the suggestion - I think I'm keen to find something with a larger screen though - 12 or 13" say.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 29, 2021)

teuchter said:


> Thnks for the suggestion - I think I'm keen to find something with a larger screen though - 12 or 13" say.



Fair enough, although I'd rather read on a large screen tablet then a small laptop!


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 29, 2021)

teuchter said:


> Thnks for the suggestion - I think I'm keen to find something with a larger screen though - 12 or 13" say.


iPad pro innit, or some sort of laptop or Chromebook that flexes round into a tablet


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## teuchter (Nov 29, 2021)

Is a cheap-ish tablet with a screen size >10" something that basically doesn't exist?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 29, 2021)

teuchter said:


> Is a cheap-ish tablet with a screen size >10" something that basically doesn't exist?



Pretty much. Lenovo do an 11" one, obviously the very expensive ipad. Tbh 10 is as big as I'd want to use as a tablet, at least until they are thiner and lighter.


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## teuchter (Nov 29, 2021)

I have an oldish 9.7" ipad, always feels like it would be nice if it were a bit bigger, but I've never actually tried using a larger one.

Maybe the fact that the market doesn't really provide such a thing, is a clue to me that bigger doesn't really work.


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 29, 2021)

teuchter said:


> I have an oldish 9.7" ipad, always feels like it would be nice if it were a bit bigger, but I've never actually tried using a larger one.
> 
> Maybe the fact that the market doesn't really provide such a thing, is a clue to me that bigger doesn't really work


It does work. It's just more expensive.
iPad pro 12.9inch starts at £999 which is fucking mental.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 29, 2021)

Throbbing Angel said:


> It does work. It's just more expensive.
> iPad pro 12.9inch starts at £999 which is fucking mental.



Plus they flog them more as a laptop replacement. Which to be fair with the chip inside, its not far off. 

Probably a few hours for a Fire HD 10 at £80 rather then £150...


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## Throbbing Angel (Nov 29, 2021)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Probably a few hours for a Fire HD 10 at £80 rather then £150...


^^^this^^^ if it will run the relevant software for teuchter 's periodicals


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## Lord Camomile (Feb 5, 2022)

Buuuumpitty bump* 

Urban hive mind, what suggest ye for the following criteria:

around £50 or so (second-hand)
Android
_not _Kindle/Amazon
screen around 10"
preferably somewhat futureproofed (i.e. won't be unable to run new apps for a good few years)
to be used primarily
a) as a 'smart clock'/calendar thing, so I can leave it on my desk and my schedule/task list is always super visible, rather than hidden away in another window on my laptop/phone
b) for general media streaming (don't care about HD, just want something with enough processing power that it won't buffer all the time)


I've been looking at Samsung's Galaxy line, particularly as I have a Galaxy phone (another hand-me-down...), but anything from the past 5 years (i.e., the S series) is generally £100+. I'm happy to keep waiting for the right deal to show up, but have decided it might be worth getting something cheap that'll do the job in the meantime.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated 



*usual "apologies if there's a more suitable/obvious destination for this


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 5, 2022)

Lord Camomile said:


> Buuuumpitty bump*
> 
> Urban hive mind, what suggest ye for the following criteria:
> 
> ...



That's tight. Honestly at that budget I'd look Amazon, because they sell them for bugger all profit so you use their services, they are the most capable budget tablets. 

Plus using the Fire HD toolkit to remove all Amazon feels like your getting one over on them.


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## Lord Camomile (Feb 5, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> That's tight. Honestly at that budget I'd look Amazon, because they sell them for bugger all profit so you use their services, they are the most capable budget tablets.
> 
> Plus using the Fire HD toolkit to remove all Amazon feels like your getting one over on them.


Hmm... cheers, I'll def look into it (plus I pretty much always buy second-hand, so wouldn't even be handing money over to them directly), but would still like to avoid 'em if at all possible.


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## teuchter (Apr 5, 2022)

Any new options since the last bump?


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## Sasaferrato (Apr 5, 2022)

Lord Camomile said:


> Hmm... cheers, I'll def look into it (plus I pretty much always buy second-hand, so wouldn't even be handing money over to them directly), but would still like to avoid 'em if at all possible.



Have a look at Morgan Computers. Cheap laptops, PCs, Computers, Monitors, Printers, Digital Cameras and accessories | Morgan Computers


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## MBV (Apr 5, 2022)

(thread drift) Seeing Morgan Computers reminded me of a time when one would buy a magazine to read about PCs


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## editor (Apr 5, 2022)

MBV said:


> (thread drift) Seeing Morgan Computers reminded me of a time when one would buy a magazine to read about PCs


Their website still looks like it comes from that time!


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## teuchter (Apr 5, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Plus using the Fire HD toolkit to remove all Amazon feels like your getting one over on them.


Is this a once-only operation, that makes it into a somewhat standard Android tablet? Reason I ask as I am now looking for something that can be set up for someone else, moderately technically proficient but who won't want to have to fiddle around doing special stuff each time there's an android update or whatever.

Not having had an android tablet before, I'm not sure if it's similar to android phones where updates get pushed out by the manufacturer with their various modifications and so on.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 5, 2022)

teuchter said:


> Is this a once-only operation, that makes it into a somewhat standard Android tablet? Reason I ask as I am now looking for something that can be set up for someone else, moderately technically proficient but who won't want to have to fiddle around doing special stuff each time there's an android update or whatever.
> 
> Not having had an android tablet before, I'm not sure if it's similar to android phones where updates get pushed out by the manufacturer with their various modifications and so on.



No. I believe because Fire OS is a branch of Android it won't get updates unless you go out your way.


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## DaphneM (Apr 6, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> That's tight. Honestly at that budget I'd look Amazon, because they sell them for bugger all profit so you use their services, they are the most capable budget tablets.
> 
> Plus using the Fire HD toolkit to remove all Amazon feels like your getting one over on them.


can you install a vanilla android OS on it? or would it have to be Fire?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 6, 2022)

DaphneM said:


> can you install a vanilla android OS on it? or would it have to be Fire?



I believe you can root it and install Linage OS. 

That's a lot more work though then removing the Amazon stuff and installing play store


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## Pickman's model (Apr 6, 2022)

I got a Samsung A8 tablet (android 11) recently, 10.5" screen, very very happy with it. 32gb internal storage but space for a mini usb. £180, but money well spent


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## teuchter (Apr 6, 2022)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> No. I believe because Fire OS is a branch of Android it won't get updates unless you go out your way.


Having looked into this, I see that you need to fiddle around using a Windows PC, to remove the Amazon stuff, and what you get is something a bit more like stock Android but it's still based on quite an old version (Android 9?).

I'd worry that in a couple of years the Android version would get sufficiently out of date that apps would start not to work, and the only route to an update would then be to revert it to the Amazon setup, update the OS and then go through the removal process again.

Seems like it's a good option for someone reasonably tech savvy and willing to faff around a bit (and with access to a Windows PC) but maybe not otherwise.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 6, 2022)

teuchter said:


> Having looked into this, I see that you need to fiddle around using a Windows PC, to remove the Amazon stuff, and what you get is something a bit more like stock Android but it's still based on quite an old version (Android 9?).
> 
> I'd worry that in a couple of years the Android version would get sufficiently out of date that apps would start not to work, and the only route to an update would then be to revert it to the Amazon setup, update the OS and then go through the removal process again.
> 
> Seems like it's a good option for someone reasonably tech savvy and willing to faff around a bit (and with access to a Windows PC) but maybe not otherwise.



You might be right. At the price they are in the sales it's something I'm willing to live with, but yes, could be an issue.


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## Sasaferrato (Apr 6, 2022)

Slight tangent, but our original Kindles, now 12 years old, are still going strong.


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## Throbbing Angel (Apr 6, 2022)

Lord Camomile 

CEX, 10" TABLETS FROM £20 UP admittedly older tablets, but, available in your price range.

And CEX provide a 2 year warranty on everything!





						CeX Buy & Sell Games, Phones, DVDs, Blu-ray, Electronics, Computing, Vision & CDs
					






					uk.webuy.com


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