Most Android Tablets are expensive toys

[AstronomerXI]

I'm probably going to get "flamed" for this post. I've owned a Flytouch Superpad III for over a year, fun, clunky, rubbish battery life. I ebayed it and bought the new Nexus 7 last month. I'm not an Apple fan, think they are pricey and have always applauded Linux from the early days (text based Red Hat with Samba) for their stand against the mighty Microsoft. So at last, a cool, high spec Android device...

OK it's impressive, super smooth, fast responsive screen, good battery life - BUT I've come to the conclusion that without 3G or 4G, what's the point of a "portable" device that isn't that portable ?

I have an old Dell 430 12" laptop. It has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as standard. I bought a WWAN card (Toshiba) for ?10 from eBay and a ?15 1 year internet T-Mobile SIM card. It works and connects to the Internet (almost) anywhere. Oh (almost forgot) it's got a SSD too !

My point ? - I tried to "tether" the Nexus 7 to the Dell using Wi-Fi to get the "best of both Worlds". Guess what ? Android tablets don't support "ad-hoc" wireless internet connection sharing. iPad and iPhones do (ironically they don't need to !)

I'm sorry, its a TOY ! and so is the Acer and so is the Kindle Fire. Until these support 3G/4G keep your money in your pocket !

No time to read all the replies here, but...I have 2 iPhones, work and personal (personal only for ease of communication with my wife and other relatives with iPhones). The fruit phone has a WIFI hotspot functionality that is pure simplicity. It saved my bacon when I lost Internet connectivity at home for 8 days, and for the N7, I was able, several times, to have GPS with full maps when I forgot to download area info.

N7 + iPhone is a perfect combo. Tethering, at least in Canada, is trivial.

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[veevans01]

so the new kindle has 4g supposedly for 50$ per yr!?
and i am tethering my nex7 to my droids 3g just fine!

I tethered mine successfully to my HTC Rezound today.

 

[Cubeology]

I tried eliminating the desktop PC for awhile, I just couldn't deal with it. I love having two 21" monitors to work with. Try taking notes from a website or other digital content on a tablet or even a laptop for that matter, there's not enough workspace. I have the PC, an android phone, and a 11" macbook air. I argued for a long time, and still do, that an iPad, or other 10" tablet is a toy, it doesn't do anything better than either the smartphone or the macbook air, and the macbook (or a PC in similar form factor) is just as portable. But the 7" tablet is entirely different, it can be held in one hand. You can conveniently use it laying in bed or on a busy train comfortably like you cannot do with a large tablet. I essentially bought it to replace my ordinary Kindle. Not only can I read on it, but I can do all these other things, and it doesn't cost an extraordinarily more. A phone is just too small to be entirely comfortable doing many things, but it has it's place because it has maximal portability. I think that 10" tablets are going to start disappearing and hybrid devices like the transformer are going to take over that size of product and include a more robust OS like a Windows or MacOS. A physical keyboard doesn't really take up all that much space if you are already carrying around 10" worth of screen. Back to where I started though, a desktop computer is definitely always have it's place because it is way more practical and efficient to do any serious work whether at home or office. Or then again, virtual reality devices will probably take over all segments eventually, but the desktop will probably be the last to go.

 

[AstronomerXI]

You again are the minority. Business pc?s might last longer but the personal PC is dead. you are definitely a computer geek, most people could care less about what you can do on your PC and would rather spend the same money you spent for your PC on a car.


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So wrong, on many so many levels. Productivity is the primary measure here. The number of tasks where someone is more productive (I.e. revenue generating) on a PC vs smart phones or tabs is orders of magnitude greater. When the day comes when these small devices can generate more revenue then their bigger brethren, THEN, and only then, will that day come. It will come, but certainly not within the next 10 years.

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[AstronomerXI]

Again this is all computer geek stuff.

Most people don't care about any of that.

And again I don't consider a tablet necessarily a mobile device, only computer geeks consider it as such.

Enjoy your computer I'm sure its wonderful, it will probably be the last one you ever buy

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What do you do for a living? ( Honest question)

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[motozark]

I found this posting confusing until I got to the bottom. I use my Razr to tether
Without any problems what so ever. Its a great device. Has anyone
Tried tablet talk. I never use my Razr at home anymore.

 

[crackberrytraitor]

No time to read all the replies here, but...I have 2 iPhones, work and personal (personal only for ease of communication with my wife and other relatives with iPhones). The fruit phone has a WIFI hotspot functionality that is pure simplicity. It saved my bacon when I lost Internet connectivity at home for 8 days, and for the N7, I was able, several times, to have GPS with full maps when I forgot to download area info.

N7 + iPhone is a perfect combo. Tethering, at least in Canada, is trivial.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

But tethering is free on Android, which makes it a better combo.

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[crackberrytraitor]

What do you do for a living? ( Honest question)

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Edited for niceness.

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[ManThatCan]

You can take 5 minutes and enable ad-hoc on your Nexus 7.

Here's a link on how to do it...

How to Enable Adhoc WiFi on Android Tablets! | AndroidTabletHacks.com

Edited by moderator

Nice ! - Thank you - Incidentally - Have you tried the above on a N7, did it work ?

---------- Post Merged at 10:12 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:08 AM ----------

OP seemed to be upset because the N7 does not support ad hoc connection generated on his Linux based lap top. He ought to be more upset that (if) Linux does not allow generation of a real hot spot such as Connectify does with Windows7 machines. That being said the N7 or any current tablet will have limitations because of screen size and smaller amount of RAM.

Laptop (Dell 430) running Windows 7 and Connectify. iPads can connect straight off, N7 can't



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[ChromeJob]

.

... Get some rest, come back when you're refreshed.

// EDITED WITH my Nexus 7 with the Android Central app //

 

[ManThatCan]

OK - Thanks for your input. I think we can safely say that Android tablets aren't as "flexible" when it comes to WiFi as Apple products. Apologies if I "touched a nerve" with my thread title, maybe a little OTT but it did prompt some interesting debate on where things are heading.

I liked the guy who suggested that the N7 is all about "consumption rather than creation", ie you load it up at home, where you're WiFi works and THEN go on holiday.

To my knowledge there's still no technical solution to supporting "ad-hoc" on N7, and in any case I think this should be addressed by the manufacturer(s) rather than be resorting to "hacking" your OS.

You'll be pleased to know I've put a "decent" mobile on my Xmas list !

I've found some replies quite "prejudiced", ie you assume I'm 1) in the US, 2) in a city where everywhere there's "full" Wi-Fi

Edited by moderator

 

[dmmarck]

Final warning - insults, trolling, etc., will not be tolerated. Act like adults.

 

[ManThatCan]

Just because my opinions and experiences are different to those of others, I've had quite a hostile "ride" over this. I've tried to remain positive there have been some interesting and well made points and a "lively" discussion topic has evolved. Obviously people love their N7s and have taken this very personally, it was never my intention to offend. I've bought a N7, I like it. I'm still waiting to hear how (or if) - aside from buying an expensive mobile phone it can be made to support "ad-hoc" Wifi connections as the iPad does, and hence making it of greater practical use as a "portable" device.

Maybe someone will post soon a workable solution to this, I'm sure many will find benefit.

 

[nrm5110]

Final warning - insults, trolling, etc., will not be tolerated. Act like adults.

From what I've seen most of the people on this site are high school students lol

To the dude who thinks you shouldn't have to "hack your os" you clearly don't understand what root actually is. Its exactly the same as administrative permissions on windows the fact that we don't have those permissions to start on something we own is kinda strange to me as we should be able to control our devices just like our computers its not "hacking" its owning our device

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[dmmarck]

From what I've seen most of the people on this site are high school students lol

To the dude who thinks you shouldn't have to "hack your os" you clearly don't understand what root actually is. Its exactly the same as administrative permissions on windows the fact that we don't have those permissions to start on something we own is kinda strange to me as we should be able to control our devices just like our computers its not "hacking" its owning our device

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This is a big thing for me. It's why I wrote the Kraken guide (see signature) (among other reasons, as well). You achieve root through a binary--"su." It's placed in the /xbin folder on the system partition of your file system. One placed there (it'll actually replace an old/stock "su" binary), you use an application to essentially control it. What does the binary do? Exactly as you said--it enables you to have "administrative" permissions at the "root" or beginning of the file structure--or, "/".

Now, the true "hacking" or whatever really results from unlocking the bootloader, which enables you to install/flash unsigned images. The locked bootloader (in conjunction with the stock recovery) can only install certain packages (usually in certain locations, too). But an unlocked bootloader with a custom recovery gives you true control over your device.

 

[ManThatCan]

I understand the concept, I can root my N7, it doesn't solve this issue as a recently revised wpa_supplicant isn't working with Jelly Bean.
I'm sure most people would prefer this to fixed by upgrade to the OS.

 

[dmmarck]

I understand the concept, I can root my N7, it doesn't solve this issue as a recently revised wpa_supplicant isn't working with Jelly Bean.
I'm sure most people would prefer this to fixed by upgrade to the OS.

No doubt, I wasn't saying it can fix your issue (mainly because I don't have such an issue, so I haven't really bothered to fix it my self ), just stating that I think there's a huge misunderstanding out there when we throw around the term "root."

 

[nrm5110]

I'm an exclusive Linux user currently on backtrack 5 I'm an IT specialist by trade your not telling me anything new lol I think that at the end of a contract a locked bootloader should be unlocked by the carrier and if bought off contract just my .02 or like us enthusiasts just hope someone's got the knowledge to beat these guys at their own game

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[Ry]

From what I've seen most of the people on this site are high school students lol

Damn kids. Get off my lawn. lol

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[MalachyNG]

I might get my wife one for Christmas. She has a kindle keyboard and Amazon prime. Hdmi out with prime instant movies app would be nice. But I'll keep my nexus 7

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