<p>Can anyone make suggestions for a non ipad tablet for my niece? This is what she is looking for: “I want it to seamlessly with my work computer (which is cloud based) and my personal laptop. Sadly, will mostly used for taking notes in meetings and trying to better sync my life. Pretty much need it to be a bigger smartphone that plays nicely with Word, Outlook, etc.” I do not own a tablet and most of my friends have ipads so I cannot advise her. I know there was a previous discussion about tablets and would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!</p>
<p>I very much enjoy my Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. It’s pretty small (the size of a Kindle), but that’s what makes is really easy to carry everywhere (and there is a 10.0 version - 10 inch). I am really not sure about the cloud, because I just don’t use it for that, but it has something called the DropBoz- maybe that’s it. I am jus not sure. You can download Adobe on it, although you have to follow special instudctions to do it (I just found it online) - it doesn’t come preloaded, and I haven’t had problems opening Word documents on it, although, again, I don’t use Microsoft Office on it much.</p>
<p>SwiftKey is a great app for typing on the screen.</p>
<p>Also, I have never owned it, but the Nexus may be my idea tablet.</p>
<p>Lenovo has a Windows 8 Atom x86 tablet that’s 10.6 inches and 1.3 pounds - it runs full Windows 8 so you can run full Microsoft Office on it.</p>
<p>If she wants more of a larger-smartphone model, the Google Nexus 7 may be an option. It’s a 7 inch Android device and it’s inexpensive. I don’t know how well it works with Microsoft Office though.</p>
<p>Android tablets (and smartphones for that matter) have an app called QuickOffice HD that reportedly you can use to access MS Office documents. I purchased the App for $10 from Google Play store and have used it for note-taking during office meetings.</p>
<p>Samsung Galaxy Tab series are all good</p>
<p>I’m waiting for UPS to deliver my first tablet this afternoon as I am being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. From everything I can tell, the choice really depends on what you want to do with it.</p>
<p>I wanted one for reading and watching movies. I buy music from Amazon instead of iTunes to put on my iPod because I prefer the MP3 format. I already read Kindle books on my PC. I stream HD video from Amazon and NetFlix. I’m an Amazon Prime member. I have no need to pay for a 4G network data plan. I expect to only use it occasionally for checking e-mail or web-browsing. So this week’s deal on the high def WiFi Kindle Fire 8.9 ($270 or $340) was a no brainer for my purposes. It’s nearly half the price of the iPad with a similar screen. If money were no consideration, I’d probably get the HD iPad for $599 and use it to buy music from Amazon, books from Kindle, stream HD video from Amazon, etc. But, from a value perspective, the HD Kindle Fires are a deal.</p>
<p>The big knock on it is that it is more limited in availability of apps, although I have had no trouble finding apps to do everything I want to do with it – including one that will wireless sync my iTunes music library including playcounts and ratings in both directions so all my “least recently played 5-star rated playlists” update no matter where I’m listening (computer, iPod, tablet).</p>
<p>I have an off-brand tablet that uses the Android OS. It’s not the fastest thing in the world, but I am able to use it for Excel and Word documents along with Facebook/Twitter and email. Mine was purchased off of ebay and I paid $120 for it…</p>
<p>I have an ACER A200 for myself and D has an Acer A700, we love them and have had no problems at all. What is nice about them is the USB port and the SD card slot to allow you to expand memory</p>
<p>Hops_scout, it sounds like we may have the same product.</p>
<p>I’ve had mine since Thanksgiving. It’s no Ipad or Galaxy by it suits my needs/interests and has performed well. Using it mostly as an e-reader (Kindle for Android), wi-fi news surfing and as I said up-post, a bit of note-taking with the QuickOffice HD app. Netflix is performance is OK, too. Purchased it from Ebay.</p>
<p>Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus.</p>
<p>I will also give a plug for the Galaxy tablets. I don’t have one but was looking into them and they seem to be the best option for non-Apple people. </p>
<p>The QuickOffice app is often free on Amazon for their daily deals…</p>
<p>I should have explained: I’ve had my Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for a year now. At 7" it fits easily into my purse, so I carry it everywhere. The 10" was just too big. My Galaxy Tab and both a front and a rear camera, so I can take self pictures and other pictures. I can hook it up to my TV and watch Netflix streaming movies, or I can watch them on the tablet. I’ve downloaded apps: a kitchen timer which will notify me when dinner is ready, Gmail for email, various browsers (some are faster, cleaner than others), various music and video listening and watching apps, grocery coupon apps, and just about everything. Since it’s so small, I can use it anywhere, just pop it open. Every once in a while there will be an app that isn’t ready for Android yet, but they’re all developing their apps for both android, PC, and Apple, I think. Oh, I also bought a Samsung compatible keyboard that is wireless. I just click my tablet in the keyboard (it’s full size) and type away.</p>
<p>SteveMA, right…there’s the free version of QuickOffice and that may be all that one needs. QuickOffice HD is optimized for tablets and I didn’t mind the price tag. In fact, I got it at a discount. And yes, the Amazon app of the day can be a great bargain, or even free.</p>
<p>One note of caution regarding off-brand tablets from China. Buyer beware because some of the Chinese brands do not work properly with Google. Such devices are mostly manufactured for sale in mainland China, where the government imposes restrictions on Internet access and on the software available to the public. Stories abound about “Chinese-brand” Android tablets that malfunction when a U.S. customer tries to access Google Play store and various apps, such as Netflix or Kindle for Android. Fortunately my purchase has thus far worked out because I did some homework before buying. ‘Androidforums.com’ is a good resource.</p>
<p>A Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus is only $229. I know $100 is not a small amount, but I tink it’s worth the extra money to get something that’s not slow (like what one poster mentioned about his off-brand tablet) and is generally considered a good device.</p>
<p>if she wants it for taking notes in meetings the Livescribe wifi pen might be the thing.</p>
<p>I have the Google nexus Seven with a keyboard case which is perfect for taking notes. Got the 32 GB version and the case for about 300 I think… It was a gift</p>
<p>Sent from my DROID BIONIC using CC</p>
<p>It’s hard to beat the Nexus 7 on price and performance - they’re selling them at cost (similar to Amazon). I do think that writing with a stylus may be handy if you need to do a lot of handwritten note-taking.</p>
<p>I prefer the Nexus to the Fire.</p>
<p>Lake Washington, here’s the one I have…</p>
<p>[9"</a>; 8GB Google Android 4 0 A13 Tablet PC Mid Capacitive Touch Screen 1 5GHz White | eBay](<a href=“http://www.ebay.com/itm/390514868769?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649]9"”>http://www.ebay.com/itm/390514868769?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649)</p>
<p>I wanted a Google Nexus 7, but the one I wanted wasn’t available and I think was actually discontinued… I’ll start with this one and then may be upgrade eventually…</p>
<p>I have a Samsung galaxy tab 10, perfect size, but typing without a keyboard is a pain. They have a new one with handwriting recognition, an android format, I think the latest version. They dont run microsoft applications though. I also have a Lenovo convertible running windows 7 with awesome handwriting recognition but its expensive and heavy compared to an ipad.</p>