Android Tablet PC: What do you use it for?

[ian dennis 0]

I have an Acer Iconia 500 ('droid). I use it to combine my home calendar with my office calendar (I use google calendar and google sync Work Outlook and g-cal, and home Outlook and g-cal). I can make follow-up appointments when I'm at the doctor's or whatever, for the Friday I'm off in 5 months time, without having to guess when exactly it is. I play a fair amount of games on it. I keep my contacts list up to date there, rather than on a pc I tend to go on to Facebook via my Acer, rather than a pc. Same for IMDB (v useful when you're watching tv and want to know the name of that guy ... you know, he was in that movie with Judy Dench). I use it as the main access for email. I watch Netflix on it from time to time, also YouTube. Listen to the Beeb in California. I keep up to date on news with Pulse, UK Newspapers, US Newspapers, and my local online paper. I control my tv with it - particularly useful when I'm at the office and I remember I want to record a program on the DVR. I keep all my passwords in an e-wallet on it (and back up faithfully). Grocery lists, meds, blood sugar values, etc. (Generic lists are often better than specific apps) I e-mail documents from work to it, so I can have them handy in meetings. I check directions and cities across the world with Google Earth and Maps. I do all my online banking on it. I keep a private journal on it. And I read books (Nook)

[Divya Rathore]

I had a look at the super big Galaxy Note. If you use it as a phone, it looks like as if you are holding a slipper over your ear. But still I like the large screen.

[Andy Dix]

With regard to entering Chinese text... I use SwiftKey on my Android phone. Unfortunately I don't think they currently support Chinese but it might be worth emailing them to find out if they have any intention of support it in the future. I'd recommend SwiftKey though over the standard built-in keyboards. It saves a lot of typing.

[bfradley]

I use my tablet to: keep my wife entertained with angry birds, keep myself entertained with angry birds, cruise for useless applications I'm only going to use once and browsing internet. okay, that's the useless stuff, now for the useful ;P : I'm learning japanese through a program called Human Japanese, I do quick photo touch-ups with photoshop express before I load them onto facebook or the likes, I read ebooks when I'm out and about and need something to keep me pre-occupied and, when I'm feeling particularly masochistic, I use DroidEdit to make quick code changes.

[mojp]

I have an Acer Iconia Tab. I would hesitate to call it a 'PC'. But I didnt buy it to be a serious alternative to my desktop or normal laptop for work or gaming. I bought it so that i could surf the net, write notes, or watch videos anywhere i like: lounging on the couch, lieing in bed, or even when on the loo, if i so choose. And for such things it is great. Even a nornmal laptop doesnt give you that portability. You tend to need to sit up straight, with your laptop on a stable surface. Using a laptop in bed for example, while possible, is not so comfortable, but with a tablet, you can lie on your back or side, and hold the tablet as you wish, or lean it on a pillow. No problem. I also find a tablet more practical when flying. In cattle class things are so cramped you can barely open your laptop, and you end up sitting in an awkward position looking at a partially opened laptop, with the screen angled towards your belly button. With my tablet it is much easier and more comfortable. So .. there are several advantages to the tablet option.

[dwd5031]

I have a early Galaxy Tab which I use mainly to run a Kindle app. I also use it for convenient Googling but it's really just a nice toy. The iPad is probably a better toy! Dai Darkin

[SohjSolwin]

If you have access to the android market (or can find an APK to side load) you could try installing a different keyboard. I looked on the web version of the android market and found Google Pinyin IME[^] and BaiduInput[^]. I can't speak on how well they work, having never used them my self, but there are others too. There should be at least one that will allow you to type in what you need.

[rnbergren]

I have an Ipad2 and Samsung Android phone, Wife has android phone Galaxy 2???, and a Kindle Fire, What are they good for, Email, Surfing, Facebook, Kindle, Nook applications, Angry Birds What are they ok for, Watching movies from Netflix, Hulu, Vimeo, Youtube, Great for syncing my calendar and my notes (springpadit.com) across all my devices. It is just awesome to have one calendar for me and all my notes for what I need no matter where I might be. What can you not do. Code, edit pictures(some will argue go ahead), Copy and pasting anything is a total pain in the butt, Multi tasking? REally you call that multi tasking. I call that a background email checker that is all, You just cannot do anything really powerful. I write alot of code, I do some very serious video and picture editing. see http://rnbergren.blogspot.com I like my ipad, But I love my Netbook. And my wifes kindle fire. Nice toy but seriously???

To err is human to really mess up you need a computer

[ClockMeister]

Sounds like a good book end to me. -Max ;-)

[carlospc1970]

Got a Samsung Galaxy Tab. I use it to read books, internet surfing and netflix. It's great to see a movie in bed. I developed a program for my job. It's a mobile catalogue for furniture stores. :cool:

[Dugzor]

I have a 7" Huawei S7 Slim, and i love it. :) I wasn't sure when i first got it whether i would use it much, but i used my Galaxy S2 for loads of stuff, so I decided to get one from eBay, brand new, but managed to get it for £97. great stuff. So I use it for the internet. taking notes with Evernote/ Springpad/ ColourNote. I use it for some coding with DriodEdit and Programr.com, and the Hacker's keyboard from the Market. Viewing and editing my GDocs. I use it to remote to my PC with the (Excellent and free) Teamviewer app while I'm out/ in bed. the Internet as it's faster to turn on than a laptop. To read coding PDFs/ books. To play music/ movies on long journeys to make sure my phone doesn't die! Mind mapping with Thinking Space (although this has unfortunately been taken over by MindJet) and sometimes games, although i tend to use my phone as the screen is more sensitive and brighter. That's all really. I've found I use it more than I thought I would, which is great. I have no idea about Chinese characters I'm afraid. Good luck, Dugzor

[Luke Hoffmann]

Isn't it the same as an Android phone: Long press the text input box and it comes up with a menu saying "Input method". From there you can select Chinese keyboard if it's installed.

[Abhimanyu_stud]

I too got this Toshiba Andriod laptop, yes a laptop. Thinking that keyboard would make it easier to type in email etc. I think, I made a mistake there. Toshiba refuses to upgrade andriod version, can't run flash etc. No market place (though promised of one). Tab doesn't work. and the promised battery life of 9hr is not even 5 hrs in sleep mode. I gave it up and it is my emergency "device". Back to my good old thinkpad :)

[Florin Jurcovici 0]

With a little bit of hacking, an external TV tuner and a fit-pc3 you can turn it into a very fancy video player/TV remote control.

[MarvinMartian]

For Chinese characters I recommend getting the keyboard app Swiftkey X. I love it and it does have ability to do special characters of other languages. Also is seems to read your mind offering up potential words to continue your conversation.