• This topic has 20 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 9 years ago by tthew.
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  • What to look out for in a tablet
  • Rscott
    Free Member

    Im wanting a tablet for travels and journeys as im fed up of lugging books and my work laptop around. (which battery doesnt last long enough to do anything with it)

    I dont need anything special. But it does need to have expandable hard drive (micro/sd card slot) have a hdmi/micro hdmi port and be able to play hd Movies.

    budget around £200.

    I am a compleat technophobe but seem to some how have surrounded my self in technology.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    hudl2 would suit you.

    16Gb on board
    32Gb expandable via SD slot
    micro HDMI output.
    Up to date OS
    Well reviewed
    273ppi/1920×1200 pixels @ HD
    £120

    http://www.tesco.com/direct/hudl2-8-wi-fi-tablet/454-7907.prd

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    Most of them will do what you need from the sounds of it. Just be sure to check out the hdmi out aspect as not all of them have this functionality and also the micro sd slot.

    There are plenty of good review sites out there, so just look for a few you like the look of that fit into your budget and look-up some reviews. Try a few out as well. Most large electrical/department stores have them on display – even our local enormous Tesco has a huge range on display you can fiddle with.

    I would stick to 8″ screens and bigger. I find the smaller screens are too small.
    I ended up getting an LG Gpad 8.3 after trying numeours options out.

    Just be aware that a few of the options are customised to a greater or lesser extent by the people selling them. So, the Tesco Hudl 2 has some Tesco specific apps that can’t be deleted, although they can apparently be disabled.
    And the Kindle Fire is quite heavily designed around directing you to Amazon for all of your purchases.

    Oh, one last thing. Have a think about what accessories you might want and the availability of them for that specific product.
    The LG GPad has hardly any cases available for it. I’ve got a generic 8″ tablet sleeve for mine, but it’s too wide really. Keeps it protected, but doesn’t look great. The official LG one is over £50, so no way I am paying that!

    lalazar
    Free Member

    Have to agree with Hudl 2. Bought one for the kids at the weekend and am very impressed.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    in fact I just talked myself into buying a Hudl2 myself 🙄 (so, thanks, Rscott, yer bastard!) And I will tidy up my 1st gen nexus 7 for Jr. for Xmas as a games machine.

    You can get £10 off your first tesco direct order using the code: TDX-7KPG making it £119
    You cant use that code with the 1/3rd off Hudl cases offer (max saving £8.33)(or other ecoupons though)

    Cougar
    Full Member

    As has been said previously, Tesco do a 2:1 voucher exchange. So you can get a Hudl2 for £65 in Clubcard tokens, which makes it a cast-iron bargain.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    I will tidy up my 1st gen nexus 7 for Jr. for Xmas as a games machine.

    How do the two compare, incidentally? Would you consider the Hudl an upgrade over the Nexus?

    Stoner
    Free Member

    I’ll let you know. Ive only just clicked Buy!

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Interesting.

    Am looking for tablets for both mother and MIL for Christmas. Hudl looks a bit of a bargain. Much better than a Nexus/Samsung equivalent?

    Stoner
    Free Member

    I doubt it’s “much better than a nexus”.
    There’s nothing really wrong with my nexus. it’s smooth, never falters on swiping, no lag or delay. Excellent battery life, excellent wifi card. Nice and bright screen.

    Jr has a cheap chinese unit that while works ok, the battery barely manges an hour and a half now so i really need to sort him out and I think hed love the jump up in quality to the Nexus. If the Hudl isnt better than the Nexus, then he can have it.

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    I’ve been looking into the Hudl 2 as my mum & dad have made a couple of comments about how they ‘should probably get a tablet’.

    Only bad things I’ve seen written about it were:
    – a couple of comments about the Tesco specific apps that can’t be deleted and the Tesco Launcher being a bit laggy and pants. But from what I have read, you can disable the Tesco apps (even if you can’t disable them) and you can just look for an alternative launcher if you don’t like the Tesco one.
    – Poor battery life. Which is probably more than adequate for most people in general use.

    Not used one myself – comments just based on reviews I have read while doing a bit of digging about. If you get them in conjunction with Clubcard vouchers in particular, I am not sure you can do much better.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I would stick to 8″ screens and bigger

    It’s a two way street. Big screen is nice but the device is harder to hold when say, lying down in bed. My 7″ Hudl 1 is about the size of a paperback so perfect for reading in bed.

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    molgrips – Member

    It’s a two way street. Big screen is nice but the device is harder to hold when say, lying down in bed. My 7″ Hudl 1 is about the size of a paperback so perfect for reading in bed.

    Yeah. That’s why I suggested trying them out. Horses for courses, innit?
    I found with the 7″ screens I was having to zoom in all the time to look at stuff on websites, whereas I didn’t need to so much with the 8″ (well, 8.3″ in the case of the GPad) screens. And if I was gonna be zooming in and out all the time, I might as well have just stuck with my phone and ditched the tablet idea altogether.

    The GPad is also a different aspect ratio to something like the iPad Mini so can still be held in one hand – it’s more of a widescreen shape.

    (And I use my Kindle for reading in bed…light, small and excellent battery life – winner winner, chicken dinner! 😉 )

    weeksy
    Full Member

    I bought a Hudl2 last week. It’s as good if not better than my Nexus7.

    Can’t fault it at the price in all honest.y

    craigxxl
    Free Member

    Have a look at the Yoga 8 or 10 if you want bigger. I took a chance on it as I wasn’t sure about the cylinder and stand thing on the edge of it. Turns out to be a really good tablet, perfectly balanced in your hand with 33 hours battery life. 16gb storage with Micro SD slot in the back, mine currently has a 64gb card in it. Upgrade to latest Android Kit Kat via updates. All for the price of a Hudl but being Lenovo probably much better built.
    I keep finding the wife using it even though she has an Ipad Mini 2 so must be good.

    2bit
    Free Member

    another HUDL2 here. Bought on Friday, installed Nova launcher & not only has it been faultless but I’ve not see any Tesco apps/logos since install.

    Only problem I have is firefox bookmarks not syncing properly.

    Really can’t fault the HUDL at all, even more so for the price..

    Bimbler
    Free Member

    At under £200 I’d be looking at the oft mentioned Hudl, the Nexus 7 (2013) (SD Card via USB OTG) and The LG Gpad 8.3. You can get HDMI out of the N7 and LG via slim port adaptor.

    Daughters have 1 each of the latter. Gpad is a touch less smooth (might be the LG launcher) but has all that lovely extra screen real estate, a couple of extra features such as IR blaster for remote control etc) Nexus 7 touch smoother, nicer but smaller screen, guaranteed update to Lollipop. Hudl cheap, especially with Tesco vouchers.

    I guess Hudl wins by virtue of its price and has all features you need built in rather than various adaptors etc

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    Which tablets can run GPS style apps?

    Presumably need phone connection?

    slowjo
    Free Member

    My sister has (literally) just asked me about the Hudl.

    She needs to buy an android tablet for tutorial purposes (Kinemaster Pro). I had no idea hat to say as I have no experience of Android tablets. She has a fistful of Tesco vouchers so the Hudl might be a plan.

    Any reason why she shouldn’t go ahead with this? It won’t run the app for example!

    nickjb
    Free Member

    My 7″ Hudl 1 is about the size of a paperback so perfect for reading in bed.

    Most 8″ tablets are about the same size as the 7″ hudl as it has a wide border.
    .

    Which tablets can run GPS style apps?
    Presumably need phone connection?

    Almost all of them. No need for phone connection for most apps. You can download via wifi and store maps for use on the move

    tthew
    Full Member

    I have a Nexus and really like it, but no expandable memory and I don’t think it has HDMI output, though there’s probably an adapter you could buy.

    I think the main problem with the 7″ screen is the aspect ratio of it, it’s quite narrow so as previously said needs quite a lot of zooming anc scrolling. My partners iPad Mini has an 8″ screen, no taller but wider so a little more usable. I’ll probably change to an 8″ android in future for that reason.

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