Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

I've been looking into buying a relatively inexpensive tablet. I think the 7" will be a big enough screeen (easy to carry around) so that's one decision made. My grand daughter will have use of it (she's starting to be interested and hopefully the apps. will help her when she starts school). It is also wanted as an e-reader, for e-mail/internet, music and photographs (+ whatever else it will do).

Does anyone know if the Samsung is likely to suit these needs. I did look at a Leap pad for my grand daughter, but you can't access the interenet or download games with the Leap pad and the apps. have to be purchased as little slot in's individually at between £15-20 each. The Leap pad is about £100 including a charger and a few bits and bobs, so I decided to go up a bit in price and get an adult tablet which I hope will be more versatile. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" costs £149 (cheapest price I have found) and you can download the apps.etc.

Is there anything else I could be looking at around that price and what do folks think generally about the Samsung tab 2. It's about £100 cheaper than the cheapest Ipad (I think). And I can get a white one which is quite attractive.

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

My 10 year old grandson has a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7, Rena and he loves it ...... admittedly he plays games on it mostly but that is what 10 year olds tend to do I'm sure he will use it for more important tasks in the years to come. Amazon are offering a good price on them at the moment.

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

i bought a i pad love it was going to get a tablet but the i pad was good that i understood it
what ever there amazing

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

I also have an iPad, so does my granddaughter who is 12. She uses hers for her school work as well as games.

I would say the Samsung Galaxy would be the more affordable introduction to tablets for a young child.

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

I can't get to grips with this tablet mania, if you have a PC or laptop then what can it do that they can't?

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

Tablets are a completely new venture for me Barry - I have never really looked at them much before. I think portability is one of the advantages, plus the ones I have seen are touch-screen. A 7" screen is just the size for a handbag or a pocket and they are very slim and lightweight. I like to read in bed so, hopefully, I will be able to snuggle down under the covers and read downloaded books or watch films in complete comfort (unless Olivia, my granddaughter, keeps a hold of it and I don't get a look in ). Hope you enjoyed your break Barry.

Thanks for the replies folks.

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

The Samsung is an Android tablet, the controls etc are just about identical to those on Android phones. I have seen a few 7" Android tablets about on my travels and for the things you mention it should be OK. The advantages of a tablet are size, weight and battery life.

A tablet is not a PC it is an adjunct to rather than a replacement for because there are things which are difficult to do on a tablet, printing is one and while they will connect fine to the internet via your home network they will not talk/transfer to your Windows based PC via the network. (All these problems are surmountable but not particularly easily)

I have an Android tablet which I use but I amnot particularly enamoured of them, for example, on this holiday I left it at home and took my netbook PC - same dimensions (10") but thicker, heavier and needs its small power supply. In my opinion the advantage of having a PC far outweigh the weight disadvantage.

To carry in your bag for use as an ebook,email etc the 7" is probably a good compromise and Samsung is a good reliable brand in this field. Your grand daughter will no doubt get more use out of it than you but it might rub off

Personally I think Apple products are over priced and under featured but that is their marketing strategy and brand recognition works for them but Android tablets have more features, a much more sensible screen ratio (16:9) and are much cheaper.

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

As Bruce already knows, we completely disagree on this topic and he's OK with that!

I am an Apple nut and have a Mac desktop, ipad, iphone, and ipod and we have Apple TV. They may be overpriced but I love them. You either do or you don't. It's a bit of a cult thing!

However, apart from that - I cannot understand anyone who thinks a tablet of any sort is not useful or is no different from a laptop or desktop. The main difference is that you can take it with you wherever you go without the weight or bother of a laptop and its accoutrements and with a longer battery life. They don't have to be "opened" or "started up" - they are instant and can be held in one hand.

No, they don't print - although you can, as we do, send the document home to be printed via wi-fi. But they are not designed to be a replacement for your computer, but an additional and portable resource. I use mine every day as well as my desktop. Once I sit down in the evening I have it on the table next to me - no need to have it on your knee or on a desk - to look up things that grab my interest while reading or watching TV. if I feel like it I play interactive Scrabble, many different word games, crosswords etc. I took it the hairdresser's today because they only ever have rubbishy magazines to read. A couple of days ago I took it to a meeting in my handbag and took notes without all the setting up and preparation needed for a laptop.

We take them on holiday and with a cheap new Sim card you can use them all over the world just like a mobile phone. Although I still buy real books at home, I don't take them on holiday any more - my ipad can hold hundreds with no weight problem. I use it as a road map and as a GPS both in the car and walking. I take it to friend's and family's houses and show them my photos. I take photos with it. I take it to my U3A and use it in the classes I teach to illustrate talks. You can add speakers or earphones and listen to all the music you would have on an ipod. I could go on but for me it's a part of my life I wouldn't be without.

However, if none of these things interest you, then it probably isn't a necessity. We're all different but I think just refusing to try is unproductive. When we held a course on them at U3A many people were sold on them once they had one in their hands and actually used it.

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

Totally agree Barry (OMG That's twice this morning we've agreed )

Anyway none of them would work where we live 'cos I have to walk down to the West gate to get a signal on my old phone

Re: Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7" - 8GB

Thank you all for your replies. I think I am going to get the Samsung tablet. It's going to be used by my grand daughter as well as adults (it will be for all to use). I spoke to someone the shop and he said that there is not a lot of difference between the equivalent Ipad and the Samsung, so price will influence my decision. Thanks agan.