RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted November 7, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 7, 2014 The Head of Household has intimated that our Christmas present to ourselves this year will be a tablet. She uses her smart phone a lot on the internet whilst I'm driving and would like a larger screen. Obviously this is a bit like how long is a piece of string but we've no idea how much data we're likely to use, or how much storage we'd use whilst out and about. She's looking at a Samsung Galaxy Tab4 and her current mobile contract is with O2. Is there any reason to change from O2 for using a tablet? Fyi we live in west Wales so there's no 4G at present though do travel towards civilisation form time to time! Would we be better off going for PAYG and then upgrading to a monthly contract later? Are there any other devices that are better? As we are not getting any younger max screen size and resolution comes into play as far as reasonably practical. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 A Tesco Hudl 2 is excellent value for money at £129 and is a very good device in its own right. You can banish the Tesco branding simply by installing a new launcher. It doesn't have 3G built in, but you can tether it to your phone's WiFi. Dunno what O2 do but Three give you 4GB of tethered data per month on their £15 all-you-can-eat plan. It saves having a second plan just for a tablet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Would recommend a 10" tablet, have a Samsung tab 1 which is fine. Bought cheaply an 8" tab 3 which a pain to use as in landscape you hold it at the side and hit the back button by mistake. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted November 7, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 7, 2014 Thanks guys. Must admit that as we're new to this we hadn't realised we might be able to tether the tablet to the smartphone. That would save an extra contract, maybe. We'll need to check the dtls but we think she has a fair amount of unused data allowance each month so the increased browsing MAY come at no extra cost. We don't play online games but when you see all those tempting online offers with online supermarkets, the usage can go on and on and on and ....... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 We got the first model Tesco Hudl around this time last year - Half price with Tesco vouchers - so really it was free. Wife uses it for Skype, Facebook etc. Took it on Hols to Thailand in August and worked well in all hotels etc. It was very usefull indeed. Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 We've been on Giffgaff for a while and they do a respectable bundle which means you can tether the tablet to the mobile for 1GB of data (does me) for a month for £10 - https://giffgaff.com/goodybags/10pound-goodybag with 500 mins of calls and unlimited texts - that way you've only got one payment going out and shared mobile data between the phone and tablet. Giffgaff uses O2 as a network if you're happy with their coverage. We've only ever had one short outage and the main support is via a community forum like this. If you use this link you'll get a fiver credit too - https://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/andy_y Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted November 7, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 7, 2014 Now if they did half that package for a fiver I would jump at it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 The Head of Household has intimated that our Christmas present to ourselves this year will be a tablet.... I get good results from generic paracetamol. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Currently using a Nexus 7 and probably going to upgrade it to the new Nexus 9. Great thing about these is the clean install without any bloatware extras or apps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 We've been on Giffgaff for a while and they do a respectable bundle which means you can tether the tablet to the mobile for 1GB of data (does me) for a month for £10 - https://giffgaff.com/goodybags/10pound-goodybag with 500 mins of calls and unlimited texts - that way you've only got one payment going out and shared mobile data between the phone and tablet. Giffgaff uses O2 as a network if you're happy with their coverage. We've only ever had one short outage and the main support is via a community forum like this. If you use this link you'll get a fiver credit too - https://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/andy_y Giffgaff is O2 and having worked for Telefonica (O2) this year they provide a good service and have excellent customer support which I had experienced in the past too. O2 do have various bundle deals including phones/tablets and it is always worth checking what deals are available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakydoke Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Already mentioned....giffgaff. Originally operating as a Virtual Network on O2, they were subsequently taken over by that host network. Their package deals are far cheaper and have much better allowances than any of the other providers, including the parent company, O2. There is no fixed term contract and you can change voice/text/data plans as you wish, increasing or decreasing from month to month. Renew manually each month or set up automatic renewals. Top up if you need to, but that isn't necessary with most plans as they have adequate or unlimited allowances. You can leave anytime you want, subject to your allowance running out at the end of the current month paid for last. Again, this is O2 under another brand name, but far cheaper and more flexible with no tie-ins. Do not buy a plan or sign up to anything in a phone shop, whether it's a network branded shop, a reseller like Carphone Warehouse or an independent. Online is where the real deals are available, often hidden from view, or only available to be sold through the main online resellers. The other option is trying to get a deal by leaving the network. Depending on the timing, they may offer something very tempting that they will never advertise, just to keep you onboard. Having said that, I'd recommend giffgaff first. Just Google giffgaff and have a read. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Use giffgaff happily enough. Only issue, as with the other providers, is that much of Norfolk is a dead zone to WiFi, 3G, 4G, and even phone networks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted November 8, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 8, 2014 My understanding of the Tesco Hudl2 is that it's running on an Intel Atom processor, rather than an ARM variant. This has lead to a few applications not working on the Hudl2 as well (or at all) as they would on an ARM processor. I don't have at tablet at present, but if I had the money I'd go for a Nexus 9, that can be bought either with or without a mobile phone element. Both have the advantage of being vanilla Android (or nearly so), rather than being overloaded with bloatware like some others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted November 8, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 8, 2014 Thanks for all the advice chaps. a/ At the moment our current thinking is now to buy a tablet (but not from mobile phone company etc). b/ Head of Household's current plan allows 500Mb of data which can be used on phone or tethered. This should be enough to get started and test just how much usage we have. c/ Then either get a plan like giffgaff which doesn't lock us in, OR look at getting her mobile plan changed to allow more data. (Strangely (?) at the mo' it looks like the next step up from 500Mb is 5Gb which seems huge, or upgrade her mobile which would come with say a 2GB allowance, but of course has a minimum contract term - though oakydoke's point about threatening to leave O2 may come into play and draw out outher price/data volume options?). ie it looks like steps a and b will happen whilst we investigate further. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 My understanding of the Tesco Hudl2 is that it's running on an Intel Atom processor, rather than an ARM variant. This has lead to a few applications not working on the Hudl2 as well (or at all) as they would on an ARM processor. Not something I've encountered personally. I like the Nexus 9, but as it turns out I didn't like it £200 more than the Hudl2. On the subject of GiffGaff they're great, but suffer from O2's inability to provide data coverage to most of the places I end up. I often gaze enviously at 'Three' subscribers with their functioning smartphones.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chameleon Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 It all boils down to how/where you want to use your tablet. If its at home, use WiFi, fast n limitless. I tether my Nexus 7 to my iPhone (which can be a bit flaky) when out n about. I have 1g of data a month and have nearly bounced off my limit a couple of times. Also what sort of tablet do you want? Ipad or android? What size? 7-10 inch? Budget? Go have a play with as many as you can before deciding. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted November 8, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 8, 2014 Buying a tablet without doing your homework - which the OP is patently doing - can be a disappointment. My French network is not keen on me using their phone for much overseas - they charge me extra for everything, and claim all their competitors do likewise. I also have to admit I have never got to grips with the data side of the Android (a cheaper-end Galaxy). So when in the UK I bought a tablet from Maplin, and a PAYG SIM from the nearby Vodaphone store. Off on a train or two, and couldn't even get to Google to register via the on-train WiFi. Eventually managed that in Sherry's flat. But it seems the tablet is 3G, and the SIM is 4G. Works fine as a phone, a very poor camera (2MB!) but no data access whatever. Home and the WiFi does the biz. Be sure you know what you are buying! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted November 8, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 8, 2014 Santa is giving me the Hudl2 as number 3 son works at Tesco and a couple of weeks ago they gave all staff a 20% discount, plus using the Clubcard vouchers we got for shopping there over the past year means that it was free! However next question is about the phone and network to use - currently a very old Iphone3 that has been passed all around the family and is now with me on a contract with Three. I am looking to upgrade the phone and by going to Tesco I can become part of a family deal that is a pound or two cheaper each month - they also use the O2 network - but do I go for a Nokia Windows phone or one with Android - I guess the latter is better to tether and it's one less system to understand. Also considering getting a Huawei unit as an alternative in case phone signal is poor - something like this ?? http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/broadband-sat-nav-phones/mobile-phones-broadband/mobile-broadband/three-e5330-1gb-pay-as-you-go-mobile-wifi-10024430-pdt.html Any thoughts or advice? Thanks . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 but do I go for a Nokia Windows phone or one with Android - I guess the latter is better to tether and it's one less system to understand. Also considering getting a Huawei unit as an alternative in case phone signal is poor - something like this ?? http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/broadband-sat-nav-phones/mobile-phones-broadband/mobile-broadband/three-e5330-1gb-pay-as-you-go-mobile-wifi-10024430-pdt.htmlI got SWMBO a basic Nokia Lumia 520 Windows phone about a year ago and it's been an excellent phone. Holds on to its battery life and has proved its sturdyness by arriving in a crushed box with a footprint on it. The earth pin on the mains adapter was rammed into the back of the phone but apart from a small dent in the case it's worked faultlessly.The downside is that being Windows it's in third place for getting the latest apps. I also got one of those Huawei hotspots to take on holiday. With a Three SIM it provided better internet than the WiFi in the cottage. The only downside is that WiFi range away from the hotspot is limited. It could sometimes be tricky to put the hotspot where the 3g was and keep the tablet where I wanted to be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 On the subject of the sturdiness of the Lumia 520... Brazilian Policeman Saved When Bullet Hits Nokia Lumia 520 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kal Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 ipad 64 GB No sim card just tether to phone Nuff said. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Please compare: ipad: 650 quid iphone: 500 quid special apple-branded tether cable: 50 quid (it's an ordinary cable, but apple insists using apple-branded products if you want to claim any warranty ) connecting additional devices: no.... So captive is the Apple market that the Bluetooth facility on this particular iPad refuses to recognise, still less connect to, a non-Apple device. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kal Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 ipads start at £199. Tethering can be done with the included cable to USB (15 to replace not fifty), bluetooth works faultless with any number of none apple devices or by wifi. Tethered to a sony experia on three pay as you go via bluetooth as i write. Warranty not sure where you heard that but it is not correct, hundreds of third party devices sold on apples own website let alone amazon etc. there warranty is no different to any other manufacturer. bluetooth is an Ericsson patent and is licensed from them, they cannot make a their own version. If you mean they only allow charging from apple approved cables, correct. Been too many deaths from poor cheap knock offs that catch fire. Do you think that is bad thing? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 ipads start at £199. iPad Minis are nice little things but they are poorly specified compared to what else you could get for your money. 1024*768 display? Dual core?They are dainty and nice to hold, but for me there are far more exciting things happening in Android land. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Jonboy Posted November 9, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2014 I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 a couple of years ago. It is fantastic and I would highly recommend it. We bought a Wi-Fi only one but tethering via Bluetooth works on the odd occasion it has been needed. I will definitely go to a similar model again when/if it needs replacing. I bought a 16gb version and chucked a 32gb SD card in to increase the memory. I bought it as a "refurbished" model from Amazon for around £90 less than the new price and it still had all its factory fitted protective plastic fitted and I suspect it was simply bought, tried and returned by someone. A few friends and family all bought cheaper generic android tablets (the £40 to £100 price bracket types) at around the same time and all seemed disappointed in the short to medium term as the displays and touch screens were low-spec and all seemed to have random freezing issues etc. most of them have either given up on tablets or gone for nexus/Samsung or Ipad variants since. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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