### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-a-laptop-or-tablet-plus-connection-costs-online-courses/651950/1 "2013-03-04T00:10:45Z")
I’ve never owned anything in the way of a portable device.
I want to take some online courses, and I have some free tim at work, but I am not allowed to use my work computer, but I **am** allowed to take the courses (go figure \). So a portable device is a must.
Points to remember–
[ol]
[li]There is no Wi-Fi, so don’t bring it up. Ain’t happening.[/li][li]Used & cheap is best[/li][li]I need the lowest possible cost to hook to the web. No Wi-Fi, so cellular. Who gives unlimited data per month? Who offers a really low price? Crummy performance & slow speed I can live with, high prices per month I cannot.[/li][li]Tablet? Laptop? Which is best?[/li][li]Any general advice on online courses? I’m going with the free ones from MIT.[/li][/ol]
I’m using these to supplement other, in classroom training.
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### Author:  [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-a-laptop-or-tablet-plus-connection-costs-online-courses/651950/2 "2013-03-04T00:39:33Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#):
>
> Any general advice on online courses? I’m going with the free ones from MIT.
Do you mean the edX classes from MIT? I haven’t done any of those yet but I have done several online courses with Coursera and Udacity. Not everything works quite as well on a tablet as it does on a regular computer.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-a-laptop-or-tablet-plus-connection-costs-online-courses/651950/3 "2013-03-04T01:22:08Z")
> [@ticker](#):
>
> Do you mean the edX classes from MIT? I haven’t done any of those yet but I have done several online courses with Coursera and Udacity. Not everything works quite as well on a tablet as it does on a regular computer.
OK, are tablets cheaper than laptops?
Is ther a good used market?
Data plan input is helpful.
**ticker** ’s help is good, but everybody is welcome.
Please remember–I wont be able to reply during the day at work, but keep posting suggestions.🙂
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### Author:  [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-a-laptop-or-tablet-plus-connection-costs-online-courses/651950/4 "2013-03-04T02:20:11Z")
You sound like you’ll be doing actual work and at this point laptops do better than tablets for that. They’re about the same prices, depending on features. My iPad cost much more than my Lenovo Ideapad, for instance. You can find a netbook for as cheap as a low-end tablet.
As far as cellular internet, Clear seems cheapest if you’ve got coverage in your area - they’ve got a $35 unlimited plan.
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-a-laptop-or-tablet-plus-connection-costs-online-courses/651950/5 "2013-03-04T02:43:41Z")
Have you looked into whether the online courses can be downloaded onto your computer ahead of time, and viewed later? Or do these courses require an online connection at a specific time, or while viewing?
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2013, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-a-laptop-or-tablet-plus-connection-costs-online-courses/651950/6 "2013-03-04T10:02:09Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#):
>
> Have you looked into whether the online courses can be downloaded onto your computer ahead of time, and viewed later? Or do these courses require an online connection at a specific time, or while viewing?
I dunno, yet.
The only fully decided thing is that I **will** get certified as a paralegal, come Hell or high water!!
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### Author:  [@Ferengi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferengi)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2013, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-a-laptop-or-tablet-plus-connection-costs-online-courses/651950/7 "2013-03-04T11:25:21Z")
I would opt for a Samsung Chromebook.
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### Author:  [@Ferengi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferengi)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-a-laptop-or-tablet-plus-connection-costs-online-courses/651950/8 "2013-03-04T11:43:05Z")
If you go the used route, [these](http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=e6410&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=e6400&_sacat=0) are very nice and built like tanks. I used to have one.