I’ve got a new tablet. It’s a Sky Devices Elite OctaX, if that matters. Now I need to know what I can do with it. What can this thing do that a laptop computer can’t? Anything? Nothing? What advantages a tablet have that a computer doesn’t? Is there any difference at all between them or are they basically the same thing? In other words, what’s it good for and how can I use it, and is it a good thing to have if you already own a desktop system and a laptop computer? Explain it to me like you would to your granny, please, because I am a know-nothing knuckle-dragger. And thanks in adance for your time and attention.
It’s smaller and more practical to walk around with than a laptop. I’m not familiar with that particular brand and model, but if it’s anything like most other tablets, it’s essentially just a really big smartphone.
Surf the web. Read an ebook. Play Angry Birds.
I’ve not had much interest in a tablet. It is too large to be useful as a portable device like a phone and too small to function as a laptop. The only thing I use it for is Kindle books.
Of course, they haven’t sold millions of these things because of people like me so hopefully you are like others and get some enjoyment from it.
It’s essentially just a really big smartphone — except that you can’t make phone calls with it. Or carry it in your pocket.
It does, though, have a much bigger screen than your smartphone, so is much better for looking at pictures or videos, or reading text, or looking at most webpages/websites. Plus the on-screen keyboard is a good deal easier to use than the tiny one on your smartphone.
Well, you can use Google Voice or other calling app to make calls, though that chews up data (if you have a cell-ready model) - best to do this only on wi-fi. It can be used for things like Zoom and the like, as well.
I have an iPad. I don’t like reading books on it because the screen glare is annoying - my Kindle e-ink reader is much easier. The iPad is much better than my phone for playing games, or watching movies. As a friend who got an early model iPad said, it’s an entertainment device, not a computing device - and that’s what I bought it for.
It can certainly be used for more business-like purposes - we have a small bluetooth keyboard that could be used for taking notes, and my husband likes to do that when travelling.
For me, the main use case of a tablet is sitting on my sofa browsing the web, streaming videos or music or using social media apps. Essentially, what I would otherwise use a smartphone for, but with a larger screen. More comfortable for casual use than a laptop, but not suitable for serious work.
The device would appear to be able to make calls. It has a SIM slot and supports a rang of the usual mobile protocols and bands, but emphasises VoLTE. Otherwise it is an Android tablet, and pretty much gives you what any other Android device does. Put a SIM with a voice contract in it and you can make calls, but if you hold it to your head you will look a right idiot. But people do. I’m sure it has a quit useful handsfree capability.
SIM gets you mobile data as well, so you hav internet connectivity where you have mobile coverage. Otherwise you need to give it Internet connectivity over WiFi, which is, at least, most likely available at home.
Android gets you the Google set of office productivity apps. Plus all the games and common paid and free streaming platforms. So it makes a useful portable device for all the common undemanding computer based entertainment.
Pretty much the same for me. I use my iPad Mini for reading books, reading the news, watching videos, and posting to SD. I use the maps to plan trips. I check and adjust my bank accounts with it. I play games and music on it. I hate typing on my iPhone; much easier to type with my thumbs on this.
My iPad is used mostly for movie viewing via Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime.
My primary uses for my iPad are web browsing, watching Netflix, etc, casual gaming (Angry Birds/Sudoku type stuff), and social media.
When I am at home, it’s usually with me. I have started taking it on vacation in lieu of a laptop if I am travelling light. I have have a little foldable keyboard if I need to do real work.
I know someone who is an artist, and has a rather large tablet with a special (maybe not that special, but it’s pressure-sensitive, etc) stylus he can whip out anywhere and start drawing. E-ink screen.
#1 Most Important Function: Load PDFs of all your gaming books and your character sheets on it, snag a dice-rolling app from the play store of your choice and bring it to all your tabletop RPG nights! That’s what I do!
It’s my portable gaming library, and I can whip out my bluetooth mouse and keyboard for easy notetaking and editing of my characters, or toss my bluetooth speaker on the table and play creepy mood music while battling mummies! Inspire amazement and jealousy amongst your nerd friends!
(Mine don’t seem super impressed, though. Losers. 
)
The primary advantage of smaller-than-desktop computers is size. As the size gets smaller, some tasks become difficult or impossible. Anything requiring a lot of text entering or selecting from many on-screen choices, for example. I wouldn’t want to edit a complex video on anything other than a desktop with a giant display or even a dual one. And if quality sound is an important part of your task, an external amp & speakers or head-worn device is necessary, negating some of the portable advantages.
So if portability is primary and a small display is acceptable or even desirable, enjoy!
I have a Kindle Fire and like others here I use it for watching Netflix, Prime, etc. which I do every night when I go to bed. I also use it as a reader but only indoors. The glare factor when using it outside is awful. I have a Kindle Paperwhite for outdoor reading.
I use my tablet almost exclusively in bed, and its permanent home is on a bedside table beside its charger. And almost exclusively, it’s used for surfing the web and watching movies and TV shows. This is where a tablet reigns supreme, because you can’t conveniently use a laptop in bed.
Were it not for the in-bed use, I’m not sure what I would do with it. The only time it’s anywhere else is when I occasionally take it downstairs, connect it to my audio system, and use it to stream background jazz via Spotify.
ETA: One thing I do NOT do with it is read books, unless it’s a PDF or something with a lot of colour pictures. For books, there is a Kindle by my bedside (as well as a headboard consisting of shelves of actual books!).
Yeah, I’ll use the kindle app on my iPad if my kindle is charging.
My primary uses of tablets:
- Playing Sudoku and reading books in bed before I sleep
- When I travel, almost all other computer functions; browsing the web, playing games, watching movies and TV shows, etc
I use a tablet for comics and manga. I have an 8 inch Kindle Fire and a 7 inch generic tablet. The 7 inch has a lower quality plastic screen, but it is much lighter than the Fire and is just small enough to be reasonably gripped (while the fire isn’t) so I use it instead. Someday I’d like to try a 7 inch Fire. I have no desire a 10+ inch tablet.
I use mind exclusively for watching videos in the bath (I have a bath board I put it on) and in bed. Don’t want a TV in my bedroom, definitely am not trying to put one in my bathroom, and I take a lot of baths so it actually gets a fair amount of use.
Mine is a very very cheap Kindle Fire kids’ version (bought the kids’ one because it came with a fantastic case - rubber, pretty much unbreakable and has a carry handle), so I can sort of be more careless about it than I would be with a laptop.
If I travelled more I’d watch stuff on it while on holiday or possibly on the train, with headphones.
There is the facility to go on social media, etc, but the keyboard isn’t great. It’d be an OK temporary back-up if needed though.
I use it to play the companion apps for the board game Mansions of Madness and the Unlock series of board games. Trying to use a dinky phone screen for that is far inferior. That’s pretty much all I use it for, though on very infrequent occasions I use its camera to take pictures, if for some reason I need to take a picture.