8 inch Win8 tablets

[PaceAdvantage]

OK...the bug is biting me again...sigh...lol

These things look pretty damn cool, and at less than $300, they are basically a must buy for me...lmao

The question is, which one? They all have fairly similar specs...There is the Dell Venue Pro 8...the Lenovo miix 2, and the Toshiba Encore.

The Lenovo is the lightest and (just slightly) smallest...the Dell seems to be everyone's favorite, and the Toshiba has HDMI out and better battery life, but is the thickest and the heaviest among the three. In fact, Toshiba claims up to 14 hours battery life compared to around 7 for the other two. That's an amazing difference.

Does anybody have one of these? Has anyone played with all three, or two of the three?

The Dell you can get for well under $300...the other two are $299 for the 32GB versions...

I tried to get the Dell for $99 when Microsoft was selling them at that price to the first 100 people to purchase them from their website the other day, but not surprisingly didn't get it in time...but, I did manage to put one in my shopping cart for $199 (that was the price they were going for until they ran out of supply for that day, after the first 100 for $99)...but I changed my mind at the last minute and didn't pull the trigger...now I'm kicking myself...

I need a new toy for Saratoga 2014...

I want the lightest and the smallest, but that Toshiba battery life seems too good to pass up...plus with Toshiba, you get an HDMI port, which is something I'd want.

From what I read, it seems like a pain in the ass to try and get HDMI out through the micro-USB port using a configuration of at least two different dongles/adapters...and since the Dell and Lenovo charge via the USB port, you can't charge and use a USB peripheral at the same time...

Decisions decisions...

[FiveWide]

Cool I've been waiting for a Win8 tablet smaller than my Surface so I'll have to check these out. Thx for the info! I'm guessing these are just the RT variety for that price?


-Five

[PaceAdvantage]

Cool I've been waiting for a Win8 tablet smaller than my Surface so I'll have to check these out. Thx for the info! I'm guessing these are just the RT variety for that price?


-FiveNot at all. Runs full Win 8.1, that's what makes them basically a must buy at that price...lol

And they are NOT your father's Atom processor...they are the Bay Trail version and they are night and day different in terms of performance from the older Intel Atom chips...

[FiveWide]

Not at all. Runs full Win 8.1, that's what makes them basically a must buy at that price...lol

And they are NOT your father's Atom processor...they are the Bay Trail version and they are night and day different in terms of performance from the older Intel Atom chips...


yea I just finished reading up on them. You are spot on! Guess I'm gonna have to go shopping now!!


-Five

[PaceAdvantage]

I ended up picking up the Dell Venue 8 pro:

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Venue-Pro-Tablet-Windows/dp/B00FFVYV4K

Got it for $229 at MicroCenter...really nice little full Windows 8.1 machine...but this size is really pushing it for these 44yo eyes that seem to need to hold things further and further away these days...lol...guess I need to start thinking about reading glasses...oy...

[FiveWide]

I ended up picking up the Dell Venue 8 pro:

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Venue-Pro-Tablet-Windows/dp/B00FFVYV4K

Got it for $229 at MicroCenter...really nice little full Windows 8.1 machine...but this size is really pushing it for these 44yo eyes that seem to need to hold things further and further away these days...lol...guess I need to start thinking about reading glasses...oy...

PA I was thinking those same thoughts about the eyes the other day. I want one smaller than my Surface but I'm like how much a strain will it be for me. 45 here. I have a MicroCenter local here so I'll go check it out.

-Five

[PaceAdvantage]

Working with apps in the metro screen is fine...it's when you switch to the traditional windows desktop that my eyes are pushed to the limit at this size...

[JustRalph]

Just a word of warning. You have very little adjustability with resolution etc on these small tablets, in Win8. Some of the older windows programs will squawk and demand a different resolution in "real mode" or "desktop mode" whatever they call it. So if you want to adjust resolution for old eyes, you might have a problem. But if you're going to run all new Apps you might be alright

Don't ask me how I know.........

[SchagFactorToWin]

PA- Have you used the stylus? I'm thinking of waiting for the Asus with a Wacom stylus due out next month. I def. need a stylus to mark up the PDF racing programs.

I was going to get an iPad Air to replace my Chrome netbook but thought that a Windows tablet would let me replace both the netbook and laptop. The iPad doesn't allow side-by-side apps to run, so no way to work a PP and a spreadsheet.

[FiveWide]

I use the stylus with my Surface all the time. I download the PPs from DRF which is in PDF format. I can use the stylus all I want to mark up the PPs in the Reader app. It's very good IMO. Never thought I'd be handicapping like this. My laser printer went out and I haven't bothered to replace or fix it yet so I've been forced to mark up the PDF. I'm actually liking it quite nicely.


-Five

[PaceAdvantage]

The stylus is the one not-so-good thing about this tablet, from what I read. I haven't bought one yet, as they seem to be out of stock, and I hope they are working out the bugs with the next shipment. However, of the 8 inchers that are out there now, the dell has the potential to be the best in terms of stylus, as it is an active stylus...

PA- Have you used the stylus? I'm thinking of waiting for the Asus with a Wacom stylus due out next month. I def. need a stylus to mark up the PDF racing programs.

I was going to get an iPad Air to replace my Chrome netbook but thought that a Windows tablet would let me replace both the netbook and laptop. The iPad doesn't allow side-by-side apps to run, so no way to work a PP and a spreadsheet.

[FiveWide]

I'm a big fan of Asus (have one of their laptops) so I'll wait and see what their tablet is like.


-Five

[judd]

happy with my new I-pad mini;)

[mabred]

how do u install a program into it??

does it have a cd rom or do u transfer

program via usb port.

never used win 8 can u transfer from desk top to it say from
xp or win 7

thanks
mabred

[PaceAdvantage]

Theoretically you could install a program any numbers of way. You could connect a CD-ROM via micro-USB (you would need a cable adapter that goes micro-USB to full USB as the Venue only has a micro-USB port).

Or you could somehow transfer the program via USB flashdrive or microSD card.

Win 8 is backward compatible with most XP/7 programs if that's what you're asking.

It's really like having two OS in one with windows 8. You have that "Metro" start screen, which replaces the start menu and allows you to run apps from the MS app store. And you still have the regular old desktop where you run MS Office and all the other programs you usually run on windows.

There are way better explanations out there than the one I just gave...lol

[mabred]

thanks mike!!!

[MJC922]

I ended up picking up the Dell Venue 8 pro:

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Venue-Pro-Tablet-Windows/dp/B00FFVYV4K

Got it for $229 at MicroCenter...really nice little full Windows 8.1 machine...but this size is really pushing it for these 44yo eyes that seem to need to hold things further and further away these days...lol...guess I need to start thinking about reading glasses...oy...

Cool. I think these are a good buy, at this price really for the capabilites of the device it's hard to argue with picking it up... I nearly pulled the trigger on one a few weeks back. With that being said though, for handicapping I find these machines are really just a bit too small for my eyes. I have the ipad mini and honestly couldn't tolerate it for looking at PPs all day long except as a last resort. You can zoom in and what not but for me that type of workflow gets old quick. My tech xmas present was a Roku 3. Just hooked it up an hour ago. Streams far better than my Panasonic DVD player for pulling in Amazon Prime. That silly DVD player can't stay connected wirelessly to three different routers I've tried. Works fine for DVDs, it's utter garbage for network-enabled stuff.

[PaceAdvantage]

I have a confession to make. I actually tried on reading glasses today. And it was so nice to be able to use this tablet without having to hold it so far away which in turn makes the text even smaller...lmao

Boy do I feel old now...