Tablet question?

[Spots]

I have a friend looking into tablet options, but has been some stipulations. He wants an android OS, he wants it to be able to run off a network, not just a wi fi connection, and here the one I dont know. He wants a tablet that can call and text with its own normal phones number. is there anything like that other than the Note 2 phablet. Like a 7-10"+ normal tablet that works as a phone? Thanks guys Edited December 2, 2012 by Spots

[Guest nysos]

A regular tablet won't be able to text to phone numbers without using a 3rd party service. There are some websites you can punch in a phone number and have it text them on your behalf, but I believe that are at a fee. It has to be a mobile device on that network with an ESN, so for that feature it limits it to the phone/tablets like the galaxy note. Full on tablets don't even have the proper antenna to communicate on the phone network, the closest you can get is one with 3g/4g antennas to get on the mobile data - but that is still different.

I don't know of any tablets off hand that even have a wired network port on them, you are lucky to find one even with a full USB port. Again, the purpose of the tablet is for mobile computing, so it is counter-intuitive to make something mobile as possible and require you to be wired in. There are some usb network adapters that you can get to work on some tablets, but they are very flakey and the tablet generally has to be rooted for you to be able to use it. So in order to go this route, he would have to get something that has a full usb port on it. Edited December 2, 2012 by nysos

[Spots]

When I said network I meant the 3g/4g network. I guess ill tell him tge note 2 is his only option for now

[Raoul]

yeah the wired connection is a problem, The surface tablet has a full size usb port so that might work, Texting could be handled via Google Voice. Phone might be handled by a skype account.
Sounds like a problem though.

[Spots]

I didnt mean a wired connection, I miss spoke. I meant connecting to a normal 3g/4g phone network

[R_Bert]

Heard Kim Komando say just last night that the Nexus 7 is best bang for $ by far - [url="http://www.asus.com/Tablet/Nexus/Nexus_7#specifications"]http://www.asus.com/Tablet/Nexus/Nexus_7#specifications[/url]

[Guest nysos]

[quote name='Spots' timestamp='1354481753' post='853878']
I didnt mean a wired connection, I miss spoke. I meant connecting to a normal 3g/4g phone network
[/quote]

He will just need to go to his cell provider's store or website and see what they offer, as that will be his best deal to get a data plan if he already has a phone with them.

[Raoul]

I have a nexus. Works well.
$299. will buy one with 32g and mobile data. Still have phone problem though.

[JohnC]

Found this video that compares the Mac and Nexus 7:

http://youtu.be/M2F5833tqH8

[Pain103]

Some computers can send text messages through their wireless broadband cards. The computer is assigned a telelphone number. I have a laptop hooked up to to verizon wirelss broadband that does this. But I don't know how or if it could make actual phone calls.

[Jesse]

I bought the galaxy tab 2 10.1"

Supports Flash Player unlike the ipad. And has micro mem slot unlike the Nexus.

It also can be used as a tv/cable box remote.

And they have 3g/4g models along with wifi only models.

[TripleDigitRide]

[quote name='Jesse' timestamp='1354556794' post='854277']I bought the galaxy tab 2 10.1"

Supports Flash Player unlike the ipad. And has micro mem slot unlike the Nexus.

It also can be used as a tv/cable box remote.

And they have 3g/4g models along with wifi only models.[/quote]

I just purchased the same thing for my daughter's Christmas gift. I spent a few hours going through all the updates and playing around with it a bit, and I was quite impressed. If you're looking for an Android based tablet, this one appears to be a great choice.

[Jesse]

[quote name='TripleDigitRide' timestamp='1354564888' post='854355']
I just purchased the same thing for my daughter's Christmas gift. I spent a few hours going through all the updates and playing around with it a bit, and I was quite impressed. If you're looking for an Android based tablet, this one appears to be a great choice.
[/quote]




yeah its a great android tablet, pretty much all i use now to watch netflix and surf the web. my desktop pc is collecting dust.

[Guest seawolf138]

My friends and I very recently had this conversation over dinner. Currently, nexus 7 wins, with the galaxy in close second, but you're pretty much out of luck turning it into a phone. Phablets do not exist currently. You can probably make Skype calls and I think google voice does texting over Wi-Fi, but it won't have its own phone number...Skype and google voice both provide this, but neither will work without a data connection, and unless it has changed Skype only does video chat over wifi, it won't connect with 3g/4g.

I should also add, the iPad is a great tablet, but none of us really like the apple interface or the fact the apple likes to charge quite a bit just for its name. Your not asking about apple devices so it probably doesn't matter, but they get at least an honorable mention. :-)

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2 Edited December 4, 2012 by seawolf138

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

Also.. if you have facebook.. you can send texts thru that...I did thru my Kindle Fire

[canadienmike]

Get a Google voice account which will give you a phone number and then download Talkatone. It's a great app that allows you to send texts and make phone calls using your Google voice account as long as you have a data connection (wifi or 3G). I used it while I was in Canada to call into work here for free from my iPad.