Reliable budget tablet recomendations PLEASE

loupoppins

Hi,
apologies if this has been done to death - I did try searching using various terms but mostly keep turning up threads for budget hayfever TABLETS or a life's supply of folic acid etc....!:rotfl:
Anyway...
I am likely to be getting some money for my bday in a couple of weeks:T.
I was contemplating a kindle - but decided against it. I use my Galaxy s2 kindle app a lot and don't feel the kindle itself would be a huge advantage over my phone ( not bothered about the whole e ink thing!)
Anyway, what I would really like is an android tablet.:D
I want a smaller one (7inch) and would use it mostly for:
-kindle (ebooks)
-calendar/organiser (currently use jorte on my phone, would like the same or similar)IMPORTANT
-need to have full access to google play apps such as budgeting apps, photo apps etc
- watching films/iplayer would be an advantage
-Not at all bothered about playing games
-May occasionally listen to music or audio books but not my main music listening device
-Occasional internet browsing

I would prefer android V4 - ICS
Screen resolution needs to be OK but not top end necessarily.
Not bothered about lots of other fancy features
Want it to be fairly slim in deisgn, not too heavy or clunky....

and my budget will be around £100
I know for that price I will not get top end , but if it can let me read my kindle books, have a decent calendar/organiser,lets me access google play apps and is reliable with half decent battery life then that will do me!

So......
I would be most grateful for any recommendations.
A quick browse of amazon threw up loads of options, but Im sure a lot are no good.....
any help much appreciated!:beer:

Lifeforms

I think pretty much the opinion floating around with sub £100 ICS tablets are don't bother. Save up. You want capacitive screen for starts, which most do not have. Jabbing screens is not fun!

Someone might come around with a few other options of ~£100+, but for under that, you're really not going to be lucky.

Use the advanced search with Tablet in thread title only, and select the Techie forum only, then you'll get a few threads asking about Tablet advice

loupoppins

OK, thanks lifeforms. Will try searching again....
maybe dont go for ICS then....my phone is gingerbread and does everything I need it too...but then I've never tried ICS and maybe it does stuff I dont yet know I need!
(then again maybe I should stick to paper books and my good old fliofax!!;))
Did spot a couple with capacititive screens...will go back and check...

loupoppins

so, for example spotted these on amazon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superslim-Multi-touch-Capacitive-allwinner-Compatible/dp/B0077HAS0G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1UXAJ3SOEMC0L&colid=1HAM31ZEXIOF7

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superslim-Multi-touch-Capacitive-allwinner-Compatible/dp/B0077HAS0G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1UXAJ3SOEMC0L&colid=1HAM31ZEXIOF7

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TABTRONICS-WHITE-Capacitive-Android-Tablet/dp/B0082PZPEQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1R4B0Q6WGFHTC&colid=1HAM31ZEXIOF7

which would seem to do what I want them too....but am I missing something that means they are in fact rubbish!?:cool:

DevCoder

Just because they say they run Android ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich) doesn't mean they run it well. The first two links can't even spell it correctly

Look at what is recommended for Android ICS 4.x and then go from there.

loupoppins

LOL Kisdory - didn't even spot that:o !!

but yes, see what you mean!

have found this though, which is more, but may be better option if I can save the extra £100:
http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/mobile-phones/SAMSUNG_GALAXY_TAB_2_7_WIFI_8GB_WHT

hmmm off to research some more...:)

maryfrench

I have just bought this NATPC M009S RTB ULTIMATE 16GB Capacitive Android tablet PC - Android 4.0 ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich)- now with DOUBLE storage (16GB) and DOUBLE system ram (1GB) for ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE - WiFi From Amazon and its great does all you said. I love it.

Lifeforms

The main issues seem to be cheaply made, mass manufactured, no care after you've paid the cash if they're crap. You can't pre-try them, they don't stand up to most intensive tasks like HD typed video, some of them even struggle on likes of you tube. They say they can do this, or that, and it's a best case scenario which rarely comes through. Also some of them are limited on the android market, which means you might have ICS on it, but can't really make full use of it.

recommended would be recognisable branded names. I'm not saying all cheaper tablets are "!!!!" but the vast majority are, and so often it just puts users off
You can run ICS on a few of the branded tablets, I have a moto xoom 1 wifi that runs it quite nicely, however it's kind of slow in the uptake on tablets here still (aside from the cheapy far East ones that I just wouldn't touch).
Having used my mums dirt cheap android tablet, and then my xoom, or ipad, and the difference is night and day, painful and easy.

If you can save some more then you would be setting yourself up so much. Especially as you're used to using a decent android phone!

However thus said, there have been good comments on here, with the likes of the cheaper than galaxy tabs, or ipads (but not directly shipped out of Far East to amazon marketplace seller ones; wanna be ipad lookers etc) I can't think of the brand of them currently >.< but a tablet search should bring up some options in the 100-200 range.

If you can stretch to more, you will get so much more bang for your money and you wont be left with the regret of a tablet you just don't want to use (or the numerous threads on here saying X broke, Y can't do this, bought this Z tablet, but hate it, recommend me a better one.

loupoppins

Lifeforms, yes you're right really. I love my phone (although already pondering when I can upgrade to the s3!) And I Dodd contemplate getting a cheaper, more basic phone but in the end went for a decent one for a bit more and haven't been dissappointed.
I will give it some more thought and look at my budget to see how much I could save over a few months. Sadly I don't have enough disposable funds to pay out more right now though.
Thanks for the help.

silverbullit

Check this recent thread for more suggestions...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3959051