How to find a tablet that lasts more than 3 years!

BIH

Which way should we jump when we need a new tablet but don’t want to be tied to a particular supplier’s products or apps? 

Although now retired I have a nice modern SSD i7 laptop which I use for ‘serious stuff’ and CAD drawing. I also have an old smaller i5 laptop which has a lot of personal correspondence and banking and financial stuff on it. But this machine is ailing and at times I use the back-up HDD from this old one plugged into my i7  if I want to progress at speed. The smaller one is handy as it can slip down on a small shelf beside my armchair and be easy to use due mostly due to its small screen size and lower bulk than the i7. 

But I like a tablet !  Some years ago I bought a Samsung Tab 2 (7.0). I stopped using it as it became choked with files and went at a snail’s pace.  I now have tried to revive it and done a factory re-set hoping to re-start with a clean sheet.  But I find that the version of Android on which it works is no longer supported, making the tablet  obsolete and unable to be upgraded. I am told they  last about 3 years before they have to be have pensioned-off.

Such a shame when mine is as good as new, well made and looks good few a few more years wear. 

But I would like a tablet on which to do the occasional ‘look-up’, my emailing, read the news, review some of my files and write the occasional short letter. But all from the comfort of my armchair beside which I can keep it at the ready without needing a flat space etc. 

I don’t want an ipad due to cost and some poor previous experiences with iphones.  I am told that  the Kindle Fire range all have a heavy Amazon bias with limited room to use apps outside the Amazon influence. A new Samsung tablet (or other make using Android) is attractive but I don’t want to go through the pain of its operating system becoming obsolete in three years once more. 

Chromebook tablets are tempting, but again, I am told that they are limited in their scope if one wants to extend beyond the world of Google and Chrome.  (But some may have a way around this technical point). So it looks like its back to good old windows. Some the of the new flip type laptop !!!!!! tablets are tempting, so there is a keyboard for any serious typing, otherwise they can be split and used like any tablet. Running windows they should go many years before obsolescence. 

But what do I know !? I am sure some of you have been in the same situation, so I would appreciate your suggested solution for my purchase, thanks.

 

 

 

Jenni_D

Which exact model of i5 is in that laptop? How much RAM does it have, and what form of storage (HDD or SSD)? (I'll assume it's running a version of Windows 10).

You might be able to make that i5 very speedy by:

• Increasing the RAM (if it is only 4GB)
• Fitting an SSD
• Installing a fresh copy of Windows without all the bloatware

Likely much cheaper than buying new equipment.  

tafelmoneysaver

That particular tablet was released in 2012 with just 1gb ram, so unfortunately will struggle with simple tasks.
It could be that you purchased it when it was nearing the end of its manufacturing run, so it wasn't a particularly new model, hence your poor experience.

JJ_Egan

Probably the Apple router for possible longer lasting updates .

I have a 2012 Samsung Android tablet that works fine on old firmware , but i don't need to  use it for newer apps .

sk2402005

Unfortunately that's just the way it is, technology moves as such a fast pace, where the software that runs on them also gets more demanding at a similar rate.

Technology doubles in performance, capability and complexity every 2 years or so, so you need to buy new kit every few years, or face incompatibility or running at a snails pace.

I don't like it either as like you i look after my kit, but if you want to use current applications and services, you need hardware that works and keeps up with it.

All of the amazon kit is quite low spec, i have found fire stick and tablets performance disappointing (but it is cheap)

Oddly, the spec of tablets don't keep up with smartphones, so you might be better buying a large screen smartphone.

If that's not going to work for you, then yes i would just use a decent laptop, or you will need to stump up the cash for a mid/high end tablet

Ibrahim5

Is there only me that just has a phone and a desktop? The phone does everything you need on the move and when you get home you have a desktop which is superior in every way to a laptop or tablet. I am sure I spend a fraction compared with the tablet/laptop people.

EssexExile

Ibrahim5 said:

Is there only me that just has a phone and a desktop? The phone does everything you need on the move and when you get home you have a desktop which is superior in every way to a laptop or tablet. I am sure I spend a fraction compared with the tablet/laptop people.

That was me (almost) until recently, I used to have an old laptop too so I could do "proper computer things" while away. I've now ditched the desktop and bought a new laptop which has much better spec. I use it with a proper keyboard, mouse and monitor at home so it's just like using the desktop, but I can take it away too.

googler

BIH said:

I now have tried to revive it and done a factory re-set hoping to re-start with a clean sheet.  But I find that the version of Android on which it works is no longer supported, making the tablet  obsolete and unable to be upgraded. I am told they  last about 3 years before they have to be have pensioned-off.

... but your favoured apps may still work on the older Android version?

What gets me is when the app developers insist on a new version of their app; which needs the updated OS version; but when you try to get the new OS (particularly with iPad, I've found) the device won't allow the upgrade. 

bob_a_builder

Older versions of Android Apps are still available on sites like 

https://apkpure.com/
http://www.oldversion.com/android/

Just have to enable a setting on your device to be able to install them

Sandtree

Apple make products "obsolete" 7 years after Apple themselves stop selling them. Obsolescence is that parts are no longer made but may still be available. 


iPadOS 15.1 is the current version of the OS but what it can be installed on varies somewhat between models, so iPad Air from 2014 onwards, iPad mini 2015 onwards, iPad Pro all ever made and iPad (basic) 2017 on. 

You say you dont want Apple but if you dont want it to become outdated quickly then its the main option.

Have had a Windows Surface Pro which is more expensive than an iPad but runs a full version of Windows. As a tablet/light computer it was reasonably good but not as a computer replacement which it technically was for us... struggled with even modest database work. Personally dont think it gives a real tablet experience as you are talking normal windows applications and not apps designed for tablet use.

TELLIT01

Apple have been (in)famous for building obsolescence into their kit so I wouldn't look in that direction if you want long life out of anything.  I have a Samsung S2 which was launched in 2015 and still serves my needs.  It's running Android v7.0 so I don't know how much longer apps will work with it.  Until I have problems I'll continue to use it.