How useful are tablets? Is there a consensus?

TheArTcher

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Messages
242
Before I crap away time and money on a new tablet, is there any consensus on how useful they are? I'd set up a poll but I don't even know what to ask. Here is what I know:

Tablets are about to start outselling notebook computers in the US.

When I ask people who are using tablets what they think, they just say: "these things are great".

From using a trackball I've learned that if you keep repetitive movements very short and pressure very light, you don't harm your body. Tablets require gross movements.

When I see people using tablets, they are usually hunched over. I can see the future headline now: HUNCHBACK SYNDROME MAJOR HEALTH ISSUE FOR TEENS AND TWENTIES!

So for those of you who have been using tablets for a while, how do you use them, for how long at a time, and for what?

TIA,
Artcher
 
The primary productive purpose for my tablets, which are all Windows 8 based, is note taking with a pen. The one I use the most these days is a Samsung Ativ Smart PC 500T with a dock. At 11.6" it's pretty big for a tablet but it's pretty thin and light, about the same thickness as the new big iPad and only 4 ounces heavier but I use it a lot in the keyboard dock an like that it's more of an ultrabook than a tablet. So if I need to type it's no problem and when I want to ink I just pop it out of the dock and use it like a tablet. I really like this form factor.

Besides note taking I do a lot of web browsing reading, play casual gaming, typical tablet stuff. I move around the house with the 500T constantly and take it with me most places, I like having more than just a phone on the go, having access to a full computer everywhere is great. Not the fastest machine out there with an Atom but the battery life is great, I easily get 10 hours without the dock, about 9 when I'm using the dock.
 
I adore my Ipad. I do most web browsing, game playing, movie watching and general usage on my tablet.

I have a desktop but I rarely ever use it now. I carry this thing around the house at all times. It drives my wife crazy. Laugh

Believe me, a tablet is a major piece of hardware that I use every day...
 
I have the original kindle fire and never use it. The screen is just too small for me. I will probably pick up the new larger kindle or maybe a used iPad.
 
There is no consensus, many people like me consider the current crop of tablets to be a joke, but then again most consumers are a joke when it comes to how and for what they use their computers. So its not surprise that you average user who had a mac that couldnt run any productivity software or a cheapo netbook or laptop and only consumed media and sent emails could easily replace these devices with a tablet. They wouldnt know the difference because they werent doing much of anything anyway.

IMO the big deal is things like the galaxy note, the ability to make a phone operate at a level that it supplants alot of light computer usage.

That said the least used device in our house is the only tablet, people prefer computers when ever they are home and phones go everywhere. But I see some people who just think their tablets are the greatest thing since sliced bread, typically when I ask them what they do with it though, its nothing useful. So I view tablets very much like Televisions, consumption devices. And I think the only reason they are popular is because companies have a vested interest in locking consumers into buying multiple devices, so very few companies are really trying to provide all in one solutions.
 
So I view tablets very much like Televisions, consumption devices.
I think this is the closest you're going to get to a consensus on tablets. They're great for consumption (movies, books, newspapers, etc.), ok for handling emails and internet browsing, kinda meh for typing Word documents and frustrating as all hell for Excel/Numbers/Polaris Office equivalent.

If you're used to using Outlook or Exchange and deal with a lot of invites and appointments, I don't think the iOS or Android email clients can handle that for you. I believe you can do invites with iCloud but only to other iCloud users, so not all that useful. It's fine for basic replies back, of course, but the inability to tab through multiple emails obviously limits things.

I take my Transformer Prime with me most places just in case I need to read something or type something up, but the most use I get out of it is remoting into my PC at home and using it like a small laptop. This is heavily dependent on your internet connection and it's not perfect even with a strong connection, but it's a cheap and effective way to get desktop power on the go without having to wait for boot times or anything. Keep in mind, the Transformer Prime also has a keyboard dock with a touch pad, so I'm able to do remote desktop, internet browsing and document stuff better than most. My dad has a lot harder time doing remote desktop stuff on his iPad, and doesn't even attempt to use Excel/iOS equivalent.

Now if you're talking about an x86 tablet, that's completely different. I don't think the tablet formfactor is very limiting and I don't foresee the hunchback thing being an issue, at least no more than with regular laptops. The biggest constraint is just power (which leads to the wimpy lite-apps.)
 
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I use the tablet when I'm in the living room in front of the tv, which is not that much and I take it to bed with me to surf, watch an occasional video, listen to music.
 
There is no consensus, many people like me consider the current crop of tablets to be a joke, but then again most consumers are a joke when it comes to how and for what they use their computers. So its not surprise that you average user who had a mac that couldnt run any productivity software or a cheapo netbook or laptop and only consumed media and sent emails could easily replace these devices with a tablet. They wouldnt know the difference because they werent doing much of anything anyway.

IMO the big deal is things like the galaxy note, the ability to make a phone operate at a level that it supplants alot of light computer usage.

That said the least used device in our house is the only tablet, people prefer computers when ever they are home and phones go everywhere. But I see some people who just think their tablets are the greatest thing since sliced bread, typically when I ask them what they do with it though, its nothing useful. So I view tablets very much like Televisions, consumption devices. And I think the only reason they are popular is because companies have a vested interest in locking consumers into buying multiple devices, so very few companies are really trying to provide all in one solutions.

I had a similar opinion to yours. Right now I spend about half of my time on a desktop and half on a notebook com terminal. But there are times when a tablet could be very useful:

When I'm on my feet working with a small group of people and want to share what's on the screen.

When I want to plug a computer into an instrument briefly to download data or change a parameter.

When there is nothing to set a computer on but I want to check my mail.


A smartphone could do some of these things but the cost of service is relatively high. A friend runs her business through her smartphone and pays $370/month for the privilege. Even the so-called unlimited plans are pricy. My phone bill is $9/month and I've never paid more than $399 for a notebook computer. See where I'm coming from? Plus phones are designed to interact with the world through the phone signal only. No ports, right?

I thought a hybrid notebook/tablet would be a great compromise but so far they are high on price and low on features.

It's interesting to read a response like from jordan12. I could imagine using a high-end tablet to replace a notebook computer, but I really wonder about the long-term wear and tear on the anatomy.
 
There are always times when a tablet would be useful, you know if I was rich and had zero care for money or waste I would probably buy top of the line asus transformers and plop them on every end table and night stand in my house with chargers. The problem I have is the most accepted tablet is the iPad and that is what I see most people using for and most software even for businesses developed for and its $500, the thing is these businesses are in fact replacing much more expensive IBM think pads. So it makes sense, but most tablets are being sold to people who are just putting it on their coffee table and already own smart phones with data plans. #370 / mo for a smart phone wow, no I pay around $60 and that includes everything and insurance.

The problem with most tablet use is people are not considering value at all, that is why its so ironic to hear people complain about the price of convertible tablets, Whats more expensive buying a tablet, and a laptop which almost all of them do, or buying just a convertible.

I think the main reason the tablet craze blew up was not really because they are useful but because this time around it was apple pushing them and their client base had no tablet like devices to choose from and very small phones which made them appreciate tablets alot more.

And its just sort of bled over to the rest of the computing industry with little thought. I think MS actually put the most thought into it. But ironically no one seems to see the value in those devices.
 
Things i used it for in the last week

Often:
- Reading Manga
- Watching Movies
- Maps
- Email (browsing)

Rare:
- Web browsing (Desktop browsing is more efficient)
- Email (if i find an email i will actually use, has an attachment, or need to answer, i go to desktop)
- eBooks (It's more comfortable reading them on the desktop)
 
I sold my Touchpad, and now do all my light computing needs and on - the - couch surfing on my Note2.

Tablets can be nice... But the question to ask us what are you doing and wanting to do. My Touchpad served me well for 2 years as a lighter better replacement for my old n270 Atom netbook.
 
I have a Blackberry Playbook and I like it. It has fairly niche use for me though, and the primary things I use it for are (1) checking e-mail/weather/whatever in bed and (2) to kill time in restaurants when I'm eating by myself. I do have several hours of TV stored on it most of the time, and that comes in useful on long car/plane rides.

Granted my laptop can do all of that and better, but sometimes size matters. The 7" tablet is a lot more useful to me than a 10" version would be. I also have an eReader (Nook Glowlight). I keep a handful of books on the Tablet but mostly use my eReader to read.
 
The possibilities are endless in a business environment.

Sure, they're great time wasters for end users. But in the IT environment, I'm seeing them used more and more in some neat ways.

Sent from my iPad
 
The possibilities are endless in a business environment.

Sure, they're great time wasters for end users. But in the IT environment, I'm seeing them used more and more in some neat ways.

Sent from my iPad
List post on hardforum? :p

It'd be nice if you gave some examples.
 
Some rather opinionated opinions in here. There are many ways to define productivity. If someone says tablets are only useful for consumption, then it is more a reflection of their personality than anything else.

Tablets usefulness depends on the user. I use mine all the time...but they don't replace my desktops or my laptops. And they don't need to to be useful. They do offer more ways to get things done...personally I find them undesirable for watching movies except when I have no other means to watch and I'm someplace with free time. I prefer to watch on a tablet over a laptop, though. Give me a choice and I'm in front of a real TV with a real sound system. Tablets in comparison suck for this.

I prefer web surfing on a tablet. I don't see web surfing as something I need to be super efficient at. It's something I need to get done and I prefer to get this done during "in between" moments, so I don't have to be in front of a PC at a desk all the time. I also review notes, read technical books, manuals, and what not on tablets. You can call that consumption, but you can also call it study. Only those with limited viewpoints can't see the differences.

There are many types of spreadsheet, word-smithing, and presentations that can be accomplished just fine on a tablet. The notion that all productivity applications has to be done on a single device is just outdated.
 
List post on hardforum? :p

It'd be nice if you gave some examples.
I believe there was an example in the virtualized computing forum.
They used their tablet to login and check the status of their servers.(AFAIK)

I have the nook color, which I didnt jailbreak.

I use it for reading, light web browsing, puzzle games, and watching movies/videos when I go to the gym and I am on the treadmill/stairstepper. I go to [H] and browse, answer/ask questions, but doing anything without a real keyboard is just hell.(doing pages of word/excel, etc, no way, no thanks)

Personally I wouldnt spend alot on a tablet even if the screen is 10-11. Its just too small and not as powerful as a notebook. The amount you spend on a nice tablet, you could buy 3-4 nice laptops, or 1-2 gaming laptops(1 if your extra [H]ard).
 
about 18 months ago I bought an HP Touchpad. I've since put Android (CM10) on it. The addition of android has given me access to a lot more apps, but I still never use it. I have a desktop that I use all the time, a laptop that I only ever use while traveling, and a phone I have on me at all times. I don't see the utility of something thats 90% as inconvenient to use as a laptop because it won't fit in my picket and only offers 10-20% more utility than my phone. Its like this weird niche that I have almost no use for. I can break it down by task, and I can't figure out which one I'm supposed to use the tablet for.

Daily Mobile computing - Phone
Daily Productivity & web browsing - desktop
Travel Productivity & browsing - Laptop
Gaming - desktop/phone (phone only when i'm bored somewhere other than home)
Movie Watching - HTPC/laptop
Music listening - phone
Emergency googling to prove somebody wrong: phone
Reading - Book

The only one that IMO offers an argument is movie watching, but tablet storage is too small to hold the BD rips I watch on my laptop, so its out

The only thing my tablet gets used for is displaying recipes when I'm cooking, which it is admittedly excellent for.

TL;DR: IMO tablets are glorified cookbooks and are otherwise a complete waste of time and money
 
My iPad is an entertainment device. Watch videos, simple browsing and a few games. It's also my main ePub reader. I use my Nexus 7 for meetings and taking notes. I'll do some video/reading on it, but it's mostly my note taking device.
 
I use my iPad for the following;

1. I train people to work on rail passenger equipment. I load my PPT on the iPad and I'm then free to move about the classroom as I please while having full control. I do this via an Apple TV.

2. Right now I'm in Florida helping my mom settle into her new place. So this is my travel "PC".

3. I use it to remote access my home server for files and media. I also use it for remote access to my Drop Box account.

4. It's my FiOS TV remote control.

5. All of my email accounts are accessed though my iPad. The only draw back to that is that I'm work accessible 24/7.

Now I just know someone is just thinking; " why not use a smart phone?". Here it the short answer; the screen is to freaking small.

And I browse the [H] while at work on it as well through my hot spot. No NSFW issues here.
 
I believe there was an example in the virtualized computing forum.
They used their tablet to login and check the status of their servers.(AFAIK)

I have the nook color, which I didnt jailbreak.

I use it for reading, light web browsing, puzzle games, and watching movies/videos when I go to the gym and I am on the treadmill/stairstepper. I go to [H] and browse, answer/ask questions, but doing anything without a real keyboard is just hell.(doing pages of word/excel, etc, no way, no thanks)

Personally I wouldnt spend alot on a tablet even if the screen is 10-11. Its just too small and not as powerful as a notebook. The amount you spend on a nice tablet, you could buy 3-4 nice laptops, or 1-2 gaming laptops(1 if your extra [H]ard).

The thing is you can log in and check status from any device, it would be faster on a full keyboard etc.... It would be just as easy on a phone as it is on a tablet. The main place I see tablets as making alot of sense are more for doctors / survey people who can spend 1/3 the price on a tablet as opposed to convertible tablet, and move it around with them. And there its mostly about the cost savings of a basic arm device over a full x86 tablet, the irony of this is most of them are buying ipads instead of much cheaper android devices which lets you know alot about the decision makers. Do you really need a retina display on a basic text input device?
 
I have a HP touchpad, which I rarely if ever use. Personally tablets that can't run any real office software are pretty much useless.
 
about 18 months ago I bought an HP Touchpad. I've since put Android (CM10) on it. The addition of android has given me access to a lot more apps, but I still never use it. I have a desktop that I use all the time, a laptop that I only ever use while traveling, and a phone I have on me at all times. I don't see the utility of something thats 90% as inconvenient to use as a laptop because it won't fit in my picket and only offers 10-20% more utility than my phone. Its like this weird niche that I have almost no use for. I can break it down by task, and I can't figure out which one I'm supposed to use the tablet for.

Daily Mobile computing - Phone
Daily Productivity & web browsing - desktop
Travel Productivity & browsing - Laptop
Gaming - desktop/phone (phone only when i'm bored somewhere other than home)
Movie Watching - HTPC/laptop
Music listening - phone
Emergency googling to prove somebody wrong: phone
Reading - Book

The only one that IMO offers an argument is movie watching, but tablet storage is too small to hold the BD rips I watch on my laptop, so its out

The only thing my tablet gets used for is displaying recipes when I'm cooking, which it is admittedly excellent for.

TL;DR: IMO tablets are glorified cookbooks and are otherwise a complete waste of time and money


After reading this, it shows me just how much I use my own Ipad. I dont need a laptop. I have my ipad. I have my desktop, but it is normally easier to just load the tablet so I dont need to get out of my chair to get to the desktop. I use the desktop on some small occassions. It just shows me how important my tablet is to me.
 
Tablets are actually very productive little devices, only if more manufacturers tried to ake them usefull instead of playing farmville in high definition.
Here are some great uses for a tablet.
Note taking with pen
Pdf annotation with a pen
Handheld powerpoint presentations, while being able to draw arrows and highlight important aspects.
Reading text books
Reading your own notes on the go
Running productivity software (inx86) on the go so if you must run a simulink on the go, you can
Provide a secondary desktop at work,or act as a seperate monitor.
Audio/video recroding of lectures, meetings
Smal form factor, long battery life and always "on" feature with Win8

Tablets right now either are nice high quality long betteyr life devices that can't really do much due to os or cpu restrictions or things that are laptop capable but have horrible battery life.

Tablets are the future. When they get to Ipad size and wieght, 10hours of battery life, running a desktop comparable cpu, with no fan, accurate pen input and good storage they are going to be perfect.
 
Tablets are actually very productive little devices, only if more manufacturers tried to ake them usefull instead of playing farmville in high definition.
Here are some great uses for a tablet.
Note taking with pen
Pdf annotation with a pen
Handheld powerpoint presentations, while being able to draw arrows and highlight important aspects.
Reading text books
Reading your own notes on the go
Running productivity software (inx86) on the go so if you must run a simulink on the go, you can
Provide a secondary desktop at work,or act as a seperate monitor.
Audio/video recroding of lectures, meetings
Smal form factor, long battery life and always "on" feature with Win8

Tablets right now either are nice high quality long betteyr life devices that can't really do much due to os or cpu restrictions or things that are laptop capable but have horrible battery life.

Tablets are the future. When they get to Ipad size and wieght, 10hours of battery life, running a desktop comparable cpu, with no fan, accurate pen input and good storage they are going to be perfect.
When they make a 15" widescreen tablet, then I will be impressed. ;)
 
Personally I wouldnt spend alot on a tablet even if the screen is 10-11. Its just too small and not as powerful as a notebook. The amount you spend on a nice tablet, you could buy 3-4 nice laptops, or 1-2 gaming laptops(1 if your extra [H]ard).

I have no idea where you're getting the idea that one can buy 3-4 nice laptops for the price of a 10-11 inch tablet. You'd have to be referring to x86 Core based tablets and you can get a Surface Pro 128 GB with a corer keyboard for under $1200, and there other Core tablets with similar capabilities for around the same price. $400 to $450 can buy an ok laptop but hardly a nice one and $1200 isn't even an expensive gaming laptop, there are plenty that cost a lot more.

And a laptop isn't a tablet unless it's a convertible laptop. For people that do a lot of inking, and that number is going to grow with devices like the Surface Pro, a conventional laptop just doesn't do the job.

When they make a 15" widescreen tablet, then I will be impressed. ;)

Seven years ago I had a 14.1" 1400x900 convertible but those devices sold very poorly even back then. In time assuming Windows tablets catch on more and they probably will at least a little, you might see larger devices like this come out.
 
My kids use tablets for entertainment - mainly waiting between basketball games at a tournament. Keeps them out of my hair to let me get some work done on the weekend... ;)

For me personally, though - I'd say that my smartphone does everything the tablet does, albeit with a smaller screen - it's kind of redundant for me to carry a tablet and phone together.
 
I have no idea where you're getting the idea that one can buy 3-4 nice laptops for the price of a 10-11 inch tablet. You'd have to be referring to x86 Core based tablets and you can get a Surface Pro 128 GB with a corer keyboard for under $1200, and there other Core tablets with similar capabilities for around the same price. $400 to $450 can buy an ok laptop but hardly a nice one and $1200 isn't even an expensive gaming laptop, there are plenty that cost a lot more.

And a laptop isn't a tablet unless it's a convertible laptop. For people that do a lot of inking, and that number is going to grow with devices like the Surface Pro, a conventional laptop just doesn't do the job.



Seven years ago I had a 14.1" 1400x900 convertible but those devices sold very poorly even back then. In time assuming Windows tablets catch on more and they probably will at least a little, you might see larger devices like this come out.
I just bought a new laptop that plays small games, LOL and CS. It plays movies, web surfing, etc. I would call that decent. $300.

I wouldnt spend $1200 for a laptop(unless for business) and sure as hell wouldnt for a little tablet. :eek:
To me the screen are just too small for doing anything like a laptop can do, and also the power.
They will keep getting better and better, but for me, a laptop is much more useful.
 
I just bought a new laptop that plays small games, LOL and CS. It plays movies, web surfing, etc. I would call that decent. $300.

I wouldnt spend $1200 for a laptop(unless for business) and sure as hell wouldnt for a little tablet. :eek:
To me the screen are just too small for doing anything like a laptop can do, and also the power.
They will keep getting better and better, but for me, a laptop is much more useful.

No new $300 laptop is going to be as powerful as a Core ULV tablet though. Sure more storage of the slow mechanical 5400 RPM type and sure a larger screen, a TN panel with 40 degree viewing angles and washed out color. And battery life no better than a Core ULV in about 2 or more times the weight.
 
They issued me one for work when I got here. I was assured it would be the bees knees and insisted they all used them very successfully... and as I suspected, trying to use one remotely as a Senior Network Engineer/Sysadmin is borderline depressing. USELESS for my line of work. I quickly ditched it for a Lat 5620. They are all high as a kite, and mostly useless with their shiny tablets.

OTOH, watching live TV using the FiOS app on an iPad is awesome.


So, depending on what you actually want to do with it, it can be awesome of absolutely retarded.
 
I was in a hospital waiting room for two hours today. While there, many people spent some time in the room. At least 4/5 of them spent their entire time staring at a smart phone. No tablets in sight. All of these people were hunched over looking at their phones. I can't believe these things aren't causing widespread neck and shoulder problems yet.
 
No new $300 laptop is going to be as powerful as a Core ULV tablet though. Sure more storage of the slow mechanical 5400 RPM type and sure a larger screen, a TN panel with 40 degree viewing angles and washed out color. And battery life no better than a Core ULV in about 2 or more times the weight.
I dont know if it is or isnt, but it sure works great, easy to use, easy to see and watch movies, and type up letters, play games, etc. :)
 
I dont know if it is or isnt, but it sure works great, easy to use, easy to see and watch movies, and type up letters, play games, etc. :)

Pretty much the same things would be true of my Atom Clover Trail Windows 8 hybrid which is only $700. Sure a bit over twice as expensive but not anywhere near 3 to 4 times more expensive as your $300 laptop and if that's a new $300 laptop it's not going to be noticeably faster or much faster and indeed it could be slower at some things than even an Atom tablet. Plus this Atom tablet gets instance battery life, has a touch screen and a digital pen and detaches from it's keyboard and about the same thickness as only 4 ounces heavier than the big iPad.

That $300 laptop can probably get a memory and hard drive upgrade to speed it up a bit a give a lot more built in storage but still no ability to use it as a tablet which no matter what, a lot of people like the tablet form factor and it's ability to do things that conventional laptops can't.

There are a lot of people that seem to love to play the zero sum game, there's a lot of devices out there now and there's more choice and options and capabilities out there and you just don't get all of that in a $300 package anymore. If all one needs is in that $300 go for it. Some people want and need different options and it's not always more speed and storage but more flexibility, like the option to take handwritten and typed notes in one device what's can run natively x86 Windows software. There's room for all of these kinds of devices.
 
Tablets are actually very productive little devices, only if more manufacturers tried to ake them usefull instead of playing farmville in high definition.
Here are some great uses for a tablet.
Note taking with pen
Pdf annotation with a pen
Handheld powerpoint presentations, while being able to draw arrows and highlight important aspects.
Reading text books
Reading your own notes on the go
Running productivity software (inx86) on the go so if you must run a simulink on the go, you can
Provide a secondary desktop at work,or act as a seperate monitor.
Audio/video recroding of lectures, meetings
Smal form factor, long battery life and always "on" feature with Win8

Tablets right now either are nice high quality long betteyr life devices that can't really do much due to os or cpu restrictions or things that are laptop capable but have horrible battery life.

Tablets are the future. When they get to Ipad size and wieght, 10hours of battery life, running a desktop comparable cpu, with no fan, accurate pen input and good storage they are going to be perfect.
These are basically my thoughts on it. I like the formfactor a lot, I just wish I didn't have to use iOS or Android (even though I <3 Android on my phone.)

When they make a 15" widescreen tablet, then I will be impressed. ;)
Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnjaqcGU6Tc
 
Pretty much the same things would be true of my Atom Clover Trail Windows 8 hybrid which is only $700. Sure a bit over twice as expensive but not anywhere near 3 to 4 times more expensive as your $300 laptop and if that's a new $300 laptop it's not going to be noticeably faster or much faster and indeed it could be slower at some things than even an Atom tablet. Plus this Atom tablet gets instance battery life, has a touch screen and a digital pen and detaches from it's keyboard and about the same thickness as only 4 ounces heavier than the big iPad.

That $300 laptop can probably get a memory and hard drive upgrade to speed it up a bit a give a lot more built in storage but still no ability to use it as a tablet which no matter what, a lot of people like the tablet form factor and it's ability to do things that conventional laptops can't.

There are a lot of people that seem to love to play the zero sum game, there's a lot of devices out there now and there's more choice and options and capabilities out there and you just don't get all of that in a $300 package anymore. If all one needs is in that $300 go for it. Some people want and need different options and it's not always more speed and storage but more flexibility, like the option to take handwritten and typed notes in one device what's can run natively x86 Windows software. There's room for all of these kinds of devices.
The tablet could have 8 cores @ 10ghz, its still crappy to do stuff on a small little screen, at least to me. :D
 
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The only one that IMO offers an argument is movie watching, but tablet storage is too small to hold the BD rips I watch on my laptop, so its out

I watch a lot and i have them stored on a shared folder or on the NAS and just stream them to the tablet :) Get DICEPlayer.
 
The tablet could have 8 core @ 10ghz, its still crappy to do stuff on a small little screen, at least to me. :D

I see where you're coming from, my Samsung Ativ 500T is 11.6" the size of the smallest ultra books so it's too bad. Of course nothing like that Panasonic 4k tablet, forgot about that guy.
 
No new $300 laptop is going to be as powerful as a Core ULV tablet though. Sure more storage of the slow mechanical 5400 RPM type and sure a larger screen, a TN panel with 40 degree viewing angles and washed out color. And battery life no better than a Core ULV in about 2 or more times the weight.
Define "powerful" because most Core ULV tablets would be beaten pretty soundly by those 300-400$ entry level laptops in CPU benchmarks. Your points about the mech HDD and screen are understood, though you could easily upgrade to an SSD in the laptop, while in most tablets you're stuck with whatever storage the give you. That also assumes that the tablet uses a mSATA interface, though I think that is a safe assumption for a CULV platform

Sly said:
I watch a lot and i have them stored on a shared folder or on the NAS and just stream them to the tablet Get DICEPlayer

I admit that I've done it a few times and it works well on my network, but if I'm already at home I'm going to watch on my HTPC or desktop (streamed from home server). I should maybe have clarified that I was thinking about on the go media playback, which I still don't find particularly compelling. Even though this seems like it should be a "killer app" it just doesn't work because of the drawbacks.
 
ipad replaced my laptop at home and other than my pc gaming, used for most things now
 
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