returning to Android and have some questions

[paulheu]

As I needed/wanted a small tablet to mainly read mail and browse while travelling I got myself a tab2 7.0 but am running into some issues. For starters I find it impossible to type any responses on a userforum as the keyboard keeps blocking the textbox basically making me type blind.Coming from Windows Phone where this is not an issue at all and having used the Surface RT which also does not have this problem having read all the comments from android users in the past I wonder I must be missing something. This experience is just horrible sofar. Last time I used Android was on an HTC Desire and I would think that this device should have a better and more intuitive interface.

Also I have yet to find a mail client which will properly sync my Hotmail and Outlook folders. The basic client does a shoddy job at best and I do own Maildroid which in my memory used to be great, but it's basically the same clunky interface.

Now I am not looking for the mine is bigger than yours somments as I do like the formfactor and want this to work, but sofar I have no clue what to do or get. I would appreciate any help I can get on this.

Also if there's any apps you would suggest me to get to improve my experience that woudl be great. This tablet is not for gaming although the occasional game is fine. I am lokoing for apps that will make the tablet work smoothly with my Microsoft based cloud storage (have skydrive). The OneNote app I got does not seem to work well either. At this point I am getting more done on my Lumia 800 which kind of was not the idea. Mind you I will not trade my Lumia for anything but I was hoping the TAB would get my a better browsing/mail experience at least.

I obviously can't turn the tab into a windows tablet, that's not what I am after but I do find that I must be missing some things as so far it's a clunky and jerky experience I would like to improve on so please don's give me the Andoid religion speech. Again any serious and constructive comments are more then welcome.

thanks..

 

[jwither]

As I needed/wanted a small tablet to mainly read mail and browse while travelling I got myself a tab2 7.0 but am running into some issues. For starters I find it impossible to type any responses on a userforum as the keyboard keeps blocking the textbox basically making me type blind.Coming from Windows Phone where this is not an issue at all and having used the Surface RT which also does not have this problem having read all the comments from android users in the past I wonder I must be missing something. This experience is just horrible sofar. Last time I used Android was on an HTC Desire and I would think that this device should have a better and more intuitive interface.

Also I have yet to find a mail client which will properly sync my Hotmail and Outlook folders. The basic client does a shoddy job at best and I do own Maildroid which in my memory used to be great, but it's basically the same clunky interface.

Now I am not looking for the mine is bigger than yours somments as I do like the formfactor and want this to work, but sofar I have no clue what to do or get. I would appreciate any help I can get on this.

Also if there's any apps you would suggest me to get to improve my experience that woudl be great. This tablet is not for gaming although the occasional game is fine. I am lokoing for apps that will make the tablet work smoothly with my Microsoft based cloud storage (have skydrive). The OneNote app I got does not seem to work well either. At this point I am getting more done on my Lumia 800 which kind of was not the idea. Mind you I will not trade my Lumia for anything but I was hoping the TAB would get my a better browsing/mail experience at least.

I obviously can't turn the tab into a windows tablet, that's not what I am after but I do find that I must be missing some things as so far it's a clunky and jerky experience I would like to improve on so please don's give me the Andoid religion speech. Again any serious and constructive comments are more then welcome.

thanks..

There's plenty of room on my screen, in landscape mode even, for typing replies to forum posts. Perhaps too many replies, but I digress.

I have no problem syncing my office MS Exchange Server e-mail, contacts, calendar, etc. to my Tab. In fact, it pushes new e-mails and calendar reminders a few seconds faster than my Exchange-connected Outlook 2010.

You're looking for apps that will make the Tab work smoothly with Skydrive? What about the Skydrive app for Android, by Microsoft, in the Play Store, is presenting a challenge for you?

Perhaps you should consider an alternative cloud storage system. Something that has better cross-platform support.

 

[hkmk23]

The Tab 2 7 is great for reading books, checking on your mail (but not replying except in less than 5 words) checking stocks (Bloomberg app), sat navigation using co-pilot live (not just good but IMHO the best - beats my Garmin by far). It's bigger than a phone as you have found, it is easy to use for the above jobs. But (and I will probably get flamed for this) for a serious pocket desktop replacement you cannot beat an Ipad mini. Try one......I did.

 

[paulheu]

IPad is not an option for me but thanks anyway. I found that using the TAB in portrait mode does work better for typing as mentioned. That said I found the 7 inch formfactor to be too small for me after all so I put the TAB on eBay and will be buying myself a Surface Pro next week. For me Windows 8 is a better fit and I do not like having to get all my apps twice either.

I kind of expected the overall feel of Android to be better then what it turned out to be for me and especially the keyboard in IMO really bad when compared to the Windows (Phone) 8 experience I have. Lastly I found I want to be able to have a more integrated system with my phone so that locked down the choice for Surface.

Mind you, I am not saying the TAB or Android is no good. It's just not for me I guess..

 

[jwither]

IPad is not an option for me but thanks anyway. I found that using the TAB in portrait mode does work better for typing as mentioned. That said I found the 7 inch formfactor to be too small for me after all so I put the TAB on eBay and will be buying myself a Surface Pro next week. For me Windows 8 is a better fit and I do not like having to get all my apps twice either.

I kind of expected the overall feel of Android to be better then what it turned out to be for me and especially the keyboard in IMO really bad when compared to the Windows (Phone) 8 experience I have. Lastly I found I want to be able to have a more integrated system with my phone so that locked down the choice for Surface.

Mind you, I am not saying the TAB or Android is no good. It's just not for me I guess..

Wow, for the price of a Surface Pro you could buy two thin and light laptops with equivalent speed and ten times the storage, or three 10" Android tablets.

Windows 8 tablets are so unpopular, a major OEM called me last week trying to give one away if I spent $2,000.00 or more on a desktop, but that's about $1,000.00 more than the average shop spends on desktop computers.