[Solved]Edit: Need help with Tablet-USB connection

[ImmalovemaGTR]

Hello!

My family and I decided to buy my father a tablet, so he does not have to take all the paper with him when he wants to read.

-) It should not be too pricey (Thank you Captain Obvious)
-) It should be able to open PDF and Word files and to edit Word files
-) It should have at least 1 USB hub (not mini)

I guess it has to be a Windows tablet...

Any guesses? It really does not need to have i3,5,7 from Ivy Bridge/Haswell... I think a simple Atom with HD Graphics should be enough.

Bonus question: Is it possible to install Windows on a tablet that originally comes with Android?

Thanks,
best regards
Stefan

 

[Terronium-12]

Nexus 7.

Also, I kind of misread the title as 'Need help buying a Toilet'.

 

[sesselpupser]

The Nexus 7 came up in my searches too, but I decided that I wanted to have HDMI output (for Kainy game streaming to a TV) and the Nexus 7 doesn't do that. The Asus Transformer Prime is probably what I'd buy if I was buying right now, but I went for an Ouya instead...


Edit: OP, you might want to look into Windows RT. It's the closest you'll get to Windows on an ARM tablet (most tablets that run Android have ARM CPUs), though you can get x86 tablets like the Surface Pro which run proper Windows.

 

[Terronium-12]

The Kindle Fire/HD/HDX has an HDMI out, but the custom Android interface it uses is horrible and it doesn't do much at all really.

It has marginally better audio and better color reproduction, but past that I keep going back to the Nexus every time.

I'll second the suggestion of picking up a Surface tablet if Windows is what you desire though.

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

@Terronium-12
We should have a subforum for such things like "I can not decide between the green and the blue toilet seat"

Ok, I will have a look at the Nexus. HDMI output is not really what I need, so I think it should be okay.
Thanks

Edit: The Nexus 7 runs on Android... is it really able to open Word/PDF files and to edit word files? I thought Android could not do this or is at least very limited...

Sorry, what I forgot to mention is, that a USB stick should be able to be connected to the tablet. So I googled a bit through several forums, It came out, that you need:
-) an OTG cable to connect the USB to mini-USB
-) Some Freeware called Kingsoft Office which can open Word and PDF documents (and of course, edit Word files)
-) And a program called Nexus Media Importer so the tablet can find the USB stick and open the files. This program costs about 4€.

Could please somebody confirm that this works well and without problems? I do not want to get something complicated for my dad, since he has no clue of Android.
Help is appreciated

 

[BobK]

Viewing Word files and .pdf's is not a problem on Android. Editing Word files, however, is a different story.

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

Viewing Word files and .pdf's is not a problem on Android. Editing Word files, however, is a different story.

Editing should be possible with Kingsoft Office. What I wonder about is if the combination Kingsoft Office + Nexus Media Imprter + OTG cable really works, because natively the micro-USB hub is just for loading the Tablet and will not work with an USB stick.

 

[Robin]

It sounds like a Windows tablet (especially the Surface) were made for the your requests. The Surface has a USB port and plays nice with all work related stuff. Get a cheaper RT one which comes with MS office and it should be fine.

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

It sounds like a Windows tablet (especially the Surface) were made for the your requests. The Surface has a USB port and plays nice with all work related stuff. Get a cheaper RT one which comes with MS office and it should be fine.

Ok. I'll have a look. Thanks:tup:

 

[wfooshee]

Second the motion for the Surface. Just set one up for a customer who saw the frustration his coworkers were having with iPads. They expected to do the same work, just portably. Then they come back with "It won't run Word." "How do I get to my files on the server?" All questions we answered for them before they got them, but they had to have the cool toy.
The Surface is replacing this man's laptop. Far more convenient to carry, does the same stuff because it's Windows. And printing! Windows print drivers. It sees shared printers and IP printers just like any Windows PC. Do that with your iPad or Android tablet! It even joined the domain and mapped the server drives just like his PC did. It also has the easy-attach keyboard available if you want to set it up and really do stuff. Only downside I saw was near-microscopic fonts on the screen. It's the same resolution his wide-screen laptop was, but about 3/4 the size.....
Overall, I was far more impressed with the device than I expected to be.

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

Second the motion for the Surface. Just set one up for a customer who saw the frustration his coworkers were having with iPads. They expected to do the same work, just portably. Then they come back with "It won't run Word." "How do I get to my files on the server?" All questions we answered for them before they got them, but they had to have the cool toy.
The Surface is replacing this man's laptop. Far more convenient to carry, does the same stuff because it's Windows. And printing! Windows print drivers. It sees shared printers and IP printers just like any Windows PC. Do that with your iPad or Android tablet! It even joined the domain and mapped the server drives just like his PC did. It also has the easy-attach keyboard available if you want to set it up and really do stuff. Only downside I saw was near-microscopic fonts on the screen. It's the same resolution his wide-screen laptop was, but about 3/4 the size.....
Overall, I was far more impressed with the device than I expected to be.

And it was the normal Surface, not the Surface Pro?
If so, this sounds very good.👍

 

[Barra333]

I can vouch that the free version of Kingsoft Office is quite capable of writing and editing word and excel files, although tne touch commands for excel take some learning. Havent used powerpoint though.
My tablet only has a micro USB port, but I bought a micro-regular USB cable adapter, which worked fine to plug in a USB stick.

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

I can vouch that the free version of Kingsoft Office is quite capable of writing and editing word and excel files, although tne touch commands for excel take some learning. Havent used powerpoint though.
My tablet only has a micro USB port, but I bought a micro-regular USB cable adapter, which worked fine to plug in a USB stick.

Thanks, so that is clear. Now I need to know if this Nexus Media -thingy works well. I guess you do not own a Nexus so thanks very much 👍

 

[Barra333]

I am on a Sony Tablet S.

 

[IWE]

Second the motion for the Surface. Just set one up for a customer who saw the frustration his coworkers were having with iPads. They expected to do the same work, just portably. Then they come back with "It won't run Word." "How do I get to my files on the server?" All questions we answered for them before they got them, but they had to have the cool toy.
The Surface is replacing this man's laptop. Far more convenient to carry, does the same stuff because it's Windows. And printing! Windows print drivers. It sees shared printers and IP printers just like any Windows PC. Do that with your iPad or Android tablet! It even joined the domain and mapped the server drives just like his PC did. It also has the easy-attach keyboard available if you want to set it up and really do stuff. Only downside I saw was near-microscopic fonts on the screen. It's the same resolution his wide-screen laptop was, but about 3/4 the size.....
Overall, I was far more impressed with the device than I expected to be.

I also got rid of my laptop after buying Surface (RT). There is just simply no need for one anymore.. Proper pc I also don't need anymore for anything else than playing racing sims and for some more advanced drawing.

 

[Robin]

The Surface RT has a bad rep for really no reason, its more Apple fanboys bashing it and its actually the dark horse of the tablet world. For people who need it for proper work and in corporate environments its perfect. It even has Remote Desktop (invaluable) all ready to go with no faffing around with 3rd party stuff. Also as wfooshee also mentioned its got all your server stuff (drive mapping, IP printing etc) so you can just continue as if it was a laptop, even if you don't go for the Pro one.

Somehow the fact that it doesn't have 'insert the chintzy app of the month' available makes it terrible!

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

The Surface RT has a bad rep for really no reason, its more Apple fanboys bashing it and its actually the dark horse of the tablet world. For people who need it for proper work and in corporate environments its perfect. It even has Remote Desktop (invaluable) all ready to go with no faffing around with 3rd party stuff. Also as wfooshee also mentioned its got all your server stuff (drive mapping, IP printing etc) so you can just continue as if it was a laptop, even if you don't go for the Pro one.

Somehow the fact that it doesn't have 'insert the chintzy app of the month' available makes it terrible!

I guess I am not the only one around who is tired of all the Apple fanboys

Finally had a look at the Surface, I could just find the Surface 2, which is a bit too expensive... is there something cheaper or is it really really worth the money?

 

[Robin]

I guess I am not the only one around who is tired of all the Apple fanboys

Finally had a look at the Surface, I could just find the Surface 2, which is a bit too expensive... is there something cheaper or is it really really worth the money?

Yeah the only downside with the Surface 2 is it is quite pricey but is comparable to an iPad price, you could have a look around to see if anyone is still selling the original Surface RT but bear in mind that one has a lower res screen. Some places in the UK had it discounted to around £250.

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

Yeah the only downside with the Surface 2 is it is quite pricey but is comparable to an iPad price, you could have a look around to see if anyone is still selling the original Surface RT but bear in mind that one has a lower res screen. Some places in the UK had it discounted to around £250.

A local store in Austria sells it for 319€, which is quite ok:tup:

The low-res screen should not be a problem since it will only be used for reading and maybe writing.
Thanks for the help to all

 

[ImmalovemaGTR]

Finally bought a tablet, it is the Surface RT 1st gen, runs on 8.1 and has office pre-installed.

My dad seems to be happy with it, so thanks everybody again for the help