Non iPad tablet recommendations ?

[4Mal]

Been an Apple bigot since my ipad version 1. 16 g
Today I have 4 ipad Air 2 64 G and all are beginning to have really bad battery life. Been quoted $150 for battery replacement per tablet.

One unit is my lyrics and charts tablet. Happily I get 4 to 5 hours on that one. I expect to replace it with a new low end iPad so I can continue using GoodReader on it.

The other 3 are to run my digital board(s). The need to run
- a browser
- xAir Monitor
- xAir Mix
- x32 mix
and support Bluetooth.

So...
Amazon Fire Max 11 ?
Samsung ?

Those are just a bit more than battery replacement...

Any recommendtions ?

 

[mcnach]

I wanted a cheap android tablet just to use onstage and control the mixer etc. Ended up with a Nokia T21 for around £120 and it's doing a great job after about 18 months. Not the brightest screen, so outdoors it can be a bit challenging, but plenty bright for any indoor gig.

 

[RVRSCO]

I’d look at the Samsung Tablets or even the Google Tablet. Samsung has a bunch of great options. Google has one option, but you get the pure Google experience.

 

[fdeck]

I've been happy with an 11" Lenovo tablet for charts.

I have an old Google tablet that seems to lock you into Google-curated apps.

An odd thought: Do you really need battery power on stage? A tablet that's not getting carried around could happily run on adapter power. It's just one more cable.

 

[DonaldR]

I'm mainly an Apple guy (Mac minis, Macbooks and iPhones) for years.
I had different Samsung phones/tablets over the year but I'm done with Samsung, bad experience with every single one of them.

iPads are a very good IMHO. They last longer to then all android tablets I ever had. I don't need an iPad because it's too much in the middle of a Macbook (Apple silicone) and an iPhone (now with thunderbolt usb-c port). And having an expensive iPad on a mic stand prone to drop or being steal is not what I want.

If you don't have experience with Android tablets, just know that most of them are stocked at the version you buy them. A new tablet at Android 10 will ends its life at Android 10, so they are getting obsolete pretty fast. And many apps want you to give them access to your personal data (contacts, photos, messages, calls) even if it's not needed (like a solitaire game) or they don't install.

That said I got a Lenovo M10 3rd Gen two years ago and it's doing the job, except the usb-c port is external drive and charge only, no audio/video. I use it for on-stage charts and some book reading in the public transport.

 

[tom-g]

Been an Apple bigot since my ipad version 1. 16 g
Today I have 4 ipad Air 2 64 G and all are beginning to have really bad battery life. Been quoted $150 for battery replacement per tablet.

One unit is my lyrics and charts tablet. Happily I get 4 to 5 hours on that one. I expect to replace it with a new low end iPad so I can continue using GoodReader on it.

The other 3 are to run my digital board(s). The need to run
- a browser
- xAir Monitor
- xAir Mix
- x32 mix
and support Bluetooth.

So...
Amazon Fire Max 11 ?
Samsung ?

Those are just a bit more than battery replacement...

Any recommendtions ?

If the iPads are still in good condition, go with the battery replacement. You know how to operate them. You know their ins and outs. You know they will last.

 

[djmay]

Go to ifixit.com. You might be able to replace the batteries for a fraction of that price.

 

[DonaldR]

If the iPads are still in good condition, go with the battery replacement. You know how to operate them. You know their ins and outs. You know they will last.

And do it yourself. I have an old Macbook that Apple didn't want to replace the battery. I found a new compatible one on Amazon for cheap and replaced it myself, it took 5 minutes and going strong for 2 years. Watch youtube for some instructions.

 

[tom-g]

And do it yourself. I have an old Macbook that Apple didn't want to replace the battery. I found a new compatible one on Amazon for cheap and replaced it myself, it took 5 minutes and going strong for 2 years. Watch youtube for some instructions.

Not all iPads are serviceable. The one I have was exchanged for a new one by Apple when I needed a new battery.