As I'm thinking about getting a tablet device, the choice seems to be either the Apple iPad route or one of the many Android devices. It's the latter that confuses me somewhat.
In addition to internet browsing and email checking I would hope to use such a device for reading newspapers and in some cases subscribing to electronic versions of these and certain magazines.
The various publications have versions for iPad & Android tablets. In the case of iPad it's fairly obvious as to the device(s) available and what will work. In the case of Android however there are many on the market, so what I want to know is, would all such devices running Android enable me to subscribe to newspapers and magazines which offer such electronic versions for Android? For example, the Amazon & Google tablets seem geared to their respective namesakes, so would these, as they run Android, be suitable or do I need to be selective (other than of course choosing what I think is the better model) in which Android tablet would fulfill my needs?
Amazon's for example seems very much geared towards the Amazon Store.
Thanks.

I too would be interested in answers to this. The Google Nexus looks a good mid range option - has anyone bought that?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...-7-review.html

The ipad is expensive for what it does, there are lots of options out there that will do much the same for a lot less money. Earlier in the year I bought the Prestigio Multipad (slightly earlier version than this new model) for around £200 and it does everything I want and more. My son is a bit of a computer nerd (he'd agree with that! ) he had a play with it and ordered one for himself. As you suggest, the choice is now a bit bewildering, but I'm sure anything that runs android will do all you want. I don't mind paying for kit, I spend a fortune on top photographic gear, but I cannot see what paying twice the price for an ipad will give me. Street cred, maybe?

I was going to get a Kindle Fire when it was reduced to 99 quid but my friend pointed out that it was useless to read anything on in the sun. So for the moment will stick to my ordinary kindle for reading.

I would find it difficult or confusing to buy anything denoted as:-

Cupcake
Donut
Eclair
Froyo
Gingerbread
Honeycomb
Ice Cream Sandwich
Jelly Bean

OK My hubby and his crowd are of the opinion that Google Nexus of either size is a best option.
he says "Nicely made, nice hardware specs, reasonable price and very compatible". I personally know nothing but IMO hubby is a quiet genius He says it's also upgradable so you don't get stuck with whatever you choose and then have to buy again at the next upgrade if you want the next big thing. Also some apps developers go for Android first because it costs them two months to get an app passed by iphone and they have to pay for that. For example Hubby has just put together a Solar calculator for Android which is in the 10 finalists in Andalucia. for App Circus comp. at Foro Context 2012 I hope this isn't considered advertising as it's free to download.

.http://play.google.com/store/apps/de...vice.solarcalc
Might be useful for our offgrid members? Please let him have comments if you find it useful....or not! Eventually he wants to put up a payback time. but had to rush it out for the comp.

The point is it's only on Android because we can't afford an apple phone/tablet at the mo, nor the application for apple Apps writers nor the two month wait to release it. But when it goes on apple it won't be free because of all the above things! There are many other Apps developers who feel the same. At least you're going to wait two months for many innovative apps.

There are lots and lots of aftermarket devices that are essentially knock-offs of Samsung devices.

Most are just about as good as any Samsung tablet or phone, but at less than half the price.

I really like Apple, but I find their products much too expensive in the face of so many cheaper and more flexible products on the market these days. The cheap units also use easy to get industry standard accessories, whilst Apple accessories tend to be "special" (harder to get an more expensive).

For example, I have a €150 copy of a Samsung Galaxy note, which uses a standard USB charger available anywhere for under €10, and all connections use standard means to connect to it, and standard (cheap) memory cards which you just plug in to expand it. It has everything a Note has, plus 2 sims, but at 1/3 the price. Not to mention it included a leather case and 2 maximum capacity batteries.

You can get a decent Android 10" tablet for €100 or less.

And whatever "religion" you subscribe to, in reality, they all basically do the same thing.

Why pay €500?

The Nexus 7 looks like the best value and there are many reviews that rate it well above the Kindle Fire HD.

Apple products are superbly made but very expensive compared to others but that has always been the case and will remain so.

The key advantage of the iPad over the Android alternatives is that Android apps are primarily designed for the huge number of phones out there and a phone app on a tablet is not good especially on a 10" tablet.

Apple have nearly 250000 apps specifically written for the larger screens on the iPads.

Another advantage Apple has over Android is if you have a number of devices in the same household as all the Apple devices can talk to each other and share the apps and also things like music, contact data and calendars etc.

Another Apple exclusive is Airplay. If you buy an Apple TV for €99 (it's just a small black box confusingly called a TV) you can beam anything on your iPad direct to the TV, or beam music direct to your music system.

Not an easy decision but if you want the cheaper option go with Nexus but if cost is not an issue buy an Apple device.

Yes, but us old 'uns Fred ain't their target market, it's aimed at gullible youngsters impressed by such nonsense.

I bought a 64 GB Blackberry Playbook a couple of months ago and can't reccommend it highly enough. The cost of them has plummeted since they were first launched, I paid £129. I think one of the reason for the huge price drop is they want to entice users to Blackberry phones when they launch the Blackberry 10 mobiles next year.

They are reviewed well, the main downside quoted is that there are not as many apps for them as Android. I've not found that the case but I suppose it depends on what you want to do with it.They have improved a great deal since the launch of the Blackberry 2 operating system.

My husband who is not a Blackberry fan at all was so impressed by mine that he now has one as well.

It is everything I hoped it would be and much more and for a very good price.

Yvonne

Hi Yvonne, the thing is as I said in my OP, one of the things I would want to do is avail myself of various newspaper/magazine subscriptions which advertise their availability for iPad or Android. From what you say above, the Playbook won't be able to do either as it's neither Apple OS or Android.
My basic query was, are all devices running Android capable of accessing such media if it's stated to be available for Android?

The Playbook has Zinio which is a magazine reader pre-installed and another app called Press Reader pre-installed. this gets you newspapers from all over the world. I think it is the same app as is on the Ipad. You can read more about it on their website.

My Playbook came with a three month trial to Zinio and Press reader and I can confirm they both work very well.

Hope that helps.
Yvonne

Thanks for the swift response and advice. Appreciated.

Check that an Android device has full access to the Google store, it is my understanding that Amazon devices do not by default give that access.

I bought an i Pad a few months ago (32 GB, but not 4G) simply to have a tablet device to answer emails & use internet whenever we go away. The decision was based on the fact that we use an i Mac at home & so can link the tablet with the home computer.
Otherwise a cheaper device might suit you, depending on what use you want to make of it.