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ultra portable laptop vs tablet for the traveling photographer (1 of 2)

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I liked this thread, I've been using this site for a long time never knew the forum was here :).

I like the AirStash idea, now if they would make it available to android, etc that'd be cool.

Is the Acer Iconia the only android device that can read/write to/from USB sticks and HDDs?

I currently have the 1st gen galaxytab not my favorite, but I love the 7" screen, I use it a lot for looking up information while on the go or reading.

I looked at the 10" tablets, they are quite huge interestingly my ASus EeePC netbook has a 10" screen with a max res 1024x600 as someone mentioned they don't think they can browse with that res; well I can't say I agree because I browse with it all the time yet not all websites work perfectly in that res.

I like bigger screens so I can reasonably see things from an acceptable distance, where as my 7" or even 4.3" screens are not really suited for that.

I never have the time to use all my tools as I had intended for them, I have a photo album I have barely used that is capable of reading from SD, internal memory and USB stick and its got a nice screen too but my tablet can do that now (by transferring photos from the PC onto the internal SD card on the tablet ofc).

But what if the Iconia is already capable of doing all that?

My current netbook has the Atom N450 (I think?) anyway I know its not dual core, I have CS3 on here, it runs decent but I wouldn't do a lot of heavy load work on it and gets the job done.
 
mynetdude said:
I like the AirStash idea, now if they would make it available to android, etc that'd be cool.
Click to expand...
It looks like it just needs a browser and WiFi for access, so it should work fine with any Android device - but it will be easier with a dedicated App.
MrsGsPhace said:
Is the Acer Iconia the only android device that can read/write to/from USB sticks and HDDs?
Click to expand...
The Toshiba Thrive can do it, and the Asus Transformer can once you add the optional keyboard unit (which adds a keyboard, two USB host ports, and another battery)
MrsGsPhace said:
I currently have the 1st gen galaxytab not my favorite, but I love the 7" screen, I use it a lot for looking up information while on the go or reading.
Click to expand...
I don't know of any 7" tablet with a USB host port.
MrsGsPhace said:
I never have the time to use all my tools as I had intended for them, I have a photo album I have barely used that is capable of reading from SD, internal memory and USB stick and its got a nice screen too but my tablet can do that now (by transferring photos from the PC onto the internal SD card on the tablet ofc). . . But what if the Iconia is already capable of doing all that?
Click to expand...
It should be able to, but I haven't had the chance to find an App that lets me select the photos to show, with their order, display time, etc. One probably exists.

--
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

 
You're welcome. Have fun and keep posting any findings here. I should get mine back from my wife tonight, then I'll be back to testing it out for viewing and backing up photos.
--
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

 
Jeff Peterman said:
mynetdude said:
I like the AirStash idea, now if they would make it available to android, etc that'd be cool.
Click to expand...
It looks like it just needs a browser and WiFi for access, so it should work fine with any Android device - but it will be easier with a dedicated App.
Click to expand...
wifi? Didn't see any mention of that on the Airstash site, but there is another service that already kind of does this called: Tonido its the same concept but it creates a "cloud" for you, and Android can already use it.
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman said:
Is the Acer Iconia the only android device that can read/write to/from USB sticks and HDDs?
Click to expand...
The Toshiba Thrive can do it, and the Asus Transformer can once you add the optional keyboard unit (which adds a keyboard, two USB host ports, and another battery)
Click to expand...
Right I saw mention of these several times in this thread, I've been seeing TV commericials boasting slate tablet PCs that can connect to a keyboard, etc so we'll have to see how this technology imnproves.
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman said:
I currently have the 1st gen galaxytab not my favorite, but I love the 7" screen, I use it a lot for looking up information while on the go or reading.
Click to expand...
I don't know of any 7" tablet with a USB host port.
Click to expand...
10" isn't necessarily bad, but its a lot harder to shove down your pocket than a 7" is but then again I use my phone for when I need to look up something while on the street corner not my tablet.
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman said:
I never have the time to use all my tools as I had intended for them, I have a photo album I have barely used that is capable of reading from SD, internal memory and USB stick and its got a nice screen too but my tablet can do that now (by transferring photos from the PC onto the internal SD card on the tablet ofc). . . But what if the Iconia is already capable of doing all that?
Click to expand...
It should be able to, but I haven't had the chance to find an App that lets me select the photos to show, with their order, display time, etc. One probably exists.
Click to expand...
I'll need to look into this, never thought about it
Jeff Peterman said:
--
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

Click to expand...
 
MrsGsPhace said:
there is another service that already kind of does this called: Tonido its the same concept but it creates a "cloud" for you, and Android can already use it.
Click to expand...
There are many such services. With some, you can only access the content when you have an Internet connection, others automatically sync local content (on the device) to match the "cloud" content - the most common being DropBox. I have a dropbox account and you can set it for private and shared content, allowing others to access the shared content with your permission. Dropbox works on PCs, Macs, iPhones/iPads, and Android devices.

All of the tablets will work with Bluetooth keyboards. Those with USB host ports can also work with any USB keyboard. If you get a keyboard designed for Android, it has dedicated function keys for things like the home screen, menu/options, search, browser, etc. I'm looking at Android keyboards, which cost around $55. Asus is unique here because you can buy a keyboard that attaches to the tablet and then can be folded up, making the tablet look like a netbook/laptop - the keyboard contains the USB host ports AND a battery adding roughly 6 hours more usable time, for a total of around 15 hours, but it costs about $150 and I've seen reports of reliability problems.
--
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

 
those referring to the mac air might want to look at the SAMSUNG SERIES 9 ultra-portable.

have one now and IT IS AWESOME! plus its windows so no need to transfer to another OS.

--
own a D70s and i have a lot to learn :)
 
And, with the new AirStash firmware upgrade, most of us with an AirStash recently made, our AirStash devices will now support up to 2TB size SDXC cards. The largest size such SDXC cards I've seen so far, are 250GB; but, eventually they'll be available in sizes up to 2TB, if not larger, and here again, enough storage for just about anyone in a small, light-weight, highly mobile device, I would think. Heck, the 32GB SDHC cards, I still use, are quite sufficient for most everything I currently need to do (and, Amazon prices are quite low on these, and prices of all such cards, regardless of storage capacity tends to get lower all the time, as larger size cards start hitting the market and these cards start to be made available in ever increasing supply). ;)
--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)

 
liquidmonkey1 said:
those referring to the mac air might want to look at the SAMSUNG SERIES 9 ultra-portable.

have one now and IT IS AWESOME! plus its windows so no need to transfer to another OS.
Click to expand...
Why would one have to change to another OS to use a Mac Air?

Oh...wait...I see...well, you have my sympathies.

--
-Kenneth Sloan
 
I travel with a 17" Mac Book Pro, a Motorola Xoom tablet, an iPad, and an iPhone. Here's my take on your requirements:
larsbc said:
1. Perform daily back ups from my cameras’ SD cards to a hard-drive. I estimated 8-12gb worth of video clips and raw format images
Click to expand...
For this, I recommend a small laptop and separate hard disk.
larsbc said:
2. Connect to the Internet to check my mail and look up information.
Click to expand...
iPhone is what I use while walking around. Tablet is certainly adequate.
larsbc said:
3. Store useful information on the device such as flight and hotel reservations, contact information, etc.
Click to expand...
same as #2
larsbc said:
4. Watch movies to entertain my family.
Click to expand...
iPad wins big here. One of my disappointments with the Xoom has been the

hassle of getting movies onto it. It can be done - but the iPad wins hands down for convenience. Of course, the small laptop will also work.
larsbc said:
5. View images and video clips made during our trip.
Click to expand...
same as #2
larsbc said:
6. Use Lightroom to tag the images during the trip, rather than waiting until I got when, when I might forget some of the details.
Click to expand...
You'll want the laptop.
larsbc said:
7. Keep a journal of our trip.
Click to expand...
Depends on how well you "type" on a tablet. I would really want the laptop for

extensive writing. If your reply is "separate keyboard", then I think you are already saying that you need a tiny laptop more than you need a tablet.
larsbc said:
8. Play games for our kids.
Click to expand...
Depends on the game. Interactive 2-person games work really well on the tablets.
larsbc said:
9. Have a device small enough that I could carry in a small bag that I could quickly turn on and use to access available wifi service.
Click to expand...
iPhone is the clear winner. Mine is always in my pocket (usually shirt pocket, sometimes front pants pocket. Nothing beats it for accessibility. There's not really all that much difference between a tablet and a small laptop.
larsbc said:
10. Use navigation software that would work when I had no Internet access (I wasn’t prepared to pay for out-of-country roaming charges or buy a local data plan).
Click to expand...
oops - data plans. Yup - that will bite you if you are dependent on phone services.

WiFi is becoming more useful. Downloading is becoming more popular. No clear winner here.

Again, note that I travel with FOUR devices. If I had to pare back, I would use an iPhone and a Mac Air.

--
-Kenneth Sloan
 
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman said:
there is another service that already kind of does this called: Tonido its the same concept but it creates a "cloud" for you, and Android can already use it.
Click to expand...
There are many such services. With some, you can only access the content when you have an Internet connection, others automatically sync local content (on the device) to match the "cloud" content - the most common being DropBox. I have a dropbox account and you can set it for private and shared content, allowing others to access the shared content with your permission. Dropbox works on PCs, Macs, iPhones/iPads, and Android devices.
Click to expand...
I have considered dropbox... my problem with dropbox was the slow transfer speeds; so say I needed to open a PDF that I had on my dropbox on my phone or on my PC whatever the problem was I needed to transfer a PDF that was 10MB or more in size which contained rules & regulations I wanted to put it in a dropbox so that I could have a centralized location to access commonly needed files that had to be updated every quarter this was not feasible to me
Jeff Peterman said:
All of the tablets will work with Bluetooth keyboards. Those with USB host ports can also work with any USB keyboard. If you get a keyboard designed for Android, it has dedicated function keys for things like the home screen, menu/options, search, browser, etc. I'm looking at Android keyboards, which cost around $55. Asus is unique here because you can buy a keyboard that attaches to the tablet and then can be folded up, making the tablet look like a netbook/laptop - the keyboard contains the USB host ports AND a battery adding roughly 6 hours more usable time, for a total of around 15 hours, but it costs about $150 and I've seen reports of reliability problems.
--
Click to expand...
Here we go with bluetooth, IMO its pointless anytime you have bluetooth running on your android device/phone/tablet it sucks the battery and then the device itself runs out of battery too; I for one am NOT pleased that my bluetooth "headset" doesn't last as long in fact only lasts as long as a typical hands free handset... its a joke.

and TBH I don't need a kb, I just want to be able to plug in, get files I need, unplug and go.

If I wanted a keyboard on my tablet I should just stick to a netbook which I have. Now, I wished high end android phones had a slider keyboard that they seem to only put on low end crappy android phones sigh.

I could eliminate a photo frame/album with a tablet, I looked at the android market and the photo slideshow/apps aren't that great but I do use picasa and there is a picasa app and while it doesn't sort my photos or order them I can do that within picasa which is an ok workaround.

Filesanywhere seems to be promising as it has it all...
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

Click to expand...
 
It is easy to get movies on the Acer Iconia. I convert them to MP4 format and then can copy them to the micro SD card outside the tablet, copy them via the USB cable from a PC (to either the card or internal memory), or run/copy them from a thumb drive.
--
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

 
Yes - it's "easy" to do.

But, compare that with "one click on iTunes".

When I have time to "convert and transfer", I do that (to put the movie on my Xoom).

When I'm on my way out the door and I need a movie to watch across the Atlantic and I still haven't packed my camera gear and how many days of clean shirts do I need and where's my boarding pass....iTunes, baby!

--
-Kenneth Sloan
 
Jeff Peterman said:
It is easy to get movies on the Acer Iconia. I convert them to MP4 format and then can copy them to the micro SD card outside the tablet, copy them via the USB cable from a PC (to either the card or internal memory), or run/copy them from a thumb drive.
--
Click to expand...
give doubleTwist a try.
it can convert films as well with the whole 'single click' as on itunes.

--
own a D70s and i have a lot to learn :)
 
Oh, I have plenty of simple conversion tools, so that's not an issue. But often I'll want to do some editing first (maybe clip out the first few, or last, minutes of the recording, for example).
--
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

 
Kenneth Sloan said:
But, compare that with "one click on iTunes".
Click to expand...
I use iTune with my iPhone. When you connect the device with a USB cable, the first thing it does is sit their and check if things need to get backed up. Then, it will sync things that you have placed in the appropriate location on your hard drive - if they are in the limited formats acceptable by iTunes.

With the Android tablets, I can connect the USB cable and have the storage space on the tablet look just like a memory device, and open it with Windows Explorer (the file manager) when asked. Then I just need to drag and drop the file, in ANY format, and know that it will play most common formats. But I have the option of keeping the files on a thumb drive and taking that with me and copying the files later, as needed - no need for a computer hook up.

So, in comparison with iTune, the Android tablets have many more options, some of which are easier.
--
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

 
Jeff Peterman said:
Jeff Peterman said:
But, compare that with "one click on iTunes".
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Jeff Peterman said:
With the Android tablets, I can connect the USB cable and have the storage space on the tablet look just like a memory device, and open it with Windows Explorer (the file manager) when asked. Then I just need to drag and drop the file, in ANY format, and know that it will play most common formats. But I have the option of keeping the files on a thumb drive and taking that with me and copying the files later, as needed - no need for a computer hook up.

So, in comparison with iTune, the Android tablets have many more options, some of which are easier.
Click to expand...
the 'one click' itunes option can be nice BUT your limited and have no choices.

personally, i much prefer the android way of handling things but there are many out there that prefer the itunes way.

its down to personal choice but important to know that the two choices exist.

--
own a D70s and i have a lot to learn :)
 
If you want something relatively easy to use from the start, iOS devices, like the iPhone and iPad are best. But if you want something that is flexible, that you can customise to behave the way you want, Android devices are best. Neither platform is best for everyone.
--
Jeff Peterman

Any insults, implied anger, bad grammar and bad spelling, are entirely unintentionalal. Sorry.
http://www.pbase.com/jeffp25
http://www.jeffp25.smugmug.com

 
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