It was over on Tuesday. It's the worst day of my week, and it's finally over. Curiously, on a day like today I use my smartphone and tablet a lot. You can imagine what it has been like to completely change the device for a different one. The conclusions that I have drawn today seem very interesting to me. Although that you will have to judge.
First of all I must explain what this is about, for those of you who missed the first post yesterday. I have decided to replace the smartphone with a tablet that allows calls, with a seven-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 with 3G. And from this, I analyze the result. This Tuesday that has ended here in Spain has been the second day that I have used the tablet, and the results are, at least, enlightening. The day of special importance, and the most complex of the week. I direct a radio program about technology called Conecta2 en la Onda, on Onda Cero Spain. Obviously, a technology program cannot be directed with scripts on paper, and as a script we carry a tablet. Although the first programs had a paper script, most of the programs until today were directed by an iPad, which I recently connected to the smartphone, to have a live Internet connection. Today, I have left the iPad at home, and the Sony Xperia S. I have even forgotten the backpack, and I have only brought the Seven-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 with 3G.
Advantage of the day
Today has been a day of many advantages. A tablet sums it up. I do not carry the smartphone on one side and the iPad on the other. I carry everything in a single device. This favors when directing a radio program, since terminals are avoided on the table, and at the same time it is not necessary to be aware of the sounds of all of them. The advantage, obviously, is to have a single device. A tablet with a seven-inch screen is enough to carry a script and read it very easily. This was impossible with a smartphone. My surprise has been precisely to discover that I have not missed the 10-inch tablet at all. I was one of those who thought that the seven and eight inch tablets could not replace the 10 inches, but I was surprised.
On the other hand, the convenience of wearing a single device is vital. The tablet can be transported very easily. It is not quite what a smartphone is, but it is not as big as a 10-inch tablet. What's more, the difference in weight is even very noticeable. On the study table, having a much more agile tablet, which does not cost to move it, that even if it falls on the table makes less noise, it is something very remarkable to prevent the microphone from capturing the sound in the correct way.
Handicap of the day
The worst has been the battery. It's curious. When we use the tablet by replacing one of the two terminals, the battery can last more than a day even. On the other hand, when we use it to replace both, the smartphone and the tablet, then things change. Directing the radio show means having the screen always on. That happened with the iPad, but it was designed for that. On the other hand, the tablet's 3G connection also drains the battery, so at the end of the day it shows. It can be said that he cannot last a full day, and that is a problem. In the end, you can almost say that it requires carrying another device. Not personally. The show takes place shortly after noon, and I have the ability to upload it most of the morning. But for those who need to use it from the beginning of the day, it is very likely that it will not last a whole day.
Final reflection
In all, I keep that a seven-inch tablet is large enough. It is true that I do not use it to watch movies, but for multimedia use, such as playing a game and viewing documents, it is more than enough. Perhaps knowing this, I would opt for an eight-inch tablet. A Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 could be a good option. Or why not? An iPad Mini. Of course, whatever it is, I would opt for a version with 3G. In my case, it is possible that I end up putting aside the smartphone for the tablet, although it will still have to be seen.
The battery problem does not have to be a problem, there are enough models and types of external batteries to recharge your mobile, tablet or whatever, they go from € 10 (with a capacity of about 1.700mAh that would be equivalent to 1 single use) up to € 120 (20.000 mAh that would serve to charge the device several times or even charge several at the same time), and that have different sizes and some with different pins to exchange and be able to use it with any device (apple, nokia, microUSB, miniUSB, etc).
In the radio program, you will have a plug to put it on charge, right? Since the launch of the smartphone on the market, what gives us the most headache is almost always having the battery almost exhausted or by half, who does not carry the charger in his pocket? just in case?