Tablet questions [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

Spartana

3-28-12, 2:11pm

I know there was a thread somewhere with many tablet questions but I can't find it so will ask here.

I want to get rid of my very old laptop (it's dying anyways) and get a tablet or e-reader thingie but want to be able to store my MANY old photos (as well as any new ones) on it. I also want to be able to manipulate them (crop, etc..). So:

Do tablets have Cd ports in them? If so, can you upload photos that are on Cd's onto a tablet? Can you scan photos on a scanner directly to a tablet? If you can, is there a way to manipulate the photos (i.e. crop them, etc...)? Can you store a large number of photos on a tablet (either by taking them directly on the tablet or uploading them from another computer or Cd)?

Also, a sidebar computer photo question: When I scan some old photos they come out very blurry when I post them here but are OK on the computer and the photo itself is clear. I've tried different resolutions but I get the same effect. Is there a way to un-blur photos to make them look like the original? Maybe because it was enlarged from the original photo when it gets posted here that makes it blurry. I don't know how to adjust the size either.

ETA: OK I just posted a photo on the "status" thread and it came out very large (and I couldn't adjust it to make it smaller) and very very blurry. Tried some other's too but got the same result. Since these were not digital photos, I wonder if that is why they get so blurry when they get enlarged and posted here. Any suggestions?

herbgeek

3-28-12, 3:25pm

I can't answer all your questions, but to my knowledge, no tablets have CD bays. That's why they are able to make them so thin. Some of them might not even have USB ports so you wouldn't be able to attach an external CD drive. I don't believe the ipad has any (but ipad owners, correct me if I'm mistaken), but other tablets might.

JaneV2.0

3-28-12, 4:18pm

Spartana

3-28-12, 4:33pm

I think a lot of the newer tablets have USB ports, and HDMI connectors as well. I wouldn't buy one without an expandable memory slot for SD cards. You could download your pictures onto SD cards and input them that way. And I have seen editing apps:
http://blog.toaninfo.com/2011/08/5-best-photo-editing-apps-for-android.html

I have no idea what an SD card or expandable memory slot is (I'm a computer virgin ;-)!) but I'll assume it's one of those little "storage Devices" things you can buy seperately, download the photos from your computer to the card, and then plug it into the slot and look at the photos and e-mail them. Do they hold alot of photos or do you need a bunch of them? Also do apps cost extra or do they come with the tablet? How do you get/buy apps that don't come with the tablet? Online? If you don't have a secure wi-fi site because you don't have a computer (want only the tablet and no computer) and only have wi-fi via the tablet from unsecured sites (library, Starbucks, etc...) would it be safe to buy something using your credit card online? Ugh, being a computer virgin sucks!

herbgeek

3-28-12, 5:19pm

SD cards are little square devices, maybe about 3/4" square. They aren't flash drives, which may be what you are thinking of. SD cards go in your camera, as well as computer devices. You buy SD cards in different capacities: 2GB, 4GB etc. So you could go directly from your camera to a tablet if they are compatible.

Apps are normally purchased, although a few basic ones may come with your tablet. Typically you buy the apps from the itunes store, if you have an Apple device, or from an Android store if you have an Android tablet or Amazon if you have the Kindle Fire. I have an itouch, so my experience is with the itunes store. I have to type in a password from my device when purchasing an app- not sure if the other guys have something similar.

shadowmoss

3-28-12, 5:40pm

If the tablet has at least 1 USB port you can hook either a DVD drive/burner or an external hard drive. You would use that to store your information (pictures). Another way, as a backup, is storage on-line. I have ADrive.com which gives me 50G of free storage space on the internet. I can buy more for very little money. It seems fairly secure, but I don't store financial information there. For pictures it would be fine.

I'm still pondering a tablet. I want one, but I have a netbook and I'm having trouble pulling the trigger on something that really doesn't solve a problem I have.

Spartana

3-29-12, 2:30pm

Thanks for the info everyone. I think I'll have to write a list of features I want and then go look at some moretablets to decide (narrowing it down). Really just want "one small thing" that can do it all (yes, living in I-dream-land) since I won't have access to extra stuff like a DVD player or external harddrive, etc.. Probably just keep the laptop but leave it, and the old photos on the CDs, at my sister's place while travelling. Then get a tablet that has a camera, GPS, and wi-fi. Probably all I really need. I don't do financial stuff online anyways - have never even bought anything online ever - so really don't know how that works or how safe it is so probably won't do that anyways. And won't have anything financial to check online either (again, something I don't do)as everything gets direct deposited and I won't have any bills to pay while "homeless travelling" (no monthly bills to pay - I LOVE that!!).Thanks!

P.S. leaving in about a week - maybe Sunday - so will be getting something by then for sure. Gotta be able to post photos and yap at you all from the road. Yap, not gloat Shawdowmoss :devil:

herbgeek

3-29-12, 3:20pm

FWIW I've had few issues shopping on line, and have been doing so since the early/mid 1990's. Twice in those years someone somehow swipe my number, but the fraud department at my credit card company noticed it and called me right away (two different cards with different companies). I figure the same thing could have happened using my credit card in real life (like in a restaurant where they bring it out back) or using mail order where you give them the credit card number.

One thing you should look for when shopping on line is that when you are looking at the shopping cart, the url at the top should start with https and not http. https is the secure version of the protocol, so that someone casually looking at the traffic (for instance when using wi fi in a public place) can't pick up your information because its encrypted.

lmerullo

3-29-12, 3:45pm

One tip I have heard is to buy a prepaid Visa or Mastercard with cash, and then use that card to pay for online purchases. This way, there is no connection to your identity.

Spartana

3-29-12, 4:54pm

Thanks for the suggestions but I really don't use my credit cards much - if at all - as to keep me from going a bit overboard on spending (been there, done that!). So I don't think I want to start doing that online as, while I'm pretty disiplined, I can end up buying things I really don't want or need. So I'll stay away from that temptation and stick to cash as much as possible.