Best laptop or ipad style tablet for commerce at Uni? - any price (1 Viewer)

[sarah jones]

Hi I am looking for a laptop/ipad that is VERY light and has a long battery life


I would like to use it for online videos, webcam, notes+uni work in commerce degree, and general functions such as word, internet etc

is a touch screen function on the laptop actually useful (pls tell me if you have had experience with the ASUS laptops that have touch screen)
OR would I be better off just getting a tablet such as an ipad instead of a laptop for uni? -------which is easier to use and more practical?

pls let me know any good laptop suggestions

thank you!

 

[Shadowdude]

Touch screen on laptops? I think if you're looking for touch screen options, just get a tablet.

Sure, tablets are easier to use and more practical - but personally I don't use laptops at uni and just do all my typing at home because the laptop is quite heavy. Tablets are lighter but there's typing issues and whether the typed up stuff will be useful...

 

[OzKo]

Touch screen on laptops? I think if you're looking for touch screen options, just get a tablet.

Sure, tablets are easier to use and more practical - but personally I don't use laptops at uni and just do all my typing at home because the laptop is quite heavy. Tablets are lighter but there's typing issues and whether the typed up stuff will be useful...

And this should be easily allayed if you also purchase one of those clip-on keyboards.

 

[Shadowdude]

But that's extra bulk.

*does weighing-up motion with hands*

 

[OzKo]

But that's extra bulk.

*does weighing-up motion with hands*

They aren't that heavy to be honest.

 

[Shadowdude]

I was thinking more along the lines of bag space.

 

[OzKo]

I was thinking more along the lines of bag space.

Provided there's space for a netbook, there's space for a keyboard.

 

[inJust]

But there's no microsoft word!

 

[Shadowdude]

what is this new technology

 

[UnrealAnchovies]

get a mac

 

[madharris]

Get the latest mac(intosh)

 

[ZombieApocalypse]

Get the latest mac(intosh)

or better yet!

 

[Kostie100]

But there's no microsoft word!

Pages it the best mobile word processor imo. Anyway Microsoft word for iOS is rumoured to come soon and there are lots of other alternative word processors on the App Store. I Use an iPad 3 with a logitech ultra think keyboard and it works well for school. Also all my pages files are available on my iMac when I get home because of iCloud.

 

[xAlan]

Might I suggest the Galaxy Note 10.1" for a tablet. It has Polaris Office which is just like Microsoft Office, you can still create Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents and it is also compatible with them so you can edit it from either your tablet or a computer. It has a microSD slot in case you don't have enough space. The battery life for general use is around 8-9 hours with heavy usage around 6-7 hours. There is also a Multitasking feature which allows you to do split screen multitasking such as taking notes on one side while reading lecture slides on the other, which comes in handy.

For a laptop, the Series 9 Samsung ultrabook is an excellent choice if money isn't an issue. There is a 13" or 15" version, one of the thinnest laptops in the world, very light at 1.5kg but also a super fast boot speed of around 10 seconds from scratch.

In terms of a touchscreen laptop, I reckon its a stupid feature since you won't be using it much especially for a commerce degree where you'll be typing most of the time.

 

[Lieutenant_21]

Get this:

Just kidding
For a laptop get: Lenovo (X1 Carbon or X230) or Macbook Pro/Air.
For a laptop with touch screen: Lenovo have a lot of those but they are expensive ($1600), the X1 Carbon has a touch screen version, Samsung are releasing the new Series 7 Chronos this year which is the perfect touch screen laptop on the market in my opinion but very expensive.
For a convertible (Laptop/Tablet): The lenovo Yoga 13 is the best. The Lenovo Twist is good too. (Touch screen is very useful for diagrams and other stuff).
For a tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro is good, the Galaxy Note 10.1" is better and the iPad is decent.

 

[Lieutenant_21]

Touch screen on laptops? I think if you're looking for touch screen options, just get a tablet.

Sure, tablets are easier to use and more practical - but personally I don't use laptops at uni and just do all my typing at home because the laptop is quite heavy. Tablets are lighter but there's typing issues and whether the typed up stuff will be useful...

Tablets are really bad and inefficient for education IMO (writing with a stylus is not very convenient) so a convertable or a laptop with touch screen is better because it has full size keyboard, faster processor, Microsoft Office and more and the touch screen is very useful for diagrams.
I myself have a Macbook Air coz I don't need to draw diagrams, I just use it for Word pretty much and I got it because it is really durable, light, has long battery life, I like Steve Jobs etc... (looks cool too lol)

 

[ebbygoo]

Hey.
Firstly I'd like to say that I am an apple fanboy p) so the below comment features no bias.

For what you want, it sounds like the perfect balance would be a Microsoft Surface RT with touch/type cover.

It has a decent battery life (not as long as iPad but decent), and is the about the average weight for tablets.

RT is basically a less powerful version of Windows 8 that can't run Windows 8 applications, instead you download things from the RT Store (app store for windows). At the moment, the number of apps is limited, as you would expect as the Surface is quite a new tablet, however, give it some time and it will be just as big as the others (you'd expect). That said, you will still find most of the apps you will need, especially the ones you listed.

Also with the Surface, you will get Microsoft Office preinstalled (free), which is always a bonus.

Finally, with the keyboard/typing situation. The Surface is sold on its own or with the choice of a keyboard case as additionally add on. They are called the touch case or type case. If you are buying a Surface, they are pretty much essential, as they are one of its best features IMO.
They are magnetically attaching cases which cover your screen when closed. When you use them, you pull down the cover and start typing. The screen is touch screen or you can use the mousepad on the case. Also, the Surface itself has a built in kickstand.
The Surface is definitely useful for productivity IMO.

Anyway, have a look at it, because as I said, I think it suits your criteria and more.

 

[ebbygoo]

Note: this is based on first hand experience from using my friends' surfaces' lol.
Personally I have a mini and an Air, and I love both.

 

[kaz1]

Surface is pretty shit, you can't download any apps that aren't made by Microsoft which is even more closed than iOS.

 

[4025808]

IMO get galaxy note 10.1 or google nexus 10. Battery life is around the same as an ipad.

IMO I'd try to avoid getting windows 8 due to how crap it actually is :S