Embarrassing question about tablets?

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Okay, so I'm a retired person. I use my laptop for email, internet, banking, buying stuff, etc. - pretty basic. I have wireless access in my home. I know NOTHING of how a tablet works. I want to buy a tablet for a friend who's quite broke. I doubt if she has the income to afford the monthly access for connection to a computer. I know you can use the internet on smartphones. Can you use a tablet without having internet access? I know I sound like an idiot - I'm even embarrassed to go to Best Buy and ask in person. Any info would be appreciated.

Answer
There is nothing to be embarrassed about..

I have the 4 main tablet group or from the main 4 operating system OS:
an amazon kindle, an iPad from apple, a Samsung tablet that runs on Android OS and a Windows 8.1 Acer iconia tablet..

For your friend, I would recommend the Apple iPad as the first choice, an Android device as a second choice (cheaper price), tablet PC if you (or your friend) want a regular computer with regular functions (but it is also the most expensive) and Amazon Kindle as the last choice..

And they all do not have to be connected to the internet in order for them to work..
But you need the internet connection to gain access to the 'App store', should you wish to install new apps (software) or get the latest updates..
And of course, you'd need the internet access if you try to access internet-based app like internet browser, the Facebook app or the Youtube app..

Also many of those free apps (freeware) that you download from the app store require internet connection in order for them to work (because the freeware is paid by you watching their ads), which is something that is more common in Android apps than others..
Many of those free apps (games mostly) are rendered useless without internet connection..

My number one tablet is still the windows 8.1 tablet PC..
I love it because it runs my windows tablet just like my desktop computer..
Unfortunately, windows tablets require a lot of patience and a lot of know how.. things that my mom lack and make her frustrated with computers.. and they are the most pricy among all tablets I have (it ranges between 500 to 1200 US dollars depending on the make and the model of the tablet PC)

I can ran those familiar software to me like PowerPoint and Microsoft Word, even CorelDraw and PhotoShop from my Acer tablet..
but it doesn't have to be Acer, the choice of the tablet make (or brand) depends on the availability and the support nearby (around my house, I can see Toshiba and Acer repair shop almost everywhere)..

IPad comes second, the iPad has more collection of mature apps (not baby apps seen in kindle and most android apps) that really stands out..
in particular the iMovie and movie effects, like 'action movie'..

It is actually my mom's favorite.. she loves that thing and she's on it all the time..

IPad belong to a group of devices called iOS devices, like iPod, iphone and iPad.. and the iPad has many models according to how old is it: iPad 1, iPad 2, iPad 3 (but has the official name 'the iPad'), and iPad mini.. .. .. and I believe that the latest tablet is called 'iPad Air'..
iOS devices have far more accessories than Android devices.. and I am not talking about bags, chargers or protective covers only..
I am talking about, remote controlled helicopters, remote control cars and robotic arms, 3D scanners, Stereo systems etc..

IPad, iPhones and iOS devices are generally associated with quality and slightly higher cost.. but still i prefer them over the Android devices at any given day..

Android devices biggest advantage is the price, they are cheaper than iPad.. and many apps (software) in the Android app store are free..
The leading android tablets are from Samsung's Galaxy class.. and you can go as cheap as 40 US dollars tablets from Huawei and other cheap Chinese tablets (but I highly do not recommend you to buy any of those cheap stuff, and aim for Samsung products)..

iOS and Androids share a number of similar apps (not all).. i.e. you can get some of those apps in iPad's (Apple app store), but they are usually free on Android app store which is always popular with kids (sometimes the catch is to see ads and links to buy things whenever you play those games)..

My mom uses Samsung Galaxy Note 2 that uses Android OS, and she hates it very much..
she hates of having too much controls in the menu, and how the buttons jump from one area of the screen to another (when she presses OK and confirm her choice).. but most of all, she feels cheated when she gets too much ads on her free apps, and some of those apps stop working when you are away from WiFi..

Amazon Kindle (I believe that I have the old 5th generation), is in a class on its own..it is the cheapest and the easiest tablet to own and have.. but it is mainly meant for reading books and magazines..
But you really can not do much of it..
Frankly I bought that thing because I thought that I would pick up the hobby of book reading, you know expanding myself.. but I really do not know what to do with it, except it is a fancy paper weight..

to recap.. I would recommend an iPad generally, Android tablets are generally cheaper, tablet PC are most expensive but has more familiar computer function, and finally the Kindle is not a big thing, yet..
all the best..

Can someone use this idea for cameras ? Please pass along and maybe it will evolve into something worthwhile !?

Mr. J

Dear Reader,

I offer these ideas for your consideration. First a few comments.
In the 1980âs a type of computer program, known as an expert system, was developed to diagnose Meningitis after reviewing the symptoms of possible candidate patients. It was more effective than the doctors it was tested against ! It is, I think, reasonable to assume that many other such programs could and should be developed and made widely available to the public. This would go a long way in reducing health care cost and move us forward technologically speaking, as a species. Now to, how this relates to camera improvements.

First: It is a fact that many human diseases reveal themselves in human fingernails, toenails, and in the eye. I am suggesting that a digital camera, loaded with a well written program, probably a combination of expert system and neural network could be used to diagnose potential disease conditions. Simply, place your hand or other such appendage on a controlled surface, take a picture and analyze same. I am aware that this concept is very general but I offer it to you with the hope that you will give it fair consideration.
If successful this could open up exciting new markets for camera makers.

Second: I would like to see a camera that has a program that will determine the area of surface by simple taking a picture of it. I think this should be fairly straight forward if you were to use Pickâs formula for determining area.

Third: I would like to see a digital camera add a long exposure feature to itsâ list of features. Once again I think this should be doable by creating a program that tells the camera to take pictures at intervals and âoverlaysâ each picture, thereby capturing more light for each picture pixel. Of course, a motorized tripod could be used to capture astronomical footage. This technique should increase still picture quality by orders of magnitude !

Lastly: The Intel corporation recently announced an optical device that will be available soon that will be fast enough, I have read, to download a high definition movie in on second ! This will of course make USB obsolete. It would seem that one could use this tool to connect a camera to other devices such as a microscope, telescope, or any other âopticalâ reader and get excellent video and extreme data analysis. I hope to soon see this available to the general public.

I have posted these thoughts on the web. I hope these memes evolve and inspire others to create.

Thank you,

Mr. J
Thanks for your input Joe.

On item 1, please realize that many corporations have a vested interest NOT to create such a program, whereas, camera makers are in need of ideas that will allow them to compete with ever better cell phone cameras.

On item 2, The area idea was meant to be a quick fix to problems like , finding the area of a wall you might want to wall paper or paint. It would only be used for "good enough approximations.

On item 3, I was thinking more about the possibility of using the camera via long exposure to act as a substitute telescope. Each image captured would bring new light to the lens. A program would add this photon info, by laying each image on TOP of the prior image. The internal program could keep track of new information being picked up thereby allowing a simple camera to view deep sky objects, and vivid still photos.

If no one else has input I will give you the best answer. I just wanted to post these ideas somewhere, in the hopes that by creating a mem

Answer
1 - interesting idea - however i think it would make more sense to create some computer software and then tether it to an off the shelf camera - reducing costs over all.

2 - To determine the surface area, you would have to have a 3d model of surface, because otherwise it would not be able to take into consideration and bumps or groves, as these would just appear as a flat surface. i believe that there are laser scanners that can already do this. I think they use them to scan in the 3d sculptures that are created to create animations such as the ones produced by pixar.

3 - There is a product that does it, and infact you can do it yourself, if you take hundred of pictured of a scene from the same point, load them into photoshop, and merge them, it will create a huge image that is all of yours stitched together to make one. Google Gigapixel photo.

4 - Light Peak - the technology you are referring to most probably will make usb obsolete. Telescopes are already available with mounts that allow you to place an SLR on the back, and use it as a huge lens. And video microscopes are available, with electron microscopes being able to produce very detailed and highly magnified images. The data transfer speed is not the issue here, rather the resolution of the cameras.

Anyway, some interesting ideas.

Joe

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