Laptops and tablets and browsers, oh my!

[andrewducker]

I really like the look of the new EEE
Transformer which gives you a tablet form factor, a laptop form
factor, and 12-18 hours of battery, depending on whether the keyboard is
plugged in.

I realised recently that the laptop isn't used for anything terribly
complex - I read email on it, surf the web, watch videos in bed and that's
about it. And a tablet would happily do all of that.

The only thing holding me back is that the laptop runs Firefox, and I like
the customisation that that offers. I've tried Chrome, but the lack of
options for even basic things* frustrates me too much.

Anyone played around much with different browsers on Firefox?

*I want URLs to open in a new tab, not overwrite the one I happen to be
looking at. Is that too much to ask?

Comments

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

*I want URLs to open in a new tab, not overwrite the one I happen to be looking at. Is that too much to ask?

Not sure how this works on Honeycomb/ Ice Cream Sandwich, but on iOS5 you do a long press to get the option to open a link in a new tab. I can't imagine Android would miss out on such a basic option.

[andrewducker]

Yes, same in Android, but it's an option, not the default. What I want is things to be friction-free, and do what I want by default.

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

Understandable that. Especially as tablets don't have the luxury of key-combos. Ctrl+click for a new tab is easy, finding a tablet option is less so.

Perhaps what you'd be after is the Eee Slider Tablet.

[fub.livejournal.com]

On the native Android browser, you can open a link in a new tab by keeping your finger on it, instead of tapping it. Then an option pop-up will open and it will give you the option to open the link in a new tab/window. Unfortunately, the browser gives the new window the focus, so you have to use the menu key to get back to your previous window.

Also, I use the middle mouse button click to open links in new tabs (on most mouses, that's the scroll wheel), and that just works in Chrome on Ubuntu.

[andrewducker]

Yes, it's an option, not the default. What I want is things to be friction-free, and do what I want by default, not have to do long-presses and choose things off menus every time.

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

I get new tabs on my iPad.

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

WOW Same price range as iPad. That kinda hurts for an a-pad.

[andrewducker]

All of the decent 10-inch pads are in the same price range. Doesn't bother me, as I'd be buying it as a laptop replacement (which would cost me around the same amount).

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

Going by the pound dollar algorithm which seems to hold true for tech you'd pay between £650 and £750 for a laptop? Quad core chipset is okay at that sort of price for the base tablet but the keyboard price? Sheesh. I'm not being negative BTW, just commenting the price seems astronomical. Roy's apde is extortionate for accessories too though. It seems to be the way manufacturers recoup their money. We luckily picked up some stuff for his in Walmart clearance aisle. I hardly use my laptop these days.

[andrewducker]

Aaah, if it's $->£ then I'll be less interested. My current laptop cost me £450-ish, and I'm happy to look at things costing in that vicinity, but you're right, I'm not paying £650 for its replacement.

Of course, that price isn't going to include sales taxes/VAT either.

*sigh* I guess I'll be getting a laptop again next time...

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

There is a get it shipped from US type option. We did it for Roy's tablet. Or rather I brought it back in hand luggage. You may luck out but historically the exchange price is never at the rate. Look at Kindles as a good example and that's at the bottom of a price range. We do get economically screwed in the UK for tech.

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2011/11/meet-the-asus-eee-pad-transformer-prime-the-worlds-first-supercomputer-tablet/

The last sentence specifically:

Update: Asus has said that in the UK, the Transformer Prime will come bundled with the keyboard dock for £499, from early January.

So 32GB + keyboard for £50 more than your last laptop.

[andrewducker]

Aha! Cheers!

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

Same price range, double the storage at those price points though.

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

But apple keyboard way cheaper, so not quite as accurate. If you're adding a keyboard to both on like for like storage you're bringing the price within $30

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

Any examples? As I understood it there were plenty of 3rd party options for both devices that cover the gamut from desktop stand keyboards to cases with one built in. I doubt that iOS equivalents would be any cheaper - they're all just Bluetooth devices with a different key layout.

[andrewducker]

In this case the whole point is that the keyboard fits the tablet and turns it into a laptop, and has an extra battery in it for additional life.

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

Best going with the Asus then as the iPad equivalents are prohibitively expensive - http://www.pcworld.com/article/229284/the_250_case_that_turns_your_ipad_into_a_laptop_almost.html

(I should really do the code to turn 'prohibitively expensive' into a link, but meh)

[poisonduk.livejournal.com]

I missed the keyboard had added battery. That then justifys additional cost.

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

Mmm, now with added battery ;)

[cobrabay.livejournal.com]

No experience of using it on tablets, but Firefox on my Android phone opens a context menu with a long press on a link, and open in new tab is the first option. The browser I use as the default on phone is Dolphin, that works the same way.
I'm keen on the new Asus Transformer too, my netbook is getting flaky and I'm ready for a replacement.

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

Dolphin on Android does that

[andrewducker]

You can set it so that new URLs open in new tabs by default?

[steer.livejournal.com]

That EEE transformer does look gorgeous I must say. I am coveting one now my eee 701 is nearly dead. Bit too pricey for me right now. Let me know how you get on with it. I've no desire for a pure tablet (as my kindle takes care of pure reading needs beautifully) but one with a dockable keyboard might be right.

[andrewducker]

Yeah. The only thing I've found so far that a tablet does better than a laptop (for my uses) is comics. Having one that does both would be great.

I won't be getting one until the laptop dies though :->

[apostle-of-eris.livejournal.com]

One morning recently, I was comparing with a pad user on the morning train. I said I load up my comics onto my laptop and read them on the way to work. he said, "You could do the same thing on a pad," and I replied, "I sometimes use it as a computer, too."

[andrewducker]

Yeah, the problem with the laptop is the shape of screen, which is the wrong orientation for comics unless I want to scan back and forth. What I like about the Transformer is that it can do both.