[Discuss] Attaching an external USB drive to a tablet

[gaf at blu.org (Jerry Feldman)]

Thanks Tom,
I was unaware of the Prime WiFi issues, Essentially, the first thing for
her is to rescue the HD. USB 2 2.5in enclosure's are running about $10
at MicroCenter. Not sure she is very computer literate. I sent me a
facebook message, but with no computer she probably won't see it until
tomorrow.

On 05/05/2012 04:57 PM, Tom Metro wrote:
> Jerry Feldman wrote:
>> ...she also wants to preserve her pictures and stuff from her HD. 
>> To attach a standard USB drive to [a tablet requires] a connection kit.
> I'd consider a bunch of options before attaching a USB drive to a
> tablet. Such as:
>
> -uploading the photos to a cloud photo site or general purpose storage
> service;
>
> -transferring the files to a high capacity micro SD card (32 GB cards
> are pretty cheap and will hold a lot of photos);
>
> -making the drive accessible over the network - using a router with a
> USB port, a NAS controller[1], or NAS enclosure.
>
> 1.
> http://www.amazon.com/Pogoplug-POGO-B01-Media-Sharing-Device/dp/B004TDY924/
>
>
>> My recommendation to Sybil is either a Galaxy Tab 10.1 or Asus
>> Transformer Prime or possibly the latest Moto Xoom.
> The Transformer Prime seems to be considered the top performer of the
> Android tablet market (actual sales haven't been that great). However it
> has had some well documented problems with its GPS and WiFi reception,
> and shortly after it was released ASUS announced replacement models
> would be coming out soon.
>
> ASUS recently released one of the successors to the Prime, the
> Transformer Pad TF300[2], which has most of the same innards (quad core
> processor) in a plastic enclosure and a lower price.
>
> 2. http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/asus-transformer-pad-tf300-review/
>
> I don't think Motorola still makes the Xoom (though you can still buy
> new ones through Amazon, Motoroloa's site only shows refurbs). Their
> latest family is the Xyboard[3], which comes in several sizes, including
> some that are waterproof. Reviewers like it better than the Xoom, but
> you don't really hear anyone saying it is their favorite.
>
> 3.
> http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Tablets
>
>
> Except for the Note product line, the latest Samsung models appear to be
> cost reduced (low-end specs) versions of earlier models. The not yet
> released Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1[4] will likely be the closest
> competition to the Transformer Prime.
>
> 4. http://www.theverge.com/products/galaxy-note-10-1-wi-fi/5263
>
> At the lower end, there are a bunch of choices under $250 now - mostly
> 7" tablets (with the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 2[5] possibly the best), of
> off-brand models without Google Market (Play) support. It's rumored
> Google will be releasing a Nexus branded tablet made by ASUS in the $150
> price range.
>
> 5. http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-7-Inch-Wi-Fi/dp/B007P4VOWC/
>
>
> I recommend figuring out a few things about the user's requirements
> before you get into specific model recommendations. The biggest one is
> wither you want a 7" screen, a 10" screen, or something in between. This
> is hard to answer without spending some time using a device for a while.
> Ideally borrowing one from a friend. You may find that a 7" screen is
> big enough, and results in a far more portable device that gets used more.
>
> The next attribute that greatly narrows choices is whether you need cell
> data service, and if so, with which carrier. Obviously any device will
> work with WiFi, so if you only care about that, any device is an option.
>
> Once you have form-factor and radio type sorted, the next consideration
> is special features. There is little to distinguish most tablets (minor
> differences in CPU, battery life, and screen), but there are a few
> things that will be important to a minority of people, such as the
> stylus on the Samsung Note (you can get a stylus for any tablet, but
> they don't work as well), the keyboard dock on the ASUS Transformer
> (Bluetooth keyboard will work with any tablet, but the dock is superior
> if you expect to use it a lot), or being waterproof (there are actually
> a handful of models that claim this feature now from Pantec, Motorola,
> and others).
>
> This should narrow choices to a model or two. It's worth checking out
> the models at a store, but if you aren't already familiar with tablets,
> you'll get a feel for the weight, screen, and other physical attributes,
> but not the software. (The experience of interacting with an iPad and a
> similarly shaped Android tablet is hardly distinguishable for a casual
> user spending only a few minutes with them in a store. Distinguishing
> different Android tablets is even more challenging.) ideally, by this
> point the user has had an opportunity to borrow a tablet and become
> familiar with the OS and an app or two, which they can use as a point of
> reference when comparing models.
>
>  -Tom
>


-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
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