tablet for web developers

*Jeff* · 08-23-2011, 03:07 AM

Looking at getting a tablet and am curious what the other 'web heads' are preferring now. I'm especially curious about features that make the tablet great for typical website and forum oversight tasks... e.g. a solid ssh app, ability to vpn into other computers... things I'm not thinking of yet.

Are most people here using ipads or androids, and if androids what manufacturer stands out right now?

*Matt* · 08-23-2011, 11:42 AM

The poll presupposes you are using a tablet

I think a reasonably educated guess is that "webheads" prefer the iPad 2.

For serious web development work, a laptop is still the best portable solution (although not the most portable).

-Matt

*Jeff* · 08-23-2011, 05:25 PM

Yes, that's the, well not million dollar, but $659 question. Are current tablets powerful and flexible enough that I'll end up doing any "real" work on them, or after a month or two will it end up being a gimmick that's too cumbersome to actually "work" where I end up wanting a "real os" to actually accomplish any real tasks still. And I might spend more time than I save having to "appify" things to justify the tablet that I do now quickly on a standard computer and off the shelf full software. But there is a buzz that's hard not to be part of. Maybe I need to justify one for compatibility testing alone

*Matt* · 08-23-2011, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Maybe I need to justify one for compatibility testing alone

An almost justifiable justification -Matt

*Jeff* · 08-24-2011, 03:49 AM

It's too bad the 3g on the ipad isn't modular (it would be nice if you could buy the wifi model and add a 3g/4g chip as needed, or switch from verizon to att at will by switching a small module.)

*Jeff* · 08-25-2011, 07:20 PM

Well, I'm curious about the android os and like the idea of it, but I think apple is king of the "sleek device hardware fit and finish" so I went ahead and grabbed an ipad2. First mac product I will own after being a diehard pc windows and linux guy for 10 years now ... uh oh...

*Matt* · 08-26-2011, 11:31 AM

The peer pressure was too much, eh? Look forward to hearing your feedback after you've used it for a few weeks for serious work. -Matt

*Jeff* · 08-30-2011, 11:48 PM

Typing this from the new ipad2 -- only thing I miss off the bat, as expected, is the lack of flash support in safari mobile.

*Jeff* · 08-31-2011, 01:18 AM

An unexpected limitation -- in ipad's safari browser, file upload select fields are grated out. At first I thought I had a coding error that was tripping up the iPad, but it seems a more fundamental limitation to mobile safari...

*Jeff* · 09-01-2011, 09:36 PM

What's strange is that safari on the ipad can "save as" a picture into the default photo (app) storage space which works like a normal computer's saveas. But then you can't select a photo from there using a normal web select form. This seems like a major oversight in the safari app.

The other thing I miss so far are the [ ] and arrow keys on the ipad2 keyboard.