The Perils of the Early Adopter

I wanted a tablet.

As much as I liked my iPhone, I wasn't sure I wanted an iPad. I also wasn't too comfortable with an Android device. So I bought a Dell Inspiron 10 tablet, mainly because I have a Dell account with a small balance.

So how is it?

With one exception, the hardware is great.  The exception? The USB ports won't read a single one of my flash drives.  Not one. I know they work, because the keyboard portfolio can be powered from it. The tablet has bluetooth, and it can pick up one of the AT&T phones in the house.  It doesn't pick up the keyboard portfolio either. (I tried to write a review on the Dell website, but when I wrote it was a piece of crap, Dell flagged it as containing profanity.  I changed crap to poo and it was acceptable.) Nor does it pick up my Backbeat headphones. Fortunately, the SD slot works, so I can put stuff on the tablet.

The main problem with the tablet is the software.  Big surprise, right? Windows 8 actually works pretty well. I like the way the tiles can be arranged and resized. I like that I can change the lock screen picture.  And while I can change the desktop image, I can't change the background the tiles are on. Poo.

Like other Windows products, 8 occasionally locks up and the tablet has to be rebooted. It's kind of inconvenient when checking your mail, though. Speaking of mail, Microsoft hates POP mail.  Windows 8 does not support the POP address your ISP provided you.

I tried downloading Open Office and Chrome, but guess what run on Windows 8?  That's right.  Both of them!

The Windows store seems full of apps. A lot of free ones, but ones that should be free cost $4.99.  I refuse to pay $4.99 for Angry Birds Star Wars edition!  I wish there were more useful apps. I have some great apps on my iPhone, but they don't seem to have Windows equivalents.

I've only had it a week, so hopefully, I'll get more used to it.