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.
Labels: computers