Tablets, spreadsheets and wordprocessing

[Fanjango]

I hope someone has the answer to this as my parents seem to think I am the font of all knowledge on a good deal! My Dad is looking at a deal he has been offered on a tablet. It sounds good BUT he wants it for spreadsheets and wordprocessing and from what I've seen these are sidelines for tablets, not really useful tools. I feel that I want to warn him off. He won't use it for surfing or watching programmes, facebook or u-tube. I feel a laptop would be more his thing, please let me know if I am giving him the right advice. TIA.

Tablets are useless for spreadsheets and word processing!... .Does that help

Seriously, there are apps for these functions but they are sidelines, as you say. I don't mind typing on mine but not too much (and I did buy a separate keyboard).

If your Dad has the budget and wants to be cutting edge, he might like to look for an ultrabook - thin, fast, light, and some have a touchscreen too. But any laptop will suit his purposes if he only needs to work with office documents.

Kindle fire HD plus Bluetooth keyboard and Docs to go will do very basic word processing, if you can spell. You loose the on screen keyboard and therefore the spelling corrections.

He needs a lap top.

Of course people forget that Windows 8 is now a tablet operating system. And there are a few options of tablets with detachable keyboards which run Windows (and there are more on the horizon) which give you the best of both worlds. Plus you can obviously run MS Office on them, so perfect for spreadsheets and word processing.

Of course people forget that Windows 8 is now a tablet operating system. And there are a few options of tablets with detachable keyboards which run Windows (and there are more on the horizon) which give you the best of both worlds. Plus you can obviously run MS Office on them, so perfect for spreadsheets and word processing.

I also think that word processing and spreadsheets require a proper keyboard (although you miss the auto correct!)

If he's looking at tablets for price reasons how about a chromebook? They're relatively cheap and you can use Google docs word processing /spreadsheets on them which are perfectly serviceable.

Yes, it's true about Win8, I'd forgotten that. But tablets are, broadly speaking, handheld touchscreen devices... that's the point of them. Thus they tend to be small, and so does the keyboard if you have one! It helps but doesn't really turn it into the ideal device for office docs.

True that most convertible tablets have smaller keyboards, but there are already some 13" tabs on the market and the big manufacturers have more coming soon with even bigger screens and keyboards. Plus you can always use a Bluetooth keyboard if you really need something full size at home.

Okay. Thanks for the input! So what would be a good option for him...chromebook, netbook or something like a surface? I'm thinking he's better off with a lap top BUT would like to offer him another option. There's just so many out there and I know nothing about spreadsheets. I know some of you are very adept with them

It would be important to know how specific the spreadsheet need is. Does he need to use Excel? If so, then something running Windows is essential.

There are hybrid devices now thanks to Windows 8 but the technology is only just maturing so your dad could still find himself a bit on the bleeding edge.

The HP Envy is both a tablet and a laptop. So he can dock it to type letters, spreadsheets etc but undock it for surfing in front of the TV or travel. The SSD hard drive will make it a lot faster but as you can see, the price is significantly more than a tablet or a laptop.

The alternative is the Asus Transformer Prime. This is really a tablet with a attachable keyboard. It's a lovely piece of kit and more in line with the price of an iPad. The bonus is the keyboard also hides a battery so with both, you can get nearly 20 hours of use between charges.

Personally if I had the money I'd go with the latter.

Pedro I have no bloody idea..I just know he uses them a lot

niceguy2 I have looked at the envy for him but have never heard of the Asus Transformer before, bloody good!! I will pass this onto him, looks like the right sort of thing and price! Thanks for that