Thinking of buying a tablet

Here are the diffs:
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/134655-samsung-galaxy-tab-s2-vs-samsung-galaxy-tab-s-what-s-the-difference

The S2 models are slightly smaller but use a 4x3 aspect ratio (so wider in portrait, taller in landscape, with wider top/bottom bars when viewing widescreen video). The screen resolution (and pixel density) is lower than on the older ones. The batteries are smaller.

Unless you don't like the 16x9 aspect ratio I don't see any reason to buy the newer ones (and I really appreciate the drop in price prompted by the new ones).

BTW, Factory Direct has the 10.5" Tab S (factory refurb) for $350. Available online or at the Merivale location (the Gloucester one is out). Best deal now is $350 for the 8.4" ad Staples (this is even better than in the US) so that's a pretty decent deal. But I wanted the 8'4" and I also just started (this morning) to remove the old screen from the Nexus 7 (I'll continue when my fingers stop bleeding).

My Nexus 7 is alive again! Not quite finished. The two-sided tape I got is not fit for the task so for now the screen is is connected but not fixed in place. I can use it but have to be fairly careful about it. Will try to get the correct tape tomorrow.

Sadly, my Nexus 7 is done.  I've been having some issues with the touch screen.  Could never quite diagnose it.  Sometimes taking it apart and fiddling with the connectors helped, most of the time it didn't.  Sometimes the touch screen was just horribly lagging (like it would eventually react to the tap, but 10s of seconds later).  In the end I *believe* it was a semi-broken connector which would work better as the tablet warmed up, but then sometimes would stop when it warmed up too much (I'm thinking expansion played a part).  But it's come fully off, now (when it did I noticed a loose piece of solder below -- this is why I thought it might have been heat/expansion-related).

Anyhow, time for a new one.  Not too many places still have the Tab S.  See a few on Kijiji for $330 or thereabout.

EDIT: I see one guy's selling the LTE version of the 8.4" (tied to Bell) for $300. Says it's NEW and that he purchased it from The Source 2 months ago.  If you buy it from The Source it's $70 on a 2-year data plan with Bell, or $550 outright.  Feels a bit fishy.

For something that you plan on having for a long time, I'd buy new if at all possible.

Sad to hear about your Nexus 7. Mine is still rocking like a champ (I'm writing this on it right now, as I poop, of course).

tim1_2 wrote:For something that you plan on having for a long time, I'd buy new if at all possible.

Sad to hear about your Nexus 7. Mine is still rocking like a champ (I'm writing this on it right now, as I poop, of course).

TMI, of course.

The battery on the Tab S is significantly bigger than on the S2, and those are the things that generally wear out first. If I find a lightly used Tab S (like that guy who claims he bought one from The Source 2 months ago) then it will last as long (or longer) as a new S2.

There are also youtube videos on how to replace a battery (they may not be customer replaceable but quite often it takes little more than popping off the back cover, undoing a couple connectors and/or screws). It would be just like changing the LCD but without having to scrape off the old one -- that was 99% of the work).

I just remembered that I never did get a birthday present this year. Hmm.