Using android tablets to study

absurd

Member
Dec 11, 2010
13
0
[FONT=&quot]I am a medical university student. Our lesson notes are always at powerpoint slides and i have to print them like 6 slides per page and study. It's a waste of time and money. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I would like to buy a tablet where i can study powerpoint slides on it. I mean be able to adding handwriting notes, draw important parts like using a marker. [/FONT]

Can i do these things at a android tablet. If so with which program i should choose.

And it will be appreciated if you can help me choose a tablet here is what i request:

[FONT=&quot]I also like to use it to surf on internet by wifi (i dont need 3g) and watch HQ movies and be able connect it to a projector.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I want to carry it in hospital to take notes and record voices so mobility especially the weight is important.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]By being only a student my price tag is not much i can't afford more than 500 dollars.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thank you for your replys.[/FONT]
 

npmt

Member
Dec 6, 2010
42
3
To take handwritting note easily, you should choose a Windows Tablet instead of Android.
Most Android tablet screens are capacitive, therefore will not work with styli(pen). Even with a resistive screen tablet, like the Huawei S7, pen input are not as accurate as the ones on Windows OS.

Why choose Windows? Better handwriting recognition an it can runs OneNote, best note taking program in my opinion.

If you are interested in Windows Tablets, I dont know of any good Windows OS tablets out there (even though it has great handwritting recognition), but I can tell you which are not good from research.

Do not get HP, they still have not fix over heating isuse, I had one, and many people had the same issue as I am.
Do not get the Lenovo one from Bestbuy, I believe its running Intel Atom, I have two netbooks running Intel Atom, and they are slow, not a good choice if you want to watch HQ video
Do not get Archos 9 in screen running Windows, lots of bad review

I know most people here hate Windows, and would love to put down, but this is my honest recommendation

Sent from my Ideos S7 using Tapatalk
 

absurd

Member
Dec 11, 2010
13
0
Thanks for the reply.
Windows tablets are too big to carry around and too expensive for my taste.(except for archos 9 but you already tell that its not nice.) Plus i am an android fan and wanna buy a android cell phone and an android tablet to use.

If i can find and buy a resistive screen android tablet are there any programs to run and take notes at powerpoint slides? Just curious can i do these things at ipad ?
 

npmt

Member
Dec 6, 2010
42
3
1. I dont know about taking note on powerpoint slide, but I heard there is an pdf annotation app. Android was not design for pen input. You can do it, but compared it to my Windows Mobile device, it is far from desirable.
2. Ipads have capacitive screens, you can write on it, but its awkward and uncomfortable to use finger as pen. Stay away from Ipad if you want to take pen note.

If you really want Android, then try it out, go to Bestbuy, test out the Huawei S7, open up memo, and use the stylus to write and see for yourself.

Sent from my Ideos S7 using Tapatalk
 

npmt

Member
Dec 6, 2010
42
3
Check out enTourage eDGe, also sold in Bestbuy

Sent from my Ideos S7 using Tapatalk
 

tonymaro

Member
Dec 23, 2010
2
0
Most Android tablet screens are capacitive, therefore will not work with styli(pen).

Incorrect. You just need the right pen.

The iPad (gag) uses capacitive as well. Check out these guys:

Amazon.com: ipad stylus

In fact, I recall reading a year ago that a company was making winter gloves with capacitive pads on the fingertips so you could use your phone without taking your gloves off.

Oh, and I have an Archos 9 which isn't too bad once you replace the hard drive with SSD and install Ubuntu ;-) But the hardware is poorly made. It flexes, and mine within 2 months had a minor crack in the board apparently. After 20 mins of use it's guaranteed to freeze up the touchscreen, but slightly twisting the unit would sometimes make it come back to life.

My Android tablet of choice right now is the Viewsonic G. As of today they released a better stock ROM upgrade that fixes 90% of it's speed issues, but it's even better with a completely replaced ROM, which is easy.
 
Last edited:

npmt

Member
Dec 6, 2010
42
3
I tried those capacitive styli pen, they are the worst, not as comfortable and accurate as styli for resistive screens. Especially for handwriting note taking, dont count on those, and the glove that works for capacitive screen are a temporary measure in case you dont want to take out your gloves in the cold.

You are taking one accidental incorrect line in my post, and attack it without trying to see the ideas and questions behind the questioners

Incorrect. You just need the right pen.

The iPad (gag) uses capacitive as well. Check out these guys:

Amazon.com: ipad stylus

In fact, I recall reading a year ago that a company was making winter gloves with capacitive pads on the fingertips so you could use your phone without taking your gloves off.

Oh, and I have an Archos 9 which isn't too bad once you replace the hard drive with SSD and install Ubuntu ;-) But the hardware is poorly made. It flexes, and mine within 2 months had a minor crack in the board apparently. After 20 mins of use it's guaranteed to freeze up the touchscreen, but slightly twisting the unit would sometimes make it come back to life.

My Android tablet of choice right now is the Viewsonic G. As of today they released a better stock ROM upgrade that fixes 90% of it's speed issues, but it's even better with a completely replaced ROM, which is easy.



Sent from my Ideos S7 using Tapatalk
 

OffWorld

Senior Member
Oct 5, 2010
460
67
I have to agree that if you want pen input Android is seriously lacking in that department. Thus far I've found ONE drawing app (MaplePaint) that even comes close to being a decent pen-input drawing app. I haven't found a single handwriting recognition app that works properly. "Pen Reader" is a handwriting recognition input app (replaces keyboard), but it couldn't recognize a damned thing I was writing - and the free version is very, very annoying nagware. You'll find tons of links to blog posts about an app called "MyScript" which took me forever to find a working download link to a trial version, and it's little more than a Graffiti (the old Palm input method), speaking of which there is allegedly a port of Graffiti for Android, but I couldn't find it in Market nor any download link for it anywhere. Not that it's a great input method by modern standards, but I'm an old Palm Pilot user, so it would be familiar. "Genial Writing" has absolutely excellent handwriting recognition - even with my messy, cursive lefty handwriting! BUT the program only lets you copy/paste between it's own proprietary note format, and if you "share" notes (via e-mail or other options) it makes a low-res JPEG of the note - not actual text. Additionally, on a tablet with the LCD density set lower the text it creates in the notes is ultra-tiny (unless you use the super-duper fat pen setting) and there is no way to change the font size or type. So, yeah, you can take notes and it recognizes even messy handwriting. But the "text" is pretty much trapped in their note format. GRRR!

It's really too bad, because pen input could really set resistive-screen Android tablets apart in the market as a major selling feature.

The Documents to Go app (full version) has the ability to edit Powerpoint files, so I suppose you could insert your own notes that way. But as for annotation? Doubt there's an app for that.

PDF files similarly are limited. I heard a rumor that Adobe Reader X for Android is supposed to support interactive forms and commenting, but I can't get any of those features to work with my copy. I wouldn't be surprised if they are only for Android 2.2+ though or maybe they only work if the document was created with Acrobat Pro X, I don't know. I believe Documents to Go app also offers some (limited) PDF editing/creation capabilities, but nothing as full-fledged as Acrobat Pro.
 

OffWorld

Senior Member
Oct 5, 2010
460
67
I'm sorry, I don't remember where I found it. I had it installed at one point, thought it sucked, then uninstalled it. I must not have side-loaded it because I don't have a copy of it on my desktop system and I've completely wiped my tablet by flashing it twice since then. You'd probably be better off looking for the actual port of the old PalmOS "Graffiti" app for Android (just a wild guess here, but I'd bet the reason VisionObjects "MyScript" is impossible to find is because it probably infringed on the Graffiti patent).

I should add that there are both FREE and PAID versions of Graffiti available. Googles Android Market annoyingly won't let you even find it from your device and their website stupidly thinks the app isn't compatible with the Haipad tablet (I keep emailing Google requesting an option to BYPASS that damned "Not compatible with your device" notice and let users try to install it anyway at our own risk - I mean why should they care?). Thankfully Amazon's App Store is more than happy to let you download or buy an app without worrying whether or not it compatible with my device or not - I'd recommend getting it from there (either the free one or the $2.99 paid version).
 
Last edited:
Top