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Tablet

Peter100
  • 182 posts
  • # 109170

Hello

I know very little about computers really and even less about tablets. At present I use a big PC and use it regularly with Windows 7. I have downloaded an accounting package - Solar Accounts - and also have numerous Excel and Word documents.

However, it may well die soon and I'm thinking about a tablet. The little I think I know is that they do not use traditional accounting packages, nor Excel, nor Word but use their own cloud-based systems. I think I am happy with that but would not know which to buy. Ideally I would want one that can cope with all my present documents though I think Solar Accounts may not be possible at all.

Could you also explain to me how they access the internet. At present my PC accesses it on WiFi and I have a hub attached to my land-line telephone. But I've seen people use these things on the bus and I don't understand that.

If you reply and use jargon such as 'app', please would you explain the word a bit.
lainy
  • Member PM.Dip
  • Practice Licence
  • 746 posts
  • # 109177

Hi Peter

 

I am definately not techy so probably the wrong one to adk, but when you say you want to replace your pc with a tablet, do you mean one of those tablets that is also a laptop? I don't think a normal tablet would run a bookkeeping business, especially has you say solar (thought they do now have a cloud version), but a tablet at the moment is really only for certain things not everything, but a tablet that replaces your laptop as has keybought etc may do.  I do have a look round the shops see whats on offer and ask lots of questions before you decide what you want, but at the moment (some people will probably say im wrong, i don't think that a tablet can replace a desktop/laptop pc. In a couple fo years time who knows?
Peter100
  • 182 posts
  • # 109179

Lainy

Thanks for your reply. I don't know if I mean a tablet that is also a PC or not - possibly I do. I meant one of those things about the 2/3 the size of an A4 paper and weighs about 500g or 1 pound or 1/2 a bag of sugar. My info on whether Solar do a cloud-based program is from some time ago when Mark (proprietor) seemed to be saying that Solar could not work on a cloud-based system. It may have changed now. I don't really know what a tablet is apart from its size but if they do ones like that which are also PCs then perhaps that is what I'm chasing. I've also read that tablets don't get viruses. That would be excellent.

Peter
Peasie
  • Member PM.Dip
  • Practice Licence
  • 481 posts
  • # 109180

I think they'll be using some kind of dongle attached to their laptop if they are using it on a bus. I think i'll need to look into this myself.

As for using a tablet well personally speaking I wouldn't even use a laptop unless I have to and luckily that only applies to one client. I like my big screen. That's just me though.

For personal use I may consider a laptop/tablet hybrid but not for bookkeeping where it is mostly typing, while personal use is mostly reading.

As for tablets not getting viruses, well I had heard years ago how Aple products did not get viruses. This was when most (?) people used Windows. Easier to attack an operating system most people used. I've just been reading about Samsung phones being easily hacked so the days of tablets not getting viruses are probably gone.
Mandy
  • Fellow PM.Dip
  • Practice Licence
  • 27 posts
  • # 109185

Hi Peter,  its a hard decision to make and I think it comes down to size and capability.  

Tablets range from phone size to 10". Most work off wireless internet  but some like the ipads can have sim cards so they connect to the Internet the same as a phone.  Their capabilities can be limited and aren't compatible with all software. I have a samsung note which has its own word, Excel programmes which I use but if you like to see the whole document its probably not for you. Personally I use mine to check emails. I did trial the quickbooks tablet version and didnt like it. You also have to rely on downloading programmes/applications just to do simple things like printing which has to be done wirelessly majority of the time.

Laptops are good if you want a mobile pc. They connect wirelessly to the internet or you can buy a dongle. The new windows surface is a cross between a laptop and a tablet as you can use it as both by detaching the screen from the keyboard and using the screen as a touchscreen tablet.  laptops give you the option of working wirelessly but at the same time can connect to printers etc with a cable and install programmes / copy clients data from cd or flash drive.

Laptops and tablets can also be connected to use a mobile phone as an internet portal which is handy if you have unlimited data on your mobile phone. 

I personally use a laptop for all my bookkeeping and if I need a bigger/second screen I link it up to a spare monitor. I'm was highly advised against using a touchscreen laptop/pc due to the type of use (high volume of data input)  as the screen calibration isn't designed for constant/heavy use.

Good luck with your decision.  I'd advise go into pc world and have a play/feel of all the options and see whats feels right for you.

  • Mandy

    Amanda Campbell Bookkeeping Services
    www.acbookkeepingsvcs.co.uk 


  • Quote
kjmcculloch
  • 1159 posts
  • # 109188

I use a desktop, laptop and iPad.  All have pros and cons, but I certainly don't think my iPad could ever replace my desktop.  There are some newer windows tablets that go a fair way, but I don't think it's there yet.  

Kris
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