Want a cheap Office-er-riffic tablet? Microsoft Windows takes on Android

With Android and IOS, content providers such as 4OD have in the past specifically blocked the use of the HDMI port when playing their media. I suggest check if this happens to be true with this tablet.

"unless you use Google Mail"

Just forward it to Outlook.com and minimise The Borg's spying on you.

These are a no brainer - a far more secure and fully featured OS compared to Android for similar money. If you really need Android apps then just run BlueStacks, but there are over 500,000 Windows Store apps now...

I was thinking of one of these for general media use until I looked at the websites FAQ.

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http://www.linx-tablets.com/linx-faq.html

Can you add the tablets to a network?

No, they do not support domain joining so you wouldn't be able to add to a network

Can users drag and drop files onto the tablet from a PC/laptop?

No, it is not possible as the windows tablet cannot act as mass storage device like that. The windows tablets are essentially the same as a PC/laptop, just like if you connect two laptops via USB, they cannot read either or transfer files.

If the user wants to get files to their tablet, they should transfer to a USB key then use the OTG cable to connect to the tablet and copied them to the tablet or add them to a micro SD card and insert directly to the micro SD slot and copy to the tablet from there.

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This might make it a little difficult to get the files you want to play onto them, other than copying them one at a time. Although BitTorrentSync might solve this problem.

The FAQ also says that the Office365 sub is locked to the tablet only, so not installable elsewhere.

Perhaps after a while someone will produce a hack that will open these up more, or a Linux install that will allow more features people want?

Few words of caution from the owner of 8" Toshiba Excite (?). Mine came with 2GB RAM and this seems sufficient for 32bit OS, 1GB sounds less then optimal. Also the processor in mine is minimally better and has dual channel RAM (may actually matter for the integrated graphics). My device handles full HD youtube (and such) surprisingly well, way better than "ancient" C2Duo laptop with dedicated Ati video chip. I use it as a stationary "tabletop" connected to 1600*1200 20" monitor. HDMI was a must have for my use pattern and it works fine. Now the bad part. The only USB port is also the charging port - using it for both charging and attaching extra devices is doable but not every Y cable worked for me (also not every charging adapter worked). Having USB 3.0 would be nice. You'll - probably - have to use USB mouse/kb (and find a working Y cable;) as the built in Bluetooth interface is most likely crap (I would lose WiFi connection, BT moude/kb or both at times, wireless performance was also slower than without BT). I wished it had real network (Ethernet) access. Windows 8.1 Home is crap (no Media Center option for you) and 32GB is borderline sufficient (supposedly it won't handle MCE even if you upgraded to 8.1 Pro, maybe with the use of simlinks). SD card option is another must have, unless you're willing to sell your soul to cloud provider(s) - I'm running mine with local accounts and have no plans to switch. I think that performance deteriorated somewhat over time but this can be just my perception.

Unless you had to have the built in screen (I wanted really portable replacement for my old laptop) you may consider getting small box with Celeron or Atom CPU - the setup will be more flexible, it'll be faster and if something goes wrong you can actually fix it (it'll be fun to reimage Windows on my tablet if built in recovery partition failed).

@jim - do it. I bought the 7" model (£65+VAT) and I use it every day and I'm blown away given the price. It's running full Windows 8.1 and fits in a jacket pocket. I do use it for business but then I have a full Office 365 licence which allows me to use it on up to 5 devices - this is one of them. I run Outlook hooked up to Exchange.

I've been pleasantly surprised by the performance - especially given. It's not going to do well playing CoD but opening Word or Outlook or Excel there's no discernible difference between it any my laptop on these activities. I hope this is the way of the future. Inexpensive and functional devices in a range of sizes all running Windows.

Streams well and watching Netflix either using the Windows 8 app or in a browser is smooth.

I don't use it but did checkout that I'm able to display at 1920x1200 using the HDMI connector even though the internal display is 1280x800. Compare this with my Iconia Android device which is only able to project at the same resolution.

The one thing I had to add is a mouse app. Being a touch screen device, there is no mouse unless you plugin in a keyboard. The touch screen is very good but sometimes is is necessary to be a little more precise and a mouse cursor is needed or if the display is projected onto another monitor (not using the 'copy screen' mode). I found an app that makes the whole touch screen a mouse pad and it works very well when required.

Re: Commercial use forbidden?

"may not be used for commercial, non-profit, or revenue-generating activities,"

Not just commercial use, non-profit and revenue generating activities too. Doesn't that cover just about everything?

Need a confused icon here... Have MS released a product that by simply using it one breaks the terms of the licence agreement?

Re: Commercial use forbidden?

It's early days. Plus I'm sure MS would rather the enterprise buy Surface than these.

If my company was buying for me, I'd rather have the Surface.

Re: Commercial use forbidden?

This was for Microsoft office personal edition - i.e. you've not paid them enough to make money from their software.

Re: Commercial use forbidden?

Nope - doesn't do Domain log-on.

Re: Price as a signal

> I now need to revise my advice

To reflect your stance in the OS Jihad? How not very enlightened of you :/

I might think about this but I had an Asus VivoTab 8 that I got for the Wacom stylus and ended up barely using it. More than anything, this was due to the awful gritty feel of the screen glass under the stylus making it genuinely unpleasant to work with.

I would get a replacement but it would need to be a similar size (between 6 and 8 inches diagonal) and a "premium" product so that it was pleasant to use.

In the meantime, I have just bought my little boy a Hudl.

Re: Linux?

I think the touchscreen drivers might make that tricky.