I am looking for a gadget to email, surf, write to forums, etc.
It really needs to be plug and play, as I am not tech savvy.
Must be cheap, reasonably light, preferably with a decent size screen.
I have two fingers and 10 thumbs, and would prefer a proper keyboard if possible.
I prefer an alternative to a smartphone.
Needs to be able to handle windows office documents, and play music files.
Also looking for something that will not kill me on data costs if I travel around China.
Any advice and ideas of cost gratefully accepted.
Do you want to be able to put it in your pocket or use for making phone calls? If so iPad obviously won't be a good choice...
Just get yourself a little netbook - I got an Acer Aspire 10.1" - cost me around £200 in England. Much cheaper than an iPad, so not such a big deal if it get's lost, and in my opinion the memory size and data management capabilities puts it's way ahead of a tablet, especially the stupid overrated iPad. A tablet is only good as an auxiliary to a PC, not as a standalone; if you like to travel a netbook is very convenient. And if you write a lot (as I see you do) you obviously are much better off with the proper keyboard.
The only thing I'd be wary of is buying a PC in China - it's possibly the software will be modified so you won't be able to use a VPN. Although I'm not sure; maybe someone more qualified could confirm whether that's the case.
If you're looking for something to put in your pocket, Galaxy S3 is a great phone. Although best not to buy in China.
Not the case regarding VPN, I have set up VPNs for Chinese XP machines no problem. Really it would be a silly thing to disable as it is required if you use it for any business. Most VPN clients have an installation file that simply adds a network connection to their VPN servers (plus some other tricks).
Agree with chris though, a small netbook maybe the go, particularly if you are writing a lot. Again it comes back to how portable you want it to be, pocket sized or laptop size? Which is the limit?
iPad Mini
For travelling, I use an iPad mini and an apple bluetooth keyboard. The latter compact and durable but functionally 'full size' - and of course you can leave it behind and use the virtual keyboard during the day. iPad can exist and function fully without ever docking to a PC, except you will probably want to transfer your music. VPNs are easy to configure. A genuine iPad's specification is the same worldwide on a model to model basis. Even with an average case the quality of the build has kept mine pristine despite some rough handling. Many of the basic apps you will need can be free if you search for them in the app store. I think it's a bit harsh to call it stupid and overrated. You pay a premium but then you get what you pay for. If you were to splash out on a cellular model, China Unicom occasionally do data packages which can be attractive even taking into account the out of province limitation. Certainly good enough to supplement free wi-fi as you travel around.
A number of unfortunate people appear to be unduly afflicted by theft and burglary, you may be able to pick one up cheaply...........
I have been looking at the cheap netbooks, about GBP70. Not sure if they are worth the investment. They have wifi but are Andriod. I have never used Andriod.
Am I better off getting a more expensive netbook with Windows 7?
These start at about GBP170.
I may be off to HK in a month, maybe not, but if I do I can shop.
If you buy a new one it should come with Windows 8.
I guess it's a bit of an exaggeration to call iPads stupid and overrated - I'm sure they're great at what they do. But you just can't manage your data in the same way as you can with a PC, which I found frustrating. And if you like to keep movies, what can you do with 16gb? Not much. Rather pay less for a netbook and get 120gb. Plus an extra 500gb with my external drive which I can easily plug in (cannot use with iPad; couldn't even plug my phone in, Apple is incompatible with anything non-Apple). And I don't understand how they can justify the huge price hike between the 16gb and 64gb versions. If you buy a micro SD card the price difference between 16gb and 64 gb is only about £20, so why is it nearly a £200 difference for the iPads? On the other hand, a lot of people with iPads love them, so everyone is different. It's just not for me.
