Over the past few years, we have bought and tested most of the tablets available in the United States. Overall, we’ve seen a major improvement in battery life, quality, reliability, and price. The $200 Android tablet of today is more reliable than the $4,500 military spec tablets we were testing a few years ago in our former positions.
We strongly recommend Samsung Android tablets. They have proven to be durable and reliable over years of experience both internally and with partners. (When we talk about durability, we are assuming that you have the tablet in a heavy duty case.)
Mobile Apps
Dunkadoo offers mobile apps that run on a range of devices. These recommendations are best for sites that don’t already have devices available or are looking to provide the best experience for counters. If you already have a device, there’s a good chance that you can use Dunkadoo on it today.
Android Tablet Overview
Our top choice Samsung Android tablet is the Galaxy Tab A 9.7 inch or 10.1 inch models. A few considerations:
- The tablet comes in 8″ and 10″ varieties, and we test on both. Our experience shows that the additional 2″ makes a substantial difference in usability in the field, and it’s worth the premium.
- There are a lot of tablets out there, but this series of tablets is the best bang for the buck.
- We recommend name brand Otterbox cases.
- These tablets come in variants with and without a digitizer pen. This pen is different than touch screen pens that you’re used to. It incorporates a patented, battery-free system for detecting your input without the touch screen. This allows you to use the tablet in rain, in snow, and with gloves. It’s not necessary for some sites where you can always use your finger for touch, but it’s worth the premium for cold and/or wet sites.
Galaxy Tab A 9.7″ without S-Pen (Top Recommended for Most Sites)
- Tablet: http://amzn.to/2bSTlVR
- Case: http://amzn.to/2bBWxrk
- Strap: http://amzn.to/2bHIvir
- Anti-Glare Screen Protector: http://amzn.to/2eXlTBf
Galaxy Tab A 9.7″ with S-Pen (Better for Wet Sites)
- Tablet: http://amzn.to/2bCjhGD
- Case: http://amzn.to/2ccF8S4
- Strap: http://amzn.to/2bHIvir
- Anti-Glare Screen Protector: http://amzn.to/2eXlTBf
Galaxy Tab A 10.1″ without S-Pen (Newer Version)
Get this model if you can find it for a similar price to the 9.7″ model
- Tablet: http://amzn.to/2tEF0qs
- Case: http://amzn.to/2eIPkac
- Strap: http://amzn.to/2bHIvir
- Anti-Glare Screen Protector: http://amzn.to/2eXwSKP
Galaxy Tab S2 10.1″ (Better in Bright Sunlight)
- Tablet: http://amzn.to/2gXWrfn
- Case: http://amzn.to/2gXQKym
- Strap: http://amzn.to/2bHIvir
- Anti-Glare Screen Protector: http://amzn.to/2uMByr5
Notes on iPads
Apple iPads are great devices with excellent battery life and usability, but they aren’t great for field use. You’ll typically need to buy a new device to deploy at the count site anyway, and the Android tablets are cheaper, more durable, and much easier to read in sunlight.
- Only iPads with cellular service (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc) have a built in GPS. Other models have no way of reporting their location in observations.
Anti-Glare Screen Protectors
While using Dunkadoo, you will often be faced with bright sunlight. We have found that an anti-glare screen protector does a good job making the display more visible. They work by giving the screen a more diffuse, matte surface. Tablets are designed to be great for watching movies and reading books, two activities well served by glossy screens. By reducing the glare, you can make a big difference in usability.
- Many tablet cases come with a built-in screen protector. These consist of thicker pieces of transparent plastic that sit slightly above the touch screen. In every case that we have tested, these actually make the screen harder to read and the touch feature harder to use. Even if you have to take a razor to it, we recommend doing a little surgery to remove this pain-in-the-neck, vestigial feature. Once the built-in protector is gone, you can install one of these adhesive anti-glare screen films. You’ll notice the improvement immediately.
Touch Screen Pens
Touch screens can be uncooperative. Whether you have dry hands or are wearing gloves, sometimes it’s helpful to use a stylus to touch the tablet’s screen. These inexpensive pointers can be used like a more predictable version of your finger on the screen.
10-Pack for $3:
http://amzn.to/2hc0y7Q
Tablet Brackets
Though not essential, your counters will appreciate having a bracket to hold the tablet at an easy to read and access angle. They can be attached to picnic tables, scope tripods, count shacks, and railings.
Bracket Suggested by Whitefish Point Bird Observatory:
http://amzn.to/2v6PcYJ
If you have more specialized mounting needs, consider the more expensive RAM Mounts systems.
Ways to Save Money
- Make sure you check every color option for the tablet. The color will be covered up by the case anyway, and prices can vary by up to $50.
- If you have time before your season starts, we recommend buying through Amazon Warehouse Deals which is the Amazon returns department. In our experience, about 1 in 4 tablets is defective and has to be returned. Consider going this route if you have the time to test and swap out tablets to save money, but buy new if you need a tablet to work sooner.
We will periodically update this guide. This version is up to date as of July 2017. Please write to us for an updated version if you’re reading this more than a few months later.
