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Hello Dakka!

I'm trying to figure out what to get for my birthday and I thought some of you could help me with the decision.
A few months back I was invited to a gaming conference in Berlin to cover the event for the website I'm writing for. I only had one problem. I don't own a digital writing device so I had to wait until I got home before I could start putting something together to post online. I just spent about 5 hours after the conference where I did nothing and since I arrived late at night, I didn't start anything until the next day. As someone who aspires to be a full time game journalist, this was a bit unprofessional. So I decided that I need something on which I can prepare articles or even post them while traveling.

That's pretty much the main reason I want a portable computer. But then I thought, "yeah, a laptop's nice and all and I could probably get used to the small keyboard, but you know what's really cool? A tablet pc." If I get a laptop, it would have to be a rather small one anyway, since I tend to stuff my bag with a kinds of things I don't really need anyway. But I also really dig tablet PCs. They're so... futuristic. I don't want an iPad though. I just don't like apple products.

So, it basically boils down to this: What are your experiences with tablets and can you write with them, or are they're too gimmicky to be used with office programms?

The only truly succesful tablet is the Ipad so if you dislike apple product, then go for a laptop.
Of course, Windows 8 will probably change that.

Why: for most tablet, they use a simplified OS. (or a intelligent phone OS) many will find that is enough: Good for them. To send email, check the web, it's enough. The interface of the IPad is excellent at than.

Some tablet use Windows 7, so you have a complete windows computer in a small tablet. Everything you can do with a PC you can do with this. Sweet! The downside is that Windows 7 is not that friendly with touch screen. It works, but it's not great.

(I own a tablet with Windows 7 and a PC.)

I would recommend picking up a laptop. If you are looking into writing a keyboard will be a much better interface than a touch screen. Also you will likely have a lot of editing to do and will have to upload you information and possibly maintain some portions of websites. For those reasons alone I say laptop.

if you want something to take notes with you ion the floor get a tablet. If you just need something to be able to write up articles with you that is portable get a laptop.

It sounds like you want to use it while 'walking the grounds' and in that case I would say a tablet, but one that can use a stylus for note taking.

I use an android tablet, they're ok, being basically a linux OS, I'm planning on buying an ipad soon though.

My problem with apple products is that I own a Windows 7 PC and obviously I want the two to hook up without too much fuzz.

Why not a netbook, what a lot of my friends used at Uni, easy to carry around and compact.

Yeah, that's what I meant with small laptop. I knew there was another name for those.

Well I would go for netbook when out and about, if I had the money I would get one to take about instead of my laptop.