Phone vs tablet vs computer: what do you use them for?

[EmilieT]

Hi everyone, 

Smartphones offer so many functionalities these days that it'd be easy to use them for pretty much everything and leave other screens behind. That being said, most of us still have and also use a tablet, computer, or laptop. 

I like using my phone for everyday convenience, my kindle for reading needs, a tablet mostly for games or browsing news on the couch, and my laptop for work, watching Netflix, and playing video games.

However when I travel I am happy to only use my phone for all of those activities!

Which devices do you guys use? Do you prefer using one type of screen and device over the other for some things, and why? 

Let us know in the comments! 

[gmarkj]

I don't read any magazines @EmilieT, so neither.
Articles would depend what you mean? I browse the internet mainly on my phone or laptop.
Reading books is a mixture of both phone and tablet. Mainly phone as I have that all the time, but tablet more on holiday.

[EmilieT]

@gmarkj I don't read magazines much either .. except for the Time Out magazine they hand out at tube stations on Tuesday mornings every now and then 

Have you ever considered or tried a dedicated reading device (such as Kindle), or are you happy with the tablet screen? I got used to the different lighting on my Kindle, which I find more comfortable for my eyes when reading books. That's just me though, and I'm curious to see how you find a "classic" tablet in that regard?

[gmarkj]

Funnily enough the main tablet I use is a Fire 8HD!

[EmilieT]

Oh nice! How do you like it?? You also mention it's the main one, does that mean you use several? 

[gmarkj]

I have a (old) Samsung Tab from about 4/5 years ago.
I tend to use that for watching films and occasionally surfing the web.
I use the Kindle more as it is much lighter, but even that doesn't get as much use as I thought it would.
Suppose that's what happens when you have a large screen phone - you just use that!

[EmilieT]

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@gmarkj wrote:
I have a (old) Samsung Tab from about 4/5 years ago.
I tend to use that for watching films and occasionally surfing the web.
I use the Kindle more as it is much lighter, but even that doesn't get as much use as I thought it would.
Suppose that's what happens when you have a large screen phone - you just use that!

---

That's a good point @gmarkj The lines are blurring more and more, and some phones and tablets are almost exactly the same size now ... I don't like big phones thought for my personal use (I need mine to fit in my hand and in my pockets) so I think I'll keep finding a use for a tablet!

[gmarkj]

Well I have been making an effort to use the Kindle to watch videos rather than my phone.
The problem for me is the perception that the screen on my phone is clearer than the one on the Kindle - the phone is 1440p/QHD (2560x1440), while the Kindle is 720p/WXGA (1280x800).
To all intents and purposes there is probably little to no difference if watching 720p/HD ready media which tends to be the standard I normally go for.

[Glory1]

Late to the party again, I just found this thread!

I use my phone for everything, browsing the net, online shopping, streaming films/TV shows, listening to music, playing games, sending and receiving emails, messaging via Whatsapp, Skype my friends in the US and make the odd phone call.

My Kindle Fire is primarily for reading and downloading books, though I do stream catch-up TV, play games and listen to music, as well.

[EmilieT]

@gmarkj 

It might just be a matter of getting used to it, the more you use your Kindle for videos instead of your phone the more "normal" it'll seem 

@Glory1

Good thing you have a phone with a large screen, otherwise it'd be quite difficult to use it for all those tasks! I might have asked you this before, and if so I'm sorry - do you play different games on your phone and kindle? How do you decide which one to play on which device? I only play games on console or my laptop so I have no clue about this 

[Glory1]

@EmilieT that's why I have a large screen phone to be able to do all those tasks. I don't have a laptop or destop computer, so I use my phone the way y'all use your laptops/desktops.

As for games, I decide what to play based on what I'm in the mood for. On my phone I have 2 types of match 3 games and quite a few word games, like Wordscapes and Word Cookies. On my Kindle I deleted all but the solitaire games as I wasn't playing the match 3, hidden object, mahjong or hidden difference games at all.. I tend to play the games on my phone the most admittedly. But I am often in the mood for a solitaire game. 

I should add the games on my Kindle are all from Amazon Underground and are all completely free NO in-app purchases. The games on my phone are all from the Google Playstore.

Oh and no you didn't ask me how I decide which games to play on what device before