Choose your screen size based on what you do the most. If you watch videos, pick a larger screen. For e-books — tablets have more computing power than e-readers — a smaller size will weigh less and be more comfortable. Tablet sizes range from about 7 inches for a few Android and Amazon Fire models to almost 13 inches for an Apple iPad Pro and more than 14.5 inches for a Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. “My mom, when she was alive, always had a computer. And then at one point she stopped. She was able to do everything on her iPad, and it was much easier for her,” says Ed Bott, author of the ZDNet blog Ed Bott Report. “The screen was big enough, and the apps were simple enough. And if she couldn’t do it on an iPad, she said, ‘I don’t need to do it.’ ” If you’ve been a fan of tablets since the iPad debuted in 2010 but want to know what’s new, or if you’re not sure which operating system to invest in, we have a primer for you. Here’s a look at the three main platforms, along with some features worth considering. IPad opened people’s eyesAlthough Apple’s iPad wasn’t the first tablet computer, it was the first that consumers really liked. The iPad family of devices remains the most popular of all tablets. Today’s devices are powerful, with screens that display crisp, bright images rivaling those of high-end TVs. They support the optional Apple Pencil, and you can interact with an iPad using your voice by talking with Apple’s personal assistant, Siri. IPadOS — the operating system that powers Apple’s iPads — should be immediately familiar to those who own an iPhone. The look and feel are very similar to those of the iOS operating system. All iPads offer a Wi-Fi version or a Wi-Fi plus cellular option, should you want wireless connectivity outside the home. Plans are typically $10 a month through your existing mobile carrier. Because of their popularity, you will easily find accessories for any iPad model: iPad mini (8.3 inches), iPad (10.2 inches), iPad Air (10.9 inches with a Liquid Retina display) and the supercharged and larger iPad Pro (12.9 inches with a Liquid Retina XDR display). Like other Apple devices, iPads are very secure, and you have access to the App Store for more than a million iPad apps and games. IPads can also run most iPhone apps, and you can expand them to run full screen. For people who like to use their iPads for video calls, a handy feature called Center Stage has been added to FaceTime. It allows the camera to follow you around, keeping you centered in the frame. Center Stage works with these tablets: the fifth generation of iPad Air, fifth generation of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 12.9, third generation of the 11-inch iPad Pro, ninth generation of iPad and sixth generation of iPad mini. It also works with some MacBooks. Just as Macs tend to cost more than Windows PCs and Chromebooks, most iPads are more expensive than Android and Windows tablets, though you’ll find some exceptions. IPads with Wi-Fi only start at $329; iPad minis, $499; iPad Airs, $599; iPad Pros with an 11-inch display, $799; and iPad Pros with a 12.9-inch display, $1,099.
The idea of touch screen mobile computing is not new. For some years we have seen pseudo laptop/tablet products attempt to permeate the market. Cumbersome laptops with swivel touch screens – heavy and awkward to carry as well as much more expensive than laptops or netbooks. Needless to say, these hybrids have not taken the business world by storm. Along came the smartphone. Smaller, cheaper, and ultra-portable, yet lacking the functionality a larger device can offer. Good, but not great. A solution but far from a revolution. However, do not just take my word for it. Let us consider a tablet PC’s form factor and real-world business application. The hardware:
I’m sure you will agree that on paper all looks promising. But how can you and your business benefit from this evolving technology? Tablet PCs fundamentally redefine the concept of the “mobile office”. They are completely portable and easy to use in a variety of situations. Unlike a laptop which ideally needs to be placed on a flat surface, you can use a tablet just about anywhere – on a train, in a car (not whilst driving please!), walking through the park or even whilst enduring long queues at airports! Have you tried note-taking during meetings using your laptop? If so, you will know only too well that a laptop acts as a barrier between you and everyone else. Tablet PCs, however, are unobtrusive and can therefore be utilised during meetings in much the same way as a notepad and pen. You can handwrite notes straight onto the screen, sketch diagrams, open and edit spreadsheets and even annotate and scribble on digital documents such as PDFs. Your notes can then be converted to text, printed wirelessly or emailed almost instantaneously. How to best present your ideas to others. PowerPoint presentations can be interesting and informative, though getting your message across is practically impossible when you are huddled round a laptop peering at the screen. With a tablet PC you can simply hand over your presentation to your audience, letting them hold it in their hands and experience it for themselves. Alternatively, plug your tablet into a projector or TV screen using the VGA or HDMI output for that ‘big screen’ effect. Form filling can be tedious and time-consuming. Let us consider this mundane process: (1) Fill in the paper-based form (2) Fax/ scan and email/ take the form to the office (3) Copy data from form onto the computer (4) File the original form. With a tablet PC, you can enter the data directly onto the electronic form (which may be a PDF or a database front end, for example). This data can then be stored and shared immediately. No double entry, reducing the instance of human error and no paper wastage, saving both time and money whilst increasing the reliability and integrity of your data. Having all the information you require at your fingertips can prove invaluable. Be it product catalogs, reference manuals, encyclopedias, or your entire customer database, with a tablet PC you can view all the information you need, whenever you need it, either locally or across a network. New technology is often a talking point in business networking. You arrive at that all-important engagement with a polished electronic gadget under your arm and people will naturally want to speak with you about it. You may decide to demonstrate its capabilities by playing a short company video or PowerPoint presentation and you may also take the opportunity to input their contact details or share electronic business cards. To be at the forefront of technology is becoming ever more important in business, as is online networking and collaboration. To summarise, we know that touch screen tablet computers benefit the business in the following ways:
Furthermore, it is our experience that many secondary benefits will begin to emerge once these devices are in place and being used alongside your existing technology. More Product An early technology adopter, I purchased the iPad on the first day it came out. I also got the original iPhone on the day it came out, and the first Google Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, within a month of its release. Google even sent me their first unlocked Android phone, the Nexus One, to review when it came out. I like new toys and am not tied to any specific company; the one with the coolest or best features is the one that wins me over.Unfortunately, my iPad was stolen less than a month after I bought it. Insurance covered the loss, but I did not rush out to buy a new one right away. I got my chance to play with the iPad and while it was pretty cool, I found it to be more of an entertainment device than anything and it was lacking some key features – for example, a camera. Apple will probably add some of those features with the upcoming release of the iPad 2, which some say is to be announced this week, but I’m sick of their game of intentionally leaving out features that consumers want and introducing it on a subsequent version so you’ll buy their product again. I want all the features I want right now. Sure, I’ll probably buy another similar device in a year or two, but by that point I expected the features to once again be something new and cutting edge, not a feature that you opted not to include but most others did. I am still in the market for a new tablet, and it’s a great time to be ready to acquire one. The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show last month was dominated by a slew of tablets, the new must-have device. Tablet computers have been around for some time, but they were never as sleek, pretty, functional, and in-demand as they are now. The launch of the iPad last year can be credited with bringing the tablet mainstream, but one year later you’ve got a whole lot more choice. The top competitor for the Apple iPad right now is any one of a number of Google Android-powered devices manufactured by the likes, of Motorola, Samsung, Dell and others. HP Palm announced a new webOS powered tablet yesterday, but I think they still be a minor player in the -tablet arena. I’ve done my research and played with a few of the new Android tablets and at this point have decided that an Android tablet is a better choice than the iPad. Here are my top five reasons to choose an Android tablet over an iPad: ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ 1. Choice of Size The Apple iPad is closest in size to a 10×8 picture frame with its dimensions at 9.56 x 7.47 x .5 in. There are no other size options for the iPad, unless you’re of the opinion that the iPad is merely a giant iPhone, and in that case the iPhone could count as a smaller version. Unlike the iPad, the various Android tablets come in a range of sizes. The sizes include 5-in. (Dell, Acer), 7-in. (Dell, Samsung, Acer), 9-in. (LG, Panidigital), and 10-in. (Motorola Xoom, Acer) tablets. The 5-inch tablets are admittedly just slightly larger than popular touchscreen smartphones, which tend to top out in the 4-inch range. But if they make them, there’s obviously some kind of market for them. You can go bigger or smaller than the iPad with an Android. Personally, I’d like to go bigger and would love to see an 11-inch tablet come out in the near future. It’d be the exact size of a piece of paper. ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ 2. True Multitasking Apple has avoided true multitasking on the iPad primarily due to battery life and performance concerns, the reason they always leave off features on their new iPhones as well. There are already some Android tablets running off dual-core processors, which have more than enough power to handle true multitasking. Android 3.0’s new multitasking panel is also easy to bring up with a single tap on the screen, and provides full previews of running applications. The multitasking panel is also extremely easy to navigate. Apple should have figured out how to deliver true multitasking. Perhaps this will be a feature included in the second-generation iPad. ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ 3. Cameras Apple made a huge mistake in not including a camera on the iPad. At the very least it should have included and outward facing camera, but if it really wanted to be a winner, it would have also had a second, front-facing camera that users could use for video chatting. Most Android tablets have 2 cameras, an outward facing one and a inward one for video chatting. Google’s native camera app also has some nice features that will let you alter your image, without having to download and edit it on your computer. Apple iPad. Photo courtesy of Apple Inc.4. No Syncing Required ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ Whether you own an iPod, iPhone, or an iPad, you must sync the device with iTunes using a computer to transfer downloads purchased on your computer to the device. It’s a royal pain, but it’s Apple’s way of keeping their users coming back to iTunes. It’s also a very slow process. With the Android Market Web Store, you can buy apps on your computer and send them to your device without syncing. Brilliant! 5. Replaceable Batteries One of the things that irked me most about the iPhone and the iPad was the battery. It’s not removable, and if it goes, you have to get a whole new device. If yours breaks and still happens to be under warranty, Apple will send you a new one — for a fee. For the iPad, if the battery goes, you can send in your old one and they’ll send you a new one for $99. Oh, and make sure you synced it before it died because when they send you out the new one it won’t have any of your apps or personal information on it. If you forgot to sync, you’re S.O.L. ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ ⌄ Scroll down to continue reading article ⌄ Android devices have their own batteries which are replaceable. If the battery goes, you just buy a new one. Or if you’re under warranty, the manufacturer can send you a new one without having to bother with taking your entire tablet. |