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Frequently Asked Questions About Tablets

mulberry | Jul 13, 2011 |

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It was less than two years ago that Apple's iPad hit the market catapulting tablets into the forefront. Now, in 2011, tablets have taken off as one of the most popular mobile electronics devices. While tablets are highly coveted by many, others may wonder what all of the clamour is about. They question how useful these devices are, what they provide, and whether or not they are worth the expense.

For all of those who haven't yet purchased a tablet but are considering the possibility, here are the answers to some of the most common questions about them.

1. How does a tablet compare to a laptop?
A tablet can provide web browsing. They can allow you to stream video and music files too. They often include a camera, and can provide GPS functions as well. In most instances, they can act as a photo viewer or ebook reader.

Few tablets are as powerful as a high end laptop when it comes to computing power and speed. They may offer a dual core processor but not a quad core like some laptops. On the other hand, they are more portable. They generally weigh half (or less) than a laptop.

Many consumers love touch screen navigation. A few laptops provide touch screen navigation but all tablets do. On the other hand, the average tablet doesn't provide a physical keyboard or trackpad. This makes writing e-mails, updating blogs, and so forth more difficult. There are however some tablet laptops that dock with a keyboard (or convert into a laptop) when desired.

Cost wise, there are definitely a number of tablets that cost considerably less than a new laptop.

All of this means that it depends what you want to do with the device (and how much you want to spend) as to which one is best.

2. How does a tablet compare to a smartphone?
A tablet is larger than a smartphone, so they aren't as pocketable. Most tablets have 10" screens as compared to a smartphone with a 3 to 4" screen. While it may be a drawback as far as being unobtrusive, it's a definite advantage when it comes to watching video, gaming, enjoying photos, or browsing websites. If you have trouble with the tiny keypad and screen on a smartphone, a tablet should be much more comfortable.

Clearly a smartphone will make calls where as most tablets won't. There are a few tablet phones out there. Many of these tablets include a front facing camera, microphone and cellular network connection for making video calls and in some cases, voice calls. Even those with voice calling however don't function just like the average mobile phone that you hold to your ear. You would either need to be willing to converse on speakerphone or to use a Bluetooth headset.

3. Do I have to buy a tablet through a cellular company?
No, some just use a Wi-Fi connection and don't come with a data plan. Of course, you have to be near a Wi-Fi hotspot to browse the web and so forth if you choose one of these.

4. What is the most important thing to consider when buying a tablet?
That's difficult to say. For many people, their budget needs to be the first consideration and tablets can vary hundreds of dollars in price. Like most devices, buyers need to think about how they want to use the device before making their choice. If video calling is important, then that narrows down the choices. If access to a huge number of e-books is important then that helps guide your selection too. If you will want to write a lot of e-mails, update your blog, and create other content, then there are only so many tablets that make a lot of typing easy and comfortable. So on and so forth.

The other considerations that are important for your long term satisfaction are the OS, interface, and responsiveness of the touchscreen. You want easy navigation, a screen that responds without delay or errors, and the apps and so forth that you want to use. If you work with Windows a great deal and prefer to stick with that, then your choices are narrowed down. If you are a dedicated Apple fanatic, then nothing else will do. If you just love those Android apps, go for it.

5. Since tablets are still fairly new to the market, should I wait as newer and better ones will emerge?
Tablets have been around for awhile, but the iPad kind of kicked them to the front of consumer consciousness and improved on the breed. Only you can answer that question. If there is a specific feature that you want which is expected to roll out within 12 months or so; wait. However, there will be new features coming out every year if tablets follow the path of smartphones and similar devices. So you could literally wait forever if you are afraid that something newer will come out after you buy.