Let's Talk Tablets

Which Tablet Is Right For You?

What Are Tablets?

Tablets can be described as portable computing devices, having similar characteristics to that of traditional personal computers and most features found in today’s smart-phones. Users interact with tablets via touch-capacitive screens. In addition to running thousands of applications including games, video, music, photos, business, GPS and social networking, tablets connect to the internet via WiFi, 3g and or 4g technology. A study by the Olswang law-firm reported that approximately 5% of Americans own a tablet device.

Leading Tablets On The Market:

Although Microsoft is credited as introducing the concept of the personal computing tablet, Apple, with its iPad1 and iPad2, is the unequivocal frontrunner on the tablet scene. On the heels of Apple are the following:

HTC Flyer

HTC View (summer 2011)

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Motorola Xoom

HP Touch Pad

BlackBerry Playbook

Dell Streak 7

Major Differences:

- Operating Systems (OS):

Apple products run on Apple’s proprietary IOS4, the same smooth intuitive and seamless operating system used in Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch devices. Other OS’s includes Windows Mobile 7, Playbook OS (BlackBerry’s proprietary OS) and Android (the main competitor for IOS4).

- Hardware

Most tablets have 7 or 10 inch screens. Other critical variances include front and/or rear facing cameras, weight, storage size/options, battery life, CPU, display quality, internet connectivity options, peripheral interfacing, and price.

Bottom Line:

If size and portability are of major concern, you’ll likely opt for a 7 inch screen. If typing directly on the device’s on-screen keyboard is important, the 10 inch models may suit you best. The iPad2 is hands down the sleekest, thinest, most popular and sexiest tablet on the market. With all of it’s bells and whistles, it’s also the most expensive. The BlackBerry Playbook requires users to have a BlackBerry smart-phone in order to fully take advantage of all its features. Many reviewers find the Windows OS to be less suited for the tablet experience.

Users report the Samsung Galaxy Tab to be laggy (slow) and buggy (problematic). Samsung has reduced the sale price of this model. The HTC Flyer and View respectively, running Android OS, are 7 inch tablets that legitimately rival the two Apple offerings, making Apple and HTC the top table producers. Apple continues to lead the way.