When Apple released the iPad in April 2010, it quickly dominated the market for portable tablet-like computers and today has somewhere around 95 percent of the tablet market.Manufacturers are racing to produce competing products, so expect many new models and even a refresh of the iPad itself in the year to come. Just because tablets are the current rage in portable computing doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the right choice for you, however.
Tablets, in general, can do most of the things that a netbook-type computer can do. Notice I said netbook NOT notebook. There’s a difference! Netbook systems generally have a 10-inch LCD display, slightly smaller keyboards without a numeric pad, 2 gigabytes or less of memory and around a 160-gigabyte hard drive. They usually do NOT have a built-in CD/DVD drive or a lot in the way of external device connections, except for USB ports and possibly a VGA port to connect an external monitor.
Most netbooks come equipped with the maximum amount of memory they will handle and a basic version of Windows 7 that could be upgraded to a bit more powerful version depending on the netbook.
Notebooks normally come similarly equipped to netbooks except they may have a dual-core processor, larger LCD displays and built-in DVD/CD drives. They generally run more powerful versions of Windows 7 and are capable of handling much more complex tasks and software.
Tablets are about the same level as netbooks at the moment. Tablets either have a touch-style keyboard (like the one in the iPad) or some type of greatly reduced keyboard that folds out of the tablet or slides out from it in some way.
Expansion options are limited to what can be connected to the tablet’s USB ports, if they have them. The current line of iPads have only a docking port that is used to recharge it or connect a keyboard and connector for an external video display.
An expansion kit is available to accept SD memory cards or to provide a single USB port but not both at the same time.
I do have a 16GB wi-fi-only iPad that I got about a month after Apple introduced it. In that time, it’s been quite useful to check my email and for web browsing when I’m not around any of my other computers. Since it lacks any type of cell phone connectivity, I can only use it near wi-fi hotspots.
That’s fine, since I have a wireless router that provides a hotspot in my home.
I’ve also tried using it for other tasks with mixed degrees of success. I have several applications that I got from Apple’s App store. One is an electronic level. It simulates a real glass bubble type level. I’ve used it to set up a thermostat for my furnace and to check the hanging of a few pictures around the house.
There are applications available that let the iPad do most of what a notebook-type system will do. There’s a problem, though. Just because I can get an applet that lets the iPad do word processing is no indication that I’d WANT to do it on an iPad.
Without an external keyboard, the touch keyboard in the tablet is difficult to use and quite cumbersome if you’re used to using a full-sized keyboard for many years.
There’s an application that lets the iPad do editing of photos. I do have a couple of digital SLR cameras and do use the iPad as a tool to display the images I’ve taken.
Would I actually edit an image in the iPad? No. It’s fine as a temporary image display over the smaller display in the camera itself, but it doesn’t have the color rendition and sharpness that the display on my iMac does.
To sum up, if you’re finally considering buying any kind of tablet, first decide what functions are important to you. If you’re just interested in mobile web browsing and email checks, then a tablet night be right for you. If you want to do more with it than that, be certain that what the tablet is capable of is sufficient for your needs and expectations.
I’d give some time (maybe a month or so) after new tablets are first introduced and see what the general public reactions to it are before I got one. Some are sure to be winners, while others will place in the also-ran category. LINK
Posts
