Lets start with a short history of Tablet PC's. Overall the Tablet PC movement really started with the Apple iPad, whom still has a pretty tight control over the market. The iPad was virtually unchallenged for many months until other companies began to come out with their own. One of the iPad's biggest competitors is the Samsung Galaxy Tab, who definitely was the first to take any control away from Apple. From then until now, almost every big name in the Tech business began coming up with their own Tablets. Which is what put us in the confusing situation we are in now.
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| Apple iPad |
Now that we know what got us into this mess we can move on to trying to get out of it and we can start making some informed decisions. I will break everything down into sections based on different main components of the Tablet itself.
Screen
The screen is truly one of the most important parts of the Tablet itself. Depending on the purpose you are buying it for, most people will want to have a larger screen, as it will be better for typing and browsing the web. But no matter what you want there are Tablets to suit you, there is the Apple iPad on one side of the spectrum with a 9.7inch screen and then you have the Dell Streak with a 5inch screen.
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| Dell Streak |
Besides size, the contrast and resolution of the screen also matters. One of the best things to look at when deciding based on this factor is the resolution compared to the size of the screen. This is because the more pixels per square inch you have, the better the picture will look. One of the most important things is to not rely on specs and what other people say when purchasing a gadget like this. The best thing to do is to actually try it out for yourself since that is the only true way to know anything.
Even though the screens can be very anti-glare and look great in the store, you have to take care of it to keep it that way also. The anti-glare can somewhat change if you put a screen protector on it, and the way thing look on the screen can change if not well cleaned with correct tools.
WiFi and other Wireless Connections
WiFi is seen in practically every Tablet PC, but some also have the option of 3G Internet. The two main things to look for in the specs for WiFi is, is it 802.11b/g or 802.11n. The difference between the two is simple, you want 802.11n for a lot of media playback/streaming or for large downloads. But, if you are not going to use it all the time or just for regular web browsing then the 802.11b/g WiFi capability is fine.
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| Samsung Galaxy Tab |
Besides WiFi, some of the most popular Tablet PC's also offer 3G internet connection such as the iPad which uses AT&T or the Samsung Galaxy Tab that uses Sprint. Having 3G is a nice feature if you are going to being using it all the time, but the fees add up fast.
There are other wireless connections to consider such as GPS. GPS is a good feature to have do to the perfect screen size of the Tablet.
Operating System
Probably one of the most important components in a Tablet PC, is its Operating System. The Operating System (OS) controls the majority of functions that occur within the system. There are a wide variety of OS's available, with the two most common being iOS and Android.
Both of these have some advantages and disadvantages, with iOS you get the proven stability and reliability that has been exhibited for many years. But, with Android you have many more choices of Tablet PC's which have Android as its OS.
Apps
Applications are one of the key points when deciding between OS's and may be the deciding factor in your purchase. If you want a large selection of Apps, then iOS from Apple is the best, as it has a larger selection than any other OS. Though, if you want basic apps such as Facebook, Twitter, or other apps that are from companies and not individuals, then Android or Windows may be right for you.
Storage and Speakers
There are two main types of Storage, and these are RAM or SD/MicroSD. The difference between the two is cost and the ability to upgrade storage. If you get RAM-based memory then expect it to not be easily upgraded and to only have a few gigabytes. But, if you get SD or MicroSD memory then you are normally able to easily add memory and you will have a lot more to start with ( most of the time ).
It is true, for all of us, that we will be plugged into our Tablets through headphones, so speakers are not one of the bigger factors. Though, on some occasions you may want to use them and even though none will be great, there are some that are better than others. The only way to really know how good they sound is to try them out, so I suggest doing just that.
Inputs/Outputs
Depending on what you are using the Tablet for, outputs and inputs may or may not be important. If you are going to be using it to actually "replace" your PC then having USB ports will be a nice addition. Other ports such as HDMI may be good if you plan on connecting your Tablet to a TV. There are Tablets on both sides of the spectrum, some have many ports and some have almost none such as the iPad. The iPad only has one port and unless you have something which will work with its proprietary connector, then it is useless for connections. But, then there are other Tablets such as the Archos 9 which has many ports.
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| Archos 9 |
It comes down to what you will be using your Tablet for, to decide what ports you want. I am not necessarily saying that no ports (iPad) will mean you cannot use it is a PC but it will make things a lot harder.
Camera
There are some Tablets that have no cameras at all, and some that have front and back facing ones. The iPad for example has no cameras, but then on the other side you have the Samsung Galaxy Tab that has front and back facing ones. This component is once again based on what you want to use the Tablet for. And, even though you might not walk around taking pictures with a big Tablet PC, it is useful for editing and uploading videos/pictures on the go.
Even though Tablet PC's are taking over the computer market, I still suggest having an actual PC before a Tablet. This is because Tablet's still cannot do everything a laptop or desktop can, and for the things they can do it is still normally easier on an actual PC.
Stay tuned for more information regarding the growing Market of Tablet PC's.
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