Tablet computing. Friend or foe? You just got yourself a smart phone and it about killed you to make the decision. So many questions, like:
- Which operating system?
- Would your current cellular provider support your choice?
- Did your cell provider have options that you could choose?
- Which hardware vendor had the best offer?
- How open or closed a platform were you willing to settle for?
- What do all of your friends use? How important was that in your decision making process?
- Other important questions, too!
So now you’re considering doing the very same thing with respect to buying into a tablet computer. Did you realize you were going to have to find out the answers to many of the very same questions as when you got your smart phone? Yes. Pretty much the case.
To help in the process, here is a brief cross section of answers so you won’t have to take time off work.
Major platforms
Pretty much the only two tablet platforms you’ll want to consider are the Apple’s iPad and Google’s Android OS. The major difference between them are one is closed and proprietary and the other is open source and used by a number of hardware manufacturers.
Can you guess which OS goes with which company? For many considering a tablet computer, there are features and benefits which far outweigh the openness of the operating systems and add on software. Design, support, availability, etc. If you fall into this category, chances are you’ll find yourself attracted to Apple’s offerings.
If on the other hand, you are a proponent of open sourced technology, and believe the free market will eventually provide you with better products and services, you most likely will find yourself drawn to the Android OS tablets.
Does Size Matter?
While only you can answer this question, if bigger is better in your world, your eyes have already been drawn to the nearly 10 inches of screen real estate offered by the iPad. While there are a couple of devices running Android which are at, or just surpassing the 10 inch mark, most of the Android devices are in the 7 to 8 inch range.
Some tablet owners like the feeling they are holding a device only slightly larger than a smart phone, while others relish the cinematic qualities they get with the larger screens.
Clearly how big you go is more of a personal use situation. If you like them big, you should only focus on the tablets which provide larger screens. The OS should operate the same on a 7″ versus 10″ screen.
Battery Life
What will change on the various sized tablets is how long your battery will last. The iPad boasts nearly 10 hours of video display. Depending upon the Android hardware manufacturer, you can expect from 6 up to that same 10 hour threshold.
The real challenge with true battery life is the same experienced by new car buyers who think they are going to actually receive the posted gas mileage. Just because the EPA says the vehicle gets 30+ MPG does not usually map to reality. Battery life is much the same. Plus, how long you can go between recharges is very much dependent upon what you are doing with your tablet. Some applications and activities simply require more power than others.
Price
Simply put, you are most likely going to pay more to get a top of the line iPad with all the bells, whistles, storage, memory, etc. If you are already an Apple devotee you know this. You also know that if or when something negative happens to your device, the Apple support team takes care of you. Really good care of you.
The downside to all that love and care is that you can be somewhat limited with just how far you can extend the devices you get from Apple. Android based tablets, on the other hand, tend to be much more open and extensible. Need more ram? More storage? Depending upon the manufacturer that should’t be a challenge.
At the end of the day, you still need to make up your own mind. But knowing there are some choices, and viable competition to what was a market dominated by the iPad until recently should give you the opportunity to make the best, most informed decision when it comes to choosing an Ipad or an Android OS tablet.
This is a guest post by Brian Tanner, a freelance writer for HP. Since 1939, HP has been making technology products to help people and companies address their problems and challenges, and realize their possibilities, aspirations and dreams. On their website you can find a variety of products such as scanners or toner.
