These days, tablets can be seen everywhere, from coffee shops to public transportation to our children’s schools. According to data gathered by the site Statista.com, there will be an estimated 1.32 billion tablet users worldwide by the end of 2018. If your new to the world of tablets, choosing the right one can be difficult. Here are several things you’ll want to consider before selecting the right tablet for you.
Determine Your Needs
Before you can choose a tablet, you have to know what exactly you’ll be using it for. Will you want to be able to watch movies on it? Are you planning on typing documents or reading articles? Do you need it to have a keyboard or stylus that you can use with it? Does it need to have a webcam? Much like laptops and smartphones, there are tons of different sized tables on the market that have various features to choose from depending on your needs. Tablets for students will require different characteristics than those for business.
Decide on an Operating System
There are three primary operating systems that tablets run on. Google developed the Android operating system that provides a robust selection of apps and content through their Google Play market. The Apple iPad runs their proprietary iOS operating system. It offers more than 725,000 apps that were custom built specifically to run on the system. The third system in Windows, which provides you with the closest experience to traditional computing.
Features to Consider
There are no shortages of choices when it comes to the features that come with the various tablets. Some of the features that you’ll want to pay attention to are as follows.
- Screen size: tablets come in a variety of sizes from a 7-inch screen to 13-inches.
- Resolution: you’ll want to pay close attention to the resolution offered by the tablet. The higher the resolution, the better the picture. Try to find tablets with at least a 1080p or higher resolution.
- Wi-Fi only: if you can’t afford the premium price for a data plan, then look for a tablet that is Wi-Fi only.
- Battery: The majority of tablets should have an 8- to 10-hour battery life, according to NEA Member Benefits. This will allow you to get through the school day without worrying about having to recharge.
- Storage: Both the Android and Window tablets allow you to expand the storage on their devices. If you are planning on downloading movies and games, this can be an essential feature. While iPads don’t have a way to expand the storage of the device, you can use their free cloud storage to keep your storage capabilities more flexible.
- Keyboard: Many of the Windows tablets provide you the capability to dock the tablet to a keyboard. Android and iPad can use many of the Bluetooth keyboards on the market. If you are playing to type on your tablet, you’ll want to make sure it has a good option for an external keyboard.
Finding the right tablet for school is simple. Determine what features you need and shop around to find the best tablet for your needs.