An increasing number of people are asking questions about tablets, not the medical kind! So here is a quick guide and a few Questions and Answers which may help you decide if you want to go down the tablet route.

Tablets have lots of different names, and you probably have heard of the iPad, which is the Apple brand of tablet. There are also Android tablets, made by a variety of manufacturers, like Sony, Google, Samsung to name but a few. It is like a portable computer with a touch screen, usually with a built in camera. They use Apps, which are computer programs you can download from a designated store through an icon on your tablet screen. They are idea for surfing the internet, playing games and email. They aren’t so good for typing documents.

To 3G or not to 3G?

When shopping for a tablet you can opt for one which has mobile broadband built in (3G). This means it works like a mobile phone in that you can get on the internet when you are away from home. You need to have a SIM card and Pay As You Go or have a monthly contract for a certain amount of data month. Remember you can use a Non 3G tablet anywhere where you see the Wifi sign.

 

Should I buy Android or iOS?

Let’s begin by explaining that there are two main languages used on tablets (or operating systems): iOS which is used exclusively by Apple and Android which is used by everyone else (there are a few others too e.g. Windows 8 but I am focusing on the two leaders). Android has different version the most recent of which is called “Jelly Bean” (previous versions were called Ice Cream Sandwich and Honeycomb).

The iPad exclusively uses iOS. It is possibly the simplest to use, but as a side effect of this you are limited in what changes to you can make to the system settings. For an advanced computer user this could be frustrating. For example, you cannot directly share music files with a friend. However the up side is that iPads are more resilient to viruses as Apple iTunes has much stricter program testing rules that Google’s Play Store.

Android tablets as mentioned above are available from a number of manufacturers and there is a lot of talk on the internet about the Nexus series of tablets, which are Google’s tablets. The nature of Android tablets allows you to control a lot more of your settings. But Android apps are not as regulated so you can install apps that harm your system.

Pros/Cons of the Apple iPad:

  • Easy to use
  • Great customer support from the Apple Store
  • Can’t view flash based websites properly, so can’t watch some videos
  • Expensive compared to Android (starting from £399)
  • Cannot print directly without a compatible printer

 

Pros/Cons of Android Tablet e.g. Nexus:

  • More storage for your money than an iPad
  • Can download wider variety of apps
  • Can use Flash based websites and view all videos
  • Can print to any existing computer connected printer
  • Higher risk of viruses

 

Hopefully this will help you choose the best option for you. If you need any assistance in purchasing or setting up a tablet then give me ring to arrange an appointment on 01675470105. As for what is in the ‘PuterTutor household… one of each of course!

Happy ‘Putering

Caroline The ‘PuterTutor