Technology has taken huge leaps forward in the past couple of decades. We have witnessed notable advancements in almost all fields; take for example the computer, how it has shrunk from a massive block of plastic to a thin bedding of intricate circuitry on a board, the internet growing from dial-up to DSL and broadband and the evolution of simple phones to smartphones. In other words, this tremendous progress in technology has guaranteed every now and then the introduction of something totally unique and different, something highly sophisticated and useful, and something totally unheard of in history. The tablet is one such invention that mankind has to offer in this day and age. Being highly efficient, portable and very useful, this device is rapidly gaining popularity among the masses.
What is a Tablet?
A tablet is neither an oversized smartphone nor a shrunken laptop; it is a whole new class on its own. A tablet serves as an interactive touchscreen which may be used to perform various functions such as sending/receiving emails, viewing/editing office documents, recording/sending/editing/viewing audio as well as video files, and video conferencing. Though laptops and smartphones provide all these functionalities as well, tablets, with their optimal size and rectangular structure, are more enjoyable to use.
The Advantages of a Tablet
Now, with the advent of nanotechnology, desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets are all equipped with equally powerful processors and RAMS; this means that they are equally great and long gone are days when you would prioritize one category over the other based upon performance differences. So, now that all devices stand equal against each other, the task of choosing one for your self has become extremely hard. The basic problem arises due to the similarity of all categorical devices, and with the high-end price tags, getting all types of technology is a highly impractical decision.
However, the following mentioned features are what lure many into including tablets in their technological makeup:
1) Tablets are extremely lightweight. It is obvious that current times call for extreme mobility. Hence, the lighter the gadgets we carry, the easier our life becomes as we don’t have to carry any more weight with us than necessary;
2) The portability factor is great. Think about it, laptops don’t come in sizes smaller than 11”, whereas tablets come in sizes 7”-10”. This means that tablets, with the same level of performance as a laptop, are much easier to carry around and use;
3) Presentations are awesome to prepare on a tablet. The entire screen of a tablet is consumed as a slide, and scrolling left and right acts as a remote for changing slides. This is why students and professionals alike prefer tablets to give presentations, as these are not only easy to carry, but it is also much easier to present with them;
4) Tablets start-up almost instantaneously. Laptops, on the other hand, take 6-10 seconds to boot up. You never really need to turn off your tablet since you can simply keep it on a stand-by mode and it turns on immediately as soon as you press the power button. Laptops, on the other hand, need to be shut down and therefore take longer to resume functionality;
5) Tablets are great for educational purposes. Tablets are very easy to operate even by children, as all the functionality is touch-based and the OS layouts are designed to be as accessible as possible. Many developers have invented interactive knowledge-based games for children on tablets, which enable them to learn while having loads of fun.
6) Tablets are just easy to handle. No matter what age-group you belong to, no matter what your profession is, fact is that you will definitely enjoy the shape and size of a tablet. It is a personal computer with a touchscreen. Many people count the unavailability of a keyboard as a disadvantage of tablets, but it is most definitely what makes tablets so awesome; it makes them easier to operate, as you don’t need to press keys, you just need to touch the screen to make things happen.
The Disadvantages of a Tablet
Of course, just like all other kinds of technologies, a computer tablet comes with its own set of drawbacks.
1) There are few/no ports on a tablet. This can become very annoying if you have bought a tablet for use as an alternative to a laptop, and if you wish to perform all your tasks on it, because you would require USB ports, HDMI, VGA-out etc. (to name a few), and not having these available on your tablet can really act as a hindrance;
2) There is no DVD/Blu-ray on a tablet. But then again, some MacBooks don’t come with this feature, yet people still opt for them. Whether this is a disadvantage in your context is really a matter of preference, hence a question of fact.
Many people list low processor speed as a disadvantage of a tablet PC, but this disadvantage does not stand true in 2014. Now, tablets are equally powerful as laptops, with Microsoft Surface and Apple iPad Air showcasing full versions of Windows and OSX, respectively.
Conclusion: Should you get a Tablet for yourself?
We are driven to purchase things which satisfy an inherent need and/or want so there is no point buying a tablet for yourself if you don’t require one. Now to figure out whether you need it or not, without actually trying one can be hard. Only after using a tablet will you be able to assess for yourself whether this device is for you. For tech buffs however, none of this matters. Getting a tablet will improve upon their living standard and complete their technological experience in this era of technology.
