Storage is an important consideration when
purchasing a tablet. How much will depend on your needs, and what you intend to
do with the tablet. If you are gaming, shooting videos, downloading movies, you
will require more storage than if you are primarily reading books and surfing
the net. Tablets today come with storage capacity from 4 GB to 64 GB. Many
tablets, however, also have a slot for a memory card, increasing the storage capacity
to 32 GB in most cases.
Tablets need to have some way to connect with the
Internet to perform even the basic functions we expect; checking e-mail,
surfing the web, streaming books and videos. Most tablets on the market now are
Wi-Fi capable. This means that you must be within range of a wireless network
for connection to the Internet, whether it is on a home wireless network, or
public hot-spot; a cafe, library or other public access spot. There are several
variations on Wi-Fi network infrastructure. Most tablets will connect with all
the configurations, but it might be a good idea to check that the tablet you
are considering has a "dual band antenna". This will ensure that your
device will connect with any network, and is ready to move into the future.
Some tablets are available with 3G or 4G network
connectivity as well. There are advantages and drawbacks. What you choose will
depend on your needs. The 3G and 4G networks are cell phone coverage. The cost
of the tablet goes up with this added feature, as more hardware must be
integrated. In order to connect to the cell phone networks, one also has to pay
for a service plan from a mobile provider. Keep in mind that the cost of a plan
goes up with the amount of data downloaded; most carriers offer a fixed amount
of data, with charges for overage. The charges can mount quite rapidly.
Connecting to a 3G or 4G network is handy,
though, if you will be out of range of Wi-Fi when you need to use the tablet.
It also means that features like GPS can be added, as the cell network will
always know your location. Be aware when choosing a tablet of the level of
coverage in your area; 3G has very wide coverage, but is being upgraded to the
faster 4G. 4G, however, includes three different protocols, which are not necessarily
compatible with all devices. Check out what is available in your area, and
whether the tablet you have chosen will work where you live.
Other connectivity included in some tablets is
Bluetooth and mifi. Bluetooth technology is a way of connecting devices to each
other; keyboard, mouse, speakers, "hands-free" mobile phone
microphone and earpiece. Bluetooth could be used to connect your tablet with a
wireless network through a laptop or cell phone. Mifi is another way to connect
your tablet, but with a separate box, the mifi or mobile hotspot. The mobile
hotspot connects to the network, and become a router for other devices to
connect. Either way, these are options to buying a data plan for your tablet.
Get with the times and check out some of the
latest tablets and tablet applications, as Windows tablet PC and android
tablets continue to be increasingly popular options in the technology industry.
