Face it. You’ve been thinking about getting a new tablet. You’re only using your personal computer for email, social media, and movies. Now, I’m not talking about the machine you use for work. The one that sits on your desk is probably also used for social media and personal email. When you get home at the end of the day though, your computing needs change. You don’t need to create a database or a white paper or even a simple spreadsheet. You’re sending photos to your brother, or writing a thank you email to your Aunt or posting an old bookcase for sale in your local Facebook group. You can do all of that on your phone. You would hardly ever power up your Mac or PC if it weren’t for your eyes!
What does this mean for you? If you’ve been thinking about replacing your older computer, start thinking about getting a tablet instead of another computer. There are a number of good tablets out there, and you’ll save some money by choosing a tablet over a laptop or desktop. If you are thinking about replacing your computer, please remember to back up all of your data. Do it now! If you’ve stopped using it regularly, you may not remember about all the precious photos you have on that machine until it is too late.
What should you look for when getting a new tablet?
Operating System:
First, which operating system are you most comfortable with? Which apps do you like and which OS do those apps work with? Your choices here are iOS, Windows, and Android. If you have an iPhone, you may be most comfortable with an iPad.
Battery Life:
If there is one thing that bugs me, it is having to recharge a device after only a short period of time being used. Take a close look at how long each new tablet is expected to last on its battery.
Screen Size:
Screen size and weight go hand in hand. Do you want something that fits easily into your backpack without being too cumbersome? The most common screen size is around 10″. In that size, your new tablet could weigh just under a pound, to over 1 1/2 pounds.
Storage:
If you’ll be storing a lot of photos or music on your tablet, get the biggest size you can afford. Tablets normally run in sizes from 32gb, 64gb, 128gb, 512gb, and 1 TB. Other than screen size, this is the one thing that will really bump up the price.
Camera:
Will you be taking a lot of photos with your new tablet? Or will you continue to primarily use your phone for photos? Most of the tablets available now have cameras with 8 to 13 megapixels on the rear camera. The choices come with the front-facing camera – the one you would use for selfies. Choices here range from 1.2mp to 8mp.
Price:
Most tablets are currently selling for $300 to $800. Make sure you know what is important to you, what you absolutely need, and what you can live without.
What features did I forget that are important to you? Let me know in the comments below!
Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.
Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly. You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.
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