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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Tablet Buying Guide


A lot of people are shopping for tablets this year.  They seem to be hotter than ever.  The problem is the selection is bigger and more confusing than ever.  There is no such thing as one tablet fits all.
 
I hope you find this overview of the major tablets helpful.
 
iPad

 

Pros:

Easy to use.

Lots of Apps

Large Hi Resolution Screen

Easily imports files from iTunes

 

Cons:

Expensive

Controlled software environment limits flexibility

Too large for some people.  Does not fit in a purse or pocket.

Limited customer service unless you pay for Applecare.

 

Best for: People who only want to use apps, mail, and streaming with the money to afford it.

 

iPad Mini

 

Easy to use.

Lots of Apps

Hi Resolution Screen

Easily imports files from iTunes

Easy to carry around in purse or large pockets

 

 

Cons:

Expensive for a 7” tablet.

Controlled software environment limits flexibility

Too small for some people.

Limited customer service unless you pay for Applecare.

 

 

Best For: People who a small tablet they can take anywhere and have the money to spend on one.

 

Kindle Fire HDX 8.9

Pros:

Easy to use.

Inexpensive

Decent Amount of Apps

Large Hi Resolution Screen

Mayday button!

Awesome for Prime members.

Top notch customer service.

 

Cons:

Ads on your tablet unless you pay extra.

Apps limited by lack of Google Play support

Have to jump through hoops to add non-Amazon apps.

Not as refined as the iPad

Too large for some people.

 

Best For:  People with limited electronics experience  – because of Mayday.  Prime members who will get the most out of this tablet.

 

Kindle Fire HDX 7”

 

Easy to use.

Inexpensive

Decent Amount of Apps

Hi Resolution Screen

Mayday button!

Easy to take with you when on the go.

Awesome for Prime members.

Top notch customer service.

 

Cons:

Ads on your tablet unless you pay extra.

Apps limited by lack of Google Play support

Have to jump through hoops to add non-Amazon apps.

Not as refined as the iPad

Too small for some people.

 

Best for: People who want a high quality yet very inexpensive tablet.

 

 

Android Tab (Samsung 2013 or smiliar)

 

Pros:

Huge selection from many makers

Google Play access

Very flexible and customizable

Hi resolution screens

Some have a built in digitized stylus

Big selection of apps

 

Cons:

Some makers are just AWFUL

Versions of OS can differ between makers

Too many options for some people

Some Android overlays can be confusing, cluttered, or outright broken

Customer service varies between the makers.  Ranges from average to non-existent.

 

Best for: People who don’t like Apple products.  People who love to customize things. People who hate iTunes.

 

Windows 8 (not RT)

Pros:

Often have high resolution screens.

Can run almost anything that can be run on a windows PC.

Possibly the most flexible of all the tablets.

Some come with a digitized stylus

Cons:

Tend to be the hardest to setup (it’s like getting a new PC up and running).

Terrible app selection (getting better)

Can be glitch depending on the maker

Customer service varies depending on the maker

 

Best for: People who want a tablet that can also function as a laptop. Professionals who want easy integration into a Microsoft environment.

 

Windows RT

Pros:

Umm…it’s a tablet?

It runs some stuff

Some of them look good

 

Cons:

VERY limited in what it can run.

Runs an awful version of windows.

 

Best for: People who like to be frustrated.  People who think beating their head against a wall is fun.  People who like to waste money.

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