Since 2010, the “new” tablet market has pretty much been dominated by the Apple iPad. I even owned an iPad, for about one month.
The iPad did very well between the gap of mobile phone and laptop, but it was not pocket mobile, nor did it offer me a comfortable way to write essays and edit photos.
I am a college student, so my focus will be whether an iPad or a comparable Android based device is a reasonable alternative (cost, features, function) to a laptop for those attending college.
When comparing the cost of the current Apple iPad 32GB ($629), the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3G ($499), and the newest tablet, the Motorola Xoom ($799) against an entry level Windows based laptop ($329) and a base Macbook ($999), the price advantage is with the laptop.
For many college students, the cost would be the number one consideration when making a purchase, however, some students may want a device that has certain features.
Features include screen size, hard drive space, optical media type, inputs and outputs, and a physical keyboard.
Also, features are about what is available to us, not unavailable.
The tablets have screen sizes of 10 inches or less. Laptops usually start at about 13 inches and up, but an additional benefit of the laptop is the ability to connect the laptop to an external monitor, laptops have the advantage.
The hard drive on a tablet is usually flash-memory based, similar to a USB drive, but more expensive and space limited.
Most laptops have the advantage over tablets because they come standard with a spinning hard drive, that may be slower, but are usually 250GB-500GB.
Tablets are not dependent on an optical media drive such as a DVD drive or a Blu-Ray drive.
Most tablets have media players on them, but they require you to purchase the music or movie for that specific device.
If you want to watch the latest release DVD or Blu-Ray with friends or family the stick with a laptop. Advantage – Laptops
Inputs and outputs is where tablets could have really sizzled, but instead they fizzle.
Not one of the three tablets has a video out option.
The Windows-based laptop, and Macbook, both have an and advantage with having an output to an external video device.
Finally, the tablets are all touch screen, which is fine for most basic tasks, but as soon as you need to type for any extended period of time, it is not enough.
To reinforce this point, both the iPad and Xoom have wireless keyboards available, and arguably are limited to use novelty devices without a keyboard and for this reason is that laptops have the advantage over tablets.
For function, we will look at mobility and ease of use.
Tablets get the advantage with being a mobile device. They are flat, thin, and usually weigh no more than a textbook. Laptops are larger, and some are bulky.
By ease of use, let us look at turning a device on and using it.
It is a bonus if more than one task can be done simultaneously.
Laptops take the advantage once more over the tablets because the iPad seems to be a one-task-at-a-time device, where as every laptop and Macbook is capable of multi-tasking, and usually it handles it well uninterrupted.
If you are on a budget, or just want the most for your money, occasionally want to connect your device to a larger screen, require a keyboard, and the power of doing more than one thing at a time, then stick to a laptop or Macbook.
If you have more money than you know what to do with, are all about aesthetics, don’t mind touch-typing at a much slower pace, and could care less about whether or not you can output to a larger screen, then get you a tablet.
