As the race for control of the tablet market grows, so do your options as a consumer. While almost all tablets can browse the Web, check e-mail and run apps, some are better at certain things than others and offer different features. How do you know which one to pick? Evaluate your specific needs and the way a tablet will fit into your lifestyle by considering these critical factors:
Purpose: How will you use a tablet? There are plenty of tablets to suit your different needs so pinpointing your tablet use will greatly narrow your selection. If you prefer a tablet solely for reading, you may want to look into a simple e-book reader like the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook. These come in a variety of sizes and can be purchased in black and white, with or without back lighting, or in color with some app capabilities. If you need more features, you may look to Google’s tablets which come with a video-output jack and stereo speakers. If your use of a tablet will be very app-heavy, Apple’s iPad is known for providing useful visual information within its applications.
Hardware: Which online store for apps, music, and media would you like access to? Have you already built up a media library with a particular provider? Different tablets connect to different online sources so if you have already built up your library with the Apple iTunes store, purchasing an Android tablet could mean starting from scratch and vice versa.
Size: How big do you want your screen to be? After most people finally decide which operating system to purchase, they struggle with which size to choose. Ask yourself if you are looking for a couch companion to sit with, or a tablet to carry wherever you go. If you plan to read a lot of magazines or tote your tablet to presentations, a bigger tablet might be your best option. It will be easier for you and others to see, and look more like a computer screen. If you need a tablet that is easier to hold and are more focused on content consumption and web browsing than visual elements, you should opt for a smaller tablet.
In the end, the most important thing you can do when buying a tablet is narrow down what you will use it for and go into the store to try it out. If you consider your purpose and figure out the correct hardware and features for your personal tablet use, you will be able to make the best decision.