(And 5 Reasons You Should Not)
Despite the widespread adoption of tablets of all shapes and sizes, you are still one of the few remaining holdouts unwilling to loosen your tight grasp on your laptop in favor of these smaller devices that are currently all the rage. If this sounds like you, it may be time to re-evaluate whether or not the time is right for you to purchase a shiny new tablet that you can take with you wherever you may go. Of course, before you run out to the store and hand them a big wad of cash, you need to do your homework so you are sure that you are not only buying the right tablet for you, but also buying one that you know you will actually use.
Here at LaptopNinja, we have already discussed how you choose which tablet you should buy, but focus is rarely placed on exactly why you should buy one in the first place. So before you head out credit card in hand to buy a new tablet from Apple, Samsung or Google, why not take a few minutes to learn exactly why you should be picking up one of these technology marvels, and while we’re at it we will look at a few reasons why you don’t need to buy one. After all, we have to honest and fair about it.
Reasons Why You SHOULD Buy a Tablet
There are many reasons why you should be considering a tablet for your next technology purchase, especially if you are one of the remaining few who have chosen not to make the switch from a traditional desktop or laptop.
1. Tablets are sexy.
You know it, I know it, we all know it! Tablets are just sexy and cool to use instead of that big and bulky laptop that gets so hot you have to put sunscreen on your legs to shield them the second and third degree burns you receive every time you want to get a little work done without having to sit at a desk.
2. Accessories Galore.
There is a truly staggering variety of cases, keyboards, mice, pens and more accessories that you can buy for your tablet. These accessories can help make you more productive while also helping you create the perfect custom look of your device so you can express yourself while using your tablet.
3. More Comfortable to Use on the Couch.
Laptops are often big and bulky weighing much more than a tablet. They also get much hotter. A tablet will let you stretch out on your couch and use it from almost any position. A laptop, however, needs a nice lap to sit on and possibly burn in order for you to use it.
4. Tablets are Great Portable Workstations.
If you need to travel for work, or just take your work with you to your kids dance practice, a tablet makes it easier than ever. They are much lighter than tablets but feature much larger screens compared to smartphones allowing you to get a lot more work done than you could otherwise while at the same time not requiring you to carry with you a bulky laptop and power cord.
5. Tablets Are Great E-Readers.
The world of e-books has exploded in recent years, meaning that today that new book you want you can pick up digitally. These books are often cheaper when compared to their printed counterparts and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your chair to order it and start reading. Tablets make great e-readers with their large screens and crisp and clear text and graphics so you can enjoy your favorite book with one device instead of having to carry around multiple devices wherever you go.
6. Perfect for Movies and Music.
Sure your laptop can catalog and play your music and movies, however tablets just do it better. There’s nothing better than entertaining your kids on a long trip than with a tablet loaded with music and movies and they are easy to take with you.
7. Much Better Battery Life.
Laptop batteries are improving, but how many of you really get 8 to 10 hours of life out of your laptop? Not very many. Tablets, however, will last much longer (in most cases) than many laptops without needing a charge. This gives you or your kids much more time to use them before they will have to stop and plug them in.
8. Tablets Don’t Crash.
Okay that’s not really fair to say. Tablets do crash from time to time. But if you compare a crash on a tablet to a laptop, they are much more infrequent and much easier to deal with. In most cases you won’t lose something important and all you have to do is open the apps again to continue. Tablets usually reboot much faster as well, so it won’t take as long for you to get back to either your work or your play if something does happen requiring a reboot.
9. Perfect for Meetings.
Tablets make the perfect piece of technology to take to a meeting. Today’s tablets make it easy for you to take notes while you are listening to the presenter and, if you happen to be presenting, you can even run your presentation straight from your tablet instead of having to carry with you a laptop. This is especially convenient for frequent flyers who need to present on the road but want to make sure their baggage is limited during their trip.
10. Surf the Net Anywhere
The Internet has woven itself into the fabric of our lives. Who doesn’t check something on the Internet at least once every day? Almost no one. Tablets are great for surfing the net and, if you have a wireless connection through your smartphone carrier, allow you to do it using the larger screen from anywhere. This makes it so much easier to find the information you need, when you need it.
Reasons Why You Should NOT Buy a Tablet
All the reasons above are great and reading them you may think that you should run to the store and bring home a potentially expensive tablet. However, there are reasons that exist that make buying a tablet the wrong decision for you.
1. How Much Work Can You Really Do?
Let’s face it, the screens of tablets are small and even the keyboards you can buy for them are small making them more difficult to type on compared to a regular laptop. If you are thinking about buying one to replace your laptop for work, you will not be satisfied. Yes they are good on the road even for work, but as a main work machine, they still fall short.
2. The Cost.
Most tablets that are decent quality will run you upwards of $300 or more. That is a pretty good little chunk of change for a device that can’t replace a traditional laptop. Heck, you can even find great laptops that are perfect for work for around the same price. If budget is a big concern for you, you will do much better investing your money into a laptop instead of a tablet.
3. The Games.
Many gamers out there are looking for new devices to play some of the best games ever created for entertainment. However, you won’t find those games on a tablet. Sure, there are some impressive games available for tablets that will keep you playing for hours on end, but if you are hoping to work in a little mobile Call of Duty or play the latest Wolfenstein game, you are simply out of luck.
4. Tablets Don’t Do More Than Laptops.
The fact is that tablets don’t do anything that your aging laptop won’t do already. Both can play (some) games, both can surf the Internet, download pictures, watch movies, and help you get work done. In some ways, laptops will perform some of these tasks much better. What tablets do offer is a smaller and more comfortable package to do that. If this isn’t a concern for you, a new tablet instead of a laptop may not be the best choice.
5. How Portable Are They?
Most people have smartphones these days and when you get right down to it a tablet is simply a bigger version of a smartphone that won’t make phone calls. When comparing the portability, which one is really the most portable computer you have? Tablets do give you a bigger screen, but essentially it is the same apps running on both. So do you really need both a smartphone and a tablet?
Conclusion
While it is true that tablets are fun, sexy and a heck of a lot more convenient compared to their bigger cousins, the laptop, that doesn’t mean you necessarily need one. However, a good tablet can be a great convenience and make it easier for you to perform both work and play from virtually anywhere, without having to lug around a bulky laptop and power cable.
Remember, tablets can let you watch movies, surf the net, play games and much more from almost anywhere. In most cases all you need is a wireless Internet connection and you are off to the races. They are more portable, much easier to use and usually come with far less headaches than a traditional laptop, and there is just something nice about being able to curl up on your couch and watch a movie without have to rest a warm and sometimes burning hot laptop on your legs to do it.
In the end, however, it comes down to how you will use it. Some people simply don’t have the time or choose to spend their free time doing things other than parking themselves in their favorite chair with their eyes glued to a small screen. However for others, including me, it has become a favorite past time and these days I can even work on my favorite tablet. So its up to you, now you know how to choose the right tablet and why you should buy one in the first place, so hit up your favorite shop (ahem, TabletNinja) and pick out and order your next tablet that will become a mainstay of your technology collection for many days to come.