Tablet computers
Define tablet: a mobile computer with display, circuitry and battery in a single unit. Tablets come equipped with sensors, including cameras, a microphone, an accelerometer and a touchscreen, with finger or stylus gestures substituting for the use of computer mouse and keyboard.
Factoids:
Who’s Winning, iOS or Android? Who cares?
(Source: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2674215)
(Source: http://techland.time.com/2013/04/16/ios-vs-android/)
A word about operating systems?
(Apple) iOS – The iPad runs iOS, which was created for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Although built on the same underlying Unix implementation as MacOS, its user interface is radically different. iOS is designed for fingers and has none of the features that required a stylus on earlier tablets.
(Google) Android – a Linux-based operating system that Google offers as open source under the Apache license. It is designed primarily for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. Android supports low-cost ARM systems announced in 2010.
(Microsoft) Windows – In October 2012, Microsoft released Windows 8, which features significant changes to various aspects of the operating system’s user interface and platform which are designed for touch-based devices such as tablets. The Surface Pro contains similar hardware to a standard laptop. It contains a third generation Intel Core i5 processor, USB 3.0 port, Windows 8 Pro (free update to Windows 8.1 Pro available) and allows the user to run traditional desktop applications.
(Mozilla) Firefox OS – Firefox OS is an open-source operating system based on Linux and the Firefox web browser, targeting low-end smartphones, tablet computers and smart TV devices.
What about Linux and Chrome? Canonical has hinted that Ubuntu will be available on tablets by 2014. Acer appears to be working on a Chrome OS-powered tablet – we’ll see.
A word about connectivity?
Cellular plus Wifi
Wifi (only)
Which tablets are best?
Consumer Reports top picks:
Apple iPad (iOS)
Samsung Galaxy Tab/Note (Android)
Google Nexus 7 (Android)
Amazon Kindle Fire HDX (Android fork)
Sony, LG… Where’s Microsoft – late and not great??
And which should you really try to avoid?
Anything that’s not on Consumer Reports ‘recommended’ list – usually less than $200
Useful accessories?
Case – non-slip
Headphone – wired or wireless, stereo or phone-only
Wireless keyboard – Bluetooth
Memory card* – if your device supports it
Capacitive or resistive stylus – be sure to get the right stylus for your device
Adapters – http://store.apple.com/us/ipad/ipad-accessories/cables-docks
Useful applications?
Browser – Safari, Chrome
Mail – Google Mail, Apple Mail
Contacts – Apple, Google
Calendar – Apple, Google
Photo Gallery – Apple, Google
Google Maps (cell connected) – always Google*
Book Reader – Kindle, Overdrive, Hoopla, GoodReader
Movies/TV – Netflix, Amazon (Instant Video), Hulu (Plus), Hoopla
Music – Pandora, Spotify, VLC Player
Office – QuickOffice Pro, Google Docs, Outlook.com, Microsoft Office*
Photography – PS Express, Picasa, Autostitch
Shopping – RedLaser, Michaels, JoAnn Fabrics, Great Clips…
Social Media – FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn
OnLine Messaging – Messages/Messaging, WhatsApp
Video/Audio Chat – Skype, Hangouts, FaceTime
Other – Banking, Shopping, WsDot…
And my all-time favorite: Hanx Writer (demo)
A word about clouds?
Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, DropBox
A word about syncing?
Sync via the cloud
Sync via iTunes (iOS devices sync to Mac or PC)
Sync via USB cable (iPad to Mac, Android to PC)
Intefaces?
Apple iOS devices -> Apple TV
Android devices -> Roku + ChromeCast
Windows devices -> ChromeCast
A note about planned obsolescence?
Every device you buy will one day become obsolete. Recent examples:
Windows XP
iPhone 4
iPad 1
Other Variants:
Phablet – phone and tablet
Booklet – dual-touchscreen (fail)
Hybrid – tablet with detachable keyboard
Laplet – tablet/laptop cross-over, full-function platform and OS
Convertible – full-function laptop, screen rotates 180 degrees and lies on top
‘Smart’ Phones, and low cost cellular phone plans
Define: a mobile phone with more advanced computing capability and connectivity than basic feature phones. Smartphones typically include the features of a phone with those of another popular consumer device, such as a personal digital assistant, a media player, a digital camera, and/or a GPS navigation unit. Later smartphones include all of those plus the features of a touchscreen computer, including web browsing, Wi-Fi, 3rd-party apps, motion sensor, mobile payment and 3G.
A word about operating systems?
(Apple) iOS – The iPad runs iOS, which was created for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
(Google) Android – a Linux-based operating system designed primarily for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers.
(Microsoft) Windows Phone 8.1 – the current generation of Microsoft‘s Windows Phone mobile operating system, succeeding Windows Phone 8.[4] It was released in final form to Windows Phone developers on April 14, 2014.
(Mozilla) Firefox OS – Firefox OS is an open-source operating system based on Linux and the Firefox web browser, targeting low-end smartphones, tablet computers and smart TV devices.
A word about connectivity?
Cellular – requires access to a cellular ‘tower’ for access
Hybrid – works over wifi/internet* or cellular – international calling possibilities
Talk to me?
Apple’s Siri
Google Now
Microsoft Cortana
Amazon Alexa?
Useful accessories?
Case – non-slip, protects screen
BlueTooth or wired headphones for hands-free operation
Memory card* – be sure to order the right ‘Class’ of memory for your device, id it even supports adding memory (most don’t)
Car power adapter
Useful applications?
Same as tablets, but at the top of the list are:
Browser – Safari, Chrome
Mail – Google Mail, Apple Mail
Contacts – Apple, Google
Calendar – Apple, Google
Photo Gallery – Apple, Google
Google Maps (cell connected, GPS enabled)
A note about planned obsolescence?
2-year contracts kind of set the stage for smartphones on contract, but what if you have no contract? The possibilities are endless…
Useful links regarding cheap phone plans:
http://www.prepaidphonenews.com/2013/02/sprint-and-sprint-mvno-plans-compared.html
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2013/08/06/smartphone-dumb-mobile-plan/
http://www.clarkhoward.com/news/clark-howard/technology/smartphone-guide/nbWF4/
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/05/13/moto-x-vs-moto-g/
Cell phone ground rules:
#1: NO texting while driving.
#2: No phone in the bathroom.
#3. When you step up to the counter to order or check-out, put the phone down and take care of business.
#4 When going to bed, no more falling asleep while staring at your screen.
#5. When you’re with friends, turn your phone off.
#8. Leave the phone at home. Spend a day without technology at your fingertips. Believe it or not, you can do it and the world will not come to an end. I’m not sure about this. I haven’t had the courage to test the theory yet…
A word about nomophobia — as in no– mo(bile) phone-phobia — that rush of anxiety and fear when you realize you are disconnected- out of the loop with friends, family, work and the world. I’ve seen this, even on Lopez believe it or not…
A word about SMS vs. MMS:
SMS (Short Message Service): Your standard text message.
MMS (Multimedia Message Service): Texts that include images, video, audio, etc.
