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E-MAILBack to school tech: 5 reasons tablets rule for school
by Joseph Moran | September 6, 2011
Labor Day is over and another academic year is upon us -- which means many students and parents are out shopping for new computers to use for school. In the past, picking up a PC or Mac-based laptop system was all but a no-brainer, but the popularity of the Apple iPad and an increasing variety of competitors -- may have you considering whether a tablet can be a plausible substitute for a laptop for students.
There's no doubt that tablets offer some real advantages over laptops (as well as netbooks, their smaller and lighter cousins). Here are five reasons to give tablets a serious look as you choose your next classroom computer companion.
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1. Fewer pounds to carryYou've already got enough weight on your shoulders (physically and metaphorically), so shouldn't the computer you lug around be as light as possible? Tablets generally weigh 1 1/2 pounds or less; an Apple iPad 2 weighs a mere 1 1/3 pounds. By contrast, a typical full-size laptop tips the scales north of 5 pounds and most netbooks weigh in at around 3 pounds. Plus, laptops and netbooks usually come with bulky power supplies which can add anywhere from an additional half to full pound to your load. |
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2. Better suited to digital textbooksIf there are any digital textbooks in your future, you'll find them a much better fit for a tablet than a laptop. After all, a tablet's vertical screen orientation is a lot closer to an actual book than a laptop's widescreen display. Moreover, a tablet's touch-based controls let you do things like turn pages, zoom, and highlight information with natural swiping and tapping motions. (Amazon and Barnes and Noble can be good sources of eTextbooks, and their respective Kindle and Nook apps are available for both iPad and Android-based tablets like Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1.) |
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3. Instant availabilityDo you have time to waste waiting for your computer to start up every time you need it? We didn't think so. Tablets let you get to work quickly. A quick press of a tablet's power/lock button will bring it to the ready in the blink of an eye. Don't expect that kind of responsiveness from a laptop--firing one up from scratch can take several minutes, and while using a laptop's sleep or standby mode can shorten that time a bit, it still won't get you up and running anywhere near as fast as a tablet. |
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4. Longer battery lifeThe last time we checked, lecture halls didn't come equipped with electricity at every seat so you'll want a computer with a battery that will last as long as possible. A tablet is more likely to get you through a full day of classes (and perhaps beyond) so you're not constantly hunting for the nearest AC outlet. Case in point: the iPad 2 boasts up to 10 hours of battery life, and other tablets aren't too far off that mark. Most laptops, on the other hand, aren't in the same ballpark. They'll generally run out of gas after somewhere between 3 and 6 hours unless you resort to bulkier extended-capacity batteries (or carry an extra battery with you). |
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5. More convenient 3G Internet accessDo you want to be able to access the Internet from virtually any place on campus? For that kind of ubiquitous Internet connection you need access to a 3G network, and they're extremely convenient to access when you have a compatible tablet. The iPad 2, for example, comes in versions that work with 3G service from either AT&T or Verizon. These and the other major wireless carriers offer a number of tablets with built-in 3G (or even faster 4G) support on their respective networks. Note: Obtaining 3G/4G service will require a monthly fee and/or 2-year service contract. While you can use 3G/4G service with a laptop or netbook, few models offer built-in support, leaving you to rely on external modems -- something else to buy and carry. |
