Why do People Love Tablets So Much?
What makes tablets so appealing? It's a question that many cynics first asked when Apple announced the iPad. However, the overwhelming evidence - and enough monetary sales to buy Mars - is an indication that Steve Jobs got it right. Indeed, there are a number of different Apple, HP and Lenovo laptop tablet combo units available on today’s market.
But what makes those tiny devices so popular?
They're portable
There's no denying that the ability to put what is essentially a mini-computer in the pocket of a decent sized overcoat is a good one. (To quote Barney Stinson: 'I never realised it until today, but I've always dreamed of that!'). The smaller tablets can weigh as little as half that of a small laptop and can be kept on your person throughout the day without the need for extra luggage to store it. From busy mum to company CEO, this is invaluable.
Functionality
All that beautiful portability would, of course, be useless if tablets didn't work very well. In this sense, it was probably a good thing that Apple - a company renowned for gear that really, really does its job - made the first one. Modern tablets can do absolutely everything that computers can do. Those nice big displays mean that there's more than enough screen real estate to do everything from typing a report out to recording a symphony and gives tablets an edge over smartphones.
Battery life
Once again, tablets dominate laptops in this area. They have far, far longer battery lives. Indeed, an overnight charge is normally more than enough to enable a tablet to last all day. Laptops, meanwhile, will usually only last a couple of hours before needing to be plugged back in, which is hardly ideal. (Some laptops do last longer but they're normally those at the top of the price tree).
They're no hassle
Though laptops remain great resources, lugging one onto your lap (a lap that will slowly be microwaved over the next hour or so), worrying about charging it and having to set it down somewhere else whenever you need to get up doesn't exactly make for a comfortable user experience. Tablets can easily be rested on the arm of the sofa, a bedside table, the train seat flip-down desk, the car dashboard and a number of other places. It’s simply easier to bring one with you wherever you go.
They do everything
Modern apps have meant that there's not a single task that a tablet can't undertake. Want to watch the big match? SkyGo. Want to read a book? Kindle. Want to catch up on the latest stories? BBC News. Want to play a game? Angry Birds. Want to get fitter? Take a free cardio class on YouTube. Want to display a presentation on a big screen? Rack up an HDMI cable and get going. There might be something somewhere that a tablet can't handle but we don't know what it is.
They look cool
Repeat after me: 'we are not all mindless consumers'. Right, that out the way there's no denying the obvious fact that a tablet simply looks far, far cooler than having to lug around a laptop. It's far more discrete and can still carry out all of the necessary tasks throughout the day. It might make us sheep but it sure makes us cool-looking sheep!
This is a guest article from Debbie Fletcher, who is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of difference magazines and news publications.
