The obvious difference is that all laptops have a physical keyboard. Typing long documents is easier and more comfortable on real keys, rather than tapping away at a screen for extended periods. However, it's possible to buy keyboards for tablets, too. You can use a Bluetooth keyboard with the iPad (Scosche, for example, produces the KeyPad P2 shown below), and some Android tablets such as the Asus Transformer have an optional keyboard with a second battery built in.
Tablets can't compete with laptops on storage, though. Most laptops have hard disks with capacities around ten times larger than a tablet's memory. With a tablet, you'll have to be choosy about which photos, videos, music and documents you store locally. The rest has to be stored online, or on a PC or laptop.
Sometimes, tablets can be tripped up by small things such as drop-down boxes or other controls on web pages which are fiddly to use with a touch-sensitive display. In general, some websites work better on a laptop, such as personal banking and online shopping, since these sites make heavy use of Java script.
If a website uses Flash, a laptop’s browser won’t have any problem displaying the content, but you’ll run into issues with an iPad (see below). You may be fortunate and find an app which takes care of your banking or shopping, but on other occasions the only way to get something done is to resort to a laptop.
Printing documents is easier on a laptop too, as it’s closely tied to the operating system and works with a wider range of software. Printing is still possible from a tablet, but it isn’t as easy or versatile.
Of course, few laptops can match the portability and long battery life that most tablets offer. While a laptop might be too bulky to take on holiday, a tablet adds little weight to your hand luggage, and is ideal when the in-flight entertainment isn’t very good.
Ultimately, laptops and tablets are complementary devices: it's not a case of one or the other. Each has its strengths and weaknesses and is suitable for different tasks. Manufacturers are certain to come up with new ways to make data even more device independent than it currently is, with elaborate docking stations for keyboards and additional storage, and online services that mean you never have to consider which device you’ll need to carry with you. It’s still early days for tablets, and while they haven’t yet made laptops redundant, this might not remain true forever.
Nowadays, there are several different types of personal computers (PC) such as desktops, laptops and tablets. As soon as someone decides to buy a new computer the big question then is ‘a desktop, a laptop, or a tablet?’ ‘Which one is better for my needs?’ In this article we will try to explain the main differences and hopefully make your choice easier. Smartphones will not be considered, as they are generally purchased for uses other than computing, although they can carry out many of the functions of a PC.
Laptops:
Laptop computers can be the size of a pretty big book and nowadays extremely lightweight! There are two parts to a laptop: the first part is a screen that can also be a touchscreen, and the second part stores all the hardware such as CPU, HDD, MOBO, Keyboard, etc. They are usually equipped with a camera, a microphone, and a CD/DVD player. There is no need for a mouse since there is always a touchpad. Let’s now see some advantages and disadvantages of this type.
Advantages:
*The basic reason that people choose laptops is portability. They can easily be moved around and connected to Wi-Fi spots.
*Similar gaming performance can be found in some higher tier laptops.
Disadvantages:
*When you are not home it is running in battery mode, unless you can find a convenient power source.
*CPU, Memory, Disk are not so good as they would be in a desktop. Its not suitable for multi-tasking or gaming. There are many laptops in 2015, able to run almost all games. However, it will never be a positive point.
*Laptop’s have limitations on what can be upgraded. Unlike a desktop, laptops are typically all-in-one units and can be difficult to upgrade.
Tablets:
A tablet is another solution. A bit smaller than laptops and larger than smartphones. They are not suitable for gaming or multitasking, but they are small and the perfect computer if you want to browse the Internet any time and are handy for note taking; ideal when you are in a conference.
Advantages:
*Portability (can work from everywhere and small enough to put in handbags)
*Small weight (lighter than most laptops)
*Can be used as a GPS navigation device
*Offer the same functionality as a normal computer
*Longer battery lifetime than laptops
Disadvantages:
*Hardware is prone to damage
*Weaker capabilities
*Traditional keyboards are much more comfortable
*The screen size is too small in comparison with a laptop
*Higher cost
*Potential screen damages and repair costs
*Fewer ports for peripherals
*Cannot embrace massive amounts of data
*The type and speed of the input process (inputs with tablet PCs are slower than those with laptops)
The works with colleges and universities, professors and students along with technology partners to develop innovative, cutting-edge digital educational tools to improve the way instructors teach and students learn.
Since the debut of the iPad, tablets have captured the imagination of consumers. In just one year, the iPad surpassed even the most optimistic of projections to define a brand new product category and become the best-selling gadget of all time, and Forrester analysts project that in 2011, tablet sales will more than double.
But are tablets ready for the classroom? Though tablets have caught on with consumers, the higher education market has been slower to adopt, and understandably so. From grades to degrees to job placement after graduation, the devices that are used in classrooms are tied to important outcomes.
As a result, colleges and universities must proceed carefully when considering whether to adopt a new technology on a large scale. However, reports from recent iPad pilot programs at schools across the country have been positive, and some colleges have even begun distributing tablets to all of their students. As we wrap up the first post-iPad school year, do we know enough to make the “fad, fail, magical” call? I think so.
By looking at all that tablets offer in the context of student behavior and some of the recent trends in education, it's clear that tablets are ready for the classroom. Here’s a look at the top reasons why.
1. Tablets Are the Best Way to Show Textbooks
Tablets are cable of offering enhanced ebooks featuring images, video and audio. These elements are impossible to include in print or in a standard ebook. Read about music? No thanks, I'll follow my auto-advancing sheet music as the audio plays. See a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. as I read his "I Have a Dream" speech? I guess that's fine, but with one tap of my finger, I'm watching it. The result is a more integrated learning experience, which is more engaging for students. This isn't the future this is today.
By allowing students to highlight text, take notes in the margin and access a dictionary directly within the book itself, tablets are matching (and in some cases, surpassing) everything that a traditional book print or digital can offer.
2. Classrooms Are Ready for Tablets
Though tablets are a recent phenomenon, many students in high school and college have been using smartphones for years, and are already well-acquainted with touchscreen technology. Because they’ve become so accustomed to using these devices, students are increasingly expecting to use them in the classroom setting. When classrooms don't implement what has now become "everyday" technology, we’re doing students a disservice.
Additionally, students and consumers in general are becoming more comfortable using tablets for advanced tasks. According to a new Nielsen survey, 35% of tablet owners said they used their desktop computers less often or not at all now, and 32% of laptop users said the same. Most tellingly, more than 75% of tablet owners said they used their tablet for tasks they once used their desktop or laptop for. While tablets can’t totally match laptops in terms of functionally (yet), they can get today’s students most of the way there.
3. Tablets Fit Students' Lifestyles
The appeal of tablets to a college student is obvious: They’re thin, lightweight, and spring to life without delay, making them much easier to take to (and use in) class than a laptop or netbook. Longer battery life means that students don’t have to worry about carrying a charger with them. Forgot what the professor said at the end of class about the mid-term? Launch Tegrity, tap the lecture and replay it in just seconds. That's faster than texting a half-dozen classmates and waiting for what might be an inaccurate response.
4. Tablets Have the Software to Be Competitive
Some of the most innovative software around is being developed specifically for tablets. In addition to the thousands of exciting educational apps available, tablets are fully compatible with online teaching and learning platforms, such as Blackboard, which are becoming the norm at colleges and universities. In fact, tablets’ current shortcoming limited multitasking could be their greatest asset in education, as it forces students to focus on one task at a time.
5. Tablets Integrate With Education IT Trends
Cloud-based solutions have become ever more popular with colleges and universities, which are looking to deliver synchronized experiences that are device agnostic. Tablets align well with this trend, given their portability and options for constant connectivity. With tablets and cloud-based systems, students can work anywhere on campus and make sure that their work is saved in a central location and accessible from all of their devices. They also don’t have to pay for computing power that they no longer need.
6. Tablets Are Becoming More Available
One of the primary reasons that tablets have been slow to penetrate the higher education market was their limited availability. Apple’s supply chain issues and the difficulty that some Android tablet manufacturers have faced in getting their products to market have made it difficult for schools to get serious about adopting. As these issues are resolved over the coming year, expect to see more and more tablets popping up on campuses.
Lower price points will make tablets even more appealing to colleges and universities. For close to a year, Apple went virtually unchallenged in the tablet market. Increased competition should drive down prices. The wave of tablets introduced at CES in January is just the tip of the iceberg. With dozens to hundreds of offerings, many based on Google's open source Android OS, expect price points to fall quickly just as they have for laptops, smartphones and HDTV sets. Heck, Apple's original iPad can be had for as little if you get the timing right and don't mind a refurb.
How close are we today to tablets displacing computers on campuses? Closer than you might think. I wrote this article on a tablet with a touchscreen keyboard.
Conclusion:
Choose your computer type wisely and according to the usage it will have. If you want to move every single day from one room to another and from one building to another then definitely look into a laptop or tablet. If you are a gamer, a programmer, or want to build something that needs CPU power and RAM then go ahead a buy yourself a desktop.
Post a Comment