Keeping Up With the Play

Keeping Up With the Play – What is a Tablet?

The Tauranga SeniorNet Club www.taurangaseniornet.co.nz [email protected]

At SeniorNet we strive to keep up with the play, computerwise. In 2013 we began courses for users of iPads and Microsoft Windows (Surface) tablets. In 2014 we extended our range to include Android tablets, and in 2015 – smartphones. So what is a tablet? Are all tablets iPads? What is Android? What is a Surface tablet? What use would I have for a tablet? Could it replace my computer? Let’s clarify a couple of points. A Tablet (or Slate) is a slim, very portable computer that doesn’t need a keyboard or mouse to control it. Instead you tap or drag your fingertips across the touch-screen. And the keyboard pops up on the screen when it’s required. Because tablets have batteries they are portable, and they use WiFi (and sometimes cellphone technology) to send and receive email, web pages, music, pictures and video. They come in a variety of sizes, mostly from about 7 inches (screen measured diagonally) to about 12 inches. A tablet is great for email, visiting web sites, playing games, watching streamed video and small writing or computing tasks. But it does not replace a larger computer. You wouldn’t want to write a book on a tablet, or do serious picture or video editing on it. There are three main groups of Tablets (or Slates).

iPad – made only by Apple. They were the first ones to be sold and became popular because of their good quality and the huge range of Apps (programs) that can be downloaded from the iStore.

Surface – made by Microsoft. They have USB, HDMI and audio sockets, just like regular computers, and run on Windows. Some other manufacturers use Microsoft Windows on their tablets, too. (a) Some of the older, basic price ones run on Windows RT 8.1 and can use only Apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store. They have Microsoft Office for Home and Student 2013 already installed on them. They cannot use other traditional style programs that we are accustomed to. (b) All other Surface tablets have full installations of Microsoft Windows and can run both modern apps and traditional style programs. They usually don’t have Microsoft Office pre-installed.

Android – made by Google. Many manufacturers make tablets using the Android operating system. Currently the most popular brand of Android tablets in NZ is Samsung Galaxy, but the market is fickle and this could change as new models arrive. Apps can be downloaded from Google Play (that’s Google’s app store). Samsung and other manufacturers also have app stores. There are well over a million apps for Android, ranging from excellent to not so hot. John Whalley 2015-12-21