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FAQ
A tablet is a handheld computer with a touch screen, just like a smartphone. However, this device has a significantly larger screen and thus a few other features. Tablets are being described as the perfect combination of a smartphone and a laptop. They’re more convenient for browsing and watching movies compared to a phone, but not as useful as a laptop when it comes to productivity.
There are tablets in all price ranges on the market today, and they all offer various features. Top tablets from Apple and Samsung, for example, are comparable to laptops and can even make a good replacement for a laptop if you buy a keyboard. However, the interfaces are not completely optimal for advanced users and a laptop will always be a better alternative when it comes to productivity. These expensive tablets do, however, work as a great addition to a laptop, even for advanced users.
A much more common area of use is leisure. Tablets are, above all, the perfect device to bring along when travelling. You can use it to play games, watch movies, browse and listen to music in a way that is much more pleasant than from a smartphone or dealing with a laptop. Tablets are usually very popular amongst kids, and there are plenty of games to keep them busy for hours. Tablets for this purpose are not as expensive as the professional models.
An iPad is a tablet. It’s actually just the name of all tablets from the brand Apple. Most remaining tablets are Android and a few are Windows. The biggest difference between iPad and Android-based tablets are the apps; apps for iPads are usually developed for their tablets. Apple even has their own operating system for iPads, called iPad OS. But it works just fine to run iPhone apps on an iPad as well. Android-based tablets run Android apps.
It depends on what you mean by “calls”. Some Android tablets can make traditional calls, provided they have a SIM-card slot. There are usually various types of tablets with either Wi-Fi only or Wi-Fi and SIM-card slots. A SIM-card slot doesn’t necessarily mean that you can make traditional calls with the tablet, but is often intended to provide internet connection through the mobile network. Talk to your operator and consider if you find this feature important. All tablets can be used for internet communication, as long as they have an internet connection. In other words, calling through services like Skype and Facebook Messenger works just as well from a tablet as from a phone. Tablets from Apple can also run Facetime.
Tablets from Apple - which go by the name iPad - are often being highlighted by experts, not least given the large range of customised apps. Apple dominates this segment with a large global market share. Android-based tablets, however, are slowly but surely improving, and Samsung has started to gain ground in this segment with their Galaxy Tab-tablets.
Only you can decide which tablet is best for you, but if you’re used to Android, it would be convenient to use an Android-based tablet. If you’re a fan of Apple, you might find the iPads more interesting. Even the simpler iPad variants have a very high ranking.
Three tips when buying a tablet
Does the tablet's name contain “kids” and does it have a colourful shell? Don't buy it. It may seem like a good idea, but any such tablet is generally an overpriced, obsolete model with poor performance. Need a tablet for a child? Let your child inherit an old tablet or buy a good tablet and customise it for children, either with Family Link and Kids Space for Android, or screen time for iPad.
If you choose an iPad we've found a guide for you how to keep your kid more protected online.
Knowing how long a tablet will be updated may not be exciting, but is a good indicator of how sensible the tablet is.
Android tablets have been without updates for a long time, but in recent years they have become better and better, allowing you to keep them for a long time. Updates for iPads, on the other hand, are rarely a concern.
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Do you want to draw and sketch on the tablet? Make sure the model you're looking at has pen support and have a look at what it costs (because it's almost always sold separately).
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The same applies if you want a keyboard case. It's always good to have some kind of protection, so check what cases and screen protectors are available for the model you have in mind, before buying.