The Specs To Look Out For When Shopping For Tablet PC

Connectivity Options

Tablet computers are designed to be portable so that you may access the web wherever you go. You can find a few types of connectivity options on tablet computers and these include:

1) Wi-Fi - Practically every tablet pc offers you Wi-Fi connectivity. This will enable you to connect to the wireless internet at home, or at Wi-Fi hotspots that are located in public places like cafes and malls.

2) Bluetooth - You can find this feature on most tablet computers these days. With this, you can connect wireless headsets and also make use of features like Bluetooth gaming.

3) GPS - Except for the lower end tablet computers, most will include GPS which allows the device to detect your exact location. It's extremely useful if you intend to use the tablet pc as a satellite navigation system or simply for map functions.

4) 3G - Mostly found on more expensive tablet computers like the iPad, it enables you to stay connected to the web even when you are not in the vicinity of a Wi-Fi hotspot. Remember that you will have to pay more for 3G tablet computers and this applies to both your initial payment as well as the monthly plan with your 3G service provider.

5) 4G - Though 4G is not yet the norm today, it is already available in some models like the Dell Streak. It features a faster connectivity as compared to 3G and promises a much higher standard of mobile broadband. As a result 4G will certainly cost more as compared to 3G or Wi-Fi.

Camera

Many tablet computers now come with either 1 or 2 built-in cameras. The purpose of the front facing camera is generally for video calling, whereas the rear facing camera is designed for you to take photographs and record videos.

One thing to note is that the resolution of these cameras isn't of very high quality. While their average range spans from 1 to 5 megapixels, most tablet computers offer only the range of between 1 to 3. Thus you should not expect the quality of your tablet pc's camera to match that of digital cameras at all.

Some of these features are not the norm yet in tablet computers but you may wish to look out for them:

- Video recording
- LED flash
- HD video recording
- Extras like panoramic photos, face detection, additional photo options

Music And Video

Practically any tablet pc you purchase these days will give you the functionality to play videos and music, while watching online videos is easy with the YouTube app. When shopping for tablet computers, you will want to check out the range of formats that is supported.

Here are some of the common multimedia formats:

- MP3
- WAV
- AAC
- Flac
- MPEG4
- M-JPEG
- DivX
- XviD

You can also find some tablet computers which allow you to play HD (720p or 1080p) videos.

If you often use WMA (Windows files), do note that several tablet computers such as iPad and Xoom will not play them. What you can do is to convert these files into MP3s by using iTunes on PC or Mac.

Connecting The Tablet PC To Your Computer

You will want to find out what kind of software is required for you to sort and upload media. For instance if you have the iPad then what you need to do is to download iTunes so as to manage your media.

There are some tablets which allow you to connect to the computer via the USB. It'll work just like an external hard drive so you can easily drag and drop whatever file you wish to transfer. There are also some others which have their very own software for the purpose of helping you to synchronize multimedia.

Last but not least, let's take a look at the remaining specs for tablets you need to look out for when choosing your ideal tablet computers - battery life, connections, accessories.