In a previous post we looked at the advantages of tablet-based learning. This time around we’ll investigate the options available when you’re buying a tablet.

While there are many different tablets on the market, they can all be categorised according to the software platform they run. Just like a computer runs on Microsoft Windows, Mac OSX or Linux, a tablet also has a so-called operating system. In choosing a tablet, then, you have three main alternatives:^[1]

1. An iOS-based tablet:
   1. Apple iPad (starting at around R4 500 for an older iPad 2 with WiFi)
   2. Apple iPad Mini (starting at around R3 500 for a first-generation device with WiFi)
2. An Android-based tablet:
   1. Samsung Galaxy Tab (starting at around R6 000 for an older Galaxy Tab 2 P5100 with WiFi)
   2. Samsung Galaxy Note (costing around R7 000 for a Galaxy Note N7100 with WiFi+3G)
   3. Lower-end alternatives by other companies (costing as little as R1 500)
3. A Windows-based tablet:
   1. Lenovo and Dell tablets (starting at around R5 000)

The first two groups are by far the most popular. Although many people will argue that an iPad is better than a Samsung Galaxy Tab – or vice versa – choosing between the two is ultimately a matter of taste. However, if you own a smartphone (e.g. an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy), it makes sense to get a tablet that runs the same software so that you can easily share dataandapps between the two.

If cost is your biggest concern, your best option will be to get a lower-end Android tablet. These tablets should be able to do most things that their Samsung big brother can do, albeit at a slower pace and without some of the enhancements that come with Samsung devices. When buying such a tablet, make sure that the battery life is good (you’ll want at least 8 hours of battery life to get through a full day of classes) and that the tablet has enough storage space (less than 16 GB will fill up rather rapidly).

For detailed specifications on available tablets, click here (downloadable pdf)

TIP: Stellenbosch University is part of the national Student Technology Programme (STP), which offers laptops and tablets at reduced prices. Take a look at their website: www.stp.ac.za. Mid-September new tablets will also be added to the list.

^[1] Please note that the listed prices of tablets are merely intended as a general guideline and were current as of January 2014.

[ARTICLE BY JOHANNES JONKER]

This entry was posted on Friday, September 5th, 2014 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Connectivity, Students. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.