{"id":6445,"date":"2014-09-26T12:00:04","date_gmt":"2014-09-26T10:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/?p=6445"},"modified":"2014-09-23T15:54:48","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T13:54:48","slug":"how-to-make-the-most-of-your-tablet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/2014\/09\/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-tablet\/","title":{"rendered":"How to make the most of your tabletHoe om die meeste uit jou tablet te put"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tablets aren\u2019t cheap, but they definitely are one of the best investments you can make during your time as a student. (read our previous post on buying<\/a> a tablet and using<\/a> it for learning)<\/p>\n

However, simply buying a tablet and expecting wonders is not enough. You\u2019ll need to make some adjustments to the way you learn to be able to take maximum advantage of your investment.<\/p>\n

Specifically, you need to actually integrate your tablet with your learning experience: leave your notepad at home, get all of your class notes digitally and start buying your books in e-book format. It will be difficult at first,<\/strong> and you may question whether it\u2019s all worth it in the end, but once you\u2019ve adapted your workflow to the tablet, you\u2019ll reap the benefits tenfold.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, you need to get the best apps for the job. Like computers can run software like Microsoft Word, tablets also have small software packages called \u201capps\u201d. There are hundreds of thousands of apps available for both iOS and Android \u2013 each of these apps performs specific functions and works well in specific contexts. Most apps are cheap (costing below $5 or R50) and can drastically boost your productivity.<\/p>\n

For a list of useful iOS apps for students, take a look at this blog article<\/a>. And for Android, check out this round-up<\/a>.<\/p>\n

TIP: For a guide to buying apps, check out this article<\/a> for iOS and this one<\/a> for Android.<\/p>\n

Can a tablet replace a computer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If cost is a big concern for you and you have to choose between a desktop computer\/laptop or a tablet, you\u2019ll probably be wondering whether the latter can fully replace the former.<\/p>\n

The short answer \u2013 at least at the moment \u2013 is NO. iPads and Galaxy Tabs (as well other Android devices) are extremely useful and will be able to accomplish mosteveryday tasks that students need to perform, e.g. browsing the web, reading e-mail, accessing a learning management system (e.g. SUNLearn), making notes, etc.<\/p>\n

You can even write essays and reports on a tablet (although, for such heavy-duty typing, you\u2019ll probably need to buy an external keyboard as well). However, you won\u2019t be able to run the same software that you can run on a PC or Mac, because the software platforms are different. In other words: if your course requires of you to use specialised software (like a programming IDE or CAD design software), you\u2019ll probably not be able to get away with only a tablet.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s definitely true that a tablet works best if you have a computer\/laptop as well, if you have to choose between the two, bear in mind that you can always use the University\u2019s computer centres (e.g. HUMARGA or FIRGA) for specialised software or heavy-duty typing. This might be a good way to avoid having to choose between buying a computer\/laptop or a tablet.<\/p>\n

Lastly, it should be noted that some Windows-based tablets (e.g. the Microsoft Surface Pro) actually run the same Windows platform that you\u2019ll find on a computer. Technically, then, these tablets are fully-fledged computers in a tablet form and therefore can replace a desktop computer\/laptop completely. However, these tablets are expensive and have not been particularly popular, which should make you think twice before buying one.<\/p>\n

[ARTICLE BY\u00a0JOHANNES JONKER<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Tablette is nie goedkoop nie, maar hulle is beslis een van die beste beleggings wat jy as \u2019n studente kan maak.\u00a0(lees ons vorige artikels oor die koop<\/a>\u00a0van `n \u00a0tablet en hoe om dit te gebruik<\/a>\u00a0om mee te leer)<\/p>\n

Jy moet egter nie net \u2019n tablet koop en wondere verwag nie. Jy sal \u2019n paar aanpassings moet maak in hoe jy leer om die grootste voordeel uit jou belegging te trek.<\/p>\n

Meer spesifiek, jy sal werklik jou tablet in jou leerervaring moet integreer: los jou notablok by die huis, kry al jou klasnotas in digitale vorm en begin om boeke in e-formaat te koop. Dit sal aanvanklik moeilik wees en jy sal dalk bevraagteken of dit uiteindelik alles die moeite werd is. Maar sodra jy jou werkvloei by jou tablet aangepas het, sal jy die voordele tienvoudig trek.<\/p>\n

Verder sal jy ook die beste apps vir die werk moet kry. Net soos rekenaars sagteware soos Microsoft Word kan laat loop, het tablette ook klein sagtewarepakkette wat as \u201capps\u201d bekend staan. Daar is letterlik honderde duisende apps wat vir beide iOS en Android beskikbaar is \u2013 elk van hulle voer spesifieke funksies uit en werk goed in spesifieke kontekste. Die meeste apps is goedkoop (minder as $5 of R50) en kan help om jou produktiwiteit drasties te verhoog.<\/p>\n

Kyk na hierdie blogartikel<\/a> vir \u2019n lys nuttige iOS apps vir studente. En vir Android, kyk na hierdie opsomming<\/a>.<\/p>\n

WENK: Vir \u2019n gids oor apps koop, kyk na hierdie artikel<\/a> vir iOS en hierdie een<\/a> vir Android.<\/p>\n

Kan \u2019n tablet \u2019n rekenaar vervang?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Indien koste jou grootste bekommernis is en jy tussen \u2019n tafelrekenaar\/skootrekenaar of \u2019n tablet moet kies, sal jy seker wonder of laasgenoemde eersgenoemde volledig kan vervang.<\/p>\n

Die kort antwoord \u2013 ten minste tans \u2013 is NEE. iPads en Galaxy Tabs (sowel as ander Android-toestelle) is baie nuttig en sal feitlik alle daaglikse take kan uitvoer wat studente moet verrig, bv. om die web te deurblaai, e-pos te lees, toegang te kry tot \u2019n leerbestuurstelsel (bv. SUNLearn), notas te maak, ens.<\/p>\n

Jy kan selfs opstelle en verslae op \u2019n tablet skryf (hoewel jy vir sulke swaardiens tikwerk moontlik ook \u2019n eksterne sleutelbord sal moet koop). Jy sal egter nie dieselfde sagteware kan loop as wat jy of \u2019n persoonlike rekenaar of Mac kan doen nie, omdat die sagtewareplatforms verskil. Met ander woorde: indien jou kursus vereis dat jy gespesialiseerde sagteware moet gebruik (soos ge\u00efntegreerde drywer elektronika vir programmering (programming IDE \u2013 integrated drive electronics<\/em>) of rekenaargesteunde ontwerpsagteware (CAD \u2013 <\/em>computer-aided design software<\/em>), sal jy heel moontlik nie net \u2019n tablet kan gebruik nie.<\/p>\n

Hoewel dit definitief waar is dat \u2019n tablet die beste vir jou werk as jy ook \u2019n rekenaar\/skootrekenaar het, moet jy ook in ag neem indien jy tussen die twee moet kies dat jy altyd die Universiteit se rekenaarsentrums (bv. HUMARGA of FIRGA) vir gespesialiseerde sagteware of swaardiens tikwerk kan gebruik. Hierdie is moontlik \u2019n goeie manier om die keuse tussen die aanskaffing van \u2019n rekenaar\/skootrekenaar of \u2019n tablet te vermy.<\/p>\n

Laastens moet jy daarop let dat sommige Windows-gebaseerde tablette (bv. die Microsoft Surface Pro) van dieselfde Windows-platform gebruik maak wat jy op \u2019n rekenaar vind. Tegnies is hierdie tablette dus volwaardige rekenaars in tabletvorm en kan hulle \u2019n tafelrekenaar\/skootrekenaar heeltemal vervang. Hierdie tablette is egter duur en is nie juis gewild nie, wat jou twee keer moet laat dink voor jy besluit om een te koop.<\/p>\n

[ARTIKEL DEUR\u00a0JOHANNES JONKER<\/a>]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tablets aren\u2019t cheap, but they definitely are one of the best investments you can make during your time as a student. (read our previous post on buying a tablet and using it for learning) However, simply buying a tablet and expecting wonders is not enough. You\u2019ll need to make some adjustments to the way you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":259,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29209],"tags":[29204],"class_list":["post-6445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-connectivity","tag-tablet"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-08 06:49:34","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/259"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6445"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6450,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6445\/revisions\/6450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sun.ac.za\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}