By: Will Fleenor, CPA, PhD, K2 Enterprises
Blog Series: Which Tablet is Best for You?
Post 1 of 5
Part 1: Understanding Your Options
The iPad® was introduced only four years ago, and last year, 217 million tablets were sold. That’s a 51 percent increase over 2012. Even though 42 percent of American adults already own a tablet, IDC predicts that another 245 million tablets will be sold in 2014. The market is large, and there are many good choices. Which one is right for you?
The decision process
Some tablets are well suited for reading email and browsing web pages but not for watching movies or editing documents. Others are capable enough to replace a laptop or desktop. Are your needs basic, extensive, or somewhere in the middle?
By answering the following questions, you will be well on your way to deciding which tablet best suits your needs:
- Which operating system do I want?
- What screen size is right for me?
- What hardware features are important to me?
- What do the reviewers say?
Which operating system do I want?
Your first decision—and it is a big one— should be about the operating system. The operating system determines the type of user interface (i.e. touch only vs. touch and mouse) and what software a tablet can run.
What do the reviewers say?
It is always a mistake to buy something you are not well versed in without looking at the review comments. Read the comments of people who gave the product ratings of two or poorer, so that you will know what the potential problems are before they become your problems. Another benefit of the product review sites is the list of features. Read through the list—probably lots of stuff you never even considered or were aware of.
If possible find a local store that carries the tablets you are considering. Pick it up and see how it feels. Two pounds is a lot to hold up, continuously, which is what you will be doing often if you use your tablet to read books.
Consider your needs
What do you intend to use the tablet for? Consuming information like emails and web pages or producing documents the way you would on a laptop or desktop machine or something in between. Continue by matching features with needs. Most users keep high end tablets more than 42 months, so it is important to make the right choice.
This blog series will provide information on all of these elements to ensure you have the ability to make an informed decision.
For more information on making tech work for you, join experts from K2 Enterprises at NCACPA’s TechFest Summer Conference, August 18–19, 2014, for the nuts and bolts of today’s technical solutions and how to confidently put them to work for your business!
William C. Fleenor, CPA, Ph.D.
• Past Chair of the AICPA’s National Microcomputer Conference
• Published articles in the Journal of Accountancy & CPA Journal
• Winner of the AICPA “Accounting Educator of the Year Award”
• Has conducted continuing education for CPAs in 48 states