There are several devices which fit into this category. While some will say that the iPad was the first, in 2010, that's far from correct. Apple did put together a real popular device at that time, though. There are several devices which fit into this category, and different price ranges in which they fit. You'll need to make a decision based on budget, brand and features. Follow along and you should be able to choose wisely.
If looking for a tablet, there are a few styles, types, operating systems, and manufacturers. Let's start with about the most simple, the eReader/eBook. These can be fairly simple contraptions, or can get quite complicated. One of the earlier popular ones was the Amazon Kindle, though the Barnes & Noble Nook, Sony eReader, and others would join in the market. In the most simple form, the eReader is a tablet that stores assorted text forms (proprietary and/or open source) for perusing at one's leisure. Some have a fixed amount of storage capacity, while others allow for the addition of more storage through media cards. Some of these will connect directly to the internet, via wifi, to purchase or borrow books or subscription services, while others must have their content transferred from a computer.
An interesting note about eReaders. While there is a power switch/button, the device is technically "off" even with words on the screen. This is a mechanical technicality. It may not be worth it to push the issue on a flight, but, technically some of the basic eReaders are read in "off" position. This is not so with many of the newer or more complex devices, though.
I'd like to take a look at the iPad here, as next. Apple introduced the first iPad in 2010. It has since taken up a large share of the market. Advertising, product placement, "the Kleenex effect", and the fact that they were alone on the market for a while before competitors showed up have helped them. Apple releases a "new" version about every six months, with the iPad 4 as the current model, and speculation on the iPad 5 being due out in the early summer 2013. In addition, not long ago, the iPad Mini was introduced as a smaller alternative. Both versions are available as either a wifi only model, or paired with a cellular plan. The iPad line of products come with 16, 32, or 64 GB of storage space. Buyers need to be prepared, though, as the iPad is not expandable, short of a soldering iron and a voided warranty. There are plenty of apps available through the iTunes store - both free and paid. In addition, there are a number of special accessories designed for each type/model iPad. Apple's proprietary system can be seen in the accessories, as well, as they are unique to Apple, and some are not interchangeable with other products. The iPad line has been consistently popular, with a fixed price point for each unit.
The biggest competitor to the iPad would be Google's Android. Unlike iPad, running on the Mac iOS, the Android operating system is run on many different devices. There are a lot of differences - hardware, software, and accessory - between Android and iOS based devices. First, we'll look at the hardware. While there is but one (real) iPad, Toshiba, Dell, Asus, Motorola, Acer, and several others make top end 10 inch tablets. In addition, there a number of "economy line" tablets, made by companies like Velocity. Some of the newer eReader devices (Kindle Fire, Nook, Pandigital, for instance) also run on the Android operating system. Some of the "cheaper" tablets will be more limited in software and operating system updates. Storage is one thing that the Android devices have an advantage. While they have a base capacity in which they are shipped, but may use expansion cards for additional storage. Like iPads, while most tablets will have wifi capability, some will also be paired with cellular providers, to allow connectivity anywhere within range of a cellular tower. Unlike Apple, "mini" tablets have been around for some time. the Dell Streak and Samsung Nexus were some of the first Android tablets available, using the smaller screen size. Because of the wide range of brands, there is a wider range of accessories available, as well. Plus there are a lot of "universal" accessories, like microHDMI cables or microUSB cables, which can be used on devices from any manufacturer (with the same port). Android devices make use of the Google Play store for app purchases.
A new player on the market is the Windows Surface. Microsoft entered into the market in a big way two months ago. Several things happened with the Surface. Microsoft now has a competing tablet, with their operating system. The Surface has a similar price point similar to that of the iPad, except that it has twice the capacity at each level than a similarly priced iPad. Bundling with the keypad, the 32GB Surface is the same price as a 32GB iPad with no accessories. Microsoft also launched their Surface tablets with Microsoft Office, the only tablet line on the market to have installed a full version of productivity software. Microsoft is making quite a statement, launching this, with their brand new Windows 8 operating system.
What Should You Look At/For?:
My personal recommendation is to look at your wants, needs, and budget. Costs should take into account warranties, accessories, extra storage, and replacement. Yes, replacement is important. Some older (or lesser) devices may be outdated sooner than others. Do you need the full spread of Microsoft Office? Do you intend mostly to read books from Amazon? Do you have use a lot of content from iTunes? Are you looking for something midsized that you can use anywhere? Assuming that money is not an issue in this, the answers to the questions I gave would be, respectively, Surface, Kindle Fire, iPad, Samsung Galaxy/Nexus (depending on cell provider). Would you like to play YouTube videos on your HDTV? Then you'll want an HDMI port on your device. Do you have data on miniSD cards? In that case, a card reader will be very important for your device.
TIPS:
Some shops will sell refurbished models. These will offer the device for a reduced price from normal. You may want to pay attention to warranty options if you go this route (manufacturer and shop).
When Apple releases a new iPad, the previous series tends to drop $100 per increment. This could be a good cost-saver if having the "newest" thing there isn't as important as having an iPad branded tablet.
Android tablets have a limited OS upgrade life. When Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jellybean, etc are released, some of the older devices will not be supported under the new OS. While they will still work, they will be behind newer tablets after some point.
"You get what you pay for" may be applicable to tablets. "Economy line" tablets may not be as reliable, nor be supported as long as more expensive units. They also will be lacking in memory, on-board storage, They also will not likely have all of the features that you may want.
You may be able to get a discount on your device by buying it paired to your wireless provider. Be warned though that this generally will include a data plan, which may have additional costs, or may not be included with your regular shared plan. Connectivity will depend on location of towers. Roaming and other data use charges may be extra.
Some "special purpose" devices may have some limitations, coinciding with their price.
Hopefully this gives you a bit of an idea of what's out there, and what may be worth picking up - for yourself, or those on your shopping list.
Check back again for more gift ideas!
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