Finding the Right Tablet PC For Productivity

Some people who want to buy a tablet PC often put it off because they think that a tablet is only useful for consuming online content, reading an e-book, listening to music, or playing games. These people must be able to use a tablet for work to justify purchasing one. With the stiff competition to dominate the rapid growth in the tablet industry, manufacturers have already looked into this customer segment and have come up with tablet PCs that are great for both entertainment and professional purposes. Even those that have iPads and accessories like the iPad charging station think their Apple tablets are mainly to pass the time and not for serious work.

When buying a tablet PC for work purposes, look for one that has features that will make it easy for you to move documents between your tablet PC and your desktop. Here, connectivity features of your tablet PC come into play. There are tablets that are Wi-Fi only while there are others that can also connect online via a 3G or 4G connection. Other tablets have USB ports as a solution for users to move files between devices in the absence of an internet connection. For iPads, the Thunderbolt cable for faster file transfer should be a must-have.

Another feature to look for is whether your tablet lets you seamlessly pick up where you left off when moving from working on your desktop to finishing it on the tablet or vice versa. Some tablets enable this ability via apps or software that can run both on a tablet and a desktop computer. Those who are drawn to the iPad have the option of setting up the iCloud service on all devices. You can use the iCloud service for syncing your iPad whether you have an iMac or a Windows PC. Of course, you need to make sure that your device is fully charged when transferring files. That’s where the iPad charging station comes handy.

An alternative to iCloud is Dropbox, which can be used on both the iPad and Android tablet PCs. Google Docs is yet another option for this productivity requirement. However, all these require being connected online to be able to access documents and do work. With an Android tablet, there is a Google Docs app that at least lets you read your documents offline but you still need to be online to edit.

Another feature to consider is if the tablet supports stylus input or not. Some users see the stylus as superfluous and feel that touch-based input is enough. But some people may find it a necessary part of their tablet PC. A stylus will let you produce some finely-detailed illustrations, for example. It also appeals to those who are more at ease with writing down or scribbling their ideas rather than typing on the tablet.

Speaking of typing, you should seriously consider whether you need a full keyboard or not. Typing on a tablet PC’s onscreen keyboard can hinder productivity especially if you are not comfortable working on it for long stretches of time. Getting a hybrid tablet or a convertible one are two options. The latter may be heavier as the keyboard is not detachable, making the former a more attractive option for those who value portability.

Know your specific needs so you can determine what features your ideal tablet should have. You may also consider battery life to be an important factor, because you might just be more comfortable using an iPad charging station anytime. But your preferences are of primary importance. From here, you can easily search for a tablet that has an optimal mix of all the features that will serve your productivity needs.