What Are The Storage And Connectivity Options With Current Tablets?

Storage is an important consideration when purchasing a tablet. How much will depend on your needs, and what you intend to do with the tablet. If you are gaming, shooting videos, downloading movies, you will require more storage than if you are primarily reading books and surfing the net. Tablets today come with storage capacity from 4 GB to 64 GB. Many tablets, however, also have a slot for a memory card, increasing the storage capacity to 32 GB in most cases. Tablets need to have some way to connect with the Internet to perform even the basic functions we expect; checking e-mail, surfing the web, streaming books and videos. Most tablets on the market now are Wi-Fi capable. This means that you must be within range of a wireless network for connection to the Internet, whether it is on a home wireless network, or public hot-spot; a cafe, library or other public access spot. There are several variations on Wi-Fi network infrastructure. Most tablets will connect with all the configurations, but it might be a good idea to check that the tablet you are considering has a "dual band antenna". This will ensure that your device will connect with any network, and is ready to move into the future. Some tablets are available with 3G or 4G network connectivity as well. There are advantages and drawbacks. What you choose will depend on your needs. The 3G and 4G networks are cell phone coverage. The cost of the tablet goes up with this added feature, as more hardware must be integrated. In order to connect to the cell phone networks, one also has to pay for a service plan from a mobile provider. Keep in mind that the cost of a plan goes up with the amount of data downloaded; most carriers offer a fixed amount of data, with charges for overage. The charges can mount quite rapidly. Connecting to a 3G or 4G network is handy, though, if you will be out of range of Wi-Fi when you need to use the tablet. It also means that features like GPS can be added, as the cell network will always know your location. Be aware when choosing a tablet of the level of coverage in your area; 3G has very wide coverage, but is being upgraded to the faster 4G. 4G, however, includes three different protocols, which are not necessarily compatible with all devices. Check out what is available in your area, and whether the tablet you have chosen will work where you live. Other connectivity included in some tablets is Bluetooth and mifi. Bluetooth technology is a way of connecting devices to each other; keyboard, mouse, speakers, "hands-free" mobile phone microphone and earpiece. Bluetooth could be used to connect your tablet with a wireless network through a laptop or cell phone. Mifi is another way to connect your tablet, but with a separate box, the mifi or mobile hotspot. The mobile hotspot connects to the network, and become a router for other devices to connect. Either way, these are options to buying a data plan for your tablet.

Get with the times and check out some of the latest tablets and tablet applications, as Windows tablet PC and android tablets continue to be increasingly popular options in the technology industry.