What tablet should you buy ?

Since back-to-school sales are going to start soon, I thought I would give you my input on what tablet you should buy and maybe instead of replacing your old laptop, you might end up buying a tablet. In this post, I will tell you about my three favorite models and also I will give you the reasons not to buy an iPad. Apple lovers don't take it the wrong way, it is a great device but I think there are better ones out there, especially for the price but lets wait until we get into that.


Microsoft Surface

So Microsoft decided to launch a brand new set of devices they call Surface. Honestly, it looks gorgeous ! It is actually a Tablet PC running Windows 8. It comes with a smart-cover that is also a keyboard and only 3 mm thin. Another great feature is the kick-stand in the back which was engineered to emulate the sound of a luxury car door when you pop it open or close it. If you need a new device to bring to school, this baby will surely do you good. The Surface is the ultimate mix between a tablet and a laptop because it will run the Microsoft Office Suite so you can create and edit all of your school homework on the fly. I have not tried the Windows 8 Metro user interface, the scientific name for what the new Windows looks like, but I am pretty sure it will serve customers well. Microsoft will produce two different versions of the device, a Windows 8 RT version and a Windows  8 Pro version. The different model storage room will vary from 32 to 128 GB. If you are considering buying a tablet to replace your laptop you use for school, the Microsoft Surface is the option you should go with. It is not out yet but I will be sure to inform you the day it is available in Canada. 


Nexus 7

I have been waiting for that device for such long time ! Google started the Nexus brand with the Google HTC Nexus One in 2010. They thought that if they developed the physical part of their devices in direct collaboration with the biggest hardware manufacturers in the world, they could come up with a device that would be able to face Apple's competition. They were so right ! The Google Nexus 7, built by Asus, is the latest addition to the Nexus family and is the world's first Android Nexus tablet. When it came out, I impulsively wanted to buy two. Why two ? Because it is only 200$ ! And for that price, you get a device with ass-kicking specs : Nvidia Tegra 3 Quad-Core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8/16 GB of storage space and of course, the latest version of Android, JellyBean. If you are looking for a tablet for home entertainment purposes, the Nexus 7 is definately the product for your needs.


Transformer family

If you need a device for school, but you are not interested in Microsoft's products, the sure bet is to go with one of the Asus Transformer's device. I personally own the first of the family, the Eee Pad Transformer, which is now more than a year old and it still holds up to some of the newest tablets out there. It is now confirmed that it will run the latest version of Android, and it is packed with a Tegra 2 Dual-Core processor and 1 GB of RAM. The main advantage over Microsoft's product is the keyboard since this one includes its own battery so instead of spending battery power, it will actually recharge your tablet. They come at a very reasonable price and trust me on this, it will be worth your money. Asus is one of the biggest electronics business in the world and almost any device you will buy will have an Asus component in it. They are also one of the best Android manufacturers, especially when it comes to updating their devices to the latest OS version.


iPads


If Android and Microsoft tablets are so good, why is everyone selling their grandma to buy iPads ? Well that is a mystery of the world because when you compare Apple's products to other manufacturer's, it's not like they have a big advantage or something. In fact, you can do less with an iPad than with an Android device. Here's a perfect example : you would like to play an old game you played on your Super Nintendo, but on your tablet. With an iPad, this is not even conceivable. On an Android tablet like mine, you can play your Super Nintendo game on your device with an emulator, use a PS3 controller to play and even display it on your HD TV. At the risk of sounding redundant, Im going to say that Android gives you choices and that Apple locks you down. The other thing is that they are selling it for 520$. Yes it has a stunning retina display with a resolution of 2048x1536 pixel but the lack of content created in this precise resolution makes it useless. Bottom line : buy something else or maybe wait for Apple's next tablet.


PAF