In the last five years, there has been a new trend in the development of electronics. Modern mobile devices with wide functionality and a multidisciplinary scope have come to the fore. Based on the size of these gadgets, they can be divided into two "camps": smartphones and tablets. Often, between the two types of devices indicated, the only difference is the screen size, while all other technical specifications and software may be identical.
Smartphone vs tablet
The first type of device is mainly used as a telephone for making calls and receiving SMS messages. But if we consider a tablet with a cell phone function, then the difference between the devices is almost erased. And then the only main advantages of smartphones over tablets are their light weight and small size, which allows them to easily fit in pockets of clothes.
At the same time, a display with a larger diagonal and better resolution opens up a wider perspective for the user. The larger the screen of the tablet device,the easier it is to work with images and adjust photos, watch movies and TV shows in good quality, it is much more pleasant to play games when there is an opportunity to consider all the nuances of high-quality graphics. Also, do not forget that a tablet with an e-book function is much preferable to a smartphone.
The stars were aligned
As many of you may have guessed, this article will discuss what features a tablet has that makes this type of gadget so popular. But first I would like to say a few words about its internal structure and configuration. A lot of factors coincided in order for this device to come into being in its current form - the development of computer technology, mobile phones, a decrease in the power consumption of components and an increase in battery capacity. We will try to consider what a tablet is, and we will also describe its functions. We will identify the main source of pricing and consider promising development vectors for the coming years.
Tablet - evolved laptop?
No matter how strange it may sound, both tablets and smartphones are a logical evolution of a whole class of electronic computers. In order not to delve into the history of the term, let's draw some analogy with familiar computers.
As part of the system unit, using the motherboard, a processor, RAM cells, video, sound and network cards, sources of permanent memory, and so on are assembled into a single system. With the development of microelectronics, some of them are no longerrequired to be attached as separate components. There were controllers built directly into the chipsets of the motherboard, performing tasks that were previously handled by separately connected cards. In most modern laptops, this is implemented in this way, which made it possible to significantly reduce the dimensions of the devices.
With the advent of touchscreens, laptops have evolved into tablet computers, but the first models were quite expensive. In parallel with this, mobile phones became more complex, the miniaturization of electronics allowed them to increase functionality without a significant increase in weight and size. But a completely different processor architecture has spread computer and mobile equipment along different banks.
Influence of cell phone development
The answer to the question of what is a tablet and what are its functions is not so simple. It is worth noting that in addition to the development of computer technology, mobile phones have had a great influence on these gadgets.
Earlier models coped well only with the direct functions of receiving / making calls and SMS messages. But the cell phones that were produced in the early 2000s became the closest to modern analogues. They had color screens, high-quality sound and the first built-in cameras. Gradually, the integration of new technologies took place, towards the end of the 2000s, pocket personal computers became widespread. Often, their functionality was expanded through the introduction of a GPS module, support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
New communication standards appeared, the data transfer rate increased, respectively, there were cellular, supporting 3G connections. The growth of mobile Internet traffic has revealed the need for a larger screen for viewing mail and news feeds. But the only drawback was inconvenient management and a scattering of operating systems. Sometimes each device was supposed to have its own special axis with a limited set of built-in functions. And attempts to expand the scope by installing third-party programs sometimes encountered a conflict between settings and equipment.
A tablet is a logical continuation of a smartphone?
One of the answers to the request that existed at that time was the first iPhone from Apple - convenient finger control on a capacitive screen, various options for functioning depending on the position of the device. There was no need for a keyboard, only a small number of function keys remained. All other control was solved by software through the implementation of multi-touch gestures on the screen that responds to touch. These and many other advanced technologies were controlled by the proprietary iOS operating system. Naturally, the iPhone quickly gained popularity, but again, the cost issue arose.
Other manufacturers wanted to repeat this success. They lacked only a single platform that allows them to realize the full potential of the hardware.
Microsoft did not want to lose its leading position in the industry, and in the mobile segmentpromoted its operating system - Windows mobile.
But when Google released the Android OS, there was a qualitative leap in the budget segment of smartphones. This mobile operating system is distributed absolutely free of charge, the only thing left to do for manufacturers of equipment is to create firmware corresponding to the hardware configuration used in the device.
Thus, everything was ready for the appearance of tablets, only the problem of power consumption remained. Even now, the tablet loses to the smartphone in the duration of work on a single battery charge when performing tasks of a similar class. The thing is that increasing the display, respectively, led to faster battery consumption.
The birth of the tablet
Finally, in 2010, technological development reached the limit that allowed the birth of tablets in their modern form of presentation. It was then that the concept was determined, along the path of development of which all current devices of this type are moving.
Spring 2010 saw the release of the 9-inch iPad from Apple. And already in the fall, Samsung tablets stepped on its heels, the functions of which were in no way inferior to the competitor due to being based on the Android operating system version 2.2. In many ways, the first Galaxy Tab was interesting because it was a tablet with a cell phone function, while the first "apple" tablet had this feature cut out at the software level. Only the subsequent jailbreak allowed you to unlock the reception of calls and SMS, and even then afterinstallation of the corresponding application.
Of course, these features are typical only for tablets with support for 3G data transfer technology. While the Wi-Fi-only models of both devices were suitable for a similar class of tasks: watching videos, listening to music, surfing the Internet, reading books, working with documents, playing exciting games.
Otherwise, the functions of the Samsung tablet were not inferior to those that the gadget from Apple had. Pragmatic app developers often duplicated their products for devices on different platforms, for example, the same games about angry birds and the like.
What is a tablet and its functions
We tried to figure out what ideas formed the basis of modern tablets, on what technological basis they are based. To summarize all of the above, the tablet is the result of adapting the evolutionary achievements of hardware components with a wide implementation of the software part. As can be seen from the history of the development of technology, there has long been a demand for devices that operate on the principle of "all in one". And the affordable price of electronic stuffing and the intuitive interface of human-technical interaction have made tablets so common.
What determines the functions of a gadget
All devices have mandatory hardware, directly or indirectly responsible for the direct operation of the tablet, and additional modules that expand the scope of their application. The presence of the latter is rather a pleasant bonus,than a necessity. But they have an important function to attract buyers, promising a multidisciplinary use of the device without any significant surcharge.
There is an obvious need for a processor, RAM and other systemically important equipment for the normal operation of the tablet. But the GPS module that allows you to use the device as a navigator is not available everywhere. Here, a symbiosis is manifested, in which the presence of a technical capability finds its application for the operation of applications such as navigators (Navitel or Yandex. Navigator), maps (for example, from Google) or the combined function of the help system (2GIS).
Also, not all devices provide a slot for a SIM card of a mobile operator in networks using 3G UMTS or 4G LTE technology. But it depends on this whether you purchased a tablet with a call function or without it.
Other data transmission technologies are also of great importance. The ability to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi has become practical basic. This was partly due to the spread of free wireless access points in public places: cafes, restaurants, subways and parks.
Bluetooth is now rarely used for direct file transfer between devices, only in extreme cases, when there is no wired connection to the computer or the inability to connect to wireless networks. But as a way to wirelessly connect headphones or a headset and fitness tracker bracelets, it is very popular. And these are just the most common.connected devices. Sometimes it comes to exotic things like scales that transmit information to a smartphone or tablet about how much a person weighs.
Whether the camera has a flash or not is responsible for whether it is possible to use the gadget as a flashlight.
And how is a tablet with an e-book function implemented? Applications take over the main task. Some of them are already installed by the manufacturer of the equipment along with the firmware, while others can be installed from the application store.
What depends on the type of OS
The number of apps available to you depends on your mobile operating system. Modern tablets are implemented on three platforms, at first glance they may be similar, but each has its own nuances that determine the differences and advantages. Consider them in more detail.
- Android is perhaps the most common. The number of Market applications that expand the functions of the Android tablet is simply huge.
- iOS is also quite popular among mobile app developers. But there is a natural limit: the Apple Store is for Apple devices only.
- Windows RT, by its architecture, has nothing to do with the desktop operating system from Microsoft. The number of devices running on it is not so large, and therefore developers are not so actively looking to port their programs to this platform.
Tablets now and in the future
We have considered what a tablet is, and its functions have not been left without attention either. I would also like to characterize the current technological level of these gadgets, their pricing features, and outline development trends.
To consider the first two points, let's take the products of the Lenovo brand. Currently, there is a conditional division between tablets with a screen diagonal of about 6-8 inches and their large counterparts with a display of 9-11 inches.
If we talk about the first type of gadgets, they are mainly intended for constant wear (like, for example, a Lenovo tablet). Functions, as usual, depend on the hardware configuration and the use of applications from the Android Market. It is possible to make calls both in 3G networks and via Skype. The latter are implemented when connecting to the Internet through a mobile operator or wireless data transfer technology.
Checking mail, searching for the necessary information, listening to music, playing games, working with text documents, reading e-books, creating and editing photos and videos - all this can be done by tablet owners. As a rule, in such devices there is no separate keyboard, only some function keys. The screen is enclosed in a frame for comfortable holding in hands. The price is usually directly proportional to the size of the screen and the amount of built-in memory.
Tablets with a larger matrix can be of two types, depending on the architecture of the processor used. The first ones, running on Android, are no different from smaller devices, except for the screen size, which dictates the pricing.
The functions of a Lenovo tablet running full Windows are much more diverse, they are even more widely used. In fact, these are not exactly tablets, here there is a closer analogy with netbooks that support touchscreen displays. This is a very promising direction of development, in which the most winning combinations of mobile and computer technology merge. It's a good travel solution when size and features matter, but the price is commensurate with the average laptop. The bundle and cost of the pre-installed operating system affect the final price tag.
If you want to save money first of all, it is usually advised to take a closer look at devices from mobile operators. They are interested in selling you a tablet at the lowest price, often even slightly below their cost. Their benefit is that together with the gadget you enter into an agreement for the indication of communication services. Sometimes this is expressed in the fact that the subscriber's account is automatically replenished by the amount of the discount, this is how the mechanism for buying such a device as the Megafon tablet is implemented. Its functions are somewhat curtailed, there is no camera, but the low price and stable communication reception more than compensate for all the disadvantages. After installing the appropriate applications, his abilities are greatly expanded.
