Tablets come with standard apps, such as a calculator, contacts, email, Gmail, Web browsers, a calendar, and maps. I use a Sprint Overdrive, a device that allows me to split a mobile broadband signal to multiple users at once, so I can use the tablet, laptop, and netbook if I need to. Mobile 3G or 4G Internet is also usually built in, but you have to decide whether or not you need a data plan dedicated to your tablet. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built into almost all tablets but double-check to be sure. Tablets with HDMI output can hook up to your customer's big-screen TV, maximizing the impact of your presentation. Android 3.1 offers mouse support having a mouse or keyboard is useful. A camera is convenient for taking snapshots, and GPS can be very handy. One option I love is rotation lock, which keeps pictures oriented in landscape mode no matter how I rotate or turn the tablet. Do you have five gigabytes of pictures or 50 gigs? Make sure there is ample room to store new pictures as well. I tried 7-inch tablets and the screen was just not large enough for my customers to view pictures properly, so I chose a 10-inch model instead.Ĭonsider how much memory you need for storage. Screen size is important for presentations. No-name tablets are available for $200 or less however, the quality, expandability, and options are sub-par, they often run older software that's not upgradeable, and they have old-style touch screens that don't perform as well. Apple iPad 2 units range from $500 to about $800. Android-based tablets can range from $350 to $600 depending on the options you choose. All the major carriers offer various tablet options and data plans, with discounts on tablets when you sign up for a one- or two-year data contract. Prices vary depending on the specs of the tablet and whether or not you get a data plan. If you have a smart phone, you may want something with a similar operating system, as you'd already be familiar with the interface - Android tablets aren't a lot different from Android phones, and Apple iPads are similar to iPhones. Since tablet computers are largely meant for Internet access, you'll probably want a data plan from a national carrier. When you're deciding which tablet to buy, there are several important considerations. That's a lot in a small, easy-to-use package. I also use my tablet throughout the day for accessing email, using the PDF and blueprint viewers, and finding my way around with its GPS receiver. And if someone would like more information about a product, I just pull up the manufacturer's website right there and we can review it together. I've got a presentation package on it, too - with references, insurance, and licensing information - that I show and email to prospective clients. I can use it to snap pictures of clients' yards and homes for design purposes, sketch quick outlines, take notes, and input contact information. I now keep all my job pictures on an Acer Iconia A500 tablet, organized so I can quickly and easily show customers photos relevant to their project. I still need a laptop or netbook for my business, but for sales presentations and other electronic needs away from the office, I've found that tablet computers are far superior. That was years ago, and since then I've owned various other netbooks and laptops. The first computer I used for customer presentations was a Dell netbook (a computer between a smart phone and a notebook in size, intended mostly for accessing the Internet).
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