Generally speaking, a convertible tablet PC is on which can be transformed from a laptop configuration to that of a hand held tablet. The main driving force behind development of these machines is the requirement by many users for handy portability and the ability to work requiring less space.

It is worth bearing in mind that there are 2 distinct camps within the Tablet PC market. There are lightweight tablets, or slates, which do not have a keyboard and rely solely on the touch screen interface, such as the Apple iPad and there are laptops which convert into a touch screen tablet by rotating the screen and laying it flat on top of the keyboard, such as the Dell Inspiron Duo. It is the later category that this article is concerned with simply because the computing power of the iPad and its slate clones do not have a powerful enough processor to allow them to carry out the full range of tasks and run the typical business applications that a laptop can.

Tablet PC Pros

The greatest advantage of Tablet PCs is their mobility. Small and light, the tablet pc allows you to work in any situation. All tablet pc’s share one thing in common, they use touch screen technology to allow you to input data on the very screen you are working on. This is why these machines are so small; in tablet mode you dispense with the keyboard and instead type on a virtual keyboard or handwrite with a stylus.

Another advantage of Tablet pc’s is that they can be used for drawing and illustration with the aid of a stylus. This allows for a more creative and free-flowing interaction with the digital paper.

Touch screen technology has advanced greatly over the last few years with the arrival of the iPhone & iPad and this has percolated throughout the entire industry to help create a whole new generation of devices that are easier to use and boast an enhanced user experience. With the widespread adoption of this technology, the prices for convertible tablet pc’s has also dropped rapidly and for the first time ever, this technology can be acquired for the same price as a standard mid-level laptop.

Tablet PC Cons

While these machines are much more portable than their desktop & laptop ancestors, they do tend to be heavier than the slate style tablet as they require more processor, graphics and hard drive space. However, newer models such as the Dell Duo offer netbook sized computing with the benefits of touch screen tablet usability while still having the power of a mid-level laptop.

Some of the older convertible tablet pc’s have an outdated touch screen which can be sluggish or can only be used with a stylus. This will indeed make them harder to use and the inclusion of finger touch screen capability would be preferable on any convertible laptop you are considering acquiring.

The Apple iPad has the best touch screen available at present. It is unfortunate that the manufacturer’s of convertible tablet pc’s have not been able to match its performance as the computing limitations of the iPad mean that it can really only be used for internet surfing, minor tasks and games/entertainment. Over the last few months we have seen the gap close with the release of the Dell Inspiron Duo and some of the expensive high level Hewlett Packard machines coming very close indeed.

Conclusion

If you want to have a mobile, multi-purpose touch screen tablet pc, that can cope with real computing tasks and run real application based software then you will need more than an iPad or Android based tablet. Convertible Tablet PC’s offer the best of both worlds. Despite being heavier and thicker than an Apple ipad, their benefits far outweigh those of the smaller lightweight tablets as they allow for real computing power as well as for entertainment.

Incoming search terms:

• tablet pc
• pros and cons of tablet computers
• tablet pc pros and cons
• pros and cons of tablet pc
• pros and cons of tablets
• tablet cons
• tablet
• tablets pcs and laptops

One has to really say that the Apple iPhone 4 has really one of the best displays ever seen. This is because the 3.5 inch touch screen display uses the retina display technology that has recently been developed by Apple and it now uses very less power than before and most important of all, it is very visible in direct sunlight as well and it is something that not even the AMOLED display technology can boast of. The touch screen display can also display images at very high resolutions and Apple claim that it is very difficult spot pixels with the naked eye and it is something that has been proved time and time again by owners of the Apple iPhone 4. While most other manufacturers are now making touch screen displays that are scratched instant, Apple has made the iPhone 4 not only scratch resistant in the display area, but also in the entire phone as well. This is made possible by the use of an aluminosilicate material, which is the first for a phone.

And it is among one of the first features that you can note when you take a look at this phone. Aside from that, you can notice that there is the stainless steel strip that runs alongside the whole body and Apple has revealed that this is the strip that functions as the antenna and GPS receiver amongst many others. This brilliant new invention has meant that Apple has pushed the all the unnecessary connectivity features from the middle of phone to the side and it has made an incredible effect on the size of the phone. It is now one of the slimmest and lightest phones available in the market today. The phone has HD video recording capabilities and this is thanks to the five megapixel camera that it now employs. This is a huge improvement over the previous camera in the iPhone 3GS model. Apart from recording HD videos, you can also do a lot of functions with the HD videos like editing them and share them on many areas like social networking sites and so on.

The iPhone like the iPad is available in various versions. The cheapest available iPhone sells for around £ 499 and the costliest iPhone sells for around £ 599 in the United Kingdom. The above prices are those at the Apple Store and you can get a lot of deals elsewhere.

American Express and Fishlabs have launched its free Cash IQ for iPhone and iPod Touch that will help you workout your brain with four fun and addictive game modes, here is some of the game modes:

Flip & Pin

Players will have to flip different shaped tiles around a 12 x 12 grid, and they will need to cover the painted areas completely with the tiles. As difficulty increases, the shapes and areas will come larger and more complex. Bonuses are given for the smallest amount of movements at the end of the level.

Beat the Bank

Coins with random values drop from the top of the screen into a piggybank one by one, and then some of the coins fall out from the bottom of the piggybank, the player is being challenged to count the value of coins that still remain inside the piggybank in a limited amount of time.

Shopping List

A classic memory game, it features a conveyor belt that moves a selection of objects across the screen from right to left in sequence. Players must memorize the order or objects and then select the objects the correct order.

If this is the first time you heard about Fishlabs, Fishlabs is specialized in 3D mobile games development on iPhone, iPad, Android smart phones , Nokia, and J2ME (Java). Besides Fishlabs’  award-winning titles like Galaxy on Fire™, Fishlabs is also known for very successful ad games on iPhone for clients like Mazda and Volkswagen, having dominated the App Store charts for weeks in almost every country.

On paper at least, the Samsung Galaxy Tab seems to have all the right ingredients to take on the iPad. Featuring a 7-inch display, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is much smaller than the iPad. Samsung believe that this could be the area where the iPad could be taken on. The smaller size makes the Galaxy Tab much easier to carry around or just holding in your hand. The smaller size does not compromise on the quality however. The display produces rich and vivid pictures with great quality.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab comes with two cameras on either side. The back camera is a 3-megapixel one and the front camera is 1.3-megapixel. These cameras allow the user to take pictures of a memorable moment or use them for video conferencing, features that are unavailable on the iPad currently. Running on the Android 2.2 operating system, Samsung have fitted this device with a powerful 1 GHZ processor and the end result is breath-taking. The tablet is powerful enough to play Full HD videos or play high-end games. A 4000 mAh battery offers nearly 7 hours of movie play.

There are two versions of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the 16GB or 32GB version. Memory can also be expanded through microSD cards to a maximum of 32GB. The prices for these tablets have been dropping and Amazon has given a huge discount and the price for the 16GB version is £600. You can find the latest Galaxy Tab deals at best-mobile-contracts.co.uk.

Construction

Experience this and more on its large Multi-Touch screen, measuring 9.7 inches. With a high resolution, LED-backlit screen, the crisp display allows for an impressive 178 degree viewing angle, with perfect colour and contrast in any light. The touch response has been re-engineered, and the large surface makes it easy to do exactly what you set out to.

The bonus of tablet computers is their portability, and the iPad is no exception. At just 1.5 pounds and 0.5 inches thick, it’s easy to take everywhere you go – and we’re sure there are a bevy of slick cases on the way. For those who are always on the go, they’ll appreciate the ten hour battery life and built in 802.11n wireless network, as well as an optional 3G model when Wi-Fi isn’t available.

Inside, there is also an enhanced, custom designed A4 chip allowing for extreme productivity – this is combined with your choice of a 16, 32 or 64GB flash storage, for your collection of files, photos, movies, apps and more. Although it seems to be lacking specific connectors (such as a USB), it does include a 30-pin dock connector. And the built-in speakers allows for movie watching and music listening with ease (headphone jack is included).

Built In Apps

The new iPad can easily run about 140,000 apps available at the app store. It also comes with many of the applications that we already know and love.

Safari: You can make your way around the Internet using your finger. Clicking, pointing, scrolling and zooming has never been easier on the enhanced touch screen.

Mail: Compose, read, delete and send your emails in all of your favourite mail programs. Use two orientations – portrait or landscape – to view and organize your inbox to your liking. Photos: The  high resolution, LED-backlit screen lets you see photos in a whole new light.  Zoom, edit, email and organize with a new software that makes your iPad into personalized, portable album.

Video: Any kind of movies will make the cut, including television shows and podcasts. The picture completely fills the screen, keeping distractions at bay and letting you enjoy. It also includes a YouTube app, so videos are easy to find and watch.

iPod and iTunes

Your music awaits, organizing your songs by their information. Simply tap to play a song, and listen through the speakers or headset – letting you take your music anywhere. You can also buy your music (or videos) from iTunes right from your iPad.

App Store and iBooks

Keep boredom at bay with about 140,000 apps and loads of new books. The LED-backlit screen display allows for reading in dim lighting, and the loads of choices will keep you busy during long flights, nights in or boring meetings. Five of North America’s largest trade book publishers, including Penguin, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan and Hachette, have signed as head suppliers of the new iBook store.

Notes: Those who love Stickies will love pnote taking on their iPad with its large, on-screen keyboard.

Calendar and Contacts

Just like on your Mac, Calender and Contacts are easily organized, keeping all your information at the touch of your fingertips. One thing we’re not sure of – but would be ideal – would be easy syncing with your Macbook.

The Environment

We also love the eco-ness of the upcoming iPad, designed with specific features to be earth-friendly. This includes a mercury-free LCD display with arsenic-free display glass, as well as being completely BRF0free and PVC-free. It is also made of  a recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure.

What Its Missing

We’re surprised that the iPad doesn’t include a camera, wireless sync, and multitask abilities – but we’ll await to see how these might come aboard.

The Cost

The Apple iPad Wi-Fi models are set to launch in late March 2010, and the 3G models in April 2010. For the Wi-Fi versions, pricing starts at $500 for 16GB version, $600 for 32GB, and $700 for 64GB (US Dollars). The 3G is a little sturdier at $630 for 16GB version, $730 for 32GB, and $830 for 64GB (US Dollars). International pricing and availability will be announced at a later date.

Specs

Size/Weight
Height: 9.56 inches (242.8 mm)
Width:  7.47 inches (189.7 mm)
Depth:  0.5 inch (13.4 mm)
Weight: 1.5 pounds (.68 kg) Wi-Fi model; 1.6 pounds (.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

Display
9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen
Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Capacity: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive

Processor: The Apple iPad is powered by a 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip
Battery and Power: Built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music
Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system