Tablets: Options and Uses

iOS

Pros:

1. The iOS operating system includes the most amount of apps available among the 3 operating systems being analyzed. With over 700,000 apps available through iTunes, one can find whatever they need for either productivity, games, reading, music, movies, or anything else.  Many of the apps are free, and several are relatively inexpensive.
2. iOS also offers the largest array of cellular options. With built-in cellular technology, this allows users to connect to the internet in places that might not have wi-fi present. For places that do offer wifi, every iOS device is equipped with wi-fi and bluetooth regardless of the size of the device.
3. iOS has the most stable support. This means that updates are often, and there are always improvements being made and problems being tended to.  Therefore, the Apple products can work almost flawlessly, and when they don't, they are sure to be fixed and improved upon very quickly. Apple is both the manufacturer and support, so everyone is always on the same page and updates are made to all iOS products simultaneously.

Cons:

1. The iPads offered through the iOS system are often more expensive than Android, for example. The newest iPads range between $500 - $800 a piece.
2. Because iPads are known primarily for their music, apps, and movies bought through iTunes, they do not focus as heavily on books.  iAuthor and iBooks are available and provide ways for users to read and create their own multimedia projects and author their own books, but Amazon does offer a much wider variety when it comes to books.

Android

Pros: 

1. The Android products are some of the least expensive tablets and seem to be quite economical for environments where many are needed (like in schools). 
2. Amazon in particular has the greatest capacity for ebooks. Not only does it have the broadest array of overall content, but it also has some of the most affordable books available for purchase. The iTunes book market definitely can not match the depth of books available or the prices.
3. Android gives its users so many more device options than most operating systems. If you are willing to compare all of the devices, you can really find one that works best for you. For example, there are Nooks, the Kindles, Galaxy Tabs, and the Nexus tablets. Each has varying amounts of capacities, wifi abilities, and apps.

Cons:

1. Because Android operates under an open operating system, there is less support available. The updates are slow in coming, and the updates which do come might only be available for certain devices, not all.

Windows

Pros:

1. Windows devices are equipped with preinstalled Microsoft apps. Many of these apps are very expensive if bought individually and in a stand-alone method.  With them already being installed, users do not have to pay for standard needs such as Office, Word, Excel, and other productivity applications.
2. If you are looking for a device which is most similar to a laptop, this device is often accompanied by a keyboard and ports like a CD drive and USB ports that resemble a laptop. There are plenty of productivity tools included, so this would be very beneficial in a business environment.
3. Windows has a very large storage capability. This means it can handle the amount of storage that might be necessary for larger presentations, projects, and multimedia pieces. This excessive internal storage area makes it very easy to save onto the actual device without having to constantly dump projects, photos, or videos on to another computer or having to purchase external memory.

Cons:

1. Windows devices are still being developed, so currently there is not a phenomenally strong base or support system.  Also, because of the high amount of internal memory and storage available, are among the most expensive devices.

Cellular

In order to determine whether or not it is beneficial to pay for cellular data on devices, potential users must answer the following questions:

• Where will the device primarily be used?
• If the device will be used primarily in spots with wifi (a school for example), then cellular data may not be needed. However, with many devices sharing the same wireless connection, devices may run slow or not at all. If only a few are being used at a time and being used in a place with wifi, it cellular may be an unnecessary addition.
• If the device will be used in several areas that may not have reliable wifi, it may be beneficial to consider buying cellular data. With my experience, most iPads are required to stay in the school for school use only, but I have heard of a few schools which allow students to take their iPads home with them to continue assignments or to finish up projects. In this case, it is unrealistic to expect every student will have wifi in their home. Cellular would be a good option for cases like these.
• What will the device be primarily used for?
• Cellular is very capable of handling small jobs like emails or browsing the internet. However, if students will be constantly streaming videos, it may be better to invest in reliable wifi routers. Video streaming eats up cellular! Especially if students take their iPads home, there is no control over how much cellular they consume. This consumption of cellular is accompanied with data charges that the school may not wish to invest in.

Size Considerations

In an educational setting, it would not be the best option to buy small size devices. Although these are light and portable, they are easy to lose and easy to run off with (even if by accident). They are often pocket size, so it may be hard for students wishing to read.  Also, watching videos or playing apps could be inconvenient with this size screen.

The larger devices are better for reading and watching movies, but they are heavy and can not be held in one hand for long amounts of times.

The most optimum size for an educational setting is the medium size device. This size is lighter than the large, but still easy to read from and watch videos on. It is also very easy to transport, but would be difficult to lose.

Positives for Educational Settings

In schools, where most cell phones are banned, tablets prove to be an exceptional alternative learning device. Tablets are economical for schools in the long run, because textbooks on the devices are much cheaper and can be redownloaded for free on to a new device if anything ever happened to the device itself.
Having devices like these in an educational setting provides students with a new way to learn through both audio and visual. It allows for multimedia creativity through the various apps that enhances the total learning environment. 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, I find the iOS Apple iPads to be some of the most beneficial devices for students. Not only does it have an abundance (and widest variety) of apps to choose from, but it is also one of the easiest devices to use. The system support promises users frequent updates and enhancements to the devices, so the reliability is a great seller point alone. The iPads are affordable for the amount of apps and capabilities it has, and is more relatable to students with its apps than Windows would be with its more business-directed production tools. Cellular would be unnecessary, as the data could get quite expensive with several devices in each classroom.  If each student had an iPad, the school would do better to upgrade its wireless connections to ensure that each student could have a reliable connection. Also, iPads would be kept at school to ensure safety, to keep them in good shape, and to keep costs down (as cellular would be unnecessary). iPads are definitely a long-term investment that benefit teachers and students alike.