There are various affordable business tablets on the market, boasting innovative features that aim to make familiar programmes such as Microsoft Word and Excel easier to use. For those seeking the best in new and familiar technology, Convertible tablets are the best in business gadgets.
3. Motorola Xoom
First up is a competitive tablet giving the next generation iPad 2 a run for its money. With a high screen resolution of 1280x800, this tablet provides more workable space which is useful when multitasking and can carry potential for 3D graphics and applications. Like the iPad, it has up to 10 hours battery life but unlike the iPad, it has Adobe flash capability, a must-have element as most businesses will require this feature. While it features very little apps, the future of Motorola Xoom ensures an expanded app market with higher compatibility models in the works.
2. Blackberry Playbook
Sporting a 7 inch screen, the device is more portable than most, boasting a brighter display than the iPad. The playbook has all the usual features and more with excellent Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, 16GB of storage and a multitude of functions with easy navigation. The playbook's browser is also second to none with fast downloading rates and loading speeds averaging at less than 8 seconds, perfect for the businessman and woman on the go. The only real drawback is the Playbook's lack of apps. But this is a minor snag in an innovative and reliable business tablet.
1. Toshiba Thrive
Recommended by many as the best business tablet around and trumping the iPad for efficiency, the Toshiba Thrive does just that with full-sized USB, HDMI and SD ports and it will work with most keyboards and USB accessories. Unlike most smart phones and notebooks, the Thrive's battery life is user replaceable, saving users vast amounts in repair costs. What's more, it is easily the most durable tablet out there with a rubberized grip-friendly back panel to protect against any accidental drops - A reassuring property that the most talked-about tablet (the iPad) cannot guarantee with its thin design and sleek aluminium back panel.
What to avoid
Tablets with touch-screen technology such as The Apple iPad are far from ideal for people who prefer to do business the traditional way. But for those who can get past the sleek appearance, the iPad's lack of simple features make this an enormous business let-down. First is the iPad's physical impracticality - At 600g in weight and almost 10 inches in length, the Apple iPad has been described as a laptop that's too small and a mobile phone that's too big, forcing people to invest in stands to support the iPad and keep it up right in the office home or for travel purposes.
In addition to being impractical to operate, the iPad is missing some of the most basic features of a traditional computer that could soon see it become obsolete. Firstly, you can only operate one application at a time - unthinkable for general work purposes. Secondly and most disappointing of all is the lack of a USB drive, an essential requirement in the world of business communications. Another disappointment is that the iPad does not have a CD/DVD drive, chiefly because Apple believes that services such as iTunes can provide users with everything they need. A handy feature for those who wish to purchase and download films and music, but for businesses still using CD's to store data or as a means of promoting the company with a presentation DVD this is a major downside, making the iPad of little use to most businesses.
Chris Bourne - Writes exclusively for the business communications industry. Chris often provides online reviews, news stories and articles on subjects such as business communications, business VoIP, IP telephony and more.
