Forcing their way into the mainstream technology spectrum, tablets are quickly becoming a must have gadget.
The trouble is, many people argue that tablets simply don’t offer the functionality that other electrical devices such as laptops, music players and mobile phones do.
However, tablets have their plus points too and are extremely portable, lightweight and practical – making them an increasingly popular purchase for many a techie.
[Read also: Are Tablets Becoming The Preferred Computing Choice?]
So what about add-ons? Can they offer the extra functionality to make tablets the all-encompassing product to dominate the computer and technology market?
Here are some of the essential items that you may consider purchasing for your tablet – making it a more complete product in the process.
Cover
This one is almost compulsory. Tablets are such an expensive purchase (so much so that you may take out insurance on them) that the worst thing you can do is drop them and leave a scratch or mark on them. Having a cover – which can come in a number of different colors and forms – will give you the vital peace of mind when operating your tablet. You will often be offered the opportunity to invest in a cover when you make your tablet purchase.
Keyboard
One of the biggest gripes that people have about tablets is their lack of a physical keyboard. It is argued that laptops are much more appropriate for administrative and work-related tasks because they provide the function of being able to type quickly with the screen in a prime position. However, keyboard accessories can be bought for tablets with some even adding a support to the device to project it in an upright fashion.
Hard drive
Another disadvantage with tablets is their lack of hard drive space in comparison to laptops or desktop PCs. There are a number of different hard drives for tablets available on the market to suit the pocket of the consumer and the amount of extra memory required for all those applications, videos, music and pictures.
Stand
So tablets have the ability to play videos in super high quality making them ideal for viewing TV programmes and films, right? Well, not quite. Unless you’re on the move, it’s not exactly practical to sit down and watch a two-hour long film from your lap. This is where tablet stands come in. They are adjustable to match your viewing requirements and can be great for home use when you want to add some comfort to watching a video from your tablet.
Speakers
One of the many things you’re likely to be storing on your tablet is lots of music – but what use is it if you can’t hear it properly?
There is the option of headphones, of course, but if you want to project your tunes to a wider audience and show off your tablet’s capabilities then it’s worth investing in some speakers. Speakers are also ideal for creating a perfect ambience when watching a film from your tablet.
Gloves
There are some people who are particularly pedantic when it comes to making any type of mark on their tablet screen which can occur from general every day use of the device. To solve this problem, there are specifically designed gloves to be used with your tablet device that will leave no marks on your screen.
[Read also: New Technology allows for Smear-Free Touch Screens]
Arcade
Ok, so this isn’t essential –far from it – but this add-on is just damn right fun and there’s nothing like having a bit of fun, is there?
This accessory – coming in the form of an ‘iCade’ for the iPad – is built in the shape of a classic arcade machine with attached buttons and joystick to help provide you with the ultimate gaming experience. It’s a luxury accessory but one well having if you’re a keen gamer and someone who loves a bit of nostalgia.
[Read also: 5 iPad Accessories You Should Own]
The only problem I have in purchasing a tablet is High risk of falling down and also it is costly to afford.
But if I think in another sense, It is most portable and easy to handle and can carry internet whenever and wherever we want 😀
That’s exactly why having a sturdy cover is an essential accessory to have if you have a tablet!
It’s almost inevitable that you’ll drop it at some point and the materials are so delicate that they are very easily broken!
Mathew Wood, you nailed it bro. Tablets are very costly, yet fragile. With whatever you do, there will be possibilities of an accident (falling etc.)
This is a good post, I like the gloves the most because my brother has it and i borrowed it.
I don’t know, perhaps it amplifies the calibration that makes you work smoothly and it looks cool.
anyway, I don’t think Arcade is necessary or will just hamper the “mobility” these tablets can offer, but that will not stop me from playing games, we have alternatives nowadays like the DUO GAMER by Gameloft.
Convenience and Mobility.
But overall, I like how the author wrote this. Kudos!
Hey Philip,
Thanks for your kind words!
Hi Matthew,
I am not particularly sure with the hard drive you mentioned. I understand how you can use your tablet as a portable hard drive temporarily, but an external hard drive for a tablet is beyond me. Even if you had a wireless portable hard drive, you simply don’t have the advantage of choosing a logical drive on where you save your file or store your file.
Hey Felicia,
Thanks for your comment.
I’m a little bit unsure as to what you’re trying to get across. The hard drive is just one of a number of accessories available for tablets. The devices aren’t renowned for holding lots of space so that’s where it can fit in. Also handy for backing-up data you may have on a tablet.
Like Felicia, I too wonder what you mean about the ‘hard drive.’ I have an iPad3 as well as a Samsung Galaxy S2 and I can’t seem to understand how you can use a hard drive on both. Okays, so the S2 is a smartphone, but almost all tablets either run on iOS or Android, so basically they are similar. The S2’s memory can be expanded through a microSD (up to 32GB), but that’s basically it, with the iPad, you can’t. Although you can backup some of the data on both on your computer. If you’re saying that you backup data to your computer first then put it on an external hard drive, then that’s crazy. Hard drives for tables? Can you mention some please?
Hey Jonathan,
A quick Google would help you find the answer to your query.
Here is a hard drive for the iPad…
http://www.hypershop.com/HyperDrive-iPad-Hard-Drive-s/183.htm