From online shopping to multiplayer mobile gaming to letting you rock out to your tunes on the bus, a tablet has something to offer everyone.

What is a Tablet?

Bigger than a smartphone, more portable than a laptop, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound – okay, maybe that last one isn’t something that a tablet can do – a tablet bridges the gap between a smartphone and a laptop. It’s a mobile device that lets you browse the Internet, access e-mail, download apps, play mobile games, video chat, watch HD movies, and so much more.

If you’re looking for a mobile device that can do nearly everything your smartphone and laptop can, minus the bulk and small screen, then you may just fall in love with a tablet or iPad. Read on to learn more about these multifunctional wonders.

The Basics

When shopping for a tablet, there are three things you should look at first: the processor, RAM, and storage capacity. Get the right mix of all three and you may just get the device of your dreams.

Storage Capacity

A tablet with a high storage capacity will give you the ability to store more apps, movies, songs, and photos, so you can really maximize what you can do with your device. And if your tablet still doesn’t have enough room for all your entertainment, some models allow you to connect an external memory device, such as a USB stick or SD card, to share and save even more movies, music, photos, and files.

You can also use cloud storage to save your content. It’s an online storage solution that lets you upload your files, so you can easily access content on another device or through a website. A great backup solution, you can get cloud storage on your tablet as either a downloaded application like Dropbox or built into your device such as Apple’s iCloud for the iPad.

Apple iOS

The Apple iOS is the same operating system that runs on the iPhone and iPod touch and is found only on the iPad, iPad 2, and new iPad tablets. A sleek, simple, and highly intuitive interface, the iOS offers over 500,000 apps, video game console-quality mobile gaming, iTunes integration, and multi-touch controls (using three fingers on the screen instead of two produces different responses).

If you want to take your music collection wherever you go, you may need to choose an iPad with a larger storage capacity. While these devices don’t have an external memory slot, you could also use iCloud, which lets you easily sync and share content between your iPad and other Apple devices. Staying in touch with other Apple devices is also a snap since you can use FaceTime to video chat and iMessage to send free messages; both technologies work whenever you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

Google Android OS

Android gives you the freedom to customize your tablet experience with thousands of apps from third-party developers, custom themes and wallpapers, widgets, and so much more. Unlike the Apple iOS, Android is open-source software available on a wide variety of tablets from leading manufacturers like HTC, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, and LG. Most Android-powered tablets support Flash, so you can get more out of your entertainment and web pages. From the interface to the hardware, Google’s Android gives you the ability to create the tablet of your dreams.

For more information on Android, check out our information-packed Android Buying Guide.

BlackBerry OS

The BlackBerry OS offers the most secure e-mail, messaging, and enterprise capabilities around, safeguarding everything from sensitive e-mails to Aunt Sue’s award-winning bundt cake recipe. You also get a solid calendar and contact management system, huge app and music store, Flash support, seamless multitasking, sweet gaming performance, and built-in Microsoft Office programs that make it a breeze to get more done and have some fun.

Microsoft Windows OS

If you’ve ever used a PC, chances are you’ve met the Microsoft Windows OS. The latest version is known as Windows 8 and it’s filled with touch-friendly features. These tablets keep you connected to your favourite people, websites, and more right from your Start screen. You can install Microsoft Office applications like Word and Excel, and stay productive while you’re on the go. The Windows Store is packed with fun and helpful apps and you can even access your files and preferences from anywhere using the seamlessly integrated cloud.

Windows RT tablets, which use ARM processors optimized for mobile devices, run on a special, limited version of Windows 8. It has many of the same features as Windows 8, runs most of the Metro theme apps and offers a fantastic battery life, but unlike Windows 8, Windows RT does not allow you to install any new desktop Windows applications like Adobe Photoshop or Windows Media Player.

Windows 8 tablets act much like computers, allowing you to install and remove programs and applications as needed. On the other hand, Windows RT comes bundled with certain desktop applications, such as the Microsoft Office Suite (excluding Outlook), and won’t run any programs that aren’t already on your tablet when you take it out of the box. Despite this difference, you can still download tons of awesome apps from the Windows Store that can help fulfill your needs.

Screen Resolution

Finding a tablet without a high definition screen resolution would be as challenging as trying to find a grain of salt on a sandy beach. Most tablets start at an 800 x 400 HD resolution and the higher your screen resolution, the crisper, clearer, and more lifelike your images will appear.

Touchscreen

All tablets are made with touchscreens that provide you with an intuitive way to navigate and operate your device. A capacitive touchscreen detects the slightest touch of your fingers and responds immediately to whatever movement you make. For example, you just need to swipe your finger left or right to move through your tablet’s different home screens.

Some tablets have resistive touchscreens that are made from two layers of flexible material with a space between them. Pressing on the outer screen connects the two layers so your tablet will register your touch. A firmer hand is needed with these touchscreens, but they’re ideal in colder climates where you may be wearing gloves most of the time.

Battery Life

Have you ever thrown a party and after everyone has gone home, you have that one friend who still has the energy to dance or talk until the birds start chirping? Yeah, a solid tablet is that kind of friend. Made to keep up with your on-the-go lifestyle, a tablet usually has a battery life of 6 hours or more on a single charge, so you can get more done without slowing down to charge your device.

Cameras

Tablets usually come with an integrated camera that can take high resolution photos and videos. Some tablets even offer built-in flash to light up dimly lit moments. If you’re a fan of video calling or even just face-to-face meetings, then you’ll want to look for a front-facing camera, which easily facilitates this kind of interaction.

Keyboard

The sight of a tablet without a physical keyboard may strike the same fear in you as jumping into a shark tank, but the onscreen QWERTY keyboard is actually made to be super intuitive and easy to type on. If you still hear the Jaws theme song every time you see a tablet, fear not. There are Bluetooth keyboards that you can wirelessly connect to your tablet or iPad to make the experience less traumatic.

Getting Connected

Tablets usually come with different ports to help you get connected to your other devices. Here are some of the most common:

• An HDMI port lets you connect to an HD monitor or HDTV, so you can view, play, and share all your content on the big screen.
• A memory card reader allows you to insert an SD or MicroSD card into your tablet, so you can upload pictures and video.
• A Universal Serial Bus (USB) port lets you connect external hard drives, memory sticks, computers, and more to your tablet.

Tablets and iPads also offer a number of ways to not only get you connected online, but to your other devices as well.

Like smartphones, tablets and iPads can also connect to a network offered by a service provider. Most tablets have either built-in 3G or 4G, which are mobile technologies that allow you to get online no matter where you are, so you can always access the Internet and your e-mail, download apps, and check your social networks. Often referred to as “data access,” you’ll usually need to sign a contract and pay a monthly fee for this round-the-clock service.

What Can I Do With a Tablet?

There is virtually no limit to what you can do with a tablet or where you can take it. These are just a few of the awesome things a tablet or iPad can offer.

Take the Next Step

Discover a whole new way to get connected, play games, and enjoy your entertainment with a tablet or iPad from Best Buy, where you’ll find the perfect Apple iPad, Android tablet, BlackBerry tablet or Windows tablet for you.