It's difficult to remember a time before tablets, but it's been four short years since the original Apple iPad hit the scene, and the current tablet market was born. Since then, we've seen scores of manufacturers trying to snag a slice of the tablet pie. And the game is finally getting interesting: For the first time in 2013, Android tablet sales overtook the iPad. Growth is so rapid in the segment that some analysts claim tablets will make up half the PC market in 2014. There's no denying the tablet is here to stay.

But which tablet is right for you? Whether you're eyeing an iPad, one of the manyAndroid tablets available, or a Windows model, here are the key factors you need to consider when shopping for a tablet:

What do You Want to Do With Your Tablet? 

Despite four years of refinements, tablets still can't truly replace computers or smartphones. You can tackle productivity tasks on a tablet, but there are inherent ergonomic benefits to desktops and laptops. Plus, since we're talking about slates here, we're mostly talking about on-screen keyboards. There are plenty of worthy add-on hardware keyboards, especially for the iPad, but few will provide the same comfort you'll experience with a laptop or a desktop. The main focus of the tablets we'll discuss here is media consumption, rather than productivity. We'll touch on lower-cost Windows tablets here as well, but if you want a convertible tablet with a laptop-grade processor for serious work, take a look at the top-rated Windows 8 tablets we've tested—but be prepared to pay laptop prices, as many run around the $1k mark. 

Choose Your Operating System

Just like with a full-fledged computer, if you're getting a tablet, you need to pick a camp. And just like with a computer, your decision will likely come down to your gut feeling. Right now, the top contenders are Apple with its iPads and Android with its many hardware choices from the likes of Acer, Amazon, Asus, Google, Samsung, and others. And we're finally seeing affordable Windows 8 tablets built around Intel's Atom (formerly codenamed Bay Trail) processor from various manufacturers like Asus, with its excellent, under-$500 Transformer Book T100TA. Meanwhile, Windows RT, a slimmed-down version of Windows 8, continues to chug along, but doesn't support all Win 8 apps. Microsoft released the second version of its RT-based Surface tablet$449.99 at Amazon this year, but the company seems to be hinting that it might roll RT into its Windows Phone OS in the future. If you want a Windows tablet, Win 8 is the way to go.

Generally speaking, the greatest strength of Apple's iOS, the operating system on the iPad and iPad mini£261.00 at Amazon, is twofold: It's very clean and intuitive, and the wide selection of iPad apps that you can buy right on your tablet—more than 500,000 iPad-specific titles at the time of this writing—work uniformly well with very few exceptions. (For more, check out our full iOS 7 Review.)

Google's Android mobile OS is a more complicated story. Besides having your choice of hardware from several manufacturers, at any given time, there are a few iterations of Android floating around on various devices. The latest version, 4.4KitKat, is the best yet, with maximum configurability, a top-notch notification system, fast and smooth Web browsing, and seamless integration with Google applications like Gmail, Google Maps, and Hangouts for video chat. Android also includes support for multiple user logins so you can share your tablet with a friend or family member, a useful feature that's missing in Apple tablets. Right now, though, you can only find KitKat on a few models including Google's own Nexus-branded tablets, some Samsung Galaxy Tabs, and the LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition.

Windows 8 comes the closest to offering a traditional computing experience with full x86 support for all of your Windows software. And you can run the full version of Microsoft Office when you buy a Win 8 tablet. Connectivity options and hardware add-ons for Windows models are also typically more plentiful than with other tablet types.

What About Apps?

What's a tablet without quality apps? If you want every third-party app under the sun, right now, nothing out there beats the iPad with its half-a-million programs and games designed specifically for Apple tablets. The App Store is well-curated and monitored, offers a deep selection, and includes every popular app you can think of. If a wide range of compelling apps that look good and work well your tablet is your main priority, Apple is your best bet.

Android has made some strides on app selection, courting more developers and offering more high-quality tablet apps, but its still nowhere near the number Apple offers. It's tough to say exactly how many tablet-optimized Android apps are available, but it's likely in the thousands, rather than the hundreds of thousands. There are also Android phone apps, which look decent on a 7-inch tablet, but less so on a 9- or 10-inch one, so you're likely to have more problems getting high-quality apps for larger Android tablets.

Windows 8, meanwhile, offers an impressive array of more than 100,000 touch-screen-friendly tablet apps, but remember, you can also run all of your standard Windows-compatible programs.

Screen Size and Storage

This consideration is a bit obvious, but size—both screen real estate and storage capacity—is important to consider. First things first: When you hear the term "10-inch or 7-inch tablet" this refers to the size of the screen, measured diagonally, and not the size of the tablet itself. 7-inch tablets are considered small-screen, while 8.9- to 10-inch tablets are considered large screen. Apple iPads, Google Nexus, and Amazon Kindle Fire tablets all come in both small- and large-screen iterations

Lately, some phones are even blurring the lines with tablets. For example, Samsung, for one, wants you to have multiple choices, so it offers its Galaxy line in five different screen sizes ranging from 5.7 to 12.2 inches. The smallest, the Galaxy Note 3$616.80 at T-Mobile, is actually a phone with plenty of tablet-like features, including a stylus, that mirror what the larger versions offer. And the Galaxy Mega$0.00 at Amazon, is also more phone than tablet in that it requires a two-year contract, but it packs a huge 6.3-inch display.

Screen resolution is important too, especially for ebook reading and Web surfing. A sharp, bright display is key. Right now, the sharpest you'll find is 2,560 by 1,600 pixels on the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9"$339.00 at Amazon (339 pixels per inch) and the 2014 Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (298 ppi). The iPad Air$499.00 at Apple Store with its 2,048-by-1,536-pixel (264 ppi) Retina display is no slouch either. If you're in the market for a 10-inch Android tablet, look for a display with at least a 1,280-by-800 resolution. For 7-inch models: The entry-level Amazon Kindle Fire HD's display is 1,280 by 800, and is perfectly viewable, even for ebook reading, but line it up side-by-side with the same-size Amazon Kindle Fire HDX's 1,920-by-1,200 screen, and you'll notice the difference.

The weight of a tablet is one definite advantage it has over a laptop—but with large-screen tablets typically weighing around a pound, they're not cell-phone light. After you hold one with a single hand on a subway ride for 20 minutes, your hand will get tired. Setting one flat in your lap, rather than propped up on a stand, can also be a little awkward. And few tablets will fit in your pocket, unless it's an extra large jacket pocket.

Cloud (off-device) storage is an option for many tablets (iCloud for iPads, Amazon Cloud Storage for Kindle Fires, and OneDrive for Windows), but when it comes to on-board storage, more is always better. All those apps, when combined with a typical music, video, and photo library, can take up a lot of space. Right now storage tops out at 128GB of flash-based memory, and that's only on the iPad Air and the iPad mini, with most of the tablets we've tested available in either 16, 32, or 64GB varieties. Larger-capacity models can get as expensive as full-featured laptops, though—the 128GB Wi-Fi-only iPad rings up at $799; add 4G service, and you're up to almost $930. Some non-Apple tablets have microSD memory card slots that let you expand storage.

Wi-Fi-Only vs. Cellular Models

Many tablets come in a Wi-Fi-only model or with the option of always-on cellular service from a wireless provider. If you want to use your tablet to get online anywhere, you should opt for a model that offers a cellular version, like the aforementioned iPads, or the Wi-Fi + 4G version of the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX$199.00 at Amazon. Of course, this adds to the device's price, and then you need to pay for cellular service. Generally, though, with a tablet, you can purchase data on a month-to-month basis, without signing a contract.

Another way to get your tablet online: Use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot for your tablet. This won't work with every phone/tablet combo, so you should check with your carrier before you seal a deal.

Finally, before you buy, if you can, head to your local electronics store to get hands-on time with some different tablets, so you can see which feels and works best for you.

Post from : pcmag.com

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When it comes to shopping for electronics, digital cameras are among the more difficult products to purchase. Not only are there hundreds of models to choose from, you have a number of different types ranging from simple compact point-and-shoot cameras to advanced D-SLRs and mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses. Figuring out the type you want is the first order of business, so you need to ask yourself a few questions: Are you more interested in a camera that requires minimum effort, or is superlative image quality your top priority? What level of zoom do you need? If you're interested in an interchangeable lens model, are you married to the idea of a bright optical viewfinder, or would you be willing to consider a smaller camera that can change lenses, but handles more like a point-and-shoot?

There are five main classes of cameras to consider when shopping, and we'll break them down below to help you decide which type of camera will best suit your needs and your budget.

For Novices and Light Travelers: The Compact Point-and-Shoot

Point-and-shoot cameras are the smallest models you'll find—and often the easiest to use. Though even the most advanced D-SLRs have fully automatic modes, novices may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of physical controls. Your average point-and-shoot camera, on the other hand, typically has a few buttons on the back, so you adjust shooting settings as necessary. Casual snapshooters can benefit from learning just a bit about photography, but the point-and-shoot camera was designed so you don't have to think too much about what camera settings to use.

When selecting a compact camera, you should pay attention to a few things. The first thing on most minds is the number of megapixels. This isn't as important a concern as it once was since pretty much every camera you can buy these days packs enough megapixels to make large prints. Also a small camera with a high resolution may not give you the best images. A tiny camera packed with 18 megapixels is probably going to suffer in low-light shooting situations where you need to use higher ISO settings—so you shouldn't automatically rule out that 12-megapixel camera like our Editors' Choice Canon PowerShot Elph 330 HS$179.00 at Dell because of its sensor resolution. Your best bet is to look at some reviews to see how a particular model performs. We test the image sharpness and the high ISO performance of every camera that comes through the PC Labs.

The next thing you'll want to look at is the zoom ratio and the focal lengths that the lens covers. Two cameras may each have a 5x zoom lens, but if the first covers a 24-120mm range and the second covers a 35-175mm range, the former will be better for wide-angle shots and the latter will have a bit of telephoto reach. I generally recommend that point-and-shoot users go for a camera with a lens that is at least 28mm wide, like our Editors' Choice premium compact Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IIBest Price at Amazon, as they allow for more dynamic photos when shooting family snapshots and group portraits. You can always crop a photo to make a distant object appear a bit larger in the frame, but you can't add information around the edges after a photo has been shot.

There are a few other things to consider. You'll want to get a model with a good quality LCD, as it'll serve as your viewfinder. All but the lowest-end models now support image stabilization and HD video, but they are must-haves in today's world. If you think a point-and-shoot is the way to go, check out The Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras.

For Those Who Want to Get Close to the Action: Superzoom Cameras

Superzoom cameras come in two flavors—compact and standard. For the compact models, you'll basically want to handle your research just as you would a point-and-shoot. Models like the Samsung Galaxy Camera$289.99 at Amazon offer a 21x zoom factor, but if you need something longer than that, a larger camera like thePanasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200$439.95 at Amazon is in order. Big superzooms often look like miniature D-SLRs, and generally include an electronic viewfinder in addition to the rear LCD.

One of the best models of this type we've seen actually has a short zoom for its class; the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10$998.00 at Amazon sports a 8.3x (24-200mm f/2.8) zoom lens, but its 1-inch image sensor is bigger than you'll find in standard long zooms. The Olympus Stylus 1$699.99 at Overstock.com sits in the middle of the FZ200 and RX10 in zoom range and sensor size; its 28-300mm f/2.8 lens is coupled with a 1/1.7-inch sensor, right in between the typical 1/2.3-inch that you'll find in most cameras and the 1-inch chip in the RX10.

You'll want to pay special attention to the quality of this EVF, as it is much easier to hold the camera steady at your eye than it is at arm's length. When you've zoomed all the way in—some models go as far as 1000mm—you'll need all the help you can get to grab a steady shot. The general rule of thumb is that you need a shutter speed of 1/1000 of a second to get a sharp photo at 1000mm, although good image stabilization will let you get away with longer speed. You'll still want to look for a model that does well at high ISO settings—the lenses on these cameras don't let in a ton of light when zoomed in all the way, so upping the ISO to 1600 or 3200 may be necessary to get a sharp telephoto shot in less-than-ideal light.

A large superzoom can be the perfect travel camera. It won't offer the image quality of an SLR, but it should beat smaller point-and-shoots and compact superzoom models on photo quality. Not having to carry extra lenses will cut the weight, and a lens with such a large zoom factor like the 50x Fujifilm FinePix SL1000£192.90 at Pixmania will ensure that you're always able to get your shot.

Big Sensor, No Zoom

Over the past few years we've seen a bit of a throwback market emerge in the digital camera realm. Back in the days of film, serious shooters who made their living with a D-SLR would often keep a high-quality pocket camera around. These small shooters generally had a prime lens with a fairly wide aperture. Cameras like the Olympus XA, Rollei 35, Leica CM, and Ricoh GR were all about packing the best image quality into the smallest package.

Now you can get the same type of camera with a digital sensor. The choices are still a little slim, but they seem to be expanding with decent speed. Our favorite so far has been the Ricoh GR$640.20 at Amazon, which packs a 28mm-equivalent lens and an APS-C image sensor, but is slim enough to slip into the pockets of your jeans. If 28mm is too wide you can consider the Fujifilm X100s£649.95 at SlrHut, another Editors' Choice award winner, which sports an f/2 lens with a 35mm field of view and a hybrid viewfinder, or break the bank and splurge on the full-frame Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1$2,798.00 at Amazon. It's $2,800, but its lens is an impeccably sharp design by Carl Zeiss.

If you're the type of photographer who is willing to forgo a zoom lens, and you can find a model that matches your preferred focal length, one of these cameras might be right up your alley. Pros that normally lug around a heavy D-SLR should also take note, as the image quality you can get from these fixed-lens compacts are quite impressive and can save you from some back pain when you're shooting for fun.

For SLR-Quality Images Without the Bulk: Mirrorless Compact Interchangeable Lens Cameras

The 2008 launch of the Micro Four Thirds system introduced a new player onto the digital camera field—the compact interchangeable lens (or mirrorless compact) camera. It's a concept that wasn't exactly new to photography—rangefinder cameras like the Leica M (Typ 240)$6,800.49 at Amazon, a digital camera based on a 35mm system that has had very few changes in design since the 1950s, offer fixed optical viewfinders and a complicated mechanism for focusing based on the distance from your subject. But the initial Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras were the first mirrorless interchangeable lens bodies to show you the exact view through the lens—this time via the rear LCD.

The mirrorless market has grown by leaps and bounds, and there are now several lens mount systems to consider. Cameras like the Canon EOS M and Samsung NX300$749.99 at Dell use APS-C sensors, the same size found in consumer D-SLRs, but lenses aren't compatible between the two systems. Nikon offers smaller sensors for its 1 mirrorless camera line (including the J3$409.99 at Amazon), which makes it possible to have lenses that are even smaller than Micro Four Thirds. Samsung also has a 1-inch system, with a different mount from its APS-C NX lineup; its NX Mini was just announced and we've not yet had a chance to review it. If you need to go even smaller, Pentax put a sensor that is the same size as a point-and-shoot in its Q7 camera, a unique approach in this category.

Like Samsung, Sony has two levels of mirrorless cameras, but instead of going smaller for its second system, Sony went big. It has long marketed APS-C cameras under the NEX brand, but has dropped the NEX name for its current batch of APS-C and full-frame mirrorless shooters. Both support E-mount lenses, and you can use APS-C lenses on full-frame cameras and vice versa; the cameras with larger sensors automatically detect a lens that only covers the smaller APS-C chip and performs an in-camera image crop to compensate. There are models to fit every budget, from the entry-level Alpha 3000$348.00 at ABT up through the 36-megapixel full-frame Alpha 7R£1,303.99 at Onestop Digital.

When looking for a mirrorless camera, you should ask yourself how many lenses you plan to buy. At this point, Micro Four Thirds is the most complete system in terms of available lenses, but Samsung and Sony are actively adding glass to the NX and E-mount systems. The Canon EOS M, Nikon 1, and Pentax Q systems have the fewest lenses available, and Canon's support for the EOS M is wavering in the U.S. market; the company has started selling a few additional lenses in Japan, but none have hit the U.S. side. Many mirrorless cameras allow you to mount legacy lenses via adapters—you'll just have to live with manual focus and aperture control.

Once you've settled into a system, the camera should come a bit easier. Entry-level models generally handle just like a point-and-shoot—you frame images with the rear LCD, which is hinged on some models, so you can focus with the camera above your head or at waist level. Most zoom lenses are manual, so you'll have to adjust the focal length by hand, but some operate electronically, just like a compact camera. If you want an eye-level electronic viewfinder, look for a model that supports one via an accessory port—like the Olympus PEN E-PL5$579.90 at Amazon—or a model that has the finder built-in, like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3Best Price at Amazon. You'll also want to take a look to see if the physical controls suit your needs—lower-end models tend to be designed more like point-and-shoots, while the upper echelon of cameras handle more like D-SLRs with plenty of control buttons.

As mentioned above, some mirrorless cameras have sensors that are smaller than D-SLRs, so you'll want to check and see how a particular model performs at higher ISO settings. Some can keep up with larger cameras, but others cannot. You'll also want to take a look at the camera's speed—most deliver decent burst shooting of around 3 frames per second, but autofocus speed can be a concern. Lower end models use contrast detect focus. That technology is getting faster as the image processors that run cameras do, but it's not as fast as phase detect focus. We're starting to see phase detection built into image sensors, like it is on the Sony Alpha 6000, which is helping to close the gap between mirrorless and D-SLR focus performance.

For more, take a look at The Best Mirrorless Cameras.

For Traditionalists Who Want the Ultimate in Shooting Control and Image Quality: Digital SLRs

And so we arrive at the top of the heap: the Digital SLR. These cameras are bigger, heavier, and more expensive than others—but also offer the largest image sensors, fastest focus speeds, and the widest variety of lenses. Like a compact interchangeable lens camera, you'll have to stick to lenses that are compatible with a specific camera. Canon and Nikon have the most complete selections. Sony and Pentax have a good library of legacy lenses, but each company has some gaps in its current lineup. Chances are that, as a first time D-SLR buyer, your camera will come with a kit lens from the manufacturer—but if you have a very specific optic in mind, it's best to make sure that it's available in the lens mount you desire, and at a price you're willing to pay.

Sensors come in two sizes; if you're looking at a camera that's priced at less than $1,800 it will have an APS-C sensor, which has less than half the surface area of a 35mm film frame. High-end enthusiast and pro models use full-frame sensors, which closely match the 24 by 36mm dimensions of the Kodachrome of days gone by. Each system has its strengths: APS-C wins on price, it can use lighter lenses that don't offer enough coverage to be used with a full-frame camera, and photographers who often shoot at extreme telephoto distances appreciate the cropped field of view that appears to give legacy lenses longer reach.

If you can get your hands on the camera before buying it, you should. Each manufacturer has a slightly different way of doing things—so, for example, you may find yourself comfortable with the controls on a Canon, but not on a Nikon, or vice versa. Another aspect to check out in person is the camera's viewfinder. Entry-level SLRs like the Canon EOS Rebel SL1$499.00 at Amazon generally use pentamirror finders, which are not as large or bright as the pentaprisms installed in pricier D-SLRs like the Nikon D7100$1,099.99 at Dell. The Pentax K-50$446.95 at Adorama is one of the only inexpensive SLRs that sport a pentaprism finder—it's also the only one that you'll find for less than $1,000 that boasts full weather sealing.

Sony is the odd man out when talking about viewfinders—all of its D-SLRs, including the top-end APS-C Alpha 77$1,398.00 at ABT and the full-frame Alpha 99$2,298.00 at Buydig.com, use electronic viewfinders. This is because they have fixed mirrors that don't move while shooting—it speeds up autofocus and burst shooting speed, but precludes the use of an optical finder. Whether or not you'll be happy with an EVF is a personal preference—some shooters are very happy with them, others will settle for nothing less than an optical finder.

Most APS-C D-SLRs ship with an 18-55mm kit lens with a zoom factor that's roughly equivalent to the 28-80mm models that shipped with consumer film SLRs of days past. Some midrange models ship with an 18-135mm (28-200mm equivalent), which gives you a longer zoom ratio. A good second lens to consider is a "fast normal"—a fixed focal length lens that isn't too wide, isn't too long, and can let in enough light to blur the background and shoot in poorer light. On an APS-C camera, a 35mm f/2 lens is just about perfect for this. If you're willing to spend a bit more on an upgraded zoom, consider the excellent Sigma F1.8 DC HSM$799.00 at Buydig.com, which is available for most APS-C camera systems.

Full-frame cameras are heavier and more expensive, but they make up for it with big image sensors and viewfinders to match. They're capable of capturing photos with extremely shallow depth of field—which blurs the background behind your subject—and if you have lenses from an old 35mm film SLR they'll cover the same field of view as they do with film.

If you buy a higher-end APS-C camera or a full-frame D-SLR you'll have the option of buying it as a body only—that is, without a lens. This lets you choose which lens best suits your style. Some full-frame cameras are available with a bundled zoom lens, but it's of much higher quality than the low-end 18-55mm kit zoom. You'll be able to save a few hundred dollars by buying a Canon EOS 6D$1,899.00 at Dellwith a 24-105mm or a Nikon D600$1,998.90 at Amazon with a 24-85mm when compared with purchasing them separately. Pro bodies like the Nikon D4$5,949.00 at Amazon and Canon EOS-1D X£3,905.99 at Onestop Digital are not available with bundled lenses.

Post from : pcmag.com

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