To have a tablet or not to have a tablet... for a student

Some call them game-changers; others view them as little more than toys for our insatiable media consumption. Tablets are certainly making a splash.  Until earlier this year, "tablet" meant Apple's iPad. This year, tablets based on Android operating system are trying to rock Apple's monopoly. Do they have a place in to our gadget-filled lives? Do they replace our smartphone? Do they replace a laptop? Are they yet another (the third? the fourth?) must-carry device?


Here's my 2¢-worth.



Contemplating a tablet as a universal replacement of any one existing tool/device is unproductive because a tablet, like any device, is a mixed bag when compared in general terms. The better question is if a tablet can replace an existing tool/device for a particular type of user and usage. 


Tablet for a student, as replacement for all papers in the backpack (electronic textbook availability is limited; it is not clear if the faculty would be able to find appropriate electronic material from what is available right now)? 


Paper's advantages over tablet:
→ bigger page display
→ easier to flip through
→ for handwriting, sketching, and erasing, pencil is easier than stylus
→ inexpensive, can't break and no big deal to lose


Tablet's advantages over paper:
→ materials for all classes in one place; can't forget a sheet at home
→ great for collaborating with others 
→ type notes in class instead of handwriting them
→ audio/visual materials as part of notes and homework

→ do research or homework during random pockets of downtime

→ work is backed up

→ access to all information -- can look up references, homework, etc

→ huge win if teachers choose electronic textbooks 

Is it worth the money? 

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Tablet (plus keyboard case) for a student, as replacement for a laptop? 


Laptop's advantages over tablet:
→ bigger display
→ access to all multimedia and resource-intensive applications, on and off the web; tablets functionality is somewhat limited
→ better keyboard for typing 
→ mouse is more precise and responsive than fingers on touchscreen
→ a Windows laptop is cheaper than a tablet


Tablet's advantages over laptop:
→ all-day battery life (some laptops now have comparable battery life)
→ light enough to carry around all the time
→ cheaper than an Apple laptop

→ instant-on/off  (very convenient in classroom setting)

→ "flat" form factor 

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Good article for more thoughts on this subject:

-- Editorial: tablets aren't the 'third device' I'd hoped for... from a productivity standpoint, anyway