Today we will present the most common uses of a tablet and as much information as we’ve found, hopefully to give those interested a contoured idea about the subject and, perhaps find out where is the market currently heading to: are device manufacturers only interested in entertainment consumers or is there a business segment waiting to be exploited?
The most common uses of a tablet
The following data is gathered from online resources, surveys conducted by Google’s AdMob and any other statistical data we could get our hands on. Although it may not qualify as a bullet-proof chart, it’s more than enough to make a general idea about how owners use a slate:
Gaming – the most encountered activity of a tablet is by far, gaming. This does not mean that owners use their tablet the majority of time to play games, but that most enjoy gaming on a tablet. Seen today as a habit, gaming has really seen an upraise in the past period. With the launch of new, powerful tablets, more advanced and complex games were released and soon, a new niche is going to find comfort into slates. Either hardcore gamer or casual angry bird thrower, anyone owning a tablet has surely played something. Retrieving information – the common “knowledge is power ” phrase has not been forgotten in this late year, and according to a past survey, most users like to keep themselves informed via a tablet. Browsing for information can be done easily with the touch interface and because the device has a high mobility factor it makes it ideal for those wishing to find out the latest, at any time. Keeping connected – social media will not prosper if the individual will only check for Facebook updates at the desktop. On tablets, users like to keep themselves connected at all times, and thanks to integrated Twitter, Facebook and even email clients, they can do so with ease. Shopping – probably not so expected in this list, shopping is a common use on a tablet, especially for women. While doing the upper two activities presented above, shopping opportunities can often occur, so plenty owners are making use of the tablet to order products, or simply scan the market. Shoes, gadgets and fashion items can be nicely viewed on a 10-inch wide display. Consuming content – there is not a more pleasant habit then watching a movie while in the train, or reading a book on the way to work. Tablets have developed quite a stir amongst commuters or simply persons who prefer abandoning the television or even the wide desktop monitor for something more cozy, more intimate and of course, portable: the tablet. Business use – a select segment of customers is making use of tablets within conference rooms, meetings and other sort of presentations, regardless of the number of attendees. Because the product has high connectivity options and can be maneuvered with ease, many opt for tablets instead of white boards or chalk charts, adding a drop of elegance to their business. Of course, for a price. Working – besides regular business clients, there are also tons of people who use a tablet in their daily work. In this category we fit bloggers, photo editors, website designers, architects and even less-technical segments, as warehouse workers. Risky environments – wherever a fragile notebook cannot do the job, ruggedized tablets will surely comply. Although there isn’t quite a collection from which to choose from, durable slates can be found in the range of $500-$1000, depending on the specifications, the design and of course, the withstanding factor.
Other interesting data
According to the data found, most owners like to use the tablet during the night and in week-days. Most people use the tablet at home, while a small portion still uses it at work and a slightly bigger one on the road. As for the time using this gadget, owners report that tablets have outpaced TVs and they give them above one hour of use, daily. Presently, the tablet still has a lot of work to do until they could replace the desktop computer, at least for most cases, but with the arrival of Windows 8 hybrids, the rise will surely be influenced.
