Tips for Buying Tablet Computers in the Philippines

Tablet computers are becoming a trend nowadays due to the upsurge started by Apple’s iPad. Soon enough, clones and derivatives started to flood the market once the bewildered questions regarding the purpose of an oversized iPhone stopped being funny and started to become relevant. As Apple continues to hold tight to their own iPad and the iOS operating system, Google introduced their own mobile operating system, Android. Sooner, one of the biggest technology wars will begin.

The tablet market in the Philippines
Here in the Philippines, more people are now opening up to tablet computers and their potential in liberating our otherwise grounded perceptions in technology as there are more than just cellphones now in the market. From simple tasks like checking your email to work-related things like data entry and documentation, and even recreation purposes like playing games, listening to music, and watching videos, tablets have made it much better. Therefore, it is important for people to get tips for buying tablet computers in the Philippines.

The problem with the tablet computer market in this country right now is that the market is littered with cheap knockoffs from China. They are very cheap, costing as low as PhP 3,000 per unit. However, they are not very well made as they have so little RAM, their processors are not of quality stock, and the Android OS installed in them are most likely not licensed. Therefore, they are mostly waste of your time and money, which you will only realize when you start playing some games and opening some applications. Even turtles can run faster than those things.

Apple iOS or Google’s Android
Therefore, you have to shelf out even more cash than that to actually get a quality tablet computer. The biggest choice is in the operating system. Whether you go Apple or Google, there are various things to consider. What Apple’s iOS does not have are things like Adobe Flash and an open source market, thus limiting your choices at times. Google’s Android gives you that freedom of choice, but at the cost of some quality products that may be iPad-exclusive.

Android tablets tend to be more varied since iPads are just what they are, being manufactured by a single company. With multiple manufacturers having access to Android, they are able to put out various products of different shapes and sizes into the market, spoiling customers with choice. This variety has led to a revolution in the mobile market, causing Steve Jobs to start naming names and putting on a warfare amidst this tablet computing and technology war.

If you have a big enough budget, just get the iPad and you won’t be sorry. But if you want choice and don’t have as much cash to shelf out, then consider a 7-inch Android tablet computer. They can be just as good as their full sized counterparts while being cheaper and more mobile as well. They’re actually a good fit with the Philippine tech market, so you’ll see them replace netbooks quite soon. They also have other features like expandable memory, USB connectivity, and so on. That makes them worthy options indeed. In the end, the best choice still lies in your hands. You need to carefully consider all the broad and specific features that are especially built for you.

Photo credits to Glenn Fleishman (Flicker Creative Commons image – Attribution required).