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Tablet computer

technology Maturity 7-9 Next article →

A tablet computer is a thin and flat mobile device.

IPad Mini 6 - 1
IPad Mini 6 - 1

It is a portable computer that usually has a touchscreen display. This screen allows you to interact with the device using your fingers or a digital pen called a stylus.

Apple Newton-IMG 0454-cropped
Apple Newton-IMG 0454-cropped

Most tablets run on a mobile operating system, which is the software that manages everything. They are similar to smartphones but have much larger screens. These screens usually measure between 7 and 13 inches diagonally. Tablets are great for many tasks like watching movies or reading e-books.

How a tablet works depends on its specific shape and design. There are two main types called the slate and the booklet. Slates and booklets usually do not have a physical keyboard attached to them. Instead, they use a virtual keyboard that appears on the touchscreen when you need to type. If you want a real keyboard, you can connect one using Bluetooth or a USB cord.

Asus Transformer Pad TF701T Tablet and Keyboard Dock
Asus Transformer Pad TF701T Tablet and Keyboard Dock

This makes the tablet work more like a traditional computer. Some people even use 2-in-1 PCs that have built-in keyboards. These devices use a rechargeable battery to stay powered while you move around.

The idea of a tablet has been around for a long time. People even imagined them in science fiction stories before they were real. In 1951, Isaac Asimov wrote about a Calculator Pad in his novel Foundation.

2001interview
2001interview

Later, the film 2001: A Space Odyssey showed fictional tablets in 1968. Real history goes back even further to the year 1888. That year, a device called the telautograph used a pen to input data.

Telautograph-1888 electronic writing device
Telautograph-1888 electronic writing device

Scientists and companies spent many years creating prototypes and blueprints.

Many different companies have worked to make tablets better over the years. In 1989, the GridPad became the first commercially successful tablet.

Apple Newton-IMG 0454-cropped
Apple Newton-IMG 0454-cropped

Apple released the iPad in 2010, and it became very popular with many people. Since then, tablets have become a huge part of our daily lives. By the year 2021, there were 1.28 billion tablet users around the world.

Today, Apple has the largest market share for making these devices. Samsung and Lenovo are also very popular manufacturers.

You can think of a tablet as a middle ground between a phone and a laptop. It is larger than a smartphone, so it is easier to see videos. However, it is more portable than a laptop because it is so thin.

Laplet, Phablet and Cricket
Laplet, Phablet and Cricket

You might use a tablet at school to look at presentations. You could also use one at work for video-conferencing. Many people use them at home to share photos with friends. They are helpful tools for learning, working, and playing games.

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🖼️ Images & Media (18)
File:IPad Mini 6 - 1.jpg
IPad Mini 6 - 1.jpg
File:Telautograph-1888 electronic writing device.png
Telautograph-1888 electronic writing device.png
File:2001interview.png
2001interview.png
File:Apple Newton-IMG 0454-cropped.jpg
Apple Newton-IMG 0454-cropped.jpg
File:Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook T3010.jpg
Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook T3010.jpg
File:N800 frontside2.jpg
N800 frontside2.jpg
File:Steve Jobs with the Apple iPad no logo.jpg
Steve Jobs with the Apple iPad no logo.jpg
File:Android os.png
Android os.png
File:Laplet, Phablet and Cricket.jpg
Laplet, Phablet and Cricket.jpg
File:IPad mini Air Pro.jpeg
IPad mini Air Pro.jpeg
File:1st gen Comparison iPad Mini & Google Nexus 7 & Kindle Fire Wikipedia screen 03 2013 6262.jpg
1st gen Comparison iPad Mini & Google...
File:Surface pro.jpeg
Surface pro.jpeg

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