Awsome accessories to enhance the usage and improve performance of your tablet

Accessories to enhance the usage and improve performance of your tablet

With tablets becoming increasingly popular, we wouldn't be surprised if you're thinking of getting one even if you already have a smartphone and a laptop.

According to the report, tablet computers seem to be cutting into our time spent with other kinds of computers. 35% of desktop computer owners reported using their tablet's not-so-mobile counterpart "less often or not at all." Tablets had the same effect on 32% of consumers who own both a laptop and a tablet and 25% of portable game console owner.

The tablet has undoubtedly arrived. Even if people are wondering whether the handy device qualifies as luxury or necessity, millions across the world are toting it and many more are queuing up to lay their hands on one.

However, your expenses don't stop at buying a tablet. To get the most out of your device, you need some accessories too. Here are a few that you may want to buy..

Screen protectors                            scratch-proof Gorilla glass or oleophobic coating, which keep the scratches and dust at bay, if you plan to use your tablet outdoors, we recommend using a screen protector. This is a thin, adhesive strip of plastic that covers the display, keeping it free of dust and scratches.

There are a variety of options, ranging from those that come with an anti-glare element to those that can be removed and reattached easily. Just make sure you get one placed properly on your tablet without resulting in any air bubbles.

Invest in a branded screen protector, such as one from Capdase or Gecko, because unbranded protectors not only lose their sheen fast, but often come with a poor quality adhesive that leaves a residue on your tablet when removed.

Price: Rs 750-2,000

Keyboards

Though some tablets come with their own physical keyboards (like the Asus Transformer Prime), for most people, the only option to type on their tablets is the onscreen keyboard.

This is not bad if you only have to type a few words occasionally, but if you regularly write long e-mails and notes or actually want to type out entire articles and reports on a tablet, you need something more substantial. Our suggestion is to invest in a keyboard.

A number of these have been designed for tablets, though some are made for specific models like the Galaxy Tab or iPad. Ensure that the keys are spaced out right and the keyboard comes either with its own battery or does not drain too much from the tablet.

A good choice is the Apple wireless keyboard, which is made of aluminium and plastic, has comfortably large keys and connects easily over Bluetooth to iPads as well as Android tablets running Honeycomb.

Price: Rs 999 - 4,500

Styluses

While you can draw on a tablet using your finger, nothing can match the convenience of a stylus to sketch or take notes. In many cases, using one to write is easier than doing so through the onscreen keyboard, especially when you are standing and holding the tablet with one hand.

So, if you need to sketch and scribble often, get yourself a stylus. Remember, in most cases, you will get a snub-nosed stylus rather than a sharp one, as very few capacitive screens support the latter (the Lenovo ThinkPad and the Samsung Galaxy Note are exceptions, but their styluses will not work with other tablets).

Whenever possible, go for sturdy styluses with tip replacement options. The Wacom Bamboo Stylus, which is shaped like a pen and comes with a handy clip, works with both Android tablets and iPad, and combines solidity with sensitivity.

You can also use Wacom's Bamboo Paper app, which has been designed for the stylus and is free. The stylus works with other apps too.

Price: Rs 900-2,000

Storage 
Tablets might be getting faster processors and bigger displays, but one area where they lag behind notebooks is in storage.

Most tablets are perfect for multimedia, yet their limited storage makes it difficult to keep the entire music and video collection. Some do come with an expandable memory, but most, including the iconic iPad, give you no such option.

If your tablet has a memory card slot, you could invest in a memory card to expand the storage. If this is not available, you could look at storage options that connect to your tablets over Wi-Fi and stream data on to them.

The Kingston Wi-Drive range of portable storage options is a good pick. Sleek and slim, these come in capacities of 16 GB and 32 GB and can connect to Android tablets and iPads over Wi-Fi. You can store films, images, music and documents, which can then be streamed to the device whenever you need them.

 Price: Rs 400 onwards for MicroSD cards and Rs 3,000 onwards for portable Wi-Fi drives.

Camera connector kit
One of the joys of owning a tablet is being able to transfer pictures to it directly from your camera and then editing the images on the large touchscreen.

However, since most tablets have very limited USB connectivity, linking it to your camera or even its SD card to your tablet can be a problem. This is why a number of manufacturers, such as Apple and Samsung, have come out with special kits, which allow cameras to be connected easily to their tablets.

If you are a shutterbug, you should pick up one as you can happily click away without having to lug a notebook around. However, before buying the kit, test it on your tablet since a lot of these, especially those from lesser known brands don't work.

Consider Apple's iPad Camera Connection kit, which lets you connect your camera or its SD card to your iPad and transfer images to it. It works seamlessly and is small enough to be carried in a little pouch.

 Price: Rs 1,500 onwards.

Portable Wi-Fi routers
Yes, we know that this is the age of 3G, but you can't deny that Wi-Fi only tablets are much cheaper than their 3G counterparts. So, if you have invested in a tablet with only Wi-Fi connectivity, you should opt for a portable Wi-Fi router.

You can connect your data card or even your phone to the router and enjoy Internet connectivity on the move. Ensure that the router has enough battery life to see you through times when there is no handy Wi-Fi spot around. Whenever you use it, remember to protect it through a password.

A good device is the Olive Nexus VR9, which can create a wireless hotspot wherever you are using an ethernet connection, a data card or even your cellphone. It might seem a tad bulky and setting it up needs a bit of tweaking, but its 3-4 hour battery life makes one forgive these shortcomings.

Price: Rs 2,000 onwards

:^)