Tablet Screen Size:  How to choose

    In the last few years the tablet PC market went from virtually nothing to one of the most popular types of devices sold today.  These compact computers are perfect for people to do their everyday computing from reading to playing games and even learning on.  The new Kindle Fire from Amazon was expected by many to be a game changing advancement in this market because of its low price and impressive specs but many people have found that the 7’’ screen of the Kindle fire might be just to small for the classroom.
    The tablet computer has become a popular new item in many different classrooms because they are so easy to carry around and can still display full websites without any trouble.  When the screen is compressed down to the 7 inch size, however, usability can start to get tricky.  Most people are used to using the condensed ‘mobile versions’ of sites on their phones but had higher expectations on their tablet device. 
    There are options available to make the kindle default to mobile versions of websites, that is not the solution many people were hoping for.  Full desktop versions of websites often have far more features and content which is important for proper use of the internet.  Since the majority of people want to have a tablet PC in addition to a phone, they don’t want to have to deal with mobile versions of sites which they could do on their phone already.
    While the Kindle e-reader has done much to revolutionize how people read books, the same can not be said of the Kindle Fire tablet.  Many customers purchasing this device would like to be able to use it as an aid to furthering their education without having to carry around a laptop to every class.  Unfortunately with the small screen size it is impossible to type efficiently or use it to browse educational websites effectively. 
    While the difference in the 7 inch screen of the kindle and the 10 inch screen of many other tablets may seem relatively small, it actually makes a huge impact.  Between trying to accurately use the touch screen to navigate through a cramped website and trying to fit fingers on the screen for typing, this smaller screen is thought by many to be just too small.  Having the extra three inches is enough to make everything just that much easier to use.
    When choosing which tablet to purchase for educational uses it is wise to take each size for a test and see what feels the best.  Use each tablet for everything from typing to browsing the internet, and of course, playing games, and see if the size of the screen is sufficient with a 7 inch model.  Many will find that once they give the different sized tablets a try, the 10 inch options are much more user friendly and easier to use.