When Apple released its first iPad on April 3, 2010, few lawyers had ever even seen a tablet system much less used one. Three years later, tablets have joined cell phones and notebook computers as the legal community's most popular mobile productivity tools.
Lawyers now use tablets for a wide range of tasks, including Web research, note-taking, book and document viewing, making travel reservations, tracking juries, conducting presentations, checking email and much more. Yet as manufacturers introduce new systems and sell more tablets (market research firm IDC reports a 142.2 percent sales increase in 2013's first quarter as compared to a year ago), it's becoming increasingly difficult for attorneys to sort through all of the offerings to find that "just right" model.
TABLETS TODAY
When Apple released its first iPad, users had to settle for the tablet the late Steve Jobs, thought they needed. Storage capacity — 16GB, 32GB or 64GB — and optional 3G connectivity support were the only major choices buyers could decide. Today, tablet shoppers can choose from a bewildering number of large- and small-screen models from over a dozen makers. Options now include three system platforms — Apple's iOS, Google's Android and Microsoft Windows — different form factors, body textures, screen resolutions, app libraries and many other features, services and attributes.
Since lawyers work in many fields and often have specific needs and preferences, it's impossible to pinpoint any one tablet model that's best for everyone. Do you need a tablet that supports hundreds of thousands of apps? Do you want a unit you can easily hold with a single hand, or a heavier one with a larger 10-inch screen? Would you like pen input support? How about cellular connectivity so you can use your tablet to get online anywhere? The choices go on and on.
To help you in your search for the right tablet, here's a look at the top models.
LARGE-SCREEN TABLETS
Full-size tablets, featuring displays measuring from approximately nine to 11 inches, require users to trade off portability in favor of increased visibility and usability. Large-screen tablets are better business tools than their more compact counterparts, primarily because their bigger displays support more spacious virtual keyboards and present information in easier to read and edit formats. Many large-screen tablets also have more powerful processors and, sometimes, deeper memory, storage and interface resources than smaller-screen models.
Apple iPad (4th Generation, click for image)
Screen Size: 9.7 inches
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