Mr. Modem: Take tablet on test drive to decide if it is good fit
I have a computer, but all my friends keep telling me to get a tablet. Why would I want to do that? I’m happy with my laptop.
You may not want or need to purchase a tablet. Heck, my friends keep telling me to get a life, but the one I have is — well, on second thought …
If you are thinking that a tablet is just a lightweight computer that doesn’t do as much as your laptop, you’re in good company. For most typical users a tablet — whether an Android or an Apple iPad — will perform most of the functions required of a laptop such as email, visiting websites, watching videos, playing games and reading books.
You can use most tablets for taking pictures and videos and even for basic photo editing. There are also office-type apps available for word processing and spreadsheets. Tablets typically do not have USB ports, which can pose a problem for some users.
The primary advantage of a tablet is portability. You can easily hold a tablet in one hand and since it is light in weight, it is easy to take anywhere — and occasionally misplace. Eek!
The downside of tablets for many users previously was that they did not run traditional Windows programs like Office or Word. But with the introduction of Windows tablets such as the Surface, it’s a whole new ballgame.
A Surface tablet isn’t just a lightweight version of a laptop; it is a full-fledged portable computer that will do just about anything your laptop can do and possibly more. But you pay for these high-falutin’ capabilities. Surface Pro prices start at $799; Surface RT prices start at $349. The RT is not as fully functional as the Surface Pro, but just as it is with Android tablets and iPads, it will perform many of the functions of your PC.
Having used a variety of tablets, I prefer the Apple iPad, but before purchasing any tablet, do some research online, search for product reviews and recommendations, and then, armed with that information, go to a retail store and try out several tablets.
Hold each one — poke, press, tap, swipe and have fun! And be sure to ask the heavily tattooed, multi-pierced sales associate lots of questions. By performing a hands-on comparison in this manner, one tablet may appeal to you more than the others.
I’m having trouble getting some Web pages to display properly in Firefox. I can see part of the page, but some fields don’t appear. Any idea what could be causing this?
Look in the upper right-hand corner. Do you see a little icon by the Address bar that looks like a shield? Click it to display its drop-down menu.
Firefox is blocking potentially problematic content that it isn’t too sure about. If you know the content is safe, from the menu displayed, instead of “Keep Blocking,” choose “Disable Protection on This Page.”
Refresh the page or close and reopen Firefox and you should be able to view the page in its entirety.
Mr. Modem publishes “Ask Mr. Modem!” each week, featuring PC tips, tricks and plain-English answers to your questions by email. For more information, visit www.MrModem.com.
Mr. Modem’s sites of the week
Wind Map
Created as a personal art project, here you can check out how the wind flows (or blows) in real-time. It’s amazing how many different directions the wind can blow at the same time. The site is a bit nerdy, which is undoubtedly why it appeals to me, but it also provides information about using the wind as a source of energy, though fortunately, it doesn’t get too preachy.
World’s Largest Cave
Discovered in Vietnam, the photos of this cave (courtesy of National Geographic) are breathtaking. Navigation is easy — of the website, not the cave. Be sure to read the introduction to learn more about this natural wonder. It provides all the cave’s vital statistics and explains how it was discovered.
This story was originally published December 29, 2014 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Mr. Modem: Take tablet on test drive to decide if it is good fit."