Can a tablet be your full-time computer? That is a good question. Since a tablet is light-weight and more capable than ever, I wanted to see if it were possible. The quick answer is a resounding YES! And maybe a little no.
Recently Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung have given us a boost in that direction. The new Apple iPad Pro, the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro 6, and Samsung with their DeX connection make it easy. However, I don’t have any of these devices.
What Do You Need?
What will make this a fruitful inquiry?
- Is the hardware available and sufficient for full-time work?
- Is the hardware viable with its smaller screen?
- Is the software applications plentiful enough?
- Are the software applications adequate?
Let’s Begin with Hardware
My first concern is the hardware. What do you need to begin a successful test?
- a beautiful screen with a high resolution
- a superb Bluetooth keyboard to connect
- a Bluetooth mouse for quick location onscreen
- a large monitor to connect when working at your desk
These criteria would help with the process of converting to a tablet.
As readers know, I have an ASUS ZenPad 10 Android tablet. It is two years old and yet has a screen resolution higher than most current tablets at 2048 X 1536. Great screen and definitely a high enough resolution.
The Logitech Keys-To-Go Bluetooth keyboard is still the best Bluetooth keyboard available today. The keyboard weighs nothing and is so thin it is barely there. And it still has key movement similar to my ASUS ZenBook laptop. It will fill the keyboard slot very well. I just bought a second one for my wife to use with her new tablet.
I have yet to test a Bluetooth mouse, but there are plenty of brand name and off-brand names available. From the Amazon reviews, these work well enough for this part of the hardware requirements.
Connecting a large screen is also easy to do. Amazon Basics offers a USB Type C to HDMI adapter that will handle a large monitor. Since I got rid of the last desktop computer and monitor I had, I am unable to test this part, but again, according to the Amazon reviews, this is solved.
How about the Software part of the equation?
Software is the toughest part of this test. The resounding YES! is because there are plenty of productivity apps to satisfy most users. The small no comes from the lack of availability of specialty software.
With Google Drive and its associated apps, it can handle basic computing needs. There is Docs for word processing, Sheets for spreadsheets, Slides for presentations, Forms for information gathering, Drawings for creativity, and more within this suite of products.
Even Microsoft offers versions of it’s Office Suite on the Android and Apple platforms.
I suspect this will cover most computer users on the tablet.
Publishing on the Web
Even writing specifically for the web is easy using apps provided by the different suiters. I use the WordPress app on my tablet for writing with the Keys-to-Go Bluetooth keyboard. I’ve written about this before.
I found a Medium app in the Google Play store that allows for reading and writing with the Medium website.
Miscellaneous Apps
There are apps for all of the following:
- To Do
- Photo editing
- Video editing
- Notes
- Time management
- Calendar
- Voice to Text
- Text to Voice
- Voice recording
- Phone recording
- Web meeting
- Scanning
- Team collaboration
- Password managers
- Presentation
- and more
What is Missing
The problem comes with specialty applications. I use only a few in this category.
- Scrivener
- Hindenburg Journalist
- OBS Studio
- Wampserver
- PaperPort
- AutoHotkey
- Dell Color Printers 1320n
- TurboTax Business
I’m not using these everyday, but regularly enough for them to be problematic.
I think working on the go is possible with just a tablet, keyboard, and mouse, but I think I still need a full-fledged laptop back at home base.