Gives youconfidence

Make the most of your

tablet

Tablets are an incredibly popular computing device. They are cheaper than most laptops, easy to use, light to carry around, and have a battery that means you’re not constantly running to plug it into the mains for a recharge.

And there are plenty of tablets to choose from – with many models from big-name brands. With so much choice available, and lots of buzzwords and jargon to add to the confusion, our handy guide should make things easier.

We’ve looked at what kinds of tablets are available and put together this guide to help you choose the best one for you. We’ll help you understand the differences between brands, show you what to look for, and also demonstrate how to get the best from your tablet once you get it home and out of the box.

© Which? Ltd 2014 This guide has been produced for general information and interest only. Which? makes every effort to ensure that the information in the guide is correct, but we cannot guarantee that it is 100% free of inaccuracies, errors and omissions. The guide may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or otherwise made available to third parties without the written permission of Richard Headland, Head of Which? Magazine, Which?. Commercial use of the guide is not permitted.

Due to the fast-paced nature of the tablet market, you may find that products pictured in this guide are more up-to-date than those advertised.

Which? Computing offers practical advice on making the most of your computer, including everything from social networking to email. Our team of experts has more than 50 years’ experience working in and writing about technology. As a Which? title, we’re entirely independent and offer unbiased advice.

Richard ParrisEditor, Which? Computing

Welcome

04 What is a tablet? What makes a tablet a tablet, and what can it do?

06 Choosing the right tablet for you All the key factors you need to think about before you buy

10 Introducing the three main players in the market Learn about the different operating systems from the main tablet brands

16 Using your tablet: staying in touch How tablets can change the way you communicate online

18 Using your tablet: entertainment Putting a library, hi-fi, cinema and games console in your hands

20 Using your tablet: productivity Almost anything a laptop does, a tablet can do, too

22 Keep your tablet safe Protecting your tablet from online and offline threats

23 Jargon buster Tricky tablet terms and buzzwords explained

Inside

www.which.co.uk 03

What is a tablet?

A tablet is a mobile touchscreen computer that combines the best bits of a laptop and a smartphone. You can use a tablet to browse the web, watch a film, check your email and even play games. If you need to work on the move you can use them to run office applications, while educational apps make them a great choice for families, too.

Like most smartphones, tablets are controlled through a touchscreen, and many use the same operating systems as you’d find on a smartphone. However, tablets have much bigger screens, making it easier to use more complex programs. While tablets are smaller and lighter than a laptop, they can do many of the same jobs and be nearly as productive.

www.which.co.uk04

Get to grips with a tablet, a portable computing device that can surf the web, watch video and TV and run software. Some even connect to mobile broadband for on-the-go browsing

www.which.co.uk 05

Read more about buying tablets at www.which.co.uk/tabletbuyersguide

Find out more

Tablets have a huge variety of features and functions. Most will include some or all of the following:

A large touchscreen of between 7 and 12 inches.

A powerful processor and a computer-like operating system.

An onscreen keyboard, though physical keyboards may be available as optional accessories.

Built-in speakers and a headphone socket.

The ability to download and run software applications (apps).

Built-in email, web browser, music and video player apps.

Wi-fi and sometimes 3G or 4G mobile broadband wireless connectivity.

The ability to run productivity apps, such as word processors and spreadsheets, or manage calendars and contacts.

Apps to read ebooks and digital magazines, or news sites.

A USB connection for transferring apps and data or connecting external devices.

A micro-SD slot to expand the memory.

Camera: Most tablets have two cameras; a rear one for quick snaps and video and a front one for face-to-face video chats.

App store: New apps can be easily downloaded and installed directly from the tablet’s App store.

Apps: Tablets run specially designed software known as ‘apps’. Apps can cover the full range from serious business programs to games and educational apps.

Email: All tablets have a built-in email app for checking email on the move.

USB connection: A micro USB connection means that you can transfer data to and from a computer. Some tablets use a non-standard socket and adapter cable, and have a full-sized USB port.

Speakers: Tablets feature either one or two speakers for sound, as well as a headphone socket.

Browser: Browsing the web is a tablet speciality, so all tablets have a web browser built-in.

Ebook reader: Many tablets double up as ebook readers. More than one app might be available to cover different ebook stores.

Media player: Tablets are great for watching films and catch-up TV, making media apps a must so you can view movies on the go.

Touchscreen: Tablets are controlled by touchscreens. Instead of clicking buttons and menus you tap, drag, pinch and swipe the elements on the screen.

Choosing the right tablet for you

Operating systemThe operating system is the built-in software that controls the tablet’s basic functions and provides support to run apps.

Apple launched the first successful tablet with the iPad. The iPad’s iOS operating system is fantastically easy to use, with an unbeatable line-up of apps; great apps frequently come out on iPad first.

However, tablets powered by the rival Google Android operating system provide stiff competition. The latest version of Android is more intuitive than ever, and the range of apps, games, movies, music and books on Google’s Play store is impressive. Android is more flexible than iOS, with features that allow a greater degree of personalisation. Some Android-powered tablets, such as Amazon’s Kindle Fire, use a tweaked version of Android that will look and feel different to other Android devices.

Windows 8.1 and its mobile-specific offshoot Windows RT 8.1 are great to use, making Windows the third most popular operating system for tablets.

www.which.co.uk06

Our handy guide to what to look for when buying a tablet so you get the best tablet for your needs

www.which.co.uk 07

Ports and connectionsAll tablets have some way of connecting to the USB port on a laptop or PC, though some – such as the iPad – use a proprietary connector instead of a standard USB connection. These connections may enable you to link your tablet up to a special docking station, speaker system or TV.

Many tablets have a mini HDMI socket, so that with the right cable you can hook up your tablet to a TV for a big-screen view. Some tablets have an SD card or micro SD card slot, allowing you to boost the onboard storage inexpensively with SD memory cards. It’s a feature you’ll be grateful for if you store a lot of video or music, as these will rapidly consume your built-in storage.

Screen sizeTablet screens start at 7 inches and generally go up to 12 inches, though you’ll find a few bigger tablets and some in-between.

Tablets with smaller screens are light and easy to carry around. They work brilliantly if your main interests are reading and composing email, web browsing, watching films and catch-up TV or playing games. They’re light enough to hold one-handed and small enough to cram into almost

any bag, plus they’ll double as an ebook reader.

Larger-screen tablets shine when it comes to more active tasks; you can comfortably use word-processing and productivity apps with the onscreen keyboard or use photo-editing apps. They’re brilliant for reading digital newspapers and magazines, and they also lend films more impact. What you lose in carry-anywhere convenience, you gain in versatility.

The largest are around

12.2 inches

Screen sizes start at

7inches

Buying a tablet with a lower capacity will save you money, but you might regret it in the long term: with an 8GB or 16GB tablet, music, video, photos and even apps can quickly swallow the available space. What’s more, tablet operating systems occupy a chunk already, leaving you with less memory available for you to use.

Most tablets are designed to work hand-in-hand with online cloud-based storage services. These services encourage you

www.which.co.uk08 www.which.co.uk 09

Find out about the different tablet brands at www.which.co.uk/tabletbrands

Find out more

CameraMost tablets now have either one or two cameras – a rear- facing camera for capturing photographs and videos, and a front-facing camera for video chat. Tablet cameras aren’t usually that amazing. While there are exceptions, most tablet cameras sit within the 2-megapixel to 8-megapixel region. That means they’re capable of taking snaps for Facebook, but they’re unlikely to replace your normal camera.

smooth text and graphics will appear.

Tablets with a high-resolution screen like the iPad with Retina Display (264ppi) and Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 can display images to the same fidelity as found on a printed page.

However, brightness, contrast and accurate colours should not be overlooked, while wide viewing angles make it easier to show someone else what you’re looking at, or share a film or video clip with others.

BatteryThe longer a tablet lasts without a charge the better – it will be more useful while out and about and you can enjoy the latest Hollywood blockbusters without running out of power halfway through the film.

Sadly, battery life varies wildly. We’ve tested some tablets that will browse the web via a wi-fi connection for over 13 hours, and some that don’t reach half that figure. Apple’s iPads fare well for battery life, with even the diminutive iPad mini leaving many Android and Windows 8 RT tablets playing catch-up in terms of battery life.

ScreenWith tablet screens, size alone isn’t everything. Screens vary wildly in resolution, viewing angles, brightness, contrast and colours. Resolution is typically described in terms of the number of pixels that fit into an inch of screen (pixels per inch or ppi), and is particularly important as it controls how detailed the images on the screen will look, and how

Bear in mind that few of us would think of using a large tablet as an everyday camera. For quick snaps of a child’s painting, a sketched diagram or a family moment, they’ll be fine. It’s more important that it has a front-facing camera though, as tablets are great devices for making video calls.

StorageTablets use built-in flash memory for storage; capacities range from 8GB up to 128GB.

to keep your music, photos, videos and documents stored remotely online, so you can access them from a range of devices. Tablets can include access to free cloud storage to get you started.

Battery life varies wildly. We’ve tested some tablets that will browse the web via a wi-fi connection for over 13 hours, and some that don’t reach half that figure

Wireless connectivityAll tablets support fast wi-fi for connecting wirelessly to home or work broadband, plus Bluetooth for connecting to wireless speaker systems, headphones, keyboards and more. If you need the internet and email on the move, look for tablets with built-in 3G or 4G mobile broadband, as this allows your tablet to use the same mobile networks as a smartphone. There’s invariably a price premium involved, but if you use your tablet on the road it may be worth paying. Just be aware that you’ll need a separate contract or Pay-As-You-Go SIM card for your tablet. If your contract allows, there’s another alternative: you can connect or ‘tether’ your tablet to your smartphone via wi-fi or Bluetooth and use its mobile connection instead.

Which? members can access our

reviews of cloud storage services at www.which.co.uk/cloud

Worth a lookTip

www.which.co.uk 11

The most popular tablet

This tablet is famous for being easy to use, having a long battery life, and offering a wealth of apps

The iPad from Apple was the first tablet to gain popular success. With it, Apple took everything that was good about its iPhone, making it easy to use for email, web browsing and social media, and scaled it up for a bigger screen. Apple, along with other software makers, have also created thousands of apps that made the iPad successful. Whether you want to make music, draw and paint, play games or learn about the universe, the iPad is likely to have an app that does just that.

Easy to useApple iPads are extremely easy to use – even for complete beginners – and can offer you an unmatched software library, beating Android on quality if not on quantity. iPads fit brilliantly into Apple’s world of music, movies, TV, games and apps, and work well with other services, such as Netflix, Amazon and BBC iPlayer.

With the iPad Air and iPad mini, Apple has two of the strongest tablets in town. The premium 9.7-inch and dinky iPad mini have a massive 2048 x 1536 resolution screen. Both are powerful tablets capable of running the latest apps without breaking a sweat, thanks to the fast processor chip.

The latest iPad Air has an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and the mini comes with a 5 megapixel snapper. Both have a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, too. They come in 16–128GB capacities, with wi-fi and – as a more expensive option – 4G, the fastest mobile internet data standard.

Check out our tablet reviews at www.which.co.uk/tabletreviews.

Find out more

Advantages Excellent design and build quality iPads are beautifully

designed with a premium finish. The best selection of apps Android tablets now rival the iPad

on quantity, but the iPad still tends to get the best apps first. Powerful hardware The iPad Air and iPad mini have a

stunning screen and enough power to run power-hungry and graphics-intensive games.

Safe and secure Apple carefully vets all iPad apps for viruses, and built-in features enable you to track a stolen iPad and delete its contents. And the latest models come with a fingerprint reader (Touch ID) for quick and secure access to your tablet.

These tablets are extremely easy to use – even for complete beginners – and can offer you an unmatched software library, beating Android on quality if not on quantity

www.which.co.uk10

Disadvantages Expensive You can buy comparable Android tablets for a good

£100 less than an iPad. Not so customisable Where Android is customisable, which

means that they encourage you to change everything from the onscreen keyboard to the overall look and feel, the iPad, on the other hand, plays it straight with a grid of icons and limited options to change the look and feel.

Connectivity iPads use non-standard Apple connectors and don’t have memory-card slots, so you’re stuck with the built-in storage space and may need special cables to, say, connect to a TV.

Tied into services While you don’t have to use the iTunes store to buy music and movies, iBooks for ebooks, iCloud for online storage or Apple Maps to find your way around, Apple’s software steers you towards Apple’s services. Sometimes better options are available.

www.which.co.uk 13

Powerful and offering more for your money, Android tablets come from a range of brands, giving you plenty

of choice

Customisable tablets

The Android operating system from Google runs on lots of different tablets from different brands. Unlike Apple’s iPad, any company can make an Android tablet; Sony, Google and Samsung through to little-known brands and even supermarket giants make and sell Android tablets. This competition has helped to drive standards up and prices down, meaning Android tablets have improved dramatically, and they are generally cheaper than iPads.

Make it personalAndroid is all about choice and the ability to customise the look and feel of your tablet’s interface. You’re free to change nearly everything – from the browser you use to surf the web to the keyboard you use to type – and you can personalise the tablet with handy desktop widgets that give you news, email or weather at a glance.

Android used to struggle in both its range and quality of apps, but you can now find as many great apps and games for Android tablets as you can for the iPad. Apple often gets great apps first, and can be better for creative apps, but Android’s line-up now covers most of the same ground. Google’s Play store now makes it easy to buy and download music, films, apps, books and games directly from an Android tablet.

Google itself sells Android tablets under its Nexus brand, though these tablets are actually made by partners, such as HTC. Samsung offers some great options under its own name, including the Galaxy Tab, Note

Check out our tablet reviews at www.which.co.uk/tabletreviews.

Find out more

Advantages Affordable Competition has pushed prices down so that

great tablets are available at knock-down prices. Customisable You can add your own desktop widgets

or background, and change almost every aspect of how your tablet looks and feels.

App support Android’s app store now rivals Apple’s with a great range of apps for entertainment, productivity, social networking and games.

Services Google’s Gmail, maps and cloud storage services are excellent, and even its Google+ social network is getting more useful with video chat. Android tablets bring them all together.

Range Whether you’re looking for a cheap tablet for the family or the latest advanced technology, Android covers all bases, all sizes and all price points.

Security The latest Samsung models come with a fingerprint reader for added security.

Disadvantages Ease of use Android tablets still aren’t quite as easy to use

as the iPad, though they are getting better with each update. Security Google hasn’t always been as good at vetting apps as

Apple. Quality varies wildly and some malware has slipped through. App compatibility With so many devices and so many apps, you

sometimes find Android apps that don’t work properly on your tablet. Consistency User-interfaces differ from manufacturer to

manufacturer, and not all manufacturers update their tablets with the latest Android software.

You can download music, films, apps, books and games directly from an Android tablet with a dedicated store

and Pro ranges. They’re well-built tablets with excellent screens, and the Note range works with a special pen so that you can draw and write directly onto the screen.

Amazon has taken an unusual approach, in that it uses Android on its Kindle Fire tablets, but with a completely different user interface, email app and web browser. Meanwhile, the Google Play store is replaced by Amazon’s stores. This makes for a different type of tablet; one that’s still very easy to use but that’s focused more on reading,

watching and listening than doing work or creative tasks. The Kindle Fire tablets work best if you buy a lot of ebooks and music from Amazon and want to use its LoveFilm TV and movie-streaming service. If not, then a more straightforward Android tablet, such as the Google Nexus, is a better bet.

www.which.co.uk12

www.which.co.uk 15

Software included straight out of the box means this could be the ultimate work and play tablet

www.which.co.uk14

Tablets for work

There are two flavours of Windows tablets both based on the Windows 8.1 operating system you find on laptops and desktop PCs.

The first, Windows 8.1, is identical to the one that runs on PCs, and uses a new Windows interface based around apps and a central Start Screen with constantly updating ‘live tiles’. The second, Windows RT 8.1, is made specifically for mobile devices. It looks a lot like straight Windows 8, but where a Windows 8 tablet will run almost any Windows program, a Windows RT tablet only supports software built specifically for Windows RT.

Either way, while the new interface can feel shockingly different from traditional Windows, it’s quite efficient and easy to use. Both systems can run a full version of Microsoft Office, just like the one you’d find on a Windows laptop, and Windows RT tablets come with an app version of Microsoft Office pre-installed.

Kickstand and convertibleMicrosoft makes its own Windows tablets, with the Surface 2 tablet running Windows RT and the Surface Pro 3 tablet running full Windows 8.1. They’re tough, well-designed tablets with a built-in kickstand that holds the tablet up at a working angle, plus click-in covers that double as keyboards. Other brands, including Acer, Asus, Lenovo, Samsung and Dell, also make tablets that run Windows RT 8.1 or Windows 8.1.

A number of tablets are convertible – they can transform

Advantages Consistency You can use the same interface and some of the

same software across your tablet, laptop and desktop computers. Software and services It works seamlessly with Microsoft

Office, and you can synchronise documents and files with SkyDrive, use Outlook.com for your email and check in with your Xbox Live account.

Software and hardware compatibility Full Windows 8 tablets can run any software you’d normally run on a Windows PC, and both Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 support a wider range of PC plug-in peripherals than Android or iOS.

Live tiles Windows 8.1’s live tiles put the latest emails, news, tweets and Facebook updates right where you can see them.

into a small laptop or netbook with the aid of a keyboard dock. These tablets function like a netbook when plugged into the keyboard, with an extra battery and useful ports. Detach it, however, and it’s a tablet.

The Asus VivoTab Smart is a good-value option. A 10.1-inch tablet with full Windows 8.1, it can run all the Windows software and has an optional wireless keyboard with a cover that folds in to hold the tablet upright.

A number of these tablets are convertible, meaning that they can transform into a small laptop or netbook with the aid of a keyboard dock

Check out our tablet reviews at www.which.co.uk/tabletreviews

Find out more

Disadvantages App support While the situation is improving, Windows 8.1

and Windows RT 8.1 can’t quite compete with Apple iOS or Android when it comes to the number of available apps.

Ease of use Windows 8.1 looks and feels different to iOS and Android, as well as older versions of Windows itself, so may take a while to become familiar with.

Expensive While Microsoft and its partners are matching Apple on price, Android tablets generally offer you similar hardware for less.

Customisation You can change colours, move tiles and install apps and software, but the customisation on Windows tablets is less than that on Android tablets.

Tablets are good at helping you to stay in touch. All tablets come with an email app installed, while video-calling and social-networking apps are either built in or easy to find on the tablet’s app store.

www.which.co.uk16

Get social with Which? Join our social channels at www.which.co.uk/social.

Find out more

EmailTablets are ideal for handling email. The screen gives you space to read emails, and the large onscreen keyboard makes it easier to type new messages or replies.

If you use an iPad, you can set your tablet to work with multiple email accounts, including Gmail and Outlook.com.

To get email appearing on your iPad, click on the Settings icon on the homescreen, then tap Mail, Contacts, Calendars on the left-hand side.

Next, click Add Account on the right. You’ll get a list of the most common types of email account, and all you need to do is tap the right one, then add your email address and password when prompted. Often this just works, but if you need more details, check your email provider’s website for help.

You’ll find the icon for the Mail app second-left at the bottom of the iPad screen. All your mailboxes are shown in a panel on the left-hand side of the screen. Tap on one to select it.

You’ll see your latest emails listed on the left, with a preview of the message on the right if you’re holding your iPad in landscape mode. Tapping on a message will show the whole thing.

Social networks and tablets are perfect partners. Many tablets come with software for well-known social media sites pre-installed

Using your tablet

Staying in touchEmail and social networking on a tablet makes them perfect communicators

www.which.co.uk 17

Social networkingSocial networks and tablets are perfect partners. First, download the Facebook app for free from the app store. Then you can launch a fully-featured Facebook app from its icon on the iPad’s homescreen.

It’s a similar story with Twitter; you will need to get

the free Twitter app from your tablet’s app store first. The official Twitter app is fairly simple, so more advanced Tweeters might want a more powerful app, such as TweetBot.

Find and install the Twitter app from the iPad App Store.

Tap the icon to launch the app, then tap the sign-in button.

Enter your username and password.

You’ll see the shortcuts for the update page and your Twitter contacts on the left of the screen, and the relevant tweets or updates on the right. You can then post new tweets by tapping on the quill and paper icon in the top-right of the screen.

www.which.co.uk18

A tablet isn’t just a mobile computer – it’s a personal entertainment centre, dishing out catch-up TV, music, films and games wherever you are. The main operating systems have apps for BBC iPlayer and other catch-up services, as well as video services, such as LoveFilm and Netflix. Apple offers music, movies, books and games to download from the iTunes store, while Google does the same, plus streaming, through the Google Play store for Android tablets.

Using your tablet

Tablet entertainmentReading ebooks

While Apple and Google have their own ebook stores, Amazon makes Kindle Apps for iOS, Android and Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, making it easy to buy and read Kindle ebooks across tablets.

You can find the free Kindle app on your tablet’s app store – it works in much the same way across all types of tablet.

Tap the Kindle icon to launch the app and you get a homescreen listing any books you’ve already downloaded to your tablet. Tap the Archived Items button to get a full list of books you’ve purchased on Kindle, then tap on one to start downloading it.

Clicking the button in the top-right corner will take you to Amazon’s ebook store.

Once a book has downloaded, open it by tapping on it. Swiping left and right flicks from page to page.

Tap on a blank bit of page and you get options to navigate more swiftly through the book, search for a specific bit of text or change the appearance. The Home button in the top-left corner takes you back to the home page.

Catch-up TV

BBC iPlayer is the corporation’s catch-up TV service, allowing you to stream and download programmes from the last seven days to enjoy on your tablet whenever you choose.

Download the app and tap to launch it and you can browse through the day’s most popular programmes, swiping to see more.

Use the links at the top to see the TV guide, or hit the buttons at the bottom to browse the categories, your downloads or favourite programmes.

Tap the Channels link and you can also go backwards and forwards through the channels. Simply tapping on a programme will start it playing on your tablet.

Tapping on the screen during playback will bring up the pause and play controls, and here you can also adjust the quality.

Tap the Download button below the picture to download the programme to your iPad for later, for offline viewing on the train or in the garden shed. The Download option is now available on most Android tablets, too.

Playing games

Tablets are fast catching up with consoles when it comes to playing games, and whether you like action, adventure or flinging Angry Birds around the screen, you’ll find something to suit.

You can buy and download games directly from your tablet’s app store. On the iPad, for example, you’ll find new games in the Featured page that opens by default, plus a Games category in the Categories view, accessed by the button at the bottom of the screen.

Smartphone favourites like Angry Birds work brilliantly on a tablet screen, but your tablet can handle more sophisticated titles, including 3D action games, such as Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Real Racing 3.

Fans of old games are also well catered for, with excellent iPad outings for Sonic the Hedgehog, Rayman and other Nineties heroes, plus every conceivable arcade hit.

If you’re after something more sedentary and social, Words with Friends brings you a brilliant Scrabble-like game you can play with other iPad users, whether friends or not.

www.which.co.uk 19

From reading ebooks or watching your favourite TV show, to experiencing the latest games, tablets do it all

www.which.co.uk20

Using your tablet

Productivity

www.which.co.uk 21

Photo-editing on a tabletTablets are adept at handling photos, with apps like iPhoto, Photoshop Express and Snapseed that enable you to browse through your digital albums and adjust everything from exposure to colour balance while cropping your shots. You can add a range of artistic effects, then share them on social networks or with friends through email.

What’s more, the literally hands-on approach can feel more intuitive and natural than editing photos on a PC. Photoshop Express and Snapseed are strong photo-editors that work across Android and iPad tablets. Apple’s iPhoto, however, is the most widely used iPad photo-editing app.

iPhoto has an interesting way of adjusting colour, contrast or exposure. Simply tap the part of the image you want to change, then drag

your finder up, down, left and right to adjust.

If you want to adjust specific areas, you can pick a brush tool like the Sharpen brush or the Saturate brush and use your finger to paint adjustments on.

If a photo isn’t straight, you can straighten it automatically or use the iPad’s built-in tilt sensors, rotating the iPad until, say, the horizon looks perfectly level.

Cloud storageIf you want to be productive working on a tablet, getting to grips with cloud storage is a must. Cloud storage services store documents, photos, music and many other kinds of file on a server on the internet, updating them as you work. This not only keeps them backed-up, but also ensures that you can start a new document on your tablet and then carry on working on it on another computer with no download, no delay and no fuss. There are several cloud storage services available, including Dropbox, Google Drive,

Microsoft OneDrive, SugarSync and LiveDrive. However, if you have an iPad, Apple’s iCloud service works best with Apple’s own apps, including iPhoto, Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

You’re prompted to set up iCloud when you first turn on your iPad, but if you skipped it, tap the Settings icon on the homescreen, select iCloud and enter your Apple ID. Follow the brief setup process through.

You’ll also need to set up iCloud on other computers. It’s built into recent versions of Apple OS X, but if you use a Windows PC you’ll need to download and install the iCloud Control Panel.

If you use Pages, Numbers or Keynote on your iPad and on your Mac, documents you’re working on will be synchronised between the two. Save a document and close down Pages on the iPad, for example, and the latest version will be there, ready to edit, next time you run Pages on your Mac.

Using office apps You’ll find Microsoft Office apps for iPad, Windows and Android tablets, as well as a range of third-party productivity apps. These include QuickOffice Pro HD and OfficeSuite Pro.

But if you’re on Apple, the brand’s own Pages, Numbers and Keynote apps are a good place to start, especially as they now come free with new iPads.

Pages is Apple’s own iPad word processor. You can type in text with the onscreen keyboard, and select sections to style with new fonts or colours by tapping the line and then dragging the insertion and end points with your finger. With text selected, use the buttons at the top of the screen to format your text, changing the font, the size and the alignment as you wish. You can also insert photos and pictures into your Pages documents. Just tap on the screen where you want the image to go.

Numbers is Apple’s spreadsheet app, great for organising budgets, making lists and keeping track of expenses.

Keynote is Apple’s equivalent to PowerPoint. It can be used to build some pretty sophisticated presentations, with charts, animated effects and photos. Templates make it easy to get a good-looking presentation off the ground.

Tablets can replace laptops as a work toolTablets aren’t just for passively absorbing entertainment, they can be used as business and creative tools, too. With the right apps installed they can do much the same work as a laptop, allowing you to edit documents or create a presentation. They can be used to edit photos, or even draw and paint your own digital works of art. The trick is finding and installing the right apps, and using cloud storage services to move documents and images seamlessly between tablets and other computers.

Keep your tablet safe

When you’re having fun with a new tablet, security is probably the last thing on your mind, but it’s important. Tablets are highly desirable and very portable, and the two things make them a tempting target for thieves. If you have a lot of personal information or business data on a tablet, that only adds to the risks. Luckily, there are ways to protect your tablet, and the data on it.

The following applies mostly to the iPad, but may extend to Android and Windows 8.1 devices.

Use Touch IDOn the latest iPads, you can register your fingerprint for secure and speedy access. You can register up to five prints, and with a touch of the home button you can unlock your iPad as well as authorising payment for apps, games and iTunes. Register your print by tapping Settings, then Touch ID and Passcode.

Use a passcodeEnsure your data is protected. You can set a passcode by tapping Settings, then General, then Passcode Lock. Tap Turn Passcode On and enter the

www.which.co.uk22

Protect your tablet and data against loss – and find it quickly if it goes missing

www.which.co.uk 23

Protecting your Android tablet Many of the same tips transfer to Android tablets. If you carry

your tablet around then protect it with a passcode. Go to Settings > Security and set one up. Similarly, protecting your Google account with a strong password is an excellent idea. Google has its own alternative to Find my iPad called Android Device Manager, and there’s also a range of third-party apps that do the same thing, including Android Lost and Where’s My Droid Pro.

Android tablets can be more vulnerable than iPads to viruses. Never install an app from anywhere except the Google or Amazon stores, and ensure you keep your Android software up to date.

same four-digit passcode twice. Pick something you can remember, and leave the other options alone for now.

Use a strong passwordYour Apple ID can be used to buy books, music, apps and films with your iPad, so make sure it’s protected by a strong password. Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers, and avoid anything obvious.

Track your tabletThe Find my iPad tool uses the GPS receiver built into every iPad to track the tablet if you can’t find it. Activate it during the setup process, or go to Settings > iCloud and tap Find

My iPad to turn it on. This allows you to lock or wipe the data from your iPad anywhere as soon as it connects to the internet. To find your iPad later, simply log into iCloud from any browser and click Find my iPad. Select your missing iPad from the list of registered devices and you’ll see its location marked with a pushpin, with options to enter a message, lock it or wipe it.

Keep it updatedTo keep your iPad safe and secure, make sure you keep iOS and your apps updated. Go to Settings > General > Software Update, and use the Updates button at the bottom of the screen in the iPad App Store.

3G Third-generation mobile networks, which allow data to be sent and received wirelessly at high speeds.4G The fastest mobile internet data standard, promising faster download speeds than 3G.App A lean, lightweight piece of software designed for tablets and smartphones, adding extra information, functions or features.Ebook A digital book that can be downloaded and read on a tablet, smartphone or ebook reader.GPS A technology that allows your tablet’s location to be tracked by a satellite.HD (High Definition) A format where visual content, such as video, is shown at a high resolution, creating more detailed, lifelike images.HDMI A standard connector for linking audio-visual devices

together, so you can watch a film stored on your tablet on your TV. Megapixel 1 million pixels, and one measure of how much detail a tablet’s camera can resolve.Operating System The software that makes a tablet work and helps it run any apps and peripherals you want to use.Android Google’s mobile operating system, as used in many tablets and smartphones.iOS Apple’s mobile operating system, as used on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.Windows Microsoft’s well-known operating system, which, with Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1, has been redesigned for use on tablets.Resolution A measure of screen quality, usually referred to in terms of the pixels that fit into a single square inch (more is better).

Retina display Apple’s high-resolution HD display, as used on the iPad Air and iPad mini.SD Card A small plastic card containing a chip that stores between 8GB and 64GB of data. Some tablets have a slot for an SD or micro SD memory card.Touchscreen A touch-sensitive screen, and the primary method of controlling a tablet.USB A computer interface standard that allows a tablet to work with printers, keyboards, mice, external hard disks and USB memory keys. Widget A small app that displays some piece of vital information on your homescreen.Wi-fi A wireless network technology, used to hook up a tablet to other devices in the home, or just to the internet.

3G HDMI

Widget

Megapixel

Ebook

App Retina display

USB

SD card

GPS

Get to grips with the terms used in the world of tablets

Jargon buster