It’s the start of the college year and many students have purchased or decided whether a laptop or a tablet will accompany them throughout the semester.

Laptops are full powered computers that are portable, have full screens and keyboards. They hold a larger amount of storage and memory space, but this can cause a shorter battery life.

Since Apple released the iPad in 2010, tablets have become a new option for students aside from the traditional laptop.

All at the touch of your fingers, the tablet can offer another adaptable way to surf the internet, read books, play games, use apps and consume media.

Computer information science Professor Geissler said, “About 85 percent of my students have laptops.”

Students have taken the opportunity to use the advantages of today’s growing technologies, such as Windows software provided for laptops and the many education based apps provided for tablets.

Portability, cost and ease of use were the few features 18-year-old Naomi Simms, animal science major, considered when shopping for the right computer. “I preferred the keyboard and bigger screen,” Simms said about her new laptop, “bigger screen means bigger text for me to see.”

“Laptops don’t have a touch screen at this point, though we may start seeing that,” said Geissler. “Other than that, frankly there are not many differences.”

The most advanced feature the tablet provides compared to the laptop is its ultra-light weight portability, an important factor for students who don’t like lugging a heavy backpack around

Tablets provide similar characteristics as laptops, though this electronic is compact in size, touchscreen and has an improved battery life due to its smaller storage and memory space availability.

Despite the tablet buzz 19-year-old Lamin Wilson purchased himself a laptop.
“I could see using the tablet for books, but getting a laptop for school is more resourceful,” Wilson said.

Both, laptops and tablets, are ideal for web surfing and media use.

“It seems that everyone is using the tablet,” said Geissler, “but no one is typing on it.”
Student work related uses such as : word processing, documents and emailing gives the laptop an upper hand because of the speed and quality at which its keyboard allows you to type.

The tablet’s keyboard is virtual, as on touch phones, it limits screen viewing space and it’s easy to make mistakes.

However, tablets do have accessories such as the attachable keyboard, which can allow the portability feature to still be an advance quality.

Laptops are promoted for people with desires of viewing a bigger screen and using a good quality of memory and storage space, but while also having the option to take them place to place. Or in this case from class to class.

Tablets are recommended for those who prefer better battery life, touch screen, creative applications and lighter weight to transport.

In the end “students should get what they feel is suitable for them,” Simms said.