Adam’s Insight on Holiday Gift Ideas

Adam Zwibelman
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This holiday season, I have been most often asked, “what tablet should I buy?” and/or “what laptop should I purchase?” For most people, my default answer is simple: If it is a tablet your’re in the market for, look no further than the Apple IPad or Ipad Mini. I then explain the difference and benefits thereof between the WiFi (only) and WiFi + Cellular models. As for laptops, my suggestion is to target the best deal that can be found (and there are many this time of year), usually costing around $300 ~ $400, BUT … consumers should focus on those laptops that utilize the Intel-Based i3 or i5 processor with 4GB of RAM as minimum specifications.

The trickier question these days, “should I get a tablet or a laptop?”

In trying to help provide the right answer, one must first figure out what their primary uses are going to be on any such device. Once identified, this should help guide you as to what would be the best fit for your needs. For example: If you mainly want a device to check email and surf the web, then I might recommend a tablet. If they are looking to do more work (read: content creation) on it, such as using Office to read, create and edit files, then a laptop might be a better solution.

Hybrid Devices: A closer look at the new Microsoft Surface (RT) & Surface Pro

It’s not always easy to provide a simple answer and I struggle with this question even when considering my own needs. When taking a trip, I always have an internal debate on whether I should bring the laptop or if the iPad will suffice? When Windows 8 and Microsoft’s Surface came out, I was hoping that the gap between the two would be bridged into one device with the best of both worlds. While the idea was solid, the execution may not be quite there yet. That being said, I feel like it may be good enough to where the surface could become my primary device; one in which I will not have to think twice about using it both at home or taking it on the road. Just recently I picked up the original Surface RT for $199. While I’m optimistic that I will get value from it, I’m hesitant to recommend it except for certain situations; it’s neither a great substitute for a tablet or laptop respectively. To better illustrate: with the Surface RT you get the weight and battery life similar to that of an iPad, but unlike a laptop, it does not have a full version of Windows OS. With the Surface Pro you get a full version of Microsoft Windows but in comparison to a normal tablet, it is expensive, heavy, and battery life is diminished. At this time, the only people I’ve recommended the Surface Pro to is power users looking for an experience and functionality more akin to an UltraBook. Certainly, these hybrid devices will get to a point where you can have your Windows Laptop and Tablet feel without having to make concessions. For now it’s a still a tricky question to answer.

Final Thoughts

In summary, consider RT (branded now as Surface and Surface 2) only if found with steep consumer discounts. While one will get value from having access to MS office, usage will be limited to Windows 8 apps and selected others. Consider the Surface Pro only if you’re in the market for an UltraBook, but perhaps want something even more portable. And, as mentioned at the start of this post, the iPad series of tablets and inexpensive laptops powered by Intel are both great options for most consumers.

Happy Holidays!