Tablet PCs have grown in popularity and the main reason is due to their interface with a touch sensitive screen. Most laptops and personal computers do not use touch screen technology because they rely on either a physical keyboard or a mouse.
The tablet PC is different and thus requires a different operating system to run the touch screen interface as well as the other processes. The range of tablets on the market is large but the majority of tablets are controlled by just a few operating systems.
The Operating Systems
The main operating systems that tablet pc use are either Windows 7 or a version of Android (either 2.1 or 2.2) and Apple Mac`s own operating system, iOS. Windows 7 has been dominating the personal computer operating system market and Microsoft have delayed their emergence into the tablet market because Apple and Google have already cornered and shared the initial markets with their two operating systems.
Time will tell if Microsoft`s Windows 7 will compete with the two current market leaders and regain lost ground.
Operating System Differences
All three operating systems were designed to be used in conjunction with touch screens but Google`s Android system and Apple`s iOS. Both are specifically designed with the smart mobile phone as a core feature for the end use and hence both are good at integrating between phones or tablets and the main reason a consumer will buy a tablet is to have a wireless internet connection to stream movies, chat, browse and shop, the operating systems enable users to do what they can already do on their phones with ease.
Microsoft`s Windows 7 is more used to operating larger systems and hence is very memory hungry. Android 2.1 and 2.2 operating systems are mainly used for the devices communication and background functions.
The Android 2.1 Platform ensures the applications that are present have good access to the machines hardware and drives the main actions for the applications such as browsing, phoning and driving a host of built in applications (such as a clock, an alarm and mail).
Apple`s iOS is very similar and also drives the applications that can be used in an iPad as well as an iPhone.
The main advantages of using and Android or iOS is the similarity and compatibility with a users mobile phone and in fact the familiarity of a tablet to a mobile phone is probably why customers seek out these deals and also look to some laptop deals to provide an all round package. Depending on personal preference and experience the choice of operating system will not affect the use of the tablet in any way and sometimes a change can be a good thing.