iPads Tablets & eReaders

I’ve spent several weeks now with HTC’s Nexus 9 tablet. That’s a bit longer than a typical reviews, but with all the hype surrounding this device, I wanted to take the time to really run it through its paces. There are also questions surrounding the Nexus 9, primarily whether its unusual size should be considered a plus or a minus. Again, I wanted to spend time with it before coming to any snap decisions. Read my review to get the full scoop but here’s one spoiler: the Nexus 9 did make my best tablets of 2014 list. 

The new Samsung Galaxy Tab A doesn’t go out of its way to be something it isn’t, which is why it succeeds as a tablet that sticks to the basics.

Two of the factors driving the premium tablet market today are thinness and display quality. A thinner tablet not only looks sleeker, it’s lighter than others in its class making it easier to hold and to carry. Display quality is a no-brainer (who doesn’t want a better display?) but to this point, most of the competition has been in pixel count. Samsung has been a leader on both fronts but at a recent media event, the company introduced its thinnest tablet ever, the Galaxy Tab S. Besides its credentials as the sveltest tablet out there (yes, it’s even thinner than anything coming out of Cupertino), Samsung has seriously upped the visual ante by incorporating a Super AMOLED display. Pre-order yours today!  

Mobile electronics like smartphones and tablets are great, but it doesn’t matter who makes them, they all share one weak spot: the display. That big, bright screen is prone to scratches and with touch operation, it’s a magnet for fingerprints. Annoying as they are, the smudges can at least be cleaned off, but once your display is scratched, it’s scratched. The only real option you have is to replace it —and that is an expensive proposition. The ZAGG Invisible Shield Glass is an ultrathin slab of tempered glass you apply on top of your display for complete protection against scratches and resistance to fingerprints. I tested out versions for the iPad Mini with Retina Display and iPad Air and ZAGG Invisible Shield Glass is now on my must-have list for future device purchases.

To complement its two other smaller tablets, Amazon has another one with a larger display in the Fire HD 10—ideal for watching a lot of video.

In the old days (2010), sharing work between an iPad and a Mac required a bit of ingenuity. Today, Apple and software developers like Microsoft have embraced the concept of sharing files between multiple devices. Here are some of the easiest ways to move your work between your iPad and a Mac so you can pick up where you left off, no matter which device you’re using at the moment.

  Apple doesn’t just make computers and mobile devices, they create entire ecosystems for getting work done, creating projects as well as enjoying audio and video entertainment. Here are some Apple products that can help make the most of the summer.