iPads Tablets & eReaders

Heading off to college or university is an exciting time. And if you’re planning to live in a dorm room, it means stocking up on all of the gear you’ll need for the shared living space. When it comes to a display device, one wouldn’t even think of a tablet as being a full-on TV replacement. But when you consider that your home base will be such small living quarters, this becomes a real consideration. And there are advantages for each technology when it comes to both productivity and entertainment.

Kobo sticks to a familiar design in helping you read anywhere you want to with the new Libra H2O, an eReader built to last.

  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.

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.

IFA 2014 was the location for yet more high tech announcements as Sony got in the game. Among the new products from Sony are the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact (billed as the world’s slimmest and lightest compact tablet), new smartphones led by the new Xperia Z3 flagship, a new Android Wear-powered Smartwatch 3 and the SmartBand Talk fitness tracker.

If you have an Apple device, then you likely already know that the bevy of accessories available to you can truly enhance the user experience. Whether it’s an iPhone or iPad, choices are abundant, and those with real functional value are probably the ones that will have the most lasting impact. Each product in this list falls well into that category.

Buying a new tablet for yourself is one thing —you know what you like and what you want. But what about buying one for someone else? With the holiday shopping season fast approaching and a new tablet on many wish lists, a lot of people will be trying to figure out how to find the perfect tablet for someone else. I have a few pointers to help you out.  

One of the cool aspects of this job is being able to try out a hotly anticipated new device before it’s officially available. What’s even cooler is when a manufacturer sends you a whole box of new gadgets to review. That was the case when I cracked open the shipment from Samsung to find the new Galaxy NotePRO 12.2, Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 and Galaxy TabPRO 10.1 tablets. You can buy all three now at Best Buy, but I had the opportunity to get to know them before they hit the shelves. While I was especially impressed by the Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 (with its massive 12.2-inch, four million pixel display), all three PRO models are likely to please Android tablet fans, and offer a solid choice for prosumers and those looking for a business-friendly option.

We get hands-on with four Amazon Fire tablets, including the Fire 7, Fire HD 8, Fire 7 Kids, and Fire HD 8 Kids to help you choose.

Last weekend I spent a few hours at the first-ever Microsoft Surface Café. Held at a hip pop-up venue on Toronto’s trendy Queen Street West, the tagline for the event was: “Where creativity comes together.” The workshop I attended on Saturday was headlined by Francis Manapul —the guy who’s currently drawing Batman. He was onstage drawing Batman … and the Joker … using nothing but a Surface Pro 3. If you happen to be in the Montreal area next weekend, Microsoft is opening a Surface Café in that city starting on June 26 and is currently taking applications to attend the creative seminars. If the Toronto version was any indication, there will be some fascinating sessions (along with free coffee and Surface cookies).