Tech Check: What to look for in a tablet

Tech Check: What to look for in a tablet

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ATLANTA -

There are a mind-boggling number of choices this year if you are in the market to buy a tablet. But don't worry: choice is good and there are people that can help.

You'll want to focus on three things.  Cost,  size and operating system, which for most people means choosing between Apple or Android.

It used to be that the tablet world belonged to Apple. The company is still a major player with the new fourth generation iPad, as well as the new iPad Mini, which is the smaller 7 inch version.

But there are a lot of very good alternatives to an iPad this year that will save you money.

Cost is one of the first questions customers ask.

Let's talk about size. When it came to the smaller, last year, there was only the Kindle Fire.  Now you have a new version of the Fire, as well as a number of other 7-inch tablets, similar in size to the new iPad Mini.

The industry is learning that women in particular like the size of the 7-inch tablet over a full size because they can slip it into their purse.

"I have a lot of people and students specifically that like to stick these things literally in their back pocket," said Billy Grimes of Best Buy.

As far as operating systems, don't zone out – it's very simple. There are several operating systems out there, but the majority of tablets come down to Apple or Android.

Apple is of course on the iPad while Android is on a majority of other tablets on the market. There is also a Windows tablet.

There is a very easy way to decide what kind of operating system you might prefer. It depends on what kind of smartphone you have.

'If you do have an iPhone we are typically going to look at an iPad. If you have an Android-based phone, we're going to look at an Android-based tablet.  Have something that's a little more familiar to you, something that you're used to using already," Grimes said.

The fourth generation iPad starts at $499, while the iPad Mini goes for $329.  The brand new Nexus 10 that starts at $399 and the Nexus 7 is priced at $199. The new Kindle Fire HD is $199.

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