Tablet computer

For the computer input device, see graphics tablet. For other uses, see tablet.
"Tablet PC" redirects here. For the class of Microsoft Windows-based tablets, see Microsoft Tablet PC.
Apple's iPad (left) and Amazon's Fire, two popular tablet computers, displaying an English Wikipedia article

A tablet computer, commonly shortened to tablet, is a mobile device, typically with a mobile operating system and touchscreen display processing circuitry, and a rechargeable battery in a single, thin and flat package. Tablets, being computers, have similar capabilities, but lack some input/output (I/O) abilities that others have. Modern tablets largely resemble modern smartphones, the only differences being that tablets are relatively larger than smartphones, with screens 7 inches (18 cm) or larger, measured diagonally,[1][2][3][4] and may not support access to a cellular network. Unlike laptops (which have traditionally run off operating systems usually designed for desktops), tablets usually run mobile operating systems, alongside smartphones.

The touchscreen display is operated by gestures executed by finger or digital pen (stylus), instead of the mouse, touchpad, and keyboard of larger computers. Portable computers can be classified according to the presence and appearance of physical keyboards. Two species of tablet, the slate and booklet, do not have physical keyboards and usually accept text and other input by use of a virtual keyboard shown on their touchscreen displays. To compensate for their lack of a physical keyboard, most tablets can connect to independent physical keyboards by Bluetooth or USB; 2-in-1 PCs have keyboards, distinct from tablets.

The form of the tablet was conceptualized in the middle of the 20th century (Stanley Kubrick depicted fictional tablets in the 1968 science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey) and prototyped and developed in the last two decades of that century. In 2010, Apple released the iPad, the first mass-market tablet to achieve widespread popularity.[5] Thereafter, tablets rapidly rose in ubiquity and soon became a large product category used for personal, educational and workplace applications.[6] Popular uses for a tablet PC include viewing presentations, video-conferencing, reading e-books, watching movies, sharing photos and more.[7] As of 2021 there are 1.28 billion tablet users worldwide according to data provided by Statista,[8] while Apple holds the largest manufacturer market share followed by Samsung and Lenovo.[9]

  1. ^ "Definition of: tablet computer". PC Magazine Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  2. ^ "tablet computer". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on November 8, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  3. ^ Erica Ogg (May 28, 2010). "What makes a tablet a tablet? (FAQ)". CNET.
  4. ^ "Ulefone U7 7" LTPS MTK6592 Octa-Core review". IReviewChinaPhone.com. June 28, 2014. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Every device with diagonal equal 7" or longer is practically tablet PC
  5. ^ "iPad Available in US on April 3" (Press release). Apple. March 5, 2010. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
  6. ^ Chester, Brandon (March 12, 2015). "The Dell Venue 8 7000 Series Review". Anandtech. Archived from the original on March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  7. ^ "What is a Tablet PC?". Lenovo.
  8. ^ "Number of tablet users worldwide from 2013 to 2021 (in billions)*". Statista. February 14, 2022.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).