2012 has been a year of numerous changes, with elections and price increases, along with plenty of new technology paraded from various corporate giants. For those constantly on the move and unwilling to invest in a bulky laptop to lug around, the more compact tablets are an answer to many a techno-nomads desperate plea. But with so many available on the market and so many mixed reviews, which tablet is the ultimate one to buy? To be honest, it depends what you want to get out of it and you want to use it for. If you’re Christmas shopping for a family member, then this is your handy guide to getting them just what they want.

1.  All Travellers – Nexus 7

For those seeking a functional tablet that will fit into your on-the-go lifestyle (and won’t break your wrist if you’re reading or watching movies for hours), the Google Asus Nexus 7 is worth a look. Two of its main benefits are the wallet-friendly price tag, and portable size. It’s got a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, decent graphics card, imperceptible lag, and around 10 hours of battery life. Many users will find that unless there’s a Wi-Fi network in range, the internet will be unavailable (which completely sucks if you’re trying desperate to get online), but this can be solved by simply buying an OTG cable. It’s the best all-round contender for those seeking an introduction to the tablet world and as it costs less than half the price of competitors, it’s affordable for the masses. 

2.  Gaming – Samsung Galaxy Tablet 2 10.1

If you’re looking for something to keep you entertained on those long transits across continents or something to prevent you from going crazy on layovers, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 can’t be beaten for its fantastic gaming, movie, and media qualities. It’s got a crystal clear display screen, with a 1280 x 800 resolution that brings you picture perfect precision. The battery life lasts up to 11 hours, so no need to constantly charge it. One of the current drawbacks is the lag experienced when flipping between screens, which you likely won’t notice unless you’re impatient like I am. A second issue is the Bluetooth connectivity to existing devices you own – unless your Bluetooth hardware is 3.0 and over.

3.  Productivity –  Fujitsu Stylistic M532

Those seeking a reliable tablet to use for business should consider looking at the Japanese giant Fujitsu’s offering – the Stylistic M532. It runs on an Android system, has a snazzy Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, and is designed to integrate effortlessly with your company e-mail exchange, calendar, contacts, and virtual desktop infrastructure. The forward facing camera will come in handy for conference calls and it comes with a complimentary year of Norton Tablet Security. If you’re worried about space, it comes with 32 gigabytes of SSD storage, has a Micro-USB port, and also has a micro-SD slot. If this all sounds too good to be true, note that it also comes with 3G connectivity capabilities, allowing you to e-mail or browse on the go.

4.  Crème de la crème – iPad 4

You knew this was going to crop up somewhere on the list, and so as not to disappoint, ta da! The iPad is a phenomenal device and it comes from one of the first companies on the market to start producing tablets. The iPad 4 is very similar to the iPad 3, which was only created six months prior to the iPad 4’s release. It comes with the standard Wi-Fi, accelerometer, Bluetooth 4.0, and a retina display with a 2048 x 1536 resolution. As opposed to the other iPads, this one comes with 4G, the Apple A6X processor, and dual-band support. It’s faster than the other iPads and costs a pretty penny, so unless you’re an Apple fan, you’d be better off buying the iPad3 or another tablet.

Great Apps for Travellers:

Evernote – If you’re a writer or business person on a deadline, then Evernote is the perfect companion to your normal writing application.

Skype – most tablets have a video camera and a microphone, so start using these features along with the Skype App to keep in touch with loved ones while on the go.

First Aid – Created by the Red Cross, the First Aid app comes in handy for everyday emergencies, such as fainting, cuts, or choking. It comes with plenty of step-by-step instructions, illustrations, videos, and quizzes.

Let us know which tablet you’re most excited to try out, or which ones you’ve used in the past you’re happy to recommend.

Main image by John Karakatsanis (Creative Commons)