Tablet computer facts for kids

A Samsung Galaxy tablet computer.

A tablet computer, often just called a tablet, is a small, portable computer. You use it mostly by tapping on its touch screen with your finger or a special pen called a stylus. Tablets are bigger than a smartphone but smaller than a laptop. They are great for reading books, watching movies, playing games, looking at maps, browsing websites, or listening to music. Popular tablets include the Samsung Galaxy and the iPad. Many tablets use mobile operating systems like Android or iOS. Some even use computer operating systems like Windows or Ubuntu.

What Makes a Tablet Special?

Tablets are designed to be easy to carry and use. They usually have a flat screen that responds to your touch. This means you don't need a separate keyboard or mouse for most tasks.

Touchscreen Technology

The screen on a tablet is very important. It lets you interact directly with what you see. You can tap to open apps, swipe to scroll through pages, and pinch to zoom in or out. This makes using a tablet feel very natural and simple.

Operating Systems

Just like a computer, tablets need an operating system to run. This is the main software that controls everything.

• Android is a very popular operating system. It was first made for smartphones but works well on tablets too. Many different companies make Android tablets.
• iOS is the operating system used by Apple's iPads. It is known for being easy to use and having many apps.
• Some tablets use desktop operating systems like Windows. These tablets can often do more complex tasks, similar to a regular computer.

How Tablets Are Used

Tablets are very versatile devices. People use them for many different things every day.

For Learning and Reading

Tablets are excellent for schoolwork and reading. You can download digital textbooks or read e-books. Many educational apps are available to help with homework or learning new skills. It's like carrying a whole library in your backpack!

For Entertainment

Watching movies and TV shows on a tablet is very popular. Their screens are bigger than a phone's, making videos more enjoyable. Tablets are also fantastic for playing games, from simple puzzles to more advanced adventures. You can also listen to your favorite music.

Staying Connected

Tablets let you connect with friends and family. You can use them for video calls, sending messages, or checking social media. With Wi-Fi or mobile data, you can browse the internet almost anywhere.

A Quick Look at Tablet History

The idea of a tablet has been around for a long time. People dreamed of portable devices for writing and reading for many years.

Early Ideas

Even in the 1800s, there were ideas for electronic writing devices. Later, in movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey from 1968, people saw futuristic tablets. These early ideas showed what might be possible one day.

First Tablets

One of the first tablets was the Apple Newton MessagePad. It came out in 1993. It was a "personal digital assistant" that let you write notes. Over the years, other companies made tablets too, like Fujitsu Siemens and Nokia.

Modern Tablets

The modern tablet era really began with the iPad in 2010. It made tablets very popular and showed how useful they could be. After that, many other companies, like Samsung, started making their own tablets. Today, there are many types of tablets, including ones designed for gaming or for use in restaurants.

Images for kids

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  Apple's iPad (left) and Amazon's Fire (right), two popular tablet computers.

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  1888 telautograph patent schema

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  Wireless tablet device portrayed in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

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  Apple Newton MessagePad, Apple's first produced tablet, released in 1993.

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  A Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook tablet running Windows XP, released in 2003

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  The Nokia N800

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  Apple's iPad and iPad Pro

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  Crossover tablet device types from 2014: Microsoft Surface Pro 3 laplet and Sony Xperia Z Ultra phablet, next to a generic blue lighter for size comparison.

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  Samsung's Galaxy Note series were the first commercially successful phablets

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  Nvidia Shield Tablet, notable gaming tablet

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  Games on a Ziosk table ordering tablet at an Olive Garden restaurant

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  Samsung Galaxy Tab demonstrating multi-touch

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  人 animation]], Mandarin: rén, Korean: in, Japanese: jin, nin; hito, Cantonese: jan4). The character has two strokes, the first shown here in brown, and the second in red. The black area represents the starting position of the writing instrument.

See also

In Spanish: Tableta (computadora) para niños