Electronics Circuits

Android tablets, unlike Android phones, don't require mobile phone service or a contract with a mobile phone company, and several models use Wi-Fi for network connectivity. The Android 4.2 operating system, known as Jellybean has the same features for Wi-Fi connections that are available with earlier versions of Android. Android tablets support wireless connections encrypted by both WEP and the more-secure WPA.

Instructions to Connect an Android Tablet to WiFi

1: Tap the "Apps" menu on the tablet screen. Touch "Settings."

2: Touch "Wireless and Networks" and select "Wi-Fi Settings."

3: Tap the "Wi-Fi" box to turn on Wi-Fi. The Android tablet scans for available Wi-Fi networks and displays them on-screen under "Wi-Fi Networks."

4: Tap an available Wi-Fi network. Touch "Connect" if it is unsecured, or enter the password or passcode for the encrypted connection. Tap "Connect."

Although similar in appearance, the Apple iPad and Amazon's Kindle differ in several respects. The device that is right for you depends in large part on how you intend to use it and how much you are willing to pay.

Instructions

1: Look at your budget. In late 2011, all six of the Kindle models price at less than $200 including one model for less than $100. The least expensive iPad is priced at $499. The comparison is awkward because the iPad is equipped with many more features than the Kindle, which is designed as a reading device. The iPad approaches a tablet computer in features. If you want only to read, the Kindle is the more affordable choice. If you want the advanced features of a tablet, you can only find them on the iPad.

2: Choose a display type. If you plan to use your device reading on the deck or by the pool, the Kindle is the better choice for you. The screen on all but the newest entry into the lineup is easily visible in bright sunlight. The backlit display of the iPad is beautiful for watching videos and playing games, but you can barely see it in the bright sun.

3: Anticipate storage needs. Electronic books don't take up much room. The Kindle models can store all the books you'll ever need. The iPad has a much larger storage capacity to accommodate its video, music and game files.

4: Both devices have built in Wi-Fi. Both feature touch-screen navigation. Both offer easy access to e-book stores, controls to change fonts and sizes within books and free cloud backup. Either serves as an efficient e-reader.

Tablets such as the iPad and the Motorola Xoom may be on their way to replacing conventional computers. A 2011 Nielsen survey found that 35 percent of desktop computer owners and 33 percent of laptop owners reduced their PC use or stopped using them altogether after they purchased a tablet. Unfortunately, as your tablet becomes your go-to device, you must wrestle with the same problem laptop and mobile-phone owners have faced for years.

Extending battery life while getting the most out of the device. While tablets are relatively new, the batteries inside haven’t changed a whole lot since the mid-1990s. Improving the power consumption of a tablet is much like improving that of a mobile phone or laptop or even conserving energy at home: turn off what you don’t use, minimize the usage of features you do need and look for hidden features draining your battery.

Instructions to Increase Your Tablet's Battery Life

1: Reduce your screen’s brightness. This single step greatly improves your battery life. The screen is the largest power draw on a tablet. Dim your screen as much as you can handle without causing eyestrain. Some tasks, such as photo editing, may require full brightness, but reducing it for ordinary reading will pay off in extra uptime.

2: Shorten the screen timeout interval. This feature -- called the Auto-Lock Interval on an iPad --blacks out the screen when the tablet’s not in use. While you may have to touch the screen at regular intervals to keep the tablet awake while you read, you’ll extend your battery life significantly if you use the tablet frequently for short tasks like checking email or sending SMS messages. If you don't mind fiddling with settings, you can turn off the timeout when you're settling in for some reading, and then change it back afterwards.

3: Reduce or eliminate application updates, pings and syncs. For example, social media applications such as TweetDeck and Apple’s Ping update constantly by default, even when you’re not using them. Set applications to update manually whenever possible and you’ll conserve power even when your tablet is “asleep.” Likewise, Apple recommends turning off “push notifications” and email “push” settings on your iPad to conserve power.

4: Disable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS when they aren’t needed. Even when these services aren’t in use, they continue to search for connections and remain “powered up.” Some tablets offer a widget to quickly enable or disable these antennas when you’re not using them. If your tablet also uses 3G or 4G wireless service, disable it when you’re using Wi-Fi, or use "airplane mode" if you're photo editing or watching a downloaded movie.

5: Keep an eye on the applications that run in the background. Some, such as games, should be shut down when you’re done with them. Others, such as GPS-enabled apps, might use more power than you expect while they’re in the background, because they’re also accessing your GPS antenna. Kill or quit any apps you don’t need.

6: If your tablet has an Organic Light Emitting Diode screen, a dark-colored wallpaper will reduce the screen’s power draw. Unfortunately, this method won't work with LCD screens, which are illuminated by a static backlight.