Draft:Pro tips for choosing a laptop and tablet
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About this article
This article includes tips from the staff and students of TLT and User Services on how to choose the WSU laptop and tablet models that are right for you. These tips are based on personal experience and are not official university recommendations or guidelines. This article is intended for students and employees participating in the e-Warrior Digital Life & Learning Program who are scheduled to exchange their old devices or pick up new devices during the summer of 2015 and the 2015-2016 academic year.
Tips for all
These tips are for all students and employees:
- I think the MacBook Air and the HP EliteBook are both great machines. Their solid state drives, 5th-generation i5 processors, enhanced graphics, and thin, light "ultrabook" designs make them very comparable. Either model will give you solid technical performance, so base your decision on what makes the most sense for you in terms of your productivity, academic and professional interests, and personal enjoyment. You are going to be using your laptop every day, so choose one that lets you hit the ground running and work as comfortably as possible. --Ken Graetz (talk) 07:38, 30 March 2015 (CST)
- I have seen people choose a MacBook because it looks cool and then try to run Windows on it exclusively. That's a very bad decision. Although WSU supports a tool called VMware Fusion to allow MacBook users to run Windows applications in a pinch, it's not a satisfying, long-term solution. The Windows application will generally not run as smoothly and running Fusion really puts a strain on your MacBook. If you love Windows, go with the EliteBook. If you love OS X, go with the MacBook and try to stay away from Fusion if at all possible. --Ken Graetz (talk) 07:39, 30 March 2015 (CST)
- Don't feel like you need to choose an Apple iPad mini if you choose a MacBook or vice versa. There is also no need to choose a Samsung Tab 4 if you choose an HP EliteBook. Android on the Tab 4 is a Google operating system and is no more related to Windows than is Apple's iOS. Thus far at WSU, the Apple iPad mini is more popular than the Samsung Tab 4, among both Mac and Windows enthusiasts. If you have never had a tablet or smartphone before, you might consider the iPad over the Tab 4. Apple's tablet strategy is much less open and much more proprietary than Google's and that has pros and cons. On the plus side, iPad users benefit from Apple's attention to usability and customer-centered design and iPad apps are generally better tested, developed, and supported. On the downside, there is probably less opportunity for open innovation with the iPad because it is controlled by Apple so tightly. Time will tell. In 2013, Android tablets outsold iPads worldwide by a large margin, capturing 63% of the market, but the next big Apple announcement is just around the corner. Such is technology. For your purposes here at WSU, either one of these tablets will serve you well and be more than enough to meet your academic and work-related needs. Choose the one with which you think you will be more comfortable. --Ken Graetz (talk) 07:39, 30 March 2015 (CST)
- When it comes to tablets, we do our best to support apps that work on both iOS and Android. Sometimes it's just not possible. --Ken Graetz (talk) 07:39, 30 March 2015 (CST)
- Regardless of the tablet you select, there are a couple extras you might consider. A stylus (kind of a rubber-tipped pen) might be a good addition if you plan to take hand-written notes. Also, there are cases available for the tablets that include a keyboard. These can be really handy for taking notes or composing documents in Word. Both are available through the bookstore, most large retailers and online. --Nthomes (talk) 08:33, 30 March 2015 (CST)
- Using a new device can be a little like learning a new language. Some users opt to change for the sake of change, and while that can be empowering and offers many learning opportunities, try to ensure you're going to maintain business functionality if you switch to a different type of device. Ask yourself, can you still reliably get your homework done by the due dates? Can you still perform your work duties? TLT and DLC offer extensive, solid training if you're adamant about switching devices, and our learn wiki offers many self-help tutorials on how to acclimate yourself to a new device. --Travis Norman (talk) 08:34, 30 March 2015 (CST)
Tips for students
These are tips for students only:
- Even though you may not have a major yet, consult the laptop recommendations by college and major before making your laptop choice. Typically, these recommendations are based on courses within the major or program that require you to use an application that only runs on a specific operating system. For example, Microsoft Project only runs on a Microsoft Windows operating system. Recommendations are also based on current trends within a profession. For example, most graphic design professionals working today use Macs to do their design work. Remember, you do get a new laptop and can switch platforms if needed after two years. If you have any questions about college or major requirements, contact the Dean of the college or the Chair of the department or program. --Ken Graetz (talk) 07:43, 30 March 2015 (CST)
- Entering students have it easy in terms of their tablet decision: they all get the Apple iPad mini. Students exchanging their devices after two years get to choose between the iPad mini and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 8.0. Think carefully before switching platforms. In the end, the name on the device is not important. What's important is whether you can do what you need to do with it. Either tablet will allow you to consume media (e.g., audio, video, ebooks) for academic and entertainment purposes. However, if you are struggling to use your tablet for academic or professional tasks above and beyond media access, it may be time for a change. --Ken Graetz (talk) 07:43, 30 March 2015 (CST)
Tips for instructors
These are tips for instructors only:
- Note that the MacBook Air does not have an RJ45 network port for a wired connection to the campus network. The machine is designed for wireless use primarily. You will need an adapter or "dongle" if you want a wired network connection. Also note that the MacBook Air only has one Thuderbolt port, so you can't connect your VGA and network dongle at the same time unless you have a docking station. This is the second year that we have been offering these machines and I expected a lot more trouble with this than we actually observed. Most of the problems have been related to connecting to a classroom projector, so please test your new machine in your classrooms before the first day of classes. Contact TLT if you have any questions about this. We would be happy to meet with you in your classrooms to help with testing. --Ken Graetz (talk) 07:48, 30 March 2015 (CST)
Tips for staff
These are tips for staff only:
- Because there are some mission-critical, business-related applications such as Uniface/ISRS that do not run on a Mac, all staff are strongly encouraged to choose the PC laptop option. Choose either tablet model. Ken Graetz (talk) 10:45, 29 June 2014 (CST)