# I just acquired a tablet. Now what? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** phones-tablets\ **Created:** [April 21, 2022, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153 "2022-04-21T04:09:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/41 "2022-04-23T16:02:31Z")
Unless the tablet does not support it, what you could do is get home then hook up to a full-sized monitor, keyboard and mouse and work on it normally. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/42 "2022-04-23T18:04:59Z")
Yep. Plug a USB keyboard into it with an adapter if it supports USB On The Go. Or use a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth keyboard. You can use just about any keyboard with a tablet, with enough adapters. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/43 "2022-04-23T20:18:29Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Unless the tablet does not support it, what you could do is get home then hook up to a full-sized monitor, keyboard and mouse and work on it normally.⁢ Sure, but then you might as well use a regular desktop PC, since you’re at home anyway. Tablets shine on their portability. Plus you can always use them with your PC as a pen input device–even with the ones that requires that weird plastic pen to be useful. Then you get a bigger screen and more powerful hardware to do the actual work, but get the touch benefits. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/44 "2022-04-24T23:43:44Z")
I am aware that they don’t come with physical keyboard. It was the built-in one I was talking about. For typing stuff on the go, a phone is far better than a tablet, and for typing at home, a laptop or desktop are far better than a tablet. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/45 "2022-04-25T16:17:14Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Tablets don’t generally come with physical keyboards. There are a veritable plethora of virtual ones to choose from for any android device. Plus, as noted, any Bluetooth keyboard ought to work. There are a number of cases for the iPad which include a built-in keyboard. I did not spring for one, because I did not expect to use mine for all that much typing. I don’t know if there are similar ones available for Android devices but I would expect so. Since my husband already has a portable Bluetooth keyboard, I could use that if I wished. I’d need to prop the iPad up enough so my neck didn’t crick too badly; it has an easel case but that would be too low for anything serious. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/46 "2022-04-25T16:46:34Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > or typing stuff on the go, a phone is far better than a tablet, and for typing at home, a laptop or desktop are far better than a tablet. Agree whole heartedly. That’s pretty much why i gave up on my iPad, and spend my life on my phone and on laptops. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/47 "2022-04-25T16:48:53Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > was the built-in one I was talking about. If you don’t like the the installed program, install another one. > **[Best keyboard apps for Android 2024](https://www.androidcentral.com/best-keyboard-android)** > > Tap away at these magnificent Android keyboards. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/48 "2022-04-25T17:02:43Z")
I’m very happy with my phone’s keyboard, though… ---
**Author:** ![banjopatterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@banjopatterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/banjopatterson)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-acquired-a-tablet-now-what/963153/49 "2022-04-26T01:33:52Z")
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