Should your Event Services Company rent Tablet PCs or rent iPads for your next event? The discussion below will explain both interactive technology tools, the various applications that run on each platform, and their use for meetings and events.

Tablet PC RentalThe Tablet PC is a fully-functional personal computer running Microsoft® Windows® XP that is pen, handwriting, and speech-enabled. The combination of software and hardware in a Tablet PC, which can be on many platforms, allows user interaction and productive computing experience in an event setting.

The Tablet PC allows for interchange with other computers. It has a multi-touch screen and a digitizer pen.

Why Should an Attendee Rent a Tablet PC?

  • It is great for taking notes at a conference. Since the screen is flat, it can easily sit on the table or your lap.
  • A Tablet PC goes where a Laptop does not. Plus if the Event Services Company rents the Tablet PC, the attendee doesn’t have to bring their own PC into the conference and worry about power sources or the chance it will be stolen. The Tablet PC is designed to last all day with a single charge.
  • Microsoft’s One Note software program allows:
    • Recording of audio of your notes,
    • Playback of the audio and the capability to see notes in real time and
    • Organization of your conference notes.

Why Should a Speaker Rent a Tablet PC?

 

Since the Tablet PC can run all Microsoft Office products, including PowerPoint, it is a great computer to make and run presentations.  A speaker can write on their PowerPoint slides which will:
  • Allow for the elimination of flip charts;
  • Combine the presentation slide with brainstorming and audience involvement since the speaker can use their digitizer pen to write on the Tablet PC and
  • Draw in digital ink to explain and illustrate concepts.

Rent a iPadWhat Applications should an Attendee have on their Rented iPad?

All of the built-in apps on an Apple iPad are designed to take advantage of the large Multi-Touch screen and advanced capabilities of iPad.

The Apple iPad rental has many applications that can be effectively used in an event setting and all of these applications are free.

  • Simplenote allows for anything an attendee writes on the iPad to be saved and backed up to the Internet cloud. All communications are encrypted, it is very fast, and it supports thousands of notes.
  • Evernote will file text notes, PDFs, photos, voice memos, and screen shots.
  • Dropbox allows access to MS Office, PDF, and HTML files.
  • Box.net provides sharing of files with other via email.
  • TweetDeck makes full use of the iPad screen and allows attendees to tweet about the meeting and event in real time.
  • Beat the Traffic provides live traffic maps, shows traffic speeds and accidents in most US cities, and includes live traffic cams in places. The 20 minute future traffic prediction can be helpful especially in large cities where the event may attract attendees from multiple regional areas.
  • WeatherBug Elite for iPad provides for current conditions, forecasts, animated radar, temperature and live weather cam images.

Rent iPad? Rent Tablet PC? The choice depends on many factors but one has to consider platform, applications, speed, and budget.

Consider working with AV Event Solutions, a California Event Services Company, to sort out your needs. Since they provide rentals for both the iPad and Tablet PC, their service experts can help make your next event very interactive!