You probably can’t help but have noticed that tablet computers seem to have become the height of fashion recently. Wherever you go, someone around you will be using one to send an email, surf the net, read a book or play a game. But whilst the cool factor has undoubtedly helped spread the tablet, some of their key features can have very real benefits for those with spinal cord injuries.  

Compared to a laptop, tablets don't heat up so keeping them on your lap is much less of a problem; they're lighter and easier to handle; and the touch screen is often far more accessible to someone with limited dexterity than a keyboard.  Many people have told us how their tablet has made their lives easier and we've had great feedback on the tablets we loan to Spinal Injury Centres.  But how do you know which tablet to choose?

Aspire decided to compare the hugely popular Apple iPad and the Motorola Xoom to see if there was any difference in how accessible they were to those with higher level injuries.  We asked three volunteers, all injured at C4 or C5 level, to try the two machines for a couple of weeks and to let us know how they got on.

The testers found very little difference between the two tablets in terms of their touch screens and overall portability.  But crucially, the power switch on the Xoom is on the back of the machine - for those that struggle to turn the computer over, this could be a major problem.  We've found an app that will keep the screen from turning off so you don't need to access the button on the back as often, but this drains the battery and so is only practicable if the device is on mains power.  The design of the iPad means such fixes are unnecessary.

With not much between the iPad and the Xoom themselves, the real difference lies in the apps and add-ons that can be used with them.  The Xoom, on the Android Operating System, had access to many third party on-screen keyboards through the Android marketplace.  The testers tried several of these, some of which were superior to the standard on-screen keyboards and could be bought for just a few pounds.  The iPad has no access to these other keyboards, but the Apple App Store currently has more useful general purpose apps for iPads than are available to users of other devices.

Interestingly, the Xoom can be connected to other inputting devices, opening access up to those who can't use the touch screen at all - we've been running it using the Integra Mouse, for example, but it should work with any joystick or mouse that doesn't need software to work.  The iPad can only be used with a very limited range of external devices, most of which do not help to make the iPad accessible to people who can't use the touch screen.

Overall, our testers found little between the iPad and Xoom in the day to day situations they were using them in.  Their advice was to think carefully about how you'll be using a tablet and to try them out before buying.  They also stressed that a tablet is no substitute for a computer - if you want to do more than use email and the internet, jot down memos or access games, movies or music, you'll still need a laptop or desktop.

****Update****

Since our testers looked at the iPad, Apple's latest release of their Operating System includes some new accessibility features.  Assistive Touch is a feature that helps you to use the iPad or iPhone if you have difficulty pressing the buttons or need to use a stylus to navigate the device.  Assistive Touch makes the physical buttons on the device accessible by touching the screen (for example, increase/decrease the volume, rotate the screen).  It also allows certain gestures such as pinching and multiple finger swipes to be done with only one touch.  We've been trying it in the office and can see real benefits with this feature.

Assistive Touch has to be enabled and is found in Settings, General, Accessibility, Assistive Touch.