Tablets are great devices to have and even if you have a smartphone with a big display, it will never quite offer the same satisfaction as a tablet will when it comes to work, play and even communication.
Whether you use your tablet for competing in a live multiplayer game of Modern Combat 5: Blackout, or you use it to stream the latest episode of Better Call Saul on Netflix during your commute to work, there are plenty of ways to ensure you get the most out of your connected tablet.
Here are six tips to make sure that 4G connection on your slab is giving you everything you bargained for.
Video streaming
If you don't have a Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video or equivalent movie streaming service account already, it's probably a good idea to get one. Sadly they don't come free, but the monthly cost is pretty reasonable if you are keen to watch movies or TV series' on the move.
There are of course free apps from the country's major broadcasters such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and 4oD that allow you to catch up on the latest episodes from each channel. All you need is your connection and a spare 30 minutes to make sure you're up to date on Eastenders, so these apps are well worth downloading onto your tablet as they mean you can still enjoy content on the move, even if you can't justify a Netflix subscription just yet.
Most video streaming services use adaptive picture technologies that means the quality of the picture differs depending on the speed and strength of the internet connection. The national average speed for 4G is 15Mbps and Netflix recommends a minimum connection of 5Mbps for HD-quality video so if you have a 4G connected tablet - you should experience a stable HD stream.
Video calling
Tablets are brilliant when it comes to keeping in contact with friends and family far away as no matter what platform your slab runs on, there are services like Skype, Viber or Apple's FaceTime that enable you to call them for free and see their lovely faces too.
Once upon a time, it would cost a small fortune to ring a loved one that was travelling on the other side of the world but now you can do it without it costing you a penny, so long as you have a good data plan of course. Downloading these apps onto your tablet means you'll be able to contact whoever you need to, whether you are on a train or just chilling in a park. All you need to do is make sure you know their Skype or Viber name, or they have an Apple device for FaceTime.
Social networking
Whether it's Facebook or Twitter that you take pride in keeping up to date, having a connected tablet allows you to do it quickly and easily, with the bonus of a bigger display to make sure you're not uploading any pictures you don't look your best in.
It doesn't matter if you take pictures on your smartphone and want to use your tablet to upload them as images are easily transferrable with apps like Dropbox and Google Drive, or if you simply want to "Check in" somewhere to let everyone know where you are. You can use your connected tablet to keep all of your social networks full of your latest news, while keeping your smartphone and its battery free for phone calls and messages.
Mobile productivity
Writing a document on a smartphone isn't the easiest task as even on a phablet, you're looking at some pretty tiny writing that will undoubtedly feature mistakes. It is however, much easier on a tablet and having that tablet connected means you can use services like Dropbox or Google Drive to access documents you have previously worked on using your laptop or desktop computer.
It also means you can save the documents you work on to then open up on your computer, laptop or smartphone later on. If you are working on a document with another person, having a connected tablet will come in handy here too as Google Drive will allow you to simultaneously work on the same shared file, updating constantly and automatically using your connection. Great if you don't want to lug your laptop around but still want to work on the move.
You can also use your connection to tether to your laptop if there is no Wi-Fi around for you to use. You'll be able to share your tablet's connection with your laptop via Bluetooth or a mobile hotspot, which will then allow you work on your laptop, or move files into a cloud service so you can then access them from the tablet.
Keeping up to date with what's happening
For those that like to make sure they know what's happening in the world, or those that just enjoy a good read, connected tablets are great for scrubbing up on the latest news during a commute or a lunch break.
You can either subscribe to individual apps, such as The Guardian or Daily Mail, or you can opt for individual magazines that will then allow you to read new issues in tablet format so you won't need to clog up your coffee table. There are also apps such as Flipboard that aggregate lots of content from various places so you can follow the stories and people that matter to you easily.
Like Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video, these services tend to charge but all worth it if you can read what you want to read, whenever you want to read it.
Tablets are brilliant for reading on, whether that be newspapers, magazines or books and a connection means you can even download a new book from the Kindle Store for example if you need something to entertain you.
Gaming
Gaming isn't just about the latest consoles as a connected tablet means you can experience console-like multiplayer match-ups, playing live against each other over your 4G connection when you're out and about.
You can play first person shooter games such as N.O.V.A, as well as Modern Combat 5: Blackout using your connected tablet but you'll also be able to link up with Apple's Games Centre for other games, allowing you to see leaderboards and top scores for example.