The tablet's role in the evolution of gaming

Every few years a new development is introduced that changes the face of gaming. Several years ago, motion technology expanded the capabilities of video games, for example. More recently, mobile devices have emerged as the next big shift.

Early mobile gaming has been relatively simple, relying mainly on the touch capabilities of smartphones and tablet computers. But as the devices continue to evolve, gaming -- especially on tablets -- is progressing rapidly.

The most obvious advantage that tablets have over smartphones when it comes to gaming is screen size. Conversely, tablets have the benefit of portability when compared to traditional consoles.

As tablets evolve, developers are adding features to expand their gaming capabilities. One development is USB gamepad support, as found on the latest version of Google's Android™ operating system, known as Ice Cream Sandwich. This advent could be huge, as it will enable tablet gaming to expand beyond touchscreen capabilities and allow users to interact with games in a more familiar way.

The evolution of gaming on tablets is by no means complete. It's possible to muse about how developers might leverage the devices' other features, like dual-camera setups, to expand on the tablet's role in the gaming world. Additionally, as other developments unfold, such as more powerful processors, it will be interesting to see how gaming evolves accordingly.