Internet Connection
One of the most important requirements for Tapestry is a stable internet connection. If you are using 3G or your WIFI speed is a bit slow, you may find this interferes with your experience using Tapestry e.g. media may take a while to upload.Â
You can find your internet connection upload and download speeds by testing your connection.
Operating System
Another requirement is that the operating system on your device is modern enough to be compatible with the apps (iOS, Android or Fire). Our current minimum requirements are:Â
- iOS 15.6Â and above for Apple devicesÂ
- Android 8 and above for Android devicesÂ
- OS 7 and above on a 9th generation or newer tablet for Amazon Fire devicesÂ
Important note about Amazon Fire devices:Â
- Devices running OS 7 on 9th–11th generation hardware can install the app, but will experience much slower performance due to limited memory.Â
- We don’t recommend Amazon Fire devices due to their consistently limited performance. However, if you choose to use one, we strongly advise selecting a 12th generation device (or newer) running Fire OS 8 or above for the best possible experience.Â
Dropping support for older versions of the various operating systems and focusing on newer versions (which may contain vital security updates) is necessary to ensure our apps are as secure as possible and provide you with the best user experience.Â
If you are buying a new device, do make sure it has the latest version of the relevant operating system and that its supplier will provide operating system updates for as long as you want the device to last.Â
IT Support
Other than the above, the most important thing to do when choosing a device/s to use in your school or setting(s) is making sure it’s supported by your IT team (if you have one) and will be kept up to date by the manufacturer of the device.
If you are lucky enough to have an IT support team, a friend or family member who can help out, or your own expertise, choose a device that they (or you) prefer and know. If you do get on well with your smartphone, it may be worth looking to see if that manufacturer also makes tablet devices you can use.
If there isn’t anyone at your setting who has any IT expertise, you might want to consider going outside the setting for help. The intention of Tapestry is to make your life easier, but having computers and networks that you can’t use could cause a lot of frustration, so it is important to know you can get help with them if you need it.
Once you have a device in mind that you’ll be confident setting up and using, try and get something that is also supported by the company that makes it. In particular, you want a company that provides regular software updates to fix security flaws and bugs. That means avoiding devices where they don’t have a website that provides you at least some support information.
