For the newer tablets, Bluetooth Low Energy (also BLE, Bluetooth LE,
bluetooth 4.0...) is one of the better wireless options.  Works with
newer iOS and Android tablets, although android support isn't as easy
as it should be, it works.

For wired options, people are using the Android Developer's Kit, ADK.
This uses a USB host chip on the microcontroller side to interface to
the android tablet as a USB device.  The API works pretty well and is
pretty standard across android devices that have Android OS 2.2 and
later.

Another option for interfacing on the cheap is using the
headphone/microphone jack.  A number of projects use this method as
it's pretty cheap and requires very little effort and knowledge.
There's a local museum that chose this method with iOS devices a few
years ago, since Apple didn't really allow any other way without a
cryptographic chip, and it works pretty well as the iPad is used to
explain the exhibit and controls it with a touchscreen interface.

-Adam

On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 10:47 AM, Gordon Williams <gwilliams@ncf.ca> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I was wondering if anyone on the list has used a tablet and interfaced it
> with a microcontroller.
>
> With a PC I can do this easily with a serial link.  For a tablet this opt=
ion
> doesn't seem to be available.  I like to know what (easy!) options are
> available and what tools I would need.
>
> Maybe there is a source of info out there?  I just haven't found it.
>
> Gordon Williams
>
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