As manufacturers rush to capitalize on the attention given to the Apple iPad, there's seems to be a new tablet announced every week. We can't keep track of every slate thrown into the wild, but if you're curious to know what your options are, we've compiled a general overview of the tablet landscape.
Apple's iPad.
(Credit: Apple)iPad
There's probably no explanation needed for this one. With a million iPads sold within the first month of its introduction, the iPad has quickly taken the lead position in the tablet category.
Pros: Elegant hardware; vibrant app store; ideal for media playback; large selection of games; fast processor; responsive multitouch screen; long battery life; priced as low as $499.
Cons: Users must buy their software from Apple; existing Macand Windows software isn't supported; lacks Adobe Flash compatibility; limited hardware support.
Windows tablets
By sheer numbers, Windows-based tablets dominate the category. These include several subcategories, such as slates, convertible laptops, UMPCs, and MIDs.
Pros: Familiar UI; broadest software and hardware compatibility; Adobe Flash support; multitasking; wide range of screen sizes, pricing, and implementations.
Cons: Windows desktop UI doesn't always translate well to the touch screen without intermediating software or stylus input; typically longer boot times compared with mobile OS; cumbersome software installation; more prone to computer virus; typically shorter battery life.
The Archos 9 PC tablet.
(Credit: CNET)Android tablets
The Dell Streak and Looking Glass tablets.
(Credit: Engadget)Smartphones running Google's Android OS are some of the biggest competitors to Apple's iPhone. Android takes a similar approach, by offering a streamlined UI based around lightweight, third-party apps.
Pros: A large variety of apps; quick boot time; third-party manufacturers competing to provide hardware; one-touch access to Google Web search; options priced as low as $199.
Cons: Current Android features and developer specs more fitting for smartphones than tablets; most apps are designed for small screens and don't scale well; built-in media player is only average.
Web tablets
If you only plan on using a tablet to browse the Web or utilize Web-based applications, why not cut out the middle-man? Web tablets essentially boot up directly into a Web browser, forgoing traditional UI metaphors of desktops and applications. Examples include the Fusion Garage JooJoo, and tablets running Google's Chrome OS.
Pros: The full, undiluted Web; quick boot-up; minimal RAM and storage requirements.
Cons: Locked into one browser; few to no offline capabilities; browser may default to mobile-optimized view of some sites; Adobe Flash compatibility not guaranteed on all devices; a similarly priced Netbook is arguably a more convenient option in most circumstances.
E-book readers
(Credit: Amazon)Dedicated E-book readers used to be pretty simple and straightforward. Generally, they used e-ink on high-contrast black-and-white displays with screen sizes of 5 to 10 inches. Most offer the ability to read e-books as well as magazines and newspapers, and the most popular ones are tied to specific content vendors (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Sony).
New tablets (such as the iPad and Windows-based models) can duplicate some or all of the functionality of an e-book reader, but the inclusion of such niceties as free 3G e-book store access and the e-ink screens--which many readers find to be easier on the eyes for long reading sessions--mean that dedicated e-book readers still have a place in a tablet world. They may continue to thrive, especially as more models appear in the sub-$200 range.
Pros: E-ink screens (on most models) that are easy on the eyes; built-in 3G wireless (on some models); lower price points than most full-featured tablets; generally good battery life (compared with many color screen tablets).
Cons: Black and white screens (on e-ink models); limited touch-screen options; additional media features (audio, video, Web browsing, third-party apps) are limited or nonexistent.
Other
The OpenTablet 7.
(Credit: OpenPeak)There are a few tablets on the horizon that don't fall neatly into any of the previous categories. But whether it's a custom Linux-based slate like the OpenTablet, or HP's rumored tablet based on Palm's WebOS, they all have one thing in common: they're untested. Compared with a Windows-based tablet or the relatively long history behind the iPhone OS, any new kid on the block will inherently have some kinks to work out.
In conclusion, the best advice we could give any potential tablet owner is simply to wait. The remainder of 2010 is guaranteed to produce a flurry of new tablets, as manufacturers compete to pull the spotlight away from the Apple iPad. Be patient, and let the tablet wars play out before picking a winner.
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