When Apple first released its iPad tablet computer a couple of years ago there were plenty of people who were quick to dismiss it as not really being relevant. Since then, however, it has gone on to become a massive bestseller and, as a result, all of the other manufacturers have gone out of their way to come up with an iPad killer of their own. While that means rich pickings for people who don’t want to go down the Apple route, deciding on the right model can be tricky…


The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 stands up as one of the main rivals to the Apple iPad and once you explore its inner workings, you soon find that this is a tablet that has star quality. The build, design and performance are all well up there in the high-end tablet stakes, while thanks to Android as an operating system you can supplement the built-in features with lots of apps too.






The Motorola Xoom 2 is an updated new tablet and continues on from where the old one left off. It’s got a 10.1-inch screen and also has the added advantage of MotoCast, which is a way of streaming video to the device. There are also plenty of options for music playback and the customised Android interface is quick and easy to use. Better than the first version, and keenly priced too.





The Asus Eee Transformer has been around for a while, but it doesn’t lose its appeal simply because this is a little bit different. You get a detachable keyboard, so it becomes almost like a traditional laptop. You can use the touchscreen if you prefer, but people who don’t get on with virtual keyboards will love it.




The HTC Flyer is an expensive bit of kit, but this Android-running tablet is certainly up there with the best of them. It looks really nice, rather like a bumper version of the one of the HTC smartphones. Meanwhile, the customised interface is as pleasing to look at and use as the Sense UI is on their handsets. Shop around though, rather than pay full price.





The Acer Ionia Tab 500 is a neat little 10-inch tablet that also comes running with Android and has styling that’s good on the eye too. There’s plenty of decent battery life, with about ten hours between charges, while it also has a full suite of multimedia toys on-board.


That’s really just the tip of the tablet iceberg though, because tablets are everywhere and they look set to become even more popular as 2012 rolls on. Whatever your thoughts on these mobile devices, there’s no escaping the fact that the tablet is here to stay. The only question remaining is; when will you be getting yours?

Acer Liquid Mini

The Liquid Mini was introduced at CES 2011.


 
  

Features

Android OS, v2.2 (Froyo), upgradable to v2.3
600 MHz ARM 11 processor, Adreno 200 GPU, Qualcomm MSM7227-1 chipset
CAMERA    5 MP
SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
mini in size, maxi possibilities
3.2" capacitive multitouch
3.5 mm audio jack , FM Radio
Available in 5 stylish colors
3G and Bluetooth connectivity
SocialJogger application