Tablets are taking over the mobile market. The most popular one of course is Apple’s latest edition, the iPad 2, but it certainly isn’t the only one that has caught America’s attention. As the second one out the gate, the Samsung Galaxy Tab will also be introducing its newest version this summer, along with new entries by HP and BlackBerry. Plus, we can’t forget Motorola‘s fine contribution from February. With so many new introductions this spring and summer, consumers looking to purchase a tablet will have a lot to consider. Here is a rundown of what we believe are the top five options in the category. When you’re done with the slideshow, join us on BE Insider to discuss which one you think will work best for you and why.
- Price: Wi-Fi Only, starting from $499; Wi-Fi + 3G; from $629 to $829, plus monthly data plans
- Dimensions: 9.7†diagonal screen; 1.33 lbs and .34″ thick
- Carrier: AT&T or Verizon Wireless
- Operating System: iOS 4.3, Apple’s latest version with multitastking, the ability to run multiple applications simultaneously.
- Popular Features and Apps: The iPad 2 has the iMovie and Numbers ($9.99 installed upon purchase) apps. iMovie gives the user the ability to shoot, edit, and publish HD quality videos with no training. With Numbers you can create charts, graphs, and spreadsheets that can be opened in Microsoft Excel. Excel files can be opened in Numbers, too. Finally, don’t think that the iPad 2 is digital only. The AirPrint app makes it possible to print from the iPad to compatible printers–wirelessly of course.
- Storage: Available with 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB or utilize MobileMe iDisk for $99/year after the free trial. A subscription comes with 20 GB of combined email and file storage and 200 GB of monthly data transfer.
- Turn Offs: The iPad 2 does not come with expanded memory by way of a micro USB, or a Micro SD card slot, which limits its ability to transfer data to other devices unless cables are purchased through Apple. Also, as fans and foes have lamented time and again, the iOS is not compatible with Adobe Flash, which limits a person’s internet surfing. Finally, although Apple has finally added a front-facing camera, some complain that the quality is low.
The New Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1
- Price: The 16GB 8.9†option is $469 and the 32GB is $569; The 16 GB 10.1†tablet is $499 and the 32 GB is $599
- Dimensions: The 10.1†is 1.3 lbs and .34†thick. The 8.9†is 1.03 lbs
- Operating System: Google’s Android 3.0 Honeycomb, plus Samsung’s TouchWiz UX (which stands for user experience).
- Popular Features and Apps: It can access Adobe® Flash® Player compatible content and play 3D games and multimedia. It has HD resolution of 1280×800 and shoots 720p HD video. The front facing camera is 5 MP, while the rear is 8 MP. These specs are way higher than the camera’s on the iPad 2. Because it will be comparable in thickness to the iPad 2 with the option to go to an even smaller version with the 8.9″ it will give Apple a run for customers who want to downsize even more.
- Storage: Micro SD slots that expand the storage up to 64GB
- Carrier: Not yet disclosed; The Wi-Fi 10.1 version will be available June 8 in the U.S.
- Turn Offs: None as of yet. With the product launch so far in the future it’s difficult to identify its negative points. Those who were unhappy with the original product, which launched last Fall, said that it was too small or that there weren’t enough apps in the Android marketplace. Also at the time some apps made for smaller smart phones on the Froyo operating system looked stretched to fit the larger screen. That problem has likely been fixed with the new OS.
Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Playbook — WiFi Only
- Price: Available now featuring 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage for $499, $599 and $699, respectively.
- Dimensions: 7″ and .5″ thick; 0.9 lbs
- Operating System: BlackBerry® Tablet OS with multitasking. The browser supports Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1
- Popular Features and Apps: There are 3,000 apps optimized for use with the BlackBerry PlayBook, but the one that people will get the most from is Microsoft Office. The app gives you the ability to view, edit, and create Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files and attachments as well as PDF files on the Playbook. Because of its diminutive size the Playbook will be a great option for Kindle and Nook customers who want even more power.
- Carrier: AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint. The BlackBerry 4G PlayBook with Wi-Fi + WiMAX is expected to be available from Sprint in the summer of 2011. The BlackBerry 4G PlayBook with Wi-Fi + LTE and Wi-Fi + HSPA+ is expected to be available during the second half of 2011.
- Turn Offs: The Playbook is limited by its app number. It has 3,000 apps but it is competing against Tablets that have hundreds of thousands of apps. At 1024×600, the WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen resolution is slightly lower than the others. It’s also not the best option for those who are looking for something with a bigger screen.
- Price: The 3G version is $800 and the Wi-Fi is $600
- Dimensions: 10.1 diagonal screen with a 1280×800 display; 1.6 lbs and .5†thick
- Carrier: Verizon
- Operating System: Androidâ„¢ 3.0 Honeycomb
- Popular Features and Apps: The Xoom has a 5 mega-pixel camera with 720p, possibly the highest offering for video playback and capture on a tablet. The ExpenseManager app will come in handy for road warriors. It allows you to keep track of travel expenses and receipts. You can save reports as HTML for .CSV files that you e-mail from your smartphones. CSV files are compatible with Excel, so the reports may be manipulated on a desktop later.
- Storage: 32 GB plus a Micro SD slot that expands the memory to 64 GB. Unfortunately, the slot has yet to be enabled despite the product being on the market for three months.
- Turn Offs: At the beginning of the year the Xoom was expected to be a real heavyweight in the tablet world–and it is. It’s one of the largest and thickest tablets on the market. In addition, although it is impressive in terms of speed and screen resolution, it doesn’t add enough value to justify the high price of $800.
- Price: (Not available)
- Dimensions: 9.7†diagonal screen 1.6 lbs; 1,024 x 768 resolution display
- Carrier: Not yet disclosed. A Wi-Fi version will be released this summer, followed by a 3G and 4G version.
- Operating System: HP webOS with multitasking
- Popular Features and Apps: We’re guessing that consumers will love the HP Synergy feature, where you simply have to sign in to your Facebook, Google, Microsoft Exchange, LinkedIn, and Yahoo! accounts and your contacts, calendar and email will automatically populate your TouchPad. It supports Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 beta in the browser and access to thousands of webOS applications. Finally, it has a high speed USB 2.0, which will make it easy to connect with other electronics.
- Storage: 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage
- Turn Offs: While not much has been released about the product, the Web OS will not be able to compete against Apple and Google in terms of available apps. Also the front-facing 1.3-megapixel webcam for live video calling does not quite measure up to the 2 MP camera of the Xoom or the other competitors. It also does not seem to have a rear facing camera.