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Apple iPad
To see how others compare, we have to look at the superstar, even though, by now, there's a small chance you might be just a little tiny bit oversaturated with iPad coverage. But for the sake of context, here's what the iPad is, and what it can and can't do.
With the iPad, you're getting a tablet computer with a 9.7-inch (1024x768) LCD display running iPhone OS 3.2. It's got a 1GHz Apple ARM A4 processor, and is available with either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of flash storage. You can opt for Wi-Fi only or 3G, and the prices range from $500 to $830. By all accounts, it's a fast little bugger.
You also get access to Apple's App Store, with an increasing number of apps (including games) being designed in "HD," that is specifically for the iPad. It gets a listed 10 hours of constant use battery life, and a full month of standby.
Sounds good! Until you hit the creeping list of the iPad's faults: No camera. No USB, just one 30-pin port (with an optional camera-only USB add-on). Can't play Flash animation or video. Problematic on-screen keyboard. And of course, no multitasking, though this one may get resolved in a coming OS update.
That's a lot of compromises to make, and a lot of holes for the iPad argument. The following seven devices—from tablets to smartbooks to netbooks to ebook readers—are alternatives that come with many of these holes already filled in.
