The iPad has been the greatest creation to date from Apple. Tons of people no matter how old, get googly-eyed when they see an iPad. However, iPads are not the only personal tablets on the market. Since tablets have been introduced, there have been many different makes and models integrated into the market. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best tablets out there and why you should consider them:
1) Toshiba Thrive Tablet: Featuring a 3.1. Honeycomb Operating System, the Toshiba Thrive tablet tops the list as the best tablet outside of the iPad. Featuing NVIDIA GeForce Graphics, which is the highest quality of NVIDIA graphics available, this tablet is perfect for the gaming geek, the reading geek, or even the chic geek who loves online shopping. Other functionalities include an HDMI output, front and rear facing cameras at 2.0 MP and 5.0 MP, an SD card slot, one USB port and it comes in at a whopping 1.6 lbs. — 16 GB, Retail Value – $399.99
2) Amazon Kindle Fire: I am crazy about this little guy.First off, its just under $200 and it does everything I need a tablet to do and more. Kindle’s are known for being some of the best e-readers on the market. But this kindle goes far beyond an electronic book. It is Wi-Fi enabled and web-browsing capable so not only to you have a fantastic e-reader, but you have a multifunctional computer in your hands. Stream thousands of music, movies, TV shows, books, and email messages onto this bad boy and your ready to face the world. The Kindle Fire is also Adobe enabled and because it is wireless, no computer is required to manage applications and content.Cloud storage on the Kindle Fire allows you to store all Amazon content so you never have to worry about space. — 8GB, Retail Value – $199
3) Samsung Galaxy Tab: Also operating under the Android 3.0-3.2 Honeycomb Operating System, the Galaxy Tab is a top pick for me as well. It is the thinnest and lightest Android tablet available at 3/8” and 1.3 lbs. The graphics on this tablet is phenomenal and the TFT LCD high-definition widescreen touch-screen will spread your eyes wide open with one look. It’s a great tablet, but I rank it at number three because of the cost – not sure if it is worth the price for it. — 16 GB, Retail Value – $499.99
4) Blackberry Playbook Tablet – Crackberry addicts are still amongst us. My favorite thing about this tablet has probably got to be it’s size. Personally I hate carrying around bulky gadgets so the fact that this tablet is less than 1 lbs. at 14.4 oz, is a win for me. Plus I enjoy the blackberry platform as well so it’s nice to have a fully functioning blackberry and a web-enabled computer all in one. The Playbook Tablet features a HD multi-touch screen, so you know the display is out of this world. It also comes with a SD card slot, HDMI output, Adobe Flash Player, and has a 10 hour battery life. — 16 GB, Retail Value – $499.99
5) Lenovo IdeaPad K1 Tablet: This tablet also operates on the Android 3.1 Honeycomb platform, which I love! And with an SD card slot, Adobe Flash, Wi-Fi, HDMI output, and 10 hours of battery life how can you go wrong? At 32 GB for $319.99 it is a win-win deal!
The Android Honeycomb is also great because it can be synced with your Android phone so that all devices are on the same page (no favoritism there). You can import some of the same settings, preferences, and contact information between all Android devices. Also, all Android Honeycomb 3.0-3.2 tablets are flash supported which is my biggest complaint with the iPad, they are not Adobe Flash supported.
So if you are shopping around for a great tablet, you don’t HAVE to choose an iPad. Explore your options!
Ashley Williams is a junior, Broadcast Journalism major and Digital Design minor at Howard University. She is a member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Social Action chair for the NSCS chapter at Howard University. She is a chic geek at heart as she truly enjoys shopping for great deals and putting different styles together. She enjoys sharing her deals, beauty and fashion secrets to whoever is willing to listen. She is a contributing writer for TalkNerdy2Me and Hercampus.com.