Best alternatives to the iPad 2
We round-up the best iPad 2 alternatives, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Motorola Xoom
Apple's hotly anticipated iPad 2 has just hit Australian shores, with prices starting at $579 for the entry level 16GB Wi-Fi version.
Despite being the dominant player in the relatively new tablet market, there is set to be plenty of valid alternatives to the iPad 2, particularly Android tablets.
The newest of these is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, which will launch in Australia in mid-April through Vodafone. Samsung is serious about the tablet market — the company will also launch the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and a thinner, lighter version of Galaxy Tab 10.1 with the same name. Both of these new Android tablets will hit Australia sometime between July and September.
Along with the Galaxy Tab, the iPad 2 will face competition from the Motorola Xoom, RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, the HTC Flyer and LG's Optimus Pad — all of which are expected to launch this year.
11 / 12
It's a shame the HP TouchPad has so many issues in its current form, because it's an impressive device to use on the whole. It does boast some class leading features, and its interface is in our opinion the best we've seen on a tablet device. But a chunky design, sluggish performance, a lack of dedicated apps and software that is still very much a work in progress makes it tough to pick over competitors.
- Review Date:
- Reviewer:
- Manufacturer:
- 22nd July, 2011
- Ross Catanzariti
- HP
- Rating:
- Price:
- TBA
- Pros:
- webOS UI suits tablet form factor
- Core apps are well designed
- Account support is impressive
- Cons:
- Bulky and thick design
- Sluggish performance
- Limited third-party apps