iPad Alternatives: 10 Non-Apple Tablets to Consider - Mobile and Wireless - News & Reviews - eWeek.com | eWeek

Amazon Kindle Fire

Amazon Kindle Fire
Written By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Mar 14, 2012
3 minute read
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Amazon Kindle Fire

1

 The Amazon Kindle Fire is the second-best-selling tablet on store shelves behind Apple’s iPad. Part of that is due to its $199 price tag, but it’s also because of its strong integration with Amazon’s many cloud-based services. The Kindle Fire doesn’t have the firepower the new iPad does, but it’s appealing enough to at least be considered an alternative.


Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet

2

 If the Amazon Kindle Fire is worth considering to replace the new iPad, the Barnes & Noble Nook tablet must also get a nod in this roundup. The device, like the Kindle Fire, starts at $199, and comes with a neat design. The tablet’s 7-inch screen and Android installation might not appeal to everyone, but nearly all reviewers can agree it’s a solid option.


Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

3

 The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 arguably does the best job of competing against Apple’s new iPad. The device comes with a big (10.1-inch) screen, 4G LTE connectivity and enough storage to get most customers through the next couple years. Plus, at $499 for a 32GB WiFi option, it’s cheaper than the new iPad.


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Asus Transformer Prime

4

 The Asus Transformer Prime is arguably the unique tablet among those in this roundup. The device lets users place the tablet into a keyboard dock, effectively turning it into a notebook. Plus, it features a really great design that, most can agree, will be able to match the new iPad.


Acer Iconia Tab

5

 The Acer Iconia Tab might be one of the best deals in this roundup. The device comes with a 10.1-inch display, but only costs customers $444 online. Combine that with its 1GB of onboard memory (the same as the new iPad) and its Nvidia GeForce GPU, and it quickly becomes clear that the device is a winner.


Toshiba Thrive

6

 One of the most desirable new iPad features is the device’s big (9.7-inch) display. So, if you can’t get your hands on a device that would come with that big display, why not try to find something even bigger? The Toshiba Thrive comes with a 10.1-inch display, Android and all the features you’ll want. Even better, it costs just a bit over $400 online.


Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet

7

 The Lenovo ThinkPad tablet is designed for enterprise users that don’t want to settle for anything other than a corporate-focused device. The tablet comes with more security features than you’d expect to find elsewhere and works with a stylus, as well as touch. Consider the ThinkPad an iPad alternative for enterprise users, exclusively.


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RIM BlackBerry PlayBook

8

 Another enterprise-focused tablet, the Research In Motion BlackBerry PlayBook has finally entered a position where it might be considered a new iPad alternative. How did the 7-inch tablet achieve that, you might ask? By bringing native email to the device. Previously, it lacked that function, making it awfully useless.


Le Pan TC 970

9

 If you haven’t ever heard of Le Pan, it might be a good time to look the company up. The TC 970 tablet comes with a 9.7-inch screen like the new iPad, but runs Android. It also features 720p high-definition video recording, 32GB of storage with an external microSD card and GPS. Oh, yeah, and it only costs $199.


Apple iPad 2

10

 All this talk of the new iPad makes us forget one important point: Apple is still selling the iPad 2. Even better, it’s selling it for $100 cheaper than the company’s new slate. If you can’t get your hands on Apple’s latest and greatest tablet, why not buy last year’s latest and greatest option?

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