Consumer reports released a rundown of the top tablet computers and also issued top ratings for the iPad 2 at the same time. Hands down the iPad 2 wins in both quality and price. Here are all the details and more information.
Top Tablet Computers And iPad 2 Ratings
In the latest installment, Consumer Reports has shown off the top Tablet Computers (see chart below) and given the iPad 2 a few nice ratings. Here are the top tablet computers with all of their specs and information:
The RIM Playbook will no doubt make this list at some point but it has not yet officially been released to the market. Consumer Reports did point out some interesting observations for all of those out there deciding on which tablet computer to buy. Here’s what you can expect:
Universal Features
They point out that many of the features such as touch screens, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth are pretty much universal so expect to find that on all of them. The Android tablets expand a little further than the iPad 2 with the addition of USB ports and slots for SD flash-memory cards.
The iPad 2 has no flash slot or USB port. It accepts adapters with those connections, but the USB adapter is compatible with just a few types of USB peripherals, such as keyboards and cameras.
Getting What You Pay For
Prices are still fairly high even with the competitors at hand but Apple overall offers the best value for the price according to Consumer Reports. They point out that the Android tablets with similar size screens, etc. require longer-term data contracts or even cost more than the iPad 2 without a contract. And some of the Android tablets only have Wi-Fi and do not offer any other connectivity option.
A model might cost less if you buy it with a data plan than without one. If you’re considering doing that, find out whether you can cancel the plan early on without a stiff penalty. Otherwise, it might be cheaper in the long run to buy a 3G-capable model, such as the $430 ViewSonic ViewPad 7, without a contract.
Displays Vary
Consumer Reports rated the iPad display as one of the best overall that they tested. They observed that it had excellent color is viewable from almost any angle without downgrading the image. In contrast, the Motorola Xoom’s display can be viewed from almost any direction, too, but it loses more contrast at off-angles than the iPad.
Images on the five other tablets below didn’t wash out or darken when viewed from the sides in landscape mode, but they did in portrait mode, making for a slightly different view even between left and right eyes. The displays also had at least some bluish cast.
Future-Proofing
Hardware is just one small part of this entire story. A lot of tablet computer vendors like to push hardware specs but the truth is that the experience lies in the software (for the most part). Hardware is important but connectivity and ability to upgrade are just as important.
Most Android tablet computers use Android 2.2 (or earlier) and this is essentially the same as what is on most of their smart phones. It’s adequate for basic tasks, but Android 3.0 (also known as Honeycomb), found on the Motorola Xoom, takes better advantage of a tablet’s larger display. For example, Honeycomb’s browser has more features, including tabs. And its e-mail app displays the inbox and content of each message side by side. Even more important, new apps that are expected to be released for Android tablets in the coming months will require Android 3.0 or later.
Before buying a tablet with Android 2.2 or earlier, find out whether you can upgrade it to 3.0 in the near future. And with faster, 4G data networks becoming more widely available, 4G capability, or at least the ability to upgrade to it, is also a plus.
As a side note, you can always use MiFi to connect to 3G and 4G networks regardless of the tablet you own (as long as it has Wi-Fi connectivity).
Two Tablet Computers To Be Aware Of
There are two tablets coming that you may want to be aware of: The HP Slate 500 and the BlackBerry PlayBook. The HP uses the Windows 7 operating system, which we found awkward to control by finger on the tablet’s 8.9-inch multitouch screen. It’s strictly for business users who need full Windows compatibility and are willing to use the supplied stylus. The 7-inch BlackBerry, which isn’t available yet, will have a proprietary operating system, is expected to be introduced without a native e-mail app, and won’t be able to connect to a 3G data network unless you tether it to a BlackBerry smart phone.
The Ratings
Consumer Reports issued the following ratings in which the iPad 2 took 4 of the top 5 spots.
- The 32 GB iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G topped the list with an overall score of 84
- The 32 GB iPad 2 Wi-Fi Only took second place
- The Motorola Xoom took 4th place
- All of the top 5 (the Tab took 6th place) earned a Consumer Reports’ “Buy” recommendation
[via TheAppleBlog]
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