There's no arguing that Apple's iPad is the most desirable Internet tablet on the market right now, but just because everyone wants one doesn't mean everyone is happy to shell out the cash. Enter the iPad alternatives, which up until this point haven't made much of a splash on the market.
But according to a recent article from Business Insider, there are some serious contenders lurking in Apple's massive shadow. And according to dealnews data, most of them have been listed within the past month at all-time low prices, suggesting that it's a very good time to consider the cheaper, largely Android-based tablet alternative.
Below, we've included product and deal data for Business Insider's top five tablets. And we've listed them in reverse numerical order to manufacture suspense!
- 5. ASUS Eee Pad Transformer 10.1" 16GB Google Android Tablet
The Best Price We've Seen?: We saw it at an all-time low for $349 about a month ago
Business Insider particularly likes the docking keyboard on this Eee Pad, but readers should note that it's a somewhat pricey accessory that's sold separately ($123.78 with free shipping).
It features a NVIDIA Tegra 2 250 1GHz dual-core processor, 10.1" 1280x800 IPS multi-touch LED-backlit LCD, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal flash storage, 5-megapixel back-facing camera, 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 802.11n wireless, SD card slot, GPS, built-in gyroscope, Google Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), and more.
4. HP TouchPad 9.7" 16GB WebOS Tablet
The Best Price We've Seen?: We saw it for an all-time low of $99.99 with free shipping a few days ago (since expired)
While BI is gaga about the TouchPad's webOS, good luck getting your hands on one. HP announced on Thursday that it's discontinuing production, and as a result, we saw several highly discounted offers over the weekend and this morning. But they were so cheap that none are currently available now. While there's a good chance that the TouchPad ship has sailed for good, you can try to snag the hands-down cheapest tablet we've seen from a major brand by setting up an email alert to be notified as soon as we list it again.
Features for the TouchPad include a Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 1GHz dual-core processor, 9.7" 1024x768 LED-backlit multi-touch display, HP WebOS 3.0, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, video capture, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 802.11n wireless, MP3 player, 16GB internal storage, and more.
3. Acer Iconia A500-10S16u 10.1" Google Android Tablet
The Best Price We've Seen?: Assuming you use the credit, the current deal. However, we saw it for $300 in-store (with no gift card) at Staples about three weeks ago.
Not only does BI declare that "you won't find a better Android tablet for under four hundred dollars," but we've actually seen it available for well below that mark. In fact, the current offer comes with a $100 gift card, which in theory brings it to $298 (assuming you use the credit).
Features include an NVIDIA Tegra 2 250 1GHz dual-core processor, 10.1" 1280x800 widescreen touchscreen LCD, 1GB RAM, built-in 16GB flash storage, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, microSD card slot, 5-megapixel rear facing camera, 2-megapixel front facing camera, miniHDMI output, 2-cell battery, and Google Android 3.0 (Honeycomb).
2. LG G-Slate 8.9" 32GB Google Android Tablet
The Best Price We've Seen?: Not listed before
While expensive, BI believes this device is one of the few tablets that truly rivals the speed and ease of an iPad. It features a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8.9" 1280x768 LCD, 2-megapixel front camera, 5-megapixel dual rear camera with 3D recording, 4G and Wi-Fi connectivity, optional USB tethering, GPS, Bluetooth connectivity, and 9-hour battery life.
1. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1" 16GB Google Android Tablet
The Best Price We've Seen?: $429 with free shipping a week ago
BI deems this tablet "the best competitor to the iPad right now," with a weight and form factor comparable to the iPad 2. It features a 10.1" 1280x800 touchscreen LCD, NVIDIA Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core processor, 16GB memory, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth, built-in GPS, 2-megapixel front camera, 3-megapixel rear camera, Android 3.1 OS (Honeycomb), and more.
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