5 Tablet Deals: BlackBerry PlayBook for $180, 2nd Cheapest 7" Android Tablet

The third anniversary of the Apple iPad is April 3, but why wait until April to celebrate? And for that matter, why limit the celebration to Apple products, what with all the great Android tablets on the market right now? These tablet deals include three Editors' Choice selections, plus the least expensive iPad we've seen (a first generation Apple iPad 16GB WiFi 9.7" tablet) and more.

1. Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 32GB WiFi 10.1" Android Tablet bundled with Lenovo IdeaTab Keyboard Dock
   Price: $349 via coupon code "USPSE5221" with free shipping
   Lowest By: $230
   Expires: March 1

   Is It Worth It?: Here's an Editors' Choice tablet that's not only $50 under our September mention, which didn't even include the bundled keyboard dock, but is also the lowest total price we've seen for any IdeaTab S2110 tablet. CNET remarks that the setup features a "great-looking screen and fast gaming performance, but comes up short in build quality and features."

   However, this tablet still features a 1280x800 touchscreen LCD, Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.5GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 32GB flash memory, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth 4.0, 1.3-megapixel front webcam, 5-megapixel rear camera, USB, HDMI, Google Android 4.0 OS (Ice Cream Sandwich), and more.

2. Used Apple iPad 16GB 3G + WiFi Tablet for AT&T
   Store: CowBoom
   Price: $169.99 via coupon code "iPad120" with free shipping
   Lowest By: $64

   Is It Worth It?: That first-ever iPad circa 2010 can still turn heads, and here's an Editors' Choice deal that puts it at the lowest total price we've ever seen for any iPad. When these babies came out, CNET praised apple for having "consolidated your Netbook, e-reader, gaming device, photo frame, and iPod into an elegant, affordable supergadget."

   This used iPad weighs 1.6 lbs. and features an Apple A4 1GHz processor, 9.7" 1024x768 LCD touchscreen display, 802.11a/n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, accelerometer, compass, up to 9 hours of battery life, and more. No warranty information is provided. Also, this item may have cosmetic blemishes.

   If you're looking for a newer iPad, Apple Store offers a factory-refurbished Apple iPad 2 16GB WiFi Tablet in Black or White for $319 with free shipping. That's the best price we've seen for a refurb with a full Apple warranty, and $70 under the lowest total price we could find. Over and above the first-gen iPads, it features an Apple A5 1GHz dual-core processor, 720p video capture, up to 10 hours of battery life, and more. A 1-year Apple warranty applies, the same as on new units.

3. BlackBerry PlayBook 64GB 7" WiFi Tablet
   Store: TheDigitalGuy via eBay
   Price: $179.99 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $51

   Is It Worth It?: Not only is this Editors' Choice deal on the PlayBook $4 under last month's mention (which required rebate hassles), but now at $180, it's at the lowest total price we've seen. CNET ever so succinctly sums up this tablet: "The BlackBerry PlayBook ably showcases RIM's powerful new mobile operating system, but its middling size diminishes many of its best features."

   This 0.4"-thick tablet weighs 14.4 oz. and features a Cortex A9 1GHz dual-core processor, 7" 1024x600 touchscreen LCD, 64GB of internal memory, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 3-megapixel 1080p front-facing camera, 5-megapixel 1080p rear camera, support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1, BlackBerry Tablet OS, GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, digital compass, and micro USB and HDMI ports.

4. Cobalt S700 8GB 7" WiFi Android Tablet
   Store: Cobalt Electronics via eBay
   Price: $69.99 with free shipping
   

   Is It Worth It?: Tablet deals don't get much better than this third-teir device, which at just $70 represents the second best price we've seen for any new 7" 8GB Android tablet. (We saw another model for $10 less during Black Friday week.) Reviews on this tablet, the baby brother to Cobalt's S1010 in size and storage capacity, are hard to come by, but here's what we can tell you: It features an A10 1.2GHz processor, 7" 800x480 widescreen touchscreen LCD, 512MB RAM, 8GB storage (expandable to 32GB), 2D/3D graphics processor, 802.11n wireless, 0.3-megapixel camera, built-in speakers, HDMI output, Google Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and more.

5. Ematic Pro Series 9.7" 16GB WiFi Android Tablet
   Store: Walmart
   Price: $129.99 with $2.97 s&h
   Lowest By: $10

   Is It Worth It?: This "rather stylish and elegant" 9.7" tablet comes in Blue (pictured), Pink, or Red and boasts a modest 1024x768 touchscreen LCD, but also features a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, 1GB RAM, internal 16GB memory, 802.11n wireless, 1080p video playback, front and rear-facing webcams, 3-axis gyroscope, Kobo eReading app, microSD card slot, HDMI port, and Android 4.0 OS (Ice Cream Sandwich).