While the overall PC business currently seems sluggish, tablets continue to enjoy great popularity among consumers. As demand for portable, versatile, and lightweight technology has increased, so has the interest for tablets. The question remains, which tablet to choose, as there are hundreds of tablets out there, all with different specs and features. Three tablets, however, stand out from the crowd and dominate the market: Amazon's Kindle Fire, Apple's iPad, and now Google's flagship Nexus 7 Android tablet built by Asus.
Size
When it comes to size, it ultimately comes down to personal preference. All these tablets are portable, but if you would rather have something more compact, the Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire are a great choice. Both of these tablets have 7-inch displays. On the other hand, if you would prefer a larger display, Apple's market-leading iPad is the way to go. It is more expensive than its Android rivals, but it sports a 9.7-inch screen.
Apps
Setting aside individual specifications and features, most of the tablets currently on the market have virtually the same basic features, meaning you can browse the Web, play music, read books, and run apps on any of them. First of all, think of what you want the tablet for. If you want to enjoy a wide variety of apps, the iPad is the better choice. There are more than 825,000 apps in the Apple store, and most of them are compatible with the iPad. Meanwhile, the Nexus 7 tablet comes with access to Android's app market, Google Play. It is not as large as Apple's App Store, but you should easily find an app for what you need. The Kindle Fire runs on Google's Android OS as well, but it does not have access to Google Play. Instead, Amazon's tablet has access to the Amazon Web store, which offers fewer choices than the other two, but there are alternatives for the more tech-savvy.
Web Browsing
If you want a tablet to browse the Web extensively, the Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire are the winners in this category. Apple's iPad is the top tablet on the market, but it still doesn't fully support flash, which will make your browsing experience rather cumbersome.
Internet Access
A lot of the usual tasks users perform on a tablet depend on having access to the Internet. Without an Internet connection one would not be able to download movies or music, use certain apps, or browse the web. The Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire come with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing users to enjoy the tablet's full potential whenever wireless Internet is available. When there is no wireless Internet available, however, Apple's iPad stands out of the pack. You can opt for an iPad with 3G or 4G capabilities, which gives you Internet access whenever you need it, for a monthly fee.
Price
Of course, price is one of the most important aspects, as not everyone can afford an iPad, or is willing to spend that much on a gadget. Both the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire base models come with a $199 starting price, while the new iPad starts at $499 ($399 if you get the iPad 2). Again, consider what you need the tablet to do. If you want a tablet just to use it for the daily basic activities such as browsing the Web, watching some videos and playing music, the Kindle Fire or the Nexus 7 will do just fine. The base models of these tablets come with 8GB of storage, which should suffice for such activities. The iPad base model comes with 16GB of data space. Still, the 16GB model of the Nexus 7 costs $249, or half the price of the new iPad.
Consider all aspects and make an informed choice based on your needs to ensure that you buy the tablet that is best for you. You can order any tablet online, but it is best to visit an electronics store and actually hold and try out each device before you make your choice.
