Apple's iPad sailed through 2010 without much opposition as a worthy competitor from the Android or Windows camp failed to emerge to challenge its hegemony.
Post CES 2011, Apple will be launching its next edition of iPad in a very different landscape, no more a virgin territory but a landscape altered by the launch of multiple tablets by the likes of Motorola, Notion Ink Adam, RIM, LG, HTC, LG, HP and Samsung.
As manufacturers crafting these tablets differ, so is the underlying operating system. Earlier the iOS 4.2 running iPad had to fend off only Android but now it has to match HP's webOS, Google's tablet specific OS Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), Windows 7 and BlackBerry maker RIM's QNX.
Apple had the first mover advantage with iPad but the advantage is eroding and the tablet territory is crowded. It was Apple that set the benchmark for tablets in 2010 but the question is whether it will offer a repeat performance with iPad 2. What follows are the top 5 tablets released since CES 2011 which include Motorola Xoom, Notion Ink Adam, HP's TouchPad, LG's G-Slate and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 which Apple iPad 2 has to contend with:
Apple's first version of the iPad was launched in April 2010. The iPad sports a 9.7-inch display with a screen resolution of 1024x768 and runs on iOS 4.2. It is powered by 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed system-on-a-chip. It offers 256MB RAM and comes in 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB internal memory configurations. AppleThe HP TouchPad sale is being revived - for one day only - on HP's eBay store, which will offer heavily discounted $99 tablet computers during another round of the firesale.HPDisplay – 8.9-inch
Resolution – 1280x768
OS – Android 3.0
Processor – NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz
RAM- N.A
Memory- 32GB
Video Playback-720p with 3D camera and 1080p wit regular
Camera- Stereoscopic video recorder, 5 MP rear-facing, 2MP front
Thickness- N.A
Weight- 1.3 poundsMUST READ: TOP 20 Most expensive iPad appsLGSamsung unveiled its 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab at the Mobile World Congress thus graduating from its 7-inch form factor. It offers a screen resolution of 1280x800 and runs on Android 3.0 or Honeycomb. It is powered by a dual-core 1GHz chip which is surmised to be Samsung’s new dual-core line of processors called Exynos. It comes in 16 GB and 32 GB internal memory configuration and has 512 MB RAM. Galaxy Tab 10.1 packs in an 8 MP rear-facing and 2 MP front-facing cameras. It offers 1080p in video capture and playback support. Weighing a mere 1.3 pounds it is one of the lightest tablets in the 10-inch form.Motorola
