SnapShot. MoSt practical feature. SpecS. What'S not to like price. Dell Streak. At
first glance, the Streak looks like a dwarf crossover between a smart phone and ...
Apple iPad
Fujitsu LifeBook TH700 Tablet PC
Archos 7 Home Tablet
Asus Eee Tablet
Dell Streak
Billed as a niche device that lies in the yawning gap between a smart phone and the desktop PC, Archos has its sights set squarely on the omnivorous media crowd with this low-priced device. With the 7-inch touch screen, users get easy access to all their online fare, along with a full suite of Android Apps — weather, recipes, games, you name it.
Asus rolled into Computex last spring with its new Eee Tablet on display, prompting considerable buzz. The latest word direct from Asus is that the tablet will debut this fall.
At first glance, the Streak looks like a dwarf crossover between a smart phone and an iPad, but Dell is likely to get a lot of traction in the market with its entry-level retail price. The Lilliputian-size 5-inch screen makes it easier to carry about and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor platform offers quick Web access.
This is really a tablet-notebook hybrid, with a screen that swivels and snaps into place for use as a portable device that can carry the load of most laptops.
At less than a half-inch thick and weighing in under a pound, it’s ultraportable. You get seven hours of video playback — not the best, but serviceable — and 44 hours of listening on a single charge.
Makes note-taking a breeze while offering a better choice for e-book lovers. Without getting too technical, the engineers have leveraged input sensitivity for this tablet to give you the same tactile sensation you have when you’re writing on a piece of paper.
It’s a phone, too. But while it’s a small tablet, it’s a very big phone, so you may not want to use it to replace your slender mobile device.
Use the stylus to scribble notes on the screen that get translated into a handy text format. A built-in microphone enables online conversations through Skype.
The 800-by-480 screen resolution is crisp and clean for this size tablet. You get 8GB of internal storage and a micro SDHC slot to add more as needed. The MP3 player keeps the music coming and a free music streaming service — Deezer — comes in the package.
The 9-inch screen comes with a black-and-white rather than color presentation to make it easier on the eyes when you pick up an e-book. There’s a voice recorder built in, too; and a single charge will keep you humming for up to 10 hours.
The Android-powered device has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with 3G connectivity for mobile users. The five megapixel, built-in camera may help nudge you one more step away from your cell phone. Use the front-facing VGA camera for video chats.
With a 12.1-inch screen, there’s plenty of room to view anything in your digital smorgasbord, which is particularly handy for movie lovers. Powered with Intel’s Core i3, the device supports up to 8GB of memory with a hefty 320GB hard disk drive. A webcam is built in with Wi-Fi at a touch and a handy DVD burner.
Archos comes close, but it can’t rival the iPad’s slate-board-size versatility. It is a handy media tablet, though — but more for keeping you entertained and connected to your Facebook friends than helping with work. Your kids will love it.
This is one kind of technology you should definitely try before you buy; you might prefer a color screen.
The multitouch screen is bright and clean, but the keyboard on a small device like this will frustrate those of us with fat fingers — a definite minus when comparing it to the consumerfriendly iPad.
The Windows 7 Home operating system is in play here, which has been repeatedly drubbed for being less versatile than Google’s Android. But if you like Windows, this device will be easy to master.
$200
Starts at $249
Starts at $300
Starts at $1,149
Snapshot
Apple had the first gamechanging tablet on the market, and it’s still the best. What makes iPad so hot is its intuitive use of touch-screen technology. Orchestrating the iPad with your fingers is a snap, and that makes it fun.
Most practical feature
Web browsing or reading an e-book was never so attractive. The first time you try it, you’ll start figuring how often you can leave your laptop at home. Even the touch keyboard is a breeze for first-time users. Specs
The 9.7-inch screen almost instantly defined the ideal size for the tablet. At 1.5 pounds, it’s no heavyweight and the Wi-Fi plus 3G wireless connectivity keep you online all the time. That’s what you want. You also get up to 10 hours of use on a single charge and a plethora of apps to pick from. What’s not to like
Plenty, to hear from the online forums. But that’s actually an advantage. So many people complain about glitches — like the early Wi-Fi connection problems — that Apple has to scramble to resolve them fast. Price
Starts at $499
