An iPad is a tablet PC that Apple developed, which allows users to combine a Mac’s performance with an iPhone’s portability. iPads are too large to fit inside someone’s pocket, but can be easily used whilst traveling and includes built-in connection features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3G. iPads are extremely portable, while still allowing users to do everything they can on a regular computer. While iPads differ in design, all iPads are equipped with touch screen and may feature one or more built-in cameras. Some popular iPad alternatives include the Samsung Galaxy Tab, HP TouchPad, and MediaPad. They are discussed in detail below.

 

Samsung Galaxy Tab

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a tablet PC that Google produced, which is often considered the best alternative to the iPad. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is similar to the Samsung Galaxy smartphone, but is much larger and has a higher resolution display. While the iPad uses the App Store, the Samsung Galaxy Tab uses the Android Market like all other Android-based devices, and runs on the Honeycomb Operating System or Android 3.2. The Samsung Galaxy Tab costs $499 for the 16 GB version and $599 for the 32 GB version.

 

HP TouchPad

The HP Touchpad is another alternative to the iPad and is the only tablet PC currently running on the WebOS Operating System. Since HP TouchPad runs on WebOS, its internal features and software design are much different from other tablet PCs, but it provides similar functionality. The HP TouchPad sells for the same price as the iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, but includes a dual core processor and is compatible with Adobe Flash.

 

MediaPad

The MediaPad is another tablet PC that Google produced, but it is much smaller at only 7 inches wide. While MediaPad is about the same size as a smartphone, it is entirely dedicated to computer based applications and runs a new Google Honeycomb version that has never been seen on any other device. MediaPad is one of the smallest tablet PCs available, yet it features the best pixel quality of any tablet PC. MediaPad prices have not yet been released.