Tablet time....

Apple iPad 2

Once again, Apple sets the standard in mobile devices. The iPad 2 has improved on its predecessor in several ways. iPad 2 is skinnier than the original at 8.8mm, down from a chubby 13.4mm, and has two cameras, rear and front facing. The device runs on the new version of Apple’s operating system, iOS 4.3, which gives it funky new features on AirPlay for applications, and improved Safari performance. Also, this device is speedier than the first iPad, with duel core processors which almost double the CPU performance. Additionally, that upgrade makes graphics work nine times faster. iPad 2 has the same battery life as the original iPad, of 10 hours.

Motorola XOOM

Hailed as the first tablet to truly step up to Apple’s benchmark, the Motorola XOOM is hitting Apple where it hurts; in the componentry. A recent teardown of the XOOM by iSuppli showed Motorola has built this device to equal the quality of the original iPad. The key places where Motorola has strutted its stuff are in the touchscreen, the display and the cellular radio. Of all the iPad killers analyzed by the iSuppli teardown team, the XOOM best approximates the cost and performance standard set by Apple, the company claimed. XOOM also stands up very well to the iPad 2, capacitive touchscreen, 10.1 inch display, high capacity battery and 32GB memory density, plus fast dual core apps processor and front and rear facing cameras. Nice one Motorola.

HTC Flyer

HTC has come up with the Flyer, a device designed to be a tablet from the ground, up. It has an extremely portable seven inch screen, making it the perfect size to fit into jacket pockets and handbags, unlike the XOOM and iPad 2. Flyer is speedy, with a 1.5 gighertz processor, the fastest available in the world today. It weighs in neatly at 415g, less than an average paperback book, and has a not too bad six hour battery life. Flyer also has a 3D homescreen and supports high speed HSPA+ wireless capabilities, and web browsing with Flash 10 and HTML 5. It additionally comes a pen using HTC Scribe Technology. This elevates regular notes taking into smart note making, by integrating into a new feature called Timemark that enables users to capture the audio of a meeting along with written notes and pictures, so tapping on a word in saved notes instantly takes the user also to the audio recording of the meeting, and it is all integrated with the calendar. Very nice, and very handy.

2011 is the year of the tablet. We have gone from a handful of devices last year, to more than the market can handle; Apple and other tablet makers are set to produce 81 million tablets this year. However, demand for the devices over 2011 is set to hit only 47.9 million. Here, we take a look at three of the many tablets available now or coming soon.