Smart Tablets: Top 3 Ipad alternatives

Smart Tablets: The Top3 Ipad Alternatives 

  If you're a die hard Apple fan and you love your Ipad know now that I am not trying to convert you. I am simply going to lay out the facts and let you all decide. If you want a tablet that is less expensive, and you want to get more for your money I will list the top 3 Ipad alternatives, specs and all. You compare the information and make a decision based on the facts! Note that there are MANY more smart tablet options out there, these are simply the top 3 alternatives that I have chosen for this particular list. Based on specs, price and function. Logically I see no reason to pay WAY more than you have to pay to get an experience that is not necessarily better or superior in any way. Alas, the choice is yours. All tablets listed are 16GB and up. (Note that I have included links for each product for your convenience but I ALWAYS encourage you to shop around for the best price!)

The Standard: Ipad2 ($365)

 The reason that I chose the Ipad 2 rather than the original is that there are several improvements that have been made since the original was released.  

  

Pros:                                                                                  

• Lighter than the original                                              
• sturdier screen
• where as the original had no camera Ipad2 has 2
• good for facetime and video conferencing 
• new apps

Cons: 

• Pricey the Ipad2 goes for as high as $600 for the 16 GB version ( found it for $365 on Amazon-shipping included- I will link to it below)
• No highly anticipated retina display screen, many users complain of eyestrain and migraines
• though the resolution is not bad you can stream at a much higher quality on other tablets
• there is no USB port, SD card reader or removable battery
• you cant print directly from the tablet rather you must email the info to yourself and print from print capable device or computer   

Over all there are many users who absolutely love the Ipad2, it is a high quality device and many would not trade it,but mixed reviews are rampant and it is really up to you to decide!

( Amazon.com Apple Ipad2 from $365.00 including shipping. Apple iPad 2 MC979LL/A Tablet (16GB, Wifi, White) 2nd Generation   )

The Specs-       ( specs taken from http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Apple-iPad-2_id5255/fullspecs) 

Device type:
Tablet
OS:
iOS (6.1, 6, 5.1, 5, 4.x)
Form factor:
Candybar
Dimensions:
9.50 x 7.31 x 0.34 inches (241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm)
Weight:
21.62 oz (613 g)
the average is 16.8 oz (479 g)
Side Keys:
Right: Volume control, Other
Colors:
Black, White
DISPLAY
Physical size:
9.7 inches
Resolution:
1024 x 768 pixels
Pixel density:
132 ppi
Technology:
IPS LCD
Touchscreen:
Capacitive, Multi-touch
Features:
Light sensor
BATTERY
Capacity:
6944 mAh
Type:
Li - Polymer
Not user replaceable:
Yes
HARDWARE
System chip:
Apple A5
Processor:
Dual core, 1000 MHz, ARM Cortex-A9
Graphics processor:
PowerVR SGX543MP2
System memory:
512 MB RAM / DDR2
Built-in storage:
64 GB
CAMERA
Camera:
0.7 megapixels
Aperture size:
F2.4
Camcorder:
1280x720 (720p HD) (30 fps)
Features:
Video calling
Front-facing camera:
0.3 megapixels VGA
MULTIMEDIA
Music player:
Filter by:
Album, Artist, Genre, Playlists
Features:
Album art cover, Background playback
Supported formats:
MP3, AAC, M4A (Apple lossless)
Video playback:
Supported formats:
MPEG4, H.264, Motion JPG, MOV
Streaming:
Audio, Video
YouTube player:
Yes
INTERNET BROWSING
Browser:
supports: HTML, HTML5
Built-in online services support:
YouTube (upload)
TECHNOLOGY
GSM:
850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
UMTS:
850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
Data:
HSDPA 14.4 Mbit/s, HSUPA 2 Mbit/s, UMTS, EDGE
Micro SIM:
Yes
Global Roaming:
Yes
Positioning:
A-GPS
Navigation:
Yes
PHONE FEATURES
Organizer:
Calendar, Document viewer (Office 2007, Office 2003, PDF)
Messaging:
Predictive text input
E-mail:
Yes
Instant Messaging:
Yes
Games:
Yes
CONNECTIVITY
Bluetooth:
2.1, EDR
Wi-Fi:
802.11 a, b, g, n
USB:
Yes
Connector:
Proprietary
Headphones connector:
3.5mm
HDMI:
Yes
Charging connector:
Proprietary
Other:
TV-Out, Computer sync, OTA sync
OTHER FEATURES
Notifications:
Silent mode, Speakerphone
Sensors:
Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass
Voice recording
REGULATORY APPROVAL
FCC approval:
Date approved:
02 Mar 2011
FCC ID value: BCGA1396 link
FCC measured SAR:
Body:
1.19 W/kg
Measured in:
1900 MHz
AVAILABILITY
Officially announced:
02 Mar 2011
Alternative variants
We list only the specs that are different than the main variant
Apple iPad 2 32GB
Differences:
Built-in storage:
32 GB
Apple iPad 2 16GB
Differences:
Built-in storage:
16 GB

The Alternatives! ($269)

#1 Kindle Fire HD 8.9 

 

Pros: 

•  Unmatched media library
• streamlined UI
• very fast 4G LTE speed
• seamless streaming
• good/loud speakers
• long battery life
• wide viewing angles
• colorful/bright display

Cons: 

• no memory expansion
• lack of core tablet functionality
• power adapter sold separately
• web performance lacks in comparison to other tablets 

Kindle fire is a great option when looking for an alternative to the Ipad 2! At least in my opinion. 

( I found the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 on Amazon starting at $269.00 new with free shipping!)

Kindle Fire HD 8.9", Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, 16 GB - Includes Special Offers

The specs-  (specs taken from http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Dolby-Audio-Dual-Band-Wi-Fi/dp/B008GFRE5A/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364586758&sr=1-1&keywords=kindle+fire+hd+8.9#tech )


Display 8.9" 10 point capacitive touch high definition color display; 1920x1200 resolution at 254 ppi, video playback up to 1080p, with IPS (in-plane switching) technology, advanced polarizing filter, and anti-glare technology
Size 9.4" x 6.4" x 0.35" (240 mm x 164 mm x 8.8 mm)
Weight 20 ounces (567 grams)
System Requirements Kindle Fire HD 8.9" is ready to use right out of the box - no setup, no software to install, no computer required to download content
Storage 16GB (12.7GB available to user) or 32GB (27.1GB available to user) of internal storage
Battery Life Over 10 hours of reading, surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music. Battery life will vary based on device settings, usage, and other factors such as web browsing and downloading content. Actual results may vary
Charge Time Fully charges in under 5 hours via the Kindle PowerFast charging accessory, or slightly longer with other micro-USB power adapters that you may already have. Charges in under 14 hours from your computer via the included USB charging cable
Wi-Fi Connectivity Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi (MIMO) for faster streaming and fewer dropped connections than standard Wi-Fi. Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks
Ports USB 2.0 (micro-B connector) port for connection to a PC or Macintosh computer or to connect to the Kindle PowerFast charging accessory. Micro-HDMI (micro-D connector) port for high definition video output to televisions or A/V receivers
Audio 3.5 mm stereo jack and integrated stereo speakers with exclusive Dolby audio engine
Content Formats Supported Kindle (AZW), KF8, TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively, Audible Enhanced format (AAX), DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3), non-DRM AAC, MP3, MIDI, PCM/WAVE, OGG, WAV, MP4, AAC LC/LTP, HE-AACv1, HE-AACv2, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, HTML5, CSS3, MP4, 3GP, VP8(.webm)
Sensors Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope
Location Services Location-based services via Wi-Fi
Additional Features External volume controls, front-facing HD camera, built-in microphone, built-in Bluetooth with support for A2DP compatible stereo headphones, headsets, and speakers
Accessibility Features Voice Guide, Explore by Touch, Text-to-Speech, adjustable font sizes and color, built-in dictionary. Learn more

#2 Novo Hero 10 II  ($223)

Pros:

•  wifi enabled
• long battery life
• great contrast
• vivid colors/brightness
• loud speakers
• good video playback

Cons:

• There aren't many cons with the Novo but some that I found are-
• Some complain that the battery will not fully charge, not all have this issue and it can be fixed with firmware updates
• some complain that the screen size is too large
• it does not support flash player

(I found the Novo Hero II on Amazon for $223.00 with free shipping! 

FAST SHIPPING Quad core Ainol NOVO 10 Hero ii Tablet pc Android 4.1 Cortex-A9 1.5GHZ 10.1'' IPS Capacitive 1GB RAM 16GB WiFi HDMI Bluetooth Dual Camera 8000mAH Battery In Stock )


The Specs-  (Specs taken from http://www.amazon.com/SHIPPING-Android-Cortex-A9-Capacitive-Bluetooth/dp/B00B09BVDU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364587861&sr=8-2&keywords=Novo+Hero+II#productDetails)

Specification: Model:Ainol NOVO 10 Hero II

Operation System:Android 4.1.1

Screen:10.1" IPS Multi-points Touch Capacitive Screen

Resolution:1280x800 pixels

CPU:ARM Cortex A9 Family ATM 7029 Quad Core 1.5GHZ

GPU:Quad Core Advanced GPU

RAM:1GB DDR3

Nand Flash:16GB

Webcam:Dual Camera Front 0.3MP Back 2.0MP

Wireless:Wifi 802.11 b/g/n

3G:Supporting External 3G Dongle

Bluetooth:N/A

HDMI:Yes

OTG:Yes

G-sensor:Support

Power:Battery 8000mA

Working Time:Up to 5 Hours

Power Device:AC Adapter Input 100/240V Output 5V 2.5A 2.5mm

Device Specification

Color:Black

Dimensions:266x181x12mm

Net Weight:649g

Software Support

Office:Support MS Office Word, PPT, Excel

Email:Gmail, POP3/SMTP/IMAP4

Others

Multi-Media

Video:AVI, MP4, FLV, 3GP, MKV, WMV etc.

Audio:MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, WAV FLAC etc.

Picture:JPG/BMP/PNG/GIF.

E-Book:PDF, TXT etc.</DIV> <DIV>Ports

1 x Micro USB

1 x DC Jack

1 x TF Card Slot

1 x HDMI Slot

1 x Earphone Jack

#3 Google Asus Nexus 7 ($216)

I chose the Google Asus Nexus 7 over the Google Nexus 10 because in all of the reviews that I read it was highly preferred over the Google Nexus 10. 

Pros: 

• very fast
• low cost
• display minimizes glare
• clear ISP display
• good hardware

Cons: 

• no HDMI or MHL hook up
• no REAR cam
• missing camera app
• limited storage
• no micro SD 

   ( I found the Google Asus Nexus 7 on Amazon for $216.00 with free shipping. 

Asus Nexus 7 1B32 7-Inch 32 GB Tablet )

specs- (specs from http://www.amazon.com/Asus-Nexus-1B32-7-Inch-Tablet/dp/B009X3UW2G/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1364585547&sr=1-2&keywords=google+nexus+7#productDetails)

Screen Size 7 inches

Screen Resolution 1280 x 800 pixels
Max Screen Resolution 1280 x 800 pixels
Processor 1.20 GHz Tegra 3.0
RAM 1 GB DDR3
Hard Drive 32 GB
Graphics Coprocessor NVIDIA Tegra 3
Wireless Type 802.11n
Number of USB 2.0 Ports 1
Average Battery Life (in hours) 9.5 hours
Expand
Other Technical Details
Brand Name Asus
Series Nexus 7
Item model number 1B32
Hardware Platform PC
Operating System Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
Item Weight 12 ounces
Item Dimensions L x W x H 4.72 x 0.41 x 7.81 inches
Color silver and black
Processor Brand NVIDIA
Processor Count 1
Computer Memory Type SDRAM
Flash Memory Size 32
Hard Drive Interface Serial ATA
Power Source Battery
Batteries 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included)


Remember I always enjoy your questions and comments, feel free to do so below! Want more? Come and check out my other blogs 

*Follow the Moon Beams (Advice and Guidance for the Inquisitive Mind) http://followthemoonbeams.blogspot.com/ 

*The Budget Bump (Products for new Moms on a Budget) http://thebudgetbump.blogspot.com/ 

* Follow the Veggie Way (Becoming a Vegetarian and Loving it!) http://followtheveggieway.blogspot.com/