Best tablets of 2011
- — 20 December, 2011 13:45
2nd place: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Why: It seems the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the most talked about tablet in Australia. Apple unsuccessfully blocked it from going on sale Down Under following a lengthy court battle — it claimed Samsung copied the iPad 2 and breached various patents. The court case has now been resolved — Vodafone has already started selling the device and retailers will have it on the shelves before Christmas.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is thinner and lighter than the iPad 2 and is a superb piece of industrial design. The Android platform remains less polished compared with iOS, and the lack of native tablet applications is an issue, but these faults lie with Google and not with Samsung: the latter has done a fine job of producing a credible iPad alternative.
Where to buy: On a plan through Vodafone or outright from "leading Australian retailers" including Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Myer, Bing Lee and Officeworks.
How much: Varied pricing for a range of Vodafone plans. Outright for $579 (16GB Wi-Fi variant) or $729 (16GB 3G variant).
Next page: We reveal the number one tablet of 2011!
