The first VS battle, will be that of the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, this years most desirable tablets. But which deserves your hard earned cash?
Apple iPad build and design
Certainly a slick looking piece of tech, to the point where every tech company and their dog are "creatively borrowing" from the iPad when cooking up their own tablets. However, the original tablet does have a distinct heft about it and is almost twice the weight of the Samsung Galaxy Tab. At 680g for the WiFi and 730g for the 3G model it's hardly a back-breaking load, but extended use requires both hands. Packs a sizeable 9.7" screen for movie watching and web browsing.
To say the iPad influenced the design of the Samsung Galaxy Tab would be a generous understatement. Slimmer accross and with a smaller, 7" screen, the Galaxy Tab is also only half the weight (ish) of an iPad, making it perfect for holding with one hand and operating with the other. Samsung have also pegged this as a more comfortable way of reading ebooks, although it still falls short of a proper e-reader
Apple iPad performance
The iPad makes use of Apple's own A4 processor - the same one that's found in the iPhone 4 and the new Apple TV - and its own iOS operating system for nippy web browsing and playback of video. The interface is famously smooth, with pages slipping by under the fingers with fluidity, and come November's iOS 4 update the iPad will boast multi-tasking, too. Whatever grudge Jobs holds against Adobe still hasn't passed under the bridge yet, though, so there's still no Flash support (nor would we hold our breath for any).
Samsung Galaxy Tab performance
Of course, Android has had multi-tasking all along, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab is no different with its 2.2 Froyo edition of the Android OS. It's also got a 1GHz processor and an iPad-beating 1080p video playback, as well as Flash support. Another feature that the iPad lacks is the ability to make voice calls using a SIM card, making this a true big brother to the Samsung Galaxy S smartphone.
Apple iPad camera
This one's fairly simple: there isn't one.
Samsung Galaxy Tab camera
Front and rear-facing cameras (1.3MP and 3.2MP, respectively), the former for video calling and the latter shooting 720p video and carrying an LED flash.
Apple iPad connectivity
This is another stumbling block for the iPad, coming as it does with only a 3.5mm headphone jack and a standard Apple 30-pin charging port. Adding any peripherals on will require a dock, which will cost you a pretty penny on top of what is already a not-inexpensive piece of kit. It does have WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 on the standard models, though, and for an extra £100 and a monthly fee you can get a micro 3G sim for on-the-go web browsing.
Samsung Galaxy Tab connectivity
The Galaxy Tab includes a slot for a normal SIM card, so you can use it for calls, texts and web browsing just like a massive smartphone. It also carries Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi and comes with a MicroSD slot, so you can transfer files more easily, or just beef up the Tab's storage space.
Apple iPad price
There are six models of iPad available to buy; sizes available are 16GB, 32GB or 64GB, and each size is available with or without 3G, with 3G models costing £100 extra (plus a monthly fee for internet usage). A 16GB WiFi-only model will set you back £429, while a 64GB 3G version costs a princely £699.
Samsung Galaxy Tab price
With an origional whopping RRP of £799, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is the most expensive tablet contender of the two. Amazon has the 16GB Tab available for a markedly lower £599, but that still prices it higher than Apple's 16GB model. There have been two price cuts already, however, and customers at the Spanish launch got bundled keyboards worth about £60, so there's hope yet, and with that SIM card slot it will be available on contracts just like a mobile.
*PcWorld now has the 16GB Galaxy Tab for £449, still more than a 16GB WiFi iPad, but getting better!
Overall
What you choose is a matter of preference, as both tablets earn their ranks as the big guns of the tablet world. However, the Galaxy Tab, with it's huge price tag and smaller screen, makes the iPad the best of the two. Not that it's without it's flaws; a very premium price tag, no Flash and no camera, but it's still the best overall experience.
Will Blackberry's Playbook change all that? Roll on 2011...
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