The 5 Best Android Tablets of 2011

Blah, blah, blah, crowded Android tablet market. Blah, blah, blah, Android tablets lack identity. Blah, blah, blah, compared with the iPad. Let’s have an article about the best Android tablets of 2011 that stand out from the crowd shall we?

#5 ASUS EEE Pad Slider

ASUS’ new entry is a quirky one. It’s chubbier and heavier than most, and is also the most unique tablet currently on the market. The screen slides forward and snaps up, revealing a miniature Chiclet keyboard. The keyboard is even outsized by those on netbooks. However, it does exist. At $479, the Slider is a chin-scratcher in terms of value. Its unique features make potential buyers prioritize in a way that no other tablet does. The Slider is fat, and if the keyboard doesn’t see much use, the consumer has almost certainly wasted $79 forgoing the Transformer. For those that demand productivity from their tablets, the Slider could be the best option on the market simply because the traditional media hungry, travel light tablet consumer isn’t likely to see much value in the keyboard.

A better comparison for the Slider is the Windows netbook. Comparing the Slider to any netbook reveals interesting trade-offs for the consumer. The Intel Atom processors that netbooks employ cannot handle Windows 7 at a satisfactory speed, while the Tegra 2 in the Slider makes mincemeat of Honeycomb. That said, the software support of Honeycomb pales in comparison to Windows. This leaves the Slider in a precarious position. It isn’t perfect for the normal tablet consumer, and it is incapable of defeating most netbooks in a war of productivity. Those that fall for the Slider’s quirky charm are just that: charmed, smitten with a device that stands out from the crowd.

#4 HTC Jetstream

The Jetstream is what the Motorola Xoom aimed to be. It is LTE enabled out of the box, aluminum built, and ergonomic.  The only problem that the Jetstream and the Xoom share is their prices. The Jetstream is sold exclusively through AT&T, and its subsidized price is $700. Yes, for just $700 you can acquire the Jetstream, complete with a special bonus: a two-year contract! Oh, without the contract? That’ll be $850. Let’s level here: the Jetstream needs a price cut to be taken seriously by the standard consumer. If money is no object, it is hard to go wrong with the Jetstream. Its bezel curves upward in a way that is very nice to hold and its solid aluminum construction is reassuring – if heavy.

It is also the only tablet on this list that doesn’t use Nvidia’s Tegra 2 system on a chip, as it instead opts for a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon clocked at a screaming 1.5 Ghz. The Jetstream laudably opts for the MicroUSB standard for charging. At nearly the price of two(!) ASUS Transformers, the Jetstream is forced into a very niche market. That market is omposed of those that are looking for a 3G/4G enabled tablet, and have the money to pay for monthly wireless services. Here is where the Jetstream must compete against the high end iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom: one of which, (the Xoom, for the slowpokes) it trounces. Simply, the Jetsream is among the best Honeycomb tablets, it just can’t compete where it counts – the wallet.

#3 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Thin is in. For the iPad 2′s matching price of $500, you can have the only tablet on the market more svelte than Apple’s ‘magical’ device. Unfortunately, Sammy’s tablet is plastic rather than sturdy aluminum. That being said, the plastic is matte and soft to the touch. Its’ ergonomics are great, even if the build materials engender a delicate touch. The screen is brilliant, with great color reproduction and viewing angles. Like the iPad, the Galaxy Tab comes with an annoying proprietary charging cable that won’t work with any other devices. Samsung includes an optional Touchwiz UI skin that actually provides additional functionality to Honeycomb instead of weighing the OS down.

Extra information and options are contained in the information panel, accessed by tapping the bottom right corner of the screen – the most useful of which are toggles for Wi-Fi and GPS, which users would otherwise have to dive into a settings menu to access. Touchwiz also allows widgets to be customized in more ways than ever; an interesting example is a full size gallery widget that can effectively be a screensaver panel. Essentially, the Galaxy Tab accomplishes what many tablets set out to do, but sometimes fail at exercising. In terms of hardware quality, it meets the iPad 2’s challenge. That’s what many folks want out of their Honeycomb tablets: a commitment to quality. With the Galaxy Tab, they’ll see, feel, and pay for it.

#2 Sony Tablet S

Sony’s tablet, like most things that are designed by Sony and aren’t using the name of Playstation – is sexy. Even if it isn’t the best looking tablet, it is the most visually interesting. The hardware is meant to evoke a magazine folded cover over spine, reminiscent of the comfortable reading position humans used before the internet. This brings forth a brilliant weight distribution that makes carrying the tablet with one hand a much less nerve-wracking experience than the usual form factor. The Tablet S’s fat end also solves a problem tablets have had with flat surfaces; it simply works on desks and laps, and is a move of ergonomic genius. However, you have to question Sony’s desire to sell incline enabling accessories, a la HP and Apple.

Thankfully, the Tablet S uses one of the common MicroUSB chargers that litter most households. Sony smartly leverages technological advantages from its other businesses in the Tablet S. It is the first tablet that is Playstation Certified, because – of course, it would be fun to play Crash Bandicoot on a touchscreen. From Sony’s Bravia HDTV’s, the Tablet S collects a Trublack display. This technology automatically adjusts the screens color, brightness, and black levels based on the environment. The only place that Sony doesn’t differentiate on is price: the Tablet S is $500. While Sony’s offering provides form and doesn’t sacrifice function, it faces stiff competition at that price.

#1 ASUS EEE Pad Transformer

The Transformer is hands-down among the best Android tablets on the market. It starts at $400, and does not skimp to get to the lower price point. The Transformer is primarily made of plastic, but is framed by an aluminum ring that gives the tablet a reassuring heft. The tablet also shares with the Galaxy Tab the unfortunate requirement of yet another proprietary charger. It is thicker and heavier than the Galaxy Tab, but at the same time is not a fatty like Toshiba’s or Lenovo’s offerings.

Actually, everything about the Transformer is decidedly average – that is, until it comes to the tablet’s namesake. For $150, ASUS offers a dock that packs a ton of functionality into a relatively small package; effectively, it transforms the Transformer into an Android netbook. When docked, the tablet gains two USB 2.0 ports, a full size SD card reader, a trackpad, Chiclet keyboard, and a massive battery that when in use: lets the Transformer destroy any other tablet in terms of battery life. But, perhaps more importantly than any of the above functions, when docked, the Transformer can open and close. At 400$ the Transformer is a completely average, run of the mill Android tablet. At $550 though, the Transformer is ready to tussle for the crown of Honeycomb tablets.