The 10 Commandments of Tablet Computers

Before the iPad first came out, I never really thought of myself as a tablet computer kinda guy. When I first saw it, I thought, "looks cool, too bad it's an Apple product." That's basically how I feel, being more of a PC guy. Having been unsatisfied by Microsoft's mobile offerings, I wasn't too interested in a Windows based tablet either.


So when Android tablets first started appearing, I was excited. I already had a taste of Android when I replaced my Palm Pre awhile back. It's too bad webOS never really took off; it really was well-designed. HP is releasing a webOS tablet later this year, but the lack of developer support for my Pre, combined with the enormous length of time it is taking HP to do anything meaningful... Well, I won't be buying into that again.


So, at least for me, Android is the way to go, but which tablet is the best? Apple fans are lucky in this regard - they don't have to think too hard, as there is only one choice. Luckily for them, Apple products don't require their users to think too much, so that works out great. But I want options!


And so there are options, a lot of options. I won't go through them individually, as that's not the purpose of my post. I will, however, name a few in my list, because to me, there are certain things a tablet must have. In fact, I find it appalling that so many tablets out there fall short of my expectations. So here they are, the Ten Commandments of Tablet Computers, a list of must-haves as I see it:

1. A powerful CPU. This is most important. I've seen too many Android phones that cut corners on the processor, and their owners pay for it.
2. Android Honeycomb, preferably 3.1. There's really no excuse for a new Android tablet being released with v2.x (I'm looking at you, HTC Flyer). Don't trust the promise of an upgrade, either. I waited far too long for Froyo for my Epic 4G.
3. No Contract Requirement. This is a tablet computer, not a cell phone. I can also do without 3/4G, though some might want it.
4. A Reasonable Price. Good tablet computers should run around $500. They shouldn't be approaching the price of a full-sized desktop computer.
5. Good Quality Display Specs. 1280x800 seems to be common. Color depth should be 16M colors. I'm not kidding, Acer Iconia (262K colors).
6. Decent Size. Should be about 10 inches. Because, again, it's a tablet, not a cell phone.
7. Removable Storage. Why is it so friggin' hard to put in an SD slot? My cell phone has one. Surely they can find some space to wedge this in.
8. Removable Battery. I don't want to have to send it in to get the battery replaced. This should go without saying, Apple.
9. Dual Cameras, front and back, to facilitate photos and video chat.
10. HDMI Port. Welcome to the world of HD video. Not that tablets actually have true HD (1920x1080), but it's a start.

That's my list. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a single Android tablet that meets all of these requirements. I hear there's one coming soon though (Toshiba THRiVE). Let me know if you see any others.

~Computery Guy