The options are growing by leaps and bounds every day. The hottest items at this years big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas are electronic tablets which operate on Android technology. They are positioned to challenge the Apple iPad for market share and are receiving very good reviews.
The devices attracting the most attention are the ones that are running Google’s Android Software. These tablets are smaller than laptops but bigger than the current mobile devices using Android, providing more flexibility. The Motorola Zoom has a ten inch high-definition screen, which reviewers say looks more like a typical desktop than a smart phone. Another feature that is being praised are dual cameras, one facing the user and another that faces away from the user and can be used to record digital images and video.
The Android operating system also powers Panasonic’s new Viera tablet. Since it is made by the company which is best known for the high-definition televisions it makes, it was designed first and foremost for streaming video. There is software that can turn the tablet into a visual remote for your home television. It also makes it easy to watch T.V. and post on social networking sites at the same time. The Viera will be sold later this year in several screen sizes, up to a maximum of ten inches.
In the area of small lightweight tablets, ZTE is one of the market leaders. The ZTE Light weighs only 389 grams and is just 12.6 mm wide. It is equipped with a 7 inch high-def viewing screen, which the manufacturer touts was developed specifically for mobile HD video. This tablet also operates on the Android platform, which is being used in a wide variety of mobile devices. One of the best features of the ZTE Light is that it boasts a battery life of more than 10 hours between charges.