First there were desktops computers. Then, the laptop was the digital weapon of choice. For a brief moment, netbooks were seen as the next innovation wave in mobile computing. However, these were quickly eclipsed by lightweight tablets led by Apple’s iPad. The iPad is a beautiful piece of engineering wizardry with plenty of horsepower to run any app you throw at it. But, with the base model priced at $500, most small and mid-size businesses think twice about deploying them to their sales staff or delivery folks. At that price point, you can almost get a fully featured business grade laptop.
What if you could get a great tablet similar to the iPad for under $200?
YOU CAN!
Here are 5 Tablets Available Today for Under $200
1. Amazon Kindle Fire - $199
With the Kindle Fire, Amazon’s Kindle platform has finally “come of age”. This tablet, powered by a dual core processor has power to spare. Dollar for dollar, you won’t find a better Android powered tablet. Amazon makes their money from the content they sell, so the Kindle has always been priced below the market average to bring in more potential content buyers. Don’t like Amazon’s flavor of the Android operating system? No problem. This tablet can be easily rooted and another flavor of Android installed. The hardware is the greatest value here. It’s available where else but Amazon.
A few specifications:
- 8GB internal (approximately 6GB available for user content).
- 7″ multi-touch display with IPS (in-plane switching) technology and anti-reflective treatment, 1024 x 600 pixel resolution at 169 ppi, 16 million colors.
- 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, top-mounted stereo speakers.
- Up to 8 hours of continuous reading or 7.5 hours of video playback, with wireless off. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as web browsing and downloading content.
2. Lenovo IdeaPad A1 7-inch Tablet - $189
Lenovo, the Chinese computer manufacturer that bought out IBM’s PC division a few years ago, now goes head to head with Amazon. This tablet, though missing the dual core processor, is a worthy contender to Amazon’s Kindle Fire and priced competitively at $10 less than Amazon’s best selling mobile device. You can either buy it directly from Lenovo, or take advantage of Amazon’s great shipping and returns services and get it at Amazon.com.
A few specifications:
- Texas Instruments OMAP 3622 (1GHz)
- 16GB SSD; 512 MB LPDDR2 600MHz
- Dual camera 0.3/3.0 MP
- 7.0″ SD LED Glare Multi-touch with integrated camera 1024×600
- Android 2.3 Operating System
3. Apple iPad 16GB - $180-$250 Refurbished
If you shop around you can bag an iPad under $200 in the used and refurbished markets. Apple’s original iPad is a classic. The quality beats all other tablets in this article. And due to the fact that it isn’t the latest edition of this flagship product, you can find an iPad under $200 if you shop around in the refurbished market
A few specifications:
- 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology. 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi).
- 16GB flash drive with 1Ghz Apple A4 custom-designed system on a chip.
- Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
- Box Contents: iPad Dock Connector to USB Cable, 10W USB Power Adapter, Documentation
4. Le Pan TC 970 9.7-Inch Android Tablet - $179
This was the only sub-$200 tablet I could find worth mentioning that sports a 9.7 inch screen, the same size as Apple’s iPad. The front facing 2 megapixel camera is great for video chatting. Unlike the iPad, the Le Pan (I like the French name) can power through Flash based websites and animations without a hitch. Available from Amazon.
A few specifications:
- Android 2.2, 1 GHz procesing speed
- 512 MB of DDR2 RAM
- High-Definition Display 9.7″ high definition touch screen, 1024X768 XVGA TFT LCD,supports 720P HD video playback
- Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Front-facing 2-megapixel camera
5. Velocity Micro Cruz 8 inch Tablet - $179
This little 8 inch tablet wonder is aimed directly between the smaller, hold-it-in-one-hand, 7 inch tablets and the larger iPad size range of tablets. It’s a good place to be and the features don’t disappoint either.
A few specifications:
- 8″ capacitive screen provides more screen area for a more complete tablet experience
- Download from a library of thousands of apps via Amazon Appstore, preinstalled
- Flash enabled, pre-installed
- Quick Office Full version and Angry Birds preinstalled
- Front facing camera for video conferencing
I’ve run several of these great tablets through their paces. If you’re in the market for a sub $200 tablet, you won’t go wrong with any of them. Rumor has it that some even better Windows 8 tablets are on the way for this fall. However, due to the licensing costs of the Windows OS, none of them will be at this price point. And as you can see with the Blackberry Playbook, the sub $200 price point isn’t a guarantee. These prices can go up at any time. So why wait? If you’re in the market for a tablet, find which one meets your needs the best and order it today.
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