内容摘要：As you've undoubtedly heard, 2010 is being hailed as the year of the tablet PC (yes, again). That ma

As you've undoubtedly heard, 2010 is being hailed as the year of the tablet PC (yes, again). That may come as a shock considering the fact that very few big-name tablets are currently available and forthcoming works are mostly shrouded in secrecy. Unless you follow tech news closely, you're probably only familiar with Apple's iPad which launched this weekend and perhaps HP's Slate that was showcased during this year's CES.

While the market might seem barren, there are a handful of options currently or soon-to-be available. Analysts predict dozens of companies will pile into the market with similar devices of every shape, color and creed – ARM alone expects its chips to appear in over 50 tablets this year. Such an upwelling begs the question: Are tablets here to stay, or will the bubble burst in 2011 as quickly as it's growing in 2010?

No matter the answer, tablets are coming, and many of you seem to have your credit cards ready. With that in mind, we've charted out seven of today's most popular slates, complete with available specifications, pricing, and availability. Naturally, the data is subject to change as many of these have yet to reach stores, but it's a starting point for narrowing down your purchase.

	Apple iPad	Archos 9	JooJoo	HP Slate	Notion Ink Adam	Dell Mini 5	MSI Tablet
Operating System	iPhone OS	Windows 7 Starter	Proprietary Linux	Windows 7 Home Premium	Android	Android	Android
Display	9.7" 1024x768 IPS	8.9" 1024x600	12" 1366x768	10"	10" 1024x600	5" 800x480	10"
Processor and Graphics	Apple A4	Intel Atom Z515	Intel Atom N270 + Nvidia Ion	Intel Atom Z530	Nvidia Tegra 2	Qualcomm Snapdragon	Nvidia Tegra 2
Storage	16GB-64GB	60GB	4GB	32GB-64GB	16-32GB	SD Flash Memory	N/A
Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G (optional)	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Other Connectivity	Dock connector			Dock connector, multi-card reader	HDMI	N/A	N/A
GPS	Yes (3G only)	No	No	N/A	Yes	Yes	N/A
USB	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery Life	10 hours	4.5 hours	5 hours	5 hours	Longer than iPad	N/A	N/A
Camera	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multitouch	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multitask	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Flash Support	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
App Marketplace	iTunes	No	No	No	Android Market	Android Market	Android Market
Weight	680-730g	900g	1100g	670g	600-650g	N/A	N/A
Price	$500-$830	$550	$500	$550-$600	$330-$800	N/A	$500
Availability	Now	Now	Now	Q2 2010	Summer 2010	2H 2010	Late 2010

The Apple iPad is undoubtedly the most popular tablet right now and despite its shortcomings, the device has numerous things going for it. Running the proven iPhone OS, it's backed by a swarm of dedicated developers and most existing iPhone applications are compatible with the iPad.

The Archos 9 and JooJoo are also available now, and both are entirely different beasts. The Archos runs an Atom processor and Windows, while the JooJoo is powered by proprietary Linux software and features an Nvidia Ion graphics chip along with a 12-inch 1366x768 display for media playback.

It doesn't take an expert to see that neither of these is half as attractive as the iPad. In this sense, most folks are waiting for HP to challenge Apple with the Slate, and that seems to be shaping up nicely if you're looking for a more traditional computing experience in a tablet form-factor. The Notion Ink Adam is another polished contender with its low starting price, lengthy battery, and other desirable niceties. We'll certainly be looking forward to this and other alternatives in the reborn tablet market.

If you currently own or are interested in a specific tablet, let's hear about why it meets your needs better than competing solutions.