Tablet eBook Reader News

TabletReaderInfo.com 2011 Select Awards

This year saw the rise of the iPad 2, a slew of Android tablets, the announcement of the Kindle Fire set to release later this year, and even HP’s abandonment of their tablet, creating a race to the bottom for price points. Though the 2011 calendar year isn’t over yet, the period for eligibility for our 2011 awards is. With 2011 drawing to a close, and many exciting things coming our way for the next round of tablets, let’s take a look at what our editors selected as the best of the best for commendation as part of the Reviewed.com annual Selects awards. Without further ado, here are our winners:

Best eReader
Amazon Kindle Keyboard 3G
(3G $139, WiFi-only $99)

It may not be the latest fielding by Amazon, but we’re suckers for the ability to type to search for our eBooks, and not hunt and peck with a d-pad and virtual keyboard. With an eInk Pearl screen that works in a huge range of lighting conditions, and the support of the world’s largest eBook store, the Amazon Kindle Keyboard is our choice of eReader.
(Read full review)

Best Tablet
Apple iPad2
(16 GB $499)

Despite having half the RAM of some of its Android competitors, the Apple iPad 2 not only has impressive battery life, but a remarkable IPS display as well. Along with access to the largest application store, the iPad 2 has market-standard connectivity options, and an oft-emulated user interface. If you don’t mind the price, the iPad 2 remains our pick of the year for tablets.
(Read full review.)

Best tablet runner-up
Motorola Xoom
(16GB, $799)

Seemingly designed to out-muscle the iPad 2 in every category, the Motorola Xoom certainly has the hardware to do it: with double the RAM, competitive processing power, and the best software support Android 3 can offer, the Xoom makes a statement in the tablet market. Though it lags a bit in screen performance, the Xoom is the solid runner-up with market-best battery life.
(Read full review.)

Best Battery
Motorola Xoom
(16GB, $799)

When taking tablets out into the world, especially on long trips, you’re going to want a battery that will last you as long as possible. So far, the Motorola Xoom has surpassed all other tablets in this category, playing video for over 8 hours straight, and reading eBooks for almost 9 hours without recharging.
(Read full review.)

Best Android Tablet
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
(16GB, $499)

Despite the Xoom’s dominance in raw performance power, it is a rather unwieldy tablet. By cramming a lot of tablet into a tiny 8.6mm-thick frame, Samsung gives us the impressive, ultra portable Galaxy Tab 10.1. Despite its huge screen, the 10.1 fits into most bags due to its thin profile, and can still do everything any other Android 3 tablet does. As such, it wins our best Android tablet of the year.
(Read full review.)