With all the hype surrounding the release of the Apple iPad and the move into tablet computing, I thought I would do some research and compare two tablet computers that are currently on the market.

The Acer Iconia A500 is a connectivity dream. Unlike the iPad it is littered with ports and switches around the edge of the tablet offering a number of connectivity options unknown to anyone who has bought a tablet before now. There’s a standard micro USB for file transfers and a microSD to bolster the internal storage. There is also a mini-HDMI-out but the real kicker is the USB host port on the bottom-right of the slate.

The Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core 1 Ghz processor delivers fast performance across all applications. The only major downside was the battery life of the A500.

Overall, according to www.cnet.com.au, “Acer’s first tablet effort is cautious but assured, the hardware feels solid, its feature packed and, most importantly, its performance is comparable with its competition”.

Now to the Apple iPad…. It would appear that the iPad’s greatest strength is as a web browser. The Safari browser renders clear web pages and without fault, and navigation is easy. Basically,  the tablet's capabilities as a web browser and media player are identical to the iPod Touch and iPhone, which is made somewhat easier with the larger display.

As a media player, the iPad’s 10-inch display is impressive. The iPad screen makes for a reasonable portable cinema display, capable of playing HD video content.

However, while the internal storage is good and the hardware first class, the lack of an external memory storage slot is one of the drawbacks. The iPad’s media file recognition is also quite average but Apple makes up for this. Firstly, the iTunes store has a reasonable collection of videos to rent and own.

Overall, the Apple iPad is an impressive piece of technology but according to www.cnet.com.au , “the iPad is a luxury item….”.