Tablets have no sign of slowing their growth. This year we’ve seen new products from major manufacturers like Apple, ASUS, Lenovo, Toshiba and Sony – not to mention literally hundreds of knock-offs available on eBay and at street markets around the world.

Looking back, we may think of 2012 as the year the tablet matured. Some critics have bashed tablets as toys, and although I don’t agree with them, it’s easy to see where they’re coming from. Even the iPad had neither the hardware nor software required to be more than an entertainment device. These new tablets, however, are a different story.

Let’s dive in and round up the best tablets of 2012. They’re fast, they’re enjoyable to use, and they’re as affordable as ever.

Apple iPad (third generation)

Everyone was excited about the release of the new iPad – so excited, in fact, that some crazy hardware rumors about things like haptic feedback started to circulate. When the real product was released, some people felt let down.

That’s a shame, because the third generation iPad is easily the best tablet on the market today. Its “retina” display is a key feature. Small text that can be rendered by the new iPad often appears blocky on other tablets until you zoom in, while images and games have a sharpness not found elsewhere.

The other traditional iPad strengths remain, as well – the processor is fast, there’s an unmatched selection of apps and battery life is outstanding. Better still, Apple did not raise the price – but they did lower the price on the iPad 2, which is now just $399.

The new iPad starts at $499 on Amazon.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7-inch)

2012 may also go down in history as the year the 7-inch tablet started to catch on. Amazon’s Kindle Fire still sells well and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 2 7-incher is currently the second most popular tablet on Amazon. ASUS is promising a $249.99 7-inch Tegra 3 tablet later this year, as well – if it ever comes, it too is sure to be a success.

The recipe to the Galaxy Tab 2 is simple. At $250, it is inexpensive. It is light, weighing in at less than a pound. It is powered by a reasonably quick 1 GHz dual-core processor.  And it runs Android 4.0, so while it seems to be sold as a budget option, it still has the full software enchilada.

There’s really not much to dislike. Okay, the camera is not the best – but seriously, at this price, who cares? Since I don’t like the Kindle Fire for numerous reasons the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch is my small tablet of choice.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7-inch) is just $249.99 on Amazon.

ASUS Transformer TF300

The original Transformer (known by the model number TF101) was the first serious competition to the iPad. It was a light, affordable, powerful tablet with no-nonsense design. The optional keyboard dock was touted as its greatest feature but was, in fact, unnecessary for enjoying the device.

Now ASUS has updated the concept by introducing a new entry-level tablet, the TF300. It is a significant update. The chassis has been redesigned to drop some size and weight, bringing the new tablet to .39 inches thinand 1.4 pounds light. These are not the best figures in the industry, but they are competitive for a tablet starting at $399.

Also competitive is the Tegra 3 quad-core processor. Although the A5X used in the new iPad has more power for handling graphics, Tegra 3 has the edge when it comes to CPU arithmetic. Throw in Android 4.0 and you have the recipe for a slick, responsive device. Even battery life is robust – expect up to 10 hours if you’re trying to stretch it and about 8 hours in normal use.

The Transformer TF300 is $399 on Amazon.

Which Would I Buy?

If I were buying a brand new tablet today I would take the iPad 3. It’s higher price is justified by its better app selection, unmatched battery life and awesome display. As a geek I appreciate the big and small details that palce it ahead of the competition.

What do you think? Which would you, or have you, purchased? Let us know in the comments!

Tablets are becoming the Next Big Thing™. Okay I’m being a little sarcastic – I’m definitely one of the people who believes tablets aren’t going to replace PCs any time soon – but I also don’t know if tablet replacement of PCs matter. The fact is tablets are cool, and they have uses, so people will buy them.

Thing is, tablets are also expensive. Most of them run over $500, and some are far more than that. An iPad 2 with Wifi, 3G and 64GB of RAM is going to set your wallet back $829. Ouuucch!

For that dough, you’re going to expect your tablet to provide a few years of flawless operation. But is it actually capable of that, or are these super-thin computers lacking in durability?

Family Ties

There isn’t much information out yet about the reliability of tablets themselves. That is understandable, because tablets are new. Quality information about a device requires at least a year of solid data, and three to five years of data is preferable. Most tablets not called the iPad have only been on the market for a few months, so their long-term reliability is a mystery!

Actually, that’s not entirely true. Tablets are new, but their close cousins, smartphones, aren’t. Normally, making comparisons between two different categories of electronics would be foolhardy, but in this case I think the comparison is valid.

That’s because tablets and smartphones have similar design, have similar hardware, and are often built by the same companies that build smartphones. There is little room for deviation in the reliability between a smartphone and a tablet, so what we do know about smartphones can be used to inform our expectations.

Note: it can only inform us, not provide 100% accurate information. Still, an educated guess is better than nothing.

Expected Reliability – Looking Good

Smartphones are good company. According to a SquareTrade report from 2010, the average failure rate of smartphones within the first 12 months is only 3.9%. Obviously, the least failures are going to occur early in the device’s life, but this puts smartphones on track for enjoy reliability that is favorable when compared to other electronics.

A report from PC Magazine in 2009 is also promising. That report found that cell phone repair rates average around 10 to 12% for any given year. Since this report did not account only for cell phones that are 12 months old or newer, these numbers are good.

Manufacturer does have an impact on reliability, as it does with any device. The information available about smartphones indicates that Apple’s devices are the most reliable, with companies like Motorola and HTC close behind. RIM (Blackberry) seems to have the most problems.

Based on this information, it’s reasonable to believe tablets will also be reliable. The main difference could well be the display, which is much larger on tablets. Although it uses the same technology, the larger surface area provides more room for error – both on the part of manufacturers and users.

Durability – Not So Great

While smartphones will last, that’s only if they don’t succumb to accidental damage. Since they’re handheld devices they’re very prone to slipping and falling. That’s likely to prove true for tablets, which are also frequently held by hand in environments that offer little cushion for falling electronics.

The SquareTrade report provides a sobering look at durability. Anywhere between three to five times as many phones fell victim to accidents than feel victim to defects. The iPhone 3GS is a good example, as 2.3% of units sold require repair in their first 12 months, but 9.4% fell victim to accidental damage.

Arguably, tablets will be at even greater risk for accidental damage because of their large but fragile displays. Accidental damage will be the real killer of tablets.

Also, please note that in this case manufacturer is NOT a good indicator of future results. Blackberry does very well when it comes to accidental damage because most of its phones are robust, with lots of material and small displays. The Blackberry Playbook, and any other device from RIM with a large touchscreen, will probably be vulnerable to accidents.

Conclusion

So what can we take away from all this mumbo-jumbo?

First, tablets are likely to be reliable. Most won’t succumb to manufacturer defects, particularly within the first year. Problems are more likely later, of course, but it’s likely that tablets will be more reliable than your average gadget.

Durability is going to be the real concern. I suggest that you purchase a case with a display cover for your tablet. There’s simply too much fragile surface area on these devices, and even the most minor accidental could put one out of commission. Indeed, tablets are one of the few devices where you may be better off buying an accidental damage warranty INSTEAD OF an extended warranty against defects.

If you can keep your tablet in hand, you can feel confident about your purchase.

Recently I wrote a post about the three best convertible tablet PCs. In that post I picked out the HP Touchsmart tm2t, the Lenovo X200 tablet and the Panasonic Toughbook C1 as the best tablet PCs.

However, both the Lenovo X200 and the Toughbook C1 are very expensive options. A well equipped version of either will run you over $2000 dollars, which really leaves you with just the HP Touchsmart tm2t as an option if you need a sub-$1000 dollar tablet.

Which begs the question – is there any cheap tablet PC which can be purchased and offers the same functionality for less? After all, while the HP Touchsmart is a relatively cheap tablet PC, it still costs over $1000 once you start loading the options on.

One place to look for alternatives is the Smidgen PC Tablet Netbook Guide. However, it should be noted that when it comes to cheap tablet PCs, you do make a lot of trade-offs as you go down in price. A tablet netbook may be a cheap tablet pc, but it also is ultimately netbook hardware. It isn’t fast. They certainly aren’t fast enough to run any sort of image or video editing software. You make sacrifices by going with such a cheap tablet.

Ultimately, the HP Touchsmart tm2t which was recommended in the best convertible tablet PC guide is simply the best cheap tablet PC currently available. It may still run over $1000 dollars, which is twice what a tablet netbook will cost you. However, if you want a fully functional tablet I recommend you spend the extra money on the Touchsmart.

Netbooks are highly mobile machines, capable of running for an entire working day without the need to recharge. Tablet PCs are highly mobile machines made to be used on the go by people who don’t have the time to sit down and use a fully keyboard. A match made in heaven?

You bet. The qualities of netbooks make them perfect for tablet PCs. That is not to say they’re without disadvantages. Netbook hardware is limited in the software it can run, and that will make tablet netbooks a bad idea for people who need to use highly specialized software. Most tablet users, however, will likely prefer a tablet netbook to more traditional tablet PCs. Netbooks are inexpensive, light, durable, and generate little heat, all of which are desirable traits in a tablet netbook. The question is, which tablet netbooks are the best?

Asus Eee PC T101MT

The Eee PC T101M is a great netbook and a great table

An update to the aging Eee PC T91, which previously was recommended in this guide, the Eee PC T101MT is an excellent all-around netbook and small tablet. The Eee PC T101MT is, in terms of specifications, fairly similar to an Eee PC 1001P. It has a six cell battery, a 10.1 inch screen, 1 GB of RAM, etc. It also has a similar look and feel with an excellent keyboard and large trackpad. The Eee PC T101MT does seem to suck power more quickly than netbooks, however – which is typical of a tablet netbook – and so battery life ends up being only six hours. That’s still quite a bit, but it is certainly short of the ten hours (or more) which you can squeeze out of a normal Eee PC.

The tablet functionality is solid, thanks largely to ASUS’s excellent tablet software suite and also the inclusion of hand-writing recognition software. They even include a stylus for you. The previously Eee PC T91 was actually a little behind the Intel Classmate PC (below) in this regard, but the Eee PC T101MT closes the gap significantly.

Pricing  of the Eee PC T101MT starts at around $499.99 for the most basic model with 1GB of RAM and Windows 7 Starter. The ASUS website states that versions of the T101MT should be available with Windows Home Basic and Home Premium and that the Home Premium models come with 2GB of RAM, but those haven’t appeared in the North American market (as of 4/8/2010).

If you’re looking for something a little less expensive consider the Eee PC T91 instead. This previously recommended tablet offers many of the same features but has an 8.9 inch screen and shorter battery life.  It can now be found for around $440.

Intel Convertible Classmate PC

Made for classrooms, the Intel Classmate PC is as tough as they come.

Intel has been laboring towards the creation of PCs suitable for classroom use for years now, and the fruits of that labor are starting to become available. Strangely, there hasn’t been a lot of press about the Intel Convertible Classmate PC or its smaller, non-tablet cousin. This seems odd, because both are extremely durable products sold at low prices. They’re made for kids, sure, but they have the same basic hardware as any other netbook.

In fact, its the kid-friendly construction of the Intel Convertible Classmate PC which makes it an excellent contender among tablet netbooks. It built to survive a rough-and-tumble life in an elementary school classroom, so it should have no problems in friendlier hands, even if those hands are quite busy. The Intel Convertible Classmate PC even includes a handle, a minor but convenient addition. What’s more, the Convertible Classmate PC comes with unique tablet software which greatly adds to the device’s functionality. The price is good, too. The Classmate PC is sold by various vendors, including Mirus and M & A, and prices hover between $450 and $500 bucks.

Granted, the Intel Convertible Classmate PC isn’t something a professional will want to bring to a board room meeting. The durability has also resulted in some trade-offs, as the screen and keyboard are both smaller than one would expect given the size of the device. Even so, the Convertible Classmate PC is a good option if durability is a primary area of concern.

Apple iPad

The Apple iPad is a valid alternative to a tablet netbook

You might have noticed that the name of this website is SmidgenPC. PC, as in personal computer, as in – not a Mac. It is fairly rare that I talk about Apple products on this blog and it is rarer still that I talk about them in a favorable light. And more to the point, the Apple iPad is a pure tablet device, not a netbook. So what is the Apple iPad doing here?

Well, the reason is simple – if you want a tablet netbook you should buy either the Eee PC T101MT or you should buy an Intel Classmate PC. Period. End Stop. There are other options, of course, but they’re not good. The Lenovo S10-3t’s touch screen interface is terrible and the Gigabyte Touchnote is laughably overpriced. But I do like to give three different recommendations to my readers in order to provide a range of perspectives, so here we are.

And actually, the iPad makes a good argument for itself depending on what you need. The iPad is not the one to buy if you want to do “real work.” For example, I would rather jump off a cliff than type this blog post on the iPad. However, I would much rather browser this blog on an iPad than on either of the tablet netbooks. The browsing experience on the iPad is beautiful, and if you’re really keen on the “net” in netbook, forget about the netbook tablets. Buy the iPad.

It should be noted, as well, that the iPad has some serious hardware advantages. You can squeeze about ten hours of battery life from it, which is nearly twice what you’d expect from a tablet netbook. The iPad is also lighter and actually much better at displaying video. And then, of course, you have the display and the touch interface. The display on the iPad is superior to any netbook’s and no netbook tablet can compare to the iPad’s interface. The iPad even starts at $499.99, so as long as you don’t need a lot of storage it is competitive on price.