The iPad welcome party: Seven tablets that could take on the iPad

As the iPad Air and the iPad mini descend on the Indian market, they are likely to receive the stiffest competition that any Apple tablet has received in the country, with a number of players having already released devices that offer a fair bit terms of tablet magic. Here are six in particular that could challenge Apple’s new iPads.

Google Nexus 7 2013: Android’s flagship tablet
Rs 20,999 onwards
The first Nexus 7 released in 2012 showed that it was possible to combine terrific specs with a low price tag. The new Nexus 7 carries that tradition forward, marrying a staggeringly good full HD display with 323 ppi pixel density with a quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and connectivity options galore, as well as a fairly decent 5.0-megapixel camera. No, it won’t turn heads with its relatively plain design but what you will be getting at that price will be the latest flavour of Android backed up with some seriously good hardware.
iPad threat factor: Android lovers will flock to it, but in terms of pure tablet apps, it is not really in the iPad league. That said, the latest Android + awesome hardware+ good price = one good deal.

Kindle Fire 8.9 HD: For those on the Amazon
Rs 17,999 onwards
It is not the latest in the Kindle Fire range (that would be the Kindle Fire HDX, which has not yet been released in India), but for many people, the Kindle Fire is the perfect iPad rival. It comes with a 8.9-inch 1920 x 1200 pixel display, is powered by a dual core processor, and comes with very decent audio. Yes, it is locked into Amazon’s own version of Android and its own app store (you cannot access Google Play on it), but on the flip side, you are assured of getting apps that actually work well on the large screen. Battery life is very good as well. And after the price cut, this remains a very good deal, especially if you are used to buying stuff from Amazon.
iPad threat factor: The perfect option for those who buy books and apps from Amazon or want a very different Android experience.

Lenovo Yoga 8: Shaped to stand out
Rs 22,999
Whether you believe Ashton Kutcher designed it or not is irrelevant, what cannot be denied is that the design of the Lenovo Yoga 8 will make it stand out. Like Sony did with the Tablet S, Lenovo has added a slightly thicker and rounded spine to the Yoga, making it easy to grip from the left side, just as you would hold a book, and also doubles up as a stand.  Add to that a decent 1280 x 800 display, a very classy build, enough processing power to do most tasks, and a staggering battery life that runs well over a dozen hours, and we confess that the Yoga 8 is a formidable proposition. Lenovo has even tweaked the interface to make it easier to operate – yeah, it is a trifle iPad-ish, but that’s a VERY good example to follow! And we are recommending the 8.0-inch disply version above the 10-inch one because it actually is a whole lot easier to hold.
iPad threat factor: Reasonably high if you are looking for a tablet that stands out, and has staggering battery life. The iPad-like interface might also sway some people.

Xolo Play Tegra Note: Play, Android!
Rs 18,999
This is a tablet that has sneaked into contention even as this piece was being written. Built on  a design from graphics maestros NVIDIA, the real charm of this device is the hardware, which revolves around a 1.8 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, as well as a 72-core graphics processor. All of which makes this the Android tablet to beat. The 5.0-megapixel camera and the stylus are handy add-ons, but we reckon this is the device that will get the gamers’ and video lovers’ pulses racing, especially at that relatively low price tag.
iPad threat factor: We can definitely see hardware junkies being attracted by the staggering processor power of this one. iPad fans will STILL say: “Yah, we still have Infinity Blade 3”

Acer Iconia W3: Real Windows on the more
Rs 27,999
For most people, computers are synonymous with Windows. And for most people, Windows on the move is synonymous with notebooks or oversized touchscreen devices. Acer, however, has put a spin on that concept by actually squeezing Windows 8 in all its glory on to an 8.0-inch display device, that weighs barely half a kilo, and comes with 2GB RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. Some might whinge at the absence of a full HD display and the relatively low powered Intel Atom processor, but if you are at home with Windows (and so many of us are), this is an awesome proposition with very good battery life and real USB connectivity!
iPad threat factor: Pretty high if you are a Windows 8 fan or simply want the same interface and apps as on your ‘normal’ computer on your tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2013): For the scribblers
Rs 46,900
The price might make strong men blanch, but we think that in terms of sheer versatility and performance, this is Samsung’s best tablet yet. That 2560 x 1600 display is amazing, and we also think that the form factor is perfect for those who really love to draw and write – the smaller variations of the Note are not as comfortable to use in stylus terms as this one is. And there is enough hardware muscle (no shortage of RAM or processor power)  to handle just anything you want to run on it – you can use this device to edit videos almost as fast as you can on a desktop!
iPad threat factor: Very high if you are stylus-lover as the S-Pen is pretty much in a league of its own.

Google Nexus 7 2012: Still awesome, more affordable
Rs 9,500
It was very much THE tablet to own for the Android crowd in 2012, and while many of those have drifted off to its newer edition, the original Nexus 7 tablet remains a formidable proposition. It is powered by a quad core processor and still gets the latest version of Android – something that very few tablets can boast of. And from our experience of using it, well, at a sub-Rs 10,000 price, it delivers staggering value  for money, and can still handle all apps very smoothly.
iPad threat factor: At that price, the best value for money tablet in the country for those on a tight budget. Period.