Best New Tablets Under $200 for 2012

The Kindle Fire has been on the top of the charts for a long time and is a popular choice for business professionals and families alike. This device is powered by a dual core processor and gives you a 7" viewing screen that will represent colors and graphics beautifully. The makers of the Kindle Fire designed it to be easily navigated with user friendly menus and settings. It does all that you would want, and more.

The Kindle Fire has been a strong competitor with devices like the iPad2 which cost nearly two and a half times the price. One of the reasons is that Amazon's business model allowed for users to purchase the Fire at $3 less than cost hoping that users will purchase movies and music through Amazon's store.

As an e-Book Reader

The Kindle Fire really shines when it comes to reading magazines in color; but, it's important to remember that the battery life for this model is only 7.5 hours, more like a tablet. Those who simply want to read books may want to look at the less expensive black and white Kindle models which have up to 30 days battery life.

First, reading books has never been easier, and the machine is already linked to the Amazon Cloud so all your downloads are saved there instead of eating up memory on your device. Be advised that this device does not offer text to speech, so if you use that function while driving or multi-tasking, you will not get it with the Fire. Movies, streaming, games and more can be viewed with ease, and Flash Player is also supported so you can view any website perfectly. I've also found that writing and reading e-mails is considerably easier on this device than my smartphone, so it's very convenient on business trips as well.

Durability
It makes a perfect tool for a family with children not only because of the entertainment factor, but that it is made to be 20 times stronger than plastic.

As mentioned earlier, it is also a great asset for a business professional to have as well since viewing documents and access to emails is convenient and easy.

Any Disadvantages?

The carousel interface has not been a popular feature, but it does not interfere with usability. This tablet does not link up with Google like the traditional Android software. So you must be aware that this device would be used a little differently, as a player or viewer, it is fabulous. And any Google functionality you like can still be used via the Internet on the Fire.

Overall, this is a good tablet for most people and average use. The battery life will last 7+ hours of continuous reading or streaming and charges in about 4 hours. Be sure to compare different Kindle's to determine which model has the features you will most use and appreciate.




Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi

Amazon Price: $199.00 (as of 01/09/2012)

This tablet gives you the ease of being able to read and then the convenience of Internet access. It is powered by Android 2.3 and has wireless high speed internet. You can access AppsLib to get popular games and apps to store on your device; however, be aware that this is the only apps market that is available on this device. The reader it uses is Aldiko E-book reader application that will give you options in portrait or landscape viewing, and a nice feature is the automatic orientation detection so you just need to move the device and the screen will adjust for you.

It also features HDMI connectivity so you can attach an appropriate cable and view in high definition! This makes a great reader but can be a little hard to use for a lot of Internet use however and the WiFi signal is not as strong as what you might be used to in a laptop or netbook. The battery life isn't the longest, but it recharges in under a half hour. One thing buyers should be aware of is the fact that they might have to buy a micro SD card. It has a smaller screen than most tablets at just 4 by 3 inches. This device makes a great purchase for someone who will use it to read more than playing on the Internet and for a first time tablet user.

This tablet comes with such a powerful applications processor that you will be amazed at what it can do for you. Not only can you entertain yourself with books, games, chat, social networking and email, you can also have access to a navigation system if you so needed and can Skype with friends and family since it comes preloaded with the software.

You get full speed Internet compatibility with a responsive screen; and any website that has Flash images will be able to be viewed. Accessing the Android Market is a breeze as well so you can download your favorite apps to make your life easier. The stylus that comes with this tablet is poor in design and has been reported to scratch the screen. It uses a Samsung processor but it is not a Samsung designed tablet; there has been user confusion regarding this issue. This device makes a great purchase because it is affordable and will keep up with the competition. It will never act like a second class product.

This tablet has a 7" screen that is compatible with the Barnes and Noble network so you can access millions of books, newspapers and magazines. You are able to download and install the new Android Apps for more versatility; however, some apps might not be available on this older version of Android. eReader is ready to go so you can start enjoying your reading time; it includes a built in dictionary, word search, variable font size, bookmarks and a highlighting function for important text or note taking.

This feature makes a great tool for any student. Be aware that the processor is kind of slow at 800MHz. Some people find that using it as a digital photo frame when they can't play on the device, as a fun option. The screen is touch sensitive but you do have to push a little harder than on other tablets, but it works rather well besides. Battery life averages about 6 hours, but it depends on what you are using it for. So, this makes a great tablet for younger users, or lighter users.

With a slim design, this tablet is easy to hold and nice to look at with a 9.7 inch screen display. At only 1.6 pounds, it is very comfortable in your hand; people sitting near you will be able to see the screen clearly, even from an angle. This has been a subtle feature that most people don't appreciate until they are crowded around the device, trying to watch the same thing. On other tablets, side viewing can be warped and darken so it makes it hard to share your content with many people, but that is not a problem with this little device. It runs on the Android 2.2 OS and fully supports Adobe Flash Player; so now you can view any site that has Flash encoded information. It has fully integrated Google technology so you can access your Google Maps, YouTube, and other Google run applications.

Movies actually translate very well and look great on the screen. It has a front facing camera so you can video chat and a QWERTY keyboard for convenient typing. Your battery life is about 6 hours of running use. With an external Micro SD card, you can extend your storage up to 32GB. Some users complain of having a sluggish WiFi connection but overall, this device seems to be worth every penny. With wireless and even GPS navigation, you can take this tablet anywhere and be fully equipped for anything.