How to build the perfect Android tablet

With a slew of Android tablets expected to hit the market over the next several months, Ed Burnette has compiled a a list of the features and qualities he'd like to see in the perfect tablet.

By Ed Burnette, Contributor on Sept. 28, 2010

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With a slew of Android tablets expected to hit the market over the next several months, Ed Burnette has compiled a list of the features and qualities he'd like to see in the perfect tablet. Many of these qualities will be the same even if your tablet runs some other operating system such as iOS, BlackBerry, Windows, and Chrome OS. What's the most important feature?

For more, see Ed Burnette's complete series, How to build the perfect Android tablet.

More tablet coverage:

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Whether it's a tablet, netbook, or cell phone, a battery-powered device is useless if the battery runs out. That's why the most important feature of the perfect Android tablet will be a long-lasting battery. You what would be even nicer? Two batteries, with the ability to replace one of them without having to turn off the tablet. What's the next most important feature?

For more, see Ed Burnette's complete series, How to build the perfect Android tablet.

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The second most important feature is a capacitive touch screen with smooth 10+ finger multi-touch. A tablet practically begs for lots of fingers to touch it. I own an iPad, and one of my favorite programs is called Magic Piano by Sonic Mule. I can use all 10 fingers at once to play any music that I could play on a real piano. Unfortunately, I can't play a duet with a friend on the same iPad because it maxes out at 10 or 11 fingers. The perfect tablet would be better than the iPad by supporting more than 10 fingers at once. What about software?

For more, see Ed Burnette's complete series, How to build the perfect Android tablet.

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Software applications will either make your tablet into a useful addition to your digital life, or an expensive ingredient in some eco-unfriendly compost pile. Finding the right software is crucial. And for that reason, it needs to have the Android Market, with the option of running the full suite of Google Android apps including GMail, Maps, and Navigation. And the fourth most important feature is...

For more, see Ed Burnette's complete series, How to build the perfect Android tablet.

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Its screen should have a balanced aspect ratio and sufficient resolution for movie watching, web browsing, book reading, and other tablet activities. The perfect tablet should be wide enough to view typical web pages in landscape mode, but not so wide that it looks weird when turned on its side. Here's how to pick the right compromise. Finally, what will it all cost?

For more, see Ed Burnette's complete series, How to build the perfect Android tablet.

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A new device can have all these features and still be a flop if it fails to meet the 5th and final criterion: The perfect tablet must be affordable, even without carrier subsidies. How much is this thing going to cost? In one sense, Apple has made the answer easy.

For more, see Ed Burnette's complete series, How to build the perfect Android tablet.

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The entry level iPad is currently $499 in the US. Therefore the entry level Android pad needs to be $498 or less. An iPad with 3G data capability will set you back $629. So an Android pad with 3G needs to be...$498. Is it possible? Sure. Here's how.

For more, see Ed Burnette's complete series, How to build the perfect Android tablet.

More tablet coverage:

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