Why There Are No True iPad 2 Alternatives

Tablets are the go-to-gadget of this generation and while the Xoom, Touchpad, Galaxy Tab, PlayBook, and others seem like alternatives to the iPad 2, but they aren't - the iPad 2 has no alternatives, and here is why.

The So-Called Alternatives Are "Me-too" Gadgets

The iPad 2 is to tablets what Kleenex is to tissue, Xerox is to printing, Google is to search engines, and what Q-tips are to cotton swabs; it's brand name is synonymous with its industry. When most people look at the Galaxy Tab, Xoom, Touchpad, or PlayBook, the first thing that comes to mind is the Apple iPad - and not the other way around. The So-called iPad 2 alternatives aren't alternatives for Apple's second generation tablet at all; they are their own alternatives.

Apple Has a Serious Following

The iPad 2's closest competitors aren't made by no-name manufacturer's and are backed by strong tech brands like Motorola, Samsung, Hewlett Packard, and BlackBerry, but none of those companies have the same appeal - and do it as big - as Apple. Will people line up days in advance to be able to buy any of these other so-called alternatives at full retail price? Can you imagine someone paying $900 to get in line for the Xoom - as they did with the iPad 2? Will people buy a new PlayBook every year? The obvious answers to all of these questions is no - Apple has a following like none-other.

Other Tablets Are Aiming at the Wrong Target

Most of the iPad 2 challengers are trying to best Apple's new tablet, but are doing it completely wrong; with specs. I've said it once before and I'll say it again; it'll take more than better specs to best the iPad. Most people gravitate towards brand recognition, are confused by specs, and care more about what a tablet can do for them as opposed to how it does it. Hardware can't defeat the iPad 2; software is where it's at.

The Apple Apps Store

Speaking of software, the Apple iTunes App Store is one of the main reasons why none of the iPad 2's challengers will never come near its success. Most of the would-be alternatives are Android-based tablets, but Apple has its own App repository with stricter guidelines and more money for app developers. The Apple iTunes store beats the Android Marketplace in quality, quantity, and variation - making it hard for the Xoom, Touchpad, Galaxy Tab, and PlayBook to compete.

For more, read iPad 2: Why Tablets with Better Specs Don't Matter , 4 Ways the IPad 2 is Better Than the Motorola Xoom , and Why the iPad 2 is More Convenient Than a Laptop or Netbook

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