Although the iPad 2 may be the media's favorite choice, there are, in fact, a whole range of competing tablets sold by a number of different manufacturers, incorporating a range of operating systems. The question of whether you should by the iPad 2 vs. other tablets is important when it comes to getting the best value for your money.

At this point in time, the main competitors to the iPad 2 are the Motorola Xoom, Blackberry PlayBook and the HP TouchPad. Here are a few key points of comparison to help you make that all-important buying decision.

Operating System

The tablet computers feature the following operating systems:
* iPad 2 - iOS 4.3
* Motorola Xoom - Android 3.0
* HP TouchPad - webOS 3.0
* Blackberry PlayBook - BB Tablet OS (QNX)

Many people who own an iPhone will naturally choose the iOS operating system over the others, but there are pros and cons of all of them. The Android system is known as the main contender to Apple's own, and it's especially popular thanks to its customizable features. However, what really matters is what feels intuitive to you, so you'll want to try out some demo models before you buy.

Price

When it comes to price, one of the best things about the iPad 2 vs. other tablets is that you do have a lot of choice. The prices start at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi Only model, going all the way up $829 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G models. Other manufacturers are slowly starting to follow Apple's lead.

Other Features

There isn't much between the leading tablet models when it comes to the camera (the newest addition to the iPad 2). One area where the iPad 2 falls short is the RAM - its competitors were well ahead of the game already. However, the processing speed is comparable among all the devices, as is the storage and the screen resolution.

In the apps market, the iPad 2 vs. other tablets debate has a clear winner: nobody can match the scope of the Apple app store. What's more, many of us are used to using apps on our iPhone or iPod Touch, so it feels natural to move to the iPad 2 where we can still expect a huge range of apps available.

Ultimately it's difficult to pick a winner in the iPad 2 vs. other tablets debate. When it comes down to it, picking the operating system that you feel comfortable with is a huge factor. However, there are no signs that the iPad's reign at the top of the tablet market is coming to an end just yet!