Rivals to the iPad

Ever thought of buying an iPad but can't because it's too costly. Well, here's some Pad's and Slate's that work very much like the iPad but are sold at a much cheaper price.

ICD Vega: Another potential competitor to the iPad is the Vega, which was announced in November 2009 and is expected to hit the market in the first half of this year. Produced by Innovative Converged Devices, the Vega is expected to run the Android 2.0 operating system and features a large, 15.6" touch screen, although two smaller sizes will be available. The device will have 32 GB of internal SD storage, a removable charging dock/stand and the ability to play on-demand Web TV, according to the company.

Plastic Logic QUE pro Reader: Developed by Plastic Logic, the QUE proReader caters to business professionals and is presented mostly as an eReader. The QUE comes in two models, priced from $649 to $799, featuring full color on its 8 1/2" x 11" display and Wifi connectivity, the device is 1/3" thick and is operated using a touch screen interface.
The QUE is expected to launch in April 2010 and plans to use the Barnes & Noble bookstore for its eBook sales.

Notion Ink Adam: Expected to be released mid-summer 2010, the Ink Adam will start at $327, with the more robust models priced up to $800. The device can support 1080p high definition video on its 10" screen and also features a 3 megapixel camera, according to the company.
It promises 3G connectivity, as well as a multitasking interface that utilizes the Android operating system, which allows the user to run applications concurrently.

HP SlateExhibited as a prototype in the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, HP's iPad competitor is scheduled to come out later this year.
A model was exhibited during the CES keynote by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who demonstrated how the "Slate PC" can utilize the Windows 7 operating system, a webcam and USB ports, as well as "Kindle for PC" applications and various other video functions. The touch screen device is expected to cost about $550, although there has been no official announcement on price.