InfoWorld tablet deathmatch calculator
Find out what business tablet is right for you by comparing your scores and customizing your requirements in our calculator
The iPad started it, but the battle over what will be the tablet standard is now fiercely contested. As good as they are, today's tablets remain imperfect, and most are skewed towards a subset of uses. That makes it hard to choose the right one. To help you choose, we've created the calculator below, where you can either select a profile that represents you or enter in the specific weightings for each category to get an individual set of ratings for the six tablets that may be tempting you today: the Apple fourth-gen iPad, iPad Mini, and iPad 2 for iOS; the Google Nexus 10, Motorola Xyboard 10.1, and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, and Galaxy Tab 2 7 for Android; the Microsoft Surface RT for Windows RT; and the RIM BlackBerry PlayBook for BlackBerry Tablet OS. You can get more details from the reviews listed in the far-right column.
• Also try our smartphone deathmatch calculator.
Tablet Capabilities Compared
All the tablets covered here support the following capabilities (note that extra-cost apps might fill some of the gaps noted in the devices' default capabilities):
- Web: JavaScript, cookies
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB tether
- E-mail: SSL connection encryption; POP, IMAP, and Gmail
- Apps: apps store, over-the-air app updating, map-based navigation
- UI: gestures
Key: 
=Yes, 
=Partial, 
=No
| Feature | iPad | Xyboard | PlayBook | Galaxy | Surface |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web and Internet support | |||||
| 3G connectivity | | | |
* |
|
| HTML5 | | | | | |
| Adobe Flash | | | | | |
| Business connectivity | |||||
| Microsoft Exchange | | | | | |
| Mail folders | | | | | |
| Direct Microsoft Outlook sync | | | | | |
| Direct Mac OS Mail, iCal, Address Book sync | | | | | |
| Accept calendar invitations | | | | | |
| Application support | |||||
| Desktop-based purchase | | | | | |
| Voice-based navigation | | | | | |
| Security and management | |||||
| ActiveSync policies | | | | | |
| On-device encryption | | | | | |
| Complex passwords | | | | | |
| Device wiping after failed access | | | | | |
| Remote management | | | | | |
| VPN connectivity | | | | | |
| Usability | |||||
| Copy and paste | | | | | |
| Simultaneous app execution | | | | | |
| Bluetooth keyboard | | | | | |
| Accelerometer | | | | | |
| Compass | | | | | |
| Removable memory cards | | | | | |
| *some models | |||||