ith Apple, HP, and other tablet makers duking it out for dominance in the $500 and up space, it looks like the battle for the budget tablet market is also heating up. I recently reviewed the Archos 5 Internet Tablet, which was released last year, making it one of the first available tablets running Google Android. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but it’s hard to argue with the $250 starting price tag — at least until you check out the Enso zenPad, another tablet with a 5 inch display that’s selling for just $155 plus $25 for global shipping.
The zenPad has an 800 x 480 pixel touchscreen display, 8GB of storage, and a 667MHz Samsung 6410 processor. It runs Google Android 1.6 and comes with built in GPS and WiFi. You can pick up a 3G adapter for $35 more, although you’ll have to plug it into a USB port.
The Archos 5 still has the edge when it comes to media playback. Archos loads up the tablet with some excellent audio and video software that can handle a wide range of file formats. But it’s even harder to complain about a $155 price tag.
If you’re looking for something a little bigger, the Camangi WebStation has a 7 inch display, runs Google Android, and starts at $275. But it gets lukewarm reviews and appears to be mostly out of stock at the moment.
