The year 2010 saw the PC evolving from being a niche device to a mainstream portable computer. Tablets have an intriguing form factor and come with lesser functionality than a laptop, but they are touch-enabled and very adept at delivering media and the Internet. If Netbooks were the most wanted gadgets in 2009, then it was the iPad this year. Apple Inc's iPad has been the talk of the town since its launch. In India, they haven't launched it yet, but of course, other tablets are already making news. The Dell Streak is somewhere between a smartphone and tablet. With a screen of 5 inches, it sits squarely in between the 'standard' 3.3 inch screen of smartphones and the tablet. But surely, this smart gadget may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Touted as the toughest competitor to the iPad, Samsung's Galaxy Tab is smaller and lighter than other tablets. This Android tablet gives the device a number of selling points Apple's iPad can't claim, including full-featured multitasking, support for Adobe Flash, and unrestricted access to applications. With a 7-inch display and a weight of 0.8 pound, the Galaxy Tab is small enough to fit into some tight spaces (such as a roomy pocket), light enough to hold with one hand, and large enough to provide satisfying viewing. Not that there aren't other good tablets in the market - this is just a dekko at the two most popular ones till the iPad arrives on Indian shores