Little more than two years ago, no one except the Apple development team new what a tablet was, and certainly had no idea why they would need one. Now they are everywhere, with consumers using them for accessing the web and other computing functions which don’t require the power of a laptop. They are even becoming an integral part of conducting business on the move. But in a growing market, where online retailers such as Misco have a head-spinning number of different options available, which are the best tablets to invest in? Here are a few pointers:

Lenovo Thinkpad NZ72CUK

This device uses Android 3.1 software, and is ideal for the corporate user with a platform optimised for business use. One of the main advantages of this tablet is the security it offers – important for protecting corporate data – with encryption, specialised corporate email apps and further security for communicating on corporate networks. The digitizer pen makes note-taking easy.

Acer Iconia W500

If your tablet is to be more geared towards multimedia use, then the Acer Iconia W500 is worth a look. The Acer touch ring allows you to jump between media files quickly and easily, while the battery pack allows four hours of unplugged HD video playback and six hours of internet usage – all in a device which is smaller than a magazine and very light.

HP Slate 2 Tablet

Another great tablet for business use, the HP Slate 2 Tablet uses Windows 7 software, making it effectively an extension of your office workstation. It is also geared towards making the most of custom applications which are based around Windows.

Asus EeePad TF101

This device blurs the boundaries between tablet and laptop; it functions as a standalone tablet with a powerful Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor, but quickly converts into a notebook-style set up with a qwerty keyboard. Preloaded with a host of business-specific apps, when connected to the docking station it can also go a whopping 16 hours on one charge.

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