I really like the idea of an iPad, but don’t want to join the Apple Cult. There’s also for me the issue of a lack of multitasking, Flash, SD card support and USB. The lack of an SD card slot is a killer for me. One of the things I would want to do with a tablet is to use it as a portable photo editor and gallery.

But what else is there? As it turns out, a lot. There’s a list of Seven Alternatives to the iPad here.

Here’s what I want in a tablet:

WiFi (naturally)
SD Card Support
USB
Multitasking
Windows Operating system (so I can run familiar apps, and so I can insert my Sprint U300 3G Modem and get a connection anywhere.)
Long battery life (6+ hours)
Swappable Battery

The only other thing I’d consider buying in a tablet is one that runs on the Palm WebOs. I think that’s a natural fit, and I’m surprised Palm hasn’t jumped into the market. It can’t be much of a technological leap to take the Palm Pre and blow it up to ten inches. They could have one out by the fall if they wanted.