Shortly after Apple decided to unleash the iPad, Samsung offered the first riposte in the shape of the more pocket-friendly Galaxy Tab.

Price: £299 | Samsung

Opting for a smaller, seven-inch multitouch screen, the Android 2.2-powered tablet is roughly half the weight of the iPad and easier to hold in one hand.

Interpolated 720p HD video playback is surprisingly smooth and watchable on the bright, 1024x600 resolution screen, thanks to the 1Ghz processor.

Three-megapixel, rear-facing and 1.3-meg, front-facing cameras are in tow, with music playback coming courtesy of 7Digital and the  iTunes-like Samsung Music Hub. Similarly, the Readers Hub fronts up the Kobo ebooks app with newspapers and magazines coming soon via Zinio.

With 16GB or 32GB of onboard memory, and an expansion slot for another potential 32GB microSD, there's plenty of room for all your games, music, video and pics. Taking a standard-sized SIM, the Tab even gives you access to voice/text functionality via 3G.

Samsung Galaxy Tab video