Have you or a loved one been bitten by the latest tablet bug, and it has you itching for one this holiday season?  It seems everywhere you look there are displays of these pint-sized media devices beckoning you to make a purchase. Or maybe someone in your family wants to find under the tree. I'll help you swat away the bad ideas and make the perfect purchase. Not all tablets are the same and believe it or not, some of the less expensive tablets are considered the best in the industry. So when choosing one of these devices you don’t have to spend too much to get great satisfaction with your purchase.

The 7-inch tablet market is basically the evolution of the eBook form factor. In fact, two of the top selling tablets on the market are built by Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Both of these companies are to credit for the many innovations in this field as well as lowering the price point for consumers.

The top 4 players in the 7 inch tablet market are the NOOK HD, Kindle Fire HD, Google Nexus 7, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0.

There are a few others, but these are the top sellers. The unique thing is that all of these tablets are based on Google’s Android operating system. The Nook and the Kindle both have custom versions of Android so they each have their own look.

If you are looking for a tablet that has access to the Google Play store and their multitude of apps then you will either want the Nexus 7 or the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0.

The Nook and Kindle both have their own application stores each with far fewer apps than the Google Play store although Amazon has more video content than Google or Barnes & Noble-you will also have to pay $15 dollars more to get the Nook without ads.  All these tablets have access to Netflix and other streaming content. Note that the Nexus 7 and the Galaxy Tab are able to use Amazons app store, music, and Kindle books as well as Barnes & Noble’s bookstore. (This is accomplished via separate apps that are free) But the Google Play store is not accessible through the Kindle Fire HD or the Nook HD. The Samsung tablet can often be found for $149 and there is even a student bundle that comes in white with a keyboard and some other attachments for the $199 price point.

Of all the tablets, only the Samsung and the Nook are available in 2 different colors that being white or gray. No matter which 7-inch tablet you choose, if your choice is between these 4 you will be pleased with your purchase.

Compares the major differences below. Major points are featured.