Two Android tablets take on Apple: One is up to the task

Comparing Apple's iPad two with Motorola's XyBoard and Amazon's Kindle Fire is fraught with peril. But here goes anyway. Let me preface my review by saying that a few overzealous readers (I am being charitable with that description) invariably call the writer (me) an fool for not being as savvy and/or perceptive as they claim to be. That is par for the coursework. But let's receive a few things straight here. First, this is not an official review. Like the kind you would find at CNET Reviews. Second, I don't favor manufacturer over the other. So, let me state the obvious (though, I recognize, this will seldom satisfy conspiracy theorists). If Product X makes what I need to do simpler, then I will favor it over Product Y. &, third, as a corollary to the above, I have personalized needs, like someone. A graphic designer will place a very different set of demands on a tablet than I would. So, my use case doesn't necessarily apply to everyone. That said, I have used the iPad two, the Motorola XyBoard (aka Xoom two), & the Amazon Kindle Fire long to understand their strengths & weaknesses for my particular needs. I have had the iPad two for ten months (& in the event you count the original iPad, that is about 22 months of iPad use). The XyBoard for about two months. The Amazon Kindle Fire for a tiny over two months. & availability addresses an important point. Apple has been making 10-inch-class consumer tablets longer than someone. That gives Apple an advantage. Based by myself personal preference, I had to wait until Motorola came out with the second-generation Xoom to justify the acquisition of a 10-inch-class Android tablet. (Motorola didn't ship its original Xoom until about a year after Apple announced the original iPad.