HP Slate

 Like many iPad competitors, HP has hyped Flash as the killer app of its sort-of-codenamed slate (HP still calls it the "HP slate device," strangely avoiding the word "tablet").The Slate also runs on a multitouch-friendly version of Windows 7, which could provide more flexibility than Apple's rigid iPad OS. It'll be available "later this year."
 
What we don't know about it: Hardware specs, pricing, availability, content partnerships, or even the name.



Notion Ink Adam

 
A look at the Adam's specs reveal that this is truly the anti-iPad. It has a 10-inch, tra
nsflective LCD PixelQi screen, which can switch between color and black and white modes for e-reading. Its operating systems (Android, Ubuntu, Chromium) and Web browsers (Firefox, Chrome) are open source, it runs Flash and has a camera.This is the iPad alternative I'm most excited about, but also most skeptical of because it comes from a rather obscure company. The Adam is supposed to arrive in June or July.

What we don't know about it: Price, firm release date, app support.

Fusion Garage's JooJoo


 
As a simple Web tablet, the former CrunchPad may be the most feature-barren of all
the iPad competitors, but it's also the closest to actually
shipping.

The 2.5-pound device has a 12-inch screen, supports 1080p video streaming and supports Flash, but without an Internet connection, it's worthless.

It doesn't help, then, that the JooJoo doesn't have a SIM card slot for 3G. The JooJoo costs $500 and ships on March 25, barring any other delays.

What we don't know about it: Nothing, really.

Archos' Home Tablet(s)
 
If all these $500-and-up tablets are too much for you, Archos may have an answer
with its $179 Archos 7 Home Tablet. Sure it's only got a 600 MHz processor, but
Archos says it can handle videos just fine, and you've got a full Android operating system to work with.

It should arrive in April, but the company also plans to launch tablets powered by 1 GHz processors this summer, in sizes from 3 inches to 10 inches. And I should probably mention the already-released Archos 9, which is basically Windows 7 Starter on a touch screen.

What we don't know about them: Firm release dates for all the Android tablets, prices for the high-end tablets.
 
Dell Streak




It needs no introduction, as this slate's been gaining a lot of attention amongst gadget lovers around the world. Thanks to the UK launch last Friday, we were one of the first on this planet to procure Dell's finalized Android 1.6 phone from O2. Yep, you heard right -- Engadget's now in possession of two Streaks, with the older one still in its original and somewhat unstable prototype state. Our new toy sports a matte "carbon" finish instead of chrome (no word on future availability; the red version's coming in two weeks' time), and now 399MB of RAM instead of 405MB (according to Android System Info app; it's actually a 512MB chip). Anyhow, now that we have the real deal, there's plenty to go through, so join us after the break to see if the Streak's really going to start a new trend.

What we don't know about them: Nothing.