IPAD VS KINDLE?

Let's get it out of the way up front: The new iPad and theKindle Fire are two completely different beasts. It's almost pointless to do a general side-by-side spec comparison without considering the varying needs of different tablet users. For some, the budget-friendly, reading-centric Kindle Fire will be more than enough. For others, though, the genre-defining iPad will be the obvious choice. So let's take a look at the various factors to consider when you're looking for your next tablet:

SpecsHardware isn't everything. That said, the new iPad absolutely creams the Kindle Fire in a strict spec comparison. Not everyone needs Apple's dual-core A5X processor with quad-core graphics. After all, the dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP4 processor in the Kindle Fire is no slouch. A tablet's screen is one of its most important features, and the iPad's ultra-sharp 9.7-inch 2,048-by-1536-pixel Retina Display can't be beat. But what if you want to slip your tablet into your jacket pocket? The Kindle's 7-inch (1,024-by-600-pixel) display makes it a lot easier to tote, but it also limits your screen real estate.

Both tablets offer unlimited cloud storage for their respective eco-system content, so internal storage may not be a huge factor, but it's worth considering if you want to load your own content. The Kindle Fire offers 8GB, while the iPad comes in 16, 32, and 64GB capacities. Neither, however, supports microSD or any other storage expansion options.

As far as connectivity, the new iPad offers 4G LTE compatibility, which gives it an edge over the Kindle Fire, but don't forget that there are plenty of solid and affordable mobile hotspot options that will bring the same capability to Amazon's Wi-Fi-only tablet. Both tablets are 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi compatible, but only the iPad supports AirPlay and Bluetooth—this is especially important if you want to stream music or videos wirelessly to your compatible speakers or HDTV.

If, for whatever reason, you want your new tablet to replace your digital camera, then the iPad's new 5-megapixel camera will be a big factor. The Kindle Fire lacks a camera for stills or video, but the general usefulness of tablet cameras is still up for debate. Battery life will likely be longer on the iPad too, but that's because it's a bigger tablet that can house a bigger battery.

Advantage: Apple. The new iPad packs a vastly superior screen, 4G LTE compatibility, more internal storage, and more wireless connectivity options. Amazon did not skimp on components in the Kindle Fire, but it still cannot compete with the new iPad on a strictly hardware level.

Software and AppsThis is not your standard iOS vs. Android showdown. The iPad runs Apple's iOS mobile operating system and has access to the Apple App Store. The Kindle Fire uses a heavily modified version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which makes for a smooth, simple, and intuitive interface that is drastically different than the stock Google software. With those changes, though, the Kindle Fire also loses the Android Market (now rebranded as Google Play). You can, however, install your own APK's onto your Kindle Fire with the right tools, opening up the possibility to get nearly any app available in Google Play. The Amazon Appstore is perfectly capable too, with thousands of choices, but it can't compare with the more than 170,000 native iPad apps in the Apple App Store.  

It's hard to argue with the simplicity and elegance of Apple's iOS. Android has made significant strides, but still lacks some polish—especially in older flavors like Gingerbread and Honeycomb. Amazon's reimagined Android is undeniably smooth and easy to use, but it also loses some of that customizability that makes Android so attractive in the first place.

Advantage: Apple. Android is fine, and Amazon really did a lot to make it painfully clear what to do with the tablet. However, iOS is still the more polished, intuitive, and feature-packed of the two