You can find affordable tablets

I have wanted an iPad ever since it came out. The new gadget from Apple is a cross between an iPhone and a laptop. It's a kind of computer, a tablet. But what most people don't know is that there are many handheld tablets out there besides the iPad.

Many of them are cheaper, too. I asked for a tablet similar to the iPad for my birthday which was earlier this month. It uses Google's operating system, Android, which is mainly used for advanced mobile phones.

The gadget itself is about 8 inches long by 5 inches wide and no more than half an inch thick. It's white with a few buttons at the bottom.

It has a touch screen so all you have to do is tap it and something happens. Included software is an Internet browser that uses wireless networks and Wi-Fi, an e-mail client, various communication applications such as Skype and Windows Live, Microsoft Word, and a lot more. You can also download games from the Internet.

The brand that makes these tablets is a company which most people have never heard of, Eken. But I got the generic kind which is the exact thing except it doesn't have the Eken logo on it and it is cheaper. They're between $100 and $150 on the Internet. I think it is a great deal considering that it is very similar to the highly rated iPad and it is way more affordable. If you have a hundred dollars or so to spend on something, I would recommend going with this Eken/generic Google Android tablet computer from eBay.