Android tablets now account for 30% of the market?

If you were to tell us that Android tablets would eventually become the dominant choice for consumers one day, we wouldn't be surprised in the least bit. That said, it would be easier to believe if there were a better selection of decent Android tablets available to go against themarket leading iPad 2. Well, apparently quality doesn't mean all that much because according to the latest report from Strategy Analytics show Google's OS now taking up 30% of the market's tablet sales.

Not long ago, the Apple iPad had the market all to itself and stood alone with 93% of the market as Android tablets struggled to get a foot in the door with less than 3%. Fast forward to today and Android's strength in numbers is beginning to repeat its success the same way it took over the smartphone world. The OS still has a long way to go to genuinely compete with the likes of the iPad but the number of sales aspect is beginning to wane. Or so it seems.

Comparing the likes of the iPad 2 and Android tablets is simply unfair. There have only been two different iPad models, both as high-end as possible when released and the majority of Android tablets are stuck in 2009. With the exception of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Android tablets are nowhere near the beauty of the iPad 2. Given that you can grab an Android tablet for significantly less than the cheapest iPad, the number isn't as surprising as it sounds. That said, most of those cheaper Android tablets likely have questionable build quality, a lower version of the OS, and probably a no-name brand.

The one decently built, cheaper, Android Honeycomb tablet that seems to keep flying off shelves is the Asus Transformer. It's definitely a chunkier tablet but those who have grabbed the device seem to be very happy with it. Asus is now shipping over 400,000 Transformer tablets a month, which may just be a spec on Apple's radar, but is nonetheless impressive for a tablet that's only $100 cheaper than the iPad 2.

One also needs to consider that this is just one analytic firm's numbers and said numbers may be dramatically different from another firm's findings. That said, this is really just the beginning of Android tablets taking off, if you believe these numbers or not. With the rumored Nexus tablet that's still in the back of our minds, things could get very interesting in the coming months.

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ASUS Eee Pad MeMO 3D delayed until 2012 and facing axe

Bad news if you were holding out for ASUS' 7-inch Eee Pad MeMO 3D tablet, with word that the glasses-free 3D slate has been delayed until 2012 at the earliest and may not, in fact, launch at all. An ASUS Netherlands spokesperson told TabletsMagazine that the MeMO 3D had been further delayed beyond the most recent September/October launch estimate, and that its future now hung in the balance.

No reason for the new delay has been given, only the comment that "if the tablet is launched, it will not make its appearance until some time in 2012." Originally, ASUS planned to get the Eee Pad MeMO on shelves earlier in 2011, having announced it back in January 2011, but delays involved in granting it 3D capabilities meant that first timescale was missed.

ASUS isn't the only company to have struggled with a 7-inch Android tablet. Various companies - including Acer, with its Iconia Tab A100 - intended to release models early this year, but issues with how Android Honeycomb, Google's tablet-specific version of the platform, dealt with smaller displays forced them to reconsider. With the release of Android 3.2 in mid-July, several timescales restarted, but it seems ASUS isn't quite up to the same speed as everyone else.

ASUS USB Kit for Eee Pad Transformer TF101, TF101G, TF201 & TF300 Tablets

ASUS USB Kit for Eee Pad Transformer TF101, TF101G, TF201 & TF300 Tablets

• Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tablet Compatibility: This Asus USB kit is compatible with the Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101, TF101G, TF201, TF300 and TF700 Tablets. It is also come compatible with Android’s Honeycomb operating system
• Universal Connectivity: Connect to other peripherals or devices with this Asus USB kit which connects to the dock port of your Asus Eee Pad Transformer and turns it into a USB female port

The USB Kit for ASUS Eee Pad Transformer from ASUS connects directly into the dock port of your ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101, TF101G, TF201 or TF300 Tablet and converts it into a USB port. This opens up the accessibility to other devices with your ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101, TF101G, TF201 or TF300 Tablet.