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Competitors: How do you solve a problem like the iPad?

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The Apple iPad (AP file photo)

For mobile phone companies and tech titans, Apple and its line of on-the-go goodies, particularly the iPad, presents a force of confusion and intense competition. After all, Steve Jobs took an item of apparent frivolous gadgetry and made it a necessity.

But how do you beat it? Maybe the answer is, you don't. Apple's competitions aimed for the top and mostly failed — I'm looking at you, Blackberry Playbook and every tablet Samsung has ever made. Perhaps second best is the answer in this battle.

Amazon's Kindle, already reigning as king of the e-readers, entered the tablet game in 2011 with the Kindle Fire. While no iPad-killer, as was whispered upon debut, the Kindle Fire's price point (a then cost of $199) and media-driven offerings made it the perfect runner-up, a consolation prize to the pricey iPad during a time of recession and consumer wariness.

Amazon has announced its new line of Kindles, making them larger, improving the specs and addressing sluggishness complaints for the original. The new Kindle Fire HD starts at $199. With changes that clean up issues with the first Kindle but also apparently take aim at the iPad while maintaining a low cost, Amazon is positioning itself to stay on top of the tablet game. But can it stay there?

Earlier this year, Google has debuted the Nexus 7, a $199 tablet that fairly matches the original Kindle Fire in price, size but with a better Android engine (OS 4.1 Jelly Bean). It would seem the Fire, and not the iPad, is the tablet to beat in the nearly saturated mid-mobile market. Barnes & Noble is looking to run Windows 8 in its next Nook tablets. Other companies are quickly following suit. Even Apple is rumored to be debuting an iPad Mini this fall.

Come 2013, who will be winning the fight for second place?


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