The introduction of Apple's iPad kickstarted a flagging tablet computer industry, turning it into a multi-billion dollar sector. 

As a result, we've seen a swarm of new entrants into the market, with Google's Android platform leading the charge. 

But with dozens of tablets to choose from, the choices can be overwhelming - so we picked our top Android tablets.

 

Motorola XOOM

The first tablet to make use of Android 3.0 Honeycomb, the Motorola Xoom set a benchmark upon its release earlier this year.

With a 10.1-inch screen and 1GHz dual-core processor, the XOOM is definitely worth a look. And with the XOOM 2 range set for launch soon, the first-generation tablet should see a price drop.

 

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is quite possibly the thinnest Android tablet out there right now, being even slimmer and lighter than the iPad 2.

The tablet doesn't feature a memory expansion slot but makes up for it by having a beautiful screen and sleek design.

 

Acer Iconia A500

When it comes down to sheer number of features, the Iconia A500 is right up there, featuring two full-sized USB ports, micro-HDMI and micro-USB.

While it's not nearly as pretty as most other tablets, there aren't many tablets that let you plug a flash drive or PC keyboard into them.

 

Asus EeePad Transformer

One of the more unique entries, Asus has crafted a winner with the Transformer, featuring a 1Ghz dual-core processor and mini-HDMI for HDTV playback.

However, the optional keyboard dock adds a ton of versatility, such as USB ports, an SD card reader and a touchpad.

Asus has also revealed the Transformer Prime, a monster of a tablet with a next-generation Tegra 3 quad-core processor (compared to current dual-core Tegra 2 chips). 

 

Sony Tablet S

One of two tablets released by Sony this year, the Tablet S has a folded back akin to a magazine, making for a very comfortable grip.

However, the biggest feature is the PlayStation Suite compatibility, letting users play selected titles from the PlayStation library.

 

Toshiba Thrive

Our next tablet isn't the sleekest contender, weighing in at 725 grams and being rather thick, but it certainly brings plenty of features to the table.

The Thrive features an HDMI-port, USB ports capable of reading external drives and a removable battery, making it one of the most flexible devices around.

 

HTC Flyer

Taiwanese giant HTC has taken the 7-inch route with the Flyer tablet, making it more portable than its 10.1-inch rivals.

Despite running a smartphone version of Android (2.3) and a single-core processor, the Flyer is worth a look if you prefer a smaller form-factor, stylus input and HTC's unique Sense interface.

HTC's next tablet, the Puccini, will reportedly feature a 1.5GHz dual-core chip, Android Honeycomb and 10-inch display.