Consumers looking for a new tablet PC – which they can use alongside printer supplies to produce documents without connecting to a PC – may find there are an increasing number of options available.

Although Apple's iPad device remains the market leader, with recent research by Canalys showing it accounted for 67 per cent of global sales in the third quarter of 2011, there are several new alternatives that are arriving on the market in the coming months.

Among these is the next generation Xoom device from Motorola, which will offer features including a new design to make it easier to hold and an 8.2-inch screen Media Edition option focused on video playback.

Jeff Orr of ABI Research noted it is launching into what has become an extremely crowded marketplace, with devices from firms such as HTC, Asus, Acer, LG and Sony all going on sale in the second half of 2011.

He added it will be interesting to see how Motorola's models compete in this environment and if options such as the Media Edition lead to the emergence of new uses for tablets.