So you are in the market for cheap Android tablets, and you need to know what the best deals are. That’s what I was looking for, too, and I was able to find several great deals!

Of course, the first thing everyone wants to do is compare the Android devices with the iPad, and for good reason. People like yourself are typically looking for something with the same functionality as an iPad, but maybe you either want something a bit smaller  (as was the case for me), or you don’t want to be locked into some silly contract with AT&T.

Here are a few things to consider before you buy –

The Size

For my money, after looking at all al the cheap Android tablets on the market, I went with the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Why? The size. It is about 7 inches by 4 inches, making it much smaller than the iPad and some of the other up and coming tablets. I can easily carry this around, and can even fit it in some of my larger pockets!

However, you may think that bigger is better, and you want the biggest screen available! If that is the case, you might want to check out the Vizio Via Tablet, coming soon. It will have an 8 inch screen, and being from Vizio (I have one of their HDTV’s), I am sure the picture clarity will be amazing.

The OS

You may also want to consider the current operating system on the tablet. For example, my Galaxy Tab is currently running Android 2.2, and is on the Galaxy-S framework from Samsung. Most folks who have this on their phones are happy, so I was not hesitant to have it on my tablet, and I have not been disappointed. However, at the same time, Android 2.3 is coming soon, and if it has new features, I might be missing out (although any updates should come to your device eventually)

The Data Plan

Finally, let’s consider the data plan. Pretty much any device you get is going to have a data plan associated with it, unless you plan to just use it on WiFi. Many of the carriers, such as Sprint, will offer you a discount on the device for signing up with a data plan, however, you will definitely pay for that in the long run through that plan. It was worth it for me, so I am paying the $29.99/month for data. If you want to look at different plans, you should start at Wirefly. They can help you compare plans side by side, and they usually have some fairly large discounts.

There are plenty of other considerations, but this is a start! As I mentioned, the Samsung Galaxy Tab fit the bill for me, and at $399, I felt like it was a steal. However, there will be probably be many more cheap Android tablets coming out in 2011, and we will do our best to keep you updated on them!