Top tablets and e-book readers

Shopping for a tablet or e-book reader this holiday season? Good news. You now have more excellent options than ever before. Here are our top picks for tablets and e-readers right now.

If you're buying a tablet this holiday season, you'll want to stop here first. The iPad has more apps and faster performance of any other tablet. Its ecosystem of content runs the gamut through movies, TV shows, music, games, and books. Its 9.7-inch screen is beautiful, and its simplified OS makes it palpable to both the young and old.

If you envision your future self with a tablet, but can't see future you stuffing a 10-inch screen into a small bag or purse, the Nexus 7 may be just up your alley. It sports an elegant, comfortable design; has a refined and powerful Jelly Bean interface; and offers the full Android experience for only $199.

Amazon's e-reader with an integrated light might not be perfect, but if you read a lot at night or in bed, it's the Kindle you want.

With Android 4.2, a powerful processor, and one of the best and most durable designs ever for a tablet, it's easy to forget that the Nexus 10 has the highest resolution screen yet on a tablet. Well, maybe not easy.

The iPad Mini's light, thin design and extra screen real estate compared to other 7-inch tablets is both a blessing and a screen resolution curse. Still, it's the cheapest way to get the iPad experience.