At this point practically everyone has heard of the iPad, and its “magical” effect on sales. But there’s another slick tablet that you may not have heard of that’s making waves, and it has a similar name. That tablet is called the WeTab, but you could almost give it another name – the anti-iPad.

What makes the WeTab an interesting tablet? Let’s take a look.

Standard Interfaces

Unlike the iPad, the WeTab has the interfaces built into the unit. You will find an SD card Slot without a cable required. You will also find two USB ports for your connection needs, allowing peripherals such as keyboards and data sticks. Bluetooth and optional GPS rounds out the device.

There’s also a webcam on the device, and the screen is a nice 11.6 inches that displays in 1366×768 pixels. Connectivity is done through WiFi, and there is a 3G version to keep you online on the go.

Android Compatible OS

The German made WeTab is powered by a 1.66 N450 Atom chip and runs a Linux version that is compatible with the Android OS. In fact, it even has access to the Android marketplace, and it works great with all things Flash.

The software runs the standard applications, and the Open Office suite comes installed on the device. You can use any application you see fit to play your music and videos.  Widgets are supported, and you can see the tablet in action in the video below:

A Name Change

Those of you familiar with the product may have known the WeTab as another product, the WePad. Neofonie recently changed the name, and the similarity to Apple’s iPad (and potential legal action) could have played a part in the decision. According to Neofonie:

To clearly differentiate our products within the international market for tablet computers, as of today we have changed the product name of our tablet computer from WePad to WeTab. Similarly, the company formerly known as WePad GmbH will now trade under WeTab GmbH. This change only concerns the name of the product and company. All other particulars and pre-orders are not affected.

Or maybe the name change to weTab was just an attempt to avoid a lot of jokes. Either way, the name WeTab works fine to distinguish the product in the market.

Pricing and Availability

As of this writing, the 16GB Wifi WeTab is set to sell for €449 ($573). The Deluxe 32GB version, which includes 3G, GPS, and 1080p HDMI output as well Wifi is set at €569 ($726).

The WeTab is set to ship in July this year. So, if you love the look of the iPad but not the closed approach, then you might want to consider an android based tablet such as the WeTab. While I expect there to be be several on the market in due time, it looks like the WeTab has all of the right components to make it a handy tablet for your needs.