The CRN Test Center recently looked at eight of the industry’s most prominent tablet PCs that are available to the channel, and found a wide variation in functions, features, third-party technical support and even look and feel. Things like ultra-slim construction and even weight distribution don’t show up on spec sheets, but you sure do notice them when you hold them. Here’s a look at some key features that these tablet PCs have and don’t have. Note: We liked all of these tablet PCs for different reasons and can recommend them all for different segments of the solution provider channel.

What it has: Broad and vetted app support; front and rear cameras; Exchange support; light, evenly distributed form factor; WiFi, 3G support and Bluetooth; SDK available for $99 annual developer subscription; 10 to 12 hours of battery life.

What it lacks: USB or USB 2.0 support; SD card support; support for Adobe Flash.

What it has: Support for the Android Market for apps; front and rear cameras; evenly distributed weight; support for Adobe Flash; Exchange support; 15-18 hours of battery life in real world use; Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. (for more on this device, check out CRN's video review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1)

What it lacks: USB or USB 2.0 support; SD card support.

What it has: USB 2.0 support; SD card support; HDMI support; rubberized grip on the rear panel; front and rear cameras; Toshiba-quality checked Android app market; Nvidia Tegra 2 processor (for more, watch the CRN video review of the Toshiba Thrive).

What it lacks: Ultra-slim form factor.

What it has: Microsoft Windows 7; USB 2.0 support, SD card support; anti-glare screen; stylus; front and rear cameras; fingerprint reader; ultra-slim form factor.

What it lacks: Mobile-specific operating platform; “pinch” capabilities in its touch-screen.

What it has: Front and rear cameras; 7-inch display; native screen capture capability; BlackBerry App World app store; rubberized rear case; 12-14 hours of battery life in real-world use (for more, watch CRN's video review of the BlackBerry PlayBook).

What it lacks: USB or USB 2.0 support; SD card support; native email support; Exchange support.

What it has: Dual OS support for both Android 2.2 and Windows 7; front camera; USB 2.0 support; Mini VGA support; Micro SD support (for more, watch CRN's video reviews of Viewsonic's ViewPad 7 and ViewPad 10).

What it lacks: Rear camera; ultra-slim form factor.

What it has: Nvidia Tegra 2 processor; front and rear cameras; 2G, 3G and WiFi support; USB support; HDMI support.

What it lacks: even weight distribution; smooth software update process.

What it has: VPN support; native printing support; native multi-tasking; front camera (for Skype); WebOS App Catalog; WebOS SDK.

What it lacks: Rear camera; smudge-proof case; even weight distribution; ultra-slim form factor; USB support; SD card support.

And now it also lacks the backing of its vendor: Only six weeks after its release, HP has decided to pull the plug on the TouchPad.