How the New Nexus Tablet Got Me Interested in the iPad Mini

September brought bad news for me: the Galaxy 10.1 tablet I'd come to rely on for consuming TV, books, and comics died. Fortunately, the doldrums didn't last long. Sadness turned to anticipation when I realized that I'd probably be replacing the Galaxy with a new iPad.

Then, Apple (NAS: AAPL) introduced the iPad Mini and I got more excited; I'm a bargain shopper when it comes to tech and the palm-sized Mini looks to be every bit the awesome replacement I'd been hoping for. Millions seem to agree: Apple sold 3 million tablets combined during opening weekend sales of the Mini and fourth-generation iPad. Initial reports suggest the Mini was the biggest benefactor.

But as Monday rolled around I began to have doubts. Why? I navigated to Google's (NAS: GOOG) Play store for movies and TV and found something interesting. Shows I'd been subscribing to on iTunes are now available at Google Play. Notably, series 7 of Doctor Who and season 3 of The Walking Dead . Passes to the current standard definition runs of both shows are now available.

Gutting my argument?
My predisposition toward the iPad over the Nexus or even Amazon.com's (NAS: AMZN) highly capable Kindle Fire, which I find to be an amazing tablet for $199, is that Apple aggregates content like no other. Amazon Instant Video is available on every iPad via a new app.

But the lines are blurring, as the additions to the Play Store illustrate, which makes me more interested in the new Nexus 10 tablet than I might have been otherwise. The 10-inch Wi-Fi tablet costs $399 if you opt for 16 GB of storage -- with access to Google Drive, I don't see why you'd pay more -- and includes a sharp HD screen. I'm also a heavy user of Google's services, which the 10 promises to handle deftly. There's a lot to like, especially the price.

Which brings me back to the Mini. Much as I respect Google's and Samsung's efforts with the 10, I'm jonesing for a Mini because of the value it offers. Bigger than the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 and offering substantially more content -- and with iTunes, in a package that ensures I get access via my Mac or Apple TV -- the mini cuts costs without making too many compromises, which is why I just added it to my holiday wish list.

Will I have plenty of company? So far, Apple has remained coy about Mini sales. Yet its component commitments suggest a record-breaking quarter is in the works, which leaves investors with a lot of information to digest. To help, we've added two bonus reports to our premium Apple research service. Each one addresses a different area of the Mac maker's business, and they're included -- right now -- at no additional charge. Learn more by clicking here.

The article How the New Nexus Tablet Got Me Interested in the iPad Mini originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Tim Beyers is a member of theMotley Fool Rule Breakers stock-picking team and the Motley Fool Supernova Odyssey I mission. He owned shares of Apple and Google at the time of publication. Check out Tim's web home, portfolio holdings and Foolish writings, or connect with him on Google+ or Twitter, where he goes by @milehighfool. You can also get his insights delivered directly to your RSS reader.The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Google, and Amazon.com. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Amazon.com, Google, and Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a bull call spread position in Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.

Copyright © 1995 - 2012 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.