Amid all the news of Black Friday deals, holiday sales, and Cyber Monday malware, it was the new kid on the block--the tablet--that grabbed the bulk of gadget headlines this week.

Of course, the first question for consumers is whether to give in to the hype or wait to buy a tablet. CNET's Donald Bell surveyed the current state of tablets, from the iPad to the Galaxy Tab, and ultimately finds that if you really want one, there aren't many compelling reasons to wait--no game changers on the horizon.

That said, you can expect low-priced tablets to flourish in the coming years, so steer clear of two-year carrier contracts if you want to stay nimble.

Acer, for example, unveiled this week its upcoming line of Windows and Android tablets.