In a survey conducted last month, more people who said they were planning to buy a tablet in the next three month named the iPad as their likely purchase than in October 2010, when ChangeWave Research last asked the same questions.

The February poll of nearly 3,100 U.S. consumers said that of those planning to buy a tablet within 90 days, 82% would pick Apple's iPad. That's a two-point increase over ChangeWave's last survey.

, which launched in February at a price of $600 when combined with a two-year service contract with Verizon, was the top alternate to the iPad, garnering 4% of the plan-to-purchase vote.

RIM's Playbook and Samsung's Galaxy Tab tied for third place at 3%.

In ChangeWave's 2010 survey, the Playbook was in second place with 8%, nearly triple the Galaxy Tab. RIM's number may have dropped because, unlike the Xoom and Galaxy Tab, the Playbook has yet to go on sale. Recent rumors have pegged the Playbook debut for April 10.