Acer will start selling its first 5, 7, and 10-inch tablets from $299 to $699 on Nov. 23, although what exactly will be for sale is still under wraps. CEO Gianfranco Lanci says he expects the lower-priced Acer to quickly of the tablet market. Hubris aside, the tablet's $299 price will likely be much of its attraction.

Asus also announced it will be launching several tablets with an array of prices for its 7, 10, and 12-inch screens this December through March 2011, to Digitimes. Previously that Asus would be selling for $1000 a 12-inch Windows tablet with a docking station that turns into a laptop. The company also plans to offer an Eee Pad, screen size unknown, using the Android platform for $399 in March, $100 less than the lowest-end iPad.

While specs are still sketchy on the Acer tablet, the idea of multiple tablet computers for less than $400 bodes well for cash-strapped businesses. While Asus has been of its launch, a recent poll suggested that as many as are looking to purchase a tablet computer in the next year.

Christmas shopping will motivate some consumers to buy tablet computers, but most manufacturers are looking at the and realizing a cheaper yet effective tablet could be a much-needed and lucrative rival. Because of that, Asus rolling out its products at the end of the year isn't a bad idea if it plans to connect with businesses rather than consumers.

that 2011 would be the first real year of iPad rivals and that by 2012, its hold on the tablet market would be broken and tablet market share more evenly distributed. If that's the case, then the launch of several machines at the end of 2010 fits into that projection.