The latest poll results from Broadbandgenie.co.uk -- an independent broadband, mobile broadband and smartphone comparison website -- have revealed that just 8% of respondents intend to "definitely" buy a budget tablet in 2012. I would image most folks are saving their money for the iPad 3, which I suspect will go on sale in March.

The poll asked, 'Will you buy a tablet or iPad in 2012?' Of more than 1,000 respondents, more than half either weren't interested at all or already owned a tablet. Some 16.5% answered "maybe," while 17.5% intended to buy a top end tablet. Again, think iPad 3.

The result will be seen as another blow for makers of low-end Android tablets and cheaper models from other brands -- particularly BlackBerry, which has just released an upgrade for its heavily discounted PlayBook tablet.

"While Apple is going great guns at the top-end with its iPads, very little is happening of interest at the budget price point as yet," Broadband Genie editor Chris Marling says. "While it's great to see the BlackBerry PlayBook finally getting an OS upgrade, it could be too little too late."

-- Dennis Sellers