When Apple launched the iPad in April 2010, it changed the way most other manufacturers approached the idea of a tablet.

As Apple continues threatening Samsung with the mother of all lawsuits for allegedly copying the iPad with the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the fact remains: Most tablets look almost exactly like the iPad, especially from the front. But even though they look the same, the pretenders are dropping like flies, the latest casualty being HP's attempt, the slow-selling TouchPad that was deep-sixed on Thursday.

No matter how much they try to imitate the iPad, other tablets have turned out to be flops so far. Bringing that point home is this telling graphic by a Macrumors commenter calling himself SockRolid, who rustled up pictures of a handful of clunky looking tablets before iPad and then more images of the cavalcade of copycats after.

Doesn't something look fishy here?











[via All Things D, graphic courtesy Macrumors/SockRolid, used with permission]