If your dad is a generous and providing kind of family guy, then he’s probably already provided the rest of the family with smart tablets of one form or another. It’s his turn to see what the fun is about. Whether you give him an Android or Apple, a tablet opens the door to many other opportunities—not the least of which includes AV and automation control apps.

The iPad (don’t call it the iPad 3) is the market leader and has the biggest app store, but the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 is a little smaller, making it easier to use as a remote in your hand, and it sports an IR interface to control your TV and AV equipment with the Peel app.

Go with the Kindle Fire if your dad is mostly just a book junkie—but it also plays music and movie apps and a few home control apps, including HAI Snap-Link.