Not surprisingly, the Apple iPad is still the most coveted tablet this holiday season. About 85 percent of respondents in a recent Piper Jaffray survey said they preferred the iPad over Samsung's new Galaxy Tab tablet.

"Although we expect both platforms to find success in the market in [2011], we believe iPad is taking an early lead over competing Android-based tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab," senior research analyst Gene Munster wrote in a Thursday note.

To be fair, the firm only talked to 65 people and the Galaxy Tab has only been out for several weeks; the iPad made its debut in April. The firm chose people at random on their way in and out of a large national retail chain store and asked them to spend time with the iPad and Galaxy Tab. They were then asked which they preferred.

Piper Jaffray also asked these people about their perceived values for the iPad and Galaxy Tab. Respondents said the iPad (3G + Wi-Fi) was worth about $417 while the Galaxy Tab was worth $283 – 34 percent and 53 percent below their actual prices, respectively.

Apparently the iPad seems fancier than the Galaxy Tab. "While the iPad is priced $30 higher than the Galaxy Tab, the perceived value of the iPad was $134 higher," Munster said.

Though shoppers currently prefer the iPad, Piper Jaffray expected both tablets to succeed.

"While we expect both the iPad and Android tablet platforms to find success in the market, we believe iPad is taking an early lead over competing tablets," the report said. "We are modeling for Apple to sell 13 million iPads in [2010], an estimated 89 percent market share with very limited competition; however, we estimate this share will drop to 53 percent" next year, with Android-based tablets attracting 33 percent of the market.

For more details, see PCMag's full review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab (Verizon) and the slideshow below.