I'm back, here's what I learned

[mikedt]

Well if i am paying the same price either way it will be Apple.

Nick you use Linux these day, don't you? How do you get around the iPad's iTunes requirements? Jailbreak?

i would seriously hate to take the risk on a $599 Android tablet and find out i can still see pixels, and am still bugged by lag and a less than stellar touch response. anything cheaper is obviously full of all the above. even a $599 Android tablet lacks some things and i cannot change others. i cannot remove the ANR prompts when apps get slow.

You might be pleasantly surprised actually, at what a $600 Android tablet can offer over a $60 one. You get what you pay for of course. There's no real risk anyway, you try them out before you buy. And if you're buying on-line, you look at the specs and features. If it doesn't prove suitable or meet your expectations, just send it back for a refund.

i cannot get application notification badges (outside of text, call and email if using a payware launcher) and the keyboard is unable to keep up with my rate of typing.

See above. I think notifications is down to whatever the apps themselves do. Sometimes I find there's too many of the things. I had one app that came with my phone, that notified me to the exact minute when it was full moon or half moon. Which might be important if one is into Chinese Astrology.