iPad or Android Tablet?

[jackdsparker94]

hey guys.

my 18th birthday is coming soon and my parents asked me what i wanted?

clothes? no.. trainers? no...

ANDROID TABLET YES !

although i already have an android phone so maybe an iPad?

there are some good android tablets out there but the thing is iPads seem to hold there value and its different

so what do you guys think?

thanks, jack

 

[Mostly Harmless]

hey guys.

my 18th birthday is coming soon and my parents asked me what i wanted?

clothes? no.. trainers? no...

ANDROID TABLET YES !

although i already have an android phone so maybe an iPad?

there are some good android tablets out there but the thing is iPads seem to hold there value and its different

so what do you guys think?

thanks, jack

iPad may hold it's value but it certainly isn't different, every iPad is exactly the same, with Android comes choice. I would get a Galaxy 10.1 or the new transformer that is coming out looks really nice also. The nice thing about an Android tablet is that you get to use the same apps and don't have to pay for them again.

My vote is an Android tablet.

 

[floosy]

I know Im going to get hated for this but.....

I have just purchased an Ipad.

I too wanted a new tablet, and I had pretty concrete criteria for what I needed: Table top web browsing, video, music, some games, some photo editing and audio editing. That kind of stufff. I already own a SG2 of which I am very happy with, and I have always maintained I would never buy Apple.
However... I spent the best part of 2 hours standing in the store with an Asus Transformer, a Xoom a Sony Tab and an iPad 2. And after much soul searching and such like I had to admit to myself that for my given criteria the iPad was just fast, smooth and sadly an all round better experience. I was deeply disappointed as I had fully gone out with the intention of buying a shiny new Droid tab to complement my lovely samsung galaxy 2 phone. But I knew that if I had of walked outof there with one and not the iPad I would always have wished I hadnt. Yes the Droids are more configurable (although ios 5 does change that game a little) and yes the Droids aren't the evil Apple and yes the Apple is a walled garden etc etc... but i was just better alround for what I wanted. Im part sad, partly feeling like a complete traitor to the cause, but also (I have to say) thouroughly enjoying my new Ipad. Maybe in a few weeks when I cant change the desktop or change the lockscreen or whatever I may have a tinge of regret. But right now I think I am happy with it.

Caveat: I would NOT change my SG2 for an iPhone at all.

 

[John Redcorn]

I know Im going to get hated for this but.....

I have just purchased an Ipad.

Well like the OP said, they hold their value good. You'll be able to sell it and trade up to something ICS. hopefully pretty soon.

 

[novox77]

I am not loyal to any OS or brand. At the moment, I am in the market for a tablet as well, and I'm leaning toward iPad 2 for the following reasons:

My son who is 15 months old is demonstrating the ability to interact with touchscreens in a meaningful way (responding to stimuli from the screen correctly, not randomly), and the App Store has a TON of infant/toddler apps that are near non-existent on the Android market.

My mom lives far away and wants to be able to video chat to see her grandson. She currently uses a webcam, but some day when the right Android tablet catches my eye, I will give her the iPad 2, which she'll love to have. She already has the original iPad and loves it, so this would be a nice upgrade for her.

So despite my hatred of iTunes and iOS in general, at the moment, the iPad serves my purposes best.

You have to evaluate your present needs and decide whether to go with iPad or an Android. If you have no real preference, then I'd go with the Android, simply because of the ease of transferring your own files onto it, and the expandable SD card. Not to mention that the Android tablets offer more functionality right out of the box.

 

[floosy]

Well like the OP said, they hold their value good. You'll be able to sell it and trade up to something ICS. hopefully pretty soon.

LOL. Well I may give it to the wife instead. I shall be hopefully giving ICS a whizz on my SG2 soon.

Its funny but I was trying to explain to a somewhat sceptical (and android loving) colleague why after years of me Apple hating I had actually bought an iPad over the dorods, and I couldnt actually explain it. In the end I just had to say "you had to be there and try them for yourself to understand". I guess it really is a "user experience" thing and you have to have the experience yourself. Or maybe I was givenApple enhancing hallucinegens in the coffee by the shop assistant and just thought I'd experienced it

In the end really the only way to know is to do what I did and line em all up and try them and see which works best for you.

 

[rui-no-onna]

My only experience with Android on a tablet is CM7 (Gingerbread) on a Nook Color. Yeah, not a very good one. I'm not sure how much of an improvement Honeycomb is over Gingerbread. All I know is the iPad is a fairly mature product at this point while I reckon Honeycomb on tablets is still akin to the early days of Android smartphones.

Only thing that sucks if you don't buy an Apple product at launch is right now, it's probably just 3~4 months until a new version is released. By that time, you can get the iPad 3 for the same price as the iPad 2 now or buy the iPad 2 for a discounted price of $349~399. I'm waiting for price cuts before I get an iPad 2 for my grandmother. I was thinking of getting her an Android tablet but I think iOS's simplicity is a plus for her.

One thing to love about the iPad, Apple's not lying about the 10-hour battery life.

In the end really the only way to know is to do what I did and line em all up and try them and see which works best for you.

Couldn't agree more. Granted, it might be prudent to wait for ICS. How about asking for an Amazon (or Amex/Visa/MC) gift card for now so you can buy the tablet of your choice when it comes out?

 

[jackdsparker94]

thanks guys, i saw the galaxy tablet and my god it was beautiful

and like youve said changing the lockscreen and desktop background and such is a good thing!

i will have to go into a shop on the day and pick up say a tablet with ICS and probably an iPad3 and see whats what

thanks, Jack

 

[theultimateone]

Get the xoom2 in my opinion its pretty fast easier to hold it also has pretty good exclusive apps like motocast and will get an ics update soon so is the original xoom or you can get the media edition this is only my opinion

 

[DavisThurber]

I am also contemplating getting a tablet. Groupon has this one on special until the end of the day. $185 for a Premium 8 Google Android 2.3 Touch-Screen Tablet PC ($594.19 Value)

I'm a little worried about the camera on it, as I have a HTC Desire HD, and the iPhone 4 camera is much smoother.

I'm also wondering about the 4GB storage. Does anyone know if that's upgradable by a mini SD like my Desire HD?

The last thing is about the size of the screen. I saw that there is a 10.2'' but I can't seem to find a straight answer about the operating system on that one. The advertising seems to say that the 8'' Premium 8 Google Android is the best thing around.

General Opinions? Thoughts?

I'm thinking about waiting for HTC's ICS. Anyone know what the price range for that is going to be?

 

[Bnice]

I'm not to big on tablets but the Asus Transformer Prime caught my attention.
Asus Transformer Prime: Power plus style -- this could be good - Computerworld Blogs

 

[DexTyler]

I've thought about getting a tablet but personally feel that we're just not there yet tech wise and OS wise. And since they are quite expensive, quickly replaced by a newer model and are basically just giant phones, I just don't think it's time.

If there was a tablet with pretty much a laptop version of Windows, I'd consider it. But for me anyway, I'm going to wait for something better. It really depends on what you want to use the tablet for.

 

[rui-no-onna]

I've thought about getting a tablet but personally feel that we're just not there yet tech wise and OS wise. And since they are quite expensive, quickly replaced by a newer model and are basically just giant phones, I just don't think it's time.

This is unfortunately true although I suppose that's going to change sooner rather than later. Only reason I bought an iPad 2 is so I can acquire legitimate digital versions of manga (app was only available for the iPad at the time). If not for that, I would have waited for the technology to mature.

If there was a tablet with pretty much a laptop version of Windows, I'd consider it. But for me anyway, I'm going to wait for something better. It really depends on what you want to use the tablet for.

I think the Samsung Series 7 tablets are quite promising (albeit pricey). I'm just waiting for Ivy Bridge (for lower power consumption, ergo less heat and longer battery) before I dump my laptop and go with a tablet+keyboard dock configuration.

 

[5280Man]

Samsung Series 7 tablets?!? Never heard of them. Do you mean Series 7 laptops? I am familiar with a Series 7 laptop but not a Series 7 tablet. Samsung's tablets line are the Galaxy Tab's.

 

[psychotron]

I am both a huge Android/Google fan and a huge Apple fan. I didn't like any of the Android tablets at all. Had an iPad but sold it when the Tab came out, huge mistake. Took it back for another iPad. Then I had high hopes for the Xoom and its ok, just not as nice as the iPad was. Took it back, sold my iPad and got the iPad 2...get all that? I have zero interest in upcoming Android tablets. I'll keep my S2 for my Android experience and my iPad 2 for tablet.

 

[THE ANDROID]

iPad 2.
I spent over a week going to stores deciding on Sony Tab S or iPad 2 but the iPad 2 was just smoother and faster in every way. I ruled out Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 as it felt plasticky.
iPad 2 like all Apple products hold their value.
iPad 2 just has more useful apps and with Flash dropped for future Android OS's, ICS will not get it.
The build quality and smoothness can not be matched by any Android tablet. Also the iPad 2 has a louder speaker than the Sony and Samsung.

 

[rui-no-onna]

Samsung Series 7 tablets?!? Never heard of them. Do you mean Series 7 laptops? I am familiar with a Series 7 laptop but not a Series 7 tablet. Samsung's tablets line are the Galaxy Tab's.

Nope, I meant Series 7 tablet.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-XE700T1A-A03US-11-6-Inch-Slate-128/dp/B005OUQ9WO

With Wacom digitizer running Windows 7 on a dual-core, low voltage Sandy Bridge Core i5 CPU. Granted, the price is enough to buy 2~3 high-end Android tablets.

 

[Brucew0617]

Xoom 2 or Samsung Galaxy tab, I prefer to both of them.

 

[DexTyler]

Nope, I meant Series 7 tablet.
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-XE700T1A-A03US-11-6-Inch-Slate-128/dp/B005OUQ9WO

With Wacom digitizer running Windows 7 on a dual-core, low voltage Sandy Bridge Core i5 CPU. Granted, the price is enough to buy 2~3 high-end Android tablets.

It doesn't look like a desktop/laptop version of W7. I'd really like to see a totally untouched version on it (the way Google is doing ICS).

I'm considering iPad 3 (since iPad 2 is on it's way out) and as much as I love Android, I just feel that the tablets aren't very good. But then I'm not so sure on Apple either, especially considering all those tales of their legal forms and agreements.

Looks like I'll be waiting a few years for a proper tablet. The Asus Transformer looks promising though, but still not quite there.

 

[chanchan05]

Personally, I'd go Android tablet with an Android phone for the mere fact I dont have to buy apps twice (one for Android and another for iOS).

 

[rui-no-onna]

It doesn't look like a desktop/laptop version of W7. I'd really like to see a totally untouched version on it (the way Google is doing ICS).

It's running a full install of Windows 7 Home Premium (or Professional, depending on the version you get). The UI is just running on top of the native OS for easier navigation when using your fingers.

Looks like I'll be waiting a few years for a proper tablet. The Asus Transformer looks promising though, but still not quite there.

Waiting to see how ICS tablets fare. Looking at the current crop of tablets, the hardware's already there (although longer battery life is always appreciated). The software just needs to follow.

 

[substring]

... I spent the best part of 2 hours standing in the store with an Asus Transformer, a Xoom a Sony Tab and an iPad 2. ...

You comparison is not complete when you omit the Samsung 4G Galaxy Tab 10.1, which is the best Android tablet on the market right now.

 

[jerofld]

/shrug

A number of people here have an Android phone with an iPad 2. I can't blame them, honestly. I went with the Acer A500 because I had a specific need for a full USB port. Which eliminated all but the Transformer and the A500. The A500 was on sale for $350 and I would have had to get the keyboard dock for the Transformer to have the port.

Also, for as much 'diverity' that Android tablets have, a large number of the good ones are nearly identical when it comes to hardware. They all use the stock Honeycomb launchers and they all have Tegra2 CPUs. The only thing that seems to vary is the internal drive size. Form factor and ports are the only real variable.

Unless you consider the non-Honeycomb tablets as contenders...but they are not. If it doesn't have Honeycomb (Android 3.0+), it's just not the same.

 

[floosy]

You comparison is not complete when you omit the Samsung 4G Galaxy Tab 10.1, which is the best Android tablet on the market right now.

Thats very true. However as the other factor in my decision was this: Do I really want a 10.1 inch version of my 4.7 inch SG2? I actually asked myself this and felt that dropping

 

[Stuntman]

I know Im going to get hated for this but.....

I have just purchased an Ipad.

I too wanted a new tablet, and I had pretty concrete criteria for what I needed: Table top web browsing, video, music, some games, some photo editing and audio editing. That kind of stufff. I already own a SG2 of which I am very happy with, and I have always maintained I would never buy Apple.
However... I spent the best part of 2 hours standing in the store with an Asus Transformer, a Xoom a Sony Tab and an iPad 2. And after much soul searching and such like I had to admit to myself that for my given criteria the iPad was just fast, smooth and sadly an all round better experience. I was deeply disappointed as I had fully gone out with the intention of buying a shiny new Droid tab to complement my lovely samsung galaxy 2 phone. But I knew that if I had of walked outof there with one and not the iPad I would always have wished I hadnt. Yes the Droids are more configurable (although ios 5 does change that game a little) and yes the Droids aren't the evil Apple and yes the Apple is a walled garden etc etc... but i was just better alround for what I wanted. Im part sad, partly feeling like a complete traitor to the cause, but also (I have to say) thouroughly enjoying my new Ipad. Maybe in a few weeks when I cant change the desktop or change the lockscreen or whatever I may have a tinge of regret. But right now I think I am happy with it.

Caveat: I would NOT change my SG2 for an iPhone at all.

I don't hate you. I was deciding between a number of tablets myself. I was about to decide on the iPad 2 when I found out about the Eee Pad Transformer. The deciding factor for me was the keyboard dock. It seemed better than any keyboard accessory for the iPad 2. If not for the well integrated keyboard dock of the Eee Pad Transformer, I would have chosen the iPad 2.

Personally, I'd go Android tablet with an Android phone for the mere fact I dont have to buy apps twice (one for Android and another for iOS).

This is a benefit of having an Android tablet. I found most of the apps on my phone were automatically installed on my Eee Pad.