Ipad vs. high-end Android tablets

[ipad987]

I think at the moment the only real advantage the iPad has is it large inventory of apps, otherwise I think something like the HP tablet that is coming out soon looks better. No problems with flash and greater flexibility in multitasking. The ability to switch between emails and whatnot looks ideal on the new HP tablet.

What's your opinion?

 

[gentlefury]

And extremely slow and choppy

 

[MattIM]

iPad vs high-end Android tablets? So far, Samsung Tab is selling a lot of product but not enough to garner much news. Motorola Xoom is selling product but not enough to garner much news. iPad 2 just announced and so far it is garnering so much news it is emerging as the biggest iPad competitor! Ironic!

The HP tablet is not Android it is WebOS--the decendant of a successful personal digital assistant: Palm. I hope HP is taking careful notice from Samsung and Motorola and even the iPad 2-- size matters, price matters, incremental improvement matters. And it wouldn't hurt if Steve Jobs makes a statement that the HP WebOS tablet is Apple's most feared rival.

(side note, if I remember correctly, when Apple introduced the Newton, it was the Palm Pilot that caused Apple to withdraw it's product)

I had high hopes for Motorola's Xoom but the company just didn't get the memo!

 

[DavidM]

Can't comment of the tablets but had a Iphone4 for a week and still think its better than my droidx that I have had for 6 months. Only reason for dropping the Iphone was no reception at home most of the time.

 

[Hasty]

Rats. Started to reply and then gave up. There's more than enough postings here and elsewhere on the web to keep him studying specs until the next iPad is out.....

Don't buy anything on specs alone, at least try them out before you make up your mind.
And think what you want to do with it. As stated above, portability, battery life and utility are the key questions.

As to Steve making a statement, I thought he just made several while delivering a good kicking......

 

[danrivito]

I'm more of an Android fanboy than an Apple one and I've used both platforms.

I gotta say though... nothing works as seemless and smooth as an iPad.

As much as I hate the restrictions and lockdowns that Apple forces on us, the product is still the best. The quality is top notch and the performance tops all. There is no lag, no hesitation, no glitches, no force closes, etc.

As much as I want to fight the Apple Vortex... they simply can't be beat right now in the tablet game.

I've got a bad feeling this iPad experience is going to have me upgrading to an iPhone later this year instead of a new Android phone.

 

[gentlefury]

I dropped my droid the second the iPhone came out for verizon and have loved every second of it!! I actually use my phone for Internet now (typing this from my iPhone now) I gave up on web on the droid months ago. It was so slow and unbearable to type on. I hated that thing more than words can properly express! So happy with my iPhone and will now be a lifelonger! Long live iPhone and iPad. Bring on the MacPad!!

 

[thekarens]

I have both. As far as phones are concerned IMO Android wins. I can do a lot more on my Evo than iPhone, but when it comes to tablets iPad wins hands down.

I also agree with the person who said don't just go by specs alone. It takes more than specs to make a good experience.

 

[Seadog]

The problem with the competition is that you have more choices, but not the reputation. What makes the devices is the aftermarket experience. Manufacturers and app designers look at a few hundred thousand of model X, Y, and Z versus millions of the Apple design. They are not going to ignore X, Y, And Z, but are going to have more models for the Apple version and be more competitive. And since Apple has more control of the whole process, and higher volumes of a single device, it allows them to leverage better prices for equivalent components.

 

[TheX]

I thought I would never be able to say this about a apple product.... But you get a better bang for your buck with the new iPad coming out.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[tzimisce]

I think at the moment the only real advantage the iPad has is it large inventory of apps, otherwise I think something like the HP tablet that is coming out soon looks better.

The vast advantage which Apple has over all its competition is its brand strength. That means when people think of Apple, they associate the brand and logo with stuff which is cool, sleek, minimalist metallic modern-looking (no plasticy-components) and above all - fun and easy to use. (Remember the Mac-vs-Windows ads from not too long ago?)

On the other hand, fanboys who continually assert the technical superiority of their favourite Android/WebOS/etc device over iPad only reinforces the general perception, rightly or wrongly, that "Apple is for cool people; Android is for nerds", because many of the issues they complain about from Flash to RAM to operating systems about are completely non-issues for the average Apple consumer. (15 million of them have voted with their wallets, which I think has surpassed even Apple's expectations.)

 

[thekarens]

The vast advantage which Apple has over all its competition is its brand strength. That means when people think of Apple, they associate the brand and logo with stuff which is cool, sleek, minimalist metallic modern-looking (no plasticy-components) and above all - fun and easy to use. (Remember the Mac-vs-Windows ads from not too long ago?)

On the other hand, fanboys who continually assert the technical superiority of their favourite Android/WebOS/etc device over iPad only reinforces the general perception, rightly or wrongly, that "Apple is for cool people; Android is for nerds", because many of the issues they complain about from Flash to RAM to operating systems about are completely non-issues for the average Apple consumer. (15 million of them have voted with their wallets, which I think has surpassed even Apple's expectations.)

I think you have the same issues with Apple fanboys, but in reverse. I know at least 5 people (and I don't know that many people) who only buy Apple because of the name without knowing what it can or can't do. In fact, one had no clue what apps were and another had no concept of syncing their phone. Both had bought the phone strictly based on advertising. I would venture to bet that's not unusual in the Apple world.

I think the market would benefit from more people who were brand agnostic and went strictly with the best product for them.

 

[DaveSt]

The vast advantage which Apple has over all its competition is its brand strength. That means when people think of Apple, they associate the brand and logo with stuff which is cool, sleek, minimalist metallic modern-looking (no plasticy-components) and above all - fun and easy to use. (Remember the Mac-vs-Windows ads from not too long ago?)

On the other hand, fanboys who continually assert the technical superiority of their favourite Android/WebOS/etc device over iPad only reinforces the general perception, rightly or wrongly, that "Apple is for cool people; Android is for nerds", because many of the issues they complain about from Flash to RAM to operating systems about are completely non-issues for the average Apple consumer. (15 million of them have voted with their wallets, which I think has surpassed even Apple's expectations.)

I think you have the same issues with Apple fanboys, but in reverse. I know at least 5 people (and I don't know that many people) who only buy Apple because of the name without knowing what it can or can't do. In fact, one had no clue what apps were and another had no concept of syncing their phone. Both had bought the phone strictly based on advertising. I would venture to bet that's not unusual in the Apple world.

I think the market would benefit from more people who were brand agnostic and went strictly with the best product for them.

Bravo.

 

[zipur]

I think at the moment the only real advantage the iPad has is it large inventory of apps, otherwise I think something like the HP tablet that is coming out soon looks better.

The vast advantage which Apple has over all its competition is its brand strength. That means when people think of Apple, they associate the brand and logo with stuff which is cool, sleek, minimalist metallic modern-looking (no plasticy-components) and above all - fun and easy to use. (Remember the Mac-vs-Windows ads from not too long ago?)

On the other hand, fanboys who continually assert the technical superiority of their favourite Android/WebOS/etc device over iPad only reinforces the general perception, rightly or wrongly, that "Apple is for cool people; Android is for nerds", because many of the issues they complain about from Flash to RAM to operating systems about are completely non-issues for the average Apple consumer. (15 million of them have voted with their wallets, which I think has surpassed even Apple's expectations.)

Very well put. And this is coming from an Android Fan. You're right on point. The Android community want to pick and tinker with thier device. They want to break the rules, They want to run iOS and WinMobile on their tri-boot phones. Spec are a big deal power more power. Then there are us minor users who say hey what about battery life, crashes and SIZE; you can't put that thing in your pocket!

 

[tzimisce]

I think you have the same issues with Apple fanboys, but in reverse. I know at least 5 people (and I don't know that many people) who only buy Apple because of the name without knowing what it can or can't do. In fact, one had no clue what apps were and another had no concept of syncing their phone. Both had bought the phone strictly based on advertising. I would venture to bet that's not unusual in the Apple world.

People buying stuff on the basis of advertising and (perceived) brand recognition is common everywhere, not just technology, and the majority of customers are pretty indiscriminate - that I agree. Personally I have no specific loyalty to any brand, although I do have three Apple gadgets which were, in fact, presents. If they hadn't been given to me, I daresay I'd still be using a Nokia dumbphone and an IBM laptop until they quit.

That said, like many (technology) consumers, I do go for products which are easy to use, well supported (e.g. post-sales, software, upgrades) and reliable. As it happens, Apple ticks all three boxes easily - and they have caught the competition with their pants down with the iPad. For all their merits, the Xoom and Tab have too much of a "rushed to market" taint around them, and consumers can sense that, too.