iPad 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab vs Other Tablets

[dcclanuk]

I'm thinking of getting an iPad 2, but is it better to get one of the competitor products?

[Bulky]

No

[Cobbydaler]

Yes

[Jameseh]

Save your money for the iPad 3.

[peanut]

Originally Posted by Jameseh

Save your money for the iPad 3.

And when that comes out you might as well save and wait for the iPad4.

I'd go for iPad for the amount of apps there are. Nothing will come close for a long while yet.

[Hugh]

Let's try to be helpful, shall we.

If answering, please give reasons, rather than monosyllabic answers.

[Cobbydaler]

If you want the best for apps go Apple.

If you want the best display go Galaxy Tab.

If you're fed up with Apple's bully boy tactics re competition, never buy an Apple product again...

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/08...ab-10-1-sales/

Rectangle with rounded corners?

http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/09/s...-movies-music/

[lop]

Am saving for a Samsung galaxy Tab 10.1 for its features i like.......

[Matt D]

Originally Posted by dcclanuk

I'm thinking of getting an iPad 2, but is it better to get one of the competitor products?

IMO the only two competitors worth mentioning are the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Motorola Xoom. EDIT: Oh, and maybe the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer.

The Tab 10.1 costs the same as the iPad 2 (e.g. £479 for the 32GB WiFi-only model).

The Xoom used to cost the same as the iPad 2, but recently had its price slashed (allegedly due to poor sales) - it's now (IIRC) £400 for the 32GB WiFi-only model and £479 for the 32GB WiFi+3G model.

The Tab 10.1, the Xoom, and the Eee Pad all use the Tegra 2 System-on-a-Chip (SoC). This has an ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core CPU and a GeForce ULP GPU. All three have 1GB of RAM.

The iPad 2 uses the Apple A5 SoC. This also has an ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core CPU, but has a superior GPU to the Tegra 2 - a PowerVR SGX543MP2 dual-core GPU. However, despite having a superior GPU, the iPad 2 has less RAM than the Tab 10.1 / Xoom / Eee Pad - 512MB rather than 1GB.

Of the Android tablets, I believe that the Tab 10.1 has had better reviews than the Xoom originally had.

Do you have a smartphone? If so, do you have an iPhone or an Android phone? If you already have an iPhone, that would make choosing the iPad 2 easier, and if you have an Android phone (e.g. Galaxy S etc.), that would make choosing an Android tablet easier. e.g. As I have an iPhone 4 and an iPad 2, I don't have to worry about having two different OS's to get used to or to download apps for - apps I already had for my iPhone 4 will also work on my iPad 2, whereas if I'd bought an Android tablet, I would have had to start up a separate app collection for that.

The iPad 2 wins when it comes to apps. It's also ridiculously easy to use, with an intuitive UI.

Android tablets win when it comes to customisation, and additional interfaces such as USB, HDMI, SD cards (if you want these for the iPad 2 you need to buy add-ons). I haven't used Android, but Honeycomb (the tablet version) is meant to be very good (although I think reviews of the initial release, at least, mentioned buggy-ness...). Do you really need a tablet with an SD slot, HDMI port, etc., or does it not really matter to you?

There is also Flash... the iPad 2 (and all other iOS devices) cannot run Flash. However... so what? I try and avoid Flash whenever possible anyway on my Win7 PC, and don't miss it at all on the iPad 2. The iPad 2 does not need Flash for the BBC iPlayer, or 4oD, or the ITV Player (all have apps) - EDIT - there's also a Demand Five app due later this year; the iPad 2 does not need Flash for YouTube (there's an app, plus it works via the browser); the iPad 2 does not need Flash to stream Freeview channels for free via TVCatchUp.com (works via the browser). What other uses are there for Flash? Adverts? I don't want to see those... Browser games? I don't play those anyway. Websites? I think websites built in Flash are an abomination.

Do you have an Apple Store nearby? If so, pop in and have a play with one of the display models, or try PC World / Currys etc. and play with theirs. Have a play with a Tab 10.1 etc. too if you can (PC World / Currys should have them on display I think).

AnandTech - iPad 2 preview & benchmarks

AnandTech - iPad 2 GPU benchmarks

AnandTech - iPad 2 review

AnandTech - Xoom review

AnandTech - Galaxy Tab 10.1 review

EDIT:

AnandTech - ASUS Eee Pad Transformer review

[Jimmy-J]

The ASUS Transformer is a very nice tablet.

[dcclanuk]

Originally Posted by Matt D

IMO the only two competitors worth mentioning are the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Motorola Xoom. EDIT: Oh, and maybe the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer.

The Tab 10.1 costs the same as the iPad 2 (e.g. £479 for the 32GB WiFi-only model).

The Xoom used to cost the same as the iPad 2, but recently had its price slashed (allegedly due to poor sales) - it's now (IIRC) £400 for the 32GB WiFi-only model and £479 for the 32GB WiFi+3G model.

The Tab 10.1, the Xoom, and the Eee Pad all use the Tegra 2 System-on-a-Chip (SoC). This has an ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core CPU and a GeForce ULP GPU. All three have 1GB of RAM.

The iPad 2 uses the Apple A5 SoC. This also has an ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core CPU, but has a superior GPU to the Tegra 2 - a PowerVR SGX543MP2 dual-core GPU. However, despite having a superior GPU, the iPad 2 has less RAM than the Tab 10.1 / Xoom / Eee Pad - 512MB rather than 1GB.

Of the Android tablets, I believe that the Tab 10.1 has had better reviews than the Xoom originally had.

Do you have a smartphone? If so, do you have an iPhone or an Android phone? If you already have an iPhone, that would make choosing the iPad 2 easier, and if you have an Android phone (e.g. Galaxy S etc.), that would make choosing an Android tablet easier. e.g. As I have an iPhone 4 and an iPad 2, I don't have to worry about having two different OS's to get used to or to download apps for - apps I already had for my iPhone 4 will also work on my iPad 2, whereas if I'd bought an Android tablet, I would have had to start up a separate app collection for that.

The iPad 2 wins when it comes to apps. It's also ridiculously easy to use, with an intuitive UI.

Android tablets win when it comes to customisation, and additional interfaces such as USB, HDMI, SD cards (if you want these for the iPad 2 you need to buy add-ons). I haven't used Android, but Honeycomb (the tablet version) is meant to be very good (although I think reviews of the initial release, at least, mentioned buggy-ness...). Do you really need a tablet with an SD slot, HDMI port, etc., or does it not really matter to you?

There is also Flash... the iPad 2 (and all other iOS devices) cannot run Flash. However... so what? I try and avoid Flash whenever possible anyway on my Win7 PC, and don't miss it at all on the iPad 2. The iPad 2 does not need Flash for the BBC iPlayer, or 4oD, or the ITV Player (all have apps) - EDIT - there's also a Demand Five app due later this year; the iPad 2 does not need Flash for YouTube (there's an app, plus it works via the browser); the iPad 2 does not need Flash to stream Freeview channels for free via TVCatchUp.com (works via the browser). What other uses are there for Flash? Adverts? I don't want to see those... Browser games? I don't play those anyway. Websites? I think websites built in Flash are an abomination.

Do you have an Apple Store nearby? If so, pop in and have a play with one of the display models, or try PC World / Currys etc. and play with theirs. Have a play with a Tab 10.1 etc. too if you can (PC World / Currys should have them on display I think).

AnandTech - iPad 2 preview & benchmarks

AnandTech - iPad 2 GPU benchmarks

AnandTech - iPad 2 review

AnandTech - Xoom review

AnandTech - Galaxy Tab 10.1 review

EDIT:

AnandTech - ASUS Eee Pad Transformer review

Thanks a lot for that! Need to think carefully... at Home we have an iPhone 3GS (still brand new) and I have been using Android on my HTC Hero.

USB etc would be nice, but I have another laptop and computer and the iPad 2/Tablet would primarily be used for browsing and Skype (by mum). iPad 2 @ £479 is a bit steep, but that is the model I am currently thinking of getting... decisions decisions.......

[Slyder]

Originally Posted by dcclanuk

Thanks a lot for that! Need to think carefully... at Home we have an iPhone 3GS (still brand new) and I have been using Android on my HTC Hero.

USB etc would be nice, but I have another laptop and computer and the iPad 2/Tablet would primarily be used for browsing and Skype (by mum). iPad 2 @ £479 is a bit steep, but that is the model I am currently thinking of getting... decisions decisions.......

With lack of Flash support and such a locked down o/s, the Ipad 2 is already ancient technology. Not from a hardware perspective, but on a software level. The heavy price tag is another fact from a long list of companies saying "we can make tablets as well... and a whole lot better"

While Android is far superior, it is worth noting that these so called Flash enabled tablets are not always (at least all the Android devices I have used) are what I like to call True Flash enabled. For example newgrounds.com refuses to work on many if not all Android devices. A site built from the ground up with Flash in mind should in my opinion work on a device (or o/s) which merits itself on being compatible with this technology thus making it stand out from iPad. Just now I have tried newgrounds.com on my HTC Desire using Firefox and it fails.

Bring on the Dell Inspiron Duo. Windows 7, fully Flash enabled (which was my reason for buying one) it really does stand out and is more worthy of the iPad like price tag. Even from personal use of an Android tablet and an iPad, they lack the ability to go to any website and download anything :|

If you like the idea of general browsing, email and the novelty of running "Apps" on a big screen they I would advise Android over iPad anyday. Personally I like the idea of a full Flash enabled device, ability to download files. (something with a bit more punch from my device) then I would choose a Duo or at least a Netbook.

Just my 2 cents

[peanut]

The one thing that renders my HTC Sensation totally useless when it comes to playing flash is the sound is always out of sync on everything from iPlayer to you tube. Because of this I won't even bother with any video files as it's too annoying. Not sure if it's an android thing or not. Only encoding a video file myself will the sound be in sync.

The iPad or iTouch has ever had this problem when it comes to playing any video files.

[Hugh]

Re sync - don't have that problem on my Xoom.

[Matt D]

Originally Posted by Slyder

With lack of Flash support and such a locked down o/s, the Ipad 2 is already ancient technology. Not from a hardware perspective, but on a software level. The heavy price tag is another fact from a long list of companies saying "we can make tablets as well... and a whole lot better"

While Android is far superior, it is worth noting that these so called Flash enabled tablets are not always (at least all the Android devices I have used) are what I like to call True Flash enabled. For example newgrounds.com refuses to work on many if not all Android devices. A site built from the ground up with Flash in mind should in my opinion work on a device (or o/s) which merits itself on being compatible with this technology thus making it stand out from iPad. Just now I have tried newgrounds.com on my HTC Desire using Firefox and it fails.

Bring on the Dell Inspiron Duo. Windows 7, fully Flash enabled (which was my reason for buying one) it really does stand out and is more worthy of the iPad like price tag. Even from personal use of an Android tablet and an iPad, they lack the ability to go to any website and download anything :|

If you like the idea of general browsing, email and the novelty of running "Apps" on a big screen they I would advise Android over iPad anyday. Personally I like the idea of a full Flash enabled device, ability to download files. (something with a bit more punch from my device) then I would choose a Duo or at least a Netbook.

Just my 2 cents

How is Android "far superior"? Just because it is not locked down like iOS, or for another reason? Being locked down doesn't seem to matter for the majority of people. But, yes, Android is better if you want to play around with it etc.

Why does being locked down, and lacking Flash, make the iPad 2 "ancient technology" on a "software level"? Isn't Flash the ancient technology? The iPad 2 supports HTML5, and as I mentioned earlier in the thread, the lack of Flash causes no problems at all unless you want to play Flash games... which obviously isn't such a big thing for the majority of people, given the success of the iPad 2 versus Flash-enabled tablets.

I can download things using the iCab or Atomic web browsers on my iPad 2, and transfer them to the PC via syncing with iTunes, or I can sync them with Dropbox.

Yes, it's not as fully featured as using a PC to browse or download, but that's not what these devices are aimed at. I could easily do all my browsing on the iPad, without problem. Something like newgrounds.com only matters to those who play Flash games etc. OK, fair enough, plenty do care for that....But also, plenty don't...

How does the iPad 2 have a "heavy price tag"? Unlike the iMac and iPhone, the iPad isn't stupidly expensive compared to the competition, given that the "quality end" of the competition costs the same as the iPad 2.

The Duo... Interesting design. From what I can find, though, it's heavier than the iPad 2, and has a far inferior battery life.