So you’re interested in getting a tablet or an iPad or just interested.
So are a lot of people.
There are basically two camps:Apple and Google.
Where Apple makes and directly sells/supports and provides all technical support including applications through their Apple App Store. And Google where they simply licenses the Android Operating System technology to others to manufacture, distribute, sell independent from Google’s support.
The two world’s couldn’t be more different.
Primary differences:
| Apple’s iPad | Google’s Android | Thoughts…. | |
| Touch Interface | Very reactive and satisfying. | Mostly satisfying | iPad’s reaction times is immediate and sensitive. Whereby Android tablets are generally little slower. Definitely perceptible where reaction lag from touch can be very noticeable in some instance. However definitely usable if accepted and you don’t go back and forth between iPad and a tablet. |
| Display | 1024×768 Squareish | 1280×800 or 1024×600 HDTV like |
Android’s HDTV like display is nice for watching videos but on |
| eReader | Very capable with even builtin iBook reader. | Very capable but need to find the right app to read with. | Both are excellent eReader capable. Especially if your android tablet has a fast CPU/GPU. If you paid over $400 then you have it. Nice page curls, bookmarks and access to TOC if pdf have it. |
| Battery | Great at 11hrs+ of usage | Ok with 5-9hrs of usage | iPad is an all day device where one can charge once and literally use it all day. Whereby Android tablets needs app monitoring and careful battery monitoring in order to achieve almost all day result. |
| Apps | Beautiful, alluring, intuitive | Difficult to impossible to find. Graphics very dull, non-intuitive and never fully capable. |
Due to Apple’s strict standards. Makes for easy to listen and view audio and video files. Of course they have to be made for the Mac and/or on the Mac. Android is more forgiving but you need 3rd party codecs to properly view and/or listen which is impossible to get them all.Apps for iPad are polished, mostly professional looking and very intuitive to use. Android apps found in the Android Market are confusing to know whether they are made for a tablet or not. Furthermore, there is a amateur look to most of the apps with exception of few. |
| wifi / 3G | Very easy to connect either way | Very easy to connect either way. | Both have very good connectability to wifi or 3G if you have the service. |
| Storage | Builtin or cloud | Builtin, cloud or external SD or USB | By far the Android has more capabilities of easy storage access. iPad extremely limited where you have to use iTunes to upload files or special apps where if using special apps as storage. Other apps cannot have access to them. Android on the other hand has many options. Just like a personal computer. You could use a SD card, USB storage and of course the cloud. And you don’t need a special PC app to upload files. Just USB connection or via wifi. Sharing is exceptional on Android. |
In Conclusion: There is a market for both tablets and they couldn’t be
more different. Just like the devices themselves. iPad’s are
good for people whom have little to no technical knowledge and can use it right
away. Great for Grandparents or very young kids. Android
on the other hand becuase it has so many up front needs before it can even start
becoming useful. You need to be technical savvy but once you start.
Android and its wealth of capabilities will sure to a satisfying device for a
Nûrd.
Some statistics to show this is the case:
- Less than 50% of the iOS devices (iPads, iPods, iPhones) have never been
sync’d. Meaning they have never been connected to the computer for
updates. - 30% of the iPads owners never have downloaded apps onto their devices.
- iPads very popular with the geriatrics and the very young as in <10yrs.
- Very few non-Nûrds own an Android’s tablet.
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