I'm on fence on whether to buy a Motorola Xoom (32GB WiFi EU) or an iPad 2. In terms of price, here in Malta the Xoom seems more worth it as I can get it for 498 euro whilst the iPad 2 Wifi 32GB is at 609.
My main concerns are regarding software, and more importantly, apps availability. Now, before you bash my question, I've read a lot of reviews for both devices, and I've gone through lists for Honeycomb apps, but I'd like input from actual Xoom owners that are using it day to day.
Thanks in advance,
Emmanuel
well email and surfing is alot more fun and productive on a Xoom compare to an Ipad2 because of the integrated email and the flash enabled full size browser experience
but if you look at the build quality of them it sure looks like the Ipad2 went thought a lot more intensive QA then the Xoom since on the back of the xoom you kind of able to push in the plastic a bit.... thats makes me a sad panda
anyway comparing xoom vs ipad 2... there is only one logical answer
android =widgets
IOS = no widgets
and with widgets you get your information a lot faster like news, socks and twitter on one page... so yeah and i do use that alot
productivity = xoom
build quality = ipad2
that said i still think the ipad2 really rocks since it's a finished product but it does not have the widgets
I've owned an iPad and now I own a XOOM. For me personally, the ipad doesn't come close - the OS is far too restrictive and the dependency on iTunes was a killer for me (I use linux on all of my home machines, forcing me to run a windows virtual machine just to activate the damned thing).
With that said, the XOOM, or rather, Honeycomb doesn't even come close with regards to app availability. Even if you take the huge headstart that apple have (1 year+), the ipad has simply always been better marketed and there are a lot more apps available. Let's not even get started on the android market place; it's dire. The worst. And for some reason, it's even worse on honeycomb than it is on phones; no ability to rate apps, plenty of bugs (some of which have been addressed in 3.1), no ability to view only tablet apps, terrible filtering and search in general, etc. Apple's app store is how it should be done, the android market place has a long way to come.
The situation is improving for honeycomb and I personally wouldn't dream of going back to the ipad, but for friends and family who couldn't care less about the restrictive nature of iOS and the other things that I dislike, I would recommend the ipad.
With all that said, it looks really weird to see me almost recommending Apple, because I personally can't stand the software. Oh well...
Well, I've never owned an I pad but I have just purchased the xoom and I LOVE it!!!
Most comparisions regard the xoom better, but with the I pad having loads more apps - to some people, this is the deal breaker.
However, if you want a true tablet experience and not just an oversized iPod touch, then go for the xoom.
The xoom has better OS, greater browser and keyboard, better cameras and support flash, it is also not tied down to any PC software such as iTunes and includes more customization options such as widgits. (Android includes a free turn by turn navigation system too)
Oh and the maps and YouTube apps are better on the xoom and have more features (Google property pays off)
I made my decision and I'm happy with my xoom - but the choice is yours.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
I have to disagree. I think the xoom build quality is top notch and better than the iPad. It's just when I hold the iPad I feel like it will break... to thin for my liking.
Now applications look better in my opinion on the iPad. Like it was mentioned here the Apple eco system keeps me away.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
I have owned an iPad, and will likely own an iPad 2 when the current shortage lets up. There is very little left to say about the iPad (either version) that hasn't been said already. They are exceptional devices, gamechangers, perfectly designed to introduce mobile technology to mainstream users. Almost anyone can be up and running in 15 minutes with an iPad, even with no experience and iOS rewards those who embrace its deliberate limitations.
My first experience with Android was with an Archos 5 tablet, and then an Archos 101. I bought both as relatively inexpensive ways to get acquainted with Android. and both were very frustrating experiences in different ways. They really made me begin to view Android as a very niche market.
However, when I needed a new phone and decided that I couldn't wait for a Windows Phone 7 device to be offered here, and refused to get an iPhone, I opted for the Galaxy s and a whole world opened up to me...which then led me to my new Xoom.
I have been playing with it for about half a day now after doing a great deal of reading...I unlocked it, tried to root it and ran into the "stuck on the red M" problem, spent about 2 hours reading and sorting out how to get myself out of the trap via adb, rooted it at last, installed CWM then flashed the Tiamat kernel and finally began loading up my apps. Loved every moment of it. The build quality of the device, in my opinion, is excellent. It feels much better and more substantial in my hands than the iPad. The screen is top notch and I really like the honeycomb environment for work and play.
Most of all, I like the fact that Android is a living, breathing OS. SO much to explore and learn and investigate.
The iPad, for all it's many good points, as I said before rewards those who embrace its limitations. The Xoom rewards those who refuse limitations, who are willing to spend the time and effort to learn how it works and discover ways to do it better.
The iPad is the USS Enterprise...sleek and beautiful but cold and a bit sterile for all its power. What you see is what you get.
The Xoom is the Tardis...a hodgepodge of history and possibility, all wrapped in a shell of sweet wonder....and it is bigger on the inside.
With a Xoom I could have never ever owned a PC and set it up and get it working. It does not require you to hook it up to itunes first. With the iPad... yea I dont know about 15 minutes but after you hook it up to your computer to unlock it (lol) you can finally use it. In my house we have both, I like the Xoom better
you said
"The iPad, for all it's many good points, as I said before rewards those who embrace its limitations. The Xoom rewards those who refuse limitations, who are willing to spend the time and effort to learn how it works and discover ways to do it better."
I couldn't have said it better. The Xoom is my third Android tablet, my second Tegra2 tab, and the most hands-on and most rewarding and fun to own. I have never liked the Apple zeitgeist and have always avoided that product. I prefer the freedom to mess around, get into scrapes and come back from the brink with a better tab and a lot more knowledge. I think that as an open source, Android will continue to grow and evolve in wonderful ways and I want to be along for the ride.
Also, this thing is built like a tank.
rschenck said:
The iPad is the USS Enterprise...sleek and beautiful but cold and a bit sterile for all its power. What you see is what you get.
The Xoom is the Tardis...a hodgepodge of history and possibility, all wrapped in a shell of sweet wonder....and it is bigger on the inside.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That made me giggle . But I think the ipad are like the dalek. Cold personality and desire only perfection. seek only to dominate the world!
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inspiron41 said:
That made me giggle . But I think the ipad are like the dalek. Cold personality and desire only perfection. seek only to dominate the world!
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Steve Jobs as Davros ...*shudder*
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i'll keep this short as can be...
iPad/iOs = Checkers.
Xoom/Honeycomb = Chess.
I have played around with both Ipad and Xoom. I currently own a Xoom. Ipad is probably fine if you want something simple with few options(not talking about apps).
The Xoom is pretty cool, and even cooler after unlock & root. The downside is app / game availability, but it's getting better every day.
The killer for me between the two is multitasking. The xoom has it, the ipad not so much.
And also, no itunes. The xoom works out of the box.
The Ipad on the other hand has more accessories, wee..
Keep in mind that these sorts of issues are ultimately a matter of taste, so the things I don't like the iPad may not bother you at all.
I bought an iPad2 and returned it within 48 hours. I really can't explain my utter contempt for that device, but I just hated everything about it. I'm not an Apple hater, mind you; I owned every iPhone through the 3GS and was one of those dorks standing in line on launch days. I really, really wanted to like the iPad 2, but after having owned two Android handsets (and being a big gadget whore) I couldn't stomach going back to an iOS product.
What I hated about the iPad 2:
-Screen resolution sucks
-Too thin and flimsy feeling
-Stock keyboard is HORRIBLE and there's no way to change it
-No widgets
-No UI customization, period
-Cameras suck
-"Notification system" is sort of a joke
-"Multi-tasking" is also sort of a joke
-Far higher cost for iPad apps vs. iPhone/iPod apps, developers nickel & dime you for every little thing (subscriptions, in-app purchases, etc) - seriously, the whole ecosystem was like a giant money sucking vacuum
-QA on my particular unit was terrible - massive light leaks around the edges of the screen and 3 stuck pixels within 1 day of use (and this is not an isolated issue, though Apple is replacing defective units but making sure to blame their supplier)
iOS is getting long in the tooth, and this is hugely magnified in tablet form, especially with the crappy-looking display. I felt like I was using old technology, despite the awesome internal specs. The best comparison I can come up with between Honeycomb and iOS on a tablet is something like Windows 7 compared to Windows 3.1.
hello,
i'm maltese too, on a xoom us wifi .. from amazon.com
worked out to 508 eu including hsbc's 'conversion charge' of 8 eu or so.
ipad vs xoom.. depends on what you need.
if you want a platform to play stuff from itunes.. ipad
if yiu want a portable computer you can meddle with.... xoom of course.
build quality, screen and battery life are excellent too.
cheers
btw where is that price from?
when i bought mine it was closer to 600eu for wifi eu
which is why i got the us one..
While I will state now I am no expert on iOS or the Ipad1/2 I will say this:
My Xoom has me constantly entertained and I've NEVER felt I needed an app that I didnt have at least 4 decent choices of. I have also never left limited on my Xoom for any tasks I wish to undertake, I stream all my media from my computer (via WiFi OR 3G) so everywhere I am I have access to all my media (and now thanks to Google Music moreso) and with Remote Desktop I have access to my Linux and Windows machines no matter where I am. The Xoom constantly feeds me information without having to do anything but look at my homescreens.
I have played with friends Ipad1/2's and while for the most part things seemed smooth and work well I always had this feeling of being lost when looking through the app screens, its like all the icons look the same (same size, many of them same colors) just felt very sterile and un-enjoyable and you get ZERO information without going from one app to another just felt like so much work for simple basic information readily available on my Xoom.
I've never been a fan of iOS or Apple's strategy towards their customers but I really tried to look at my 2 options without bias before choosing my Xoom. As several others are stated you really dont have any choices with Apple products, you take what your given and if you dont like your options you dont have any more to look at.
Android (despite its fragmentation in some areas and flaws, hiccups in others) is the best choice if you like options and a desire to learn more and have real options with your chosen device. If you want something simple that tells you what you want then Apple products are for you. If you dont mind a hiccup with something here and there and having the ultimate say in the apps and add-on parts for your device then I say without a doubt Android is the way to go. Widgets are the best thing to happen to phones/tablets as it gives you so much information without having to do anything to get it and you can always enter into that app for a more detailed look and more options.
As for the comment on Apple App Store having more options, maybe it does but judging by the amount the Android Market has grown over 1 year I highly doubt Apple will be able to say the same thing next year. More and more developers either jump ship from Apples restrictions in apps or choose to release their products on both Android and iOS platforms which means in many cases the Apple App Store is slowing down and stagnating in some areas due to the open nature of app development for Android OS, its infinitely easier to write and sell and app for Android than iOS.
As a side note a friend of mine and I compared apps, we both had some niche apps and some common ones... my total cost was about $40 (like I said I have some apps that cost about $15, my phone apps only had a grand total of like $10) but all in all his total for all similar (sometimes the same app) was about $200, that alone pushed my decision for another android device with the Xoom vs Ipad2.
If your cheap and want to hack get the Xoom. If you want to easily be able get VIDEOS to play fluently for rent or TV episodes get iPad. I got the ipad because it was so gay to get Videos on the thing. Having to convert then drag to device verse iTunes makes iTunes seem easier. Especially is JB.
Xoom =iPad none is clear winner
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jamaicansolja said:
If your cheap and want to hack get the Xoom. If you want to easily be able get VIDEOS to play fluently for rent or TV episodes get iPad. I got the ipad because it was so gay to get Videos on the thing. Having to convert then drag to device verse iTunes makes iTunes seem easier. Especially is JB.
Xoom =iPad none is clear winner
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I am not sure I would call the Xoom cheap (not in build quality and certainly not in price) and I don't see what the sexual orientation of the iPad has to do with the issue.
I feel the video converting question is a non issue. For me, converting via iTunes or by a third party app is just as big a pain, and the iPad's native video app is even more limited codec-wise than the Android stock Video. Anyway, just use a player like MoboPlayer or VPlayer which can show pretty much anything, and you are golden.
However I agree that there is no real BEST TABLET...it is just a matter of personal preference.
jamaicansolja said:
If your cheap and want to hack get the Xoom. If you want to easily be able get VIDEOS to play fluently for rent or TV episodes get iPad. I got the ipad because it was so gay to get Videos on the thing. Having to convert then drag to device verse iTunes makes iTunes seem easier. Especially is JB.
Xoom =iPad none is clear winner
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Click to collapse
So spend more money for the more restrictive device? Also, you don't have to hack the xoom. The Xoom has more option out of the box than the ipad.
You didn't manage to get gay videos on the Xoom?
Croolis said:
btw where is that price from?
when i bought mine it was closer to 600eu for wifi eu
which is why i got the us one..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's on www.expansys.com.mt, excluding VAT.
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Related
Just as the title says. If you have been using the IPad for awhile now, is this a huge step forward or do you wish you would have waited for the IPad 2 (if it is comparable hardware-wise).
I like the Xoom better, mostly because I love the Android OS and despire iOS.
One of the biggest selling points for me is the unified file system... iOS required me to upload two copies of files, one to each application if I wanted to share it between two. That tied with using iTunes to copy anything to it drove me nuts.
I did own an iPad though because I needed an ebook reader that could handle large PDFs with ease and no decent Android tablet existed (Win7 tablets had no decent slate ones, my laptop is a convertible tablet). I sold that last week, for the same amount I paid for it actually, in order to buy my Xoom today.
not a fair fight
I don't know that you can compare the 2 fairly. The xoom does everything the I pad does and more(other than the iPod stuff) that being said, I like the xoom better. I think ios, while innovative, is now outdated and I hope apple comes correct with an ios update on the I pad 2. For me the diffference is the desktop widgets vs icons, there is no comparison. It'll be better to compare this vs the ipad2 next week.
bogatyr said:
I like the Xoom better, mostly because I love the Android OS and despre iOS.
One of the biggest selling points for me is the unified file system... iOS required me to upload two copies of files, one to each application if I wanted to share it between two. That tied with using iTunes to copy anything to it drove me nuts.
I did own an iPad though because I needed an ebook reader that could handle large PDFs with ease and no decent Android tablet existed (Win7 tablets had no decent slate ones, my laptop is a convertible tablet). I sold that last week, for the same amount I paid for it actually, in order to buy my Xoom today.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like the xoom better. Now besides the obvious hardware advantages I take that into account.. But a XOOM (Honeyvcomb) just fits me better. I don't think you can go wrong with either tablet, but pick the one that suits your needs and you will be happy.
The iPad was a great toy, but having used this Xoom for only a few hours, I have to say that I can actually see myself being productive on it. Just with gmail, talk and the browser it is already exponentially more useful than my iPad ever was.
KwestJones said:
I don't know that you can compare the 2 fairly. The xoom does everything the I pad does and more(other than the iPod stuff) that being said, I like the xoom better. I think ios, while innovative, is now outdated and I hope apple comes correct with an ios update on the I pad 2. For me the diffference is the desktop widgets vs icons, there is no comparison. It'll be better to compare this vs the ipad2 next week.
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Click to collapse
Except my major complaint about the file system is something Apple intentionally put into their mobile OS. I doubt that will change in the iPad two. It isn't like they weren't aware that applications might want to access the same files.
The widget thing though... that I would expect in the next release of the iPad.
I like the xoom better......
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
I honestly can't wait to see the next iPad, I really wanna see what Apple does to impress. They usually impress well, and this time should be no different. Honestly this will be very interesting. I want to see what will make the iPad 2 so much better than other Android tablets coming out this year. I try to stray away from all this "fanboy" stuff and think based off of the information given to me.
Judging from current leaks (not a good way to judge, I know) the iPad 2 hardware wise isn't blowing anything out of the water. iOS, while beautiful, is limited in terms of customization unless you jailbreak... and if widgets from past Android versions work on the Xoom, I don't know.. I've gotten used to them. They offer delightful way to customize.
This may just be a choice of personal preference, especially if you want apps.
As a "pick up and go" device.. I think the iPad1 is still stronger than the Xoom at this point in time... I'm seeing major battery drain on my Xoom doing light tasks like Google Talk and Browsing.. And browsing on the iPad is still a much smoother experience.. scrolling in the Xoom browser is craptastic as it has been on all Android devices i've used.
But if you were to ask me to compare Xoom to other Android tablets/phones.. it's definately WAY better than those.. I think the iPad has just as much use and most apps are running way better on my iPad than the Xoom.
Of course, we have to play the waiting game and hope devs code properly for Honeycomb and we should see more polished, faster apps.
But so far, i'm not seeing any outstanding differences between the Xoom and iPad.. and the iPad is doing it better given it's got a lot more time under it's belt.
I wanted the Xoom/Honeycomb to wow me more.. I wanted to be saying "iPad what?" but I can't... yet..
And now iPad2 will be announced next Wednesday and probably stretching it's legs out even further over Honeycomb.. sigh.
schnoz said:
Just as the title says. If you have been using the IPad for awhile now, is this a huge step forward or do you wish you would have waited for the IPad 2 (if it is comparable hardware-wise).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my review below
I have had an iPad since july of last year, sold it yesterday in prepartion for the Xoom purchase today. Walked into Verizon purchased the Xoom and walked right out no hassle, no activation required. Here my Mini Review so far, with some comparisons to my previous 32gb ipad.
Hardware:
Nice heft, feels really solid and has that industrial feel. I do not feel I am going to drop it because it slips out of my hand... i always felt that way when holding an ipad.
its a 16:10 screen so it is wider than it is long. Should be perfect for movies.
Screen is a finger print magnet like ipad.
Software:
Gmail- is incredible on this thing. Drag and drop, color labels, etc. the workflow with gmail is priceless and so fluid. I cannot speak of the general "email" app because i only use gmail.
youtube- way way faster loading videos on this than it was on the ipad. it has some eye candy, which is always nice.. esp for android.
browser- Browser is great! and it loads pages faster than my ipad did. also it has tabs and THEY DO NOT RELOAD ON SWITCHING!! I had 8 tabs open... flipping through them flawlessly! As always using google account you can sync bookmarks and such between desktop and xoom.
Havent tried the music app yet
The gallery is like your standard vanilla android gallery.. loaded all my picasa pics from the cloud.
Other apps- there are very few "tablet apps" in the market. The 2 I did DL was pulse and accuweather. Pulse was pretty basic but did take advantage of the fragments. Accuweather is slick... but they need to polish up some pixelation i saw tapping the background "live" water.
Apps like facebook and kindle scale up nicely. While some apps dont like the speedtest app.
Speaking of speed test, i did a load on my wifi connection at 15mbps down and 3 up and i pull 14mbps down and 2 up. My ipad could never pull above 10mbps. I also noticed my signal holding strong than it did on my ipad.
Workflow is great!! This is what i have been missing on ipad... background task, unintrustive notifications.
Thats all I have right now... so far I am liking the decision i made. But i know i will be missing my apps the ipad had!!! Android cant match it yet... it will take some time.
It really is like comparing apples to oranges.
I look at the ipad as purely an "app launcher". The OS itself has zero functionality. But the app quality is great and it's runs very smoothly. Then again Apple did have their own OS to work off of when the created iOS so it's not like starting something from scratch as with Android.
The Xoom (and Android in general) is more a fully featured OS that has functionality aside form launching apps. However this is also the downside, there is a lot more that can go wrong (example - the multitasking can bog the OS down). I think eventually Android will be as smooth as iOS, but right now it's not. But if you want a full featured, incredibly functional device, the Xoom trumps the iPad.
Basically if you just want to launch apps the iPad is great. If you want anything else out of the tablet, you have to go with Xoom.
For me, the Xoom beats my iPad. This is my first Android device period, and I have used iOS strictly since waiting in line for the first iPhone.
I gave my iPad to my wife to use for things around the house - airplay to the stereo, recipes in the kitchen, quick additions to the grocery list...
It is excellent at what it does - appealing to the broadest base of users possible. But I could not truly be productive on it. I want to IM, email, read RSS, edit docs, and keep track of a multitude of other things at the same time - and even with the multitasking bar at the bottom, it feels like a single-task device.
Here are specific things it did that made it feel like a single-tasker:
- With many things running, exiting and entering the browser effectively had to reload every tab because it couldn't keep it all in memory.
- Alerts were cumbersome, interrupting and not persistent.
- Many productivity apps would lose state when they were put in the background (suspend).
- There were many good replacement browsers for Safari - but you could never bind any of them to open links by default. So you always felt like a second class citizen using them.
- Many large productivity apps show their loading screen again to get back in when you quickly switch out and back again. I feel the lack of RAM consistently.
I enabled developer mode in OS 4.3 on the iPad so I could use swipe gestures to move between apps and get back to the homescreen without using the button. But it made all of these flaws stand out even more. Even if they upped the RAM, these gesture controls don't hold a candle to the Honeycomb task switcher or WebOS' card view. Apple's paradigm breaks down in that use case and they need a real overhaul.
For me, iOS is still the most bulletpoof, whille still super-functional OS - and I want to rely on for my smartphone. I don't need to achieve these levels of productivity in that use case. But for a tablet OS, Honeycomb wins, and the Xoom makes an excellent showcase for it.
Oh, and a bonus for me - I have gigs and gigs of photos that I just happen to use Picasa to manage. Never used the web albums though. I always used the iPad to show photos by syncing what I could - but I rarely plug it into my computer so it was always out of date. But with the Xoom, all I have to do is tell Picasa to sync what I want with web albums and they show up on the Xoom - without using up storage! Genius.
Can't wait to see this excellent tablet and tablet OS evolve.
is scrolling and pinch to zoom smooth?
scores87 said:
is scrolling and pinch to zoom smooth?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCilGpUvXuE&t=2m01s
+1 Xoom
The iPad pales in comparison and only can aspire to one day be recycled into a Xoom
I like the Xoom better because of Android, but I am also getting an iPad 2. I have too many apps and Android has a while to catch up in that regard. But I'm keeping my Xoom.
I have both the iPad and the Xoom... I havent touched the iPad since I got the Xoom. I just love Honeycomb over the iOS. That being said, I won't get rid of the iPad until Google releases a movie store so that I can rent movies while I travel.
Why not have both!!?
I know I've been called a "technology whore" before so what the hell... I was thinking about buying my wife an iPad2 for her birthday; in part so I don't have to feel too bad about having spent $571.09 (price on bill) on the Xoom. So I could enjoy the best of both worlds.
I had an iPad, ended up getting it for a steal and just to tie me over until the android tablets started rolling out.
Since I picked up the Xoom, I haven't touched the iPad since. I gave it to my wife...and now she wants a Xoom too lol...so it will likely be on eBay soon.
Even without Flash/4G, I've enjoyed every bit of it. Once we get those 2 things, a few custom roms etc, I'll be in heaven.
Used handbrake to shrink some of my bluray collection for a trip next week...looks/runs fantastic.
My $0.02
I haven't touched my iPad since the night of the 24th. I loved it when I got it and I used it every single day. It is extremely useful and handy to have.
The Xoom has done everything I was doing on the iPad with the exception of Netflix which I do miss and hope to have return some day one can believe Nvidia's press release. Other than that I want more apps and I want them faster than it is possible for developers to get them ready but I am happy with my choice. I love the cameras, I love the ability to have widgets and more control over the device. I am looking forward to LTE and Flash being on the device and eventually the SD card being unlocked. I don't miss my iPad.
Kinda curious since I'm gonna be getting one of the above next month what do you guys think about the iPad 2 vs the Xoom?
I have a Xoom right now and love it...just needs some apps. I wasnt terribly impressed with the ipad update - the hardware is nice but no updates to IOS, that was severly lame. Honeycomb is far more useful on a tab...but without apps it will suffer. They should have released the SDK sooner.
I definitely agree with you on the apps for the Xoom, I dunno though I think the Xoom is probably a bit more useful but I don't really like the UI that much.
Also I think the iPad has better multimedia support so I might go with that I'm not sure yet.
Xoom > iPad
I am taking the ipod 2. Not enough tablet apps is a big issue (100 odd vs 65,000 is easy too big a gap). I want android to win but my wallet also won't go for a more expensive tablet either. And I want a wifi only version of the xoom since I wanted to tether it. I'm not going to pay for a data plan twice.
Sent from my HTC Incredible using Tapatalk
I agree with Khanam
I agree with him too. I'm not getting one till the end of April but still at the moment for me personally apps, multimedia support, and I don't really like the UI of honeycomb as much as I like the iPad's at the moment.
Agreed. I'll probably end up buying an iPad 2, but might sell it if the Android Tablet App Market really starts to take off. What's the point of the tablet if I can't use it like I want to use it? I want Honeycomb to succeed though, but I am not going to be an early adopter in this particular segment.
I have a 64GB WiFi iPad and the apps make or break a device. You can have better specs, and even a better OS. But without quality apps, the device will suffer.
Some of the apps I use on a daily basis on my iPad are Pages (Wonderful full blown word processing app), Penultimate (Notes), Evernote (Notes again), and of course some games, like Infinity Blade (Amazing graphics!)
I won't be upgrading to an iPad 2, possibly the third generation if it has the rumored "retina" display. It would take some powerful hardware to pump out graphics at that resolution. And an amazing battery for that matter. Speaking of battery, it was the #1 reason I went with the iPad. I can easily make it through an entire school day and come home with 80% left My Incredible, not so much. It usually ends up at 30%.
dpwhitty11 said:
Xoom > iPad
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great post
I was going to get a xoom, I want to get a xoom. But as everyone else has stated, without apps, what good is it? If the Android Tablet Market takes off within the next couple of months, I may go with it, if not, I believe I will be getting an iPad 2. I am against everything Apple, but when they come out with a quality piece of electronics, and it is supported correctly... well you can't argue with that.
Love my DroidX.
I have a NookColor (rooted).
Buying an iPad2. Full HDMI mirroring for everything. iTunes DRM so I can play my digital copy movies. I don't want to pay for a 3G radio when I'll tether to my DroidX. This made a lot of the decision for men.
lol I forgot about DRM I have a significant number of songs with DRM.
On a side note white or black iPad.
the white one reminds me of old macbooks... which look kinda gross after about a year of use.
Black ipad 2 for me.
Also, I am going to wait until HTC makes me the tablet of my dreams before I jump on the honeycomb train. HTC Flyer 2, anyone?
I am in th same boat. What to do
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I thought about the white getting dirty too but I might still try it if the screen protector covers the white portion as well.
I am personally going with the ipad 2 wifi (tether, not paying data twice) because of support in general, especially apps. Plus that way I can experience both iOS and android apps. And finally a relative has the xoom so anytime I need to I can use it
Sent from my HTC Droid Incredible using XDA Premium App
i have the option to get the iphone with verizon and have no desire to play with that OS. it is outdated and less functional.. for the same reason, i have no desire to get a larger version of it... just doesnt do it for me.. then again... i am not so sure i like this whole tablet craze anyway... id rather a nice laptop.. touch screens are nice, but type this current post on a tablet and tell me you still want one... just doesnt interest me.
To me Android will always be better for me than anything apple. Its more about what i can do with the product I buy. I want to root/reflash and customize and with an android device thats an ez task. Apple locks everything down so a geek like me cant "play" enough. Ill take an ipad2 running android to piss off apple lovers anyday XD
ipad all the way
Xoom all the way. Both are to expensive tho
So after watching Apple royally screwing up the launch for their customers (not themselves, of course), I decided to give the Xoom a try. I had already tried the original iPad and really loved it for what it could do, especially the battery life which was simply amazing.
Funny thing is, I'm really enjoying the web experience of the Xoom more than the iPad. I just hated the checkerboard while scrolling but I guess the iPad 2's engine has solved that problem. I also am enjoying the Xoom's speakers which are much louder than the iPad as that was one of my main issues since I like listening to the talk radio while in the shower. One thing I have noticed is that there seem to be more free apps for the Android than on the iOS side which is another huge plus.
I have read that many Xoom users were having issues with the browser crashing but so far after using it almost all day I have experienced just one force close. I agree with those that say the Xoom feels like a half baked product or was launched a bit too soon but if Google's commitment to their android OS is any indication then I see no reason why the Xoom can't become a serious iPad 2 competitor.
I have been using the Xoom since about 12:30pm and the battery finally died around 8:30pm, not bad at all but still nothing compared to the iPad which gave me almost 11 hours for the same type of use i.e web surfing and watching some videos on Youtube. Before I bought the Xoom I also played around with the new iPad 2 which was on display at my local BestBuy store and I really liked the design but something about the widgets that just seemed so boring compared to the honeycomb.
Yes I know the iPad 2 just spanks the Xoom as far as graphics go, according to Anandtech but then I never use the tablet for gaming. For that I have my 2010 Mac Pro and I don't really game much even on that. For me the Xoom is full of potential and because of that reason is a gamble while the iPad is safe territory but the potential is somewhat limited.
From the reviews/comments I thought I would really hate the Xoom but so far I'm really having fun with this thing!
It took me a couple weeks to notice the browser issues. I've actually had quite a few browser related problems since then. The Xoom is a riot. I love Honeycomb.
The Xoom is for geeks and techies. IPad is for ggeneral population
ipad2 for wife and xoom for me.
Well put.
My wife wanted a tablet for movies and games and is heavily invested in itunes, so the Ipad2 was her choice.
I, on the other hand, and an android geek and so the Xoom was wht I got this weekend.
I really dislike the whole Itunes echosystem and like my media to be portable to as many devices as possible (My pc, my phone and my tablet and my laptop).
you made the right choice
I have the same setup and it works great. Why only have one when you can have both? Each one has its strengths but I personally use the Xoom and wife uses ipad
kiwiruss said:
Well put.
My wife wanted a tablet for movies and games and is heavily invested in itunes, so the Ipad2 was her choice.
I, on the other hand, and an android geek and so the Xoom was wht I got this weekend.
I really dislike the whole Itunes echosystem and like my media to be portable to as many devices as possible (My pc, my phone and my tablet and my laptop).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
To be honest.. My experience with the Android platform was very short lived. Now I will admit I was running a GTablet (Tegra 2, etc.) with Froyo.
What I found was
General instability - Didnt crash all that much, maybe once or twice over a 10 hour period. In this day in age, crashing is unacceptable - especially for a $400 plus device.
Lack Luster SDK - I didnt find the SDK all that polished. I was surprised to see how much deprication there was and how little developers did not adhere to new develop APIs. One thing that still perplexes me is that the depricated APIs were being suppressed by Google during compile within the Android Framework!!! This caused a bunch of issues on the GTablet - easy to fix but still..
Market - Mostly poor applications - For a platform that has been around now for a while I found over 70% of applications were of poor quality. Either they were unstable, unusable or just down right JUNK. Dont get me wrong I was attracted to the Android platform due to its openness but honestly I also want quality.
Fragmentation - I noticed that though a robust SDK it didn't absorb well the various platforms. Each platform needs to be tweaked for that device to properly work. Typically this should be absorbed by the framework... This lends to the reason why most wait for fixes from their cellular vendors/phone manufactorers and not from Google. I think this is a big mistake. Eventually Google will cave in due to the poor implementation quality from these 3rd party vendors. Information Security will drive this..
Performance - Generally OK but I found too much overhead from the OS and Framework. The OS and framework need some optimization. This will reduce the need of a tablet having 1GB of ram... That is insane for a device like this!
Anyway.... Soo I ended up selling the GTablet and just picked up a IPAD 2... All I can say is that they are in two difference classes - this coming from a Linux/Java developer...
I will eventually head back to Android once it becomes more mature as I am most comfortable in that environment - until I want a tablet that I can be productive with, less on the fiddling side.
^
I've noticed that unless an application comes from a major company, more than likely it will look horrible or just "unkept". Obviously as I have said "more than likely" there are a few exceptions, but other than that many Android applications simply don't match their iOS relatives in terms of aesthetic appeal. Or even overall quality for that matter. I'm shocked that Android doesn't receive horrible backlash from this.
To make things worse, you were using 2.2 on a tablet. Pre-3.0 versions of Android on tablet devices simply fail to even rival the iPad. I wouldn't even choose one myself despite my undying love for Android.
Choice is amazing isn't it. Nobody made a rule you can only pick one and be stuck with it. I agree apps on IOS are superior in general to Android but everything else on Android is better than IOS. The notification system and half ass mutiltasking on IOS alone drives me crazy. Also most apps on IOS are used a bunch in the beginning and then never again, there was even a study on this a while ago. So I only have a few things I do frequently and the Xoom does them excellently.
stanglx said:
To be honest.. My experience with the Android platform was very short lived. Now I will admit I was running a GTablet (Tegra 2, etc.) with Froyo.
What I found was
General instability - Didnt crash all that much, maybe once or twice over a 10 hour period. In this day in age, crashing is unacceptable - especially for a $400 plus device.
Lack Luster SDK - I didnt find the SDK all that polished. I was surprised to see how much deprication there was and how little developers did not adhere to new develop APIs. One thing that still perplexes me is that the depricated APIs were being suppressed by Google during compile within the Android Framework!!! This caused a bunch of issues on the GTablet - easy to fix but still..
Market - Mostly poor applications - For a platform that has been around now for a while I found over 70% of applications were of poor quality. Either they were unstable, unusable or just down right JUNK. Dont get me wrong I was attracted to the Android platform due to its openness but honestly I also want quality.
Fragmentation - I noticed that though a robust SDK it didn't absorb well the various platforms. Each platform needs to be tweaked for that device to properly work. Typically this should be absorbed by the framework... This lends to the reason why most wait for fixes from their cellular vendors/phone manufactorers and not from Google. I think this is a big mistake. Eventually Google will cave in due to the poor implementation quality from these 3rd party vendors. Information Security will drive this..
Performance - Generally OK but I found too much overhead from the OS and Framework. The OS and framework need some optimization. This will reduce the need of a tablet having 1GB of ram... That is insane for a device like this!
Anyway.... Soo I ended up selling the GTablet and just picked up a IPAD 2... All I can say is that they are in two difference classes - this coming from a Linux/Java developer...
I will eventually head back to Android once it becomes more mature as I am most comfortable in that environment - until I want a tablet that I can be productive with, less on the fiddling side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
ok one issue I have noticed while watching video streams on the Xoom is that the quality seems blurry. On the original iPad the same videos looked very clear and sharp. I watch Twit.live and revision 3 and while they were pretty sharp on the iPad, they just look blurry on the Xoom. What's going on here? Is that related to H.264 issue? I heard there will be a fix for that but I'm not sure. On the positive side tethering the Xoom to my T-Mobile Vibrant was effortless and worked beautifully!
f1restarter said:
ok one issue I have noticed while watching video streams on the Xoom is that the quality seems blurry. On the original iPad the same videos looked very clear and sharp. I watch Twit.live and revision 3 and while they were pretty sharp on the iPad, they just look blurry on the Xoom. What's going on here? Is that related to H.264 issue? I heard there will be a fix for that but I'm not sure. On the positive side tethering the Xoom to my T-Mobile Vibrant was effortless and worked beautifully!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you using flash or HTML5? If it's flash, all the videos are blurry with the leaked 10.2 Flash apk. I'm hoping it's fixed in the final version. HTML5 videos look great although keep in mind the XOOM has a much higher res display than iPad (1280x800 vs 1024x768) and a bigger screen so if the video is low quality it will show on the XOOM and not on the iPad.
Ahh the high res screen. That makes sense! Yes I'm using html 5 and had my dolphin HD browser set to "iPad" in the UA. I had installed the leaked flash apk but it just seemed like a huge mess with it not being touch friendly at all, so I uninstalled it and am hoping they improve flash before releasing it officially. Personally I'm just hoping google would simply get rid of flash crap once and for all and just go with HTML 5.
I got the Xoom and I love it. Once we get the update for official flash and the SD card this thing is going to rock. I have a Samsung Fascinate and I would never buy another Samsung phone.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
I love my xoom! Every time I think I may want to trade it for the iPad2 because maybe iOs has better apps or a better gpu, I think what am I going to be doing 90% of the time on my tablet, browser and gmail. Which does this the best hands down? Xoom!!! Plus the xoom is Google's reference hardware and will be updated quicky and often! The rest will come!
After I could compare the Ipad2, 10.1 and Transformer for days now, I decided to go and buy an Ipad2. Yes, I turned my back on Android and here's why:
10.1:
Very nice lookings, high quality and hardware but there is a big problem: the colors. On some pictures the saturation is so high that it kills lots of details every time 2 similar colors are nearby. Here you can see what I mean, check the right circle where orange and red meets - if the orange circle would be more reddish, you could hardly tell there are 2 rings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1bkovoLXw4&feature=player_detailpage#t=208s
If you compare it to a perfect calibrated monitor, it looks like crap. Flashy, colorful and nice but details are gone. That's the one and only weaknes from what it offers. It's 16:9 display is a winner when it comes to videos but video playback is poor. Ipad2 is much better, even for flash, later more to come about it.
Another MAJOR problem is Samsung support. Android is a fresh system and needs tons of support. Samsung provides NONE. For EU, they still have no release dates or closer info about their device - just lol. For me, the 10.1 is just a step in the process to upgrade to Tegra3. They built the shell now and can use it for the next device to compete with Apple. Same like they did to the 10.1v - no support, they just forgot about it.
Transformer:
Diplay is pretty good but the build quality is crap. After I saw the Archos tablets with the bronze frame, I knew where Asus bought their stuff. Both have those sharp metal frames which are wrapped around the screen. TF and Archos have gaps between the frame and glas, with some kind of rubber to fill it. Asus tried to even out the sharp edges but you can see how cheap it is. Archos tablets can cut in your finger if you swipe around the edges ! For me: complete garbage quality, should cost 250$ max to satisfy the minimalist who just want's to read or something.
Ipad2:
This device is pretty awesome. First I thought the 4:3 diplay sucks for reading but after I measured books and calculated ratios, they were ALL closer to Ipad2 standards. That menas you will have less wasted space on Ipad. When surfing internet you will learn to love 4:3, everything fits perfectly while you feel how broken sites are on 16:9. The drawback are 16:9 movies without a border and the good about it, you have FULLSCREEN ! in emulators without scaling. There are also a lot of older movies/series with 4:3, which I prefer on travel anyway.
It is fluent everywhere and feels like my Galaxy S after getting the lagfix. Stock 3.1 is bull**** compared to it. The only point where it is superior, are widgets.
Root/Jailbreak/Flash:
Jailbreaking an Ipad is a piece of cake, visit a website, click on a button, your done. No bull**** to flash around or to risk your device. After that you have Cydia which is an alternative market. You can also add repos to it, so you gain access to apps of all kind, also the not so legal ones.
You can play Flash Videos on Ipad using Iswifter or other apps. Inconvinient sometimes but to my surprise, they are fluent on the Ipad - Androids are sluggish. The Ipad even played a movie fluent with 10 other flash animations around it !
The crappy part about the Ipad is itunes and the structure how app files are arranged. Every app has it's own folder, so if you use FTP or something to transfer via network, you have to put those files IN the app folder, so they can find it. Not a big deal, if the app folder wouln't be named like 429403290239203023948393. Android is way better, copy somewhere on SD and browse it. Sure you can use itunes to put everything together but Itunes won't work with Jailbroken apps from Cydia. This breaks the use of my NAS server at home, leaving me with ****ty USB-to-PC solutions if I want it the easy way. Music and Videos which are supported by NAS can be played over UPNP but I found more nice apps for that on Android as I could on Ipad.
Conclusion:
10.1 is a nice device but it's like to own a ferrari and only have crappy roads to drive on. Android kills the Tab, sadly. It's good for smartphones but not for tabs - it's worse as an alpha build of windows. Every manufactuerer does what he wants, there are no standards. Compatibility between Android versions are a joke - imagine you upgrade from win7 to win8 and everything stops working - arrrrrrrgh.
This may be fixed with 4.0 but it will take another 1-2 years for the software. Until then, there will be Win8, which could break Androids neck (if it's compatible to Win7 programms!). Also I can sell the Ipad2 for 200-300 bucks, even if Ipad3 is released, so screw it, will lose ~150-200€ to it. But it will buy me at least 6 months of fun.
The best is, I don't have to care about the future. There is no "will it work after OS upgrade" problem with Apple.
Wow there are so many problems with this post I don't even know where to begin. I think I will just address your last line:
The best is, I don't have to care about the future. There is no "will it work after OS upgrade" problem with Apple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try telling that to the iPhone 3G users who upgraded to ios4 and had a device that was next to worthless. Apple pushed that update out to ose iPhones knowing it would turn it into a piece of **** 100% of the time.
dcc22 said:
Root/Jailbreak/Flash:
Jailbreaking an Ipad is a piece of cake, visit a website, click on a button, your done. No bull**** to flash around or to risk your device. After that you have Cydia which is an alternative market. You can also add repos to it, so you gain access to apps of all kind, also the not so legal ones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having met way more people with iPodTouch4/IP4/IPad1&2 that do this than those who DO NOT do this, it makes me wonder if the ideology of app devs to take preference to iOS for financial considerations is not completely flawed.
....what is the point of this post?
your inability to play with android OS and tweak it is not an excuse for you to say that android is flawed..with that said, i agree some stuff need to be fix, but its minor stuff such as typing on the browser...and...well thats it for me.
if you want something that work out of the box, agreed pick ipad 2, but if your geeky or you like linux pick android, more custimization then IOS can ever dream of.
THE firmwares with ripped features for different devices, as they become incompatible with every next release the iphone 3g and now 3gs with ios5. Don't tell me jailbreak is easy, it took the developers 3 months to make a jailbreak for ipad 2 which is still raw with compatibility issues! If buying the idevice is an excuse for free apps...probably games in your case with a new handheld gaming device than off board ye pirate! People jailbreak the device for customisation which is the soul of android os (which is not fresh but time tested and evolving i need not wait a whole year for new features to sprout, mostly inspired and already popular in other os!).
Ever heard of DFU mode, recovery mode? Similar terms and combos are used here! Atleast in android thanks to diversity if one model ain't suitable there is a myriad to choose from! Compare two devices of same platform when making a point.
I agree with G1 and the person above but since you decided to share...let me take a turn.
Why you felt the need to justify your iPad 2 choice in an Android related forum is beyond me.
You either realize or fail to see that Apple purposefully limits their tech. Minimal upgrades between generations. Even the newest iPhone won't support 4G from what I have heard yet they want to use LTE patents against Google?
Your train of thought that the iPad 2 is perfect is already starting to form.
The iPad's dimensions do not in any way make it better for video, reading, and web surfing. I was just having a debate with a friend who started complaining about where the dock port was on my Galaxy Tab 10.1. He was quickly shut up when I pointed out that cell phones have the port at the bottom so our hands can grip the sides. However a tablet is meant to be held in LANDSCAPE...that's why sticking the port in a different place was a smart decision.
Point being...he turned into another person claiming everything is horrible with Android. Guess what? He never owned an Android device. He actually has a Touch Pro 2 right now. IGNORANCE!
Look I've had an iPad. I know that jailbreaking it is POINTLESS. Your battery dies out super fast, the app selection is fairly weak, and all of that jailbreaking does nothing but try to replicate an Android experience. But it fails.
Unlike you, I do care about the future. I don't want to live in a world where everybody has the same glossy tablet with a slippery back so you can drop the darn thing. I don't want to be told what I can and cannot do on my tablet. I do not want to support any company intent on holding back technological progress for the sake of money or who buys patents just to sue other companies out performing them.
You have EVERY right to buy an iPad 2 but just know that your choices and who you choose to support speaks volumes. I have friends just like you. One day they're talking about freedom and openness. The next day they're justifying EVERYTHING Apple does. Cool. As long as I have a choice too.
As for your claims about Windows 8, it only serves to buttress how you allowed us yourself to come to your decision.
"Ignorance is bliss." That should be Apple's new tagline.
I love the OP and how he compares the worst of Android tablets to the best of iPad2 lol
4:3 is perfect for reading books with less wasted screen space. Yay! Now try reading comics and watching WS movies You prefer 4:3 movies? Good for you
Jailbreaking is easy for the iPad2 NOW! But do you know how long it took for the jailbreak to come out? That's right, they've been working on it since the iPad2 was released in March. Four months for a jailbreak to give you the 3rd party features equivalent of... Android. Who knows how long it will be the next time a new iPad/iDevice comes out. Compares that to the usual quick turn-around of rooting an Android device.
I'm happy that you're happy with your iPad 2. It's a nice device. But it sounds like you're just an iOS fan who tried Android and didn't like it.
I'm so glad you guys posted such thorough responses, so now I don't have to. I particularly like the point about why an Apple Fanboy felt the need to post his decision in an Android forum was beyond sensible.
goalweiser said:
I agree with G1 and the person above but since you decided to share...let me take a turn.
Why you felt the need to justify your iPad 2 choice in an Android related forum is beyond me.
You either realize or fail to see that Apple purposefully limits their tech. Minimal upgrades between generations. Even the newest iPhone won't support 4G from what I have heard yet they want to use LTE patents against Google?
Your train of thought that the iPad 2 is perfect is already starting to form.
The iPad's dimensions do not in any way make it better for video, reading, and web surfing. I was just having a debate with a friend who started complaining about where the dock port was on my Galaxy Tab 10.1. He was quickly shut up when I pointed out that cell phones have the port at the bottom so our hands can grip the sides. However a tablet is meant to be held in LANDSCAPE...that's why sticking the port in a different place was a smart decision.
Point being...he turned into another person claiming everything is horrible with Android. Guess what? He never owned an Android device. He actually has a Touch Pro 2 right now. IGNORANCE!
Look I've had an iPad. I know that jailbreaking it is POINTLESS. Your battery dies out super fast, the app selection is fairly weak, and all of that jailbreaking does nothing but try to replicate an Android experience. But it fails.
Unlike you, I do care about the future. I don't want to live in a world where everybody has the same glossy tablet with a slippery back so you can drop the darn thing. I don't want to be told what I can and cannot do on my tablet. I do not want to support any company intent on holding back technological progress for the sake of money or who buys patents just to sue other companies out performing them.
You have EVERY right to buy an iPad 2 but just know that your choices and who you choose to support speaks volumes. I have friends just like you. One day they're talking about freedom and openness. The next day they're justifying EVERYTHING Apple does. Cool. As long as I have a choice too.
As for your claims about Windows 8, it only serves to buttress how you allowed us yourself to come to your decision.
"Ignorance is bliss." That should be Apple's new tagline.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
God, I really like this post. Spoke about everything I wanted to say.
I dont want to be told what I can or cannot do. I want to tweak, optimize and control every setting that I can. There are tons of problems with JB and everyone, even a non-apple user like me, knows it. And without JB youre just living in a matrix that Steve Jobs dictates.
I would really like to hear the OP thoughts on flash. My friend tried to buy something on the web and couldnt use her credit card on the iphone. in the end I bought it for her using-yes my samsung 10.1- and she wrote me a check. And Steve Jobs is saying people dont need/shouldnt use/ cannot use flash on their mobile device.
This kinda makes me think of how I am training my 2 year old son to use the potty.
hmmm
I just recently got a galaxy tab 10.1, after spending the last month using an ipad2, I need both tablets for an app i am building.
And I can tell you this much, anyone that has an iphone will love an ipad2. Anyone that uses an ipad2 will be very very very happy with it.
But trust me, use that device for a month, then switch to honeycomb..... and it will blow you away.
One think I can say about apple is so easy to use, than it becomes boring after a while.thats why I have the samsung galaxy tab.
evolishesh said:
One think I can say about apple is so easy to use, than it becomes boring after a while.thats why I have the samsung galaxy tab.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple's draw over its competitors has been its simplicity for years - well before Android. Back in the day it was Microsoft. The sad truth is that reduced functionality in a shinier package is what most people want. Thankfully for those of us with a bit more intelligence, we have products like Android to keep us entertained.
SolusCado said:
Apple's draw over its competitors has been its simplicity for years - well before Android. Back in the day it was Microsoft. The sad truth is that reduced functionality in a shinier package is what most people want. Thankfully for those of us with a bit more intelligence, we have products like Android to keep us entertained.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right. I love android and its platform
Um, wow. Glad everyone else said already literally everything I could think of responding to the OP with.
And personally, I will never buy a Win8 tablet until I can wipe it and install Android, Ubuntu or MeeGo on it.
Lorddeff07 said:
hmmm
I just recently got a galaxy tab 10.1, after spending the last month using an ipad2, I need both tablets for an app i am building.
And I can tell you this much, anyone that has an iphone will love an ipad2. Anyone that uses an ipad2 will be very very very happy with it.
But trust me, use that device for a month, then switch to honeycomb..... and it will blow you away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the non-ipad users, could you elaborate some points on that? I just want to know some actual comparisons aside from the well advertised facts, ex: flash.
All of these tablets have their quirks and flaws. Mostly with the software. I actually need to return my second 10.1 because it's been randomly turning off like my first. Must be due to heat.
In any case, I will wait for the next batch of tablets instead. Hopefully we start getting some stuff that's really spectacular. Like a processor that can handle the native resolution of HC and has more video codecs.
Colors are pretty drab on ipad and saturated on tab. Both screens need calibration.
Tabs screen is brighter and higher Res. Side by side with same pics regardless of source tab wins everytime. Anyone saying otherwise needs prescription checked.
There's a reason ipadhd is coming. Apple knows full well there display is now second rate.
dcc22 said:
After I could compare the Ipad2, 10.1 and Transformer for days now, I decided to go and buy an Ipad2. Yes, I turned my back on Android and here's why:
10.1:
Very nice lookings, high quality and hardware but there is a big problem: the colors. On some pictures the saturation is so high that it kills lots of details every time 2 similar colors are nearby. Here you can see what I mean, check the right circle where orange and red meets - if the orange circle would be more reddish, you could hardly tell there are 2 rings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1bkovoLXw4&feature=player_detailpage#t=208s
If you compare it to a perfect calibrated monitor, it looks like crap. Flashy, colorful and nice but details are gone. That's the one and only weaknes from what it offers. It's 16:9 display is a winner when it comes to videos but video playback is poor. Ipad2 is much better, even for flash, later more to come about it.
Another MAJOR problem is Samsung support. Android is a fresh system and needs tons of support. Samsung provides NONE. For EU, they still have no release dates or closer info about their device - just lol. For me, the 10.1 is just a step in the process to upgrade to Tegra3. They built the shell now and can use it for the next device to compete with Apple. Same like they did to the 10.1v - no support, they just forgot about it.
Transformer:
Diplay is pretty good but the build quality is crap. After I saw the Archos tablets with the bronze frame, I knew where Asus bought their stuff. Both have those sharp metal frames which are wrapped around the screen. TF and Archos have gaps between the frame and glas, with some kind of rubber to fill it. Asus tried to even out the sharp edges but you can see how cheap it is. Archos tablets can cut in your finger if you swipe around the edges ! For me: complete garbage quality, should cost 250$ max to satisfy the minimalist who just want's to read or something.
Ipad2:
This device is pretty awesome. First I thought the 4:3 diplay sucks for reading but after I measured books and calculated ratios, they were ALL closer to Ipad2 standards. That menas you will have less wasted space on Ipad. When surfing internet you will learn to love 4:3, everything fits perfectly while you feel how broken sites are on 16:9. The drawback are 16:9 movies without a border and the good about it, you have FULLSCREEN ! in emulators without scaling. There are also a lot of older movies/series with 4:3, which I prefer on travel anyway.
It is fluent everywhere and feels like my Galaxy S after getting the lagfix. Stock 3.1 is bull**** compared to it. The only point where it is superior, are widgets.
Root/Jailbreak/Flash:
Jailbreaking an Ipad is a piece of cake, visit a website, click on a button, your done. No bull**** to flash around or to risk your device. After that you have Cydia which is an alternative market. You can also add repos to it, so you gain access to apps of all kind, also the not so legal ones.
You can play Flash Videos on Ipad using Iswifter or other apps. Inconvinient sometimes but to my surprise, they are fluent on the Ipad - Androids are sluggish. The Ipad even played a movie fluent with 10 other flash animations around it !
The crappy part about the Ipad is itunes and the structure how app files are arranged. Every app has it's own folder, so if you use FTP or something to transfer via network, you have to put those files IN the app folder, so they can find it. Not a big deal, if the app folder wouln't be named like 429403290239203023948393. Android is way better, copy somewhere on SD and browse it. Sure you can use itunes to put everything together but Itunes won't work with Jailbroken apps from Cydia. This breaks the use of my NAS server at home, leaving me with ****ty USB-to-PC solutions if I want it the easy way. Music and Videos which are supported by NAS can be played over UPNP but I found more nice apps for that on Android as I could on Ipad.
Conclusion:
10.1 is a nice device but it's like to own a ferrari and only have crappy roads to drive on. Android kills the Tab, sadly. It's good for smartphones but not for tabs - it's worse as an alpha build of windows. Every manufactuerer does what he wants, there are no standards. Compatibility between Android versions are a joke - imagine you upgrade from win7 to win8 and everything stops working - arrrrrrrgh.
This may be fixed with 4.0 but it will take another 1-2 years for the software. Until then, there will be Win8, which could break Androids neck (if it's compatible to Win7 programms!). Also I can sell the Ipad2 for 200-300 bucks, even if Ipad3 is released, so screw it, will lose ~150-200€ to it. But it will buy me at least 6 months of fun.
The best is, I don't have to care about the future. There is no "will it work after OS upgrade" problem with Apple.
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I did the same thing,I had the transformer for week return it and waited for the galaxy tab,I love the galaxy tab but too much force closes and app crashing.I exchange tab for ipad2 and jailbreak it.
I am very happy with the ipad,but I miss honeycomb,hope ice-cream sandwich and all manufactures they stop using nvidia Tegra
The hardware is there, and Google is revving up for Ice Cream Sandwich right now, which will hopefully bring some much needed changes to current Android
Tablets.
Sent from my Fascinate with MIUI Gingerbread
The fact that you're here means you don't mind getting your hands dirty.
So you have one simple choice - have your device running as you want it by managing the device yourself, loading ROMs from XDA - or not and wait until Apple decide to fix something.
XDA is fantastic - here there's talented bunch of guys & gals mixing & matching the best features from roms of different vendors into something unique.
There is no comparison between Apple & Android.
I'm an iPhone 4 user who was going to buy an iPad but came across the Xoom. I want to buy it but have never used Android and am concerned about updates to the UK where I live. I would be interested in hearing from fellow UK or European users of the Xoom regarding whether its worth buying it against the benefits of an iPad 2. Cheers.
In my personal opinion, I advisebyou to buy an ipad2.
I consider myself an advanced user and had numerous smartphones with all three main OSs, I had the Xoom since launched in the UK, honestly, put aside all issues with Xoom and all 'promised' advantagrs, the screen display remains the main gactor in prefering the ipad2 over all honeycomb tablets, until you compare them head to head and if you only read/watch reviews, you might be still convinced that there is no big difference, but in reality, there is a huge difference, the ipad2 display is 10x better than the Xoom. Another najor factor is the weight and size, Xoom is much heavier and thicker. At the end of the day I believe at least in the UK, you can do with your ipad2 all what you can do with Xoom as sd and usb functionalities are not working yet and by the time they are enabled, the next generation of android tablets will be out and the next major update for ipad2 is out as well.
zoum79 said:
In my personal opinion, I advisebyou to buy an ipad2.
I consider myself an advanced user and had numerous smartphones with all three main OSs, I had the Xoom since launched in the UK, honestly, put aside all issues with Xoom and all 'promised' advantagrs, the screen display remains the main gactor in prefering the ipad2 over all honeycomb tablets, until you compare them head to head and if you only read/watch reviews, you might be still convinced that there is no big difference, but in reality, there is a huge difference, the ipad2 display is 10x better than the Xoom. Another najor factor is the weight and size, Xoom is much heavier and thicker. At the end of the day I believe at least in the UK, you can do with your ipad2 all what you can do with Xoom as sd and usb functionalities are not working yet and by the time they are enabled, the next generation of android tablets will be out and the next major update for ipad2 is out as well.
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Thanks, thats really helpful. I've seen a few head to head reviews and now looked at the Android apps on the market many of which seem the same as what I've already purchased for the iphone. To be honest, I do want something different as I'm not keen on a large iphone, however, I agree, that from what I've read, the Xoom may not be worth my while in the UK. I should wait for the next generation of tablets but want something now!!
I know a guy who sent the xoom back and got an ipad2 in the UK.
i think if you have an iphone and are happy with that already you probably should get an ipad instead of an android tablet.
it's also a little sad with updates for anyone outside the US for the xoom - transformer has better update-policy it seems
to get around that you can flash the US image on (for wifi) - 3g ones take a bit more effort from what I read
Yeah I've read on the forums about flashing or rooting, which I'm assuming is another method of jailbreaking but to be honest I just want to take it out of the box and be able to receive the same as USA customers. I like the thought of being able to attach an external hard drive as I assume, this would make it easier to transfer video over as aside from comics, I want to take it on holiday in case the hotel room tv is rubbish! I'm not keen on having to convert or watch films in apples preferred format as all of my stuff is in avi.
Ive seen the Xoom online for just under £400 for 32gb and I assume the future option of a 32gb SD capability so really tempting but think I will order an ipad today or tomorrow and guess when its time to change in a few years the market will have matured a little. Thanks for your help all.
I have a nexus s so went for a xoom tablet, since you have an iPhone I would suggest you stick with an apple tablet.
Essentially the Xoom is a nice device which takes a bit of dicking about to make work the way it should. Once you've completed that process, it's probably more capable than the iPad 2, but for consumers who want something that works out the box the iPad is the better product. Android for tablets is currently where Android for phones was back in the 2.0 days.
I've got an iphone 4 and love it for being a phone.
I do love my xoom but my two biggest bug bears are 1 the screen, not so much the overall quality but the reflection from light and it just attracts finger smudges.
The second is the lack of MS Exchange support. There is nothing that comes close to the apple and microsoft usability for email and calendars. Ive tried almost every app and nothing works in the way exchange is designed to work.
Yes i love my xoom, the apps are being developed and improved daily, android is very customisable over IOS even without rooting, the tablet is great and works well with rdp apps, few good games and great fr browsing the net. The fact that someone somewhere has probably created an app for what you need (with the exception of exchange, although some of the apps may work for you). If you are looking at replicating iphone apps then you may be disappointed with some, even well known apps may have slight variations, logmein is one that has greater functionality on IOS, the ipad version is far better than the android versions.
The ipad works much better for video, like steve jobs said, why would you want to waste time re-encode video, click click and your done with ipad.
Standby battery is far better with ipad as well but constant use is on par with ipad. Find myself charging xoom every two or three days, when u was using an ipad 1 i got a week of use with breif browsing and receipt of 60 to 80 emails per day via exchange.
Need to work out what you want from the tablet. Post your uses and we can advise.
Sent from my MZ601 using XDA Premium App
ukc101 said:
I've got an iphone 4 and love it for being a phone.
I do love my xoom but my two biggest bug bears are 1 the screen, not so much the overall quality but the reflection from light and it just attracts finger smudges.
The second is the lack of MS Exchange support. There is nothing that comes close to the apple and microsoft usability for email and calendars. Ive tried almost every app and nothing works in the way exchange is designed to work.
Yes i love my xoom, the apps are being developed and improved daily, android is very customisable over IOS even without rooting, the tablet is great and works well with rdp apps, few good games and great fr browsing the net. The fact that someone somewhere has probably created an app for what you need (with the exception of exchange, although some of the apps may work for you). If you are looking at replicating iphone apps then you may be disappointed with some, even well known apps may have slight variations, logmein is one that has greater functionality on IOS, the ipad version is far better than the android versions.
The ipad works much better for video, like steve jobs said, why would you want to waste time re-encode video, click click and your done with ipad.
Standby battery is far better with ipad as well but constant use is on par with ipad. Find myself charging xoom every two or three days, when u was using an ipad 1 i got a week of use with breif browsing and receipt of 60 to 80 emails per day via exchange.
Need to work out what you want from the tablet. Post your uses and we can advise.
Sent from my MZ601 using XDA Premium App
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Thanks. I think my mind is sort of made up now. I originally wanted an ipad 2 for comic reading and possibly the odd video to watch as my iphone covers off lots of stuff for apps. My brother suggested looking at alternatives as the ipad is an expensive bit of kit for what I want. To be honest, I know that whatev er I buy, I want restrict it just to comics etc and will end up using it for all and sundry.
After some research, I feel that the Xoom is the best alternative at the moment but I mistakenly thought 'other' tablets are like mini laptops but some of the base principles such as apps are the same as the ipad format although appreciate I'm being simplistic.
It feels after lots of reading what others think, that the Android market is very exciting and certainly something that I want to get into but I think the next releases will have less challenges. One thing that has interested me after reading over the last few days is the apparent 'animosity' between some Android and Apple users. I dont get it?? As someone in his early 40's I think all of this technology is exciting and I think most of what is on sale is just a matter of preference without many major differences. I think the iphone is the best phone ever, however, I'm sure if I had picked up an Android first, I would have thought otherwise!