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[Nerevar]

Get an iPad, but wait for the next version to be announced. You'll either be able to pick up a much better model, or probably be able to pick up the current model for much cheaper.

Don't get an Android tablet unless you like janky shit and want to do tech support. Only power users who want to use their tablet more like a conventional computer should get Android tablets, and even those people are probably better off waiting for a Windows 8 tablet, or just getting one of those Windows 7 tablet computers.

I mean, do people honestly believe this in real life? Do you think people who actually say stuff like this have ever actually used an Android tablet? Again, I've got a crappy Vizio tablet running Android 2.2, I just put launcher pro on it and my wife uses it all the time without any problems. I've had to do significantly less "tech support" stuff than I've done for my sister's Macbook.

To the OP: rereading your post and your responses, it looks like you're looking for justifications to buy an ipad over an android tablet. I don't really understand why you feel you need that. Android's value is it's versatility and price structure, but it doesn't compete in the specific arena that ipad occupies (10" premium tablets). Your wife doesn't want a tablet, she wants an ipad, so get her an ipad.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

I got the Ipad 2 from my workplace and it's the most useless piece of equipment in the history of mankind. (speaking in general about tablet devices)

I'll agree with you on that. I too have no need or desire for a tablet in my life. I've got multiple desktop gaming PCs running Windows 7, a MacBook Air, and an iPhone. I can't think of any use I'd have, personally, for a tablet.

I mean, do people honestly believe this in real life? Do you think people who actually say stuff like this have ever actually used an Android tablet? Again, I've got a crappy Vizio tablet running Android 2.2, I just put launcher pro on it and my wife uses it all the time without any problems. I've had to do significantly less "tech support" stuff than I've done for my sister's Macbook.

To the OP: rereading your post and your responses, it looks like you're looking for justifications to buy an ipad over an android tablet. I don't really understand why you feel you need that. Android's value is it's versatility and price structure, but it doesn't compete in the specific arena that ipad occupies (10" premium tablets). Your wife doesn't want a tablet, she wants an ipad, so get her an ipad.

Nothing to 'believe'. I'm speaking from my own experience with Honeycomb Android tablets and things I see almost daily with coworkers who own them. Maybe things will be better with Ice Cream Sandwich, but I don't think that's likely. Anyone with more power user needs should just wait for Windows 8, in my opinion.

 

[Keylime]

People basically insinuating that women aren't intelligent enough to understand Android tablets but they are superior if you can figure them out is hilarious.

 

[br0ken_shad0w]

Honestly, just get an ipad2 (or wait for the next one) and this is coming from a die-hard android user.

 

[Technosteve]

This is me talking, wait three months, pick up a used iPad 2 for 300 bucks. Fuck the transformer prime redux edition Linux will never be K00L.

Peace Out
-Steve

 

[DCKing]

I don't get how the iPad gets recommended when blogging and watching video on the list. The Transformer 3 beats it with that, because it has a higher resolution widescreen display and more video player apps (not sure about that last claim). It is also a more graphics power for games. It gets Android Ice Cream Sandwich (which is amazing) next week.

But now is the worst time to be buying a tablet. Wait for CES and the iPad 3 reveal before buying one.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

2012: the Year of Linux on Tablets

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

People basically insinuating that women aren't intelligent enough to understand Android tablets but they are superior if you can figure them out is hilarious.

it's hilarious because it's wrong on both counts

 

[Divvy]

Oh yeah, aren't win8 tabs getting revealed at CES too, or is it too soon for that?

 

[Tobor]

There are a few annoying restrictions, you mentioned that you want to play mkv files, you can't unless you convert them (other tablets there is no conversion required), there is no sd card slot for memory expansion.

But for your wife, she'll have an easier time understanding ipad compared to anything else.

As has already been said, there are apps for iOS that play MKV natively. Let's ease down on the FUD, please.

 

[LyleLanley]

There are a few annoying restrictions, you mentioned that you want to play mkv files, you can't unless you convert them (other tablets there is no conversion required), there is no sd card slot for memory expansion.

But for your wife, she'll have an easier time understanding ipad compared to anything else.

You can play MKV on iOS as long as you download an app such as AVPlayerHD

Edit:

Also, I like how people make it seem like it takes a rocket scientist to use an Android tablet.

 

[gcubed]

People basically insinuating that women aren't intelligent enough to understand Android tablets but they are superior if you can figure them out is hilarious.

i think their actual TABLET is superior (expandable memory, screen, aspect ratio). The uses for it are definitely not. And i own android phones and tablets. It has nothing to do with being a woman. If you want a tablet today and in the next year or two that can do everything you would want a tablet to do (which is run an insanely larger amount of apps), then its an Ipad.

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

The original Asus Transformer sounds perfect. It's been out for a year but it's been confirmed to get Ice Cream Sandwich very soon.

Now that the Transformer Prime is coming out, the original Transformer is going to get a price cut. One thing to note is that the keyboard dock also roughly doubles the battery life and gives extra ports to use. I think the original Transformer is going to drop from $400 right now to $300 when the Prime comes to stores. I've already seen the keyboard dock drop from $150 to $100.

I think she'll have an easy time learning either iOS or Android, I've seen complete tech noobs learn how to use their smartphones within a couple days. I'm talking about people who are 50 years old and barely know how to send an attachment.

Keep in mind that these tablet/smartphone OS's are waaaaaaaaaaaaaay simpler to use than any desktop OS. I've never heard of somebody actually being confused by how their phone or tablet works.

 

[Enco]

Wait for the iPad 3 which should come around March.

Then either get the iPad 3 or get the iPad 2 on the price drop.

.

 

[Deleted member 13876]

Gonna say iPad as well and echo that it's probably wise to wait for March. Chances are the iPad 2 will be heavily discounted for a period if the iPad 3 doesn't tickle your fancy.

 

[kehs]

People basically insinuating that women aren't intelligent enough to understand Android tablets but they are superior if you can figure them out is hilarious.

I was actually meaning to point this out.

 

[bill0527]

*sigh* iPad it is then. I see they have referbs for $420, so I'll probably go that route to bring the price back down into our range.

So, iPad then:

Can I hook up any bluetooth keyboard to it?

Does it have any sort of memory card slots (for movies on the go)? How much usable memory, for non-iStore files, does the 16GB model end up with? Or does everything have to go through iStore? I'd rather just load on some MKV files.

Are there apps to access the Kindle or Nook stores? Although I hear iBooks is pretty robust on its own, so maybe I wouldn't even need them.


I realize iPad 3 is looming, but her birthday is in a couple weeks, and I don't feel like chasing the latest and greatest for this thing. This market moves too fast for that.

Any Bluetooth keyboard will work. I bought this for my wife for Christmas and she loves it, but it does make the tablet bulkier. Got it for $40 on Black Friday sale: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005Y1CYSQ/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Usable memory on my 16GB iPad 1 device is 13.8GB.

There are no memory card slots on it, but if you buy DVDs or Blu-Rays with digital copy versions on them you can transfer those to your iPad. They range in size from 500-700mb each.

I'm not really a power user who needs everything all at once on my tablet. I've got 6 movies on it right now, no music, and about 60 apps and have about 4.5GB free on mine right now. I've got some very large apps on it right now. I just bought a bunch of EA games on a big sale at the app store for .99 each and they take up a ton of space - Tiger 12, NBA Jam, and FIFA 12 and they're all anwhere from 300MB- all the way up to 1.06GB in size.

 

[Keylime]

i think their actual TABLET is superior (expandable memory, screen, aspect ratio). The uses for it are definitely not. And i own android phones and tablets. It has nothing to do with being a woman. If you want a tablet today and in the next year or two that can do everything you would want a tablet to do (which is run an insanely larger amount of apps), then its an Ipad.

Won't disagree with that at all there. There are definitely tablets out there with better screens or more expansion ports, but as you said, without the software to make them useful they lose any advantage they had gained with the hardware.

If price isn't a hurdle for you, I'd submit that an iPad would be the right choice for the vast majority of consumers.

 

[Vandiger]

She wants an Ipad 2. Main issue is the fact that Ipad 3 is supposedly just a couple of months away from launching.

You'll be over paying for a $400+ Ipad2(16gig) but its a gift she will love I guess.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

lol shit like this will always crack me up. Get a tablet to avoid the benefits of a tablet.

"The best selling point for the Asus GoBot Extreme is that you can hook a keyboard, mouse, PS3 pad, WaveBird, and Dreamcast Fisghing Controller into it and then your wife can root it to play Commodore games. ^_^"

"Honey, it's your birthday and I love you, so I got you an Android tablet" are probably the last words a lot of people will hear right before the legal separation.

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

dude, this is seriously an easy decision. There are those out there that refuse to use apple products for some reason or another but they are in a vast vast minority. For your needs above there is nothing restrictive, in fact it's the perfect device for you.

I would say the physical keyboard and removable storage make the transformer or the transformer prime the easy decision. The iPad is a good product, but these are big differences that directly affect two of his main priorities.

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

I bought my wife a Transformer + dock for Chrimbus and she likes it. It was $500 for the tablet and the dock, which is the same price as an iPad but the tablet seems to give way more utility. Between the extra storage, battery, and the easier to use keyboard my wife doesn't take it off the dock unless she is on the go. Typing on the keyboard is way better than trying to type on the screen and really brings up the productivity you will have while using it.

Android is not hard to use at all. In fact, all of the features of it are quite quick and feel snappy. It's a pretty powerful little tablet. The problem is that you need to instill in her that a tablet is not a PC. It's not going to work exactly like a PC and there are going to be compatibility issues one websites and the like. It's just the nature of them.

After doing the research on tablets I had to go with the Transformer. In terms of practical usage, it will do everything an iPad does just as well, but when you bring in the dock it just becomes a superior product for the same amount of money as an iPad.

 

[Divvy]

Won't disagree with that at all there. There are definitely tablets out there with better screens or more expansion ports, but as you said, without the software to make them useful they lose any advantage they had gained with the hardware.

If price isn't a hurdle for you, I'd submit that an iPad would be the right choice for the vast majority of consumers.

Yeah the general consumer would certainly be happier with an ipad no doubt, but I think in terms of productivity, android is at the very least a viable alternative. In that area I think android has better options in terms of hardware that make up for the lack of software.

 

[Always-honest]

Ipad 3. Is there another real option?

No.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

I would say the physical keyboard and removable storage make the transformer or the transformer prime the easy decision. The iPad is a good product, but these are big differences that directly affect two of his main priorities.

you can use a keyboard with the ipad and the ipad has more than one storage option between 16-32gb, storing music on the cloud, and so on. Facts are facts, he had a list of things he wanted, the ipad does just about 99% of it perfectly compared to the "competition".

 

[alphaNoid]

Was in your shoes 2 weeks ago, bought my wife an iPad2.

 

[andycapps]

People basically insinuating that women aren't intelligent enough to understand Android tablets but they are superior if you can figure them out is hilarious.

I don't think it's that women aren't intelligent enough to understand them. Simply that they're mostly going to want to play Angry Birds, Solitaire, Cut the Rope, etc and surf on Facebook while not worrying about managing anything. I don't mean it as a slight to women, just as a general rule I think most would prefer the iPad mostly because they wouldn't give anything else a chance. If they'd actually try an Android tablet, they'd be fine with it.

My wife is one of the exceptions and wants a Prime. Then again she'd be perfectly fine with an iPad 2.

 

[Sai-kun]

My dad and I got my mom a Transformer for christmas, with a keyboard as well. Without the keyboard, typing on the screen works pretty well, although like other touch screen stuff, it can take some getting used to. They keyboard is really cool, as well. I don't really know much about the specific specs, though, so I can't say much about them.

The speaker on the transformer is a little weak though.

 

[see5harp]

I would wait the 3 months. It'll only make an iPad 2 or Transformer that much cheaper and if they do something crazy like offer a higher resolution screen for the same $500 price point, you'll probably want to go that route.

 

[Tobor]

Re: Aspect ratio. 4:3 is superior on a device with no natural orientation.

16:9 or 16:10 sucks in a 10" device meant to be held and rotated.

 

[gcubed]

Re: Aspect ratio. 4:3 is superior on a device with no natural orientation.

16:9 or 16:10 sucks in a 10" device meant to be held and rotated.

i was really going to delete that portion of my post as to not bring that argument in here. I respectfully disagree though

 

[Divvy]

Re: Aspect ratio. 4:3 is superior on a device with no natural orientation.

16:9 or 16:10 sucks in a 10" device meant to be held and rotated.

This is pretty subjective...

 

[Enduin]

I was actually meaning to point this out.

Same, I was just in the middle of writing something too. Im surprised there isnt more outrage by Girl-GAF over this because its literally brought in every single Android Vs Apple thread when a female is involved.

Honestly it comes down the personality, Android allows you to tinker and to customize. You dont need to be a power user, or some hardcore nerd, to make it run right and work for you, but you at least have the option unlike iOS.

For me widgets are huge, I like having a lot of my favorite apps and things right there on my home screen without having to open up the actual app. Not to mention I can make my device my own with how I layout my widgets, apps shortcuts and wallpapers. As well I hate iOS navigation, Androids dedicated Home, Menu and Back buttons are perfect.

And in terms of apps, honestly iOS has way more, but in terms of actual usefulness and quality Apple isnt really that far ahead of Android. Almost all the popular apps are on both platforms or at the very least have similar alternatives.

For the OP, research the shit out of it, look at detailed walkthroughs of the OSes to see which fits you and the wife right and check out their top apps to see if the difference between options really makes much of a difference to you.

 

[andycapps]

Re: Aspect ratio. 4:3 is superior on a device with no natural orientation.

16:9 or 16:10 sucks in a 10" device meant to be held and rotated.

Well, that's just like, your opinion, man.

OP why don't you and your wife go test drive each of them and decide for yourself?

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

I am skeptical toward people who say that Android Tablets will not catch up to iPad for tablet apps in the very near future. Very skeptical. I give it a year to a year and a half to reach parity.

 

[gcubed]

and the only reason it has no natural orientation is because its 4:3 , its not really an advantage.

I am skeptical toward people who say that Android Tablets will not catch up to iPad for tablet apps in the very near future. Very skeptical. I give it a year to a year and a half to reach parity.

in a year and a half, buy a new tablet.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

I am skeptical toward people who say that Android Tablets will not catch up to iPad for tablet apps in the very near future. Very skeptical. I give it a year to a year and a half to reach parity.

What do you mean by parity? Feature-wise, you can already do a lot more with Android tablets than an iPad. Do you mean in terms of apps?

I don't think Android tablets will ever catch up in terms of general ease-of-use and user-friendliness.

Android tablets are, and will probably continue to be, great for people who do their own research and know what they're getting into. I don't think they should be recommended as a gift for someone who wants a tablet but isn't tech savvy enough to decide on their own.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

I am skeptical toward people who say that Android Tablets will not catch up to iPad for tablet apps in the very near future. Very skeptical. I give it a year to a year and a half to reach parity.

It always seems like the open option is always a year or a year and a half away from catching up to the leader, doesn't it?

 

[Tobor]

and the only reason it has no natural orientation is because its 4:3 , its not really an advantage.

A tablet shouldn't have a natural orientation. It's not a laptop. You can hold it any way you want, and the OS and hardware should be built to accommodate that philosophy.

On a phone, it makes sense. It needs to feel good while holding it to your ear, hence 16:10 screens built around a portrait orientation.

 

[gcubed]

A tablet shouldn't have a natural orientation. It's not a laptop. You can hold it any way you want, and the OS and hardware should be built to accommodate that philosophy.

On a phone, it makes sense. It needs to feel good while holding it to your ear, hence 16:10 screens built around a portrait orientation.

why shouldn't it? because apple says so? If the way i hold my tablet adjusts how i view things on screen why is that a bad idea? I want to read a book or a text heavy website via one orientation and watch basically all media on another. There is no advantage that i can see NOT having a natural orientation and sacrificing compatibility with the main use of these devices, which is media consumption.

edit... but like i said, its an argument for a different thread (basically every tablet thread)

 

[AbortedWalrusFetus]

What do you mean by parity? Feature-wise, you can already do a lot more with Android tablets than an iPad. Do you mean in terms of apps?

I don't think Android tablets will ever catch up in terms of general ease-of-use and user-friendliness.

Android tablets are, and will probably continue to be, great for people who do their own research and know what they're getting into. I don't think they should be recommended as a gift for someone who wants a tablet but isn't tech savvy enough to decide on their own.

I mean in terms of apps. In terms of user-friendliness I don't think it will be that far behind either.

It always seems like the open option is always a year or a year and a half away from catching up to the leader, doesn't it?

Kind of like Android OS market share, right? Up until the year it passed iOS market share.

 

[andycapps]

It always seems like the open option is always a year or a year and a half away from catching up to the leader, doesn't it?

Not as far as sales goes on phones, at least. Android has already done that. They're still on their first OS revision on tablets.

 

[RSP]

If it was about the hardware, the choice would probably be a difficult one. But iOS is so much easier to use, I would only choose an iPad at this stage, even if it was twice the price of the competitor.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

I mean in terms of apps. In terms of user-friendliness I don't think it will be that far behind either.

"In terms of apps" doesn't actually mean anything at all.

Number of apps? Sure, Android might get there. Quality of apps? They haven't even caught up to Apple on the phone front yet.

 

[popeutlal]

If it was about the hardware, the choice would probably be a difficult one. But iOS is so much easier to use, I would only choose an iPad at this stage, even if it was twice the price of the competitor.

You must be a woman.

 

[Keylime]

Kind of like Android OS market share, right? Up until the year it passed iOS market share.

When did Android pass iOS in marketshare?

...are are you only talking about smartphones?

 

[zoukka]

We spend so much time in front of computers, TV's and smartphones so to add more entertainment on a screen to that mix is just insanity and makes me feel like the devil for owning one, even though I didn't pay for it. A tablet is perfect if you want to sit there, wasting your last bits of free time with simple games and social media. Don't fucking do it.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

Kind of like Android OS market share, right? Up until the year it passed iOS market share.

 

[Tobor]

why shouldn't it? because apple says so? If the way i hold my tablet adjusts how i view things on screen why is that a bad idea? I want to read a book or a text heavy website via one orientation and watch basically all media on another. There is no advantage that i can see NOT having a natural orientation and sacrificing compatibility with the main use of these devices, which is media consumption.

edit... but like i said, its an argument for a different thread (basically every tablet thread)

Huh? That's not what I'm saying at all. I think you've misunderstood me.

 

[andycapps]

When did Android pass iOS in marketshare?

...are are you only talking about smartphones?

I think we're talking smartphones. Not smartphones, tablets, and mp3 players.