I am trying to decide whether to get I pad 2 or Galaxy tab 10.1 I currently have a PC with no apple products or apple experience. I would like to use the tablet as E Reader (be able to transfer books from my Kindle to tablet), browse the internet, play games such as solitare etc Send emails and do basic word processing. I also want to be able to experiment with apps.
How important is it that apple does not support flash? What types of limitations will this impose? Should the fact that I have a windows desktop influence my decision?
I have heard that apple products are difficult and expensive to get repaired; is this true?
Please advise on advantges and disadvantages of each.
thanks

Originally Posted by redwind30

I am trying to decide whether to get I pad 2 or Galaxy tab 10.1 I currently have a PC with no apple products or apple experience. I would like to use the tablet as E Reader (be able to transfer books from my Kindle to tablet), browse the internet, play games such as solitare etc Send emails and do basic word processing. I also want to be able to experiment with apps.
How important is it that apple does not support flash? What types of limitations will this impose? Should the fact that I have a windows desktop influence my decision?
I have heard that apple products are difficult and expensive to get repaired; is this true?
Please advise on advantges and disadvantages of each.
thanks

Hi and welcome to the Forum!

I had a windows laptop when I bought my iPad and have never looked back. Everything you have said you want to do can be done with an iPad. The lack of flash on the iPad has never caused me a problem, Adobe has now stopped developing Flash for Mobile Devices also. Below you will find a link which will explain about Flash and some alternatives you can try.
If you have a problem with your iPad and it is still within warranty, apple will more than likely just give you a new one, of course this doesn't cover damage you have done through dropping it although Apple's response to this is normally to replace your iPad but at a cost to you. I cannot give the pros and cons here so I will leave that up to others, but I will say i don't regret for one minute buying my ipad. Good luck with your decision!
Flash and the iPad

The IPad Forum is a community of members from all walks of life and from all over the world coming together to share our experiences and to help each other learn about this wonderful piece of technology the Ipad. There is a wealth of information already here in the many threads we have so doing some searches will answer most of the questions you have. If then you cannot find the answer you are seeking then by all means post your question. There are many friendly and informed members here only too willing to help you.

We also have our own App - It is a very simple app to navigate.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/discu...412896524?mt=8
Reading the IPad manual is a great place to start so please download a copy of these.
http://www.support.apple.com/manuals/ipad/
2 very informative threads from which you will learn many tips and shortcuts for the IPad.
http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-gener...dont-know.html
iOS5 Tips and Tricks
We have rules like any Community so please read these also
Forum rules - everybody please read!!

Once again we welcome you here and are so pleased you have joined us!

Whoever told you that Apple products were hard to get fixed and more expensive to fix, do not know what they are talking about. Apple products are more reliable, and have the best warranty on the market. And they are very generous about their warranties. Often they are willing to go above and beyond what any other company will do to make you happy. And if you have a problem, who is going to be a better way to go? A company with stores dedicated to their product in every large city, in every state, or Wal-Mart/Best Buy/Radio Shack/etc? If you buy an Apple product and it goes bad, you can go to the nearest Genious Bar and get things resolved quickly. Anyone else, and you have to send it back to the factory and wait for them to even determine the problem.

That being said, the choice of devices is a personal preferrence. Most people love the iPad and its quality. Android devices are getting better, but still lack. The number of apps are greatly in Apple's favor, and they usually run smoother than their Android counterparts. If you want to watch a lot of videos, you may prefer the letterbox design of Android device. If you do a lot in portrait mode, the iPad is easier to read. Another minor fact. A 10" screen in letterbox, is actually smaller than the 9.7 iPad screen.

Just want to add I found the AppleCare+ warranty with the iPad is great. Two years of protection and even if you break your iPad by accident they will replace it at an apple store for a nominal fee of $49 up to two times.

But with not having flash it depends on your uses. A lot of sites that use flash have apps on the app store some sites will just not work but they are not important to me. Within Two years every site will likely move away from flash. I know my company public sites have already.

I also have an android tablet and I just don't find that flash sites work very well in that form factor. I don't use my android tablet since getting the iPad.

Hi Redwind - welcome to the forum!

Most of your issues have already been addressed well in the previous responses, but I can add another supporting vote for the iPad (also being a long time PC using and currently typing on a Vista laptop). I own the iPad2 (nearly a year old now), and virtually all of your needs will be met w/ this device; if you plan to do 'simple' word processing (I use Apple's Pages), composing long emails/responses, or data entry (e.g. Paprika, a recipe app), then a BT (bluetooth) keyboard would be a strong recommendation - wife & I have been using Apple's offering.

We do a lot of traveling (most short car trips around the Carolinas & Virginia) and typically stay at places w/ Wi-Fi access - the iPad has 'replaced' my laptops while on the road; w/ the BT keyboard, we can easily browse the web & compose email; on plane trips, the iPad/keyboard/charger fit easily into my carry-on bag and do not need to be removed for TSA inspection - the change has been a joy!

If I were undecided, I'd buy both, take them home and test drive for about a week, then return whichever doesn't suit. There are lots of free apps and if you buy tabs from stores with reasonable return policies, it wouldn't cost you but time, and you'd get whichever tab fits your needs best.

One big advantage with Android is adding content with ease, so if you want to load easily via USB, SD card, etc., that's a consideration. iPad works well if you're willing to work within Apple restrictions.

I have two iPads, iPhone 4S, iPod touch and they play well together. I also have Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy Note, a 5" phablet. The Note has been great -- smooth, easy to add content to. It's primed me to buy a Galaxy tab next.

Originally Posted by redwind30

I am trying to decide whether to get I pad 2 or Galaxy tab 10.1 I currently have a PC with no apple products or apple experience. I would like to use the tablet as E Reader (be able to transfer books from my Kindle to tablet), browse the internet, play games such as solitare etc Send emails and do basic word processing. I also want to be able to experiment with apps.
How important is it that apple does not support flash? What types of limitations will this impose? Should the fact that I have a windows desktop influence my decision?
I have heard that apple products are difficult and expensive to get repaired; is this true?
Please advise on advantges and disadvantages of each.
thanks

I've had my ipad2 for around a year now, was a former windows PC user, and have never tried the Galaxy tab so I'm coming from that point of view. I just wanted to add that I've been able to do all the things you want to do just fine, and I very rarely fire up the PC these days (quite frankly I don't have the time to waste waiting for it to get going!). I use it for reading, some word processing, simple spreadsheets, storing and editing photos, shopping, playing games as well as general internet searching. The lack of flash hasn't been a particular issue- I've found the odd thing on You Tube I've been unable to play but I don't really use You Tube all that heavily. However if YT's an important part of your techie user experience that might be a factor! The thing I really liked about the ipad was how instinctively easy to use it was, right from the box. I'm really not technically minded at all and I've managed just fine with no real problems, and any issues I've had have managed to be solved with the help of all the knowledgeable people here in this forum!

I have stated my leaning at the moment in other posts, I Own the galaxy tablet 10.1, 8.9,kindle fire, and iPad. To be honest, I am finding it a hard time to find anything I like about the iPad more then the galaxy, and I am honestly trying...very hard in fact. I joined this forum specifically to do so.
I hear what the others are saying and that is legit, the iPad being so proprietary, is surely more 'secure'. But, We all know even the so called secured apps, have sometimes come up not so secure, and even the most secure app becomes insecure if used improperly, or just accidentally anyways. I cannot see anyone saying there are more iOS apps then android, and even if there are, quite frankly it doesn't matter because there are so many for each you'll never need more anyways, and android apps I have noticed are mostly free. Though there are a lot of free apps for its also, plenty in fact, I have found them harder to get because you have to go through their iTunes /ect. I also have a feeling if there were no android, then there would be a heck of a lot less they were willing to let folks have for free even at all.
I really like being ale to plug my galaxy tablets, and kindle fire, into my PC and simply move files to it.....I cannot emphasize how much I dislike not being able to do that with the iPad to the largest degree. Mp's, videos,even programs I want to move from one computer to the next or my friends computer....it is like having a handy external drive sometimes frankly. Bam, it's done. I still haven'nt found a way to upload still on my iPad even though I found a way to store things in Dropbox to be accessed anytime, that does no good if I do not currently have wifi.....I mean seriously....64 gb of space on a iPad possible and you cannot load stuff to it easily, and can only keep them is a central syncing location is not my idea of that useful.
I want to like the iPad....I seriously do....but it is more expensive, and I'm just not getting it yet, I guess....and Samsung is coming out supposedly anyways with a new tablet with a hi-res display. I am waiting a few weeks before returning this iPad, by then hopefully this forum will show me better ways to use this and allow me to love it.

Originally Posted by Shylock

I have stated my leaning at the moment in other posts, I Own the galaxy tablet 10.1, 8.9,kindle fire, and iPad. To be honest, I am finding it a hard time to find anything I like about the iPad more then the galaxy, and I am honestly trying...very hard in fact. I joined this forum specifically to do so.
I hear what the others are saying and that is legit, the iPad being so proprietary, is surely more 'secure'. But, We all know even the so called secured apps, have sometimes come up not so secure, and even the most secure app becomes insecure if used improperly, or just accidentally anyways. I cannot see anyone saying there are more iOS apps then android, and even if there are, quite frankly it doesn't matter because there are so many for each you'll never need more anyways, and android apps I have noticed are mostly free. Though there are a lot of free apps for its also, plenty in fact, I have found them harder to get because you have to go through their iTunes /ect. I also have a feeling if there were no android, then there would be a heck of a lot less they were willing to let folks have for free even at all.
I really like being ale to plug my galaxy tablets, and kindle fire, into my PC and simply move files to it.....I cannot emphasize how much I dislike not being able to do that with the iPad to the largest degree. Mp's, videos,even programs I want to move from one computer to the next or my friends computer....it is like having a handy external drive sometimes frankly. Bam, it's done. I still haven'nt found a way to upload still on my iPad even though I found a way to store things in Dropbox to be accessed anytime, that does no good if I do not currently have wifi.....I mean seriously....64 gb of space on a iPad possible and you cannot load stuff to it easily, and can only keep them is a central syncing location is not my idea of that useful.
I want to like the iPad....I seriously do....but it is more expensive, and I'm just not getting it yet, I guess....and Samsung is coming out supposedly anyways with a new tablet with a hi-res display. I am waiting a few weeks before returning this iPad, by then hopefully this forum will show me better ways to use this and allow me to love it.

You are making it really hard on yourself if you are downloading apps from iTunes. If you use the app store on the iPad it is just as simple and more organized than google play.

Frankly, based on your post, I'd advise you to get an Apple. You simply didn't say any of the things that those who prefer Android would typically say. I own both and can easily go either way. The apple products have better resale value and way more third party support. Apple customer service is second to none. And I rarely if ever need to connect to a computer for iTunes, but I do tend to avoid iTunes with a passion, so I was motivated to learn ways around it.