How many of you will consider an Android Tablet?

[Chizno]

Android has a little more work before it's up to par with the iPad. Motorolla and RIM are doing well (RIM has their custom OS) We'll see what Honeycomb really looks like once it's available to test drive.

 

[donka]

Visiting a friends house and they have a movie in mkv format that I want to copy onto my ipad. What is the simplest way to do this?

First of all, I have to download a piece of software on their computer to convert the movie into mp4 or m4v. Then I have to wait an hour or so for it to convert. Then I have to upload it into dropbox or something, IF it is under the 2gb limit. Then I have to download it OTA to my ipad. Then I have a file on my ipad that is not recognized by the stock video player. . . . .

Compared to:

Oh, I like that movie, let me plug in my android phone, select Mass Storage, transfer the movie, play it in the stock player.

There is an app for that!
OPlayer let's you connect to a network, browse for files and pull them onto the iPad and it will play back virtually any file I have tried with it.
Not quite as simple as the android example you gave but no where near as crippled either!

 

[666fff]

Android has a little more work before it's up to par with the iPad. Motorolla and RIM are doing well (RIM has their custom OS) We'll see what Honeycomb really looks like once it's available to test drive.

Hmmm I think honeycomb looks really good. How does android need work? Widgets are something the iPad really needs. I want to see what HTC pull out of the bag. I don't like the size of the playbook, too small. iPad is the perfect size.

 

[Thphilli]

Visiting a friends house and they have a movie in mkv format that I want to copy onto my ipad. What is the simplest way to do this?

First of all, I have to download a piece of software on their computer to convert the movie into mp4 or m4v. Then I have to wait an hour or so for it to convert. Then I have to upload it into dropbox or something, IF it is under the 2gb limit. Then I have to download it OTA to my ipad. Then I have a file on my ipad that is not recognized by the stock video player. . . . .

Compared to:

Oh, I like that movie, let me plug in my android phone, select Mass Storage, transfer the movie, play it in the stock player.

There is an app for that!
OPlayer let's you connect to a network, browse for files and pull them onto the iPad and it will play back virtually any file I have tried with it.
Not quite as simple as the android example you gave but no where near as crippled either!

Oplayer cannot play 720P mkv files. Nothing in my experience on the ipad can play 720P except the native player, and the native player only plays m4v or mp4 format.

 

[dragginblazer]

Air Video plays all my non mp4 movies. The catch is you have to have Itunes to put that media on the Ipad. I just jailbroke my ipad today so hopefully it will get easier to add movies before my next road trip.

 

[ipadzombie]

The limitations of the iPad are most frustrating because it is a conscious choice by Apple to limit the user. Pretty much anything in Android can be changed... The keyboard, the desktop shell, various UI elements, transition screens, pretty much everything... And that's before you even root the device.

I'll say again I love this iPad, and like another poster said, I enjoy all kinds of gadgets, not just tied to one brand or OS. I'm having a great time tweaking this iPad to make it as perfect as possible for me as a laptop replacement... But I always find the limitations of any device... I explore, I imagine, and when I get an idea and pursue it only to be confronted by the borders of freedom... It gets frustrating because it doesnt have to be that way.

In regards to the idea that the iPad is a compliment to a desktop computer, rather than a laptop replacement... The same could be said for any tablet... However, Android is capable of being a replacement...

I just want to see Apple allow the full potential of iPad!!! Alternate desktop shells, widgets, replacement keyboards, replacement UI, storage cards, file management, and zero dependency on iTunes... Don't just tell us to Think Different... Allow us to act on it!

 

[Thphilli]

The limitations of the iPad are most frustrating because it is a conscious choice by Apple to limit the user. Pretty much anything in Android can be changed... The keyboard, the desktop shell, various UI elements, transition screens, pretty much everything... And that's before you even root the device.

I'll say again I love this iPad, and like another poster said, I enjoy all kinds of gadgets, not just tied to one brand or OS. I'm having a great time tweaking this iPad to make it as perfect as possible for me as a laptop replacement... But I always find the limitations of any device... I explore, I imagine, and when I get an idea and pursue it only to be confronted by the borders of freedom... It gets frustrating because it doesnt have to be that way.

In regards to the idea that the iPad is a compliment to a desktop computer, rather than a laptop replacement... The same could be said for any tablet... However, Android is capable of being a replacement...

I just want to see Apple allow the full potential of iPad!!! Alternate desktop shells, widgets, replacement keyboards, replacement UI, storage cards, file management, and zero dependency on iTunes... Don't just tell us to Think Different... Allow us to act on it!

You will NEVER see Apple allowing different shells or keyboards or replacement UI or file management, and probably wont ever see widgets or storage cards or zero dependency on iTunes. Apple designs its devices so that every user has the optimal "apple" experience. Letting users choose things for themselves leads to conflicts and slowdowns which degrade from this "apple" experience. To techy people like myself, this is infuriating, but a large segment seem not to care. I do feel that if Apple didn't have the "cool" factor, they would be MUCH less of a factor in the mobile world than they are today. They make AMAZING hardware combined with a poor to mediocre OS and allow developers to make AMAZING apps. Most consumers are willing to overlook to mediocre OS for the amazing hardware and software, as well as the "cool" factor.

 

[xune]

Can ipad do this?
- not synch but use USB to transfer music?
- play more than 2 kinds of video formats without streaming?
- connect a USB drive?
- insert an SD card?
- true multitasking?
- download and play videos directly from the web?
- DOWNLOAD EMAIL ATTACHMENTS without a fee?

iPad is crippled and it works well for people who just want to read news on it and play a couple of video games. It's not a even a great consumption device with the lack of support to download music and videos. I am happy with it because at the time when I bought it there was nothing else on the market but just like the iPods were sold and replaced, so will the iPad.


All included for no extra charge? PC).

[/QUOTE]

1. Yes. Use the cord that comes with your iPad.
2. No, but what's wrong with streaming? I prefer streaming.
3. Directly, no. Wirelessly, Like using a device like AirStash, yes.
4. Yes. Use the iPad USB/SD card camera connection kit.
5. Give me a good argument of why I would need, multitasking any 'truer' than what is on the iPad?
6. Directly no. Using a device like an AirStash, yes.
7. You're saying that android powered tablets download .doc, .ppt, and .exl for free? If so, that's good. I wasn't aware that it could do this w/o formatting issues.

"just want read news on it and play a couple video games"? Seriously?! It's not a Kindle you know. Even the Kindle does more than this.

"not a great consumption device"? Mmm, okaaay.. It's only been hailed as the greatest content consumption device to date.

"when I bought it there was nothing else on the market"? really?! Were you on a deserted island for the last thirteen years when Microsoft was marketing tablet computers?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayCNgRrv5g8&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/ame]

At 1:40, Steve Ballmer says that "[tablets] move more slowly because the technology is not quite ready, the technology's not at the right price point, the the technology isn't exactly appealing, it needs to be modified to really appeal"

You didn't buy an iPad because it was the only tablet on the market. You bought an iPad because it was the best tablet on the market. .. You did buy an iPad, didn't you?

Your last sentence makes no sense btw. iPods were sold and replaced, and so will the iPad? You mean like sold and replaced by.. more iPods and iPads?

So you bought an iPad and discovered that it's just for reading news and playing a couple video games and lacks support for downloading and playing videos. Lol. The next time I hear someone who just wants to read news and play a couple video games, but doesn't want to download or watch videos(because iTunes has soooooo few videos to choose from, and it's soooooo hard to download), I'll be sure to recommend they buy an iPad.

 

[Superbike81]

You keep arguing that Air Stash and streaming are the way to go. But what if I am somewhere with no Wi-Fi? If I stream one 720p video that pretty much maxes out most 3G data plans. Or I could simply have them on a SD card and be able to view my stuff anywhere and in real time.

Also yes, you can download any file you want on an Android device and it is available in the file system. Not everyone gets their movies and other videos from iTunes.

What other device with the same format factor (a true tablet) was available in April of 2010? All I was saying is had the Galaxy Tab or Cook been available, I would have bought one of those. There wasn't a better option available, so I bought an iPad. I still don't say it was a mistake, I did enjoy it somewhat, but now that something better is so close, I can't wait to hand it down to my wife, sh is fairly computer illiterate so the iPad will be perfect for her.

 

[donka]

They make AMAZING hardware combined with a poor to mediocre OS and allow developers to make AMAZING apps. Most consumers are willing to overlook to mediocre OS for the amazing hardware and software, as well as the "cool" factor.

I am in no way an Apple fanboy but I think it is almost laughable to call IOS poor to mediocre. Restricted, yes.

 

[xune]

You keep arguing that Air Stash and streaming are the way to go. But what if I am somewhere with no Wi-Fi? If I stream one 720p video that pretty much maxes out most 3G data plans. Or I could simply have them on a SD card and be able to view my stuff anywhere and in real time.

Superbike.

The AirStash does not require any wifi or 3G network to accomplish what I wrote.

If you have an SD card, you simply put it in the AirStash, and.. ready?.. view your stuff anywhere in real time.

You pretty much made the augment for using AirStash with an iPad.


www.AirStash.com

 

[Superbike81]

I mistook AirStash for MobileMe. But still, even with the Air Stash, I can't do what I want with it because the iPad won't allow me to access it fully.

 

[xune]

Not sure what you mean by not being able to access it fully, but fair enough.

Did you give this a peek btw: http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-acce...ipad-allows-up-three-people-store-stream.html

 

[Superbike81]

I mean that most apps won't have access to all those files you have stored anyways.

 

[xune]

Seems to be enough for me..

Viewable Document Types
iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad:
.jpg, .tiff, .gif (images); .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel)
Other platforms:
All browser supported media files (non-DRM)

Audio
iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad:
AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
Other platforms:
non-DRM browser supported media files

Video
iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad:
H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

Other platforms:
non-DRM browser supported media files

AirStash: wireless flash drive + pocket media server + SD adapter for iPhone, iPod touch & iPad

What apps besides iWork and MobileMe/dropbox need access to these files?