Ipad Killers? What do you think?

[Prasius]

I think the Playbook is going to be terrible honestly, due to one simple thing, real app support. It's running it's own OS which no other devices are really using, so unless it becomes a HUGE seller, developers aren't going to make apps for it.

I'm a little concerned that BB have tried to broaden their consumer base and will fail trying to take on Apple. That said, there are lots of consumer BB users in the UK at least (I used to be one of them.. And I liked my BB) so if the price is right they might make headway there.

 

[zorah]

TJK in post #3 says it well. I concur with most of that. well put. Describes exactly why I have mine.
I have the 16GB wifi which is certainly less than the Galaxy. I don't need the 3G on it. For my personal use, my iPhone with 3G has the quick access to things I need when I'm out. I thus far only take my iPad to work. Will be interesting to see if Galaxy comes out with a wifi only and what that price point would be.
I do have a hacked PanDigital Novel running Android and it's not bad, but it can't be left on standby like iPad. I assume the Galaxy can. The Novel has lag at times, but, really though is like an apples and oranges comparison-it's meant as an e-reader with just added little perks to it. I'm interested to hear the stability of the Galaxy-does it lag, does it ever crash, etc.

 

[Superbike81]

The Galaxy Tab does have a fair amount of lag in some situations, but I attribute this to the teething process that Android is still going through. I think once we see Android 3.0 coming to tablets, we will see a *MUCH* more fluid user experience free of lag and most crashes. Even the iPad crashes occasionally, although normally not the entire device, just apps.

 

[Aldo]

I read that the android apps etc have been made for phones and not tablets so they dont fill the screen and some dont run etc. but theyre working on it to make apps work on tablets but they reckon a good 6 months for it to happen

 

[zorah]

I agree. Apps crash on occasion, but not the whole iPad itself. Agreed that Android for tabs is just teething. Interesting though that iPhone apps while not all are optimized for iPhone screen, iPad still allows them to be viewed full screen. A bit pixelated maybe, but not as bad as I thought. I wonder how many Android apps can go full screen even if a little pixelated. About 30 of my apps for iPhone are now also optimized for both iPhone and iPad. I have about 130 total between paid & free.

 

[Superbike81]

That's one of the big advantages Apple has over Android, the App Store. Anyone who tries to argue that the App Store doesn't make the Android Marketplace "its bitch" is delusional. Hopefully with more tablets on the market, the Marketplace will improve, but for now it really is a one sided battle.

 

[zorah]

LOL. True that! And apps came about fast as lightning. After years of using Palm and then having a Treo and also WM phones, I was used to having apps/programs at my disposal. I got an iPhone on launch day, and waited that year to not have apps on a phone! Ended up being worth it, and the prices are way better too. Android does have work to do, but it has potential.

 

[leey]

hmm, no one can be iPad killer I think, though I even want to get a Playbook, but at last I gave up and stick with my cool iPad, as iPad has be one of my life and work member

 

[oldipad49]

I think the Playbook is going to be terrible honestly, due to one simple thing, real app support. It's running it's own OS which no other devices are really using, so unless it becomes a HUGE seller, developers aren't going to make apps for it.

Storm is the RIM's 1st real attemp to get into consumer market, and with each product launch they are learning and adjusting their strategies. Will play book be a success? Will see, but given RIM's solid enterprise infrastructure, device, and capabilities I think they do have a very good chance.

As for apps - the Playbook is open to html 5 apps exactly for that purpose, to build up the app store quickly leveraging communities everywhere. For business users, I see Playbook to have much adventages over ipad. And, if the RIM app store strategy work, that same Playbook can very much be an entertainment and media device in a year or two and take away sizable chunk from ipad.

 

[Dukins]

I hate the same ole rehashed Android vs Apple (Ipad Killer? Android sucks!) threads that pop up every forum I go to. Why not own both and enjoy what both has to offer. I have an android phone and absolutely love it, but I have an Ipad that I absolutely love as well. I get the best of both worlds. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Now back to the original question. I have owned both but returned the tab for an Ipad, why? Because I have an android phone already and to be honest it wasnt much more of a different experience than owning any other android device, just bigger. I wanted a totally new experience and wanted to take advantage of all the optimized apps that are specifically made for Apple. Truthfully just about every retailer, newspaper, weather, etc has an app for ipad/iphone. It is slowly but surely turning for Android, but for now the Tab is no Ipad killer JMHO. When on the tab I was just longing for more space in seemed in every operation I wanted to do on my tab, from games, apps, browsing, etc. 7in to small when you already have a phone that is 4.3in.

 

[Superbike81]

7" really is too small IMO. But quite a few people seem to really like the size.

 

[y2kgtp]

I tried out a Nook color a week or so ago. Very laggy in it's screen to screen transitions. Even in the eReader.

 

[TJK]

Hey guys - nice balanced discussion so far and agree on the counterpoints.
Col. Bris - agree there is room in the market at all levels and "tablets" are the new "netbooks" going forward. I guess my point overall is that until Google or somebody releases a competitive OS that is optimized for tablets the experience for other platforms is going to be hit or miss. There are just too many variations of hardware and OS versions in the Android world right now. If anything Android supports too many different microprocessor platforms - there are too many Chinese companies building underpowered "crap-lets" at this point. If Google would harness the hardware compatibility side of the equation I think things could get a lot better. As long as they ALLOW anybody to cram their mobile phone OS onto any piece of crap with a touchscreen it is going to be bad news. However, as I said before, I believe they should center their efforts for the tablet market on Chrome. Chrome OS running on an Oak trail processor would be a very interesting tablet platform.

My real point in comparing RIM and Apple is that they both exercise fanatical control of the entire platform from hardware to software to apps and that makes the experience more predictable for the end user - granted at the expense of some creativity as mentioned. Yeah - the Blackberry Storm was a mess but was also their misguided and rushed attempt at trying to knock off the iPhone. (My Verizon 8830 I think is still the best "smart phone" I have had. Never a hiccup!)

So back to the Apple / RIM argument - what I am saying is that I believe it is going to take that kind of control on the Android side to really mount a successful head to head competitor to iPad.

 

[iceman]

I think the Android tablet market will heat up in the next couple of months. Android 3.0, which is the next version of Android will work well with the larger tablet form factor. Once that hits, you will see some really good Android based tablets.

I just bought an Droid X and I have had an iPad since April and I find the Android OS just as good as iOS.

 

[TJK]

I think the Android tablet market will heat up in the next couple of months. Android 3.0, which is the next version of Android will work well with the larger tablet form factor. Once that hits, you will see some really good Android based tablets.

I just bought an Droid X and I have had an iPad since April and I find the Android OS just as good as iOS.

Agreed - but there is still a fundamental problem in that you can run Android on any microprocessor and screen platform and a solid OS is useless without the hardware to back it...and Google has absolutely no control over that by design. Some company will put the right platform together but it will be in spite of Google rather than because of them.

Right now I think the Android tablets (and Win-Tel) are trying to cram too many features into their tablets which taxes the OS and hardware limitations. I don't think this is an iOS vs. Android battle. It is about developing Android tablets with the right minimal feature set and build quality. Apple, if anything, has proven that you don't have to have every feature available or a low price to succeed in the tablet market.

Less is more in this case.

And once HP gets some things cooking with WebOS - it should get interesting!