iPad Alternative to the iPad?

DMoggo said:

Hi all, just wondering what you would purchase if the iPad was not available or out of reach cost wise? I guess I'm asking what would be the nearest alternative in your opinion?

I know we are all Apple fans here but some non biased reasoning would be good. I know this is a pure 'what if' scenario so please feel free to not respond if you have no valuable response......too many people getting flamed lately

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I would read reviews of various devices on different tech sites and then decide which one I liked the most.

Samsung Tab, Nexus 7 or perhaps a second hand or older model iPad would slip into the £200 to £300 price range. If I was in your position I'd be looking for an iPad 3 or 4.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z is what I would own if there was no iPad, or if I couldn't afford an iPad.

Which iPad - Air or Mini?
What are you using it for - entertainment consumption, productivity, or both?

With it's 4:3 aspect ratio, 7.9 inch screen, and thin bezel, for me the Ipad mini is the perfect form factor. It's small enough to slip into my jacket pocket, yet I can comfortably read pdf files on the screen. I'm not wedded to Apple, but I'm not aware of anything comparable outside of it currently in the tablet market place. If the Ipad mini were not available, I would not own a tablet.

ougum said:

Sony Xperia Tablet Z is what I would own if there was no iPad, or if I couldn't afford an iPad.

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I agree - this is the one tablet that really made me think long and hard about possibly switching from Apple to the "other" side. Its a damned fine unit with the best screen out there and the capability to play PS3 games WITH the PS3 controller too. Thats AWSUM.

I think the best alternative to the iPad is the Nexus 7 (2013). It's a great tablet and super cheap.

Check here for some good info:

https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/157/

Good luck on your search

In my opinion, there are only a couple tablets worth getting, the Nexus 7 (2013), Sony Xperia, and maybe the new Asus Transformer (when it actually comes out). They are fantastic android devices all with minimal extra fluff to bog down the device. In the case of the Nexus 7, it is completely stock android. The Samsung tablets are just chalked full of software bloat that it ruins the experience. Also, for windows tabs, The Surface is just to bulky and clunky for a tablet, and that's likely the only Windows tablet worth considering, too.

I owned the Nexus 7 and thought it was the best choice of all of them. It is the best android experience I've had on a tablet, bar-none. However, it is only a 7" tablet, so if you want bigger you'll have to consider another device.

DMoggo said:

It is almost a similar price, certainly here in the UK. It looks good though.

PS Thank you all for your replies and not one flaming

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No need for flaming. Most of the folks here are level headed people and dont poop apple-shaped turds. We have some Apple products in our house and we have products from other companies too.

Its all good - but I dont have allegiances to companies like some people do.

DMoggo said:

Hi all, just wondering what you would purchase if the iPad was not available or out of reach cost wise? I guess I'm asking what would be the nearest alternative in your opinion?

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I've actually got plenty of Android tablets. The thing is the iPad's 4:3 aspect ratio puts it in a somewhat unique position for me. It's very ideal for web browsing, PDF's, etc. Sure, I prefer my 16:10 Nexus and Transformer for watching videos. For anything else, I reach for the iPad.

Perhaps if there was no iPad and no threat of lawsuits, we might see 4:3 Android tablets from the likes of Asus, Samsung, et. al. As it stands, despite being OS agnostic, right now, there's really no alternative I'd consider a good enough replacement for the iPad given my usage.