Already have an iPad 2, should I buy an Android ?

[xCromwell]

As you can read in the title, I already have an iPad 2 -that I absolutely love- and I wanted to know if the Android platform is really different/stands out of iOS. Why ? There is no particular reason, I adore technology, am an early adopter and I love to "adopt" many different things. ( I had a Playbook, switched to iPad. For desktop I have Windows 7, 8 and Linux machines. )

ANYWAY.

That said, I find ICS very interesting but I love my iPad too much to just sell it and move to Android. Also, I'm trying to move forward more and more in a post p-c world So what do you think ? Should I get an Android tablet ? Or is it not worth it ? I'm just looking for a different experience.

 

[mertyz]

As you can read in the title, I already have an iPad 2 -that I absolutely love- and I wanted to know if the Android platform is really different/stands out of iOS. Why ? There is no particular reason, I adore technology, am an early adopter and I love to "adopt" many different things. ( I had a Playbook, switched to iPad. For desktop I have Windows 7, 8 and Linux machines. )

ANYWAY.

That said, I find ICS very interesting but I love my iPad too much to just sell it and move to Android. Also, I'm trying to move forward more and more in a post p-c world So what do you think ? Should I get an Android tablet ? Or is it not worth it ? I'm just looking for a different experience.

I own an Android phone and even though it got me really excited for the first couple weeks, soon I realized that it still has a long way to go. There's only one thing I find useful on Android and that is the ability to assign a specific application for a specific task. It really is nice but that's pretty much it I think. It's not good at making use of the hardware it's working on and there aren't many tablet applications that you wouldn't find a similar version of in App Store.

Even though I am also an FOSS developer and would love to see Android becoming a powerful OS to compete with iOS even better, I don't think it makes sense to invest a device running it right now. I've been there too but I finally decided to go with iPad 2

 

[xCromwell]

I own an Android phone and even though it got me really excited for the first couple weeks, soon I realized that it still has a long way to go. There's only one thing I find useful on Android and that is the ability to assign a specific application for a specific task. It really is nice but that's pretty much it I think. It's not good at making use of the hardware it's working on and there aren't many tablet applications that you wouldn't find a similar version of in App Store.

Even though I am also an FOSS developer and would love to see Android becoming a powerful OS to compete with iOS even better, I don't think it makes sense to invest a device running it right now. I've been there too but I finally decided to go with iPad 2

Really ? I knew that Android was quite far back behind iOS in terms of system optimiztion and all, I thought that with ICS they had improved. Even if they didn't improve it, I think performance should not be an issue as I was aiming a t the Asus EEE Pad Transformer Prime. I think that ICS looks like there are more features than iOS for various tasks such as multitasking et al.

Edit: Btw, I also am a FOSS dev

 

[mertyz]

Really ? I knew that Android was quite far back behind iOS in terms of system optimiztion and all, I thought that with ICS they had improved. Even if they didn't improve it, I think performance should not be an issue as I was aiming a t the Asus EEE Pad Transformer Prime. I think that ICS looks like there are more features than iOS for various tasks such as multitasking et al.

Edit: Btw, I also am a FOSS dev

Actually what I meant was: "Don't expect the same performance you would get with that specs if it was an Apple product's."

Apple is really good at optimization since they know on which hardware the OS will run. Apple optimizes their hardware for their software and their software for their hardware. Unfortunately it's not that easy for a hardware manufacturer to optimize Android as much as Apple does for their own products. I didn't use Asus EEE Pad Transformer Prime myself, so I cannot say that it definitely applies for that device as well, but still...

The thing is, even though it performs great, there's almost nothing special about an Android tablet really.

 

[ZBoater]

Yes! Go for it! If you are truly a gadget geek, you should own an Android device.

I bought a Galaxy Tab 8.9 to satisfy my Android cravings. This tablet is scheduled to get the ICS upgrade. Take a look at the HTC Flyer as well. Not sure if that one will get ICS, but Honeycomb 3.2 update has been leaked.

I got a smaller tablet instead of a phone because I really don't need another cellular bill. I have my eye on the Galaxy Nexus, and am thinking of buying one unlocked and using it with my iPhone 4S SIM for a couple of months to try it out.

I love gadgets.

 

[wordoflife]

If you have some spare money that you can blow off, then sure, go for it. There's really no point in doing it if you need that money.

 

[AppleHater]

My case is even funnier in a way. I've picked a transformer from Bestbuy. I went to buy other stuffs, but couldn't pass the $250 deal... I still haven't opened the box, yet as I can't quite decide whether I want to keep this or not.

I have an iPad and will buy an iPad 3 next year. I was going to pass my iPad to my wife, but now I'm thinking whether to sell iPad and keep this. iPad 1 vs Transformer, it became.

 

[Nychot]

i had an ipad1 sold it and got an ipad2. picked up an hp touchpad during the fire sale. its decent and webos is somewhat superior to ios. but the ipad is still best and the tp just sitxps around. so you may be in the same situation if you buy another tablet.

 

[takeshi74]

Should I get an Android tablet ? Or is it not worth it ? I'm just looking for a different experience.

Worth is always highly subjective. No one can tell you if getting an Android tablet is worth it to you or not as we know nothing about you and we're not psychic. As is typical for threads asking questions like this you've left out any information that might help us to make a suggestion one way or another. Lacking that info your best bet is just to try one for yourself and see.

 

[Capt T]

Yes! Go for it! If you are truly a gadget geek, you should own an Android device.

I bought a Galaxy Tab 8.9 to satisfy my Android cravings. This tablet is scheduled to get the ICS upgrade. Take a look at the HTC Flyer as well. Not sure if that one will get ICS, but Honeycomb 3.2 update has been leaked.

I got a smaller tablet instead of a phone because I really don't need another cellular bill. I have my eye on the Galaxy Nexus, and am thinking of buying one unlocked and using it with my iPhone 4S SIM for a couple of months to try it out.

I love gadgets.

Do you put movies/video on it? Have you come up with a file format to share back and forth with the iPad?

 

[xCromwell]

Yes! Go for it! If you are truly a gadget geek, you should own an Android device.

I bought a Galaxy Tab 8.9 to satisfy my Android cravings. This tablet is scheduled to get the ICS upgrade. Take a look at the HTC Flyer as well. Not sure if that one will get ICS, but Honeycomb 3.2 update has been leaked.

I got a smaller tablet instead of a phone because I really don't need another cellular bill. I have my eye on the Galaxy Nexus, and am thinking of buying one unlocked and using it with my iPhone 4S SIM for a couple of months to try it out.

I love gadgets.

Haha ! I am a gadget geek and I think I really want something new. I hadn't heard about the Galaxy 8.9 but it happens I was looking for a smaller tablet. What do you think ? Does it performs well at general browsing ( YouTube ) and games ?

 

[Mac.World]

i had an ipad1 sold it and got an ipad2. picked up an hp touchpad during the fire sale. its decent and webos is somewhat superior to ios. but the ipad is still best and the tp just sitxps around. so you may be in the same situation if you buy another tablet.

Exact same situation for me, except I am continually updating and maintaining my TP. Clocked it to 1.5ghz, installed all the latest preware updates and so on. Now looking to install Android on it, to get my Android kick at no extra charge. Nothing beats a dual-bootable Touchpad.

 

[SporkLover]

If you are looking to just spend money do it.

Each of the OS has their own merits, and if you can own both do it.

 

[OldMike]

My case is even funnier in a way. I've picked a transformer from Bestbuy. I went to buy other stuffs, but couldn't pass the $250 deal... I still haven't opened the box, yet as I can't quite decide whether I want to keep this or not.

I have an iPad and will buy an iPad 3 next year. I was going to pass my iPad to my wife, but now I'm thinking whether to sell iPad and keep this. iPad 1 vs Transformer, it became.

You lucky dog. For $250, that was a complete steal. Today, I just picked up the lesser Acer Iconia (since the $250 Transformers were quickly swiped up - I didn't even have a chance) for $229. Not as good of a deal as your Transformer, but a pretty good bargain in comparison to a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet (since they are both crippled Android tablets).

I sold my iPad quite some time ago, but if I still had it now, I think I would just hold on to it and enjoy both...

 

[aleni]

i have ipad2 and iPhone 4s, but my ipad2 becomes a hassle to bring it everywhere. and all i do with my iPad2 is watching movies and browsing. never played games with that. I'm thinking of buying the new galaxy tab 7+.

after playing with my friend's grab 7+, the browser is not as smooth as on the iPad2, especially when you are swiping and zooming in and out. it makes me uncertain.

 

[doboy]

Why the hell not? It's only money. Play with it for few weeks and if you don't like it, return it. Only you can decide if it's worth it for you.

 

[mooseknuckles]

I agree with everyone else. GET IT. I have an iPad2 with unlimited data and will be getting the Galaxy Nexus as soon as VZW gets their act together. I had the 4s less then a week before going back to Android, waiting on the Nexus now and I will be getting iPad 3 when it is available. We only live once, enjoy.

 

[ZBoater]

Do you put movies/video on it? Have you come up with a file format to share back and forth with the iPad?

No. My entire video collection is on avi format (I'm an old Archos user) so I've been converting some of my stuff to MP4 slowly. Because of iTunes I've decided to rip all new stuff in MP4 iTunes compatible. Sigh. Resistance is futile. I have been assimilated...

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Haha ! I am a gadget geek and I think I really want something new. I hadn't heard about the Galaxy 8.9 but it happens I was looking for a smaller tablet. What do you think ? Does it performs well at general browsing ( YouTube ) and games ?

It performs very well. The Android YouTube app is nice. I'm rooted and overclocked, and very impressed with both performance and battery life. I use the Tab a lot at night in bed because it's thinner, lighter, and easier to hold for an extended period than the iPad 2. I don't have many games, as I'm heavily invested in iOS in that respect. The one game I have is from the old Droid days (Robodefense) and that plays smooth as silk, but that is to be expected from an old game.

 

[Consultant]

No. My entire video collection is on avi format (I'm an old Archos user) so I've been converting some of my stuff to MP4 slowly. Because of iTunes I've decided to rip all new stuff in MP4 iTunes compatible. Sigh. Resistance is futile. I have been assimilated...

I use one of many players that can play AVI, MKV etc on iPad without transcoding. Not sure they work well for HD, though some claim they do HD.