Honeycomb vs iOS

[WhySoSerious]

The mass majority of people here and elsewhere will agree that it's the software that makes the product, not so much the hardware. Up until tablets, Apple has really outdone everyone in the software area. That's what makes the iPhone so spectacular.

However, Apple is losing when it comes to tablet software. iOS is in no way a satisfying experience for tablets. Honeycomb is what will cause people to pull away from the iPad.

Who cares what the iPad 2 or 3 or 4 brings hardware wise? If Apple can't get a proper tablet softare operating system on their iPad, it will slowly die out.

Take out all the hardware specs and just compare tablet browsers. Honeycomb is pretty much a fully functioning desktop browser...iOS is not. Or how about multitaksing. Honeycomb is true multitasking...iOS is not. A tablet should be a bridge between phone and computer (multiple desktops, widgets, etc), which it is...iOS is not (just a large ipod).

Everyone here, practice what you preach. You all say how the software makes the device. Own up to it. The iPad software is generic and underpowered for a tablet. iOS is great for a PHONE, but not a tablet, which should be a bridge for the user.

 

[poloponies]

You really can't generalize. There's no "one size fits all" user experience. There are unquestionably consumers who want Honeycomb functionality from a tablet, but not all users do. You can't just say "it's clearly superior" without knowing what people's expectations are. Some people are perfectly content with a functional e-reader, e-mail device, web browser that plays their media files. The Xooms and Playbooks will have their market, as will Apple. There's no "win" or "lose" in a burgeoning market. Total tablet sales were zero in 2009, 16-20 million in 2010, and 40-50 million are expected for 2011. Not all will be Apple but not all have to be.

 

[ZZ Bottom]

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Yes and hopefully apple steps up their game in iOS 5, and shows a preview tomorrow. I played with the xoom, and although it is much more feature rich as you said, it also lacks polish. Transitions, movement are delayed or choppy in many cases. This can obviously be addressed.

What you need to also talk about it consumer fear of their android product not receiving the quick updates it deserves. I would rather have a xoom (wifi), but I have a real fear that motorola will not give this product the attention it deserves the moment a revision comes out.

 

[barkomatic]

One of the primary uses of any tablet is for content consumption. Currently, Honeycomb does not have an easy way to purchase and/or transfer movies and music onto the Xoom without a tedious and messy drag and drop process. You might be able to use doubletwist on it--if you can keep it from crashing.

The Android Marketplace also does not have many tablet specific apps at this point, leaving you with comically magnified apps designed for smartphones.

I played with the Xoom and I will say its a huge improvement over the Galaxy Tab and certainly shows potential. However, I'd give it a generation or two before I'd consider it a viable competitor. Google also *must* solve the problems with getting media onto the device.

 

[blackNBUK]

Take out all the hardware specs and just compare tablet browsers. Honeycomb is pretty much a fully functioning desktop browser...iOS is not. Or how about multitaksing. Honeycomb is true multitasking...iOS is not. A tablet should be a bridge between phone and computer (multiple desktops, widgets, etc), which it is...iOS is not (just a large ipod).

This "true multitasking" meme is really starting to bug me. There isn't one true path for multitasking, instead there are a number of different ways of implementing the feature which have there own pros and cons.

Based on this technical article from Google there are lot of similarities between iOS and Android multitasking. On both systems the OS is in charge of which Apps are in memory and which are being actively processed. The user is not expected to explicitly quit Apps. I haven't seen anything to suggest that this has changed with Honeycomb.

This contrasts with the older style of multitasking used on desktops, WebOS and the RIM Playbook. In this implementation the user is in charge of which Apps are in memory/being processed. If the user doesn't quit Apps after using them eventually the system will either slow down enormously if it has swap space or start giving "Out of Memory Errors".

Calling desktop style multitasking "true" seems to me to be missing the point. Many users would prefer not to have to worry about this at all. I would suggest the terms "manual multitasking" for desktop style and "automatic multitasking" for iOS/Android style are much more useful. I think it is a similar situation to gearboxes, a manual gearbox gives you more control over a car than an automatic but it also requires more effort to use.

 

[nomik2]

The Android Marketplace also does not have many tablet specific apps at this point, leaving you with comically magnified apps designed for smartphones.

Just to clarify, Android apps aren't 'magnified' like iPhone apps on iPad. They actually scale to fit the resolution.

Android isn't as resolution dependent as iOS and allows scaling easily between screen sizes and resolutions.

 

[barkomatic]

Just to clarify, Android apps aren't 'magnified' like iPhone apps on iPad. They actually scale to fit the resolution.

Android isn't as resolution dependent as iOS and allows scaling easily between screen sizes and resolutions.

True, the screen resolution adjusts well so its not pixelated--wish iOS could do that. But a high resolution phone app on a tablet is still awkward on a big screen -- and right now you'd have to be running some phone apps on the Xoom to make it functional. Developers seem to move at a snails pace on Android. I have a feeling it will take twice as long to get 1/4 the tablet specific apps on Android as it did on iOS.

 

[shingi70]

True, the screen resolution adjusts well so its not pixelated--wish iOS could do that. But a high resolution phone app on a tablet is still awkward on a big screen -- and right now you'd have to be running some phone apps on the Xoom to make it functional. Developers seem to move at a snails pace on Android. I have a feeling it will take twice as long to get 1/4 the tablet specific apps on Android as it did on iOS.

ain't that the truth. still waiting instagram for android.

 

[henrikrox]

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Browser, notifications, youtube and Maps are miles a head on honeycomb.

I mean have you seen the tabber browsikg on honeycomb? And its so much faster then and iPad. Tabber browsing please.


And come an. Give it proper notifications. And use the screen space. Now it look like oversized phone ui.

 

[Stirolak123]

I just wrote a piece on this for tablets.com:
http://www.tablets.com/uncategorize...ing-systems-and-their-two-schools-of-thought/

Its agreat subject and will determine the directions tablets will take.

 

[bidwalj]

You can't make a fair judgement until we know what iOS 5 has in store. Where was honeycomb when the iPad was introduced? It didn't exist. Any of the new tablet os's were made to compete with the iPad. If apple doesn't do anything, then you can say apple is falling behind

As for honeycomb, i tested it out on the xoom for 3 days. Ill admit the browser is really nice and other design elements a's well. Overall it feels beta software, ironically when I tried the nexus last year it felt the same way. In it's current state, it has way too many bugs.

 

[ClutchThese]

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Yes and hopefully apple steps up their game in iOS 5, and shows a preview tomorrow. I played with the xoom, and although it is much more feature rich as you said, it also lacks polish. Transitions, movement are delayed or choppy in many cases. This can obviously be addressed.

What you need to also talk about it consumer fear of their android product not receiving the quick updates it deserves. I would rather have a xoom (wifi), but I have a real fear that motorola will not give this product the attention it deserves the moment a revision comes out.

you're so right. I'm curious how their updates will play out. Apple is constantly updating the iOS allowing for more usability and better adaption of new features.

 

[shen]

I agree, the software makes the experience...

...and not one single part of the Android software impresses me. Not one. The screens look like a windows icon designer puked on glass, the multitasking is weak and limited, and the entire touch interface feels delayed and laggy. Android is the google version of MSBob, and has no place in the computing world outside the trash bin.

Now, practice what you preach, and go hang out on the android forums.

 

[whyhellojoe]

imho, just because honeycomb is bug ridden, t doesnt give apple an excuse to rest on its iOS laurels for the iPad

i'm hopng for some innovation tomorrow

 

[MacRy]

I agree that iOS needs to up it's game now that some credible tablets are coming out. It's starting to look a bit dated now. Webos is looking pretty interesting as is Honeycomb and Apple needs to take some cues from them or start innovating to keep things fresh.

 

[henrikrox]

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You can't make a fair judgement until we know what iOS 5 has in store. Where was honeycomb when the iPad was introduced? It didn't exist. Any of the new tablet os's were made to compete with the iPad. If apple doesn't do anything, then you can say apple is falling behind

As for honeycomb, i tested it out on the xoom for 3 days. Ill admit the browser is really nice and other design elements a's well. Overall it feels beta software, ironically when I tried the nexus last year it felt the same way. In it's current state, it has way too many bugs.

I love how you say that. I mean. You all compared iOS to android when the galaxy tab came out.

Ofcourse you need
To consider how the software is right now. Your statement is just laughable.

Who knows how the software will look on both platorms in some months. All I know that on the software side google is innovating. I can't believe that apple doesn't differ their tablet OS from the phone OS. Like google is doing.

We got 10 inches. Bit it's just and array of icons.

 

[walkie]

IMO Apple failed to create a useful tablet at all, just because they failed to create a device with a "good web browsing experience", and for me "a good web browsing" is the minimun this kind of device MUST offer, Safari on iPad simply sucks, too slow, reloading pages between tab shifts, that's horrible, ok you'd say iCab or Atomic is better, but even both of them must deal with a lack of RAM.

On the other hand iPad has enought RAM to run most games, but that fact becomes iPad an expensive toy with no USB ports, no SD card port, and very limited mobile device which is nothing but an oversize iPod.

Honeycomb has taken advantage of this lacks on the iPad so from now on Apple must be smarter to stay up in this battle.

I love competition!!!

 

[jmpnop]

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I love how you say that. I mean. You all compared iOS to android when the galaxy tab came out.

Ofcourse you need
To consider how the software is right now. Your statement is just laughable.

Who knows how the software will look on both platorms in some months. All I know that on the software side google is innovating. I can't believe that apple doesn't differ their tablet OS from the phone OS. Like google is doing.

We got 10 inches. Bit it's just and array of icons.

Exactly my thoughts.

When iOS 5 comes out, new version of Android may be out. Then these people will say wait for iOS 6. Its clear that iOS by no means is a good OS for tablet since its a phone OS. Still they defend Apple...

 

[CosmoPilot]

The FAA just approved the iPad as an electronic flight bag (ELB). This moves mounds of paper out of the flight deck. This is the first such device approved as an ELB.

I think the OP is missing the point of "apps." While the iOS itself is bland in terms of programs it offers, the point is it provides a stable platform for software developers to innovate. Medical Institutions and schools are now using the iPad, car dealerships and inventory specialists...the list goes on and on.

For the average John Doe, the iPad has a calculator, calendar, Internet browser, music and media. The real power comes from the stability of the iOS to provide power users (as mentioned above) a device which can serve their needs.

This is where Android will fail. Android is becoming very attractive to John Doe because of its off the shelf cool factor. But serious power users (business and corporations) are going to stick with a closed systems which provides rock solid stability.

Just my $.02

 

[vrDrew]

Another idiotic "Android is better - nah nah nah" thread.

Apple isn't "losing" anything. Fifteen million iPads sold in the past eight months say differently. And if Motorola sells a million of the wretched Xooms to pathetic tech nerds and trolls, then I'll be surprised.

If you really think that Widgets and "real multitasking" are the reasons people bought Tablets, then you really just don't understand.

Get this through your dimwitted brains: There is NO TABLET MARKET. Apple created a market for iPads.

 

[maflynn]

However, Apple is losing when it comes to tablet software. iOS is in no way a satisfying experience for tablets. Honeycomb is what will cause people to pull away from the iPad.

Why do you say that and do you have source material to back up the hypothesis? I mean the iPad is barely able to be kept in stock, and for honeycomb based tablets there's only one out on the market that costs more then the iPad and being so new there's no sales numbers to suggest its outselling the iPad

 

[Blakjack]

I don't think Steve and company ever planned for the iPad to ALWAYS have the iPhone OS. I think they are just laughing at us as we sit and curse each other over the subject.

Lets not forget guys that the iPad was a first of it's kind. There was nothing for it to compete against. My belief is that Steve and company knew they could get away with the iPad running iPhone OS for a while without having to go in right out the gate building a whole new system.

They knew in time that competition would develop products that would invoke consumer attention eventually, but by that time, they would have iOS 5 about ready to go.

Apple was putting their foot down first while the time was right before anyone else could state their claim. Today we see the results. Apple owns the market. The average consumer still thinks the iPad is the only tablet that exists at the moment. There is an iPad in every country that matters. Everybody who doesn't have one wants one and the marketing for the iPad is through the roof.

Now Apple is in a position to show us what this thing really can do!!

 

[62tele]

I have had an iPad since day one. It has more than met my needs and wishes. Bad browsing experience for who? Not me. Multitasking? Not a problem for me.
The things that a few geeks find titillating don't concern the typical consumer. Again I ask, where are the long lines of people around Verizon or Best Buys clamoring for a Xoom?
The iPad will lose out? Not likely!

 

[Krandor]

Exactly my thoughts.

When iOS 5 comes out, new version of Android may be out. Then these people will say wait for iOS 6. Its clear that iOS by no means is a good OS for tablet since its a phone OS. Still they defend Apple...

A new version of Android may be out but will any of the current Honeycomb tablets get it? Will they even get updates that fix the current bugs?

 

[kdarling]

The FAA just approved the iPad as an electronic flight bag (ELB). This moves mounds of paper out of the flight deck. This is the first such device approved as an ELB.

It's EFB.

The iPad is not the first such approved device, not by a very long shot, but it should become a popular one.

Windows PC tablets have previously made up the majority of EFBs for the past decade. Here's a 2004 article on EFB selections at the time.

(Tablets have been popular in many professional disciplines long before Apple made a mass consumer market version.)