Let's be honest. Isn't Android 3.0 more what you would expect from a Tablet OS?

[Calidude]

Let's be honest for a second and forget our fanboyism for a moment.

I'm an iPhone 3GS owner. I love it. iOS4 is working great for me because of the limits of a phone's size

However, you can't just make the screen 10 inches and keep the same OS as that of a phone. You need a more desktop like OS to be able to interact with that bigger screen more efficiently.

That's where Android 3.0 excels.

1) The browser is better and more intuitive.
2) The notification system is way ahead.
3) The way you can change your home screen around with widgets and icons to your leisure in that big 10 inch playground of a screen, while iOS has all that empty space.

Come on, guys. iOS5 had better be more of a desktop like experience for the iPad or Apple is officially not in the game anymore.

 

[Fubar1977]

If anything,they`ll make the Mac more iOS like.

So far people still seem to be voting for the iPad with their wallets.
I`m curious to see what happens with android tablets over the next year it could be really good.

 

[.Max.]

All I want is an Android port for my iPad, Beautiful software for a beautiful device

OMG, Imagine running MIUI with an iPad theme on your iPad

 

[Calidude]

So far people still seem to be voting for the iPad with their wallets.

I don't really see a good competitor to the iPad on store shelves. Do you?

 

[Gryzor]

It's fine just the way it is - so much so that both Apple and Microsoft are working on "skinning" their main OS so that you can have the best of both worlds.

What exactly is it that you want to do on iOS that you are unable to, that REALLY makes a difference to the experience? Please don't mention customisation or flash either.

 

[Calidude]

It's fine just the way it is - so much so that both Apple and Microsoft are working on "skinning" their main OS so that you can have the best of both worlds.

What exactly is it that you want to do on iOS that you are unable to, that REALLY makes a difference to the experience? Please don't mention customisation or flash either.

Are you kidding me?

1) The browser is more like the one I use every day on my laptop.
2) The notification system is more like something I would use on a laptop.
3) The space on the screen CAN be utilized more than just 20 icons with all that space between them.
4) The bar at the top that changes in Android 3.0 is far more useful than the thin minimally useful bar at the top of iOS4, especially for a tablet.

A tablet is supposed to act more like a laptop, not a phone.

 

[SteveAbootman]

Agreed about the home screen & notifications. I'd like to see important information come up on the lock screen at the least. Notifications are an iOS-wide problem that hopefully will be addressed in 5.0

Browser seems a bit of a stretch though; there are plenty of 3rd party solutions that are head and shoulders above Safari. Install one of those if you need a more laptop like browsing experience.

Either way, it all comes down to what you believe a tablet should be: a cut-down version of a laptop, or a souped up version of a phone. You seem to be leaning towards the first preference.

 

[Gryzor]

Are you kidding me?

1) The browser is more like the one I use every day on my laptop.
2) The notification system is more like something I would use on a laptop.
3) The space on the screen CAN be utilized more than just 20 icons with all that space between them.
4) The bar at the top that changes in Android 3.0 is far more useful than the thin minimally useful bar at the top of iOS4, especially for a tablet.

A tablet is supposed to act more like a laptop, not a phone.

Rubbish.

• The stock browser on iPad is perfectly adequate. No, flash is not a requirement these days.
• The only notification I need is when an e-mail arrives, which plays an audible sound and shows a counter. I don't see the problem with that.
• If you need more than 20 icons on a single page, you are disorganised. The simple folder structure and multiple screens in iOS are more than adequate.
• Who cares about the bar at the top - it's a tablet device, not a computer replacement.

 

[Piggie]

To answer your question, and get a more honest answer you only need to browse Google images for what most people thought the iPad was going to be like before it was launched.

That vast majority of images show a Apple Tablet machine with a OSX style interface.

I don't think many were expecting the iPhone screen to just be blown up to fill a near 10" display.

Whilst there will of course be a market for a mobile extension of your main computer, which the iPad is, and is build to be.
There also will be a market for those who want a more independent device in it's own right.

 

[ravenvii]

I agree that at this stage, iOS4 is not suitable for a tablet.

I agree that Android has some features that iOS should have.

However, I do not agree that Android is the be-all-end-all OS. Frankly, I think Android sucks.

I am waiting to see what Apple brings to iOS 5. If they fail to address the many serious flaws in the system, I agree that they are in trouble, with only the App Store keeping them ahead. With all the bad press the App Store is getting, with restrictions, 30% cut, and so on, I see an opening for others to jump in and snatch that advantage.

Personally, I'm rooting for webOS. It's the only other OS that is as natural and smooth as iOS.

To answer your question, and get a more honest answer you only need to browse Google images for what most people thought the iPad was going to be like before it was launched.

That vast majority of images show a Apple Tablet machine with a OSX style interface.

I don't think many were expecting the iPhone screen to just be blown up to fill a near 10" display.

Whilst there will of course be a market for a mobile extension of your main computer, which the iPad is, and is build to be.
There also will be a market for those who want a more independent device in it's own right.

Sorry to break it to you, but those types of tablets has existed for a long time, and they are a colossal failure.

 

[Piggie]

Sorry to break it to you, but those types of tablets has existed for a long time, and they are a colossal failure.

Oh, that's interesting.
Do you have links to these tablets running a modified version of OSX as I'd love to see them and I'm sure others would be interested also.

Here are some screen shots of what I mean:

http://www.ipadshouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ipad.jpg


http://gadgetcrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/apple-tablet-logan-lape.jpg

http://thenextweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/upload_73695.jpg

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/apple-tablet.jpg

http://www.techmagnews.com/wp-content/uploads/images/The_Apple_Tablet_Spawns_Huge_List_of_Rumors.jpg

 

[Androidpwns]

If anything,they`ll make the Mac more iOS like.

Hope not... I realise Apple have their hands full with iOS development and next gen. of iPhone/iPad etc... but would love them to speed up OS X and make it even slicker.

 

[ravenvii]

Oh, that's interesting.
Do you have links to these tablets running a modified version of OSX as I'd love to see them and I'm sure others would be interested also.

What, you think OS X - a desktop OS - would do better on a tablet than Windows?

Well, if that's the case, have a blast: http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbook

Me and nearly everyone else, though, understand that a OS tailored for a touchscreen is the way to go.

 

[fertilized-egg]

A tablet is supposed to act more like a laptop, not a phone.

A tablet is supposed to act more like a tablet, not a keyboard&mouse driven laptop. The iOS was designed for not a phone specifically, but a small sized tablet. The iPod Touch is just that, a small tablet.

Thus your argument latching on the connotation of the word "phone" is baseless. Besides I am using a tablet laptop right now and I can tell you it's horrible as a finger touch tablet device.

If you're arguing the current incarnation of iOS doesn't take the full advantage of the extra screen size for task switcher, desktop, etc, then yes, I agree and Apple should improve it with better desktop options and an improved notification system. However in the grand scheme of things, what really matters is whether the OS provides enough tablet UI for the apps.

Reading things like this, it seems Honeycomb would be first OS in history where you can get more productive shuffling things on desktop and playing with widgets instead of working inside actual applications.

On a side note, am I the only one who much prefer WebOS or Playbook QNX to Honeycomb on the surface level? So far in the demos they both look much more professional and just as functional as Honeycomb.

 

[Piggie]

What, you think OS X - a desktop OS - would do better on a tablet than Windows?

Well, if that's the case, have a blast: http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbook

Me and nearly everyone else, though, understand that a OS tailored for a touchscreen is the way to go.

No, but if you read what I said, I said people obviously thought the Apple tablet would be running some modified version of OS X, just by looking at all the pre-rendered ideas of what people were expecting from Apple before we saw the real device actually launched.

In reply to that, you said "those types of tablets has existed for a long time"

So I asked you, were are they? Were are the modified for tablet OS X devices that people thought were coming that had previously failed?

I said nothing about a tablet running an unmodified version of windows.

 

[ravenvii]

On a side note, am I the only one who much prefer WebOS or Playbook QNX to Honeycomb on the surface level? So far in the demos they both look much more professional and just as functional as Honeycomb.

Definitely not - because I completely agree with you. I don't really understand all the love for Android.

But then again a lot of people loved Windows, so what do we know?

No, but if you read what I said, I said people obviously thought the Apple tablet would be running some modified version of OS X, just by looking at all the pre-rendered ideas of what people were expecting from Apple before we saw the real device actually launched.

In reply to that, you said "those types of tablets has existed for a long time"

So I asked you, were are they? Were are the modified for tablet OS X devices that people thought were coming that had previously failed?

I said nothing about a tablet running an unmodified version of windows.

My point is that tablets running a desktop OS are failures.

 

[Stetrain]

Looking at HoneyComb the two biggest things to me are the better browser tabs (way faster to switch between, the default Safari tabs are just silly) and also the notification system. Look at WebOS on the HP Touchpad, it looks a *lot* like iOS on an iPad, but with a lot of those things fixed and more optimized.

iOS 5 should be announced and previewed sometime in March or April, I get the feeling that some of those nagging issues will be fixed. With a better tabbed browser experience (more RAM in iPad 2 will also help this a lot), a new notification system that doesn't block the whole screen, and the system-wide gesture for app switching, I think it will feel much more like a powerful tablet.

Really most of the iPad apps are similar to iPhone apps, but you can't claim that they aren't optimized for a tablet screen. If you've used an iPad or even looked at the apps they almost all are laid out well for tablet use, rather than just being scaled up phone apps. Android is just now getting around to this with Honeycomb with things like two-column interfaces for Mail etc.

 

[Capt T]

No, but if you read what I said, I said people obviously thought the Apple tablet would be running some modified version of OS X, just by looking at all the pre-rendered ideas of what people were expecting from Apple before we saw the real device actually launched.

In reply to that, you said "those types of tablets has existed for a long time"

So I asked you, were are they? Were are the modified for tablet OS X devices that people thought were coming that had previously failed?

I said nothing about a tablet running an unmodified version of windows.

Piggie, did you click on the link? That is OSX on that tablet. They have been around for awhile.

 

[faith4more]

Apple at one time was geared more for the pro user. They now more cater to mainstream mom, pop, grandma under 10 market. Nothing wrong with that as they are making money hands over fist and are producing some highly usable tech to the masses. However, they are slow to add features and won't add other things because don't want to confuse that demographic. This is a departure from what made Apple different. They used to more appeal to to the high end pro crowd.

Whereas Google with Honeycomb should appeal to both the pro crowd and mainstream. Apple would say to complicated but come on if you know how to use a desktop windows or mac surely you can handle a little more sophisticated tablet OS.

Easy to say more sophisticated OS is not what people want. But really only decent tablet so far has been iOS on ipad. That may be about to change with Honeycomb. People may find they want more than iOS offers.

I find it interesting when Apples tablet was originally rumored blogs, messages boards etc were full of fanboys saying would not buy a tablet unless it was full featured mac OSx tablet. But now that same crowds defends stripped down iOS on a tablet. Say what?

I preface all I have said with fact that I love iOS on my iphone but on tablet I found it limiting.

If you want 10 year old simple on a tablet iOS is perfect go for it. If you want something that does more looks like Honeycomb may be the ticket.

 

[Piggie]

Piggie, did you click on the link? That is OSX on that tablet. They have been around for awhile.

To Clarify.

I don't mean running unmodified OS X.
I would not want that.
Any OS would need to be radically changed to allow for touch input.

Problem we have right now is that a small screen, with inaccurate touch control makes it very hard for major apps to be written.
In fact that is another problem that it would take years before companies felt it was worth investing in a complete rewrite of any major software.

I'm guessing it would cost millions and a nightmare to get something like Photoshop into a workable state on something like an iPad, there just is not the screen room being a fundamental issue, that combined with having to have controls so large they are suitable for finger input.

 

[Pressure]

Hard to say, especially considering that no currently released product has Honeycomb.

 

[Q-Dog]

Well, if I wanted the functionality of a laptop, I would have gotten a laptop.

 

[Sydde]

If you want 12 year old simple on a tablet iOS is perfect go for it.

Do you know any 12-year-olds?

 

[vrDrew]

I think the evidence clearly shows that Android is the preferred operating system of annoying trolls.

That, in and of itself, is enough to convince never to waste a second of my life using a device running it. Anything that appeals to people with such poor manners, and anti-social behavior traits, cannot be a good thing.

 

[bpaluzzi]

I don't mean running unmodified OS X.
I would not want that.
Any OS would need to be radically changed to allow for touch input.

Which is what iOS is.