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

[shen]

MobileMe syncing, which in my experience is a lot faster than Google syncing, is still way too slow. I delete emails on my iPhone, and they still show up on my iPad for days, until I actually hit the refresh button.

Back on topic:
Notifications for iOS on the iPad don't really need to change that much. It's not like you're getting text messages or phone calls that completely disrupt what you're doing. Notifications needs to be greatly enhanced on the iPhone, but since they basically run the same OS, when that happens the iPad's will change as well.

Hrmm, you might want to look onto that syncing thing. You might have an odd setting somewhere. I can delete mail on any device and watch all the others delete the same message within 2-4 seconds. I just tested it after reading this to be sure it wasn't in my head. Works on the laptop, phone, and pad.

Can someone lay out just why they think notifications are better on droid? different, i see that, but i am not seeing why it is always better...

 

[EthanNixon]

Hrmm, you might want to look onto that syncing thing. You might have an odd setting somewhere. I can delete mail on any device and watch all the others delete the same message within 2-4 seconds. I just tested it after reading this to be sure it wasn't in my head. Works on the laptop, phone, and pad.

Can someone lay out just why they think notifications are better on droid? different, i see that, but i am not seeing why it is always better...

I've been using MobileMe since it was released a long time ago. I don't have the issue when I delete on my iPhone and check my PC, or vice-versa. However, the iPad takes hours/days to resync unless I hit refresh. I let the iPad auto-configure it, so there shouldn't be an issue. I get excited/depressed/upset when I answer all of my emails from personal/work/YouTube on my iPhone, then pick up my iPad to relax only to find I have 12 "new" emails.

Also, the iPad is set to "push".

 

[shen]

That is really odd ethan, i have been on mobile me for years as well, (before it was mobile me) and let the iPad auto configure as well, but the pad acts just like you describe the iPhone acting, no issue at all.

Very odd.

This is part of why I started using Apple though. Even when it looks like everything should be fine something mysterious happens and you get an odd result. Under linux and windows they happened much more often, yet even with Apples "simplified just works" products stupid stuff like this still comes up...

 

[fertilized-egg]

...
Advantages of android 3.0:
..
Apps that aren't based in a world of rules (yes, that's a pun based on the film: The Matrix)

Everything you need to know about android...

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2011/02/19/apples-iphone-and-the-curious-world-of-android-enthusiasts/

Funny stuff.

One thing I have a hard time understanding about Android enthusiasts is if they are so worried about Apple becoming the ruler of the world, why aren't they even more worried about a company that will try everything to put its ads everywhere? I don't know about others, but if I was that worried about a single company, it'll be one that makes living off selling others' information as ads to others on ALL hardware, not one that tries to strictly control its OWN hardware.

I mean if I was an idealist, I'd go nuts trying to tell people about devices like the Open Pandora. Or where were the same Apple alarmist when Symbian was open sourced and when there was a much more legitimate Linux-based OS in Maemo?

Another thing that rarely gets mentioned is, among the current touchscreen platforms that were influenced by iOS, Android has easily the least polished and the worst performing UI - note that I said the UI performance, as in the lag, frame rate, etc, not the OS performance - behind webOS, Windows Phone 7, and Playbook QNX. And yet because none of the companies behind those projects be it HP, Microsoft or RIM, is considered "cool" or has a motto that says "don't be evil," they have yet to attract righteous Apple alarmists. (In Microsoft's case, we have the former evil empire itself trying to go from Goliath to David to Goliath again)

I suspect a part of the phenomenon I've mentioned in the last paragraph is also because Android phones tend to have to best specs as there are more manufacturers involved in producing phones with latest components, which means geeks who put the most emphasis on the paper specs cannot go for WebOS or WP7 phones as they don't have the "geek legit" latest specs.

So many different marketing strategies, psychological effects and political games of words are involved in this war of mobile platforms but that's what's so intriguing about it and why we like to talk about it incessantly online.

 

[Sydde]

iOS can be kept in state where you can turn on instantly where as desktop os cannot be left on as such.

1998 was over a decade ago.

 

[jaw04005]

I've been using MobileMe since it was released a long time ago. I don't have the issue when I delete on my iPhone and check my PC, or vice-versa. However, the iPad takes hours/days to resync unless I hit refresh. I let the iPad auto-configure it, so there shouldn't be an issue. I get excited/depressed/upset when I answer all of my emails from personal/work/YouTube on my iPhone, then pick up my iPad to relax only to find I have 12 "new" emails.

Also, the iPad is set to "push".

Yeah, I have the same problem. It's not fixed in iOS 4.3 either BTW. It has to be a power management issue.

 

[MRU]

.

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

and that's where your argument falls apart.

Because until the iPad there were plenty of tablets in the PC universe and none of them succeeded because they were exactly what you 'suppose'...

15 million iPad sales later.

HP and other manufactures going back to the drawing board in 2010 and ditching their original let's just stick windows on it intentions, most then make a mass embrace of Android because quite simply none of them have the software side to offer anything else themselves... And hey shock news. Android is still an operating system oroginally designed for phones, but given a lick of paint and interface enhancements for Honeycomb.... HP in 2010 realise they need to rethink and strategically buy Palm because they See that laptop is not a tablet and they need a better OS more akin to a phone (webOS) and hey were back at square one.

 

[Calidude]

and that's where your argument falls apart.

Because until the iPad there were plenty of tablets in the PC universe and none of them succeeded because they were exactly what you 'suppose'...

15 million iPad sales later.

HP and other manufactures going back to the drawing board in 2010 and ditching their original let's just stick windows on it intentions, most then make a mass embrace of Android because quite simply none of them have the software side to offer anything else themselves... And hey shock news. Android is still an operating system oroginally designed for phones, but given a lick of paint and interface enhancements for Honeycomb.... HP in 2010 realise they need to rethink and strategically buy Palm because they See that laptop is not a tablet and they need a better OS more akin to a phone (webOS) and hey were back at square one.

We'll see how well you can defend these words when Apple introduces elements in the next iPad version of iOS that look a lot like what you currently see in Android 3.0

 

[shen]

We'll see how well you can defend these words when Apple introduces elements in the next iPad version of iOS that look a lot like what you currently see in Android 3.0

I assume they will.

I also assume that since Apple is doing it it will actually work unlike the slow framerate lagging POS that is every Android device I have ever used.

 

[jclardy]

My main problem with Honeycomb is that there will not be a lot of tablet optimized apps. iPad didn't have a ton of apps at launch bit developers had access to the simulator a few months before the launch. Google just released the honeycomb SDK about 2 weeks ago and the first device launches in a week.

Apps will come eventually, but it also depends on the amount of hardware sales. Low sales = few developers. Eventually after many companies release new android tablets their share of the tablet market will grow along with the number of developers.

As for upgrading iOS, I just want notifications that can be viewed later. I might want to read that NYTimes article later, but I only have to option to look at it right now or forget about it.

Second, just a basic shared file system that will make it so I don't have to have duplicate files in a bunch of apps.

 

[Calidude]

So I played with a XOOM last night. One of my relatives pulled the trigger on it instead of waiting like I would, so I combed through that thing like it was mine. She didn't a Google account so I got to use everything on it and then helped her get a Google account and show her how to get the most out of it.

Pros:
1) The browser is AMAZING compared to the iPad. It even loads pages significantly faster. I know a lot of people are going to say that both are Webkit but come on, Google has spent WAY more resources into web browsing than Apple has and it shows. It feels like Chromium which is my browser of choice on Windows and I wish I could get this kind of speed on my iPhone 3GS.

2) The Windows-like taskbar on Android 3.0 puts the iPad IOS to shame. I was happy to finally have something on the bottom corner that gave me into and ways to shut off things I don't need. As much as I HATE Android 2.2, You can't deny that being able to get to the brightness and Wifi settings this quickly is something Apple should have had for the iPad at launch.

3) Notifications! They are a little quirky, but they actually notify without popping up in the middle of the screen. Why doesn't Apple realize that it's almost fine a phone to do that, but not a tablet that you're probably going to sit and look at for an hour or more? If iOS5 doesn't have a revamped notifications system, I will consider it a huge failure.

4) Youtube is way faster on XOOM which would make sense except it COULD EASILY be just as fast on the iPad considering that every web browser can load up Youtube just fine. iOS5 needs to have a Youtube 2.0 because not that many people are going to load movies and having Youtube is a significant draw.

5) The customization of placement of widgets and makes for a welcome addition to a tablet because you can always extend your homescreen not JUST how you want it but with the KIND OF INFORMATION you want on it. I can't believe that iPad owners would say the iPad's icons are fine because they simply cannot offer more information to the user than a simple badge. Anybody who thinks the iPad is just as useful is simply lying to themselves.

6) The Camera app on Android 3.0 has all the features you would expect while the iPad and iPhone have nearly none. I know people will say that you should just buy an app, but really? Should you have to buy an app to have a feature rich camera?

Cons:
1) The XOOM screen is simply not as bright as the iPad's.
2) The XOOM screen is simply not as responsive as the iPad's, but it is certainly getting there.
3) Putting the power button on the back of the device is IDIOTIC.
4) Putting the headphone jack over the camera is ridiculous. It's the first thing I noticed and THAT alone would make me refuse to buy this.
5) As much as I think the XOOM is pretty well constructed, it is simply not as well constructed as the iPad. The XOOM should feel like one solid piece of glass and one solid piece of metal but it does not.
6) I'd say that 1/4 apps would hang while using them, and I'd say that 2 of them especially the Android Market would outright crash. I'm sure this will be fixed in due time but it seems like it was rushed out too quickly.
7) Almost no usable apps at launch. Pretty sad that it took so long for Google to churn out the SDK.
8) Zooming on a webpage or document is slow. It's one of the things I hate about Android and they still haven't fixed it, even with a Tegra 2. Great...


Thats about it off the top of my head.

I wouldn't buy a XOOM but I wouldn't buy an iPad either. However, if the iPad doesn't have a tablet optimized OS when 5 comes out, I would say that Google has taken the lead in features despite performance issues.

 

[fertilized-egg]

I wouldn't buy a XOOM but I wouldn't buy an iPad either. However, if the iPad doesn't have a tablet optimized OS when 5 comes out, I would say that Google has taken the lead in features despite performance issues.

That doesn't make sense. The iPad had 1000+ tablet optimized apps at the launch, and tens of thousands now. Will they all stop working with iOS5?

And while I certainly hope for better Youtube, browsing, and notification in iOS (some of that can be alleviated by simply having faster CPU), I noticed none of your PROs address the user experience in actual apps. I mean some people are excited about switching between apps and playing with widgets on desktop I guess, but I'm more interested on what stuff I can do and enjoy, which are done mostly through apps.

 

[Calidude]

That doesn't make sense. The iPad had 1000+ tablet optimized apps at the launch, and tens of thousands now. Will they all stop working with iOS5?

And while I certainly hope for better Youtube, browsing, and notification in iOS (some of that can be alleviated by simply having faster CPU), I noticed none of your PROs address the user experience in actual apps. I mean some people are excited about switching between apps and playing with widgets on desktop I guess, but I'm more interested on what stuff I can do and enjoy, which are done mostly through apps.

I was focusing more on the OS than crap like Google Body and whatnot. The Camera app on the XOOM is way better, I forgot to add.

 

[fertilized-egg]

I was focusing more on the OS than crap like Google Body and whatnot. The Camera app on the XOOM is way better, I forgot to add.

OS is simply an infrastructure upon which apps run. Sure the iPad needs major upgrade in notification and hopefully a better multitasking interface, but "Google Body and whatnot" aren't "crap." The apps are one of the reasons why the iPad succeeded.

 

[Dorkington]

I think a tablet OS should be somewhere between a mobile phone OS and a full desktop OS.

It needs to be simplified, yet powerful.

I think Honeycomb is in the right direction, but I think WebOS is closer to the sweet spot.

 

[Dorkington]

That doesn't make sense. The iPad had 1000+ tablet optimized apps at the launch, and tens of thousands now. Will they all stop working with iOS5?

To be fair, I believe the iPad SDK was released about 3 months before the iPad's launch, whereas Google just released the Honeycomb SDK about a week or two before the XOOM launch.

In time there will be Honeycomb applications and development, just as there are for iOS on the iPad.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I am completely astonished that over half of you voted that you don't want iOS to become more "desktop like". It makes me feel like you are brainwashed into whatever apple products are like, once iOS becomes more desktop like you will rejoice and say how awesome it is....

Of course that doesn't mean throw Mac OS X on an iPad, but expound on iOS adding Mac OS X features. Look at lion!! It's basically iOS on a Mac! Can you image using your iPad and being able to swipe to open dashboard, swipe to pull up mission control, swipe to switch between apps... just adding those 3 simple things would build upon iOS and make it 10 times more functional. Now just throw on some new notifications and you are good to go!

 

[fertilized-egg]

I am completely astonished that over half of you voted that you don't want iOS to become more "desktop like". It makes me feel like you are brainwashed into whatever apple products are like, once iOS becomes more desktop like you will rejoice and say how awesome it is....

I don't need Apple to tell me about that. I used a "desktop like" tablet in 2002 and found out how terrible it was. I use a "desktop like" tablet right now - not by choice - and it's still terrible. Swipe to switch between apps, etc, has nothing to do with "desktop like," they are very finger-specific gestures made for tablets.

 

[Calidude]

I am completely astonished that over half of you voted that you don't want iOS to become more "desktop like". It makes me feel like you are brainwashed into whatever apple products are like, once iOS becomes more desktop like you will rejoice and say how awesome it is....

Of course that doesn't mean throw Mac OS X on an iPad, but expound on iOS adding Mac OS X features. Look at lion!! It's basically iOS on a Mac! Can you image using your iPad and being able to swipe to open dashboard, swipe to pull up mission control, swipe to switch between apps... just adding those 3 simple things would build upon iOS and make it 10 times more functional. Now just throw on some new notifications and you are good to go!

Eventually the desktop and mobile will converge in terms of ease of use so I don't really see the problem with wanting your tablet to go in a more desktop-like direction.

 

[Calidude]

OS is simply an infrastructure upon which apps run. Sure the iPad needs major upgrade in notification and hopefully a better multitasking interface, but "Google Body and whatnot" aren't "crap." The apps are one of the reasons why the iPad succeeded.

I was speaking more in terms of the eye candy that Google had installed on the app by default, much like the Stocks app in iOS that nobody, not even those interested in stocks, use.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I don't need Apple to tell me about that. I used a "desktop like" tablet in 2002 and found out how terrible it was. I use a "desktop like" tablet right now - not by choice - and it's still terrible. Swipe to switch between apps, etc, has nothing to do with "desktop like," they are very finger-specific gestures made for tablets.

are you talking about windows? please don't compare windows to a built up iOS experience.

Those swipe gestures have nothing to do with desktops? just tablets?? well why don't you tell that to apple that has created all of those gestures for desktops/laptops (heard of lion?) and none of them for tablets yet. I never said take a cookie cutter mouse oriented desktop experience on a tablet. But you can use advanced desktop-like features with simple tablet gestures. why is that so difficult?

 

[fertilized-egg]

. But you can use advanced desktop-like features with simple tablet gestures. why is that so difficult?

What you're asking is webOS like features, not desktop-like features

 

[Carouser]

I am completely astonished that over half of you voted that you don't want iOS to become more "desktop like". It makes me feel like you are brainwashed into whatever apple products are like, once iOS becomes more desktop like you will rejoice and say how awesome it is....

I want iOS to become more 'tablet like'. How's that? 'Desktop like' is so vague that any changes made could be interpreted as 'more like a desktop' or not anyway.

Can you image using your iPad and being able to swipe to open dashboard, swipe to pull up mission control, swipe to switch between apps... just adding those 3 simple things would build upon iOS and make it 10 times more functional. Now just throw on some new notifications and you are good to go!

So swipe instead of double-tap? I'm imagining this, now what? Wheee? What does this have to do with desktop design?

Eventually the desktop and mobile will converge in terms of ease of use so I don't really see the problem with wanting your tablet to go in a more desktop-like direction.

Except it will be going in a more mobile-like direction. Or maybe both thoes directions don't mean anything specific. Usually 'desktop-like' is shorthand for 'my OS wishlist' or it's some fixation on accessing a toolbar or filesystem or whatever OS familiar security blanket that people want. It's like when TVs first came out they had to be designed like radios for people to be comfortable with them.

 

[Mattstkc]

which is what ios is.

zing!

 

[Consultant]

It needs to be stable first. Anandtech review:

"The Honeycomb Browser, camera app and even Marketplace have all crashed on me over the past two days."

"There are many bugs sprinkled throughout the OS (background data automatically enables itself after a reboot even if you disable it). Things like this combined with the instability I mentioned earlier makes me feel like Honeycomb was a bit rushed, perhaps to hit the streets before one other major tablet announcement coming this year?"

"Performance in Honeycomb seems even more dependent on background apps than with earlier versions of Android."

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4191/motorola-xoom-review-first-honeycomb-tablet-arrives/10