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Would you stick with Ipad if a decent Android was released?

if there is an android tablet released

with equal or better iPad build quality
12+ hour battery life
fantastic screen
thin as the ipad 2
$500 starting

yeah I would buy one. Too bad for the manufacturers that apple will most likely always be a step ahead so I and most people will be sticking with iPad.
 
I think the big problem with most Android tablets is content integration. The company in the best position to solve this is Amazon.

Right out of the box an Android-based Amazon tablet would have Amazon's own curated App Store, the Kindle app and book store, the Amazon Mp3 store integrated right in, and the ability to rent and stream movies from Amazon Video on Demand.

That's the sort of thing that's missing on most Android tablets. So what if it has a quad core 3Ghz processor, what are you actually going to do with it?
 
Who knows when Android will one-up iPad but then the question will be:

Would you stick with Android if a decent iPad was released?

And then you'll realize, these questions don't really matter.
 
No software for Android tablets + no hope of significant future software development = no sale.

I see a colleague at work using his Blackberry Playbook quite a bit. Mostly just dicking around with the interface and surfing the web, that's it. :)

He's a real gadget geek though, so he has an iPad 1 as well, not to mention three phones on his belt. Yikes.
 
Dealing with hypotheticals is always going to give you strange, and unrealistic, answers.

The fact of the matter is, I don't see Android ever approaching iOS in terms of overall functionality as a tablet operating system. You simply will not see a repeat of history, where Microsoft's Windows OS, installed on a slew of low-priced Intel-running boxes, killed Apple in marketshare.

For one thing, from a purely business perspective Google isn't set up to do what Microsoft did. Android, as an OS, isn't an "end in and of itself." Google's ultimate goal is to maximize search revenue. So Google is never likely to devote the engineering and marketing resources to the problem that Microsoft did to winning the desktop OS battle. And even if they DID, the fragmented open-source nature of Android is likely to preclude it ever attaining a dominant marketshare.

So - no. Android is unlikely to offer a compelling reason, at least for the forseeable future, to switch from the iPad. Android tablets might get better, in that they will have more software available for them, and perhaps have more functionality. But unless some manufacturer of Android tablets can come up with 9-10" screen, running a decent slew of Apps, that performs as well as the iPad, and costs $100-200 LESS, then its just never going to happen.
 
Skika said:
I dont care about Android and i doubt i ever will. The creators of Android and manufacturers of the devices simply dont put "love" in their work. And that shows. They are generic copycats of Apple products, invented simply becouse Apple had success and not becouse they believe that is how tech should be.


There.

(Inb4 haters.)
Click to expand...

+1

Apple is an innovator. Sure they love the money, but ever since I've been a follower and consumer of apple, they've led the pack. How long did it take for Android to become smooth? 3 years and their OS still isn't as smooth and fluid as iOS. Google makes (or made) most of their revenue from ads.

I prefer Mac OS X over Windows anyday. However, I think the price range is too high for people to accept. To an average person, Apple seems to expensive. I think the price point has allowed people who never had OS X to get a glimpse of Apple's innovation. Nobody has done a tablet or phone as good as Apple. There's 1 iPhone. 1 iPad. There's not an iPad 2X coming out next month on another carrier with a slightly different configuration.

iOS is showing the world why software should be locked into hardware.
 
iMule said:
+1

How long did it take for Android to become smooth? 3 years and their OS still isn't as smooth and fluid as iOS. Google makes (or made) most of their revenue from ads.
Click to expand...

to be fair, my android phone is just as smooth as my iphone 4. I've had apps crash a few times but the same could be said for my iphone 4. Froyo (android 2.2) and Gingerbreak (android 2.3) are smooth as hell and very good, I haven't tried Honeycomb (2.3) but everyone says it's really bad. Google tried to build a version of android simply for tablets and failed.
 
gonnabuyamacbsh said:
to be fair, my android phone is just as smooth as my iphone 4. I've had apps crash a few times but the same could be said for my iphone 4. Froyo (android 2.2) and Gingerbreak (android 2.3) are smooth as hell and very good, I haven't tried Honeycomb (2.3) but everyone says it's really bad. Google tried to build a version of android simply for tablets and failed.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, but here is the rub with your post. "Your" Android phone is as smooth as an iPhone. That is because your phone is likely one with a quality UI. Due to fragmentation with various OEM's utilizing different UI's on various types of phones, some Android based phones are smooth, while others suck. Some may get updates and others may not. Nature of the beast, but in a lot of cases, it can turn people off to Android. With Apple the experience is unified throughout the ecosystem that is iOS.

The only tablet that I personally believe running Android that will be good is the upcoming Samsung 10.1 and 8.9.
 
I will take slower iPad over an Android tablet. I get to play with these devices all the time and, for me personally, I am not close to going to Android.

Opinions are like...
 
Don't forget that iPhones were limited to one provider until this year, and Android phones are practically being given away with contracts. So the numbers saying that Android devices are serious competitors to the iPhone are artificially skewed.
 
Keleko said:
I personally consider Android just as closed, if not more closed, than Apple. On the phones, the carriers force extra software on you that Apple does not with the iPhone.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter if there's extra apps included on an Android phone. The user doesn't have to put them on any homescreen, so they're not as much as a bother as say, the Stocks app on the iPhone that cannot be removed from a homescreen... a common complaint.

(Yes, if you own an iOS device with Folders, you can make a silly "Ignore Me" homescreen folder and "hide" stuff in there. But then you still have to see that folder all the time. On Android, you only see the apps when you go look in the master list for one that's not already on a homescreen. With a hundred apps, the few carrier ones are barely noticed. And on many new app launchers, you can even hide those in that list.)

Skika said:
I dont care about Android and i doubt i ever will. The creators of Android and manufacturers of the devices simply dont put "love" in their work.
Click to expand...

Oh I dunno. I think that HTC is very much in love with their work, and quite innovative, from their Sense and social integration, to their Flyer tablet with Courier-like screen capture and Evernote integration.
 
Keleko said:
The hardware doesn't matter at all. I have 0 faith in any Android device maker in updating and supporting their device like Apple supports theirs. Android makers seem to mostly treat their wares as throw-away. You buy it; they may update it once or twice (after a long delay with the phones), and then you throw it away and get another one when they stop caring about the old product maybe a year later.
Click to expand...

I agree with you 100%. The Android market (Open) just means no one company is responsible, accountable or has the desire to fix anything. Apple makes both the OS and hardware, if the device does not work it is there reputation on the line. They cannot pass the buck.

As an example, I have an HTC EVO. The battery life is 4 hours talk, and less than 24hrs stand bye. Thank God I can change my own battery!. It has a KNOWN issue of the clock jumping time zones regularly and at random intervals. This has been a bug for over 1.5 years. It has not been fixed. Sprint continues to sell the devices, HTC continues to manufacture the devices and Google continues to supply the OS. Who is responsible to the customer to fix the issue. Does anyone in this forum think Apple could get away with such a bug for 1.5 years. When I spoke with tech support I was told "that my phone not keeping time is not really a big deal and I would just need to get use to it". Of course what can they say they cannot fix the issue. Does anyone remember when the Iphone missed the Daylight saving time change. That was national news, how is a android bug that makes my alarm clock useless at best not in the news. Google sold the OS they already made their money. HTC sees it as a throw away and are not vested in fixing problems on phones they have already been paid for. Android customer experience is poor at best.
 
...

I already have so many purchased apps it doesnt make sense to switch. Android will never be far enough ahead that it would make me want to repurchase all of my apps unless the tablet itself was far cheaper
 
Mac.World said:
Ahhh, but here is the rub with your post. "Your" Android phone is as smooth as an iPhone. That is because your phone is likely one with a quality UI. Due to fragmentation with various OEM's utilizing different UI's on various types of phones, some Android based phones are smooth, while others suck. Some may get updates and others may not. Nature of the beast, but in a lot of cases, it can turn people off to Android. With Apple the experience is unified throughout the ecosystem that is iOS.

The only tablet that I personally believe running Android that will be good is the upcoming Samsung 10.1 and 8.9.
Click to expand...

Haha your right. I root and install custom roms on my android phones. They suck out the box but once you root and flash that baby, they really do fly.
 
While I waited for the iPad 2 to come out, wasn't gonna buy the first on, wanted to wait and see what the first revision had in store. In the mean time I watched the Dell streak, which I had high hopes for. But frankly I don't put lot of faith in the fragmentation of android.

I would be much more inclined to get a simple kindle, or maybe root a nook, or something like that. A webOS tablet is actually something I find more interesting, but android meh.

Android is like how I feel about windows, versatility at the expense of reliability. Fine for a home device, not so much what I want in a mobile device.

I am still debating based on that argument whether I want my next home comp to be a pc I build myself, or a Mac mini after the next refresh.

So anyways android, not at this time, nope, unless it was on a nook.
 
iMule said:
+1

Apple is an innovator. Sure they love the money, but ever since I've been a follower and consumer of apple, they've led the pack. How long did it take for Android to become smooth? 3 years and their OS still isn't as smooth and fluid as iOS. Google makes (or made) most of their revenue from ads.

I prefer Mac OS X over Windows anyday. However, I think the price range is too high for people to accept. To an average person, Apple seems to expensive. I think the price point has allowed people who never had OS X to get a glimpse of Apple's innovation. Nobody has done a tablet or phone as good as Apple. There's 1 iPhone. 1 iPad. There's not an iPad 2X coming out next month on another carrier with a slightly different configuration.

iOS is showing the world why software should be locked into hardware.
Click to expand...

Some good points, but I must disagree.

Apple is an innovator. Problem is, they innovate for a bit and then sit with a thumb up their asses for some time. Then they push out something amazing again. And then the thumb goes back into the familiar resting place.

One of the finer examples of it is an iPhone. When original iPhone came out, I was blown away by it. But I couldn't get it. I was on famous Sprint's SERO plan, and I am not fighting 1250 minutes and everything else unlimited for $40. Paying $50/mo more for the privilege of iPhone was tempting, but I resisted. Then Google came out with Android on the HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1), and positioned it as an iPhone competitor. The software was just passable. Marketplace was a joke. Some geeks embraced it, most people dismissed it. Since that time, Google was able to capture the smartphone market share, added tons of features, expanded Market. In meantime, Apple finally enabled multitasking and allowed to change background on iOS. Some innovation there. Android became simply more flexible. If I had to describe both phones, I would say that my HTC Evo is great all-around smartphone, and iPhone is not much more than an "app phone"

Same thing we can see with iPad. While ridiculed after announcement (iTampon jokes, anyone?), it did quite well. But it took forever to get multitasking on it. iPad 2, while a great hardware upgrade, did not bring much more to the table. In meantime, you can see Android built for tablets. And while it's true, it's not the smoothest operating system, it has a ton of advantages. So, in reality, only thing holding people to iPad is smoothness, and more apps. Android has a pretty good marketshare, so it's easy to get developers, so they can catch up with Apps. Smoothness can be corrected by future updates.

As for Windows vs OSX, I am on Windows side of things. It's simpler, has much better file management, and with 7, it's pretty damn secure. Just skip on IE and you are all set.

One thing indisputable, Apple makes GREAT hardware. It costs a premium, and understandably so. I love the build quality of my iPad 2, and gf likes her MacBook. The "retina display" (I HATE that term, for some reason), is amazing. My self built PC has a rat's nest of wiring under the table, but hey, I can do all my work on it. I also made it dual boot into OSX, but I find myself there maybe once a month.

Competition is good for consumer. Apple needs to be more innovative to catch up with Android marketshare. I hope iOS5 will bring a lot of new features to the table. I have my own wish list for it. Notifications are top on the annoyance list for me. The whole "OMG, STOP EVERYTHING! I wanna show you something" is quite annoying.

So, Summer/Fall will be good time. I have my eyes on new EVO with "retina-like" (ugh) resolution, and great CPU/GPU combo, and IOS5 should keep my iPad 2 fresh.
 
I really do like the iPad2.
But the iOS user interface is really awful.
I much prefer the Android UI that allows you to customize your own desktop, and I really miss having widgets on my desktop.
 
I would say there are already decent Android tablets, some with better hardware. It is just the software that I like, I just am not used to Android as opposed to iOS.

AppleGoddess said:
I love android however picked up a acer iconia tablet and was very disappointed with it,I am sticking with my iPad for now.
Click to expand...

Did you really think that would compare to an iPad at all?
 
First, please define the term decent Android tablet. What is decent to some is half assed to others. (I like Apples 256 bit hardware encryption).

erzhik said:
what exactly did they copy? apple didn't create an app store, they didn't create a tablet and they sure as hell didn't create iPhones shape. so what exactly did they copy from Apple??

not a hate post, but just want to see the response. Its been said before that xoom has by far a more superior quality than the ipad. And we all know who makes the highest quality phones. here is a hint, not apple.
Click to expand...

What did they copy ? Why does Samsung make a phone that's 'just like' the iPhone and are now getting sued?

How is Xoom 'by far a more superior quality' than the iPad ?

Okay, I'll play, who makes the highest quality phone? Are you talking about cell phones in general, or just smart phones ? Justify your response please.

vrDrew said:
Dealing with hypotheticals is always going to give you strange, and unrealistic, answers.

The fact of the matter is, I don't see Android ever approaching iOS in terms of overall functionality as a tablet operating system. You simply will not see a repeat of history, where Microsoft's Windows OS, installed on a slew of low-priced Intel-running boxes, killed Apple in marketshare.

For one thing, from a purely business perspective Google isn't set up to do what Microsoft did. Android, as an OS, isn't an "end in and of itself." Google's ultimate goal is to maximize search revenue. So Google is never likely to devote the engineering and marketing resources to the problem that Microsoft did to winning the desktop OS battle. And even if they DID, the fragmented open-source nature of Android is likely to preclude it ever attaining a dominant marketshare.

So - no. Android is unlikely to offer a compelling reason, at least for the forseeable future, to switch from the iPad. Android tablets might get better, in that they will have more software available for them, and perhaps have more functionality. But unless some manufacturer of Android tablets can come up with 9-10" screen, running a decent slew of Apps, that performs as well as the iPad, and costs $100-200 LESS, then its just never going to happen.
Click to expand...

PART of the reasons for MS's OS dominace was the federal government. After the Unisis (I think I spelt that correctly, naw, I think there is supposed to be a Y in there somewhere) craze we were only allowed to purchase Windows machines for standardization. I am not sure what the policy is today.

Android's problem is going to be Windows 8 and whatever Apple calls their OSX/iOS merger. You are going to have the same OS on both tablets and desktops. So I see the Android makers switching to Windows 8, and Apple to OSwhatever, with the ability to Boot Camp and/or VM Win 8 on a convertible laptop tablet hybrid. (Like that Asus one, with the detachable keyboard/dock). There will no longer be a need for a mobile OS, and where will that leave Google with their Andriod OS ?

When that happens, I'll get the boss to buy me the Apple one and a copy of Win 8. The company supplied out dated Toshiba will then become an artificial reef. In the mean time, I'll continue to enjoy the iPad.
 
gonnabuyamacbsh said:
Haha your right. I root and install custom roms on my android phones. They suck out the box but once you root and flash that baby, they really do fly.
Click to expand...
+1

But alot of people get put off by Android by getting a low end phone then try to compare it to the Iphone.

Go get a Nexus 1 or Nexus S both are google devices and run a stock version of Android. Or maybe any other High end Android device from HTC. I tend to stay away from Samsung phones with the iphone wannabe UI called touchwiz
 
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