Tablet Paralysis: Which One Do I Choose?

[Jason Dunn]

<p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/lpt/auto/1301793481.usr1.jpg" /></p><p>I've been pondering getting a tablet since the first iPad was introduced, but I'm not generally the kind of person who buys a piece of technology and then figures out if I have a good use for it. I'm still not sure how useful I'll find a tablet, but I figure it's worth finding out since this is the beginning of a large wave in mobile computing...I can't just sit it out.</p><p>Long-time readers know there are some things about the way Apple does business that really irk me, so it doesn't take much for me to consider products outside the Apple ecosystem if they're viable. When it comes to tablets, that's easier said than done. I find myself leaning fairly heavily toward the iPad 2, but then an email came my way that changed things... <MORE /></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/lpt/auto/1301682972.usr1.jpg" /></p><p>Last Friday I received an email from <a href="http://www.futureshop.ca" target="_blank">Future Shop</a>&nbsp;(which is owned by Best Buy) promoting various tablets, though it's amusing to see that three of the four tablets above are only for pre-order...only Apple is in the market right now in Canada with the iPad 2 (and on their second generation no less). A couple of things surprised me, however; first, that the Motorola Xoom is only $599 for the WiFi version with 32 GB. It has a screen that's an inch bigger than the iPad 2, has expandable storage via microSD (though <a href="http://www.androidthoughts.com/news/show/104253/motorola-is-seriously-screwing-up-the-xoom.html" target="_blank">apparently that doesn't work right out of the box</a>), and is $20 cheaper than the 32 GB iPad 2 in Canada. I was also surprised to see RIM pricing the PlayBook at $499 - I'm glad they clued into the fact that they weren't going to get more than that for a 7" tablet with 16 GB of storage.</p><h1>Xoom vs. iPad 2: So Many Variables!</h1><p>I had a brief hands-on with the Xoom at CES 2011 in Las Vegas this year, and the hardware was impressive from what I recall. I haven't had much of a chance to look at the software yet though, and that's definitely a catch for me: I easily have 60 apps that I've purchased for my iPod Touch (or my son's) and that lure of having those apps on the iPad is significant...though it remains to be seen how many of them have iPad versions available, and what it will cost (if anything) to get those versions. It's hard to get past the seemingly <a href="http://www.androidthoughts.com/news/show/106986/still-only-50-native-apps-for-honeycomb.html" target="_blank">tiny number of Honeycomb-optimized apps</a> for Android - shouldn't that number have gone up significantly in the past few months?</p><p>In the past two weeks I've gotten to spend some decent hands-on time with the iPad 2, and there's a lot to like about the hardware.&nbsp;One thing that I didn't like, however, was the 1024 x 768, 4:3 aspect ratio screen. I watched a sample movie and the massive black bars above and below the image looked utterly ridiculous. 4:3 is great for photos, but for wide screen movies? It pretty much sucks. Mobile video content is a key scenario for me, so this gives me pause. The Motorola Xoom, on the other hand, has a 1280 x 800 resolution screen, which comes out at a 16:10 aspect ratio. That's an aspect ratio much more well-suited to watching movies and TV shows.</p><p>Android lacks a comprehensive media purchasing ecosystem, so it would be mostly me watching ripped DVDs - yet when I consider my severe dislike of iTunes video DRM, it might be a wash. In both cases I'll probably end up bringing my own media (BYOM). I'm curious if I'll feel like the Xoom is too big if I go that route; I was leaning toward a seven inch tablet because I feel like that's a nice size, but it's hard to ignore the fact that the Xoom gives me a big screen and 32 GB of storage while other tablets around the same price are seven inches. If the seven inch tablets were $399 or $449, that would be a different story.</p><h1>But Wait, What About...</h1><p>And then there's the <a href="http://www.androidthoughts.com/news/show/106879/the-htc-flyer-detailed-in-video.html" target="_blank">HTC Flyer</a> - I'm a fan of HTC's products, so this one interests me a fair bit...though the 1024 x 600 isn't quite wide angle either (moreso than the iPad however). We can't forget the new <a href="http://gdgt.com/samsung/galaxy/tab-10-1v/" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy Tabs</a> either - though I'm somewhat baffled as to why they went with a 10.1" and an 8.9" screen. Why not 7" instead of 8.9"? A three inch difference makes a lot more sense when it comes to product differentiation and market segmentation than a 1.2 inch difference. I'm not sure what Samsung was thinking here.</p><p>It seems like the tablet market is changing extremely fast and I'm finding it hard to pick a "winner" - what factors went into you picking the right tablet for your needs? Or are you still on the fence like I am?</p><p><em>Jason Dunn owns and operates&nbsp;</em><em><a href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/" target="_blank">Thoughts Media Inc.</a></em><em>, a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys&nbsp;</em><em><a href="http://photos.jasondunn.com/" target="_blank">photography</a></em><em>, mobile devices,&nbsp;</em><em><a href="http://www.jasondunn.com/" target="_blank">blogging</a></em><em>, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, his wonderful son Logan, and his sometimes obedient dog. He's surprised how hard he's finding it to buy a tablet</em><em>.</em></p><p><em></em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//ppct/auto/1240336793.usr1.gif" /></p><p><strong>Do you enjoy using new hardware,&nbsp;<a class="iAs" href="http://www.digitalhomethoughts.com/news/show/93798/dell-s-inspiron-mini-10-reviewed.html" target="_blank">software</a>&nbsp;and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/reviewteam.php" target="_blank">Thoughts Media Review Team</a>! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested?&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/reviewteam.php" target="_blank">Then click here for more information.</a></strong></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//ppct/auto/1240336793.usr1.gif" /></p>

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

I know exactly what I want. Now it's just a matter if the execution is right, and the price won't be too stupid. :P

[Vincent Ferrari]

I'd take the Flyer over the Xoom any day of the week and twice on Sunday based on a demo a few friends saw (and one filmed) at CTIA. It's a no-brainer.

[Brad Adrian]

Of course, the best way to decide is to figure out exactly how you anticipate using a tablet. For me, I had to eventually put aside my prejudice against Apple and go with an iPad a few months ago. For me, it came down to being able to:

1. Take notes easily using handwriting recognition software.
2. Quickly check and send e-mails.
3. Store more than a dozen full-length movies and comfortably watch them anywhere, especially while traveling.
4. Synchronize easily with Outlook's Calendar and Contacts features

Do I carry my iPad with me everywhere I go? Nope. But it always sits right on my desk or end-table at home for whenever I need it.

[alex_kac]

A few notes on my XOOM that I have compared to the iPad 2 that we also have.

1) XOOM is much heavier.
2) Honeycomb is quite nice.
3) iOS on iPad is really good UI wise, but very lacking in some areas (notifications and Springboard getting real old to me)
4) I actually prefered watching movies on the iPad. It just felt better while on the XOOM felt like I was using my laptop.
5) Apps. iOS - well you know. On honeycomb it just was a bad...

[alex_kac]

Oh one more thing. I loved the UI of the honeycomb web browser, but my gosh I was shocked at how badly it rendered web pages.

[Underwater Mike]

And check out the Asus Transformer. I bet it will out-zoom the Xoom and give the iPad 2 a definite run for its money. If it lives up to pre-production reviews, I'll be all over it.

[johnm]

1. Take notes easily using handwriting recognition software.


What handwriting software are you using?

[johnm]

I applaud your analytic approach to this decision.

I absolutely love my iPad. It is my all time favorite gadget and I've had many, including various tablets over the years (anyone remember the UMPC or OQO?). But I don't have any strong arguments to use to sway you to my side. Instead I'll make a bold prediction, (and then come back and say 'I told you so' later).

If you bought both, you'd end up using the iPad.

If you buy the Xoom, you'll eventually end up with an iPad anyway.

[Chris Gohlke]

I'm in the same boat. And that Asus Transformer does look tempting.

Pros for Android -
1. Already have an Android phone
2. More likely to have a 7 or 8 inch model (my prefered size) in the near future)
3. Prefer the open model
4. Better cameras
5. I really like the Amazon Cloudshare app

Pros for iPad
1. Already have an Android phone, but many friends use iPhones so I'd also have a device that worked in their ecosystem for things that exist on Android (like words with friends until recently for example). Plus having an iOS and Android device could give me access to the best of both.
2. Netflix streaming
3. Cheaper (never thought Apple would offer the value proposition)

[alese]

I went with iPAD few months ago, it was the only real option (Samsung TAB was just too expensive).
At the moment I guess it's the same situation, the only "real" tablet is iPAD2, I just don't see Xoom as a real competitor, but Honeycomb looks really good and the upcoming devices, especially two TABs, the Transformer and the Flyer look really tempting.

I'm pretty sure that by fall, Android tablets will be a decent competition to the iPAD.

One of the things I expect is that tablets will become personal computing devices in our family in the future.
My children love to thinker with the iPAD and they figured out the UI almost immediately, my wife is using it for reading Kindle books and even my mother in law that doesn't really use computers figured by herself how to check Gmail on iPAD, it's just amazing how much more intuitive iOS Ui is compared to Windows...
I guess in future I won't be buying new Windows laptop or netbook for school or home, something like Transformer will be just great for beeing productive and for fun, even now there are very few tasks you need Wintel device for.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Don't forget OS upgrades. Android manufacturers have been, at best, lax in that department.

[Brad Adrian]

What handwriting software are you using?

I use WritePad from PhatWare. I've used their recognition software for the Windows Mobile platform for years and find their recognition to be excellent and the ability to create shortcuts a tremendous help when trying to take notes quickly. It also "learns" and gains in accuracy the more you use it.

You can find it here:

http://www.phatware.com/index.php?q=...ritepadforipad (http://www.phatware.com/index.php?q=product/details/writepad/writepadforipad)

Good luck!

[DaleReeck]

Unfortunately, the only way you'll know what uses *you* have for a tablet will only be known when you have one and actually start using it. The reason people have tablets varies from person to person. I personally didn't realize the uses it had until I actually had one. For me, it was the ultimate meeting enhancer. At our staff meeting (a university technical group), laptops are common tools and the iPad, with its Exchange support, document support and the ability to connect to Windows RDP, allowed me to keep the laptop in my office.

And not to be gross here, but the other use I found was the ultimate "bathroom internet browsing enhancer" :D That speaks for itself.

[Macguy59]

I spent about 15 min with the Xoom on Sunday. Feels heavier than iPad 2 and there are still black bars while watching HD video (though not as thick). The power button is rather awkwardly located. Seems like a trivial thing until you attempt to use it while laying flat. I thought the browser while a good step up from the typical mobile version is pretty sparse looking and I thought it was slower at rendering some websites. Love the widgets and wish we had that in iOS but in virtually every ad and physical unit I've seen, I thought they were over used. I'm sure Honeycomb will get better as it matures but I prefer a customized 2.3 Gingerbread on a device like the Galaxy Tab or the Flyer for the time being. Just make sure if you opt for an Android based tablet that it has the App Market.

[Deslock]

It has a screen that's an inch bigger than the iPad 2

FYI, the iPad screen is larger than the Xoom's (9.7" 4:3 > 10.1" 16:10), though it has less resolution. (EDIT: A correction: though the Xoom is not an inch bigger, it is 1.5% larger)

I was initially puzzled that Apple chose a 4:3 screen, but I understand why; in portrait mode 16:10 feels odd. Still, I personally would put up with it along with the smaller surface area in exchange for the extra resolution (but not if it means giving up IPS).

Though a tablet doesn't make sense for serious work, it's effective and fun for casual use (browsing, video, PIM, drawing, light gaming, reading email, writing anything short).

The thinness of the iPad2 seemed irrelevant at first, but now that I have one, I appreciate it.

The HTC Flyer looks *really* cool, but what's with the 4 hour battery life? A tablet should lack typical laptop headaches, such as needing a power brick.

[Stinger]

That company that I work for writes applications for tablets. In the office, we've got a collection of iPads, Xooms and Tabs.

Opinion is mixed but for me the iPad wins hands down. For me, it's all about the apps. While there are plenty of apps for Android, many big companies still only develop for iOS. For example, my bank only has an app for iPhone/iPad. There's no Android version.

It's also pretty obvious that the Xoom was rushed to market. Honeycomb isn't a particularly smooth experience at the moment.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

FYI, the iPad screen is larger than the Xoom's (9.7" 4:3 > 10.1" 16:10), though it has less resolution.


Just to break it down:

Xoom: Display size: 8.56" × 5.35" (21.75cm × 13.6cm) = 149.45 PPI, 0.17mm dot pitch, 22335 PPI²

iPad: Display size: 7.76" × 5.82" (19.71cm × 14.78cm) = 131.96 PPI, 0.1925mm dot pitch, 17413 PPI²

So the Xoom is just a bit bigger, but not by much.

[The Yaz]

Jason,

I think you will end up with the iPad.

You are too tech savy to expect it to do your work with video and your websites, which is why you have higher-end computers and laptops.

The iPad will work for you because you already have an iTouch and like you said, you've invested in apps already and moving up to the iPad will be seamless.

Plus, your expectations will be more in line with its capacity. It's just a bigger iTouch, go do the things you've been doing, but enjoy the larger real estate...

I have a cheap Android tablet for personal use, but I had my company by an iPad for our fundraising events processing (taking donations and managing the presentation files). Both can do the job, but Apple's interface is simply more efficient and polished for any of my volunteers to pick it up and run with it.

Plus, Apple's ecosystem just gives you more opportunities to use it in your daily life. My favorite is the utility of getting the virtual cookbooks and getting a mounting arm for the kitchen cabinet so you can get rid of all of the old cookbooks cluttering precious shelf space :D

Steve

[Brad Adrian]

...My favorite is...

While we're on the subject of Favorites...

My new favorite way to use my iPad is with the new Time Warner app that lets me watch live TV shows on about a dozen channels. Makes watching the tube in bed a lot more easy and comfortable!

[Jason Dunn]

I'd take the Flyer over the Xoom any day of the week and twice on Sunday based on a demo a few friends saw (and one filmed) at CTIA. It's a no-brainer.

My #1 concern with the Flyer is the battery life. Four hours seems pretty awful to me. Sure, it's smaller so there's less room for the battery, but the screen is also smaller so the battery drain should be less. Four hours is laptop battery run time in my mind, not tablet run time. So that's a pretty significant negative in my book. :(

[Jason Dunn]

And check out the Asus Transformer. I bet it will out-zoom the Xoom and give the iPad 2 a definite run for its money. If it lives up to pre-production reviews, I'll be all over it.

I wasn't familiar with that particular tablet, so I did some research and it does indeed look pretty cool! I like the concept of the detachable keyboard - with the added battery it's supposed to get 16 hours of battery life. That's insanely impressive.

I think one of the things that's holding me back overall is my general unfamiliarity with Android devices - I don't have one, so from the outside looking in, it looks like a fragmented, messy platform. :confused:

[Jason Dunn]

A few notes on my XOOM that I have compared to the iPad 2 that we also have.

1) XOOM is much heavier.
2) Honeycomb is quite nice.
3) iOS on iPad is really good UI wise, but very lacking in some areas (notifications and Springboard getting real old to me)
4) I actually prefered watching movies on the iPad. It just felt better while on the XOOM felt like I was using my laptop.
5) Apps. iOS - well you know. On honeycomb it just was a bad...

Thanks for chiming in Alex - I always appreciate your opinion on things. The Xoom is 1.6 pounds versus the 1.3 pounds for the iPad 2, so that is significant. I was surprised by the heft of the iPad 1; I'm glad Apple made the iPad 2 a bit lighter.

Apps matter to me, so I'm leaning toward the iPad 2 (which you could probably tell from the post). It does pain me that Apple is so anti-removable storage. I like having a microSD card as an option.

[Jason Dunn]

Don't forget OS upgrades. Android manufacturers have been, at best, lax in that department.

That's a good point. Watching the way Android versions trickle out - some OEMs offer upgrades, some don't - doesn't fill me with confidence. For all the things I don't like about Apple, the thing I KNOW they're good at is offering software upgrades for their devices in a timely, predictable manner.

[Jason Dunn]

I think you will end up with the iPad...Plus, your expectations will be more in line with its capacity. It's just a bigger iTouch, go do the things you've been doing, but enjoy the larger real estate...

Yeah, I'm definitely leaning in that direction. I don't mind mucking about with things when it's a laptop/desktop computer, but I find I have much less patience and want things to "just work" when it comes to smaller portable devices. I feel like the iPad 2 will be less headache-inducing than an Android tablet. Though I'm sure I'll still swear at the iPad 2 and mutter "Apple, why did you do it that way?". :D

[Jason Dunn]

Figured I'd share: I'm going to buy a Motorola XOOM tomorrow AM at Best Buy. If they have one on demo, I'll get a chance to play with it first and might not buy it, but Best Buy has a good return policy so if the XOOM doesn't work out for me, I'll go with an iPad 2. I figure this is the only way I'll know for sure...

[Craig Horlacher]

I would say don't get the iPad:) I think it's crippled by iOS and iTunes. You'll have limited methods of file transfer, no good notification system, no way to view data from two sources at the same time or without launching an app like with widgets. Just look at Windows Phone 7 ads to see all the ways Android can save you time by not needed to open an app to check every little thing;) It's just a fact that iOS is worse for a tablet then Froyo let alone Honeycomb. Well, ok, that's my opinion but I've never heard a logical argument against that.

I used to think the Xoom was terrible after all the bad reviews I had read. A few of my friends got them and after using theirs I loved it! I didn't even think it was too big. I thought I would want a 7" but after using the Xoom I think the size of it is fine. Make sure you give the Xoom a good chance before you count it out. Make sure the one you try has had its apps updated first.

Also, keep in mind there are tons of other Android tablets on the way. You mentioned the tablets from Samsung, Toshiba has one coming with a full size USB and full size HDMI port on it as well as an SD slot. I'm not usually a fan of HTC hardware though it's looking a little better this year. I think HTC has a tablet on the way that will be better than the Flyer so I'd probably skip the Flyer.

If you don't get an iPad you won't be stuck with an aspect ratio and resolution of a monitor from 1995;)

[Phillip Dyson]

Jason,
I would wait to see what the "nexus" tablet is like. Its rumored this summer and that they're working with LG.

I'm all about the software platform these days. Keeping up with hardware iterations is too expensive, but if I can stay up on the latest platform then I'm happy. That's why I've stuck with my Nexus One.

I peronally wouldn't buy the Xoom because I think Motorola totally blew this release. They released a device that they new wasn't ready. Atleast other companies put up the illusion.

Plus if history can be judged, the Xoom may be hard pressed to get Android upgrades in the future. It took the original Droid a year almost to get Android 2.1

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

One more thing: As much as you don't like XDA-Developers, before you get any Android device, check to see if there's an active developer community behind that particular device. The bigger the community, there'll be more hacks and easier to implement hacks. My HD2 with Gingerbread is way better a device than my friend's Desire HD. :P

[Deslock]

Just to break it down:

Xoom: Display size: 8.56" × 5.35" (21.75cm × 13.6cm) = 149.45 PPI, 0.17mm dot pitch, 22335 PPI²

iPad: Display size: 7.76" × 5.82" (19.71cm × 14.78cm) = 131.96 PPI, 0.1925mm dot pitch, 17413 PPI²

So the Xoom is just a bit bigger, but not by much.
Oops you're right, the Xoom screen is actually 1.5% larger (I had read somewhere that it was smaller... that's what I get for not checking myself).

[Brad Adrian]

Jason,
I would wait to see what the "nexus" tablet is like. Its rumored this summer and that they're working with LG.

LOL!!!!!

Jason? Wait until Summer?!?!?!? Ha! Ha! Ha!

Surely you realize that once Jason decides to make a purchase, there's no stopping him!!!

Go ahead, Jason. Tell me I'm wrong. :D

[Phillip Dyson]

LOL!!!!!

Jason? Wait until Summer?!?!?!? Ha! Ha! Ha!

Surely you realize that once Jason decides to make a purchase, there's no stopping him!!!

Go ahead, Jason. Tell me I'm wrong. :D

Hey I understand. I'm the same way. I vacillate for a while, but once I choose I"m all in.

Just thought I'd try to get the information in before he pulled the trigger. :D

[Brad Adrian]

...Just thought I'd try to get the information in before he pulled the trigger...

Yep. I've been watching the stock market all day to find out when Jason makes his purchase. Best Buy shares increase by 20% every time he walks in their door!

[Jason Dunn]

I would wait to see what the "nexus" tablet is like. Its rumored this summer and that they're working with LG.

An interesting option. Not sure if I'm willing to wait until late summer/fall though. Hell, the iPad 3 might be out by then. Hehehe. :)

I'm all about the software platform these days. Keeping up with hardware iterations is too expensive, but if I can stay up on the latest platform then I'm happy. That's why I've stuck with my Nexus One.

I concur - but to me, the software platform on Android Tablets seems weaker than on the iPad 2...hence my leaning.

[Jason Dunn]

Surely you realize that once Jason decides to make a purchase, there's no stopping him!!! Go ahead, Jason. Tell me I'm wrong. :D

Normally that would be correct, but I still find myself flipping between the Xoom and the iPad 2 hourly. A wrench in the plan is that the two Best Buy stores in my area of the city don't have the Xoom in yet, and seem quite clueless about when it will actually come in. :mad:

[TimeHunter]

I have an Archos 70 Internet Tablet, 250 GB HDD version. It currently has Android 2.2 and I find after I tuned it a bit with a different launcher and some of my favorite apps from my Android phone that it is just my cup of tea.

The 250GB of HDD storage is currently the largest available in any tablet. Yes, it does slow down things a bit here and there, but having the storage space for a media hound like me is worth that minor trade off.

I also really like the 7" form factor. It is just the right size to not be too cramped and be "one hand able". It makes it very portable, another big plus as I am on the go a lot and "live" out of my back pack.

There is currently only one alternate Android firmware for it, but it can dual boot Android and another flavor of Linux. The interesting part about dual booting is that Archos provides the ability and the Linux load, but state it voids your warranty if you run down the rabbit hole.

I am hoping it will gain a little more traction with the developer community and that it will see Honeycomb either from the manufacturer or the devs.

I find my tablet has replaced my personal laptop for virtually everything, and even my well loved Sony Reader doesn't see me as much as it used to.

[Phillip Dyson]

Jason,
I'm a big android fan. And my tablet purchase will probably be an android tablet.
But if it came down to only the iPad and the Xoom, I would begrudgingly say the iPad. I just don't trust Motorola's support of the Xoom given the state in which they released the hardware.

They should have at least drop the price "for a limited time" for the inconvenience of having to mail it back. And that's just to get a finished product. They could have spun it as an "early adopters special". That would have kick-started sales. If the discount was enough.

[timtam]

I was on the fence until the original iPAD dropped in price when they announced the new iPAD. I then went ahead and bought the cheapest of the original models (16 GB WiFi-only).

I am a cheapskate tech enthusiast, so my choice is probably the minority among the members here. :p

[Jason Dunn]

But if it came down to only the iPad and the Xoom, I would begrudgingly say the iPad. I just don't trust Motorola's support of the Xoom given the state in which they released the hardware.

Yeah...the fact that if I keep the Xoom I have to ship it back to Motorola to get the microSD slot working is just dumb. I knew that going in, but really, who ships a product like that before it's ready? :rolleyes:

[Jason Dunn]

I was on the fence until the original iPAD dropped in price when they announced the new iPAD. I then went ahead and bought the cheapest of the original models (16 GB WiFi-only).

I actually greatly admire your ability to do that - I just couldn't, no matter how much I tried to convince myself. I've also never bought a used car before, which is financially a bit silly as well...:rolleyes:

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

I actually greatly admire your ability to do that - I just couldn't, no matter how much I tried to convince myself. I've also never bought a used car before, which is financially a bit silly as well...:rolleyes:

Don't ever live where I am. You'll be broke real fast. :P