Android Tablet or Ipad.

[nyplayer]

I am looking to finally get into the Tablet generation.. Would like to be able to Stream Video on my network and of course do everything else.

More info.

I am not really into Itunes.. and my cell phone is mostly used as just that a cell phone.. Not an Iphone. I do enjoy my Kindle... and MP3 Player. I do like my Sports etc.. and Comcast allows me to Stream games.

I was looking at either Motorolla tablet or the Ipad.

[KeithAbbott]

OMG, what have you just done?!?!?!

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

OMG, what have you just done?!?!?!

Not a good Idea I guess.. fight time?

[stanger89]

I'm still trying to figure out what I'd do with a tablet. I mean for some reason I want one, but I can't figure out what that reason is.

That said, if I were getting a tablet, (not knowing price) it would probably be a Surface for Win 8 Pro, so I could replace my laptop with it.

[darcilicious]

If you're already invested in the Apple/iTunes world, then iPad.

If not, then Android (unless you want to go the Apple/iTunes route). Note however, that "Android tablet" is pretty vague (from what I understand) and you will probably want to do some research regarding actually supported OS versions and any hardware requirements you have.

[I have an iPad 2 (and have had an iPhone of one version or another since shortly after the release of the first one) and I love it; but by the time the iPad 2 came around (I specifically waited for the 2nd gen hardware) I was heavily into the apps, music, etc.]

[IVB]

Far too little information to answer the question if you really want a non-fanboy answer.

If all you want to do is stream video and are not currently heavily into the Apple ecosystem, don't piss $$ away on an iPad, plenty of lower end Android tablets to do that. Budget, desired size, usage, these are the things we need to know.

My wife has an iPad, but my daughter wants a Transformer Prime (or Infinity) as she likes the integrated keyboard and thinks all iPad keyboards look & feel clunky. Android has the apps she wants (including streaming video), so for her that ruled the day.

The Nexus 7 is interesting if you want a physically smaller unit. I don't think I'd want to watch video on a 7" device, but many might, esp if you'll watch on a commute train/bus/etc. It would double as an eReader too.

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I'm still trying to figure out what I'd do with a tablet. I mean for some reason I want one, but I can't figure out what that reason is.

That said, if I were getting a tablet, (not knowing price) it would probably be a Surface for Win 8 Pro, so I could replace my laptop with it.

I saw some in the Microsoft store they call them Slates. With a future upgrade to Windows 8. Maybe I should just wait a little longer... more will be available this fall.

[gilded07]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

I am looking to finally get into the Tablet generation.. Would like to be able to Stream Video on my network and of course do everything else.

More info.

I am not really into Itunes.. and my cell phone is mostly used as just that a cell phone.. Not an Iphone. I do enjoy my Kindle... and MP3 Player. I do like my Sports etc.. and Comcast allows me to Stream games.

I was looking at either Motorolla tablet or the Ipad.

I have had an iPad2 since last fall and like it. However, I hate that you can't watch flash video on it so you have to download the proper app (like news or sports) to watch what you want.

I use the Safari browser and tabs to go from news site to news site and from sports sites to sports sites with a simple mouse click (on a PC) or screen touch on the iPad. However, if the website isn't written in html5 or whatever, and uses flash, then you can't watch the video. So you have to open different apps instead of going from tab to tab in the browser. The apps work fine but just more steps to get to the info I want to see.

Perhaps there's a better way that someone can enlighten me to but not being able to see flash video is a nuisance to me. (my kids love the app store games and Disney TV apps to watch TV on their iPod touch's and iPad)

I've heard so much good about Android tablets (and the Android OS in general) that I'm anxious to try one and would like to purchase one but have to wait on that.

[stuckless]

I agree with Stranger on the fact that I don't really know what to do with the tablet I have the 10" samsung tablet and it's a nice tablet for video, web, etc, but I really just hate typing (composing) on a tablet.... so I rarely use it, since much of what I do online is responding to email, forums, etc

The new Google Nexus 7 for $199 is a great buy though. It's the smoothest Android tablet that i've used so far. I'm considering picking one up for development testing.

[Dargason]

As others have said, it really matters what you plan to do with it.

For me, I mainly wanted something small that I could take with me when I travel. A requirement was that I could pull my SD card out of my camera, put it into the tablet, and review the photos. Streaming video wasn't a big deal (but all do that anyway.)

I bought an Asus Transformer TF300 last week. It does exactly what I wanted, and I've also found it useful for a few more things. The splashtop application (which you can get for any tablet, I think) has been handy for controlling my headless SageTV server in the basement without lugging a monitor and keyboard. I've found it is also acceptable for streaming SageTV, though I haven't tested it on a WiFi network other than my own.

I'll refrain from listing all the uses, because for the most part they can all do the same stuff. I chose to go android because:

1. I have an android phone, so it's a little easier to sync everything together
2. This tablet is a bit cheaper than the iPad (though probably not as 'snazzy'... it feels a bit cheap)
3. I'm not a fan of Apple's closed system. I had iTunes on my PC for a while for my iPod and I hated it.

I'm not an android fanboy... I think Apple's software design is generally better and easier to use. My mom has been asking about smartphones, and for her I'd recommend an iPhone. But for me the android was a (slightly) better fit.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

I saw some in the Microsoft store they call them Slates. With a future upgrade to Windows 8. Maybe I should just wait a little longer... more will be available this fall.

Surface is something different (maybe or maybe not significantly so), they were just announced and aren't out yet:
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

[fidget]

My wife and I have iPad 3s and she hasn't used her laptop since we got them, and I use mine constantly.

That said, if you aren't sure what you would use a tablet for then I would recommend getting a very inexpensive Android tablet. If you like your Kindle, then maybe get a Kindle Fire off of eBay (or the next gen Fire when it comes out). You will probably want to keep the cost low enough so that you won't be upset if you find you don't like them. If you find yourself using it quite a bit then you can address the question of what you want to do with it. Answering that question will lead you to a larger Android tablet or an iPad. For now, just experiment.

[PiX64]

If you don't like the price point of the ipad, there is also the possibility that the ipad mini will be coming out in October... I THINK? which will be a 250 price point and a smaller screen to compete with the fire and the like.

I have an ipad 2, use it daily for work, and for home. I can't imagine having a smaller screen as i really feal the size is perfect as is... at least for my needs.

[nyplayer]

Thanks to all that responded there seems to be a lot of people in the same boat ... I have to think of all the things I want to be able to do and do more research... One thing I do not want to be tied in to is Itunes. So I am going to look into some androids and maybe wait to see what Windows 8 brings.

[ccsmoke]

I voted I pad. I have the Ipad 2 and 3, love the air play as well as the camera on the Ipad 3. Mirroring could use some work. Home theater intergration works well.

If I was shopping for a tablet I would wait about 2,3 months. (Though the ipad 2 may go away if ipad mini comes to market...rumor)

The ones I would look at would be

Ipad 2,3,mini (rumored)
Nexus 7 - best bang for buck atm
Kindle fire 2
Transformer Prime Infinity
Microsoft Pro Surface - most potential

The wild card is the surface. It sure looks good on paper and would be very interested in the graphics and the amount of ram in it. It would be wacom killer if it could run photoshop or more intense programs like Zbrush. I say this because microsoft has the technology that is light years ahead of anything on the market as far as response time on a tablet...just not sure if they will implement it in their 1st version. It would have been ideal if the stand on back was a replaceable battery.

[gabrielcab]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I'm still trying to figure out what I'd do with a tablet. I mean for some reason I want one, but I can't figure out what that reason is.

That said, if I were getting a tablet, (not knowing price) it would probably be a Surface for Win 8 Pro, so I could replace my laptop with it.

That is the magic of the mighty Apple and their extraordinary extreme marketing demigods. Everyone want an iPad but no one need it, everyone need SageTV but noone want it.

[darcilicious]

Everyone want an iPad but no one need it

And there I must humbly disagree. My iPad has totally replaced my laptop, at home, at work, and when traveling...

[IVB]

Everyone want an iPad but no one need it, everyone need SageTV but noone want it.

Originally Posted by darcilicious

And there I must humbly disagree. My iPad has totally replaced my laptop, at home, at work, and when traveling...

The key word is "need". A laptop is near equivalent functionality, a tablet is just a touchscreen and apps. (wife has an iPad)

What SageTV has is unparalleled, but very few people care.

[darcilicious]

Originally Posted by IVB

The key word is "need". A laptop is near equivalent functionality, a tablet is just a touchscreen and apps. (wife has an iPad)

My tablet has replaced my laptop. I needed a laptop before; now I just need the iPad. Your (wife's) tablet may be "just a touchscreen and apps" but I don't have that limitation. My iPad has a keyboard, accesses my personal and work email, creates and maintains documents, etc. In addition, it's a great portable media device with great battery life.

So yeah, I need my iPad and I no longer need my laptop (but thanks for trying to speak for me).

[fidget]

Originally Posted by IVB

The key word is "need". A laptop is near equivalent functionality, a tablet is just a touchscreen and apps. (wife has an iPad)

What SageTV has is unparalleled, but very few people care.

You have to be honest, setting up and maintaining a SagTV system is not for the faint of heart. I love my SageTV system but the rest of my family will never have one because they aren't able to build and maintain it.