IPad, only way to go?

[Loxgator]

Is there a good alternative to the Ipad or is it really the only show in town right now?

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Not at all. There are some spectacular ICS/Jelly Bean tablets out there. In fact, I have two Android tablets that I much prefer to the iPad, the ASUS Transformer Prime and the new Nexus 7 Tab, which is fantastic at just $200

[helix139]

+1 on the nexus 7. It's smaller and is limited to a max of 16GB of storage and no cell connectivity, but it's a steal at $200.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Pre-Honeycomb Android there was no competition. The Android tablets were jokes, basically retrofitting a phone OS into a larger scale.

Honeycomb was the tablet-friendly version of Android, but was basically a beta run. It worked well as a tablet OS but there were some apps that would run awkwardly in it and at the time not a lot of full-featured tablet apps.

Ice Cream Sandwich combined both the phone and tablet OS into a nice ... well, not a melting pot, that doesn't work well with desserts, but you get the idea.

Jelly Bean improves even more. There's not really much of a gap in terms of functionality or apps these days, so it largely depends on what you want to do with it.

[Juggernautz]

Well, my vote goes to the IPAD hands down, if you have the moolah!

[Jaggator]

IPAD screen quality is second to none. That's why I vote it tops.

[irish2u2]

I have 2 iPads and I have looked at the competition.

I still have 2 iPads.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Screen resolution is really the only obvious plus, but frankly I cannot tell the difference. Go try out some of the Android tablets at say Best Buy to get a feel for it. The Android tablets made a big leap in the last 12 months and now - like the iOS versus Android on phone - the two are caught up.

[exiledgator]

Agree w/ obob. You just gotta try them.

Assuming you don't mind the iPad higher cost, I think it largely comes down to personal preference on the interface. I think that "most" people view iOS as more intuitive - easier to navigate, but again, that comes at an added cost. It's not as if the Androids are super cluncky, they just take a slight 'how do I..." period, where the iOS is, well, intuitive. Check it out and see what you like better. If it's the iPad, ask yourself if the delta is worth it. There's your answer.

Also, if you're already Mac-ified the scales tip further in the direction of the iPad.

[Juggernautz]

I love my IPAD/Apple TV but I'm not to get a APPLE desktop nor laptop.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Here's a look at the $199 Nexus 7:

[Potzer01]

IPAD is the only way to spend too much ~

[Jaggator]

Good article to read comparing the two...

http://www.itpro.co.uk/641896/apple-...to-head-review

The main thing I like is size & quality of camera of the IPAD 3...7" Nexus vs 9.7" IPAD

Why didn't Nexus come out with a 10" screen?

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Originally Posted by Jaggator

Why didn't Nexus come out with a 10" screen?

Not sure, but there are comparable 10" Android tablets out there.

[Juggernautz]

Originally Posted by Jaggator

Good article to read comparing the two...

http://www.itpro.co.uk/641896/apple-...to-head-review

The main thing I like is size & quality of camera of the IPAD 3...7" Nexus vs 9.7" IPAD

Why didn't Nexus come out with a 10" screen?

Interesting article. The comments were intersting as well.

[g8rjd]

The iPad is set for a refresh in September. I'd hold off on a purchase.

[Zendra]

If you can afford it, get an Ipad. I don't know when Samsung will get inside the States but that's the only Android tablet that can go with the iPad. You can also try the Asus Transformer. It's like laptop/pad combination. You get the best of both worlds this way.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Also, the rear camera on a tablet is sort of a stupid feature. I tried taking a picture with a tablet once and felt like a real herb.

The front-facing camera is useful if you want to do a lot of video chatting and the Nexus 7 has a higher resolution ff camera than the new ipad.

[Judoka]

It really comes down to what you'll be using it for. For typical tasks (surfing, email, YouTube, etc) just about any of the tablets will work fine, and some of the Android tablets out there could save you tidy sum. I've stuck with the iPad because I felt it had the best user experience and best/widest range of accessories. Apple has by far the best overall device ecosystem- great device integration, best device support (including software updates). Nothing is perfect for everyone, but the iPad has almost 70% of the market for a reason.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Originally Posted by Judoka

Nothing is perfect for everyone, but the iPad has almost 70% of the market for a reason.

Well the iPhone had 70%+ of the mobile phone market, too. And for the same core reason: they got there first.