iPad vs Galaxy Tab

Have any of your guys got experience with the iPad and Galaxy Tablets?

Anyone got opinions on the two?

I have an Asus Transformer Prime, runs Android like the Galaxy Tab. I find it a lot more useful than an iPad because it's more compatible with PC file extensions. I can put pretty much any type of video/audio file on it and it'll play, I can access, edit, and create .doc files and then sync them with Dropbox and access them on my PC. Those are pretty much my main uses for it.

The Android store has less tablet apps than the iPad app store, but that's not a huge concern for me. Might be if you were planning on using a lot of games or something, though.

I have limited experiences with the relevant tablets (none at all with the Galaxy tab), but from what I understand it goes like this:

If you only have really low-end needs, get an iPad
If you think you won't be able to get away from needing to do more high-end stuff on your tablet, get the Transformer Prime.

Eh screw low end needs and I really don't care for games to be honest. I may look into the Asus because I like higher compatibility with Windows file extensions.


My friend uses an iPad at uni, and I was really impressed by one app he was telling me about. He essentially downloads his readings from uni and reads them on his iPad, but he has a whole bunch of option which go with it to add annotations, highlight like a highlighter on paper passaged of text, and to work and create lecture notes all with gestures, as opposed to tapping buttons and pressing on keyboards etc.


I am sure there are similar apps in the android market, but whether they're as malleable as the Apple version is a different question.

In my case, I use a netbook and, for some of my subjects, I use a specific PDF reader program (Foxit) to highlight/annotate the PDF-format coursebooks. I just did a quick google search and found out that there is an Android version of my particular PDF reader that may have similar functionality, though I can't really confirm it right now because my dad's tablet is in his room, and he's sleeping right now.

First, you should ask your friend what format his class readings are in. If all you need is a PDF reader that can highlight and annotate notes, then you might need to consider other criteria for choosing your ideal tablet if both platforms have such a PDF reader. But don't take my word for it because I'm really uncertain right now lol.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "creating notes with gestures".

Actually, I don't think I've seen anything like that on the android market. It's severely lacking, and if there is anything like that, I doubt it'll match the same standard as an apple app, since apple apps tend to be of a much higher quality both technically and efficiently

Originally Posted by Keith

Actually, I don't think I've seen anything like that on the android market. It's severely lacking, and if there is anything like that, I doubt it'll match the same standard as an apple app, since apple apps tend to be of a much higher quality both technically and efficiently

There are a ton of fantastic quality apps for Android. Admittedly, there are a lot of lower quality ones since it's easier to submit apps for Android, but the quality ones are still there.

Originally Posted by Double A

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "creating notes with gestures".

In the case of your netbook, you would need to use a mouse, or the tracking pad along with the buttons to highlight actual text for the purpose of highlighting it with a colour.


To rotate the screen you would need to click a button which rotates the screen. To zoom in and out, you may need to hold ctrl and roll the mouse wheel or press + -.

On a tablet like the iPad you can just run your finger over the area you want, and it is highlighted. To rotate you put two fingers on the screen and twist them and to zoom you just pinch. Those are gestures.

turns out the app is called iAnnotate, and android has a preliminary version available already and a full version coming soon.

Just a mention, all the document readers I've used on my tablet have included the zooming gestures. Either by 'pinching', or just double tapping.

^I've watched a couple of reviews and to be honest the unit them selves are really no different to the iPad. I mean the iPad has a stupidly high resolution screen, but you never notice that if you just use the one tablet.

The OS is the main difference between the two, and to be honest, if Android has iAnnotate, then I will be happy. Android is my preferred OS anyway, I like the added customization available to it. So I think it is between the Asus and the Samsung. I'll have to watch a couple more reviews.

Word of advice: if you choose the Asus, then buy the detachable keyboard dock too. It turns the tablet into a nifty-looking netbook with a touch screen. Not to mention, when attached it extends the already-long battery life of the tablet by ~6 hours (EDIT: Pani says "10 hours" below) while giving it SD card and USB compatibility.

If you already knew about the dock then I probably look like an idiot right now

the dock comes with the 32gb WiFi only version.


lol

Anyway my mind is made up on the Asus Transformer Prime though, the iPad I honestly have no interest in. I use PC and the only Apple products I use are an old iPod nano and iTunes. Otherwise everything else i have is Android optimised. Everything the iPad does, the Android OS has an answer for as it is. And the Asus seems to out do the Samsung with performance and camera, so yeah.


Thanks guys!

I totes convinced two Australians to buy the Transformer Prime.

Groovy.

The keyboard is great. You can buy it separately for about $100 if it doesn't come bundled with the version you like. Not only does it pretty much turn the tablet into an Android netbook, it also adds about 10 hours of battery life, extending the life of the whole thing up to about 20 hours. It's great.

lolwut.

^the only difference I can see is in the screen quality, lol who gives a fuqqqqqq i'll pay half the price and get the same ♥♥♥♥ lol


just gotta wair for ol' mate tax returny to show up and BOOOM
Asus tablet get!

The cheapest you can get them is online, but I went to my local JB and the guy there knocked the price down a bit for me, I think it ended up being about $50 cheaper than online and I didn't have to wait for shipping or worry about dodgy sellers.

You get diminishing returns very quickly with screen resolution increases. From a hardware perspective they're close enough

The iPad is a very solid unit and is a bit more of a luxury good.
Android tablets have a price advantage.

It's hard to go wrong either way, flip a coin.