My wife wants a tablet, edumecate me.

If she is accustomed to using an SD card to carry media, iPad is out. You
must use iTunes to import all your media (movies, music, photos). I'm not
sure, but I believe iPad still does not support Flash either.

But having looked at and played with a LOT of tablets out there, it's pretty
hard to beat the iPad in "the tablet experience" and sheer visual yummy-ness.

Jedi

 

My wife has an iPad-2. I have a HP Touchpad (webOS).

There is no comparison. iPad wins, hands down.

(I use the Touchpad for some things that are too 'dumb' to spend a lot of money on the iPad for, so it was purely an economic choice)

 

iPad... no contest. All other tablets are still a year or two behind.

Just because she's familiar with using an SD card doesn't mean that's what she wants in a tablet. The new iCloud features make the iPad more idiot-proof than it was already.

The line is: "Android/Amazon tablets are great gifts from people who always buy the wrong thing." -- And I'm no Apple nut.. it's just a far better product right now.

 

If money were no object I'd get an iPad 2, but I may end up with a kindle Fire due to the price and I'd like to try out an android device as I've only had apple stuff so far.

 

+1

I've now played around with the Playbook & a Samsung thing - They're OK'ish but don't hold a candle to the iPad.

She'll need to add an app for editing Word docs; "Documents to go" from Dataviz gets good reviews. She may also balk at the virtual keyboard - I held off on buying a real one and am now happy with that decision - It takes a little getting used to, but unless you're writing a novel on it I wouldn't bother.

It doesn't support Flash, and I don't miss it outside of a fantasy football app that won't run. Certainly not a show stopper IMO.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Oops, also meant to say don't bother with the 3G version - At least for me I'm "always" in Wifi range one way or another. Further, unless she's going to shoot a bunch of videos the smallest version will suffice.

Cheers,
Ian

 

I'd go with the iPad too. I have a Touch with WiFi, it's absolutely my tool of choice - it's by my side at all times.

Eventually, I'll have an iPad as well.

 

While the iPad is great, to say all the other tablets are 2 years behind is just not true. Motorola and Samsung make just as good and in some aspects better.

They all have their possitives and negatives.

If your wife's friends all have ipads and she uses an iPhone its a no brainer go iPad, for most applications it will be fine.

However iPad does not allow for expansion memory, you are tied to itunes, for the average user anyway. The selection is very good in the apps store and music store but Android allows allot more choice for where, what and how you sync and download music and apps.

Also iPad does not have flash support, which is quite frustrating.

 

Ipad is simple, just turn it on and go.

The android devices, while more powerful I believe, sometimes require tweaking to get just right. Great if you are a geek, but not so good for the average joe (or jane).

We have a nook color that was rooted (err, jailbroken) to run full android (CM7). Works really well. My wife uses it all the time to surf the web, check e-mail, news, etc. It's not the fastest tablet, but does just fine. You can view movies on it, but we generally don't since it is just a 7" screen.

I have put Quickoffice on it, so she can view and edit word, microsoft, powerpoint, but I don't think she really uses it, as when she does her schoolwork, she prefers to use a laptop with keyboard.

Amazon will have a new android tablet coming soon, and there are rumors of a new Nook color. These will be low-end (pricewise), so may not be as fast as some of the other high end tablets, but should be fine for what it looks like your wife wants to do.


If I had to choose another tablet, it would definately be android. However, I can understand why so many like the ipads.

Hope this helps.

Dom

 

I am by no means an Apple fanatic, but I'm enjoying my Ipad 2. A lot of good apps available, many that are free. I have an Android phone though, and have used Android tablets, they can do some cool things if you are into tweaking and hacking. Although jailbreaking an Ipad is pretty easy too.

 

iPad 2 with 3G and at least 32 gig. Once it is used for photos and video you will like the space.

With the new os and apple tv, you can use your big screen as a monitor. Brings a whole new experience to showing off the family photos. Or anything as it mirrors what is on your iPad screen. Corporate presentations just got much cooler.

 

Why does everyone keep saying this "tied to iTunes"?

My IPad has never been connected to iTunes. While I guess there is some choice for where, what and how it sync - I choose not to choose. Sync isn't even a thought anymore. I buy an app on my iPhone and it appears on my iPad. Same iPad to iPhone. I crank up iTunes on my PC and buy a few songs - before I get out of my chair the songs are on my iPhone and iPad - and they were sitting in another room.

 

For the average user itunes is where you get your media and apps from. Yes you can get media from anywhere and transfer it in different ways, but really most people are tied to the Apple world. Again, for the average user which I'm sure is the majority it is fine.

When I was on iphone, and my wife has an iPad I never leave the Apple sphere.
With my Android phone and tablet I always smile that I'm not.

Also the Kobo vox tablet which is an alternative to the Amazon tablet is very good. It's $200, Android 2.2 made by Sony as I recall. For $200 you can't go wrong. No camera or hdmi output but has sdcard slot.

 

Fave, maybe I should have asked why you meant by "connected to iTunes" - since you mentioned "sync" I assumed you meant having to physically connect your device to a PC and iTunes.

You can still be "tied to the Apple world" for your music and apps, etc., and never sync with iTunes. This is the way iOS 5 works now.

 

I didn't know that. I did upgrade our devices but truth be told haven't really looked into it.

I know its slightly off topic but that's one reason I went to Android for my devices. I was not happy being tied down to the Apple universe and I just find Android much more customizable and its not unlike the old windows phones that allow you to do what I want to do without the powers at Apple approving what I can and cant.

 

FYI, the Xoom 2 has been unveiled: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/03/motorola-xoom-2-hands-on-video/

Might be some good deals to be had on the original Xoom if you don't want/need the new one.

Interesting how the corners are designed. Looks goofy to me but is suppose to make it more comfortable to hold...
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Looks like we need a third opinion!

 

I think that's the one I'm getting for Christmas now

 

http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/03/bandn-launching-nook-tablet-for-249-on-november-16th-and-weve-g/