Ipad vs Nexus

[MarkStock]

I'm going to be buying a couple of tablets in the months ahead for my wife and daughter.

I have an Iphone already and was leaning towards Ipads due to the user experience.

But the new Nexus seem really good from a value for money point of view as well as spec (as well as using micro usb).

Does anybody out there use both? Any thoughts on whether the Android apps and experience are close to Ipad for casual users?

 

[RiceCake]

I'm no Apple guy, I'd buy the Nexus in a heartbeat over an iPad, and I believe most people can get the exact same experience from an Android tablet.

But that having been said...if you own an iPhone I'd suggest finding both at a store and checking them out. The iPad will be way easier to transition into since its basically a "big" iPhone. If thats the user experience you're really satisfied with it'll be hard to beat.

But the Nexus isn't crippled or anything, its just different.

 

[97prizm]

Sure you could go for the Ipad having an Iphone, but android outsells apple os and is more flexible. Essentially Android is much more customizable. Here are a couple of good articles to help you decide Nexus Beats Ipad

Nexus 7 Hotter than Ipad

1280 x 800 Nexus 7 has a lot more pixels than the 1024 x 768 iPad mini. By putting more pixels on a smaller screen (7-inches versus 7.9 inches), Google’s tablet achieves a density of 215 pixels per inch, compared to 162 ppi for the iPad mini. That means the Nexus 7 has sharper images and can show HD videos at their native resolution rather than downscaling them and tossing out details.-From Forbes

 

[Hokiefyd]

Try them both and listen to your heart/gut. Both are very good products. Both have their fans and their critics.

You specifically asked a question about Android apps and overall user interface being close to Apple apps and Apple's user interface. It's not very close at all. I've owned three different Android devices and my wife has owned two different ones herself. And we both have iPhones now. The difference in ease-of-use is a factor for us. There are a variety of other reasons we switched that don't apply in your case so I won't mention them. The Android platform offers so many customizations and "power user" type options and settings that simply don't apply to us. We never use those options so they're not relevant...to us. If you are the kind of user who likes to play around with that stuff, it may be relevant to you.

I again wholeheartedly second the suggestion to try both and go with your heart. It's rarely wrong.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Secondly, what size are you looking at? I don't like what Apple has done with the iPad Mini. I don't like how they've dumbed down the display. And I don't like how they've priced it. At $329, it's at an awkward place where it's high enough over small Android tablets to lose sales to those, and it's close enough to the price of a base New iPad to lose sales to that. I had high hopes for the iPad Mini, but I'm disappointed. I, too, am planning on buying a tablet this Christmas for the family, but it will be a New iPad instead of the Mini.

 

[itguy08]

I had an iPhone, did the Android thing with a Droid X and now have an iPhone. There is no contest, iOS is better and more reliable than Android. My Droid X would randomly get slow, reboot whenever it felt like it, and certain features never worked right. It worked halfway with my car (Ford with Sync) and while Android is good in theory it was just a bad experience.
Here's an example with my old Droid X:
While listening to music or podcasts your battery is running low and you want to plug it in. Plug it in and your music stops because its in USB Mode vs Charge mode. Swipe down and change it and restart your music.

On the way home want to charge and listen to music. Plug in to your car. Oops, it's in charge mode so you ave to swipe down and pick USB so Sync will pick it up.

Contrast that to my iPhone where I just plug it in and the music never stops and it charges.

The Android tablets are cheap and that's about all they have going for them. Unless Google has changed things recently all you get is scaled up phone apps - there are no "tablet only" apps with more functionality. I love my iPad as it has almost replaced my laptop 100%. I have the camera kit and when on vacation plug it in and my DSLR copies to the iPad. If I'm in wifi they will upload to iCloud and be ready for me when I get home as well as being backed up. RAW files and all.

Buying by specs is a Fools Errand. My Droid X had awesome specs and was no faster than my wife's older iPhone 3GS and in many ways was slower. You'll probably never notice the screen differences between the Nexus and iPad Mini. That being said I think Apple should have put the iPad mini at $299 or less to start.

 

[rg200amp]

Go to a store like BestBuy and USE each tablet to see what YOU like better. Bring the family if you want to see what THEY like better.

 

[kb01]

The whole Android vs. iOS thing is entirely subjective. My wife and I switched to Android two years ago after becoming incredibly frustrated with our iPhones.

 

[JHZR2]

I almost bought the galaxy tab last Christmas, but it wasnt as polished in terms of OS. With a new OS and a top notch screen, this looks like a good deal.

But Id probably wait and see what the next gen samsung galaxy tab brings, as Ill be the screen is even better and the design will be even more superior.

I like apple stuff, but given this, Id wait for a better retina display come in for the ipad also.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Try them both and listen to your heart/gut. Both are very good products. Both have their fans and their critics.


+1

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Originally Posted By: MarkStock
I'm going to be buying a couple of tablets in the months ahead for my wife and daughter.

I have an Iphone already and was leaning towards Ipads due to the user experience.

But the new Nexus seem really good from a value for money point of view as well as spec (as well as using micro usb).

Does anybody out there use both? Any thoughts on whether the Android apps and experience are close to Ipad for casual users?


The Nexus is a good value from the money point of view! However, if you like the Apple experience, you will not want to switch. Why?

You are buying these for your wife & daughter.

If THEY are happy with the Apple experience, don't make them switch to the Android environment. A good example why: Androids games & apps aren't on the same schedule as Apple's iOS. Zynga still doesn't have a Matching With Friends nor Gems With Friends for Android, only Apple iOS. You will not hear the end of "dad, I can't play the same games as (insert name here) because this tablet YOU bought doesn't have the same apps!"

Trust me on this, personal experience.

Just pay the extra for the Apple iPad mini and they'll all be happy.

 

[MarkStock]

Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn
You will not hear the end of "dad, I can't play the same games as (insert name here) because this tablet YOU bought doesn't have the same apps!"

Trust me on this, personal experience.

Just pay the extra for the Apple iPad mini and they'll all be happy.




Thanks! Yes this is a factor. I bought a Sony PSP but promptly had to return it for a NDS.

Daughter will get an ipad (mini) probably.

Wife may prefer the size of the Nexus 10 though.

May end up just buying 2 x regular ipads and cut down on the beer.

 

[JHZR2]

Looks like the Kindle Fire HD has the good screen at a lower price point.

 

[rjundi]

Android lacks table applications so the application set is not as great.

I have a Nexus 7. Honestly in that size I would not spend more than $200 for a tablet. I am floored Apple has the gall to charge $329 for their iPad mini. I would spend the money for the $399 ipad 2? instead.

 

[rjundi]

The recent Android 4.2 makes the Nexus much nicer. Cannot exactly describe but it just works better.

 

[Y_K]

Torque will not run on Apple due to their botched up proprietary Booth protocol

 

[javacontour]

Good points have been made. We are a mixed household. My employer issues Android phones. I just got my Galaxy S III and it is far better than the Galaxy S I used the past two years.

oilBabe has the iPhone 4 and the 2nd generation iPad. When I was shopping for a tablet a month or so ago, spending some bonus money, she wanted me to get an Android tablet, so we sprung for the Galaxy Note 10.1 WiFi only as I have a MiFi card.

Why? We wanted examples of each in the house.

I find I use the Note 10.1 for things at work too, as I can get on the VPN and status cases, order parts, etc. It's much faster to fire up the MiFi card if there is no local wifi and the Note than it is to wait for the laptop to boot, etc.

Took it on the call last night, and while waiting for the customer, I d/l'ed a book on the Nook app and started reading until the customer approved the fix I made and released me.

So here is the argument for spreading it around and having examples of both major tablets.

Finally, one final argument. A guy I know, who I see in my line of work described it this way. iPhones and iPads are great for beginners. But if you really want to tweek and fiddle with your device, Android is the way to go.

Apple controls what goes in and on their products so much more than others. So if you want something that "just works" like turning on the lights, you have a higher chance of getting that in an Apple device.

If you want to fiddle, customize, etc, then Android offers more options.

I suspect your wife and daughter (yes I'm stereotyping) are in I just want it to work category.