Why not buy an iPad?
I cannot deny that the iPad is a great device. Looks beautiful and performs superbly. So why don’t I but one? Well, it’s not the device, it’s the ethos behind it. I don’t want to be trapped in an Apple world. If I want to write an iPad app I have to buy a Mac. For better or worse I’m a PC person and I have a few ideas for some apps I want to write. So I’m going Android.
Android on my phone.
Actually, I’ve already gone Android on my phone. I have an HTC Desire HD smart-phone which is a superb bit of kit. I’ve already been building some practise Andriod apps.
What do I need?
Besides the ability to use it for a tablet app test-bed:
- I have load of eBooks, and lots films and music so lots of storage built-in – 32Gb.
- I want a really good screen, and decent speakers (though I’ll probably use ‘phones).
- WiFi only, not 3G
- SD or microSD capability,
- Decent front and back cameras
- and USB and HDMI sockets.
Decisions, Decisions.
So, I’ve been researching the current market and what follows is a summation of the many (many) reviews I’ve been reading. However I haven’t made a decision yet, but I have some front runners. Most of the big hitters in the market have a roughly similar underlying specification – a NVIDIA Tegra 2 T20 1.0GHz Dual-Core Processor with about 1Gb of RAM.
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the nearest device to being a direct competitor to the iPad2 – but it’s not perfect – lack of USB is an issue. It also depends on the UK price which hasn’t been announced yet.
- The Asus EEE Pad is also a strong contender, with a low price and a good specification, but it is bulky and heavy.
- The tablet I’m waiting for is the HTC device, which I believe will be called Puccini. This could be the winner, as HTC make superb kit.
Tablet | Pros | Cons |
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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 – £tbaOverview: The major contender. Note: This is NOT the Galaxy Tab 10.1V which is a bulkier device probably destined to be a Vodafone only product |
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Asus Eee Pad Transformer – £379Overview: This is a real contender |
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Acer Iconia Tab A500 – £395Overview: Middle of the road … |
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Motorola Xoom – £450Overview: A good try |
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