The Ipad is nowhere near as good as I expected....

[AndrewOW]

I totally love Apple, and would never use anything else, but even I'm not stupid enough to buy an iPad.

 

I'm saving for a new MacBook Pro, as they are just brilliant, IMO of course.

[TubbyTwo]

android is the way!

[Jellybean]

One thing about Apple is the PR marketing is probably the best marketing in the world and is why they are where they are today. Apple has this image of the "Good Guy", alot of people just dont get all these Multinational companies are as cut throat as one another.

 

Apple I like the hardware/interface but the software is crap, itunes, media box (itunes TV or what every its called); Apply strategy is all gearred towads emptying your wallet. Once you have there product be prepared to pay to use it, this has turned me completly off apple products

 

The whole apple philosophy "no refunds" I cant stand, every chance they get they try to bill you and even to get an itunes account you still need to give them a credit card, which is just ridicolous.

 

Apple = GREED; I have no issues paying a fair price for a product but Apple just want to bleed you dry. Over in Ireland if you can get a smart phone plan, say for 40 euro a month min, the same bandwidth, criteria in a Iphone is 60 a month min. You have to pay an extra 20 euro monthly for the same service because its an Iphone and a higher intial tarrif. Even when you have the phone apple want you to pay for updates, apps, everything ehh no thanks.

 

So far for me Android is the clear choice, everything from Gmail to Google Music (upoload 30K plus free songs into the cloud), google maps, google navigation and all the other 1001 free apps in-between. Third part integration (PS3), and allowing third part's to integrate into the android framework allows great consumer choice.

 

I do own an ipod touch for the car but definetly the new Samsung Galaxy Android tablet is a clear winner over the Ipad.

 

You have to laugh, Apple bitch and moan about monopolys yet they have created one themselfs.

[chazuk]

I bought a I Pad 2 to see what the fuss was about never having bought anything Apple before and to be honest the I Pad is pretty useless its a gimmick nice if you just want to browse the internet or download endless ammount of apps that you will never use . You do not realise how the lack of adobe flash is a pain almost every embedded video does not play . The best thing for me would be forget the jaibreak when it comes for the Ipad2 I want windows 7 on it but thats never going to happen I have seen videos of ipad 2s running windows 7 buts its just a virtual machine using the Inet . All in all for what I paid I could( I should ) have bought a nice laptop .

[The-Plethora]

I think their phones and ipods are good gadgets but when it comes to computers I despair. Below is the upgrade cost for a processor on one of their macs.

 

One 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem”

One 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” [+ £327.00]

 

Thats UPGRADE cost remember... you can BUY the same processor for £229 on Overclockers. It's amazing that they get away with it.

Look at memory

 

3 GB (3 x 1 GB)

6 GB (3 x 2 GB) [+ £180.00]

 

£180 to upgrade, 6GB of decent RAM on overclockers, not the basic stuff is £59.

 

If people want simplicity then maybe it's the way to go, I'll stick with Ubuntu and Windows for now.

[Scott]

But, each has it's own market-sector really. I love the iPod/iPhone integration - it stops me bringing my iPod to work. I like the concept of the iPad and I might get an iPad 2 from the states to bring home for a play - but I'm not too bothered if I don't. However, the Android is more for the techie, deep down, with companies like HTC putting their thin veneer of identity on it, like Sense. Rooting is comparable to jailbreaking, in that it allows you to do more than the OEM decided was right. Custom Android Roms vs Jailbroken firmware, etc.

 

Horses for courses as everyone has said.

 

 

There is one major difference regarding the jail breaking vs rooting though. You don't need to root an android to get it to run unverified apps. You can install whatever you like with almost no restrictions. The only reason for rooting when it comes to apps is when the apps need to use secure devices on the phone, such as the wifi, etc.

 

With iTunes you are totally limited to what is signed off by apple, no home brew or custom apps can be installed without iTunes say so. To be honest there isn't a huge benefit of rooting an android phone. The only app I use that needs it is wifi tether.

 

Also, phones from htc will no longer have locked boot loaders. Htc listened to the consumer so we are having the cuffs taken off in that respect.

 

No word of a lie, if this thing was running android it would be the best thing since sliced bread. The other companies need to get the finger out when it comes to making these tablets. They are getting there though.

[Pete]

It took me a while to take the plunge, but a brand new iPad was offered to me at a sensible price that I couldn't resist.

 

Quite frankly it does what it sets out to do brilliantly and I find it very useful indeed.

 

What you have to remember is that this ISN'T a device for tech heads to mess with and tinker. It's a device for normal people, kids, your mum and dad. People that just want things to work.

 

I made the switch to OSX 4 years back and have embraced Apple since with pretty much one of everything they make now. The way it all works together is great. I can control my iTunes library on my Mac Mini to stream to my Apple TV 2 whilst remote controlling it from either the iPhone 4 or iPad. I can even push the sound to the Macbook Pro running iTunes with speakers connected to the dining area.

Yes I might sound like a walking advert for Apple - but this stuff just works really well together.

 

As an IT professional and computer addict all my life I'm happy to get home and use kit that just works properly.

 

I have no doubt that Android will catch up soon and given that it can be installed on so many devices will no doubt surpass Apple - but for the moment my choice is clear.

[Scott]

Double post. After me saying how good the keyboard is too lol.

[Scott]

It took me a while to take the plunge, but a brand new iPad was offered to me at a sensible price that I couldn't resist.

 

Quite frankly it does what it sets out to do brilliantly and I find it very useful indeed.

 

What you have to remember is that this ISN'T a device for tech heads to mess with and tinker. It's a device for normal people, kids, your mum and dad. People that just want things to work.

 

I made the switch to OSX 4 years back and have embraced Apple since with pretty much one of everything they make now. The way it all works together is great. I can control my iTunes library on my Mac Mini to stream to my Apple TV 2 whilst remote controlling it from either the iPhone 4 or iPad. I can even push the sound to the Macbook Pro running iTunes with speakers connected to the dining area.

Yes I might sound like a walking advert for Apple - but this stuff just works really well together.

 

As an IT professional and computer addict all my life I'm happy to get home and use kit that just works properly.

 

I have no doubt that Android will catch up soon and given that it can be installed on so many devices will no doubt surpass Apple - but for the moment my choice is clear.

 

 

Thats ok when you have everything apple and are happy to use the apple media formats, for anything else they are all a nightmare. Add up the cost of your setup, not a lot of kids or mums and dads can afford that sort of money, great as the setup sounds. IMO these devices must be judged on their own merits, they can't be hopeless on their own without spending 1000s in additional devices/equipment.

 

The iPad as a piece of hardware is fantastic, no doubt. If you are happy with being told what format to use and are happy with the choices available then I would agree it's fantastic. If not then they are not by any means to be recommended unless you are very happy to fudge just about everything. I think the browser is the only thing I haven't touched as I get on quite well with it.

 

And this is the point I'm making, as I have been saying from the beginning, none of the apple fans seem to mention these drawbacks when touting the products as the best. Seems that fashion is more dictating than useability. It's disappointing when you expect a product to be good based on people's opinions only to find out they are one sided and whiff of "what I have is best" rather than being objective. I know that it is to be expected, but the sheer magnitude of the beliefs of apple users led me to believe that my own opinion may be wrong with the iPad (I had never used one, I had some assumptions of what it would be like). Turns out the only things I presumed wrong were the browser and the onscreen keyboard which are fantatstic. The flash thing I knew about so I can't complain about that.

 

Basically I'm saying don't listen to the hype and don't listen to the opinion of apple users, myself included, get your hands on the kit and test it to the lengths you want to use it. If you are not a mac orientated person with mac orientated formats then I warn you will be disappointed.