Why I think the iPad is better than Android

[desura]

Because of a fundamental constraint in Android's design.

Basically, an iPad can prioritize one function and Android cannot. So when the UI is in use, the iPad is devoting all of its power to making the experience responsive, while Android makes the user wait in line with the various other tasks going on.

Which means that any given two tablets, with the same amount of power but one is iOS and one is Android, the iOS tablet will always be more responsive.

And Android cannot fix this without rewriting the entire OS. So basically, unless Android manages to open up an enormous speed advantage over iOS (unlikely), it will always lag in responsiveness.

Flame bait thread title changed for accuracy. -Admin DrPizza

If you've ever used an android tablet, and then an ipad, you'd get it immediately. the ipad is a much better experience.

 

[poofyhairguy]

unless Android manages to open up an enormous speed advantage over iOS (unlikely)

New N7 vs iPad Mini.

 

[Pardus]

Because of a fundamental constraint in Android's design.

Basically, an iPad can prioritize one function and Android cannot. So when the UI is in use, the iPad is devoting all of its power to making the experience responsive, while Android makes the user wait in line with the various other tasks going on.

Which means that any given two tablets, with the same amount of power but one is iOS and one is Android, the iOS tablet will always be more responsive.

And Android cannot fix this without rewriting the entire OS. So basically, unless Android manages to open up an enormous speed advantage over iOS (unlikely), it will always lag in responsiveness.

If you've ever used an android tablet, and then an ipad, you'd get it immediately. the ipad is a much better experience.

You're not comparing apples to apples here, a 32gb Ipad mini will cost $430 vs 2nd gen 32gb Google Nexus 7 is $250.00. For me, Android has more functionality, is cheaper and I'm not getting ass-raped by apple's prices.

There’s simply no two ways around the reality; the Nexus 7 runs circles — multiple circles — around the iPad mini. Clocking in at a Geekbench score of 2,684, that’s three and a half times faster than the iPad mini’s 766!

http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/07/26/new-nexus-7-vs-ipad-mini-video/

 

[Crono]

When the hardware is "good enough" and most common apps aren't too demanding, whatever prioritization iOS does won't matter.

I'd argue that point is now, though it will benefit Android tablets to keep having faster and faster CPUs and GPUs in their SoCs every year. Throw enough hardware at the problem and keep optimizing the operating system. That's really how Android has become much smoother and more useable since Honeycomb until Jellybean.

If you used Android tablets since the Nexus 7, you'd see whatever benefits iOS has on iPad doesn't matter quite as much anymore. The iPads do have decent GPUs, though, and a lot of nice tablet optimized apps, but the gap between the two is closing fast.

It doesn't help that Apple is behind Google/ASUS in the 7"/8" space. They got beat to the first punch, and they look bad when they don't even have a "retina" display yet on the Mini when they were the ones adverting the benefits of such a high DPI.

I do like the iPad, though. I got the iPad 1 right after it launched, and was one of the few people not laughing at it as being a "giant iPhone" prior to launch. It's one of only two products from Apple that I've ever really wanted to own, the other being the original and now the new Haswell-based Macbook Air. But Android is beating Apple at the lower price points in terms of value, and Microsoft has productivity locked up with the Surface Pro at the high end. I don't really see a need for me to get or own an iPad, but if someone gave me one I certainly wouldn't cry.

 

[zerogear]

Because of a fundamental constraint in Android's design.

Basically, an iPad can prioritize one function and Android cannot. So when the UI is in use, the iPad is devoting all of its power to making the experience responsive, while Android makes the user wait in line with the various other tasks going on.

Which means that any given two tablets, with the same amount of power but one is iOS and one is Android, the iOS tablet will always be more responsive.

And Android cannot fix this without rewriting the entire OS. So basically, unless Android manages to open up an enormous speed advantage over iOS (unlikely), it will always lag in responsiveness.

If you've ever used an android tablet, and then an ipad, you'd get it immediately. the ipad is a much better experience.

I've used an Android tablet, and then an iPad tablet (and I own both). I continually reach for the Android tablet because there are just things iOS can't do.

So thank you for your commentary, but it doesn't hold true for everyone.

Edit, and as for your responsiveness argument. I don't really notice a difference unless I'm actively looking for it (Especially on 2012/2013 tablets). The only time I ever really get lag nowadays is when I have too many program that I run in the background (actively running).

 

[corkyg]

IMHO, until it is opened up to USB (likely, never!), the iPad is only an entertainment device. An Android tablet is capable of real work involving passing material between devices.

 

[QueBert]

the iPad ties in with some of my Akai Pro studio equipment, Android never will. That's Android's biggest downfalls imho, 3rd party support. My car stereo ties in flawlessly with iOS devices, it has half baked BT Android support. My friend is a professional producer and his iPad is an integral piece of his studio. I have a room full of iOS accessories, I have the Nexus 4 and there are like 3 official accessories for it and a handful of oddball ones that aren't made for it but sort of work.

I can see why some people Prefer Android, but for my needs I already know it will never do what I need it do.

 

[dagamer34]

New Nexus 7 16GB - $230.
iPad mini 16GB - $330.

Nexus 7 wins.

New Nexus 7 32GB - $270.
iPad mini 32GB - $430.

Nexus 7 wins even more.

New Nexus 7 32GB LTE (carrier agnostic) - $350
iPad mini 32GB LTE - $560 (pick carrier at time of purchase)

Nexus 7 has to be pulled away because it's beating the iPad so badly.

And then there's the following:
Better screen
NFC
Wireless charging
Pocketable (well, my pockets anyway)
Faster

Some will say "Oh, the iPad mini hasn't been updated yet!" So? Who cares. If a person asks for my recommendation today, I will wholeheartedly tell them to get a Nexus 7. Period.

I assure you, if the general public actually cared about app performance, they would have never bought Android devices. Android pre-4.0 was atrocious. Didn't stop it from becoming the dominant mobile OS in the world.

 

[dlock13]

I wish I had $350 to get the LTE version of the new Nexus 7.

 

[desura]

Eh, I'm comparing like a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 w/ dualcore 1.4ghz processors from 2012 and android 4 vs an old ipad 2 which has dualcore 1ghz processors and iOS6 and I think it came out in 2011?

iPad 2 is a lot better.

And the main use of these tablets is in reading stuff like in a browser or interacting with apps. So yeah, it is important to be super responsive and lucid.

and the newer android device is much more frustrating.

 

[Yuriman]

Basically, an iPad can prioritize one function and Android cannot. So when the UI is in use, the iPad is devoting all of its power to making the experience responsive, while Android makes the user wait in line with the various other tasks going on.

Which means that any given two tablets, with the same amount of power but one is iOS and one is Android, the iOS tablet will always be more responsive.

Sounds like you're describing the I/O scheduler, which can be changed. There's no reason that you couldn't use the same scheduler on Android that Apple uses - which I'd bet is some variant of ROW.

And Android cannot fix this without rewriting the entire OS. So basically, unless Android manages to open up an enormous speed advantage over iOS (unlikely), it will always lag in responsiveness.

False.

 

[Zodiark1593]

Eh, I'm comparing like a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 w/ dualcore 1.4ghz processors from 2012 and android 4 vs an old ipad 2 which has dualcore 1ghz processors and iOS6 and I think it came out in 2011?

iPad 2 is a lot better.

And the main use of these tablets is in reading stuff like in a browser or interacting with apps. So yeah, it is important to be super responsive and lucid.

and the newer android device is much more frustrating.

So you say that iOS is always better than Android, and then you concede that you only compared it with 2012 tablets. Not that I follow the tablet scene (at all), but you have a pretty flawed argument by not comparing the current iPad (or iPad of your choice) against comparable (read: not bargain basement) Android tablets. At least this way, you might be able to back up your argument.

 

[Genx87]

the iPad ties in with some of my Akai Pro studio equipment, Android never will. That's Android's biggest downfalls imho, 3rd party support. My car stereo ties in flawlessly with iOS devices, it has half baked BT Android support. My friend is a professional producer and his iPad is an integral piece of his studio. I have a room full of iOS accessories, I have the Nexus 4 and there are like 3 official accessories for it and a handful of oddball ones that aren't made for it but sort of work.

I can see why some people Prefer Android, but for my needs I already know it will never do what I need it do.

The radio + S3 in my 2014 Mazda CX-5 works just fine. It syncs up and plays pandora flawlessly. Along with contact sync and hands free phone. I suspect older radios with BT support were built for the iPhone\iPod. And that may be the source of issues. My buddy has an older touch screen radio with BT support. He got an iPhone 5 because the radio doenst play with android.

 

[QueBert]

The radio + S3 in my 2014 Mazda CX-5 works just fine. It syncs up and plays pandora flawlessly. Along with contact sync and hands free phone. I suspect older radios with BT support were built for the iPhone\iPod. And that may be the source of issues. My buddy has an older touch screen radio with BT support. He got an iPhone 5 because the radio doenst play with android.

Can you see your phones screen on your head units screen? With my iPhone in the glove box I can do anything from my HU's screen, it mirrors my phone. Outside of it being slower I can use my phone 100% without every touching it. Even the newer ones I tried out, with the BT + Android I wasn't getting album art for my music.

 

[openwheel]

Nexus 7 has made another iPad sheep nervous and insecure. Hooray!!

 

[Red Storm]

Nexus 7 has made another iPad sheep nervous and insecure. Hooray!!

lol, it certainly does seem to be well timed thread.

 

[AstroManLuca]

There is exactly one reason why we bought an iPad mini and not an Android tablet a few months ago, despite not being an Apple-using family.

Face Time.

There is nothing that even comes close on Android in terms of quality or ease of use. "Front facing camera" is not a bullet point I care about anymore on non-Apple devices because the hardware and software universally sucks.

Kinda sucks that Apple has it locked down completely, but maybe that's the price you pay to get that kind of quality. On the other hand, I don't really care since I don't have any desire to video chat with anyone except my mom and mother in law, so they can see the baby.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

lol, it certainly does seem to be well timed thread.

After picking up my iPad Mini at work after a weekend of using the new Nexus 7 Android isn't the one that is slow. The Nexus crushes the Mini so thoroughly at anything performance related it's almost sad.

 

[cmdrdredd]

There is exactly one reason why we bought an iPad mini and not an Android tablet a few months ago, despite not being an Apple-using family.

Face Time.

There is nothing that even comes close on Android in terms of quality or ease of use. "Front facing camera" is not a bullet point I care about anymore on non-Apple devices because the hardware and software universally sucks.

Kinda sucks that Apple has it locked down completely, but maybe that's the price you pay to get that kind of quality. On the other hand, I don't really care since I don't have any desire to video chat with anyone except my mom and mother in law, so they can see the baby.

I have used Skype with no issues whatsoever.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Always had problems with Skype. Bad audio and video lag, stuttering, low quality, connection issues... it wasn't even usable.

 

[Genx87]

Can you see your phones screen on your head units screen? With my iPhone in the glove box I can do anything from my HU's screen, it mirrors my phone. Outside of it being slower I can use my phone 100% without every touching it. Even the newer ones I tried out, with the BT + Android I wasn't getting album art for my music.

It plays the music just fine and makes phone calls and will even allow me to text via voice if I were inclined. As for albumn art? I dont think this thing has the capability to do such a thing even with an iPhone. It's graphics are pretty, well, basic. And honestly, not sure what else besides playing a movie for passengers I would want the radio to do from the phone.

 

[dlock13]

After picking up my iPad Mini at work after a weekend of using the new Nexus 7 Android isn't the one that is slow. The Nexus crushes the Mini so thoroughly at anything performance related it's almost sad.

I'm not trying to start anything, but you have to remember that the iPad Mini shipped with 1.5 year old SoC. It's the 32 nm version of the iPad 2's SoC. It's a low power processor, but it's also low class in terms of performance compared to the Nexus 7's quad core SoC. So really, the performance should be noticeably quicker in everything the Nexus 7 does in comparison to the iPad Mini.

 

[BladeVenom]

If you've ever used a new Android tablet, and then an iPad, you'd get it immediately. The Android is a much better experience.

 

[nageov3t]

I'm an Android fanboy, but I chose to buy an iPad when I needed a tablet.

there are many, many things I hate about it (and I could never use it for anything that required a lot of typing), but sadly, it seems like a lot of developers care more about the iOS platform than Android. went with the iPad because there were a handful of exclusive apps that I needed (or at least, apps whose iOS versions had significant feature enhancements over their Android siblings)

 

[zsdersw]

I'm not trying to start anything, but you have to remember that the iPad Mini shipped with 1.5 year old SoC. It's the 32 nm version of the iPad 2's SoC. It's a low power processor, but it's also low class in terms of performance compared to the Nexus 7's quad core SoC. So really, the performance should be noticeably quicker in everything the Nexus 7 does in comparison to the iPad Mini.

The lower display resolution of the iPad Mini should've helped its performance more than it did.