Why I think the iPad is better than Android

[dlock13]

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

Well, it has the same resolution as the iPad 2 which should have kept the performance roughly the same across both devices. I don't have any benchmarks or tests handy, but IMO, that's how it theoretically should have worked.

 

[zsdersw]

Well, it has the same resolution as the iPad 2 which should have kept the performance roughly the same across both devices. I don't have any benchmarks or tests handy, but IMO, that's how it theoretically should have worked.

I meant versus the Nexus 7, not versus the iPad 2. The Mini's lower display resolution should've helped it keep pace with the Nexus 7's faster hardware.

 

[Red Storm]

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.

There must be more to your story, cause if you're not an Apple-using family then what good does Face Time (locked in to Apple-users) do for you?

Hangouts would seem to be more useful as it works on more devices.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I meant versus the Nexus 7, not versus the iPad 2. The Mini's lower display resolution should've helped it keep pace with the Nexus 7's faster hardware.

The Mini basically has a 2011 SoC. No surprise it can't keep up with stuff from 2013.

 

[dlock13]

The Mini basically has a 2011 SoC. No surprise it can't keep up with stuff from 2013.

He meant the OG Nexus 7, so he's talking about the SoC in last year's.

 

[AstroManLuca]

There must be more to your story, cause if you're not an Apple-using family then what good does Face Time (locked in to Apple-users) do for you?

Hangouts would seem to be more useful as it works on more devices.

I meant my immediate family. My parents and in-laws have iPads.

Hangouts is a terrible app too. Seems like Google decided to "update" it in order to remove essential features, change the logo, and they've ignored it since.

 

[zerocool84]

Yes iPad still has the apps but everything else Nexus. The new Nexus is leaps and bounds better than the Mini it's not even fair. Apple would have to raise the price of the Mini to give it similar specs to the new 7.

 

[Phokus]

I don't understand how Apple fans aren't pissed off at Apple over the ipad mini, i think it's a travesty that they'd release a device with such piss poor resolution and $130 more expensive than the competition. It's the most blatant attempt at using their brand to suck dry all the money they can without giving good value.

 

[dlock13]

I don't understand how Apple fans aren't pissed off at Apple over the ipad mini, i think it's a travesty that they'd release a device with such piss poor resolution and $130 more expensive than the competition. It's the most blatant attempt at using their brand to suck dry all the money they can without giving good value.

Well, people tend to buy Apple devices because Apple supports them extremely well, the build is extremely solid (and sometimes unmatched), and they also are sucked into their ecosystem. The resolution doesn't tend to bother a majority of users.

It's worth it to note that there was a survey was done (I believe there was.. I don't know if my mind is playing tricks on me) recently that said Apple customers and the most loyal of any user.

The only reason I would buy an iPad Mini is because that form factor is plenty awesome. The fact that there's barely any bezel on the sides and the feel in hand makes it great.

 

[Red Storm]

The fact that there's barely any bezel on the sides and the feel in hand makes it great.

Until you start watching videos on it, which has become an ever increasingly popular activity on tablets.

I agree the in hand feel of the Mini is great, it was my favorite tablet for a while. But I just couldn't get over all the wasted space when watching videos.

 

[Midwayman]

I don't understand how Apple fans aren't pissed off at Apple over the ipad mini, i think it's a travesty that they'd release a device with such piss poor resolution and $130 more expensive than the competition. It's the most blatant attempt at using their brand to suck dry all the money they can without giving good value.

No kidding. iOS is really the only positive thing about the mini. I don't get why people defend it. If that sort of hardware came out in the android space it would have been laughed out of the market.

 

[jiffylube1024]

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

Always had connections with skype. Seriously? Always!? I guess you always had a bad connection then. Every now and then Skype gives that underwater sound after 30-45 mins of usage, but on a good connection, it usually doesn't. I routinely skype chat with my sister in New Zealand over skype for 60-90 minutes at a time, and I have problems with Skype maybe 10% of the time, and a recall fixes everything. If your skype is always bad, it's your connection (internet or wifi).

I also Face Time with my sister sometimes too, but we got into the habit of using Skype, and she has a Windows laptop so we can only face time from my ipad (or laptop) to her phone - not ideal.

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.

There's absolutely no technical basis for your explanation. iOS, Android, Windows and Mac OS can all multitask and multithread to varying degrees. iOS and Android are both offshoots of Linux/Unix. Yes, maybe Android has more apps that generally add notifications in the notification bar than iOS, so it seems like Android is "doing more" but both OSes have similar multitasking capabilities, Apple just locks down the OS much tighter for notifications than Android.

--------

Why I personally think the iPad is better than Android tablets - iOS has more tablet-optimized apps. That's it. I wouldn't hesitate getting a new Nexus 7 at any point (I'm going to get one when they're on sale - love the 7" form factor for reading books). I love the big iPad - it's a powerhouse of a tablet. I love the size of my wife's iPad mini but detest the screen. Once they come up with a retina version I may switch to that. Or a Nexus 7, depending on how I feel the tablet-optimized app ecosystem has evolved on Android. Last year it was only so-so compared to iOS.

I still think it's absolutely mental that Apple has different versions of so many apps for phone/tablet, so say you buy Final Fantasy V for the tablet - you have to buy a different version for the phone. That's not right! One purchase should give you access to both versions.

 

[Midwayman]

I still think it's absolutely mental that Apple has different versions of so many apps for phone/tablet, so say you buy Final Fantasy V for the tablet - you have to buy a different version for the phone. That's not right! One purchase should give you access to both versions.

FWIW android does that too. There is the normal and 'HD' versions of many apps. Granted most HD apps run on phones too, but its not like companies aren't trying to double dip on android.

 

[openwheel]

I've never seen an OP get so depressingly owned by the rest of the thread.....

 

[Crap Daddy]

What's with this iPad better than Android? Ipad is a device and android is an OS.

 

[StrangerGuy]

No kidding. iOS is really the only positive thing about the mini. I don't get why people defend it. If that sort of hardware came out in the android space it would have been laughed out of the market.

Only Android hardcores gives a crap about the hardware. The rest of the world simply doesn't care.

 

[annomander]

I've never seen an OP get so depressingly owned by the rest of the thread.....

Not really, I just see one set of fans of a product reply back to another fan.

The ones responding don't like that some one has put down there device, but then go right ahead and do the same thing themselves.

I have both android and ipad, they both excel at different things, I don't see the need to fight over it.

 

[Zaap]

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

Interesting, because I haven't had those issues with Skype recently with any of my Android devices. (Way back when Skype video was fairly new I had them, but not in years). Nothing against FaceTime, but I've never had any issue using Skype-to-Skype between my wife's iPhones and my Android phones or desktop PC. In fact, my wife rarely gets to use FaceTime because everyone she video calls (family/friends on East Coast and in Europe) are using Skype.

 

[Zaap]

What's with this iPad better than Android? Ipad is a device and android is an OS.

I was thinking the same thing. Might be better to argue a specific model of iPad is better than a specific Android Tablet that's comparable, but just to say Android in general is way to broad.

I find the responsiveness arguments to be less and less true these days with newer Android devices it really doesn't make any difference.

I do have to say, comparing actual function (imagine that!) in integration with audio/video systems: I was recently helping a buddy set up a home recording studio, and the way the iPad integrated with his equipment making it possible to be a one-man operation controlling everything from the booth was awesome.

It's true- Android tablets can't touch that. For such use, a person would be crazy not to go with an iPad. For other more general tasks though, insisting the iPad/iOS is always better is the usual biased nonsense.

 

[lopri]

iPad mini has a great form factor. I always hoped to see an Android tablet in such a shape, and the new Nexus 7 is the step in the right direction.

We can debate iOS v. Android all day long (and I am firmly in the Android camp) but from hardware perspective, iPad mini has been unbeatable except against a few specialized Android tablets. (e.g. Galaxy Note series, Xperia Z tablet) I think the new Nexus 7 changes that. Not completely, but it's close. Counting the improvement made in the internals and its pricing, I would say the Nexus 7 is a more desirable at this point unless you are tied to iOS.

Then again, the mini is now a generation behind so a direct comparison may not be fair. It will be interesting to see if Apple can improve upon it (e.g. thinner/lighter) and incorporate more powerful hardware inside at the same time.

Oh, and Facetime is a great feature without a doubt. I know there are many ways to achieve the same functionality but you have to give it to Apple for its implementation (ease of use). Creating new accounts for new apps (and convincing your friends/family to do the same) can quickly overwhelm average Janes.

 

[Trombe]

Maybe I'm in the minority here but I hate the iPad mini form factor. The fact that I can't reasonably fit it into my pocket makes it completely pointless; there's a world of difference in portability and if I have to carry it by hand or messenger bag/backpack then I might as well be going straight for a full size tablet (or even laptop in the case of the latter). The similarly underpowered and overpriced galaxy tab 3 8.0 does fit largely due to its 16:10 ratio giving it about a half inch advantage in width.

 

[QueBert]

So just a question, since by this thread it's clear it's fair to compare a generation old tablet to one that just came out last week. When the iPad Mini 2 comes out and is better than the Nexus 7. Making a thread to brag will be okay?

 

[bearxor]

I don't understand how Apple fans aren't pissed off at Apple over the ipad mini, i think it's a travesty that they'd release a device with such piss poor resolution and $130 more expensive than the competition. It's the most blatant attempt at using their brand to suck dry all the money they can without giving good value.

IMO, Apple wanted in on the 8" market, but they couldn't get the retina display in it last year. What I believe they decided to do was to establish the $330 price point.

Here's what I THINK. If Apple could have,last year, they would have released a retina screen version of the iPad Mini at $330. But they couldn't. I think that they believe the current iPad Mini is a $230 product.

If they had released the current iPad Mini at $230 and then, a year or so later, released a higher-end iPad Mini at $330, then I think they would have just been tossed around in the press and by consumers.

I'm expecting the current iPad Mini to drop to $230 and for a newer, higher powered iPad Mini with a Retina display to hit the $330 mark.

 

[poofyhairguy]

So just a question, since by this thread it's clear it's fair to compare a generation old tablet to one that just came out last week. When the iPad Mini 2 comes out and is better than the Nexus 7. Making a thread to brag will be okay?

If Apple updates the Mini this year without a retina screen, I dare you to make that thread.

 

[ibex333]

Really depends on what YOU use your tablet for. If you bought it for movies, internet and mail the Nexus 7 is great. But for $250 you might as well buy an older laptop. (minus the weight and portability. But look how much more you can do with a laptop.). But if you want to do more with your tablet, like read, the iPads screen is so much better. The rectangular 7" 16:9 screen of the Nexus is horrible for pdfs which contain a lot of graphics or charts. Try studying for Cisco CCNA or MCTS using a Nexus 7... or try reading a programming book heavy with formatted code examples which lose their meaning when torn apart or viewed in tiny font on a tiny screen. (Obviously I am referring to the 10" iPad. and it CAN be had for $250 in older model or used.)