Why would you buy an Apple tablet over an Android tablet?

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Mar 15, 2003
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Which isn't impressive at all on a postage stamp sized screen. The iPhone to me is backwards. The iPad 3 is a whole different animal. iOS users seem to think they can lump everything into one pile of positives no matter which Apple device they are using. I don't really see it that way, because it's illogical. Yes, Apple makes the best tablet, but your iPod-Plus, er, excuse me iPhone doesn't magically share all the same positives because of it. I see someone playing a great game on an iPad and I'm impressed. On a piddly iPhone it's kind of sad. You've got nothing on a Note user, for example.

What country are you from that has 3.5" diagonal postage stamps? This is a preference thing - I'd much rather have a small, light, and easily pocket-able phone and the iphone (especially with the high res screen) is fine for me. Heck, I loved the size of my palm pre and think that was the perfect form factor (too bad the build quality sucked). I always chuckle at people who struggle trying to one hand a galaxy note while standing on the subway and find anything larger than 4" excessive (but, again, it's preference). I don't get it, I'm not watching movies or writing novels on my phone so 3.5 is just fine (though I personally use a windows phone with a 4" screen, and that's my personal happy middle ground).

Don't get me wrong, I'd personally love to see 2 or 3 iPhone models with varying screen sizes. I'd actually like an iPhone nano/mini. But I think this screen size debate is overblown - it's not like the iPhone's screen is unusably small (especially when you remember the thing is a damn phone, not a tablet)

And, as far as shitty Apple products: iPod nano, iPod shuffle, iPod touch should be updated by now. They also charge too much for laptop upgrades (though their base prices are actually pretty competitive- was in the market for an ultrabook and spent just $100 more for an air, which was justifiable to me because of their retail store based warranty repair centers).
 
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Puddle Jumper

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Nov 4, 2009
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Don't get me wrong, I'd personally love to see 2 or 3 iPhone models with varying screen sizes. I'd actually like an iPhone nano/mini. But I think this screen size debate is overblown - it's not like the iPhone's screen is unusably small (especially when you remember the thing is a damn phone, not a tablet)

Speak for yourself, after using a 4.3" phone even my old 4" Captivate is to small to comfortably use and back when I got the Captivate I already thought the iPhone's screen was unusably small . I have no problem using my Galaxy S2 one handed and it easily fits in a pocket. I'd probably have a Galaxy Note if the At&t version was Exynos powered.
 
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Speak for yourself, after using a 4.3" phone even my old 4" Captivate is to small to comfortably use and back when I got the Captivate I already thought the iPhone's screen was unusably small . I have no problem using my Galaxy S2 one handed and it easily fits in a pocket. I'd probably have a Galaxy Note if the At&t version was Exynos powered.

I am speaking for myself - my point is that it's a preference thing. *I* like small phones, *YOU* like big phones. I frankly don't like the "phablet" trend in general because I don't like carrying around a messenger bag just for my friggin' phone and prefer pocket friendly form factors, and I honestly miss the days of my motorola v60 - loved that tiny ah heck :) 4.0" seems works fine for my uses, I'm sure 4.3" is pocketable enough - 5" is getting goofy if you ask me, but that's a personal thing. I'd just feel like a tool holding a 5" phone up to my ear, as if I'm trying to overcompensate for something.
 

Munky

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Feb 5, 2005
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Maybe you should evaluate your usage model on a device to device basis. I can't game on a mouse and KB while on my train commute.

I knew this argument will come up, and my usage model already takes that into account. On my train commute, I can listen to music, watch video, read articles on the web, and if I'm really bored, I'll play some angry birds just to kill time - all of which I can do on my phone. Now why would I lug around a tablet and spend money on more of the same apps - just to play angry birds or tower defense on a bigger screen? Unlike gaming on a PC where I can actually chose to do it for fun, mobile gaming is just making the best out of a bad situation, like commuting.
 
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Zaap

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Jun 12, 2008
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I am speaking for myself - my point is that it's a preference thing. *I* like small phones, *YOU* like big phones.
Newsflash: the iPhone isn't that small. It just has a tiny screen sandwiched between too much top and bottom bezel. The design is outdated, much like the tech-knowledge of many iFans. Even my Droid X with a 4.3" screen is roughly the same size.
 

MrX8503

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Oct 23, 2005
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I knew this argument will come up, and my usage model already takes that into account. On my train commute, I can listen to music, watch video, read articles on the web, and if I'm really bored, I'll play some angry birds just to kill time - all of which I can do on my phone. Now why would I lug around a tablet and spend money on more of the same apps - just to play angry birds or tower defense on a bigger screen? Unlike gaming on a PC where I can actually chose to do it for fun, mobile gaming is just making the best out of a bad situation, like commuting.

Then don't buy a tablet which is what you did. People buy tablets for different reasons. Oh and FYI, a lot of iOS apps are universal so you don't have to pay extra.
 

cheezy321

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Dec 31, 2003
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Newsflash: the iPhone isn't that small. It just has a tiny screen sandwiched between too much top and bottom bezel. The design is outdated, much like the tech-knowledge of many iFans. Even my Droid X with a 4.3" screen is roughly the same size.

Are you blind? They aren't roughly the same size at all. Look at these size comparisons.

http://www.engadget.com/photos/droid-x-vs-iphone-4-hang-out/#3113262

I have owned both the droid x and the iPhone 4 and you have no idea what you are talking about. The droid x always felt much bigger.

This is a huge difference in size in the cell phone world. Gimme a break.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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Newsflash: the iPhone isn't that small. It just has a tiny screen sandwiched between too much top and bottom bezel. The design is outdated, much like the tech-knowledge of many iFans. Even my Droid X with a 4.3" screen is roughly the same size.

That's absurd. I had a droid that was so bulky that it would pull my pants down to one side. I couldn't keep my wallet and phone in one pocket and I'd feel my leg warm up. The iPhone is a world apart from some phones in ergonomics, pocketability... Of course there are android phones that fit well in a pair of snug fitting jeans, I'm just saying that *I* prefer as small and light as possible in portable devices. That's why I have a 11.6" acer and 11.6" macbook air laptops, mac minis... ds lite over psp.. and always preferred tiny hatchbacks- my values are more urban/public transportation oriented. Again, I don't even have an iPhone myself - my phone's a great samsung window's phone that I got because it was light and fit wonderfully in my hand, I didn't care about specs at all.
 

Zaap

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Are you blind? They aren't roughly the same size at all. Look at these size comparisons.

http://www.engadget.com/photos/droid-x-vs-iphone-4-hang-out/#3113262

I have owned both the droid x and the iPhone 4 and you have no idea what you are talking about. The droid x always felt much bigger.

This is a huge difference in size in the cell phone world. Gimme a break.
OMG! The DX is a full 15mm longer than the iPod-plus!

THAT'S HUGE!!!

How could you ever fit that in the same pocket ?? It must be as IMPOSSIBLE as drag-and-drop!

Brother, nobody does crazy-drama like you iFanatics.


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Zaap

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That's absurd. I had a droid that was so bulky that it would pull my pants down to one side. I couldn't keep my wallet and phone in one pocket and I'd feel my leg warm up. The iPhone is a world apart from some phones in ergonomics, pocketability... Of course there are android phones that fit well in a pair of snug fitting jeans, I'm just saying that *I* prefer as small and light as possible in portable devices.

If the iPod-plus had a screen-to-useless bezel ratio the same as more modern designs, it actually would be significantly smaller than other phones with much larger screens. Then you'd have a point. As it is, you're carrying around a device that actually isn't much smaller than other better designed devices except for the piddly screen. You guys have been drinking too much of the Apple coolaid if you really think the iPod-plus weighs down a pocket that much less than the DX does. My wife has an IP4 and if you're going to carry it around, you might as well carry something slightly bigger with a bigger screen. It doesn't really make that much difference, but that's what you iFans love to do- exaggerate everything to the extreme.
 

Puddle Jumper

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Nov 4, 2009
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That's absurd. I had a droid that was so bulky that it would pull my pants down to one side. I couldn't keep my wallet and phone in one pocket and I'd feel my leg warm up. The iPhone is a world apart from some phones in ergonomics, pocketability... Of course there are android phones that fit well in a pair of snug fitting jeans, I'm just saying that *I* prefer as small and light as possible in portable devices. That's why I have a 11.6" acer and 11.6" macbook air laptops, mac minis... ds lite over psp.. and always preferred tiny hatchbacks- my values are more urban/public transportation oriented. Again, I don't even have an iPhone myself - my phone's a great samsung window's phone that I got because it was light and fit wonderfully in my hand, I didn't care about specs at all.

Funny, I don't have any problem fitting my 4.3" Galaxy S2 in my pocket. Besides the iPhone weighs more than it so if anything was going to pull your pants down on one side it wouldn't be the S2.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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Funny, I don't have any problem fitting my 4.3" Galaxy S2 in my pocket. Besides the iPhone weighs more than it so if anything was going to pull your pants down on one side it wouldn't be the S2.

Oh, I <3 the s2 and the form factor is pretty perfect. I agree, the iPhone could use a bump in size or at least have options, I just think this race to 6" is goofy and for a very particular kind of user. There's a happy middle ground for sure, but iPhone's mix of smaller screen plus high resolution suits me just fine (though it's understandable to want bigger, I feel that there's easily a 'too big'). The galaxy note, droid x, and others are in that too big for comfortable pocket use in my opinion, but I hate cargo pants :) Apple does a nice job of waiting until an upgrade is worth it battery life wise, I bet there will be a larger screen soon enough. Some may argue it's ripping off android but I remember when android went LTE and the battery life sucked at first, apple waiting that out was a good idea. I think we're at a point where large screen doesn't necessarily equal bad battery life. Sure, some will say apple will claim that they invented large screens at that point, but that's what marketing departments do! Have you seen this "nature" based B.S. marketing samsung is doing for the S3? Oye! But marketing = bs, and we should know better by now than to get all up in arms about it :)
 
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Red Storm

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Oct 2, 2005
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The great thing about the smartphone market is that we have choice. It's nice to companies releasing larger and smaller phones, this works for both crowds.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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If the iPod-plus had a screen-to-useless bezel ratio the same as more modern designs, it actually would be significantly smaller than other phones with much larger screens. Then you'd have a point. As it is, you're carrying around a device that actually isn't much smaller than other better designed devices except for the piddly screen. You guys have been drinking too much of the Apple coolaid if you really think the iPod-plus weighs down a pocket that much less than the DX does. My wife has an IP4 and if you're going to carry it around, you might as well carry something slightly bigger with a bigger screen. It doesn't really make that much difference, but that's what you iFans love to do- exaggerate everything to the extreme.

Meh, people who use terms like "iFans," "phandroids," or reference apple coolaid are just too entrenched in an ecosystem to be worth discussing things with - they never respond well to reasoning their loyalty disagrees with. I don't have any device loyalty, I just find the total iOS package more suitable for my family (I don't personally own an iPhone, I <3 zunepass) But having Macs, appletvs, and and iPad plus my wife's iPhone makes for a pretty slick home ecosystem- she airplays and plexes to the big screen without my involvement, which is AWESOME.I prefer the ecosystem and ergonomics of apple products, but if someone can deliver better with a robost ecosystem then sign me up (I think I'm going HTC for my next phone). I also respect HTC for their latest endeavors - those are sexy phones that feel just right size wise while feeling premium in your hand. Samsung has great ergonomics, I'd just like less plastic but that's obviously a preference. Motorola pre razr seemed like they were making anchors, but that's why choice is nice. I've had an iPod touch for years and can't say I've ever thought the screen was so unusably small that I'd be force to move to a larger screen, but that's just me. I have seen people (women in particular) struggle with large screen phones that they can't hold comfortably while others use them just fine. My point is not that big screen phones suck, just that one size does not fit all.
 
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cheezy321

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Dec 31, 2003
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OMG! The DX is a full 15mm longer than the iPod-plus!

THAT'S HUGE!!!

How could you ever fit that in the same pocket ?? It must be as IMPOSSIBLE as drag-and-drop!

Brother, nobody does crazy-drama like you iFanatics.

I guess ~30% larger is roughly the same. You must be involved in government work. :rolleyes:
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
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I guess ~30% larger is roughly the same. You must be involved in government work. :rolleyes:
He means that the space you give up for a smartphone is still gonna be the same space whether its a tiny ip4 or a sgs2 or dx.
 

jaydee

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May 6, 2000
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After having an android Vizio Tab since Christmas, bit the bullet last week and got the iPad 3. I never imagined I'd buy an apple product ever, but man it was worth it. Amazing upgrade.

The user interface much smoother. The screen quality much better. Great camera. Great interface. Much better battery life. Build quality is way better.

I do prefer the android apps better thus far, they are definitely cheaper and had no complaints with the selections I had there. That's about the only gripe so far, but I'm real happy about the upgrade. Yes, I paid $200 for the Vizio and $500 for the iPad, but sometimes you just got to pay more for what you want...
 

Munky

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Feb 5, 2005
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Then don't buy a tablet which is what you did. People buy tablets for different reasons. Oh and FYI, a lot of iOS apps are universal so you don't have to pay extra.

So what's your point? People can do whatever they want with their money. Some are just more easily duped into parting with it.
 

Binky

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Oct 9, 1999
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After having an android Vizio Tab since Christmas, bit the bullet last week and got the iPad 3. I never imagined I'd buy an apple product ever, but man it was worth it. Amazing upgrade.

The user interface much smoother. The screen quality much better. Great camera. Great interface. Much better battery life. Build quality is way better.

I do prefer the android apps better thus far, they are definitely cheaper and had no complaints with the selections I had there. That's about the only gripe so far, but I'm real happy about the upgrade. Yes, I paid $200 for the Vizio and $500 for the iPad, but sometimes you just got to pay more for what you want...
This is a comparison between a low-end tablet on one side, and the top of the line on the other side. Every one of your points would also apply to a high-end android tablet.
 

Zaap

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Jun 12, 2008
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He means that the space you give up for a smartphone is still gonna be the same space whether its a tiny ip4 or a sgs2 or dx.
He knows that. Some people just like to nitpick endlessly.

I think I've pointed out before how every time there's a thread about the iPad, it gets full of *ahem* folks ranting about how the iPhone is greater than anything else ever invented.

It'd be like SGS2 owners train-wrecking every Galaxy Tab thread as if those were the same thing also.

A phone is not a tablet, and doesn't magically share all the tablet positives, wishful thinking notwithstanding.
 
Mar 15, 2003
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He knows that. Some people just like to nitpick endlessly.

I think I've pointed out before how every time there's a thread about the iPad, it gets full of *ahem* folks ranting about how the iPhone is greater than anything else ever invented.

It'd be like SGS2 owners train-wrecking every Galaxy Tab thread as if those were the same thing also.

A phone is not a tablet, and doesn't magically share all the tablet positives, wishful thinking notwithstanding.

It's not nitpicking - I honestly can't understand how you can't see that choice is a good thing and some people value things that you do not. This staggering lack of empathy is probably so engrained in your psyche that I won't waste much energy arguing. Maybe you wear cargo pants, maybe you carry around a man bag, so the size difference is no big deal to you. For me, an increase of dimensions, however trivial to you, is significant enough that I wouldn't consider a phone much larger than what can fit in my adult-cut (read: not baggy) jeans. This is a preference thing - a personal thing that can't be argued. I'm aware that, since the droid x days, large screen android phones have gotten trimmer and more pocketable. In fact, the galaxy s line does a great job of balancing portability and large screen usability - kudos to their designers. My usage of my phone is different from yours - I'm a public transportation commuter and rarely look at my phone beyond changing tracks on music, playing a quick game, or updating facebook - I don't need a huge screen for that and 3.5 to 4.x is fine for me (while a galaxy note sized screen is ridiculous for my 'workflow.'). I'm not an engineering expert but, if apple can stay with the same dimensions and increase the screen size without sacrificing battery life or reducing DPI then awesome, I may just buy that phone. As for android, all of what I see about ICS is great - I look forward to what HTC and Samsung do next and may just go android if stability, battery life, and ergonomics measure up to what I expect in a phone. My only remaining qualm (other than high quality app availability- iOs apps just look better to me) with android is resale value - as someone who likes to upgrade it sucks that android seems to depreciate at a staggering rate compared to apple products. I don't see that changing anytime soon and would feel foolish investing $600 in a product that plummets to $100-200 a year into my purchase.
 
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Zaap

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Jun 12, 2008
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^ As if my point needed further illustration.

Clue to freedomsbeat212: WE GET IT. You love your iPhone. You don't need to trainwreck every thread. Possibly you'll convince yourself one of these days, I dunno.

And it's pretty clear you're the one that can't understand and is opposed to choice.

Heck, we're not even supposed to notice that this whole derail started with you and others arguing against choice with iOS.

Give it a rest already.
 

kubani1

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Oct 23, 2010
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www.promotingcrap.com
summary of the argument so far:

from the red corner, choice is good, here is why i like big phones

from the blue corner, choice is good, here is why i like small phones

from the red corner, don't you get it, choice is good, i still like big phones

from the blue corner, listen you fool, choice is good, i still like small phones.

and the winner is... o_OMeeGo
 

dagamer34

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Aug 15, 2005
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I'm again putting in my recommendation that this thread be closed. It's devolved into another fight again.
 
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