Wife's iPad2

[cparker5]

She wanted a tablet so I asked her to at try the iPad2 for a week. She has been playing with it nonstop and so far is enjoying it. She is syncing her music and surfing the web. She seems pretty pleased with it so far. She has never used my Xoom but she does have an HTC Incredible.

It is lighter, I don't notice a huge difference but she held my Xoom to compare and says the iPad2 seems a lot lighter but she says the Zoom is more comfortable to hold in portrait mode, though I hardly ever hold it that way.

Pictures taken on the iPad2 are not as sharp as the Xoom after downloading then to the PC. Have not investigated anything with video yet.

The speakers on the iPad2 are not as loud but there is not sound distortion as there can be with the Xoom's max volume.


Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[cparker5]

On the same WiFi network my Xoom consistently completes the download of a webpage first. Seems there is less video buffering as well when on YouTube compared to her iPad2.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[ravizzle]

can u compare the smoothness,and quality of the ibooks app to the google books app? I read a lot, and the ibooks app on my sister's ipad is pretty nice and smooth.

 

[mimspkt]

I think the Google books app is teribble quality. I use Amazon kindle app on the xoom form reading.

 

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

I think the Google books app is teribble quality. I use Amazon kindle app on the xoom form reading.

How is the speed of Xoom compared to the iPad2? If the Xoom is just as smooth as the iPad2 then I'm definitely getting the Xoom. I like Google and would like to continue with the Android platform.

 

[meson2000]

How is the speed of Xoom compared to the iPad2? If the Xoom is just as smooth as the iPad2 then I'm definitely getting the Xoom. I like Google and would like to continue with the Android platform.

I know its mostly just useful for gaming, but the GPU apple put into the A5 blows away Tegra 2. Its not even close. Anandtech did some benchmarking recently of the iPad 2.

Apple iPad 2 GPU Performance Explored: PowerVR SGX543MP2 Benchmarked - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

 

[cparker5]

How is the speed of Xoom compared to the iPad2? If the Xoom is just as smooth as the iPad2 then I'm definitely getting the Xoom. I like Google and would like to continue with the Android platform.

I can have multiple apps stunning on my Zoom and it don't get any delay. I have not been able to make the Xoom sluggish yet. I have also not yet been able to make the iPad2 sluggish either. Except in the webpage rendering, where the Xoom seems faster do I see any speed differences yet.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[dogg]

That article might have just changed which tablet I might buy.
:-\

 

[dhendriksen]

Multi tasking and alerts on Android are enough better than iOS that those things alone would keep me with Android...if all else was equal (which isn't the case).

XOOM rocks...

 

[ravizzle]

That article might have just change which tablet I might buy.
:-\

Although the ipad2 did kill the xoom in graphics, keep in mind that the xoom is a higher res screen so thats part of the reason the ipad2 beat the xoom that badly. That being said, if u want a tablet primarily for high intensity gaming , the ipad2 has a much better, bigger selection of games. If u will be using it more to read or web browse then the xoom should give u a better experience.

 

[qnet]

On the same WiFi network my Xoom consistently completes the download of a webpage first. Seems there is less video buffering as well when on YouTube compared to her iPad2.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

So did you wait in those long lines?

 

[Raptor007]

Anyone can run tests to compare two devices and easily make one look better than the other even when they are equal. From what I have read elsewhere the anandtech method uses older testing tools and don't forget the XOOM has a higher resolution screen which does impact performance.

I want my tablet to last a long time with the developer community behind the XOOM that will happen, with Apple you get nothing but an out dated device in 12 months or less.

 

[cparker5]

So did you wait in those long lines?

Lol there was no line at WalMart, plus she picked it up.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[ceriem]

I held an iPad today at best buy. It was VERY light. The build quality is amazing. I swear, if I could load Honeycomb onto that thing I would totally buy one. Can't beat Apple's build quality, but it doesn't make me like iOS anymore.

 

[cparker5]

Well I accidently left my Xoom at home today. While I was at work my wife called me and told me she wants to return the iPad2 and get the Xoom, I guess she was using it today and thinks that it is more suited for her needs, whatever that means. When I get home tonight I will find out what she means by that.

 

[jerrykur]

Well I accidently left my Xoom at home today. While I was at work my wife called me and told me she wants to return the iPad2 and get the Xoom, I guess she was using it today and thinks that it is more suited for her needs, whatever that means. When I get home tonight I will find out what she means by that.

Post post her reasons for wanting change. They are both good choices and it is hard to make a decision.

 

[farwest]

I am mystified why anyone would want an ipad after they used the Xoom. The abilty to download all your content wirelessly, for free (if using Bittorrent) and avoid itunes is reason enough, let alone the superior hardware.


I guess most dont realize the full implications of how expensive owning an iPad truly is, nor how you are forced to be tethered to a pc.

I'll never use my iPad, nor anything that forces me to pay for content on my own device.

 

[Maikai.Guy]

I wouldn't put much stock into that so-called benchmark. It's already been said they used two different versions of the benchmark for iPad and XOOM and it left out six or seven new extensions for graphics processing.

Also, no details were given about what exact hardware was enabled / disabled during test. We don't even know if the full 1GB of memory in the XOOM was used. On top of that, the resolution is greater on the XOOM, as others have said.

Here's why I'm most suspicious of the test. I'm and electrical engineer, so I go for the straight poop, and it's difficult to dazzle me with BS.

The cores in both the iPad and XOOM are dual core, but you can't stop there when evaluating a processor. The A5 core in the iPad2 runs a bit slower than the Tegra and offers about 1.5MIPS/Mhz. The Tegra runs at a true 1GHz and offers about 2MIPS/MHz. Even if we said they clocked at the same speed (the don't), the Tegra would outperform the A5 by 33%. That's hardware fact.

Granted, software plays a big part. Sloppy and bloated software can ruin a good processor's day, but the claim of the benchmark that iPad is 9 times faster than XOOM, when XOOM started out with a 33% hardware performance advantage, is just over-the-top unbelievable.

It's ridiculous. To have results that bad, one would have to pit first year engineering students against seasoned coders. It's just so over the top that anyone with any hardware/software background would have to pause and say "WTF?"

It's like watching a drag race between a Corvette and a Chrysler minivan, with the Minivan beating the Corvette by 9 car lengths. Nobody would leave the race track telling all their friends how awesome minivans are. They'd all be wondering what the heck was up with that race.

Well... maybe your blond sister, who knows absolutely nothing about cars or torque or horsepower might be more excited about minivans, but anyone "in the know" would be scratching their heads.

Same thing here. Anyone "in the know" is scratching their heads over this benchmark.

 

[jerrykur]

Same thing here. Anyone "in the know" is scratching their heads over this benchmark.

It's a benchmark run hopefully on the same version of the source code. Each system has different compilers with different optimizations. Also, since this is a graphic benchmark this maybe more of a comparison of GPUs instead of CPUs, and graphics libraries. Perhaps the libraries on Honeycomb are not optimized for the larger displays. I know Apple has updated their graphics libraries several times over the last year with some substantial increase performance.

The only thing we know is that iPad2 did better than the XOOM on these specific tests. If your do not do similar tasks in everyday usage the tests do not necessarily relate to your experience. It also does not mean in the future a firmware or software update could not result in the roles reversing.

I actually think the CNet's web site loading test may be more relevant test since this is a more likely task for a "typical" tablet owner.

 

[frenzy757]

I am mystified why anyone would want an ipad after they used the Xoom. The abilty to download all your content wirelessly, for free (if using Bittorrent) and avoid itunes is reason enough, let alone the superior hardware.


I guess most dont realize the full implications of how expensive owning an iPad truly is, nor how you are forced to be tethered to a pc.

I'll never use my iPad, nor anything that forces me to pay for content on my own device.

I got both and am leaning towards keeping the ipad 2.
While the Xoom has a bunch of cool features that are really awesome, it doesn't overtake the fact that the iPad 2 definitely is smoother and just has a better user experience. Oh no, I have to connect to iTunes (I hate iTunes too btw) for 10 minutes when I open it. I haven't connected to iTunes since. That 10 minutes is annoying, but oh well.

Netflix, MLB at bat, Zinio, Garage Band (really is a cool app), and iMovie are apps that are really great on the ipad, that don't exist yet for the Xoom...

When those apps finally go to Honeycomb, I'll be back probably, but right now, the Xoom has a lot of features, but I realized I spent more time just flicking through home screens admiring it than actually using it.

The wifi Xoom is definitely intriguing...if I hear that MLB at bat will be able to stream to the Xoom then I think that will be enough for me to switch over...but honestly Android has one concerning point that I think is bad for the entire ecosystem....

The rumor/truth that Netflix/MLB at bat will only work for CERTAIN DEVICES...that is real fragmentation, not the other bull**** that iFans have made up...I know we can probably hack anything to get it to work, but still...the majority of users do not do that. One of android's main selling points is that all apps should work across the Android OS....at least across the same version of the OS. This, to me, is unacceptable.