Die hard android fan.....probably going to get an iPad

[malhotra365]

Hi guys, so I've been a convert for android from blackberry since June. I've never been in the mac camp for phones before and have been fairly anti-iPhone. The reason I love the EVO is the open market and total customization of the screens......even without rooting.

So I naturally was very intrigued with the galaxy tab for the same reasons. But then I really started doing some thinking, and although I prefer the size of the tab and the customization. My primary reason for getting the device would be to take with me when I travel or have to work overnight (physician and the hospital has wifi) so I could surf the web and watch tv on it.

So ideally, I could get the non-3g version and get hulu plus (which still isn't available for android) and be able to surf the web, watch hulu AND buy shows and movies from itunes. I don't see myself doing this except surfing with the tab.

What do you guys think?

Raj

 

[clevin]

if video is what you like, iPad is a better option. Android so far is very limited in this area.

Although, both hulu and netflix said they are working on the android version. I don't know how long the wait will be, but it should be soon.

I have only good thing to say about apple's design and marketing. But i can't stand its control freak environment.

No camera
no USB mode
syncing with iTunes is mandatory for many functions, which is a huge mess on windows.
tightly locked in with apple.
no expansion slot
no firefox

its true, that, apple products works better with other apple products. I just sold my Macbook, because the whole ecosystem was suffocating.

 

[jharo]

Doc Raj, if you want video/TV, check out SlingBox. I have it and when I show people what I can do, they are all in awe.

 

[mvpilot172]

The galaxy Tab doesn't have an AdHoc USB mode either from what I understand. I'd love to be able to hook up an external drive, or my Evo to the Tab to transfer files.

 

[oldpueblo]

Unless I'm mistaken, you can transfer files via bluetooth. Have you ever been able to transfer from device to device without computer intervention? You could also swap SD cards as a solution.

The Tab is better than the iPad except for two things. You absolutely must have an app that's available only on an apple device RIGHT NOW (with Androids momentum everything will hit Android eventually), or you are already fully married to Apple's products and don't mind locking yourself into their ecosystem.

 

[tehshank]

Uhm... video is pretty great on the Galaxy Tab.

I use upnp play or allshare to stream my videos from my Desktop or Laptop. It also works with any NAS. You also have support for virtually all codecs. The stock video player does a good job and for every codec it might not support (not many) just get vplayer or rockplayer.

Next thing is that the iPad is just good for apps. Surfing without Flash makes really no sense to me right now. This is my personal choice but I read some fairly mainstream sites and you come across Flash videos all the time. Not being able to view them cripples this experience for me...

I use the Tab since 3 weeks and absolutely love it. I didn't touch my netbook since then and it has become my favorite reading device, no matter if its epub ebooks, pdfs or websites.

 

[Johnly]

Hi guys, so I've been a convert for android from blackberry since June. I've never been in the mac camp for phones before and have been fairly anti-iPhone. The reason I love the EVO is the open market and total customization of the screens......even without rooting.

So I naturally was very intrigued with the galaxy tab for the same reasons. But then I really started doing some thinking, and although I prefer the size of the tab and the customization. My primary reason for getting the device would be to take with me when I travel or have to work overnight (physician and the hospital has wifi) so I could surf the web and watch tv on it.

So ideally, I could get the non-3g version and get hulu plus (which still isn't available for android) and be able to surf the web, watch hulu AND buy shows and movies from itunes. I don't see myself doing this except surfing with the tab.

What do you guys think?

Raj

I like what apple does, and when they say only their products satisfy, dreamy, magic, I draw the line. Go ahead and get it if it is what suits you best, just don't believe the marketing BS, you are not a sheep

 

[ConceptVBS]

You traitor!

 

[malhotra365]

Doc Raj, if you want video/TV, check out SlingBox. I have it and when I show people what I can do, they are all in awe.

The slingbox idea is a nice option. I also have tivo at home, so does that mean I could sling my tivo stuff to my tab? So I guess I would need a slingbox too then. Do I need a slingcatcher or would the droid be the catcher?

I do prefer the size of the tab, and I guess that would solve the video issue. Plus I wouldn't be tied to buying things from the itunes store which would eventually cost more than the slingbox idea.

Man, if only hulu plus for android was coming out soon. Do we even know for sure 100% that it is coming out for droid?

 

[Kevin Gossett]

I have a slingbox as well, and it truly is the greatest piece of hardware I have. Just hook your slingbox up to whatever media device you like, connect it to the web, and use the slingbox software (the only bad part about slingbox: you have to purchase the software for each device platform at $30 a pop) and start streaming! I've got the software on my Fascinate, which is perfect for on the go, and also on my iPad (which works great with the screen size)

 

[malhotra365]

Just read that technically their isn't an iPad version of slingbox yet. Apparently people are using the iPhone version in some sort of compatability mode on the iPad. I'm actually just surprised that something exists for the Tab, but not for the iPad, one small victory for us.

 

[Kevin Gossett]

Ya, I purchased the iphone version for my touch, and it scales very well in the 2x mode on the ipad. Sling just demoed the ipad version last week, and will probably be available when iOS 4.2 is available. Another $30 to spend though...

 

[malhotra365]

Well I finally broke down and got the ipad. I really started thinking what I'd be doing with the device and it all boiled down to surfing the web and multimedia stuff like watching tv, hulu, etc. I just figured that despite all the benefits of the android operating system, since I would be using it for multimedia, the size of the screen was a big selling point.

I got it about four days ago, I absolutely love this thing!! Sure it's a bit heavy, but I haven't noticed any impact on my web surfing with a lack of flash, and the fact that apple is so ubiquitous that everyone has an app for their products is a nice feature.

Plus the tab seemed like it would literally just be a larger phone, and since i already have an evo it really would have only amounted to like 33% more screen, as opposed to the gigantic ipad screen.

 

[Dukins]

Well I finally broke down and got the ipad. I really started thinking what I'd be doing with the device and it all boiled down to surfing the web and multimedia stuff like watching tv, hulu, etc. I just figured that despite all the benefits of the android operating system, since I would be using it for multimedia, the size of the screen was a big selling point.

I got it about four days ago, I absolutely love this thing!! Sure it's a bit heavy, but I haven't noticed any impact on my web surfing with a lack of flash, and the fact that apple is so ubiquitous that everyone has an app for their products is a nice feature.

Plus the tab seemed like it would literally just be a larger phone, and since i already have an evo it really would have only amounted to like 33% more screen, as opposed to the gigantic ipad screen.

Agreed. I did the same thing. I actually purchased the tab and played with it for about 3 weeks. I just couldnt justify virtually the same product that I had in my EVO for a few more inches. So I wanted to try a totally different os, and im glad I did. Its my first ever Apple product and the ipad fulfilled my expectations and more. Good choice! Enjoying the best of both worlds Android and iOS.

 

[malhotra365]

Agreed. I did the same thing. I actually purchased the tab and played with it for about 3 weeks. I just couldnt justify virtually the same product that I had in my EVO for a few more inches. So I wanted to try a totally different os, and im glad I did. Its my first ever Apple product and the ipad fulfilled my expectations and more. Good choice! Enjoying the best of both worlds Android and iOS.

It's funny, I have a mac book pro that usually sits on my coffee table for surfing the web while I watch TV (my girlfriend really enjoys this!). But I also have this thing called a henge dock, that's is a dock for the laptop, hooked up to my av receiver and hdmi port on my television, so I can use a wireless keyboard and watch downloaded movies on my bigger tv from my laptop.

It got to be a pain to take my laptop and plug it in to the dock intermittently whenever I wanted to watch a movie. Now with the ipad, surfing the web is so easy that I leave the laptop plugged into the dock all the time unless I need to work on a presentation or something.

I find the size of the ipad has essentially replaced the most common thing I do with my laptop, which is surfing the web. I feel that the smaller screen of the tab wouldn't have fulfilled this need as well.

Additionally, I had to work overnight last night, and it was great to lay in bed in my call room and watch a movie I downloaded off of itunes, and use the abc player to catchup up on a couple of shows, plus follow my fantasy football matches.

Overall, no regrets at all, and yes I agree, I felt the tab was really just a gigantic EVO, which I already had.

 

[lafountain]

Since you came from Blackberry, have you considered the PlayBook? I know it isn't out yet, but I thought I read somewhere that Hulu will be available for it.

 

[malhotra365]

I thought about the playbook. But I just felt the touch-screen integration is something that apple is really good at and to be honest the UI is very nice on the ipad. Plus to go back to the point regarding surfing the web and watching TV, it's just better on a 10" screen.

Lastly, I know that no matter what apps come out, they will definitely be availabe for the iPad, just due to good business sense since the iPad reaches such a large customer base.

 

[malhotra365]

I thought about the playbook. But I just felt the touch-screen integration is something that apple is really good at and to be honest the UI is very nice on the ipad. Plus to go back to the point regarding surfing the web and watching TV, it's just better on a 10" screen.

Lastly, I know that no matter what apps come out, they will definitely be availabe for the iPad, just due to good business sense since the iPad reaches such a large customer base.

When I had both a blackberry and android, I found my self always hanging on the "I heard this was coming out....". I like that with the iPad I KNOW it's coming out for the device. Hulu Plus is already out for the iPad.

 

[lafountain]

When I had both a blackberry and android, I found my self always hanging on the "I heard this was coming out....". I like that with the iPad I KNOW it's coming out for the device. Hulu Plus is already out for the iPad.

That is a very true statement, while it has been said that Hulu will be available for the PlayBook, we know it will for the iPad. That really can be a difference maker since you don't want to wait out for something to find out it wasn't going to be available afterall.

 

[malhotra365]

That is a very true statement, while it has been said that Hulu will be available for the PlayBook, we know it will for the iPad. That really can be a difference maker since you don't want to wait out for something to find out it wasn't going to be available afterall.

I literally just signed up for both netflix and hulu plus on my iPad today. I'm currently sitting at work watching netflix on my iPad!