Galaxy Note or Ipad Air

[rsnetid]

I am looking for a tablet for my wife and am having a hard time choosing between the galazy note and the ipad air. I compared the two on Product Comparisons - Touch Screen Reviews | Touch Screen Reviews and am having a hard time deciding if I should pay almost $200 more for the air. Does anyone have any experience with both of these. How do they perform?

 

[srkmagnus]

I am looking for a tablet for my wife and am having a hard time choosing between the galazy note and the ipad air. I compared the two on Product Comparisons - Touch Screen Reviews | Touch Screen Reviews and am having a hard time deciding if I should pay almost $200 more for the air. Does anyone have any experience with both of these. How do they perform?

What products/App Ecosystems are you guys invested into at home? iOS or Android? Both are great devices, and although the iPad Air is more money, it also works really well and is money well spent in my opinion.

Have you had a chance to use both in person? Best Buy has both on display for you to use and see which fits your needs.

 

[monicakm]

Not sure this will be of any help, but I bought (for myself) the Note 10.1 2014. I wanted the Android OS, flexibility. expanded storage. I didn't want to be tied down to "Apple's way or the highway". However, my 75 year old mother is considering a tablet and I think I will be steering her in the direction of Apple for it's simplicity. That's my plan anyway. Haven't started looking yet.
Monica

 

[charles777]

Both are top of the line tablets, but should not really be compared with each other... we have an iPad Air here and my Note 10.1-2014 (32GB LTE) will be arriving on Tuesday if Canada Post can be believed. The iPad Air is fantastic for simple consumption needs. You have pages and pages of static app icons... you click on the icon and the app opens up and it just works flawlessly most of the time. The screen is awesome even though the 4:3 ratio annoys me when watching videos full screen ( I prefer the widescreen ration which removes the black bands on the sides). The games and apps are excellent and still tend to be released and updated first for iOS and then for Android (not a popularity issue... it's just laziness on the part of the devs... it's a lot more time consuming to develop and test apps that will work on all Androids- hardware and screen size differences across a zillion devices) This has improved a lot over the past few years and there is only a small number of popular quality apps that exist for one and not the other. On iPads, you cannot customize anything about the look of your tablet, nor can you add helpful or fun widgets to your homescreens (ex: Facebook, Flipboard, CNN, calendar, weather and dozens of other live updating widgets) nor can you simply plug in your iPad to your PC and drag and drop documents, music, pictures and videos from one to another as you can with an Android tablet. You have to sync everything through iTunes.
The Note is a completely different product... it's much more like a powerful laptop than a tablet... any limitations of a touch only environment (unless you add a bluetooth keyboard/mouse) are made up for by the S Pen which is fantastic for writing, sketching, creating, pointing, scrolling... it's like a keyboard, mouse and full set of pens and paintbrushes all rolled into one.You are paying more for this tablet because of the S Pen so it's an important feature to consider. I am sure you have seen the Review videos showing how you can do multi-window and all the other great features that you could not do on an iOS device. The screen is top notch, and the aspect ratio is perfect for watching movies. The connectivity options are great as well so if you want to connect your tablet and share content on your smart tv or with other devices on your home network, it's definitely possible. The battery life will definitely be better on an iPad, simply because the Note has to power so many more features that the iPad... but 7 or 8 hours of screen time with moderate to heavy use should be more than enough for most people. Yes, the iPad will charge faster, but most people just plug in their tablets at night before going to sleep so it doesn't change very much.
It all boils down to what your wife would appreciate the possibility of doing with a tablet. The Note can do everything the iPad can do and a whole lot more.
Hope this helps

 

[SpookDroid]

I'd say use both first and then decide. Also, think about the ecosystem you're already invested in. If you already own an iPhone, have all your music and app purchases in iTunes, then the iPad should be your first choice. If you have an Android phone, especially if it's one of the Galaxy family, you'll feel right at home with the Note 10.1.

In the end it all comes down to OS taste. I, for one, used an iPad 4 because it was very smooth, very simple to use...but grew SO DARN FRUSTRATED by how closed and restrictive iOS is that I decided to sell it. Then the Note 10.1 came out and since I've owned Galaxy phones since the S2, it was a very logical choice, and one that I couldn't be happier with.

However, I've shown the Note 10.1 to iPhone-totting friends and though they love the features, they just don't feel at home with the OS and always end up preferring an iPad.

The Note 10.1 is a beast in features and power, but as with all things TouchWiz, is not buttery-smooth (can be 'fixed' by switching launchers and tweaking a few things, which is one of the beauties of Android). Also, there's no denying there's more tablet-optimized content for iPad than for Android tablets, although most common apps you should find without issues. Some games will also take more time to get to Android than to iOS (if at all) as there are very few Android exclusives.

And, of course, there's the S-Pen. You won't find the accuracy of the S-Pen to write/draw on the tablet in the iPad.

 

[double923]

I like both and own both. I personally enjoy the note more and more.

 

[nettech207]

As most said all depends on your eco system if your new to android there is a bit of a learning curve. Both are top of the line tablet and either one would be a good choice. But the one thing most people forgot is your buying this for your wife, not for you what type of phone does she have and is she happy with it.

 

[DINGSTER1]

I have a 10.1 and a IPad3. I use the 10.1 for recreational and the iPad for preaching. Because of the apps.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

 

[Uschiekid]

edited;

I am looking for a tablet for my wife and am having a hard time choosing between the galazy note and the ipad air.

and am having a hard time deciding if I should pay almost $200 more for the air.

Are you sure you are looking at the note 2014? The air doesn't cost 200$ more than the 2014 version of the note. That's the forum you are in and that is what people's responses are based on. The original galaxy note 10.1 costs about 400$ for 32GB model (give or take, depending on country as well), but the new galaxy note 10.1 2014 edition costs 600$ for 32GB, as does the ipad air. If you are looking at 16GB, the ipad air is actually cheaper than the note 2014, (525 vs 550?) iirc. And obviously the 16GB old note is even cheaper.
Obviously my price quotes are just general ones, and not based on what you can get the various tablets for on sale. But that is generally how the numbers are. So if you want the new galaxy note 2014, you are comparing similar prices, not that massive difference you said. If you are looking at the old galaxy note, you might want to try in that forum, as people here are more interested in and will assume you are talking about the new version.

 

[charles777]

edited;

Are you sure you are looking at the note 2014? The air doesn't cost 200$ more than the 2014 version of the note. That's the forum you are in and that is what people's responses are based on. The original galaxy note 10.1 costs about 400$ for 32GB model (give or take, depending on country as well), but the new galaxy note 10.1 2014 edition costs 600$ for 32GB, as does the ipad air. If you are looking at 16GB, the ipad air is actually cheaper than the note 2014, (525 vs 550?) iirc. And obviously the 16GB old note is even cheaper.
Obviously my price quotes are just general ones, and not based on what you can get the various tablets for on sale. But that is generally how the numbers are. So if you want the new galaxy note 2014, you are comparing similar prices, not that massive difference you said. If you are looking at the old galaxy note, you might want to try in that forum, as people here are more interested in and will assume you are talking about the new version.

I bet you're right Uschiekid !!
Guess I wasted my time with that reply
At least I wasn't the only one lol

 

[Blackbeagle]

Those that should get Ipads:

1. First time tablet users
2. Wants the most simplicity
3. Don't want to customize and are OK with stock
4. Wants no hang ups or issues with their tablets
5. Wants the most apps

Those that should get the Note 10.1 2014

1. Those that wants the most full-featured tablet including S-pen
2. Those that wants to customize their tablet to their liking (widgets, etc.)
3. Those that are tech savvyy that can handle/fix hiccups
4. Those that hates Itunes
5. Those that want the latest and greatest

I have the 2014. I recommended my parents get Ipads. Both of us are very happy. Period.

 

[double923]

I don't think the OP is talking about Galaxy note 10.1 2014? There is no way that iPad Air cost $200 more. It is almost the away around, at least the non-LTE version.

 

[dianehelen]

Those that should get Ipads:

1. First time tablet users
2. Wants the most simplicity
3. Don't want to customize and are OK with stock
4. Wants no hang ups or issues with their tablets
5. Wants the most apps

Those that should get the Note 10.1 2014

1. Those that wants the most full-featured tablet including S-pen
2. Those that wants to customize their tablet to their liking (widgets, etc.)
3. Those that are tech savvyy that can handle/fix hiccups
4. Those that hates Itunes
5. Those that want the latest and greatest

I have the 2014. I recommended my parents get Ipads. Both of us are very happy. Period.

That was brilliant and simply well stated. I hope you don't mind me sharing with an iphone user friend who is trying to make her decision. She so fits I the ipad list and would probably be frustrated with the complexity of the Note. While I fit totally in the Note list. Itunes alone, makes me want to hurt someone ;-)

 

[Dr Law]

" Itunes alone, makes me want to hurt someone ;-)" ..... liked that, Ditto!

 

[FLGibsonJr]

I would think very carefully before introducing anyone new to Apple or any strongly focused proprietary system. I bought my wife an iPhone a couple years back for the exact reason mentioned earlier, simplicity. This however led to my kids using iPhones and now that my wife is more adept at technology and my son and daughter are a little older and are advancing quite quickly with tech, I have found it very difficult to extract them from the closed Apple system due to the amount of money invested in Apple media and hardware. I have started that process with buying my son a Note 8.0, and I will be building with my son and daughter their own non-Apple PC's as next steps. I really now regret introducing Apple to my wife due to simplicity, I would have much rather helped her more at the beginning with a more open system.

Regards,

Posted via Android Central App

 

[dianehelen]

No guaranty that always works. I started teaching my son on a Windows Pc when he was 5 years old. When he was 12 I introduced him to Linux, his first cell phone was an android. Fast Fwd, today, he is 27, on his 3rd Iphone, loves ipad, itunes, would get a mac if he could afford it. I feel like a failure ;-)

 

[charles777]

I feel like a failure ;-)

lol that's funny
Although the Apple ecosystem tends to suck you in, I think it definitely has its merits... everything Apple offers just works, and works well.
Obviously the "everything" I refer to is not enough to satisfy the needs of most people in these forums, myself included
I just wish that Samsung would offer better support... guides on how to use all their sharing features... cases, covers, keyboards, docks and hdmi adaptors that would be available at or soon after launch that just work, instead of people wasting their money on ebay/amazon purchases for items that may or not do the trick. /end rant.

 

[dianehelen]

tough choices. I hate itunes enough to never buy another apple product. , but I agree, that while Samsung makes good products, their support is about the worst I've ever seen. I've learned far more about the complex features of my various Samsung devices from user forums than any Samsung support person, including their so called tier 2

 

[Tbayrgs]

I can certainly understand someone not being a fan of iTunes but some of you may not have used an iDevice recently and not realize the reliance on iTunes is nearly non-existent. The only time I use iTunes with my iPad is to load a movie from my personal library (and rarely do that anymore thanks to PLEX) or to backup my device, which is actually far superior to how it's natively done in Android, and is done wirelessly so I don't actually have to plug and actively use iTunes.

Not trying to argue the merits/flaws with iTunes, just clarify that you really don't have to use iTunes if you don't want to any longer.

 

[John Woo1]

For a "woman", go with ipad and it will never goes wrong. Womens dont care about the tech stuffs and more about design/simpel to use. Ipad do have better design and looks "prettier" then Note 2014. :-X
Mine woman only know about iphone/ipad! Even I never own an Apple device before.
- Bought a chinese 10.1 tab, "is this a Ipad?" she asked me. :'(
- Show her few android phones. Is this iphone? Is that iphone? :''(
- Buy her new phone and asked which one she wants. She said, dont know, doesnt matter and show her Moto G on the web. Is that iphone? :'''(