I have an iPad 3 and a Nexus 7. I have also owned a Kindle Fire in the past. On the phone side, I think Android is a great choice and can totally understand why someone would go that route. On tablets it's not really close if you care at all about actual software running on the tablet. The lack of effort put into apps built for Android tablets is glaring. For all the jokes back when the ipad was released about a 'big phone' ironically that really applies more to Android tablets these days. It leads to all sorts of weaknesses when comparing the offerings of apps on both systems. For example: DirecTV app on iOS streams live TV, on Android it's still the phone app and doesn't have that feature. Comixology app allows you to browse through a title's entire library from one screen on iPad; on Android it's still the phone app and doesn't have that function. There is a CNN app custom built for the phone and the tablet on iOS, while on Android it's only the phone app (which hasn't been updated) and doesn't even show up in the Play Store if you are browsing on a Nexus 7. Just stuff like that that really adds up for me in getting the most out of a tablet's form factor. That said, if budget is a major issue the Nexus 7 is still the best Android tablet you can get IMO and especially for the price.
man, i thought this was going to be a simple question. with all of the posts, i still can't make up my mind. still leaning towards nexus 7 since it's cheaper. one thing i want to be clear. i don't have to unlock nexus as i have to do with my android phone right? figure google would automatically update OS on their own device.
Nexus line comes unlocked. One of the benefits of the line. The Nexus 7 with a sim card is a pretty super personal device for $ 300.00. You can do a lot with it, with google now, the google apps, and groove ip. Google music is very nice. Kindle or google books look great, and a 7 is nice for reading on the plane, or tossing in a bag. Of course there are other good options too, but that's a matter of choice.
I have a Surface RT, an iPad 2, and a Samsung Series 7. The Surface is easily my favorite of the 3, and one of the nicest pieces of hardware ive owned. Havent touched the iPad since I got it. iOS is just so dated. Never used an Android tablet so cant help you there.
forgot to ask. how is google privacy? since i am always logged on gmail, does android phone/tablet automatically keep track of everything you do on it? i really hate that.
Got my wife a Yoga 13. It's so badass, I don't think I could go back to an ipad. I will probably get a surface pro when it comes out. Heck, I like my galaxy note 2 more than my old ipad.
I should also mention the N7 screen. Resolution is good and colors are decent, but otherwise it's just 'ok'. Image retention is pretty bad, and you'll see a little ghosting of the previous screen you were on pretty frequently. Volume/speakers also are pretty poor. Lots of people recommend a separate app to try and make the volume levels better. The rest of the build is fine. I like the kind of rubberized grip of the tablet and the touchscreen is very responsive. If you want to make use of any of the 'Google Now' stuff, you basically have to have all of Google's tracking options on. Browsing history, search history, location, etc. Otherwise it's a lot less impressive and basically just gives you the weather. It's a fun gimmick, but people tend to leave that part out.
Yes, google automatically updates the OS. Both my Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus are on the latest version, and I didn't have to do anything.
A big reason Android is losing out on app quality is the piracy issue. Why bother with all that work to port if it can be leaked onto the net with a base that's more inclined to install outside the limited boundaries? Yes. Just as bad as Apple, but worse if all your accounts is Google related. You can turn off some tracking with your settings, but they'll pester you constantly to turn it back on to get the "full" experience. You can get around this by making a new address and forwarding email from your main, but eventually you'll use the mobile email address more than the main... They port your Chrome bookmarks and addresses if you log into chrome on your computer with the same account. Might be good or bad depending on your preferences.
That's definitely part of it, especially for smaller developers; you often see a different studies that show that Android users don't actually buy very much. It's a big reason the gaming options are considerably better on iOS than Android. but in the examples I was giving above those are free apps from large companies. And they have fairly comparable phone apps. It's more a lack of effort to get the Android tablet apps out and a lot of them seem to have adopted the 'we'll get around to it eventually' attitude. I imagine that (at least the non piracy aspect) will at least improve at some point. But in the present it's pretty terrible.
have a surface rt also. nice piece of hardware screen is meh and upper echelon app selection is meh'er. probably one of the few that dig ie10 on it though. multitasking is more than effective. feel that it manages the balance of media consumption and productivity better than other tabs.
This. I sold my iPad. I still have my touchpad that I let my kid play games with. I use my Surface RT daily now. Love: Keyboard/mouse cover. I can browse any website better than computer. I often combine the mouse and touch screen to navigate very efficiently way. Much easier than an iPad or a desktop. Plus since it is Windows, all the keyboard shortcuts work like copy/paste/app switching/etc. Office/Skydrive. I can legitimately author documents and seamlessly move docs between work/home/Surface. Don't Love: Apps. But since the web browser is so strong w/ the keyboard, there are probably only a couple apps that aren't there ...yet. For me, it's more annoying that many apps don't have proper Live Tile integration as I really like Live Tile now.
What distinguishes the Surface RT from the iPad and the Nexus 7? I was researching lightly today, and aside from having a USB port amongst other things, why buy a surface RT over other tablets? Also, the Surface RT is a bit pricey. What do you guys recommend for a table below $350-400?
