By The holiday season’s coming up and I’m willing to bet a lot of people are in the market for a nice tablet device to give to their loved ones or to make for a nice gift for themselves. The question: what should they buy? Not too long ago, the obvious answer was “iPad.” It wasn’t the first tablet ever to come out, but it was the only modern tablet that could break into mainstream and get people ready to spend hundreds of dollars for what most ended up calling an oversized iPod Touch (yours truly included.)
But the market has changed, as often tends to do, and Samsung has come out with the first real potential threat to Apple and they’re literally selling it everywhere, just as they did the Samsung Galaxy S – their flagship line of Android-based handsets, currently. Now, shoppers will stop into their local Best Buy retail stores and see giant ads for the Tab up against giant ads for the iPad and they’ll have questions. A lot of questions. And even though the iPad – at first sight – would seem like the surefire best bet, the process is still going to prove to be very difficult.
Thus: we break it down. What should you get? In unbiased fashion, I take a look at the hardware, software, and overall ecosystem of both devices and determine which would be the better buy to put under that nice tree this december.
Hardware
The Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Apple iPad are very similar, hardware wise, but are different enough to take a closer look at each. Here, I’ll pick apart every nook, cranny, corner, and angle of each device and I’ll determine a “winner” in that category. I’ll also take a look at the software, but let’s get to the gears that make these devices tick.
Size and Display
Perhaps the first thing people look at when they look at a tablet device (or any device where the display is an important piece to the puzzle) is the display itself. Which is larger? Which looks better? Brighter? Has more vibrant colors? Has a higher resolution? Your average consumer won’t care about the technical details of that last question as it’ll fly over their heads anyway, but it does play into some of the questions before it. The Samsung Galaxy Tab has a 7-inch capacitive LCD touchscreen with a WSVGA resolution of 1024×600 opposed to the iPad’s 9.7-inch capacitive display with a higher resolution of 1024×768 (what an older computer monitor would generally run on.)
It’s easy to think that the bigger size and resolution of the iPad gives it an automatic win, but you have to consider that – in a smaller 7-inch package found in the Galaxy S – the lower resolution really doesn’t do much to change just how great the display looks because it’s pushing only a marginally-less amount of pixels into a screen that’s nearly 3-inches smaller. Having used both of these devices myself, I can’t really say one display completely destroys the other, but there is a noticeable pop in color vibrancy and brightness to be had on the iPad over the Galaxy Tab. If we’re going based on looks alone, then the iPad would be the clear victor.
But the size plays a major factor in comfortability and portability, too. Tablet computers are seen as mobile devices, even if they were never meant to be, and the iPad is simply less mobile than the Galaxy Tab. If you want to use that thing on a subway, too bad. Want to palm it with one hand while walking down the street? Good luck. The Galaxy Tab is still a beast to hold, but you CAN hold it as well as you need to for one handed operation and you can stow it as easily as you could a small netbook.
For these reasons, I have to give the ultimate prize to the Galaxy Tab. That’s not to say people can’t walk around with the iPad with one hand (I’ve seen it personally, and I’m sure there are cases that exist to help you hold it with one hand), but it’s just so much easier to do on the Galaxy Tab. The loss in screen real estate is a bit of a bummer, but if you’re going to be expecting a full-screen laptop-like experience from a tablet, why not just get a MacBook air?
Processor
There really isn’t much to say here: the iPad has an A4 processor – just like what you see in the iPhone 4 – and the Galaxy Tab has Samsung’s Hummingbird – just as you’d see in the Samsung Galaxy S. And both of these processors are based on the same family of chipsets, with differences coming only in slight form. The difference comes from how the software utilizes the hardware, but we’ll get into that a bit later. For now, there’s no clear cut winner here.
Memory and Storage
Both of these devices come with a lot of gee-bees (or gigabytes, as you technophiles would rather call them): the Apple iPad can be had in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB configurations, while the Galaxy Tab can be had in both 16GB and 32GB configurations. The iPad, though, doesn’t allow you to expand the storage, while the Galaxy Tab allows you to add up to 32GB more with the use of a microSD card. Ultimately, flexibility is king and the Samsung Galaxy Tab allows you to get just as much as you need.
I know, I know: who wouldn’t want as much as they can get? Sure, you can make a case for the iPad in that regard, but when you start discussing price, then you’ll learn why some will want to shy away from Apple’s more capable options. We’ll afford the Samsung Galaxy Tab the victory, here.
Camera
The Samsung Galaxy Tab has a front-facing and rear-facing camera, the iPad doesn’t. Winner: Samsung Galaxy Tab.
“What’s that Rob? You want more substance in this paragraph? Fine…” Cameras on mobile devices are important to a lot of people. Even though most people who own a tablet device will also likely be carrying their phones, which most likely will have a camera on it, you won’t want to put your tablet away just so you can pull your phone out, snap a pick, then put the phone back, and take the tablet back out and go about your business. That’s clunky and unnecessary, and I’m quite surprised Apple didn’t consider as much when they had the iPad in research and design.
But what’s more important here is the front-facing camera. Say you’re walking one day and you find a spot to sit down and eat. (Alone? Blech.) You get lonely and want some company, but don’t want to limit yourself to just talking. Introduce a tablet with enough screen-size to make the experience worthwhile. The Samsung Galaxy Tab enables that, and a lot of people are going to eat that up at the point of sale. There have been murmurs that the iPad would be getting at least one camera whenever apple decides to unveil the next iteration, but as of right now, it’s as dry as a desert in this area. Winner: Galaxy Tab.
Battery
I honestly don’t know what type of battery capacity the Apple iPad has, but I can say that it smokes the Galaxy Tab’s 4,000 mAh battery. That’s not to put the Galaxy Tab down at all: 7 hours of continuous video playback is VERY respectable, but 10 hours is even better. (We’ve even seen some users able to go a few hours beyond Apple’s advertised battery life.) If we assume that these two are using the same or similar battery capacity and technology, then it means the iPad is just more efficient in software, hardware, or both. Regardless, the Apple iPad lasts longer and that’s all you need to know. It gets the “#1” badge in this category.
Connectivity
Both of these devices fail just as miserably as each other for one reason: proprietary connector. I’m sorry, but in today’s world of finicky, cheap charging cables that must be replaced with 30x the amount of cash it takes to make the darn things, we would like something a bit more standard. We expected as much from Apple, but Samsung completely ditched any form of USB and went with their own proprietary connector. Both devices have WiFi, both have Bluetooth, and both will accept the draw here. (Albeit a very sour draw. For shame.)
Browsing
The iPad doesn’t have flash, the Galaxy Tab does. Honestly, the screen real estate provided by both of these devices are more than enough to facilitate a pleasing browsing experience. Things are smoother on the iPad, but they can be just as smooth on the Galaxy Tab on your every day website. The option to use flash is a major factor considering a lot of these full sites push a lot of flash content out. Even still, some people don’t need or won’t prefer flash, and if you take that away, the iPad is the smoother experience as browsing is on all iOS devices. Pick your poison: this one’s a draw.
Videos and Media
Samsung’s made quite the reputation for themselves with the media experience you can get out of their flagship Galaxy devices, and the Tab is no different. DivX and XviD support gives you that much more freedom in loading your videos without any issues, and the same goes for the type of audio you can play. Both devices can expand their capabilities through the virtue of apps, but out of the box, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is going to give you the best video experience you can find on a device this size. If you’re an iTunes buff just as much as you’re a music buff, then the ecosystem with that desktop software will play a large factor, but it’s not necessary. We’ll throw the bone to the Galaxy Tab on this one.
The Determining Factors
When it comes down to it, you’ll need to consider four major things (some of which we discussed above): software, camera, the size/weight/”wieldy-ness” of each, and price. Above any other factors, these will most-heavily weigh into the purchase decision as we look from the average consumer’s point of view.
Software
iOS on Apple’s iPad completely pounces on the Tab with Android 2.2 and TouchWiz, but that’s not to imply that iOS is flat-out better than Android. Their market is bigger and got off to a very fast start, as evidenced by the tons of great apps submitted that take advantage of that HD resolution and 10 inch screen. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab has native apps that make great use of the extra real estate, but there’s no real market for tablet-specific apps yet. They’re urging developers to create apps for bigger screen sizes and resolutions, but the sense of urgency just isn’t there from third-party developers. Perhaps we’ll see a shift with the introduction of Honeycomb and all of the tablets sporting it, but for now, the Android market will make the Galaxy Tab just feel like an oversized Galaxy S. iOS also takes advantage of hardware acceleration so everything is smoother across the board, as it is in the handset sector.
Camera
One of the benefits of having a large screen with a camera is the ability to capture your memories and play them back on the same device. That’s very important to a lot of people, and the iPad just doesn’t facilitate this. The Galaxy Tab even gets the added benefit of having a front-facing camera so you can video chat with your friends and family on that nice-sized screen.
Size/weight
The iPad is still quite light despite its size, but it’s much more comfortable to carry around a 7-inch device than it is a 10-inch device. You can use a 7-inch device with two hands and no surface, while trying the same with an iPad could prove disastrous, uncomfortable, and/or just impractical.
Price
Say what you want about the Samsung Galaxy Tab’s price, but the iPad is just as expensive, if not more when you get into the higher storage tiers and when you talk about adding 3G radios. “But you get so much more with the iPad! And Apple overprices their merchandise by a lot more than any other manufacturer!” That’s true, but the truth is they ALL inflate the price. After you figure in every single cost it takes to create and market one Samsung Galaxy Tab or Apple iPad, they have to see a return on the device. Everyone does it, and while you may feel that the Galaxy Tab’s “inferiority” should bring its price down, that’s just not fair to Samsung. Expect to pay more than $5-600 for any configuration of either of these devices without carrier-provided subsidy. This one’s a draw.
Yes, we chose the Galaxy Tab over the iPad if you go by the tally count, but numbers won’t dictate the result here. Being Android fans, we’d always give the benefit of the doubt to the Galaxy Tab, but being unbiased in this quick comparison between two of the biggest tablet devices on the market today, we’d have to give the victory to the iPad. Even with the Galaxy Tab winning 2 of the 3 most weighted factors, the iPad wins in software which is VERY important to the overall experience. (If we were to distribute the weight of the four factors, software would get 50% of the influence with the other 50% being evenly distributed to the remaining three.)
Without software, the hardware isn’t all that special. We’re certain Samsung, Google, and Google’s other hardware partners will be able to catch up in due time, but as of right now, it’s just not there. To be frank, it’ll just be a more pleasant experience to walk into an Apple Store or Best Buy or what have you, buy an iPad, and be happy with the decision as that monstrous tablet-specific app store proves why software will always be king. We hope and fully believe that Google and company will get there, but Apple walks away with the victory this holiday season.
wait you are calling the ipad an oversized ipod touch but you forget that the galaxy tab is just a larger galaxy s phone
where’s my notion ink adam??
Given that this is a blog about Android(and thus not pro-Apple or a general gadget blog) this piece is beyond pointless. A far more useful article would be a sum up of the current Android tablets worth purchasing over the ‘holiday’ season.
Those are expensive stocking stuffers…
@Dan I also mention that the Galaxy Tab is an oversized Galaxy S.
I agree with your end verdict. I bought the Galaxy Tab for the reasons you listed but primarily for portability. It is in my purse whenever I’m out. I was at lunch today doing my email and at Home Depot taking photos and emailing them and the Tab is absolutely delightful. And the photos are superb, which surprises me, having come from a Droid X. But the size of this screen is everything.
where are you from? i use us dollars not developers to pay for things
@Khalid it’s not totally pointless. I completely understand why you think we’d gravitate toward the Tab because of our Android association, but if I – as an informed consumer and professed Android fan – were to be in the market for a tablet this holiday season, I would want an iPad.
I’m making the case that Google’s going in the right direction by adapting Android for tablets, but it needs to happen fast and they need to be more headstrong in helping manufacturers attract developers even before the revered Honeycomb upgrade is ready if they wish to compete with Apple.
@Mike hahahaha. I can’t believe I made that mistake.
Forget both of these devices. The Archos 101 looks like the best tablet deal right now.
I am certainly an Android phan through and through but I have played with the iPad and found myself being swayed by the darkside…
I appreciated this review and thought it was unbiased and informative. Good stuff, thanks Quentyn!
I own a Droid X and an iPad. You couldn’t pay me to give up the iPad for a Tab. Think of it this way, my Droid gives me the best possible phone experience and access to the Android Market. The iPad gives me access to the Apple App store and plain old buttery smoothness. I don’t need to replicate my phone on a bigger screen. The second Google differentiates a tablet version of android that can give me something my phone can’t, then I’m all over it, but for now, I’m not paying hundreds for another android 2.2 device.
I didn’t realize the Galaxy Tab could actually make calls. I can’t see people putting this 7″ behemoth up against their ears, so I’d assume they’d either use the speakerphone or bluetooth. That being said, it’s still a slightly larger Galaxy S which I can’t see spending 6 bills for when I’ve already got a Galaxy S phone. I like the size of the ipad but the features on the Galaxy Tab so this is a tough one.
I gotta agree with you here Quentyn. I’m sure the Android Tablet experience will mature over time just like with phones.
Regardless, either version will need to do a lot more if they expect me to justify paying those premiums.
I agree with Josh. The Tab would be a lot more appealing, if it had Gingerbread or Honeycomb on it. Someday it will though.
Also I agree about the Notion Ink Adam. I wish that thing would hurry up and come out lol
Seriously I will wait for the first Google branded tablet. Also why when Apple fanboys say the iPad is better then the Tab they always forget that the Tab has 2 cameras.
As much as i hate to admit it and I own an ipad (it was a gift) It does work fine except the usual iOS irritations like flash, Itunes being a drain on computer resources, and not being able to import any format of video. The biggest thing i would like to tell anyone buying an ipad is, ” Think of it as a big Ipod not a small computer.” dont go buying keyboards and crazy stuff like that. Its a big ipod play music download apps put some shows or movies. If you think of it as a small laptop it will definitely disappoint as for android tablets i hope honeycomb really improves the interface of android with tablets i ran iphone apps on ipad and they really suck!!!Personally i would wait to buy either an Ipad or an android tablet i think front facing cams are here to stay even cell phones so people should wait for either ipad 2, htc tablet(so you can get quick upgrades) or better yet a nexus tablet oooh (you heard it here first)
@ Quentyn- my bad didnt see that
I love how people say that this article is worthless because an android site is hosting it when the final word was that the iPad is better. Nice reading comprehension.
Nice comparison. I have done a similar comparison using the iPad in the apple store and then just guessing what the Galaxy Tab would be like based on my Galaxy S.
I’m considering the Viewsonic G tablet this holiday season. It has a lot left to be desired but it sounds like it already is getting some software support and even if it doesn’t xda will take care of me.
@Quentyn I think anyone who regularly reads this blog is aware by now that Google has said that Froyo is not for tablets in their view and that Honeycomb(or at the least, Gingerbread) will be more tablet friendly. If your aim was to highlight that, say that, instead of comparing a tablet not supported or helped along by Google to a device totally controlled by a company that has a reputation for high-quality hardware.
@18 My reading comprehension is just fine thanks, in fact it’s far better than most.
I only needed to read the title to see that this article is out-of-place on this site.
I’ve absolutely no problem in agreeing that right now, the best tablet out there for most people is the iPad and that’s fine. My point is that as this isn’t engadget, it would be better to compare the best available Android tablets out there now as you can get an iPad versus Galaxy Tab article from many blogs whom you wouldn’t even consider have bias. Whilst I’m sure Quentyn did a fine job at comparing the two, when reading an Android-focused blog it’s not hard to imagine that there might be a hint of bias, just as you’d imagine an Apple-focused blog might not be completely fair when comparing comparing a DROID 2 and the iPhone 4.
If the prices really are similar, then the Galaxy S tab no question.
I’m with others that say other tablets instead. The Archos, the Notion Ink, the Vega…I would choose a dual core Tablet over the iPad and Galaxy S tab any day.
galaxy tab sucks
Redo this article next year when Google releases an OS they meant for tablets, and then we’ll have a comparison. I can’t wait for the Moto and other Honeycombed tablets to land early 2011.
I believe that that hardware of the Galaxy Tab is better and it should be better. The Galaxy Tab came out MONTHS after the iPad, so they had a lot more time to think of how to make it better. But the software and functionality of the iPad will always be the best in the Tablet world.
iPad is better for a CHRISTMAS stocking stuffer
As usual the only ones that matter – USA.
What a load of bollicks – what about the phone element and internet? Just because you don’t have in on your galax tabs there is no reason to Assume that no one else has it……..or is it is a case of we don’t so no body else can!!!! As per usual.
Sorry, no tablets this year, and it would ever come from the fruit vendor anyway.
I’d rather wait until next holiday season, 2011. Most everyone should/will have their toys released and tweaked by then. Until then, I’m lovin’ my rooted Evo!
I’m not sure the Galaxy Tab has caught up to the iPad yet. The sheer amount of iPad optimized content such as games and other applications is a huge factor. That being said, Google knows that this is an issue and the upcoming Android 3.0 update will hopefully make the race a bit closer. Of course Apple isn’t keeping still, and by my best guess, they’ll be announcing the original iPad’s successor in two months or less.
From what I’ve been reading in the Android blogosphere, the reception of the Tab hasn’t been that great, and holding out for the next revision may be your best bet.
As for this article, frankly, I’m not impressed. The writing is pretty bad. Many of the sentences may have sounded great when spoken, but haven’t translated well to a written form.
The Tab doesn’t have Netflix or Hulu – both available on the Ipad. The entry-level Ipad goes for $499. The Tab sells for $589. IMHO, the Ipad offers a much better user experience at a lower price point.
some android fans u guys are
I too went with the galaxy tab. Two main reasons being android and mobility. Don’t underestimate the value of mobility in your everyday life.
I must agree with Hitler. At least as far as this comparison goes.
I’m wondering why everyone keeps saying that the PDMI interface that Samsung uses is propitiatory. It’s an industry standard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDMI
I have not found a tablet that i would pee my pants over just yet….the IPAD only sounds cool….it does not have a camera….thats like meeting a hot guy/girl at the bar taking him/her home with you and no1 has a condom….its a deal breaker….i have an IPOD and an HTC EVO….in other words i have an IPAD and a TAB in smaller versions…. LOVE the HTC EVO
Regardless of which is the better tablet, I don’t think either one is going to be a stocking stuffer as the title suggests. Not in this economy. People have cut way back the past couple of years with their purchases of guilty pleasure items, electronic gadgets, etc. The only reason smartphone sales haven’t declined is because you can pick one up these days for next to nothing as long as you wait a few weeks after it’s release date. Manufacturers have already stated they’re drastically reducing prices on laptops, HDTV’s and other electronics this holiday season, in the hope of at least doing better than they did last year. I can’t see too many people buying these things. Just my 2 cents.
I’m actually impressed by the blog and responses. Seems the vast majority of the responses are good. I own an iPad, and thinking about getting the Galaxy Tab (yeah I’m a geek). I happen to like both platforms and really not a fanboi, I don’t own any of the companies that make any of the hardware and or software. So just pick what you like. The reason to not like the iPad for its size, is actually the same reason people like the iPads size form. So choice is what works for you. In no case does one or the other sux, or the the other is great. Just two good options.
One good thing about the iPad which isn’t OS dependent. Its unlocked, and supports everything but AWS in 3g. You can take it anywhere that supports gsm and use it. And there are ways around the micro sim that costs well under $US10. So if world travel or business is part of your life. That is an advantage.
BTW I own a Nexus One and iPad 3g, maybe I should be under some kind of medication for dual personality disorder. :-)
@ ToastnJam i agree who in this economy can afford to buy a $600 stocking stuffer… i haven’t sold any records hahaha the last big gift i bought was a PS3 and that was only a little over 400 bucks however i might stuff my own stocking if i find a worthy tablet
@33(hj): Because, and I quote, from the article YOU linked;
“The Galaxy Tab, a 7″ tablet produced by Samsung, does not use this interface. It uses a proprietary physical connector that is similar to the Apple dock connector, but with the contacts inverted. There has been much confusion with early reports assuming that the 30-pin connector referenced on Samsung’s specifications for the Galaxy Tab would be PDMI.”
I want to wait and see what Blackberry does with the Playbook. More competition to select from . . . .
Well I am just going to be a jerk here…..my coworker has an I pad….my droid incredible can do more than her I pad so why would I even consider it? No tab until the technology meets my expectations and for the record I own a power bookso this is not a google fan boy statement!
It hurts to have to say it, but go with the iPad. At least Apple supports their products. Even gave iOS 4 (the iOS version for the iPhone 4) to the iPhone 3GS almost instantly.
@ade
Sorry about that. I read that it had a PDMI interface. Should have read a little further into that article. :-)
I Believe Apple Products Are Only A Rip Off For One Reason: They Sell You A Bitten Apple, Most People Prefer The iPad For The “Millions” Of Applications While They Only Use Around 50. Wow, That’s A Lot Considering My Nokia N900 Has Over 100 And Can Multitask Up To Around 30 Applications Without Freezing. Now The Nokia N900 Is A Pure Linux OS Which Gave Birth To The Android System Considering The Open Society Feature, That Said, Androids Are “Millions” Of Years Ahead Of Apple OS, We Just Need Smart F**ks To Use The Right Hardwares And The Right Dedication And Motivation To Overwhelm The Market And To Restore Sanity To The Apple-Lovers Who Are Defected From Society Because They Are Always Busy With Their “Millions Of Applications” and “A Lot Of Games” That Made Them Anti-Social.
For Me, Apple Hand-Held Devices Are A Waste Of Talents Considering The Brilliant OS But With Shitty Ideas.
Well this article just about does it for me with this site. IOS is better than Android? are you serious? I know you said that’s not what you’re saying but it is just that. Thats the last stupid comment i will read from here I am officially done looking at phandroid. (that is the name of the site right?)
Cmon ppl….even if he implied or outright said iOS is better…it would still be his opinion.
.
I think it took guts, major balls for someone from an Android site to say something like that in their article.
I didn’t say iOS was better than Android, I said that iOS offered a better user experience for tablets than Android. It is not a job requirement for me to be a raving Android fanboy. I’m not here to praise Android for any and everything, and I’m not here to say that Android is perfect and everything else is just minor league fluff. Following quote is from the article:
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“iOS on Apple’s iPad completely pounces on the Tab with Android 2.2 and TouchWiz, but that’s not to imply that iOS is flat-out better than Android.”
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In my opinion, I don’t think iOS is better than Android, but it does offer a better experience for tablets at the current time. Why is it so wrong of me to say that? It’s true, isn’t it? The iPad offers a significantly different enough experience compared to an iPod Touch to justify a purchase, but I can’t exactly say the same for the Tab. And that’s if I had every intention to purchase a tablet this holiday season, for whatever reason. For what it’s worth, if I didn’t absolutely need a tablet, I wouldn’t buy either of these.
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The iPad is too young and you know Apple’s cooking up a refresh, and we all know what’s around the corner from Google with Honeycomb and from other hardware makers. I’m sorry that you are officially done looking at Phandroid. That’s unfortunate. But I’m a human and I have the right to form my own opinion.
Sumsung and Apple iPad are expensive stocking stuffers …
Why do you guys and the companies call them tablets. They are “slates”. Tablets involve a physical keyboard.
It depends on what impression you want to convey?
sleek and sexy – get the ipad
quirky and cool – galaxy tab
business and preppy – playbook
Thanks for the nice review. In our country, although Apple has not officially launch Ipad, but there are around 20,000 ipad owners (and the number potentially grow rapidly). We were so enthusiastic to welcome the presence of netbook tablet. But now, after the Galaxy Tab formally enter in our market, there is no other option but to choose the Galaxy Tab (vs Ipad) because it has an official after sales support. Unfortunately, unlike the Archos, Galaxy Tab does not have an usb connector.
You can see the atmosphere when Samsung Galaxy tab launched at http://www.eriktapan.com/2010/10/galaxy-tab-vs-ipad.html . On that day, only takes 8 hours to sell about 1,000 Galaxy Tabs
I want a Galaxy tab. Do people even buy tabs? I’ve never seen one being used in real life.
actually, the galaxy tab is much cheaper than the ipad at where i live
1040$ for the ipad
700$ for the galaxy tab
@ OP and everyone else saying Android isn’t made for tablets
Developers have the tools to make tablet friendly versions of their applications. It’s built into the SDK already. Also, while it will add heft to their applications, they could code the tablet version into their already made applications. It’s nothing but a change of XML views. It’s a non-existent problem that uninformed people are spreading.
@ToastNJam
I know right? I’m surprised that it took 35 replies to mention that. I’ve been saving up for the past 2 or three months to get an Android tablet( I won’t even consider being locked into an Ipad..)
You are not a fair and neutral critic. I dont want to say which one is better, people will be the judge themselves but you are clearly pushing galaxy S.
not a neutral article….
Does the Galaxy Tab have a removable battery? If it does, that is a point in added flexibility. If you are on an International flight, for example, it would be very nice to have a spare battery.
Regarding “GrandMasterLarry” who chose to take offense at you trying your best to be objective:
(a) Notice the “but” in his message? This guy is most likely a black & white thinker who has a hard time with shades of grey and thus, some types of complex ideas/relationships. From his perspective, you are probably either for Android or for Apple. It’s hard for him to see how your two [seemingly contradictory] sentences actually work together to create a shade of grey meaning.
(b) Do we care that someone who calls himself “grand master” doesn’t like what you have to say?
I have owned them both. Bought the Ipad on a Friday, went online to Apple’s website on Saturday night on a strong wifi connection that all my other devices work on and the Ipad would not even run the Ipad tour without freezing at every section after a couple of seconds. Took back on Sunday and got the Samsung Tab. Love the size, love having the connection without a seperate device and love that it works great. I don’t mind that it mimics my Droid Incredible and my Droid X as a matter of fact I love that fact because I have this information available no matter what I am using. I love the fact that I have 30 days to try the Tab verses 14 days with the Ipad due to Apple’s rules. I didn’t love the fact that I had to pay a restocking fee of $70 (once again Apple’s rules) when the stupid Ipad did not work properly and I only had it from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning. For these facts I will never own another Apple device, ever! By the way this is a true story and I was not against Apple products as a matter of fact I own an Ipod Touch and wanted an Iphone ever since they came out but hated AT&T. However this was until I tried the Android devices which I like much better. Now after this you can keep your Apple products.
I got an iPad but now knowing it doesn’t have flash and that the galaxy does and it also has a camera i probably would have gotten that Instead pretty disappointed in no flash on here
As far as the software goes, no developer is going to jump on board and want to develop if there is no userbase. Apple had a headstart of 7 months or so with a unit on the market, so developers have built up their market, of course they have more tablet apps by now. If we don’t buy Android tablets, why would anyone want to make apps for them. Buy tablets and the software will come. Just like android is rapidly taking over the phone market it too will take over the tablet market with our help.
bahahahhaahaa. baaaahahahahaha!
And once it does get apps it’s going to be about 200,000 behind ios. If you like angry birds etc, what’s wrong with more? It’s like we’re both paying the same price for cable, but we get 200,000 more channels for the same price. (considering most cheap android phones cannot run any good apps etc, os updates come sparingly and slowly. Netflix complained about the fragmentation and extra programming required for android. Android was a nice thought but still a direct copy of ios and not well executed.
PS if the ios is so bad, why did android copy the marketplace app store idea, and why are they all now jumping on the tablet bandwagon? Copying all the apple concepts is a compliment.
Plus the galaxy is more expensive for a smaller display! If you seriously support this product you are clearly biased to the point of pathetic ridiculousness.
iosrules is really deep into the koolaid. Android is already slated to surpass iOS in apps, because of flexibility, platform diversity, and different price points. Netflix is only delayed because of movie studios whining about the LACK of DRM on android. Don’t even try to pretend the “Market” was some dreamy Apple invented concept when we have devices with no physical drives. That is the only way to get stuff on there, and it is just like Steam and every other digital service we have had for a decade.
Jumping on the bandwagon? Tablets were in Star Trek in the 1960s – we have just been waiting on technology to allow us to create something we already knew was possible and desirable. I like Apple hardware, and I am glad they made the iPad and the iPhone, because they proved market viability and other companies could then make a risk-free entry into the market because viability had been proven already. I just dislike the design of iOS from a GUI point of view, and have no love for the curated market.
@Scotter:
No, it doesn’t have a removable battery, and it won’t charge up while connected to my laptop either. The battery only lasted me 5 hours on a trip from Heathrow to JFK, dying less than half way through the flight (was powered on during boarding as well and only shut down for take off.) Hopefully they improve on that and a few other issues I’ve found.
@copr165
Would you stop with the lies? VZW charges the $70 fee for restocking the tab as well. And unlike AT&T they screw you if you decide to skip a month of service with an $35 reactivation fee when you go to get more data again. Read the contracts. At least AT&T is a straightforward amount for a 30 day service with no activation fees. T-Mobile or Sprint are much better places to get a tab from than Verizon as far as service costs. So please stop spouting off all this misinformation….
asking someone to buy a tab, when even Google says the OS shouldn’t be on the Tab is just a fools errand…
on top of that, most all of the apps just plain don’t work on the Tab, PLUS you have to pay more with a contract for the Tab… and without a contract you have to pay more for the Tab…
(and by the way, there are nearly half as many dedicated apps for the iPad as there are Android apps total already… 40,000 dedicated iPad apps… THAT is saying something about where apps are going) that is along with 300,000 apps that 98% will also run on an iPad….
tab’s crash just about everything from the Android apps store…
there just isn’t anything here to see, by the time Google does ship an OS that works on a tab, other tablets will be out that will be better, and the people with Tabs will be stuck with a $600 paper weight… no one will even buy them used.
while iPad owners can easily sell their original $500 iPads for $400 to the people who think $400 is what you should pay for a tablet… NO ONE THINKS a tab is worth $600 as it is….
when Samsung said they ‘sold” 1 million, in reality those were “shipped” numbers, all sitting on shelves across the world, and they are all sitting there still, wondering why no one will buy them.
in case someone actually wanted a real review, where they actually use their fingers, and try and drag something on the Galaxy tab’s small screen…. or try to actually do video chat, or try to actually run an app. (several pages:)
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9200739/Samsung_s_Galaxy_Tab_makes_a_strong_case_for_buying_an_iPad?taxonomyId=15&pageNumber=2
a little more information in compact way is given at…
http://webinews.blogspot.com/2010/12/samsung-galaxy-tab-vs-apple-ipad-which.html
Which Samsung, they even copied the data cable from Apple. That they can come up with yourself?
http://www.mobileme.com.ua/blog/rival/133.html
For my opnion, the Ipad and Iphone is almost same, that only the Ipad cant make call. Once u are having Iphone and WHY u have to spend the money and buy Ipad? For Galaxy Tab, i think it is for life use, can online and calling.
Hmm.. I preffered to apple ipad.than the galaxy tab..For me the Apple still best in software devices..
hehe puro kayo gago