Tablets, Android or ios?

[QuarterMillionMan]

I was just curious as to which tablets others here on these boards have and how they compare? I don't own any nor do I have any near plans on getting one in the near future but if I do maybe I might go with a kindle fire HD or even a cheap $89 Lenovo Android tablet dual core processor. I've heard Samsung is good and I know Apple products are fine but I cannot get myself to dish out $300, $400, or $500 or more just yet since I use an iphone 4s (older version) along with a laptop (dual core intel older vesion as well) and desktop (core i5 quad-core unlocked processor, fast but going the way of the horse and buggy, Lol). I've been window shopping tablets but nothing is compelling me to buy yet. Which tablet do others own and what are some of its good and bads. On the TV commercials I've seen ipads don't have USB ports which is a negative if true.

[adviceseeker]

I am an Apple fan and I try to not purchase (or even try to buy) Android products coz what I learned is that Android phones/tabs can get virus while Apple products can't. I think that's the reason why Apple is a bit pricey compared to Android products!

I hope this helps!

[disneysteve]

We're an Apple family. iMac desktop, DW and I have iPhone 5's, DD has an iPod, and DW has an iPad 2. We also recently got Apple TV. I love the ease of use and the seamless integration between all of our devices.

The fact that the iPad doesn't have a USB port has never been an issue. I can't imagine why we'd need it.

Personally, I'm not a tablet fan because I can't stand not having a keyboard, but other than that I've got nothing bad to say about it.

[atomicrc11]

It isn't that Apple products cannot get a virus or malicious software on them. They surely can as anything running any software can. Apple is more restrictive in that you may only install what is on the official App Store, where as Android there are multiple stores and you can install apps that aren't approved.

I prefer Apple because they are easy to use, I like the smaller screen than many Androids and Apple actually updates in a timely manner. With many Android phones you are at the mercy of the carrier waiting for updates. This can be bad as some carriers have let flaws go for months without an update.

Many of my family and friends use iOS devices which makes iMessage valuable to me as well as FaceTime. We have a Macbook, two iPhones, an iPad and an Apple TV. They all work very well together. It really is a personal preference and I happen to like iOS over Android.

[rennigade]

My one friend recently bought a new ipad. I asked what she used it for...her response was "its great for viewing recipes while in the kitchen." sigh

[atomicrc11]

You sigh renegade, but I use my iPad for cooking all the time. It's a great screen to take with you through the house to use for various purposes. In addition I have a Tivo which I can transfer recordings from to watch on my iPad while I travel. It suits nearly every need I have on the internet. I can use my calendar, email, contacts, surf, read the news, and even use it as a portable TV with Tivo streaming. We have only 1 TV, but I can take my iPad to any room in the house should I so choose to watch something while doing chores. I do have a Macbook which I use for things I cannot do on a tablet, like write long emails or anything typing intensive. My wife sees no need and uses her Macbook. It's really all personal choice.

[Chris Leese]

I have both an ipad and a Samsung tablet.

My Samsung tablet is smaller and I use it mostly for reading (kindle books, ebooks, pdfs, etc.) and general surfing of the internet.

I love my ipad and use it for all the other fun stuff --- game apps, watching movies, photo editing, video editing, drawing. I feel that apple has more apps.

Also, I have a lot of books and educational type apps on the ipad for my daughter. I agree that I wish the ipad had a USB port to be able to increase memory and move files to/from other devices/computers, but that is really the only con.

[bigdaddybus]

I use Andriod phones (Galaxy S4 currently) I have download thousands of songs free using various apps, manage my brokerage accounts, read various forums, internet, navigation, it does all I want to to without buying any apps other than Trackmaster (datalogging in car roadcourse performance)

I use a Winodows 8 laptop (SSD and storage drive) that folds into a tablet with a touchscreen from Lenovo for tracking the families budget on spreadsheets, controlling my cars ECU and datalogging it, as well as managing the families photos, video, editing, etc.

My wife and I both have Windows 7 laptops from work, my older kids both have Dell Windows 7laptops provided by thier JR high.

I bought my wife a ipad a few years ago and she uses it alot when cooking in the kitchen, watching shows off our DVR on the treadmill, and playing games/checking FB before bed. And my daughter also has an ipod, ipad, and my old andriod phone (4G RZR), my son has an ipod.

So we have a broad mix in our household, everyone is comfortable with apple, android, or Windows 7/8.

[hamchan]

I have a Kindle Fire HD and I love it. I use it daily. It has great sound quality so I use it a lot for music. I also read books on it, browse the internet, it has an alarm clock I can use as a backup if something happens to my phone. My daughter plays a lot of games on it. The battery life is really good and I never have any problems with it.

[jaynorth]

I would like to suggest you that you should go for Samsung tablet. Recently Samsung launch a Tab 3 8.0 with lots attractive features in it like 1.5 GB RAM, 16/32 GB internal hard disk, 5 MP camera and lots of more features available in this tablet. But most importantly there is also calling facility available in this tablet. So my suggestion is that you should go for Samsung tablet.

[asdf]

Personally, I'm not a tablet fan because I can't stand not having a keyboard, but other than that I've got nothing bad to say about it.

I feared this at first, but when I got my full size iPad I have been able to type just like I would on a keyboard by tilting it landscape-wise. Now, that may not hold true for smaller tablets like the iPad mini, but it at least works for me.

[disneysteve]

I feared this at first, but when I got my full size iPad I have been able to type just like I would on a keyboard by tilting it landscape-wise. Now, that may not hold true for smaller tablets like the iPad mini, but it at least works for me.

Doesn't work for me. My wife doesn't mind it but I do a whole lot more typing than her.

[phantom]

I have a first generation Kindle Fire. Since I don't have a smartphone, and since my laptop with its 17" screen is a bit on the big side, it's my go to electronic device for use while curled up on the couch or away from home. I use it mostly for entertainment: reading books, blogs, and news; listening to books and music; watching YouTube and Netflix; and playing puzzle games. Occasionally, it does something truly useful, like giving me a quick way to check the weather or showing me recipes in the kitchen. Either way, I definitely get a lot of use out of it.

The limitations of my Kindle are that it doesn't have a camera, it's dependent on wi-fi for internet, its hard drive is small, and the selection in the Amazon app store is small. It's rare that I find myself wishing for a camera on my Kindle. If I'm taking pictures for the sake of taking pictures, I'd rather use a DSLR than a tablet, and I don't mind using my lap top for video chat. I do sometimes wish I could use my Kindle to deposit checks, but the cost of a camera in a tablet does not justify saving a few trips to the bank in my mind. I would like to be able to use cell phone service to access the internet with my Kindle rather than being dependent on wi-fi, but I'm not ready to pay for that service yet, so the fact that my device can't handle it isn't really a problem. The 8 gig hard drive doesn't hold as much stuff as I'd like, so I have to do some prioritizing in terms of what I keep on it and what I keep elsewhere, but that's manageable. Finally, there's the Amazon app store with its limited selection and the fact that you have to do some work if you want to get apps from the Google Play or some other Android app store. But, I've yet to hear of an app that I wanted badly enough to bother finding out exactly what it would take to get it on my Kindle, so I don't feel like I'm missing much.

My point is that you do give up quite a few things by going with a simple tablet like the first generation Kindle Fire, the model that replaced it, or some other small, feature-light Android tablet. But, the things my Kindle does do are plenty for me. I figure that I'd rather have my Kindle than an extra $100-200 in my pocket, and I'd rather have an extra $200-600 in my pocket than a fancier tablet.

I wouldn't see the lack of a USB port as a major draw back. My Kindle has one, but I almost never use it because I am rarely sitting next to a computer when I'm using my Kindle. On rare occasions when I want to transfer files between devices, I find it much easier to upload files to my PogoPlug (think personal cloud) and pull them down elsewhere. The more devices I find myself using, the less I find myself thinking about transferring files, and the more I find myself thinking about stashing and retrieving content.

At work I use a MacBook Pro, and I do some testing on various iPads, iPhones, and Android devices. (I'm a web developer, and I was an iOS developer for about 3 months until my company decided to temporarily shelve the iOS app we were working on.) I don't have strong opinions about the Android devices I've used, but I do really like the Apple products I've used. I just don't like them enough to justify paying their higher price tags.

[KTP]

You guys are making me want to add to my Apple holdings...quit it!

[dawnwes]

we have a couple of ipads in the family and may be getting another.

You can buy an Apple wireless keyboard to pair up with it so you don't have to use the integrated keyboard.

Dawn