Nexus 7/10 or iPad Mini/4? Functionality or aesthetics?

[Sensamic]

So Im looking for a new tablet. I think the right time has finally come to replace my iPad 1.

The thing Im debating around is: What to choose? Functionality or aesthetics?

The iPad is definitely the best tablet on the market for general consumers. Thousands of apps, great smooth experience, best web browsing experience, etc. My problem is I want more from a tablet than just use it for entertainment. There are things I cant do on the iPad that Android allows me to do and tempt me very very much:

1. I could leave the tablet charging ay night while downloading torrents, which would be ready for me to watch next morning. Or I could download torrents on the background while surfing the web or watching a movie. Awesome. Just awesome. This is the kind of functionality I want.

2. A file edplorer just makes things really really easy. I can organize my pictures by folders, something iOS just does in a horrible and unpractical way. Pictures are cloned and its just a mess. I have different folders for many pictures which I use for my projects, and iTunes cant copy subfolder from different folders.

3. Widgets. Having my RSS feed, news, social feeds, calendar and more in the home screen is just awesome. On a phone is great, but on a tablet it would be even more useful I think. Saves time and is more functional and practical than opening app by app by app by app...

4. Keyboard. On the Android tablet I could use Swype, which is my favourite keyboard, and offline voice dictation for when Im out of home, since I dont buy the 3G model never.

The thing is I just dont know how bad the situation is with android tablet apps. I expect the worst, but then I think... What good is it having a nicer looking Dropbox app in iOS if I cant upload and download any type of file? The app in iOS is very good looking but useless to me in an iPad. And if I were to download a PDF then its more of a mess, since every time I wanted to access the file I would need to open Dropbox or copy the file to another app... Weird. Thats why I prefer a file browser.

Many apps in iOS are beautiful, but just useless. Thats why I think of it more like a entertainment device than for work. Still, I would miss having apps like IMDB, Offline Pages, Plex, etc. Most of them are entertainment apps as you can see.

The iPad is a quality product that wont dissapoint me. I know that. On the other hand, I dont know what Im gonna find in the Nexus 7 or 10. You still have better resolution in both models than on both iPad models, plus better hardware overall, and Im sure Android 5.0 will be a more exciting update than iOS 7, but the BIG problem remains: the apps.


So... Functionality or aesthetics?

 

[PDFierro]

For me, I would never consider Android on a tablet. Too many iPad-exclusive apps I would use. However Android on a phone works for me.

 

[marc11]

So Im looking for a new tablet. I think the right time has finally come to replace my iPad 1.

The thing Im debating around is: What to choose? Functionality or aesthetics?

The iPad is definitely the best tablet on the market for general consumers. Thousands of apps, great smooth experience, best web browsing experience, etc. My problem is I want more from a tablet than just use it for entertainment. There are things I cant do on the iPad that Android allows me to do and tempt me very very much:

1. I could leave the tablet charging ay night while downloading torrents, which would be ready for me to watch next morning. Or I could download torrents on the background while surfing the web or watching a movie. Awesome. Just awesome. This is the kind of functionality I want.

2. A file edplorer just makes things really really easy. I can organize my pictures by folders, something iOS just does in a horrible and unpractical way. Pictures are cloned and its just a mess. I have different folders for many pictures which I use for my projects, and iTunes cant copy subfolder from different folders.

3. Widgets. Having my RSS feed, news, social feeds, calendar and more in the home screen is just awesome. On a phone is great, but on a tablet it would be even more useful I think. Saves time and is more functional and practical than opening app by app by app by app...

4. Keyboard. On the Android tablet I could use Swype, which is my favourite keyboard, and offline voice dictation for when Im out of home, since I dont buy the 3G model never.

The thing is I just dont know how bad the situation is with android tablet apps. I expect the worst, but then I think... What good is it having a nicer looking Dropbox app in iOS if I cant upload and download any type of file? The app in iOS is very good looking but useless to me in an iPad. And if I were to download a PDF then its more of a mess, since every time I wanted to access the file I would need to open Dropbox or copy the file to another app... Weird. Thats why I prefer a file browser.

Many apps in iOS are beautiful, but just useless. Thats why I think of it more like a entertainment device than for work. Still, I would miss having apps like IMDB, Offline Pages, Plex, etc. Most of them are entertainment apps as you can see.

The iPad is a quality product that wont dissapoint me. I know that. On the other hand, I dont know what Im gonna find in the Nexus 7 or 10. You still have better resolution in both models than on both iPad models, plus better hardware overall, and Im sure Android 5.0 will be a more exciting update than iOS 7, but the BIG problem remains: the apps.


So... Functionality or aesthetics?

Well the app argument is both valid and invalid since it depends on which apps you use. With each OS supporting well over 500,000 apps, to just say all Android apps are crap, is well, a load of crap. It depends. So list out the apps you want to use and then see how they look and run on Android as part of your decision process.

Also, you should try the new Nexus 7 side by side with an iPad, that will help you gain a good user perspective. One thing you can be sure of, Google is in the tablet and OS market for real this time, you can see it in the quality of the tablets and the most recent OS release; not to mention how they are controlling the Nexus 4 phone to ensure the carrier caused fragmentation ends. They are taking it to Apple in both price and user expierence. The Nexus 7 seems to be a success and if the same holds true for the Nexus 10 you can bet developers will be juming in with both feet to make apps for those tablets.

Apple still has the lead in market share and quality of materials used in products, but the gap is closing fast in the OS area fast. I think we can smell winds of change coming and that is only a good thing for both Apple and Android users.

My take, my wife and daughter have an iPad 1 and iPad 3 and I have an iPhone; after using my Nexus 7 for just a few days I find iOS frustrating and lacking. The apps I use on my Nexus 7 look and work fine, no complaints..oh and being able to sync/back up to my Mac as well as sync my iCloud contacts and iCal to my Nexus 7 via apps is amazingly awesome. Gives me the best of both worlds honestly.

 

[onthecouchagain]

You can try out the Nexus at a Staples or Office Depot, FYI.

In my opinion, at this point in time, the iPad still offers the best all around tablet experience. Unless there's a very specific need that you must have that only Android can offer, I'd go with Apple on this one.

 

[zbarvian]

You can try out the Nexus at a Staples or Office Depot, FYI.

In my opinion, at this point in time, the iPad still offers the best all around tablet experience. Unless there's a very specific need that you must have that only Android can offer, I'd go with Apple on this one.

This. Apple owns the tablet market, their ecosystem/app offerings are just unparalleled.

 

[onthecouchagain]

At the same time, OP does sound like he/she would be happy experiencing a new OS and some of the key things Android offers (like the OP's mentioning of Swype and widgets...).

Honestly, OP, you probably just have to try it out. You seem to already be well versed and informed about both products. It's time to jump into the water and see which way you want to swim.

 

[3bs]

I got the Nexus 7 (my first tablet) about a month ago for a lot of the same reasons as you. I've been really busy with college so I haven't been using it much. I think it's a great device but a small part of me kind of wants the iPad mini because some things just seem easier on iOS and I think a combination of iOS tablet and Android phone (GS3) would be better than both my phone and tablet being Android.

 

[Sensamic]

Just realised another cool feature I could get with the nexus: Android Beam.

I could send files from my SGS3 to the nexus tablet and the other way around. Even with BT for files not supported by Android Beam.

That would be an amazing feature. I could never transfer files from my iPhone to the iPad. Just pictures over email.

I will wait to try out both new iPads next week and then to see the reviews of the nexus 10.

 

[mattopotamus]

For me, I would never consider Android on a tablet. Too many iPad-exclusive apps I would use. However Android on a phone works for me.

That is my take on it. Also, I use an airport express, so I need an IOS device to manage the network since I sold my Air and am without a computer.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Nexus 7 is approaching one million sold per month according to an article I saw on flip board.

 

[cynics]

I have no issues with android apps simply because its a tablet. Example, for Facebook I use chrome, for tapatalk I use chrome, for sports/news their are valid good apps but I still use chrome.

Why use a watered down web based mobile app when I can use the real deal?

I'll just use a bookmark widget for quick access. Or you could use a shortcut to the web page if you don't like widgets.

Games you'll find will scale perfectly and although there are a lot you'll find iOS has more. However it's so easy to use emulators on an Android device it's silly not to (if you are into old games) so I have access to thousands of games that are a pita and require JB on an iPad.

I own both an android tab and iPad 3 and both have there pros and cons.

 

[Stuntman06]

My only issue with Andriod tablet apps is that some of them do not have a landscape orientation mode. That is annoying when you use a keyboard dock and the tablet only docks in landscape orientation.

 

[Sodner]

You get BOTH functionality and asthetics with iPads.

 

[Sensamic]

You get BOTH functionality and asthetics with iPads.

Not the kind of functionality I want, as you can see from my original post.

For me games is not a problem, since I prefer emulators.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Not the kind of functionality I want, as you can see from my original post.

For me games is not a problem, since I prefer emulators.

It sounds like you're ready to give Nexus a try.

 

[ChazUK]

Give the Nexus 7 a whirl (if you are in any position to return it to the store you got it from if it doesn't work out. Nothing lost that way, then try the iPad if that doesn't work out.

Some of your torrenting may be achieved via apps like Splashtop to remotely control your computer and let that do the torrenting (and dropbox e.t.c). In that case the iPad may be a bigger possiblity. I use Spalshtop on my Nexus and iPad 2 and it works great on both.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHlzXjcwNQ