Very Cheap "Android experience" between iPad Mini and iPad Air :-)

[CiccioAtSea]

So few days ago I sold my ipad mini and I was ready to order my new ipad air;

Then I had some unexpected expence and reached the limit of my credit card.. at the end I deciced to wait untill next month to buy the new "toy".

At the beginning I was confident enough that I could easily "survive" with just my iphone... but actually I really could not.

I borrowed a very cheap tablet that I bough for my mother last year (she did not use it a lot btw) and now I am using it since few days..

I always buy "high level" devices for myself as I really like this kind of things so I was quite curious to try this 90 euros devices for a few weeks.

I have to admit that I feel kinda surprised about the overall experience untill now.

Of couse the display can be considered garbage if compared to any recent apple device, it actually remembers me about my iphone 3gs... but apart of this it is really better than I was expecting!!

Tapatalk, flipboard, 9gag and all the other apps I'm used to with the ipad works just fine in this device!!

Maybe this means nothing for most of you but as a tech addicted like me this was a nice surprise and I wanted to share my experience.

Can't wait to get mi Air anyway...

 

[Count Blah]

"Cheap" android tablets are beginning to feel anything but "cheap"(meaning you can find quality ones). Hopefully apple starts to react to the pressure, and begins to offer more for less in response.

 

[M5RahuL]

Interestingly mis-leading thread title... It seems to imply you're bashing Android...

Anyway, I wish Android had iOS's fluidity and iOS adopted Android's features... I use and enjoy both platforms

 

[DarwinOSX]

Interestingly mis-leading thread title... It seems to imply you're bashing Android...

Anyway, I wish Android had iOS's fluidity and iOS adopted Android's features... I use and enjoy both platforms

Agree. The Nexus 7 is a great deal. Too small for me but I bought four of them as gifts. It's slow compared to the latest iPads though despite its quad core processor.

 

[Internaut]

Well, here in the UK, I'm already on record, elsewhere, saying the Tesco Hudl will inherit the Earth. At £120 (or £60, with Tesco loyalty vouchers), you can get something that in many ways is better than last year's Nexus 7. Is it as good as an 1st gen iPad Mini? Yes and no; depends on what you do with it*, but it will be a major stocking filler of choice this Christmas.

* The usual caveat that you can drag my Mini from my cold dead hands, applies here.

 

[TSE]

"Cheap" android tablets are beginning to feel anything but "cheap"(meaning you can find quality ones). Hopefully apple starts to react to the pressure, and begins to offer more for less in response.

Never going to happen. Apple products are premium products and premium prices.

 

[Count Blah]

Never going to happen. Apple products are premium products and premium prices.

How did that work out for apple in the 90s? Giving up marketshare leads to developers jumping ship, less user base and ends in niche provider status.

Hey, but in the short term, they can make $3 more per unit. Yippee!!!

 

[Jessica Lares]

Cheap Android tablets aren't that bad until they run into issues, yeah. But they don't carry things like warranties and easy to reach tech support from the companies who make them. That's why they're cheap.

Apple doesn't need to make a cheaper iPad. They're selling them just fine at the price that they are now, and they aren't losing money in the manufacturing. Motorola, ASUS, HTC, and the others lost out BIG time though, and now they are barely even selling them off as refurbished units when the Google ones have better specs now.

 

[fredaroony]

Never going to happen. Apple products have premium prices.

Fixed that for you.

 

[C5Longhorn]

I recently picked up a Nexus 7 while I wait for next years iPad and have been pleased with the experience for the money.

Rick

 

[douflag]

I think Android OS is great if you like all the customization. I've been a long-time user of iOS devices. While I understand the crutches of these devices when compared to Android, there is something about it that keeps me from switching. After some exposure to Android devices over the last several months (Nexus 7, Samsung S4, HTC One), I can safely say that the full, integrated experience just isn't there.

As an example, something as simple as turning on airplane mode can be difficult. If you're a current user of iOS 7 devices, all you have to do is swipe up from the bottom of the screen and turn it on. This is for any iOS 7 device! You cannot do that out of the box with an android device. You have to sit there, mess with the settings, open up the manual, or look online to figure out how to do something.

Someone on the airplane the other day asked me how to turn on airplane mode on their Galaxy S3, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out in under a minute. I knew how to turn it on with the Nexus 7 or the S4, but that's because I had some time with those devices. I couldn't even find the Settings app because it was probably buried within a button, a folder, or some other screen. Between the Android devices, every time I picked one up, it's like looking at a completely different interface.

If it were an iOS device, I could do it quickly. Even prior to iOS 7, I knew exactly where to go to do it. That seamless integration between all the devices and the way you use it makes up for the cost. When I'm on the go, I want to be able to pull up apps or notes quickly. I don't want to sit there and fiddle with the devices.

 

[Technarchy]

How did that work out for apple in the 90s? Giving up marketshare leads to developers jumping ship, less user base and ends in niche provider status.

Hey, but in the short term, they can make $3 more per unit. Yippee!!!

Jumping ship? For what and to where exactly.

iOS has a something like a 15% market share globally but 70% of the app store revenue. Apple doesn't pad their market share with junk devices, and iOS products have dramatically higher actual usage than competitors. People are actively engaged in their Apple products more than any other mobile competitor.

Jumping ship? That's like moving your business from Park Avenue to some flea market in Detroit.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I think Android OS is great if you like all the customization. I've been a long-time user of iOS devices. While I understand the crutches of these devices when compared to Android, there is something about it that keeps me from switching. After some exposure to Android devices over the last several months (Nexus 7, Samsung S4, HTC One), I can safely say that the full, integrated experience just isn't there.

As an example, something as simple as turning on airplane mode can be difficult. If you're a current user of iOS 7 devices, all you have to do is swipe up from the bottom of the screen and turn it on. This is for any iOS 7 device! You cannot do that out of the box with an android device. You have to sit there, mess with the settings, open up the manual, or look online to figure out how to do something.

Someone on the airplane the other day asked me how to turn on airplane mode on their Galaxy S3, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out in under a minute. I knew how to turn it on with the Nexus 7 or the S4, but that's because I had some time with those devices. I couldn't even find the Settings app because it was probably buried within a button, a folder, or some other screen. Between the Android devices, every time I picked one up, it's like looking at a completely different interface.

If it were an iOS device, I could do it quickly. Even prior to iOS 7, I knew exactly where to go to do it. That seamless integration between all the devices and the way you use it makes up for the cost. When I'm on the go, I want to be able to pull up apps or notes quickly. I don't want to sit there and fiddle with the devices.

Well the 2012 Nexus 7 now has the pull down toggles. The 2013 Nexus 7 had it from the beginning. S4 had it from the beginning and so did the S3. So I don't know what your talking about. I don't think you have even touched the devices your speaking about.

Plenty of Android phones had pull down toggles and the option to add your own toggles with widgets way before Apple introduced them in ios7.

 

[fredaroony]

.

As an example, something as simple as turning on airplane mode can be difficult. If you're a current user of iOS 7 devices, all you have to do is swipe up from the bottom of the screen and turn it on. This is for any iOS 7 device! You cannot do that out of the box with an android device. You have to sit there, mess with the settings, open up the manual, or look online to figure out how to do something.

Someone on the airplane the other day asked me how to turn on airplane mode on their Galaxy S3, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out in under a minute. I knew how to turn it on with the Nexus 7 or the S4, but that's because I had some time with those devices. I couldn't even find the Settings app because it was probably buried within a button, a folder, or some other screen. Between the Android devices, every time I picked one up, it's like looking at a completely different interface.
.

lol as you said iOS JUST got this. You have had MANY options to do this easily in Android i.e. widgets or vendor skins. It's a toggle in the S4.

Pretty bad example and it took Apple how long to do something this basic?

 

[Shanghaichica]

I think Android OS is great if you like all the customization. I've been a long-time user of iOS devices. While I understand the crutches of these devices when compared to Android, there is something about it that keeps me from switching. After some exposure to Android devices over the last several months (Nexus 7, Samsung S4, HTC One), I can safely say that the full, integrated experience just isn't there.

As an example, something as simple as turning on airplane mode can be difficult. If you're a current user of iOS 7 devices, all you have to do is swipe up from the bottom of the screen and turn it on. This is for any iOS 7 device! You cannot do that out of the box with an android device. You have to sit there, mess with the settings, open up the manual, or look online to figure out how to do something.

Someone on the airplane the other day asked me how to turn on airplane mode on their Galaxy S3, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure it out in under a minute. I knew how to turn it on with the Nexus 7 or the S4, but that's because I had some time with those devices. I couldn't even find the Settings app because it was probably buried within a button, a folder, or some other screen. Between the Android devices, every time I picked one up, it's like looking at a completely different interface.

If it were an iOS device, I could do it quickly. Even prior to iOS 7, I knew exactly where to go to do it. That seamless integration between all the devices and the way you use it makes up for the cost. When I'm on the go, I want to be able to pull up apps or notes quickly. I don't want to sit there and fiddle with the devices.

The reason you know how to turn off airplane mode on any iOS device is becuase you are used to using said devices. People who are used to using android devices know how to turn it off without hunting around in the settings. Incidentally I can turn it off on my S4 simply by pulling down the task bar and Turing on or off the toggle.

 

[thundersteele]

Of couse the display can be considered garbage if compared to any recent apple device, it actually remembers me about my iphone 3gs... but apart of this it is really better than I was expecting!!

Now imagine, if instead of going for a really low end 90 Euro tablet, you had gone for the Nexus 7, which is still much much cheaper than the iPad mini, but actually has a screen that can compete with those in the iPads.

 

[Count Blah]

Jumping ship? For what and to where exactly.

iOS has a something like a 15% market share globally but 70% of the app store revenue. Apple doesn't pad their market share with junk devices, and iOS products have dramatically higher actual usage than competitors. People are actively engaged in their Apple products more than any other mobile competitor.

Jumping ship? That's like moving your business from Park Avenue to some flea market in Detroit.

I'm sure you would have said the same thing in the early 90s.

That's ok. We know you can't fathom the inevitable at the current pace. Too bad apple isn't taking the inevitable more seriously either.

 

[TSE]

Macs make a minority of the marketshare but have a huge amount of the total revenues and profits.

Apple isn't going to come out with junk just to have a low cost device.

I am extremely critical of Apple, especially as a shareholder, but I agree with them in that regard. There are great Android devices out there, but a majority of them are junk that aren't even being used for more than a basic web browser for a year then thrown in a drawer somewhere collecting dust.

Apple just isn't a company that tries to win in marketshare. They win in revenue and profits. The time they did try to win with marketshare (90's with the Mac clones and various low cost, cheap Mac models), they were the least successful.

 

[JeffiJers]

Only read the original post.. but LOL about apple giving us premium displays.. don't get me wrong I love my 15R macbook.

but my POS air is getting returned for a N8 or n10.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Apple just isn't a company that tries to win in marketshare. They win in revenue and profits. The time they did try to win with marketshare (90's with the Mac clones and various low cost, cheap Mac models), they were the least successful.

Apple's problem is that, it's is own entity. If or when the mainstream consumer feels iOS products are no longer desirable, Apple will take a tremendous hit and the bubble will flatten.

If consumer technology takes a drastic turn, which it soon will. Apple would be forced to follow immediately and would loss the admiration/respect for being it's own trendsetter. Nothing lasts forever.

 

[TSE]

Apple's problem is that, it's is own entity. If or when the mainstream consumer feels iOS products are no longer desirable, Apple will take a tremendous hit and the bubble will flatten.

If consumer technology takes a drastic turn, which it soon will. Apple would be forced to follow immediately and would loss the admiration/respect for being it's own trendsetter. Nothing lasts forever.

Which is why Apple needs to keep on going into new markets/creating new markets every 4-5 years. Hopefully 2014 brings some new Apple products that will keep it's reputation of innovation.

There's not going to be much more innovation in the phone market anymore except for cooler designs, faster innards, better cameras, and better batteries.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Which is why Apple needs to keep on going into new markets/creating new markets every 4-5 years. Hopefully 2014 brings some new Apple products that will keep it's reputation of innovation.

There's not going to be much more innovation in the phone market anymore except for cooler designs, faster innards, better cameras, and better batteries.

I sure wouldn't mind if they reinvented iOS or did something drastic for the phone/tablet market.

I personally want an Apple version of the Surface Pro, I would jump on an iPad that has full OSX/w iOS or a detachable screen on Macbooks.

 

[douflag]

Well the 2012 Nexus 7 now has the pull down toggles. The 2013 Nexus 7 had it from the beginning. S4 had it from the beginning and so did the S3. So I don't know what your talking about. I don't think you have even touched the devices your speaking about.

Plenty of Android phones had pull down toggles and the option to add your own toggles with widgets way before Apple introduced them in ios7.

Strange. For some reason, I could not find it on the S3. The toggles are different between the Nexus 7 (2013) and the S4. For the Nexus 7, you press the time/clock area to toggle it on and off. For the S4, you swipe down from the top and turn it off/on by pressing one of the toggle switches (or you have to scroll through that toggle switch bar to find it). So yes, I have used these devices. Relax.

All I'm saying is that it's so much simpler on the iOS because you don't have that customization (which I'm OK with). I can pick up 2 different android devices and while their features are the same, using it will be significantly different. All the menus are the same between different iOS devices. The look and feel is the same too. No need to be condescending.

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lol as you said iOS JUST got this. You have had MANY options to do this easily in Android i.e. widgets or vendor skins. It's a toggle in the S4.

Pretty bad example and it took Apple how long to do something this basic?

Agree with you there about Apple taking a long time to put this feature in their devices. But my point was that having too many customization can make it difficult for those not familiar with the device to use them. And if you had 5-10 android devices with different customizations??

The reason you know how to turn off airplane mode on any iOS device is becuase you are used to using said devices. People who are used to using android devices know how to turn it off without hunting around in the settings. Incidentally I can turn it off on my S4 simply by pulling down the task bar and Turing on or off the toggle.

Yes, I am used to using iOS devices. But if I told a new user that swiping up and turning on/off bluetooth, airplane mode, wifi, etc is the same and looks the same across all iOS 7 devices, can the same be said about ALL android kitkat or jelly bean devices? Even the hunting process would be the same for all iOS devices.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Strange. For some reason, I could not find it on the S3. The toggles are different between the Nexus 7 (2013) and the S4. For the Nexus 7, you press the time/clock area to toggle it on and off. For the S4, you swipe down from the top and turn it off/on by pressing one of the toggle switches (or you have to scroll through that toggle switch bar to find it). So yes, I have used these devices. Relax.

All I'm saying is that it's so much simpler on the iOS because you don't have that customization (which I'm OK with). I can pick up 2 different android devices and while their features are the same, using it will be significantly different. All the menus are the same between different iOS devices. The look and feel is the same too. No need to be condescending.

I was going to apologize, but then I read your original post again.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Strange. For some reason, I could not find it on the S3. The toggles are different between the Nexus 7 (2013) and the S4. For the Nexus 7, you press the time/clock area to toggle it on and off. For the S4, you swipe down from the top and turn it off/on by pressing one of the toggle switches (or you have to scroll through that toggle switch bar to find it). So yes, I have used these devices. Relax.

All I'm saying is that it's so much simpler on the iOS because you don't have that customization (which I'm OK with). I can pick up 2 different android devices and while their features are the same, using it will be significantly different. All the menus are the same between different iOS devices. The look and feel is the same too. No need to be condescending.

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[/COLO





Agree with you there about Apple taking a long time to put this feature in their devices. But my point was that having too many customization can make it difficult for those not familiar with the device to use them. And if you had 5-10 android devices with different customizations??



Yes, I am used to using iOS devices. But if I told a new user that swiping up and turning on/off bluetooth, airplane mode, wifi, etc is the same and looks the same across all iOS 7

devices, can the same be said about ALL android kitkat or jelly bean devices? Even the hunting process would be the same for all iOS devices.

ts not that different. I had a nexus 7 last year which runs stock android, which is different to the touch wiz skin that is found on the Samsung devices that I favour. I was able to use the nexus easily enough and wasnt rummaging around in the settings looking for things. At that point the nexus was running jelly bean and my Samsung devices were on ice cream sandwich. There a lot of universal constants in all android devices. In fact most phones are intuitive enough. I've sorted things out for colleagues with lumias and BlackBerry devices as well as other android devices and it took me less than 30 seconds to figure things out.