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IOS 4/5 or Android 3.0 for a beginner?
HHGTTG
Posts: 5,941 Forum Member
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Previous posts by myself, are about thinking of a tablet for my computer illiterate partner. Which OS do you think would be easier for someone to use i.e. which is more intuitive and generally easier to get on with.
I have an android phone and don't have problems but I get on with all these sort of things.
Also, not having anything to do with iTunes, is it necessary, as Apple say in their instructions, that your iPad has to be connected to your computer when setting it up?
Any thoughts would be very welcome.
I have an android phone and don't have problems but I get on with all these sort of things.
Also, not having anything to do with iTunes, is it necessary, as Apple say in their instructions, that your iPad has to be connected to your computer when setting it up?
Any thoughts would be very welcome.
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But if you have already got an Android one then how does your partner get on with that? It may be easier for them to use Android as you then know it yourself as well.
I prefer Android myself as it is open source and I like that it's not basic, but for a beginner I recommend iOS. Android is catching up but iOS is more intuitive and has more better quality apps. Also, not as many crashes due to it's strict memory management and App store rules. I hate to say it but iOS wins here
You might like to also consider factors such as whether the device has a USB socket, whether it has an SDHC slot, whether it can run Adobe Flash Player, and whether the battery can be replaced by the user when it no longer holds its charge. On all of these counts the iPad fails. On the other hand, the iPad has many more apps available and is generally considered to have excellent build quality.
USB socket & SD slot... Important IMO to consider whether they are actually needed in the first place, not simply whether they are present or not. USB, SD card, and HDMI adaptors can be purchased if necessary (just like for the Android powered Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which also has no card slot or HDMI
As for Flash itself... again, it may not be present, but will it actually be needed anyway? Flash is not required for BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD, Demand Five, YouTube, Sky/BBC/C4 news, or streaming live Freeview TV... All of those have apps available, and some also work via the browser thanks to HTML5 sites. If the potential user in question wants to use those and various other video sites which have moved on from Flash or offer an alternative, then the lack of Flash is not an issue. It's only really a sticking point if you play a lot of browser games which use Flash, as of course those will not work.
Battery... Not much of an issue IMO. If it dies during the warranty period (unlikely), it will be fixed by Apple. If it dies after that, then Apple will fix it for a fee. Not as simple as swapping it out yourself, but it's not something that happens quickly. It would take some time for the battery to eventually give out.
Re. iTunes -
As freeview_user said, iOS devices no longer need to be connected to a computer running iTunes to set them up.
All iPad 2s should come with iOS5. When you first turn them on, they ask if you want to activate wirelessly or wired, so you can go through the whole set up without connecting it to a computer and without using iTunes.
You can also update the software and perform backups wirelessly and without using iTunes.
Apps, books, videos, and music can all be downloaded directly to the iPad itself using the relevant apps on the iPad.
You would only need to connect it to a computer an use iTunes if you wanted to transfer your own content to it (e.g. your own CDs or videos).
However we must have a 3g enabled one (which limits some makes) as there is no WiFi in the house and we're not likely to use it out.
Also, therefore, this makes the Apple products rather pricey for a 3g enabled one and presents the problems of only accepting micro SIMs although these, I believe, can be trimmed down by cutting - all rather tedious.
I would still prefer to buy my SIMs from Amazon if there is always a supply that way.
Wi-fi might be preferable especially if you can find an ISP who provides a wireless router to new customers - but I don't know if it's viable without a conventional computer.
Not true 3G can work out cheaper for those who don't use the Internet much. You can get a 3 month 1Gb/month three sim for about 12 quid from amazon.
Speed also depends on area, I know people that get faster 3G speeds than BB due to how far from the exchange they live. You might have decent 3G in your area with the added advantage of being able to use it out the house.
I thought that was a 3GB SIM for 3 months?
Sorry, just re-read your reply and that's what you said.:o:D
It depends on many factors. I've found Three's MiFi device to be superior at sucking in signal than either my iPhone or my wife's Samsung Galaxy Ace. It also allowed me to avoid the extra cost of 3G in my iPad and Kindle. And it allows up to 5 devices to share a connection.
I work online so use MiFi as a backup to ADSL. It's plenty fast in my neck of the woods.
As Paul say's Android is fine for the "older" generation. My mum and dad are both nearly 70 and each have their own Android tablets and use them constantly..
As for not playing games HHGTTG, don't be so sure. Both my mum and dad play games on theirs all the time, even though my dad did say when my mum got her Xoom, he didnt know why she wanted a tablet. Funnily within a month he had his own tablet
iOS is also perfect for the "older" generation as well, with a more simple, but no less capable interface. Its without a doubt more polished then Android and may be easier for somebody with no experience to get to grips with.
To me it would most likely come down to cost and what one is willing to spend on a tablet. My only advice is don't buy a cheap tablet. My mum did after having a play on mine. She soon regretted it and exchanged it for the Xoom.
Believe me, I may live to eat my words (or is it 'swallow') but I have never played a computer game in my life. I have been asked to and have watched people at work, years ago but never saw the attraction.:(
There are many different types of games available, including not only the types of games normally associated with video consoles but also many good logic puzzle games. A surprisingly large number of games are available legitimately free of charge. Many modern games don't need to be downloaded and installed but are played in your web browser.
Heh - I also thought I was too old to be bothered with computer games. Then my wife maliciously installed 'Angry Birds' on her phone and asked me if I'd like a go.
Foolishly, I said yes. It has been weeks since I've shaved, eaten or worked. I've lost weight, my job, my family, my self-respect
On a more serious note, you'll find there's a lot more to computer gaming than the action-orientated stuff that appeals to young 'uns.
These days any device connected to the web offers the opportunity to play Scrabble, Poker, Bridge, Chess or whatever your 'poison' - against actual human opponents.
Proper gaming is doable and done online. Better still - thanks to the 'worldwide' nature of the web, there are always people willing to play.
Fortunately, I have got one overuling factor that limits possibly being attracted and that is my monthy data allowance of 2GB via mobile broadband internet from a Vodafone dongle. And that's the way it's going to be.;)
That's plenty. I'm always playing with my phone and don't come close to that. Prepare to be addicted
Believe me, I have not got a gaming addiction.:D
You can simply feel the difference while using the on screen keypad itself. My recommendation again for beginners is iOS