iPad or Tablet?

I've been thinking of getting myself a tablet as I see people using them everyday and think to myself why should I miss out?
I've been browsing about for a few weeks and I've narrowed it down to either an iPad 2 or Samsung galaxy tab 2 10.1.
Does anyone have one or both of these and give me some pro's and con's?

I would probably use it for games, music, films, social network sites, browsing internet, email blah blah... but I'd also use it for reading comics/books and maybe some university work so I'd probably need Microsoft office type apps and a USB would be useful on a tablet IMO.

I have a Samsung laptop which is great and I use it for work, however I also have a iPhone meaning I already have iTunes account already which makes me think i can transfer things from my iPhone to iPad which would be cool.

Help would be greatly appreciated!
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Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    Hi bandapart.

    I did quite a bit of research towards the end of last year as I was in the market for a tablet for myself and an e-reader for my wife as a Xmas present.
    To cut a long story short I treated myself to the Samsung Galaxy Tad 2 10.1 and bought a 7" Samsung tablet for my wife instead of a dedicated e-reader.
    We both found the screen quality of the Samsung's' products quite superb although I'm sure other tablets also offer good screen resolutions. We decided on a 7" tablet for my wife as it offered so much more 'flexibility' over an e-reader. I'm sure the e-ink on a dedicated e-reader gives a better experience when reading but the tablet print is still excellent.
    So, more than delighted with Samsung products and although I'm sure Apple products are excellent I do feel they are a little overpriced compared with other makes on the market and you're paying a premium for the name.
  • IvanIVIvanIV Posts: 30,300
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    iPad is a walled garden, connectivity is quite poor, no USB port there. No flash. So I'd say Android or Windows RT. Surface RT has an Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OneNote), it has a flash player, USB port, and SD slot.
  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
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    IvanIV wrote: »
    iPad is a walled garden, connectivity is quite poor, no USB port there. No flash. So I'd say Android or Windows RT. Surface RT has an Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OneNote), it has a flash player, USB port, and SD slot.
    Windows RT would be too much of a gamble for me! It shows every sign of being about to fail!

    Apple may be a walled garden but it is a very well looked after one!
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,319
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    OP, have you ruled out the Google Nexus 10?
  • allhitradioallhitradio Posts: 125
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    I think the Archos Platinum 97, due out at the end of April, looks interesting at around £230 at Amazon and BHS Direct. It's very Ipad 4-like but with better connectivity. The Titanium, which is out now, seems to be sluggish and a bit clunky, but the Platinum sounds like a huge improvement and and very good value for money.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5
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    Thanks for the comments. I think I'm sort of leaning to the way of getting the Samsung. From what I've researched you have more 'freedom' with the Samsung software which is a big positive for what I'm looking for in a tablet. I didn't know about iPads not having Flash also.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5
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    John259 wrote: »
    OP, have you ruled out the Google Nexus 10?

    I havent really looked into them. Are they up there with the iPad and Samsung Galaxy?
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,319
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    bandapart wrote: »
    I havent really looked into them. Are they up there with the iPad and Samsung Galaxy?
    They're Android tablets so the operating system is very similar to that on the Samsung. There are three models, 4", 7" and 10". Prices are good and most reviews say they're excellent but I've no personal experience. Certainly worth considering IMHO.
  • hunter23hunter23 Posts: 3,097
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    ipad is a tablet
  • clonmultclonmult Posts: 3,366
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    bandapart wrote: »
    I havent really looked into them. Are they up there with the iPad and Samsung Galaxy?

    Nexus 10 is arguably better than the iPad and its very definitely better than the Galaxy and the Nexus 10 has the highest resolution screen on any tablet.
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    bandapart wrote: »
    Thanks for the comments. I think I'm sort of leaning to the way of getting the Samsung. From what I've researched you have more 'freedom' with the Samsung software which is a big positive for what I'm looking for in a tablet. I didn't know about iPads not having Flash also.

    If you're going for an Android tablet, personally I'd stick with the Nexus 10 rather than a Samsung.


    As for the lack of Flash on the iPad and other iOS devices... it's not much of an issue, depending on what you'd need it for. e.g. iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD, Demand Five, Sky Go, TVCatchup, YouTube and more all have apps and so don't need Flash. Unless you use a video site that has not yet switched to HTML5, or doesn't have an app, or you use a lot of Flash based browser games, then you may well not notice the lack of Flash.

    If you were to go for an iPad rather than an Android tablet, I'd avoid the iPad 2 and try and go for the latest iPad 4. The iPad 2 is getting on a bit now (March 2011) and although it's still great for music and videos and browsing etc. it won't be great for the latest games.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    John259 wrote: »
    They're Android tablets so the operating system is very similar to that on the Samsung. There are three models, 4", 7" and 10". Prices are good and most reviews say they're excellent but I've no personal experience. Certainly worth considering IMHO.

    The 4" is a phone - not a tablet.
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,319
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    alan1302 wrote: »
    The 4" is a phone - not a tablet.
    Thanks, I didn't realise that.
  • clonmultclonmult Posts: 3,366
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    Matt D wrote: »
    If you're going for an Android tablet, personally I'd stick with the Nexus 10 rather than a Samsung.


    As for the lack of Flash on the iPad and other iOS devices... it's not much of an issue, depending on what you'd need it for. e.g. iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD, Demand Five, Sky Go, TVCatchup, YouTube and more all have apps and so don't need Flash. Unless you use a video site that has not yet switched to HTML5, or doesn't have an app, or you use a lot of Flash based browser games, then you may well not notice the lack of Flash.

    If you were to go for an iPad rather than an Android tablet, I'd avoid the iPad 2 and try and go for the latest iPad 4. The iPad 2 is getting on a bit now (March 2011) and although it's still great for music and videos and browsing etc. it won't be great for the latest games.

    The Nexus 10 is a Samsung built/designed device ....

    But you're right - for the most part, the lack of flash isn't so much of an issue these days.

    On my Nexus 7 I use Firefox to handle anything flash related, primarily for my sons homework - which is all flash based.
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    clonmult wrote: »
    The Nexus 10 is a Samsung built/designed device ....

    But you're right - for the most part, the lack of flash isn't so much of an issue these days.

    On my Nexus 7 I use Firefox to handle anything flash related, primarily for my sons homework - which is all flash based.

    I know it's made by Samsung, but it has better specs than the actual Samsung branded Galaxy Tab, plus is "pure Android".
  • Emma_WaughmanEmma_Waughman Posts: 12,892
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    Im sorry,but i dont see the point of a ipad at all. Its £200 of good money wasted on a shitty piece of crap,why waste that kind of money when you could spend £200 on a loved one like your girlfriend/boyfriend make them feel wanted and loved before you get the piece of junk.
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    Im sorry,but i dont see the point of a ipad at all. Its £200 of good money wasted on a shitty piece of crap,why waste that kind of money when you could spend £200 on a loved one like your girlfriend/boyfriend make them feel wanted and loved before you get the piece of junk.

    I made my wife feel very wanted and loved by paying £400 for an iPad for her - now she knows she is very loved as she sits next to me dictating this.
  • IvanIVIvanIV Posts: 30,300
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    clonmult wrote: »
    The Nexus 10 is a Samsung built/designed device ....

    But you're right - for the most part, the lack of flash isn't so much of an issue these days.

    On my Nexus 7 I use Firefox to handle anything flash related, primarily for my sons homework - which is all flash based.

    No Flash isn't an issue unless you need it. I can live with no flash for a mobile phone, but for a browsing on a tablet I want a full experience.
  • whoever,heywhoever,hey Posts: 30,992
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    iPad is a tablet.
  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
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    IvanIV wrote: »
    No Flash isn't an issue unless you need it. I can live with no flash for a mobile phone, but for a browsing on a tablet I want a full experience.
    I don't find this the issue I thought it might be. So many web sites just automatically deliver non-flash video to iDevices these days!

    Getting a working flash to match the hardware on an Android phone was more of a issue....!!!
  • alan1302alan1302 Posts: 6,336
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    BKM wrote: »
    I don't find this the issue I thought it might be. So many web sites just automatically deliver non-flash video to iDevices!

    I've a Nexus 7 and have not got round to putting Flash on and not found it a problem so far.
  • darkislanddarkisland Posts: 3,178
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    bandapart wrote: »
    Thanks for the comments. I think I'm sort of leaning to the way of getting the Samsung. From what I've researched you have more 'freedom' with the Samsung software which is a big positive for what I'm looking for in a tablet. I didn't know about iPads not having Flash also.

    I bought a Samsung Tab 2 10.1 last week and I'm nore than happy with it. Web browsing, email, videos and and music are all slick, intuituve, and easy to use. The design is simple, clean and functional and the implementation of Android very thoughtfully done.

    I considered an iPad / iPad Mini, but they're overpriced and a little anal in what they'll let you do (so I've read) and with new versions of those two supposedly due soon, I didn't want to spend a lot on something which will be having its priced cropped shortly - big brand or no big brand.

    I'm still getting used to it, but so far, absolutely no complaints.
  • Rodney McKayRodney McKay Posts: 8,143
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    Having used both Android and Apple tablets I still think the iPad is a better device overall. I don't know what it is with Android but on tablets I just don't like it. I also prefer the 4:3 screen ratio of the iPad to most Android tablets.

    Having said that the Galaxy Tab and iPad are both great devices so whichever you end up with will do a good job.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    Having used both Android and Apple tablets I still think the iPad is a better device overall. I don't know what it is with Android but on tablets I just don't like it. I also prefer the 4:3 screen ratio of the iPad to most Android tablets.

    Having said that the Galaxy Tab and iPad are both great devices so whichever you end up with will do a good job.

    I'd pretty much agree with this. The first tablet I used was the galaxy tab. It's a nice tablet and works well. However since getting an ipad mini I think the ipad is a lot better. I've also used the nexus 7 and found my ipad to be better.
  • thmsthms Posts: 61,002
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    I received an I-pad with retina display for a present and at first rarely used it.. Now I can't put it down..
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