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Asus Eee Pad Slider or iPad?


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Old 30-11-2011, 12:28
kania
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I won a competition a couple of weeks ago for an Asus eee pad slider. I take delivery for it in a couple more weeks. Abviously I was very happy, buttttt... Monday I won another competition to win an iPad 2. Hopefully that'll be coming in a couple of days.

Here's the Slider

I think the iPad will be the 16gb basic model. I'd use the tablet for forums, surfing the net, youtube, that kinda thing. I guess I could play around with them both to see my personal opinion but going on specs, and what you know, which would you go for?
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Old 30-11-2011, 13:28
freeview_user
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You must be lucky!
Are you sure it's legit?

Asus

Advantages:
Physical Keyboard (If you don't like an on-screen keyboard)
Flash Player
Open (any app from anywhere)
Good IPS Alpha screen
Good support from ASUS
Ok'ay cameras

Disadvantages:
Heavy
Poor battery life
Bulky

iPad

Advantages
Flawless Experience
Light
Good Battery
Thin
4:3 Screen (Perfect for Ebooks or Web Browsing)
Good IPS Alpha screen

Disadvantages
Locked to Apple (you pay there price or nothing)
No Flash Player (left out to stop crashes/slowdowns. However, this can be annoying if you can't play something)
Less RAM
Shocking Camera

Glad to help!
freeview_user
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Old 30-11-2011, 14:28
kania
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haha, yeah they're definitely legit. Two different competitions, one of which was run by Argos.

I like the idea of the Asus keyboard. I'm not sure how I'll get on with the on-screen keyboard. I also like the way you can set it down and type like on a laptop. It's supposed to be well made too.

But I know the iPad is also well made, and they've got good customer service. Shame it's not got flash.

I could be swaying towards the Asus.
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Old 30-11-2011, 16:15
freeview_user
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Also with the Asus you can add more storage and a USB mouse
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Old 30-11-2011, 18:53
Matt D
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Another point: Although the iPad has less RAM (512MB rather than 1GB) it has a superior GPU (dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 rather than a GeForce ULP). CPU is the same (dual-core ARM Cortex-A9).

As for Flash... Ask yourself what you need it for, and if you really need it. You can still use iPlayer (app, website), 4oD (app), ITV Player (app), Demand Five (app), TV Catchup (app, website), YouTube (app, website) and more on the iPad without Flash...


The best thing is, as you mentioned in your first post, to play around with both of them. Give them both a good try out when you get them, see what they're like, what you prefer, and then sell the one you consider second best.
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Old 30-11-2011, 19:25
kania
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Thanks for the info guys. Well I'll hopefully get the iPad in the next few days, fingers crossed so that'll give me plenty of time to mess around with it before the Asus arrives. Guess I can find out then if the lack of flash kills the experience for me.

Is there an add-on keyboard for the ipad? Or something to stand it up so you're not having to hold it all the time?
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Old 30-11-2011, 19:51
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Thanks for the info guys. Well I'll hopefully get the iPad in the next few days, fingers crossed so that'll give me plenty of time to mess around with it before the Asus arrives. Guess I can find out then if the lack of flash kills the experience for me.

Is there an add-on keyboard for the ipad? Or something to stand it up so you're not having to hold it all the time?
Yeah, An official Smart Cover (by Apple) allows you to stand up the tablet (so do many others).

There are many wireless Bluetooth keyboards

http://www.google.co.uk/#sclient=psy...9&pf=p&pdl=300
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Old 30-11-2011, 19:52
Matt D
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The iPad supports Bluetooth keyboards.

There's an official Apple one, but it will work with any. I've got a Bluetooth keyboard for my PS3 which happily works with my iPad.

The official "SmartCover" for the iPad 2 folds into a stand (landscape only). Various 3rd party cases also have a stand function, plus you can get a dock for it (portrait only).

http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/cat/iPad-2-Accessories.htm
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Old 30-11-2011, 19:53
freeview_user
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This case kills two birds in one stone:


http://www.google.co.uk/products/cat...ed=0CHUQ8wIwAQ

Wireless Keyboard + Stand up folding case
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Old 30-11-2011, 20:31
kania
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hmm I hope I prefer the Asus considering how much the peripherals for the iPad would cost me lol. Thanks for the links. I did have a quick look on Argos but didn't see any keyboards specifically for the iPad.

Can't wait til I get it have a play about!
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Old 30-11-2011, 20:40
Tigerpaws
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If you really want flash for the iPad u can download numerous flash browsers from the app store - iswifter and skyfire to name 2.
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Old 30-11-2011, 20:49
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If you really want flash for the iPad u can download numerous flash browsers from the app store - iswifter and skyfire to name 2.
They don't have Flash or they would have been banned ages ago. Skyfire etc. They just convert it to a video file. Not much good for games, featured content...
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Old 03-12-2011, 22:51
kania
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Got my iPad today, and I have to say I'm not overly impressed. First I got the annoying 'connect to iTunes' screen. I remember that from when I bought a first gen iPod. An iPod that messed up a fair few times so in the end it had gone from a basic green screen to one that had a colour screen and video... Glad I got extended warrenty.

Anyway. I connected it and decided to download a couple of free game apps. The first one I selected hasn't shown up but is showing up as downloaded. Second one is fine. So there's an app I want that I can't search for or play, but is showing as installed. Since it's not appearing I can't delete it either.

Final thing is... the model I have is the basic one which costs in the region of £400. It doesn't have a slot for a sim card so I'm guessing I can only connect to the net at home or at the very few places that have free wifi... so what's the friggin point? I've got a phone that can do that, and more. So it's got a slightly bigger screen. Not a big deal when the screen isn't that big anyway.

So, I await my Asus Eee Pad. Really hoping it's better
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Old 03-12-2011, 22:57
alanwarwic
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You must be lucky!
A
A bit like winning a major lottery prize twice in a row.

An understatement.
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Old 03-12-2011, 23:03
Matt D
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You don't have to connect to iTunes when you set it up. You can completely avoid iTunes if you want, so long as you don't want to sync any of your own music/videos onto it.

The missing app... Definitely not there, not just on another page? Try deleting it from your computer, and redownloading on that via iTunes.

The WiFi only model has... only WiFi. Did you think you were getting the 3G version?

"What's the point"? Well, what's the problem? What phone do you have? If you have a smartphone, you can probably use it to tether, avoiding the "problem" of only having WiFi.

Even if you can't tether, many places have WiFi. Plus there's more to it than the internet. If you have the iPad somewhere without WiFi, you can still watch videos, play games, etc.

As for the screen size... the iPad has more than a "slightly bigger" screen. Hell, even if you had a Galaxy Nexus the iPad still has a bigger screen. And that bigger screen is a hell of a lot better for watching videos, playing games, web browsing, reading books, etc. etc. etc. than a smartphone screen is.
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Old 03-12-2011, 23:13
kania
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You don't have to connect to iTunes when you set it up. You can completely avoid iTunes if you want, so long as you don't want to sync any of your own music/videos onto it.

The missing app... Definitely not there, not just on another page? Try deleting it from your computer, and redownloading on that via iTunes.

The WiFi only model has... only WiFi. Did you think you were getting the 3G version?

"What's the point"? Well, what's the problem? What phone do you have? If you have a smartphone, you can probably use it to tether, avoiding the "problem" of only having WiFi.

Even if you can't tether, many places have WiFi. Plus there's more to it than the internet. If you have the iPad somewhere without WiFi, you can still watch videos, play games, etc.

As for the screen size... the iPad has more than a "slightly bigger" screen. Hell, even if you had a Galaxy Nexus the iPad still has a bigger screen. And that bigger screen is a hell of a lot better for watching videos, playing games, web browsing, reading books, etc. etc. etc. than a smartphone screen is.
When I got the iPad, whatever button I pressed the iTunes icon came up so didn't think I could do much else. The app is definitely not there. It won't show up on a search, or any other pages when I flick through. The other app does show tho.

The wifi thing... well I didn't think I'd get a top of the range model but surely anyone who wanted an ipad would be using it for on their travels? It's not a replacement for a desktop.

I've an HTC Wildfire at the mo and it's a pain getting it to log on to free services, but that might be due to the phone. I'd be really annoyed if the iPad responded in the same way. As I said, what's the point when you get can get a desk top and phone for the same price?
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Old 04-12-2011, 03:59
Matt D
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But it's not meant to be a replacement for a desktop, though.

It's mainly for content consumption (although some people do use it for productivity), and it has portability and instant use that a desktop doesn't have.

Portability outside *and* inside the home.

I can't use my desktop on the sofa, or in bed, or take it away with me.

I could use a laptop or netbook for those places, but they'd be heavier, have worse battery life, and not have the instant-on convenience of a tablet.

When my wife is in control of the TV, and watching Strictly or something, I can relax on the sofa with my iPad and watch my TV programmes, play games, surf the net, etc.

If I'm hogging the TV to play Skyrim or watch a film, she can go off and watch/surf etc. on her iPad.

Although I only have a WiFi model, I still use it on my travels. We went to London on my birthday a couple of months ago, and both took our iPads. Played Scrabble on the train there, watched videos on the train back. Need the internet? Just tether to my phone. I spent a weekend in scummy Blackpool back in May, five hours on the train there, five hours back. The iPad got a lot of use watching videos and surfing the net that weekend, on the train and at the hotel. My wife's been going to London a lot recently (she aims to see "Priscilla" every week until it finishes at the end of the year ), and has been taking hers with her each time so she can watch videos on the train.

Apple doesn't release figures breaking down the sales per model, so I don't know how it is split out there overall, but most people I know with them in real life and on forums have the WiFi only model, and the few that have the 3G model wish they'd not bothered spending the extra £100. Why? Because a lot people find they really don't need it that much. WiFi at home, work, hotels, coffee shops, pubs, McDonald's, etc. etc. For the odd time there's no WiFi, and if you can't tether to your phone, there's still a tonne of things you can do with it, it isn't just for browsing.
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Old 04-12-2011, 06:38
Tigerpaws
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You could try re-booting the iPad and see if that brings about the app or google some of the apple forums you are bound to find a solution there.
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