

Android Tablets Still Suck, And Google's Running Out Of Time To Fix Them - josteink
http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/06/19/android-tablets-still-suck-and-googles-running-out-of-time-to-fix-them/

======
tatsuke95
It seems like this article could be written for tablets in general.

I own a Xoom, and bought it for two things: reading PDF files, because my it's
far superior to my e-reader, and web browsing when it's inconvenient to hold
my laptop (read: bed). Because, let's be honest, doing serious browsing on
your phone isn't ideal. That's it. And for those purposes it's brilliant.

I'm not sure how owning an iPad would change anything. I own a desktop with a
dual monitor setup for serious work. It's got a comfy desk and comfy chair,
and I like it. For work on the go, I've got my Macbook Air, which fits just as
easily as a tablet in any bag I carry.

Tablets are a niche product. Thanks to the Apple marketing machine, some
people started thinking, "Why do I need laptop? I'll just get an iPad". And
those people are niche; if you can replace all of your computing with an iPad,
then you may as well be using just a phone. If you've got a desktop, laptop,
tablet and phone (like me), you're a tech geek, and the tablet is a toy.

> _"The Google Music app is ugly, barren of any useful features"_

It has the one feature I need: it plays music.

~~~
kristofferR
I disagree completely. I wrote this comment about a year ago and it's still
true today. A few details have obviously changed, but I still love my iPad 2
and use it several hours per day. Here's the comment:

"The iPad is a tool and toy you might not need, but if used to the max it'll
probably enhance your life in some noticable way.

Every single morning, while sipping coffee and waiting for my omelette to
finish cooking, I catch up on the latest news through Reeder, the first RSS
reader I've actually enjoyed using. I also check my mail to see if there's
anything important I need to respond to right away.

When I'm finished eating and catching up to the latest news, I grab my iPad
and go upstairs for my exercize. While doing strenght training I use my iPad
to quickly make a note of how many reps and how much I lifted. After I'm done
with my strength training, I take a run either outside or on my threadmill. If
I take the run on the threadmill, I'll use the iPad for watching a video,
maybe South Park or TED.

After I've showered, groomed, brushed my teeth and flossed, it's time to start
working. When I work my iPad is always lying on the desk next to my laptop. I
use it for:

* Displaying my ToDo-list (the Hit List)

* Displaying the email I'm working on.

* Displaying some relevant notes to the work I'm doing (Evernote).

* Displaying a PDF or website containing documentation to what I'm working on.

* As an extra screen (AirDisplay) for Photoshop tool pads and similar.

* VNC or SSH to another computer

* The occational check of HN, Twitter or Facebook.

* Calculator

* Calendar (Week Cal HD)

Yup, everything I've mentioned could be done on a normal laptop. However, it's
incredibly useful to have an extra screen for displaying relevant information
that'll never be obscured by application windows covering the information.

After I'm satisfied with my work for the day, I might hang out with my
friends, perhaps take a picnic in the park. My iPad is always accessible in my
manpurse. If a customer has an emergency problem, I can quickly and easily log
into their server and fix the problem (Textastic/Prompt). If I get a brilliant
idea, I'll note it down in Evernote and analyse it with the Business Model
app. Maybe I want to think deeply about my business - I'll just open Dropbox
and read through some business documents about future plans or surf on some of
my competitor's sites through Mercury Browser.

When I'm back home I might do some more work or chill out with some games.
Perhaps I'll open Rage HD and have one of the most immersive and physically
exhausting gaming experiences possible through the Virtual Window control
mode.

Right before I go to bed, I write in my diary (Day One) and finish my TODO-
list for tomorrow."

~~~
tatsuke95
Right, and nearly everything on your list can be done either more efficiently
or cheaper with a phone and laptop with an external monitor. We both
understand that; the tablet is a luxury. That's sort of my point: you haven't
replaced any devices, you merely added another one in. Not every wants (or can
afford) that excess, and the tablet isn't good enough on its own.

> _"Perhaps I'll open Rage HD and have one of the most immersive and
> physically exhausting gaming experiences possible"_

That's a slight exaggeration! If you are at all serious about gaming, the iPad
isn't even in the conversation. Again, it's pointing to the iPad and telling
me how awesome it is at something, but then having to qualify that statement
because it isn't as good/cheap/efficient for that purpose as a device _I
already own_.

~~~
ashishgandhi
> and nearly everything on your list can be done either more efficiently or
> cheaper with a phone and laptop with an external monitor

He likes the rich quality of apps (Reeder the first RSS reader he likes, Day
One, etc.) and he is obviously carrying it around.. A LOT. And notice the way
he's using it, like while sipping coffee, while exercising, etc. I don't know
about you but I would rather have a tablet than carry a laptop (even a 11 inch
MacBook Air, that's super light, small, and if you only put it to sleep no
boot time) all over the place. We are not even talking about the apps (both in
terms of quality of apps and the variety) that make things much easier and
pleasant. You could more efficiently (by some measures) and more cheaply do
all of what he does WITHOUT ANY COMPUTING DEVICE. But is that the point?

> haven't replaced any devices... and the tablet isn't good enough on its own

Did your cellphone replace your landline? Did your computer replace your
calculator?

> the tablet is a luxury

Pretty much everything in the First World is a luxury. Visit Africa and you'll
realize that. Visit the poor streets of India and you'll realize that.
Anything that's beyond your basic needs is by definition luxury.

~~~
tatsuke95
Are we having a battle of anecdotes? I have my own experience owning all of
the devices. I'm not biased against my tablet, I'm telling you my experience
with owning one and how I use it.

> _"And notice the way he's using it, like while sipping coffee, while
> exercising"_

I'm sipping coffee at my desktop right now. And I sip coffee with my laptop
ALL the time. Exercising? Well, I think it's ridiculous you'd carry a tablet
rather than a phone.

> _"We are not even talking about the apps (both in terms of quality of apps
> and the variety) that make things much easier and pleasant."_

No, we're not, because I disagree. A laptop with Windows 7 is going to make
far more things "easier and pleasant" in the real world. Once again, what can
your laptop do that the iPad can't? Lots. What can the tablet do that the
laptop can't? Nothing. It's just easier to hold.

> _"Did your cellphone replace your landline?"_

Yes, it did. For me, my mother, father, sister and almost everyone I know
under 30.

> _"Did your computer replace your calculator?"_

Uh, it most certainly did. If I need to do some basic arithmetic, I'm using
Excel, or a calculator on my phone.

> _"Pretty much everything in the First World is a luxury. Visit Africa and
> you'll realize that."_

That's one hair away from Godwin's Law. Yeah, you're right. Everything I have
is a luxury compared to some poor sucker in Africa. Thanks for pointing that
out.

It's like you're trying to convince me that I should be using a tablet more. I
own them all, and I use whatever tool is most convenient. The tablet is only
ever my "go to" device in very specific cases that I've mentioned. I like it,
I'm not selling it, but it's not overly useful. It wouldn't affect my
productivity in any way if it disappeared tomorrow. And, to bring it full
circle to the original article, it isn't because it's an Android instead of an
Apple; it's because tablets just aren't that advantageous.

------
talmand
Controversial topic with a linkbait headline, I'm assuming the site needed
some hits. My understanding is he thinks an entire niche industry should just
give up because of his personal preferences? This is a badly written opinion
piece that's too easily discounted. He does makes some interesting points in
his ranting but overall his article makes little sense.

I can do it too, I have a Galaxy Tab 2 and absolutely love it, therefore if
you don't have one then you're stupid and your tablet sucks. The fact that you
might actually love your tablet for reasons different than why I love mine
means nothing in my attempt to publicize my ego.

~~~
apendleton
Admittedly, he's relying on anecdotal evidence, but the conclusions he reaches
don't strike me as unreasonable, and if the lackluster sales of Android tables
are any indication, his experience is more likely to be generalizable than
yours.

Also, I don't think he ever argues that anyone should give up (where are you
getting that?). Rather, he suggests that Google should get their asses in gear
and improve their offerings on a few specific fronts if they hope to compete
with Apple and MS.

~~~
talmand
Ok, here are my thoughts on how I break down the article.

The intro and first section have nothing to do with anything other than his
own personal preferences. He doesn't use his tablet that often so he's
assuming others have the same experience. But then he talks so highly of the
iPad as if the experience with it is simply better only because it's an iPad.
Doesn't it seem likely that the possibly experience he describes for an
Android tablet can possibly be the same with iPad? With him apparently it is
not. The iPad is better because he seems to think it is. Somehow it's just
better with little or no evidence as to what he's talking about. He uses his
phone more than his tablet. So what? Seems to me he bought something he didn't
want or need.

By the way, I like the iPad but I'll never buy one. Why? Personal preference.
I don't even have to say that the iPad and iTunes have problems that Apple
really needs to work on or Google/Microsoft will take over the market.

In the second section he does make some good points as to why the iPad is so
successful but he couldn't help but toss in his own opinion yet again about
the Android tablets. Android bad, iPad good. We get it already. The only real
reason he gives for Android falling behind is that Google is late to the game
with content, which no one disputes. But then he goes right back into tossing
out his personal preferences as if it matters. He apparently likes iTunes over
what Google offers. That's nice; nice for him. I, for one, have little
problems with how I get content for my Android tablet. My opinion in the
matter has as much weight as his. In an attempt to prove his point about
design preferences he links to another article complaining about the Play
Store that also happens to be on the same site. I didn't bother going there
because I'm sure it's more iPad good, Android bad, because, well, because of a
"I think so" attitude. But then again I didn't read it so I could be wrong.

Concerning content, I notice he didn't bring up Amazon's Kindle Fire which
directly addresses this issue. From what I understand the Kindle Fire is a big
seller but I guess that's not an Android device anymore?

Then when he finally gets to the real issue he blames the wrong people.
Adoption rates are low for upgrading Android to the latest version is because
of the hardware vendors, not Google. That's the core of the problem with this
article. Comparing Android tablets with the iPad is not the same as comparing
Apple to Google. It's the same mistake too many people make with comparing
Apple to Microsoft when what they're really doing is comparing Mac to PC, it
is not the same thing. Why do I think Apple is so successful with the iPad?
Because they are damn good at creating devices and marketing them. Google is a
freaking search engine company that sells ads. Do we not see the difference
here?

He talks about the lack of Android tablet specific apps. But he himself
describes why this is. Why make a tablet specific app for Android when so many
of the phones and tablets are not that different in the first place? There's
not much difference between a 4.5" phone screen and a 7" tablet screen (which
I'm guessing a large number of Android tablets sold are) so it becomes more of
a fragmentation issue of hardware features not relating to the screen. So far
there is a significant difference between an iPhone and an iPad that many apps
probably do need a tablet version. Plus that 225,000 number for iPad apps is
just marketing talk. Quantity does not equal quality.

Also, him stating that a phone app will always look like a phone app on a
tablet is yet another personal preference. I have apps on both my phone and
tablet that is the same version and I have no problem with that whatsoever.
Again, it's an opinion but I admit it's biased because I have a 7" tablet. A
10" tablet would probably be an issue, which it is with the iPad.

Android developers don't make money from people paying for apps. So what?
Developers don't get to dictate terms in how they make money in any given
market. Just because one market hands out cash like crazy doesn't mean they
all will. If you want to be in a market then you go by what that market wants.
If that means $4.99 on iTunes and free with ads on Android then so be it. I've
also seen complaints lately that the iOS platform is not the cash cow it used
to be. Factors involving people paying out less and just the sheer amount of
competition is the usual. Granted, I've only read this so it's no different a
comment than what he's making about the Android market.

Then there's the Surface tablet. A tablet that we know next to nothing about
but he's already practically labeling it an Android killer. It might be, it
might not. We don't know and won't know for a while. But his personal opinion
has kicked in again and this barely existing product is a winner to him. I
personally will wait until I can get my hands on one.

I don't agree with his conclusion simply because I feel he doesn't fully
understand what Android is and what it means. He only focuses on tablets and I
say that tablets are a niche market in the Android ecosystem. Not everybody
who wants or needs Android wants or needs a tablet. Until recently Android has
been about phones, high and low end. It has been about spreading a free and/or
low-cost OS to multiple devices. I don't seen anybody making a cheap $50
computer for emerging markets running iOS, they are using Android. His
conclusion assumes that Google can or will do anything about tablets. I say
they don't need to, Android is doing exactly what Google has always wanted; to
spread like crazy. Most of his complaints are nothing for Google to care
about, that's for the individual companies that are creating these tablets to
worry over. At least in the final paragraph he finally admits the current
state of Android tablets have very little to do with Google itself. But if he
admits that then what's the point of the article in the first place?

Where do I get the "give up" part? His second to last paragraph screams give
up to me. But, my interpretation.

As I said, I own a Galaxy Tab 2 and I absolutely love it. I use this device
every day for various things and it meets my expectations just fine. I also
still use my Android phone and I fail to see the problem with that.

In the end, this is just my opinion but I admit to that.

------
tseabrooks
Uhm, I'm not sure if this guy is serious. (Shitty anecdote time) None of the
iPad owners I know (maybe 20ish?) were iPad bound because of their existing
iTunes content. The Android (Tablet and phone IMO) problem has been, so far,
Hardware. (Shitty anecdote #2) Every person I know that switched from Anndroid
-> iPhone did so because of repeated catastrophic HW failures of the android
devices. That point aside, all of the new "best ever" android tablets leave me
coming away feeling like the hardware is just not very good (Maybe "Well made"
is a better word). I understand the devices are "faster" and have more memory.
However, when a consumer gives one of these android tablets a look see they
always feel kinda crappy.

I'm probably a unique user in that I think iOS makes for a better phone and
Android makes for a better tablet. Sadly, none of the Android tablet HW has
been good enough to make me switch. I'm interested in the new MS tablet
though; Looks like it has a "substantial" build.

~~~
DeepDuh
I can totally understand his point about iTunes content. I bought an iPad for
my wife at first, with teaching purposes in mind (she teaches Japanese
language). After a while, I recognized how great it is for consuming media.
Nowadays we rent / stream all kinds of video content on it, often beamed to
the big screen. It's even great for your homebrew video server, using the rock
solid airvideo app. Once you've used it like an interactive remote for your
big screen, it becomes clear how much better this is compared to other
streaming solutions with clunky interfaces.

------
technoslut
I don't think the issues for Android tablets are easily fixed and go deeper
than this article. There are two major problems I see:

1\. Tablets, for now, are perceived as a third device which means that it's
mostly for people who can afford it. Since Apple absolutely dominates high-end
purchases it is far more likely that the iPad will be successful. It's a big
problem for Android in that the app ecosystem for iPad will continue to mature
while Android remains stagnant.

2\. Price. The iPad doesn't have the high-priced subsidies like the iPhone. It
also seems as if the Apple is willing to sacrifice on margins with the iPad to
make it difficult for Android tablets to have lower price points. When they
do, there is a visible lack of build quality.

I don't think MS is much of a concern at this point since it is vaporware and
much of the Surface press conference had more to do with legacy support of the
PC than anything else.

~~~
mikeryan
Apple is making about a 50% margin on iPads. They're not sacrificing margin
for market share based on price, I'm pretty sure Apple is pretty opposed to
this sort of strategy. The advantage they have for pricing is in their
manufacturing and supply chain management. They're actually able to produce
better quality hardware for cheaper then their competitors in the Android
space (and for that matter the Windows 8 space as well).

[http://www.techspot.com/news/47738-apples-profit-margin-
slig...](http://www.techspot.com/news/47738-apples-profit-margin-slightly-
slimmer-on-ipad-3-estimates-reveal.html)

~~~
technoslut
I don't think it's anywhere close to that considering that is just the cost
for the bill of materials and it doesn't take into account the cost of
assembly, shipping, marketing and research & development.

~~~
mikeryan
Last I heard the actual manufacturing cost was about $10 [1] marketing and R&D
are pretty much fixed costs and don't really work well in accounting for per-
unit margins. At the end of the day there's still no indication that Apple is
sacrificing margin for market share.

[1]
[http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/03/16/high_cost_of_n...](http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/03/16/high_cost_of_new_ipad_components_drive_down_profit_margins.html)

------
MattRogish
I have an iPhone, iPad, and 13" MacBook Air. Each device fits a very specific
use profile and has a place in my particular lifestyle. This is by _design_.

Android phone and tablet manufacturers are busy destroying the ecosystem by
having a wide array of sizes and capabilities.

Android phones are increasingly cannibalizing the Android tablet market.

And Android tablets are, for some unknown reason, trying to shrink down to
phone size (see the rise of ~7 inch tablets).

Leading to a confusing mess of 3.5-5.3 inch phones and 7-12 inch tablets.
Eventually there's going to be a blend of devices straight thru 3.5 - 10".

And since we as developers know the android fragmentation problem is very real
(I used to develop android apps for two years), it's going to produce a
downward spiral of app quality as developers focus on certain form factors to
the detriment of others.

Say what you will about Apple's "openness", but Apple's insistance on
maintaining distinct product positions has absolutely proven itself in the
market. Android's ecosystem is a disaster.

~~~
StavrosK
Sure, fragmentation is bad, when you compare it to a monoculture like iOS.
However, PCs managed to thrive just fine for decades, and I'm sure Android
will do just fine as well.

TVs and washing machines and refrigerators and watches are starting to run
their own operating systems. Which OS do you see your TV running? Because I'm
pretty sure they'll all be running Android soon.

~~~
bishnu
Did Microsoft allow hardware companies to customize the OS interface? Did
Microsoft assign hardware companies the responsibility of delivering OS
updates to users? Did Microsoft let hardware companies ship 2-3-4 year old
versions of Windows with new hardware?

The Android == Windows analogy is a faulty one.

------
acabal
I'm still pretty shocked at how everyone and their grandma is trying to elbow
their way into the tablet market. They don't understand that there _is no_
tablet market. There's only an iPad market.

The iPad wins because Apple is able to pull off a truly beautiful interface
(and I mean truly beautiful, not beautiful in "marketing term of the week"
sense that it's being used in these days) that's consistent with the iPhone, a
sexy display and overall presentation, and the very high quality of apps in
the marketplace. The magical Apple brand lust doesn't hurt either.

Generic tablets won't win because nobody ever thought to themselves, "Even
though I have a powerful smartphone in my pocket and a powerful laptop at my
desk, I feel the indescribable urge to have a third device that's very
expensive, isn't as good as either one, and that I can't fit in my pocket."

I never bought a tablet because after toying with an iPad and some random
Android tablet I realized I would never use it in real life. All of my friends
who have iPads or Android tablets say the same; they play with them once or
twice a week, but otherwise they gather dust at the expense of smartphones and
laptops.

Everyone wants to copy Apple and make billions, but they just don't get it
that people don't care about tablets. They only care about iPads, and that
kind of brand loyalty isn't something you can copy.

~~~
MatthewPhillips
The one area where tablets beat all other devices is reading digital comics.
The screen size and resolution are just right. The touch interface is just
right.

For just about any activity I can think of, tablets are second-best at best
(reading eBooks, watching movies, web browsing), but for digital comics it
really is the best way to do it.

~~~
Someone
Apparently, people do not like walking around all day round with all those
best of breed devices (a eBook reader, a full-size cinema, and a desktop PC
with three 30" monitors) and/or cannot afford to.

I think smartphones are in the same situation: those sub-optimal tablets beat
them for reading eBooks, watching movies, web browsing. One could even argue
smartphones aren't even best of class for making phone calls. Yet, almost
everybody owns one.

From tablet sales, it looks like people want to sacrifice some portability to
get a 'big screen smartphone' in exchange for that bigger screen.

------
dkhenry
So the problem with his argument is he bases his thesis off of a false premis.
He doesn't use his tablet because he uses either his phone of laptop and he
can't find a place to fit his tablet into his workflow. I have competly
dropped my laptop and replaced it with the same tablet he has ( A Transformer
Prime ). So when he said how often do I reach for it the answer is daily.

His second point about how the iPad fills the video player role in the apple
ecosystem is a little disingenuous. Yes if I am an iTunes customer then
obviously I am going to need to use Apples hardware to use what I paid for,
however in terms of video playback capabilities the Android systems are so
much better mainly due to third party video players and the availability of
UPnP. so while you might be able to pre-order the newest movies I have decades
of digitized DVD's that I would like to watch on my couch using a tablet that
my prime plays just fine .

~~~
rsynnott
> however in terms of video playback capabilities the Android systems are so
> much better mainly due to third party video players and the availability of
> UPnP

You... you realise that there are third party apps for the iPad, right?

For what it's worth, there are indeed many third party video players for iOS,
and software to fulfil both sides of the UPnP relationship.

~~~
dkhenry
And they cost how much on top of an already higher priced system ?

------
radarsat1
I dunno, i use my galaxy tab every day. Typing this from it now, in fact. I
wasn't even sure what I'd use it for when I first got it but I've really come
to love it. It's become a solid part of my daily routine, completely replacing
my laptop for any task that involves mostly reading, foremost my browsing/news
habit during breakfast :-)

I really was skeptical about the role of tablet computing at first, but I have
to admit, I'm pretty much sold on it now.

~~~
johnny22
I think that's what most people will say. Perhaps some well placed tablet
giveaways are in order.

------
philbarr
I have an Asus Transformer 101 and my wife has an iPad, we both use them in
the evenings for Facebook-ing, email, games etc. and I don't see the
difference. I also use mine for some music apps which are pretty much unusable
on my HTC Desire (which is also painfully slow). All that happens is that
sometimes my wife has to ask to borrow mine so she can view some website that
uses flash.

It seems the article overplays it's basic premise by making assumptions about
what people use a tablet for, and then makes far-reaching claims based on
this. It doesn't fit with my own personal experience, which is fine, but then
it seems the article's author is basing most of their argument on their own
personal views rather than any evidence also.

------
chrisrhoden
I use my iPad less frequently than the author of this article. I use a
combination of my Macbook Air 11" and my Nexus S. It works fine for me.

The only things I ever use my iPad for are games and air travel. I rarely
check my email on my computer anymore, so good is the experience on my Phone.

The problem I have with this article is that I suspect that the author would
feel the same if he had an iPad, but he wouldn't have written this article.

~~~
idleloops
I can see that checking your email would be fine on a tablet or phone, but
composing an email must be something of a nightmare?

~~~
throwaway1979
That's what I thought. However, I like the keyboard on my iPad. For 5 line
emails, it is absolutely fine for me.

------
jan_g
The author seems to ignore non-US markets, where Android tablets do sell quite
nicely. The same markets that don't have access to Hulu or Netflix. I get
daily flyers in my mailbox that are trying to convince me to buy yet another
Android tablet (from manufacturers that I've never heard of). And those
tablets are fine for browsing, email, games, youtube and playing movies from
home NAS.

Regarding ms office: myself and most of everone I know around me (regular
people with regular jobs) have no need for it. In fact, many have already
switched to open office (at home and at work). So I don't see how Microsoft is
a big threat because of perceived productivity gains from office being
available on surface tablets. Make no mistake, the threat is real, but not for
the reason author states.

------
CrazedGeek
"This is far and away the most common substantive argument levied against
Android tablets: the tablet-friendly app selection sucks. And make no mistake,
it does."

Bleh. I have had zero issue finding tablet apps on Android. Within the last
half year, anyway -- it did use to be a problem when Honeycomb had just come
out, but around the time devs started updating their apps for ICS/Holo, the
selection started growing greatly. At this point, I think maybe three of the
apps I use don't have tablet UIs, and only one is any worse for wear over it
(Steam).

------
simonh
I think this article misses it for me. He's almost there.

yes I had an iPod and an iPhone first, but I never use my iPad for iTunes
media. I listen to podcasts and music on my Phone. My wife and kids use the
iPad every day and never for iTunes. They use it for web browsing, games and
edutainment like Bobo Explores Light, or interactive books. At bedtime I
sometimes read stories to the kids from free eBooks, such as the Just So
Stories and let them take turns turning the pages.

For us it really is the apps. When the iPad came out, from day one there were
garage band and pages to show what it was capable of and a bunch of other
apps, plus every iPhone app on the planet worked fine. Skype, if only in
emulation mode, was a huge deal for us. I actually waited for the iPad2, so
there were a raft of excellent creative apps and games available for us from
day one.

I read comics on it, read and look up stuff in PDFs (I'm an old-skool tabletop
roleplayer) and I'm learning Lua using Codea. Apps, apps, apps.

------
abruzzi
I wanted to address his third point, productivity. Android is sorely lacking
in productivity apps, and some enterprise technologies (Cisco IPSec VPN).
Unfortunately, while the iPad is improving, its still pretty weak in that
area. Of the 225k iPad specific apps, there are only a handful that try to
replicate the complexity of a desktop app. Most apps aren't that ambitious.
Omnigroup deserves special recognition--OmniGraffle, OmniOutliner, OmniPlan,
and OmniFocus, are full scale applications. Apple, of course, has the iWork
apps plus iMovie and iPhoto. And there are some others--Diet Coda, Photoshop
Touch, etc.

------
tallanvor
I have a Galaxy Tab that I use every day around the house. --For simple web
browsing in front of the TV or in bed, playing music, simple games, reading
PDFs away from my computer, and occasionally for pleasure reading (usually I
prefer using the Kindle).

And if Safari Books Online would get off their asses and release their damn
android app, I would use it even more often (their mobile site is crap on an
android).

------
seclorum
What I want is an Ubuntu tablet, with a nice, fat, open, well-run App Store.
All developer tools onboard, no limits to what we can do. Multitouch.
Audio/Video working and great. Nice screen, working power management.

A wide open platform.

Any tablet that gives that, is going to get my bucks. I am stepping off the
Apple ride, and want 100%, totally open source, working hardware.

It'll happen ..

------
kstenerud
So to sum up the morning:

1\. OP doesn't use his Android tablet, therefore Android tablets suck and
they'll die if they don't "fix" it soon.

2\. Cue HN opinion war, as a community representing the minority use cases
opines about market prospects based on what they think the "average" person
appreciates in a tablet.

3\. Degenerate into a fanboy flame war while the rest of us get on with our
day.

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niels_olson
I just sent my kids on a plane to visit the grandparents in Texas. She got the
iPad and he got the Touchpad running the latest CyanogenMod 9 nightly (ICS
4.0.4). They were indifferent.

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dllthomas
I also have a Galaxy tablet, and had an iPad before. As best I can tell,
there's no real substantive difference between them in my usage. Both are
good, portable sources of Netflix.

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webwanderings
Android is a market and market would always suck if you're not a buyer.

My first tablet I bought was Android and without reading the article I can
tell that Android OS sucks.

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wyclif
The Surface has a _kickstand_. I'm sorry, but that's not what I'd call a
design advance over either the iPad or any Android tablet.

~~~
vidarh
Judging from the number of tablet users I see on the train using cases with
kickstands, that does actually seem quite nice.

~~~
wyclif
I'm not sure I understand. They're balancing a tablet on their lap with a
kickstand? How is that sleek, well-designed, or convenient?

~~~
vidarh
Every train around here has seat back fold down tables.

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macavity23
Good lord, a mobile-OS review article that is honest, unbiased and stays away
from tribalism! Bravo, sir!

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dos1
I do not like Android tablets for the simple reason that the web browsing
experience on them is sub par. In my mind a tablet is a luxury item that sits
on a coffee table and answers my questions of "what movie was that actor in?"
or "who's leading the AL Central?" whenever I want, without any fuss. The iPad
is very good at this, while every Android _device_ I've ever used has not
been.

~~~
huggyface
What are your specific complaints? I own an iPad 3rd gen and an A500 running
ICS. The iPad has an excellent browser, but so does ICS.

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idleloops
I appreciate the portability part of the article. For me an iPad is too large.
The Playbook looks like a better size. I'm hoping that the new Google tablet
betters the existing offerings.

