Kindle or iPad 3?

[Janx]

The biggest thing going for iOS over android from a developer side is the limited number of apple devices. There are over 500 models of android devices, a developer couldn't buy all 500 to be certain if their app works on each (if it doesn't work for someone you get 1 star ratings), and many models might meet the hardware requirements to play it but some other obscure issue breaks it. For apple there's only a dozen products to test, and if it runs on an ipad1 or 2, it's a safe bet it will run on ipad3 and newer.

I got both a tablet and phone for $500. Both play 3d games, movies and ebooks. I don't use the cameras, I have an SLR and point-n-clicks for taking nice pictures, depending on what you're planning to do I guess should motivate your purchase. But for $139 a refurbished kindle fire is a darn good value. And if it comes to spending $500+ on a device I'd take a cheap laptop anyday.

we've crossed over to topic that should probably be in the tablet war thread... but whatever. I'm glad we're not NerdRaging over favorite OSes anymore.

I do favor the iOS and game console market where there are few models to support so testing is much more consistent and complete. the main reason I loathe PC gaming is because the probability that a new game will work on a given PC is low, and the wallet churn to keep up with the latest is just not worth it to me.

With Android, I was a bit surprised that Google didn't make their own handset and make it completely VOIP using Google Voice and only rely on WiFi or a data plan from a carrier. that would have demonstrated Google totally changing the phone industry. Instead, they basically let the market get flooded with too many models and inconsistent implementations of their OS.

As for the last point about pricing, if I hadn't gotten my iPad for free from work, I probably wouldn't buy one. It's nice, but $500 is a lot of money for something that my laptop and iPhone cover the functionality well enough.
I used to keep a laptop power supply by the couch, and just move my laptop into the living room to watch TV after work before I got an iPad. Now, I just pick up my iPad which is on the end table.

It's convenient, but not exactly worth $500.