the tablet war is heating up

[Agamon]

Any reasons specifically? Have you compared it to the iPad?

I've only messed a round a bit with an iPad2. I have an iPod Touch, so I'm familiar with the OS and iTunes and such.

My comment wasn't comparing to the iPad, just that it's a nice unit. But it's quadcore, pretty slick even after the ICS update. And it's cheaper than an iPad2, I guess. I'm an Android guy, so I was would have been predisposed to it in the first place, but I did my homework to make sure I was getting what I wanted.

 

[falcarrion]

Nothing you said invalidates my statement. Since you started quoting me with a "But", you're proposing a counter-point, but I do not see anything you said to that effect. Nothing you said can't be done with AppleTV as $99 add-on or AppleTV as a full television set. All I'm doing is explaining details of why I agree with Fast Learner's prediction.

AppleTV as a box to connect to your TV = more people who could use it. AppleTV as an actual Television set with Apple stuff inside = less people who are likely to buy it because the # of people in the market for a new TV or willing to replace their current TV is less than the number of people who would spend $99 to add a doo-hickey to their TV for extra features.

As to using the $99 AppleTV to put your iPad on TV for gaming, you could also buy the Component, HDMI or VGA adaptor for less $$ and get the same thing (albeit, you are stuck with a cable connecting your TV to your iPad).

Sorry. I wasn't trying to say that your remarks where invalid.
As for me wireless is a big deal. I hate having wires running everywhere.
With the anouncement today of ox Mountain Lion having air play you will be able to display your apple computer on your tv. The HDMI or VGA adaptor don't give you the same thing. The Apple tv is more. And will become more as time goes buy.

 

[GreenLantern]

why?

the iPad1 has pretty good graphics. the iPad2 has better, and the iPad3 will have even bettery graphics.

But is the jump from 1 revision to the next REALLY worth $500?

I could see upgrading every 2 years, like on iPhones, because contracts are up for renewal and you can get one for cheaper then, and the battery is likely on its lifespan end.

What motivates you to want to upgrade your 1 year old device that probably works great to the newest gen model?

Two reasons:

1. I like to read ebooks on my iPad2, so with a higher resolution screen, the reading experience should be better due to sharper text.

2. I only have the wifi version of the iPad2 and want an iPad with more general connectivity. Having experienced the blazing speed of a 4G network, a 4G enable iPad would be fantastic!

 

[Janx]

Two reasons:

1. I like to read ebooks on my iPad2, so with a higher resolution screen, the reading experience should be better due to sharper text.

2. I only have the wifi version of the iPad2 and want an iPad with more general connectivity. Having experienced the blazing speed of a 4G network, a 4G enable iPad would be fantastic!

First, thanks for responding. I'm not making fun of you, I'm genuinely curious what motivates somebody to make a jump on a year old device. Bear in mind, everything else below is just my opinion on why your reasons don't sway me to do the same.

Technologically, I'm dubious that higher resolution than the current really good level is going to matter. Yes, I'm sure it'll look nice, but I can read eBooks just fine on my iPad1. It'd be great if you could post back with a comparison of the two when you upgrade and give it a serious consideration of "is text reading really that much better".

On 4g, that does sound more like a commercial endorsement As a side note, the 3g speed on the iPhone 4s was faster in tests than the other 4g Carriers. Part of this is because the range of speeds capable by 3g and 4g as defined by their carriers and enabled by technology upgrades had overlap. Basically, being 4g is no indicator of actual speed or being faster than a given 3g segment of network.

That's also trumped by WiFi. Which is more likely to be throttled by the ISP the WiFi is hooked up to than the WiFi protocol (802.11b is 11Mb/s speed. Residential DSL/Cable is just finally catching up to that). At Starbucks, yes your 4g signal will probably be faster than whatever minimalistic connection they provide. At home, maybe not. At work, if you are at a big enough corporation, most likely not.

I'm leary of paying another $30/month or so for a data plan on an iPad. I already have to pay for my iPhone (two of them!). I do have a MiFi from work, and that's a better solution than the USB wireless modem I used to carry for my laptop, because all the doohickeys I carry can use the MiFi for the price of one subscription. A MiFi is about $10 cheaper per month than the USB doohickey (whose proper name I can't recall so early in the morning).

I have no doubt the iPad3 will be nice. And having internet anywhere is a no-brainer for niceness. Is it so much better that everybody should upgrade from an iPad2? I'm not so sure.

Side question for GreenLantern: what do you plan to do with the iPad2? Sell it or pass it on to somebody else, or let it sit on your shelf of last year's technology?

I think options 1 or 2 let it see more use, retaining its value. Buying an iPad3 and letting the iPad2 collect dust is where the expense gets compounded.

 

[Alan Shutko]

Technologically, I'm dubious that higher resolution than the current really good level is going to matter. Yes, I'm sure it'll look nice, but I can read eBooks just fine on my iPad1. It'd be great if you could post back with a comparison of the two when you upgrade and give it a serious consideration of "is text reading really that much better".

FWIW, I find reading text on my iPhone 4 to be a bit nicer than the iPad 1, because it has the retina display. It's so clear that even though the iPad is bigger, it's almost a tossup which one I want to use. I'm looking forward to a retina iPad which would be a big improvement for me.

 

[Janx]

FWIW, I find reading text on my iPhone 4 to be a bit nicer than the iPad 1, because it has the retina display. It's so clear that even though the iPad is bigger, it's almost a tossup which one I want to use. I'm looking forward to a retina iPad which would be a big improvement for me.

I've got the same hardware. I much prefer reading on my iPad1 when I browse news sites, facebook, etc. I find the iPhone4 screen print to be smaller and blurrier.

Bear in mind, I am far-sighted. Looking at close, small things is harder for me. I can still read books with no glasses, but small print is not my comfort zone.

while true eBooks (ePub, etc) will reformat to fit the screen and font size, I have a proper Ebook reader for those (Sony eReader I got for xmas). For everything else, like websites, the best I can do is get Safari to snap in on the main body of text, which will enlarge it to an extent. If I want it bigger, I'm screwed, because then I have to keep scrolling sideways back and forth to read. Hence, the iPad is superior, because I can actually read the "snap-in" font size.

 

[Alan Shutko]

Bear in mind, I am far-sighted. Looking at close, small things is harder for me. I can still read books with no glasses, but small print is not my comfort zone.

Ahh, I'm near-sighted. I think that explains the difference.

 

[GreenLantern]

First, thanks for responding. I'm not making fun of you, I'm genuinely curious what motivates somebody to make a jump on a year old device. Bear in mind, everything else below is just my opinion on why your reasons don't sway me to do the same.

Technologically, I'm dubious that higher resolution than the current really good level is going to matter. Yes, I'm sure it'll look nice, but I can read eBooks just fine on my iPad1. It'd be great if you could post back with a comparison of the two when you upgrade and give it a serious consideration of "is text reading really that much better".

On 4g, that does sound more like a commercial endorsement As a side note, the 3g speed on the iPhone 4s was faster in tests than the other 4g Carriers. Part of this is because the range of speeds capable by 3g and 4g as defined by their carriers and enabled by technology upgrades had overlap. Basically, being 4g is no indicator of actual speed or being faster than a given 3g segment of network.

That's also trumped by WiFi. Which is more likely to be throttled by the ISP the WiFi is hooked up to than the WiFi protocol (802.11b is 11Mb/s speed. Residential DSL/Cable is just finally catching up to that). At Starbucks, yes your 4g signal will probably be faster than whatever minimalistic connection they provide. At home, maybe not. At work, if you are at a big enough corporation, most likely not.

I'm leary of paying another $30/month or so for a data plan on an iPad. I already have to pay for my iPhone (two of them!). I do have a MiFi from work, and that's a better solution than the USB wireless modem I used to carry for my laptop, because all the doohickeys I carry can use the MiFi for the price of one subscription. A MiFi is about $10 cheaper per month than the USB doohickey (whose proper name I can't recall so early in the morning).

I have no doubt the iPad3 will be nice. And having internet anywhere is a no-brainer for niceness. Is it so much better that everybody should upgrade from an iPad2? I'm not so sure.

Side question for GreenLantern: what do you plan to do with the iPad2? Sell it or pass it on to somebody else, or let it sit on your shelf of last year's technology?

I think options 1 or 2 let it see more use, retaining its value. Buying an iPad3 and letting the iPad2 collect dust is where the expense gets compounded.

No worries as I fully understand that everyone will have differing opinions as to whether the (rumored) benefits of the iPad3 will justify a purchase, particularly if one already owns the iPad2. To address your side question though, I would probably give my iPad2 to my mom, who likes the simplicity of the interface (versus say a Windows laptop).

 

[JoeGKushner]

Real question is how much money are you willing to spend? If it'su nder $300, that cuts out many android tablets and thus far I believe, all ipad tablets.

 

[Banshee16]

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is rolling out for the original ASUS Transformer starting today. It'll be interesting to see how it affects performance.

Banshee