Reports i got from relatively neutral folks who have owned both android and ithing says android ui sucks. Not unexpected given google's lackluster ui trackrecord compared to apple writing the book on ui.
I haven't tried Android devices, but I can say that, IMO, the iPhone is cool....but I wouldn't say it's just outright "better" than every other device.
Yes, it was the first really good touch smartphone. But touch is overrated at times, as is Apple's way of doing things.
I've got both a Blackberry Bold and an iPhone. Frankly, each have their own advantages. And I wasn't even using the security aspects of the Bold. The iPhone is definitely more prestigious. And there are a tonne of apps. But when you look at the store, there is also a heck of a lot of duplication. How many fart apps do we need?
The idevice is a better portable computer...definitely. Personally, I find it inferior as a phone and messaging device. The spelling auto correction sucks. Typing can be a pain by comparison. Surfing the web is fun with fingers on a touch screen. Until you start accidentally clicking links by touching them while trying to pinch to zoom, or scroll a page up and down, and then you have to waste time waiting to reload the previous screen, to get back to what you were trying to look at. Bluetooth doesn't work nearly as well. Worked perfectly with the Ford Sync system in our Escape with our Blackberries. Doesn't work half as well with the iPhone. Disconnects, refuses to stream music correctly. Geeze....I've got to plug the darn thing into the car's USB port with a cable to play music. I could just stick my Blackberry in the cup holder or glove box and it would stream away. Look ma, no wires! How about not needing to buy extra apps to be able to conduct a text search of a webpage?
Does it play music better than a Blackberry? Not really. The interface to select and play music is snazzier, but if you spend much time looking at it, you'll drain your battery.
And yes, the battery. My Blackberry has gone a week between charges, with regular use. My iPhone might last a day.
I think there's largely room for all three types of device. Owning two of the three types, I'm convinced a bit part of Apple's allure is that "it's cool to own one", rather than that they are so much ahead of the competition.
I suspect things will be the same way with tablets. Apple was there first, and enough people buy into the marketing that they'll be a dominant device, regardless of the quality of some of the competitors.
Banshee