# Ipad VS Tablet



## Krieger (May 12, 2013)

I am in a predicament right now...
I am looking into getting myself a new device, but I can't decide whether or not to get an ipad, ipad mini or some sort of tablet.
My brother says that the ipad mini is the way to go, but I can get a tablet right now (brand new) for 100$.
Is it worth it to get the tablet, or should I get an ipad?


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## AshleyAshes (May 12, 2013)

Do you mean drawing tablet or like... A Nexus 7?  Cause the iPad -is- a tablet.  Or is this thread like a 'Should I get a Mac or a computer?' joke?


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## dietrc70 (May 12, 2013)

If you don't have a need for the Apple ecosystem and app store, you can get far more bang for the buck with an Android device.  A $100 tablet is probably not going to be very good, though.


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## DMAN14 (May 12, 2013)

Assuming by tablet you mean an android tablet not a graphic tablet like a intuos. If you want a tablet to draw on your computer look at the bamboo line. If you want a tablet like an ipad, kindle fire etc to browse web, watche movies, etc. I would recommend a nexus 7, you may want to wait till the new version comes out (sometime this summer). I'll give you a disclaimer right now that I am not an apple fan. I would say go with android of microsoft OS. The nexus 7 is such an amazing device and my tablet, phone, and laptop all sync together amazingly with google. All my data from my devices are backed up on my gmail account. Apps, pics, texts, call history, videos, notes, everything is backed up. Its very easy to use and much more powerful/productive than the apple system. I have limited experience with the microsoft mobile OS, but I really like it. Its great for professional use, it can sync with servers (my dads iPhone can't sync with his company's server while a windows phone can). Also on the tablet you can pull up a desktop looking experience. Its really, really nice. It is a smaller app store, but really any app that you really need (gmail, document editting, fb) will be on there. 

What is your price range and do you have a preferred size? 

my overall recommendation would be a nexus 7. They are just great


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## Runefox (May 12, 2013)

I find quality control to be rather poor on the Android side of things, and device support rapidly deteriorates as new devices are released. The Nexus 7 isn't too bad, though, as a vanilla Android device; Stay away from tablets like the Kindle Fire, Kobo Vox / whatever they're calling it nowadays, and any other sub-$400 tablet. Acer tablets tend to be rather slow, Asus tablets are good hardware-wise but terrible for software, Samsung are OK but use proprietary dock connectors and software (which wouldn't be so bad considering Apple does the same thing, but accessories are harder to find in this case). Viewsonic tablets are absolute crap. Toshiba and Lenovo tablets are both rather large and clunky, but come with features not common on others, such as full size USB ports and HDMI ports.

Personally, I'd prefer the iPad, for a number of reasons: First, you can actually find accessories for them, and will be able to in the foreseeable future. Compared to Android devices, the iPads haven't changed physically since the iPad 2, and thus all accessories made from then til now will work. The iPad Mini is the exception, but even so, accessories are not difficult to find for it. The Jot Touch is one example of a peripheral that isn't available for Android, and no other stylus provides that functionality aside from specialized tablets like the Galaxy Note (which in this case provides 1024 pressure sensitivity levels, similar to a Wacom Bamboo, while the Jot Touch provides 2048, similar to an Intuos). Secondly, apps tend to be of higher quality and more consistent on iOS. On Android, apps are still all over the place with older style designs mixing with the newer Holo standard. Most apps seem to ignore Holo altogether (Firefox Mobile is a big one); On iOS, most apps tend to follow the iOS design cues. Comparing it to an Android tablet, there isn't much that Android can do that the iPad can't, though customization is the big one. Where in Android you can replace the whole home screen, lock screen, keyboard, what have you, you're tied to Apple's styling for iOS. Still, I don't think of it as that big a problem.

Surface and other Windows-based tablets are a mixed bag; Surface RT is pretty OK, and Surface Pro is one of the better tablets available (with a full-blown desktop version of Windows 8 on it). The problem with them is that they advertise their storage capacity in a very strange way. Windows itself takes up quite a bit of storage space, so if you purchase a 64GB tablet, expect far less storage space available.

From Microsoft:

*How much storage space do I have?*
*Surface RT:* 

The 32 GB version has approximately 15 GB free hard disk space. 
The 64 GB version has approximately 45 GB free hard disk space. 
 *Surface Pro:* 

The 64 GB version has approximately 30 GB free hard disk space. 
The 128 GB version has approximately 89 GB free hard disk space. 

So yeah, there's that to consider. The Surface RT tablet is limited to apps available on the Windows Store, so if you were hoping to be able to run World of Warcraft or something on it, you'll need to ante up for the Surface Pro or another tablet that supports Windows 8 Pro.

Between Android's super fractured planned-obsolescence ecosystem and Windows RT/Pro confusion, I honestly can't recommend either unless there's a specific need to go with them. And stay the hell away from Blackberry's Playbook. They're rather nice-looking tablets that run smooth and are rather nice to use, with the big caveat being that they die at the drop of a hat and to my knowledge STILL don't have e-mail or calendar apps, plus virtually nothing in App World.


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## ToeClaws (May 13, 2013)

For $100?  Neither.  That kind of money is going to get you a pretty sub-standard tablet based on some sort of Android release.  Quality, performance and capabilities are pretty limited at that price.  My suggestion would be if you have your heart set on a tablet, save up about $400 to $500 and get a good one.


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## Arshes Nei (May 13, 2013)

Kindle Fire is fine, but it depends on what you want the tablet for. I have an iPad and Kindle Fire, and end up using the Kindle more because of the form factor. A Moshi screen protector and a Roocase were great. 

The thing is, while Kindle did snub google from it. I have been able to side load most of the apps I wanted to use just fine no rooting necessary.


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## Krieger (May 13, 2013)

Well based on some of those comments, I think that it is clear as to how knowledgeable I am in this field...
I don't really think that I'd use it for drawing (I just can't draw) it was more for a portable 'computer' sort of thing for school. 
But thanks for the advice!


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## ToeClaws (May 14, 2013)

Krieger said:


> ... was more for a portable 'computer' sort of thing for school.
> But thanks for the advice!



Then a tablet of any sort may not necessary be the best fit.  Tablets are not what I would call a work computer.  They're good to view browser pages, check messages, video chat, play some games, maintain a calendar/schedule and so on, but when it comes to doing work with them, they start to get a little clunky.  Lack of a keyboard and the focus on a single active application don't provide a good platform on which to really start churning out creative content.  What you would be better off doing is getting a small, lightweight notebook in a situation like that.  A full fledged notebook will far more RAM and CPU power than the best tablet and will have a longer useful service lifetime.


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## Runefox (May 14, 2013)

Well... Surface RT with the keyboard cover would probably be OK for that, honestly. But if you need to run "real" Windows programs, there's really no substitute for a laptop. That said, there ARE convertible models out there, but expect to pay around $1000 for those.


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## ToeClaws (May 14, 2013)

Runefox said:


> Well... Surface RT with the keyboard cover would probably be OK for that, honestly. But if you need to run "real" Windows programs, there's really no substitute for a laptop. That said, there ARE convertible models out there, but expect to pay around $1000 for those.



Eh... I would avoid the Surface RT at all costs - since it's a dumbed down Windows 8-like OS, there's really not a lot of stuff for it, and it's a very underpowered unit that costs way more than it's worth.  That money would be better spent on another tablet.  The convertible tablet-ish computers are out there, but yeah, pricey and not really worth it.

My solution to the lightweight and super-portable computer was an Ultrabook.  I needed something that could be a real computer - run multiple apps, sometimes VMs, have a keyboard and so on, but still be very lightweight and small.  I had a budget of about $700, so I was able to get an HP Envy Pro which has an i5 CPU and 4G of RAM, 32g SSD and 300g standard drive.  Far more useful than any tablet on market today.  Came with Windows 7 Pro as well, for those who want Windows (I just deleted it and put Linux on it, which also worked great).

If $700 is way out for the budget though, there are still other laptop options.  Normal notebooks can be found for less, especially if you watch for specials and deals at places like Tigerdirect, Best Buy, NewEgg and such.  Tigerdirect also has an "off-lease" program where they sell refurbished business-class notebooks that have come off lease for some company.  These notebooks are 2 to 4 years behind current tech, but are usually a business class machine that's a little higher quality than the consumer level stuff on the market, plus even a 4 year old laptop is still far more powerful than a tablet.  It's possible to land yourself a decent notebook for around the $400 mark.


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## Arshes Nei (May 14, 2013)

Tablets just serve a different kind of productivity that isn't the same with a laptop or computer. You can get keyboards for them but they're smaller and can be annoying. http://amzn.com/B00BALK9CM was one I got which is useful with the Kindle and works with more than one device since I also have an iPad and smartphone. 

As taskmanagers (calendars, alarms), web browsing, some tablet based gaming, watching movies -  and gateway for document transport is what I use mine for. For example, it's actually rather handy to have this app that allows you to connect to your home router and networked computer to grab any file (at least within the tablet's space limits). Which unlike Dropbox you're limited to what you put in the Dropbox folder. 

As far as drawing, tablets still aren't quite there yet. Even with the JaJa and 1024 levels or pressure sensitivity, it still has to be put in by developers, and JaJa is cross platform, but lack of Android support. And really it's not just about the pressure sensitivity which a lot tout and talk about out. It's the accuracy and all else that I get out of my intuos - so they pretty much still run like garbage for the moment in comparison to the tablet or even a tablet PC which has less levels of pressure sensitivity. 

I also use my tablet as a "secondary monitor" for things I can't do with my laptop and can't lug a monitor around. For example if I'm drawing I can run a pose app/ art/reference in the android, or browse to a web page and draw on the laptop with tablet.


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## Runefox (May 14, 2013)

The Jot Touch 4 is supposed to be much more accurate and has twice the pressure sensitivity of the JaJa, and its tip supposedly mimics the feel of paper. Don't have one myself, though. Currently only supported on iOS, but that can be said of most non-first party accessories thanks to Android's heavily fractured ecosystem.


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## Arshes Nei (May 14, 2013)

Runefox said:


> The Jot Touch 4 is supposed to be much more accurate and has twice the pressure sensitivity of the JaJa, and its tip supposedly mimics the feel of paper. Don't have one myself, though. Currently only supported on iOS, but that can be said of most non-first party accessories thanks to Android's heavily fractured ecosystem.



The stupid thing is that people have to do 3rd party support in the first place. Apple could have pressure sensitivity if they wanted the API in on the tablet in the first place. They won't do it. 

That's why Wacom is working on a device geared towards artists, so I'm waiting to see the results (since it should be coming out soon - announcement said this summer).


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## Runefox (May 14, 2013)

Actually, the way the iPad's screen is designed, pressure sensitivity isn't really possible out of the box (the only measure of touch is capacitance, which is difficult to get pressure sensitivity out of), hence why the Jot Touch and JaJa need batteries and connect via Bluetooth - They transmit pressure data directly, and the app has to support that data. It's also why both have (capacitive) transparent discs around the tip, which simulate a finger, since the screen is calibrated to respond only to a certain threshold of touch in order to filter unwanted input. There's work being done to create pressure sensitivity directly in touchscreens, and some apps currently try to approximate it by measuring the level of capacitance, but aren't very accurate and have something like 5 or 6 steps of sensitivity.

My guess is that if Wacom is going to come up with something, it will either incorporate a battery-powered stylus, or be based on relatively new (and as far as I know, thus far unused) quantum tunnelling composites, which would also allow the touchscreen to be used through clothing like gloves. That said, their 13" Cintiq looks remarkably like a portable tablet. It would be a matter of slipping a battery and Android guts into it and wrapping it into a pretty package to get there... But I imagine the cost would be prohibitive.


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## Arshes Nei (May 14, 2013)

Actually not true because if I remember the company correctly Ten One did it with an API and Apple wouldn't allow it.


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## Krieger (May 14, 2013)

so basically, an Ipad or other tablet is NOT the way to go, a netbook is better?
I need a new computer anyway...


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## Arshes Nei (May 14, 2013)

If you need the functionality of most of what you do on a desktop then a laptop is the way to go but you're still probably gonna pay money for one.


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## Duality Jack (May 14, 2013)

With USB support, the ability to choose your application provider and proper flash functionality the choice should be obvious. Go for a tablet PC.


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## DMAN14 (May 14, 2013)

Look into an asus transformer. Its an android tablet that plugs into a docking station. It has a real keyboard, trackpad, subwoofer, battery, usb ports, and an sd card slot. So you can truly type and have a powerful machine that you can plug mice or flashdrives in. They are great,


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