Quote:
Originally Posted by talaivan
I wouldn't get one of these. The Nexus 7-2 is pretty good, but it doesn't come close to the iPad Mini in the quality of its apps, use of a stylus (Adonit), and lots of other things.
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I had the same concern about Android apps when I was contemplating whether I'd switch. A month later, I can say that I have been able to find adequate and partly even better alternatives for every iOS apps that I used frequently. I think the quality-of-apps argument held water two or three years ago, but doesn't apply anymore, at least outside of niches, but that goes both ways.
Can't comment on the stylus issue since if that was a concern to me, I'd have bought a Galaxy Note, which does that better than any non-Wacom device, though now with the Nexus and new Fire out, the Note's resolution seems low.
The "lots of other things" ... well, I know what lots of other things I can now do that I never could do on the iPad:
- connect an external hard drive,
- access the file system,
- add/remove files wirelessly (rarely worked for me with iTunes, and not at all since iTunes 11.x),
- code a small app and install it on the tablet directly, without needing a Mac,
- use a mobile controller like the MOGA Pro that is supported by a surprising number of quality games, which makes the device a console replacement.
- install anything I want whether a third party believes I should have that software (e.g. Adblock Plus, which is essentially banned on iOS),
- have more and better reader apps available (Marvin is pretty good, but Moon+ paired with Calibre Companion is light years ahead),
- use Flash in the browser and get superior HTML5 performance,
- get seamless integration with Google services, which matters for my work.
Those are just the things that matter to me personally. Plus, Apple devices are substantially more expensive and you can't take advantage of same-platform competition, because there is only one player in the iOS market. I think iOS devices falling behind in terms of innovation is a result of that. They used to lead innovation, and now they play the catch-up game. I can buy a new Android device every year, but I probably couldn't justify getting a new iOS device every year.
I invested substantially into the iOS ecosystem (in over three years), but I'm glad I made the switch. I feel I get more out of the Nexus 7 than I ever did from the iPad. It feels much more like a mobile computer than something that is chiefly aimed at media consumption with someone constantly watching over your back and telling you what you can and can't do, and if you are allowed to, how exactly you have to do it.
Even if the Nexus had cost as much as a mini, I think I'd still prefer the Android device. Just the ease of throwing together a quick app in Java or Basic4Android and then slapping it on the tablet is fantastic, or being able to create folders, move around files, etc. in the built in SD memory. I don't "hate" iOS or Apple, and I think they did a lot for the rise of the tablet, but I'm glad that there are real and better alternatives now.