iPad over Xoom

[=X=]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

There really isn't much that you actually need to use iTunes for with an iPad. I haven't connected mine to a PC in at least a month. Videos, books and comics are the main media I use with it, and I can load them all wirelessly. For my iTouch, iTunes is a requirement, for the iPad I don't find it to be one.

I run Linux at home and only have one Windows computer apparently not powerful enough to run iTunes.

It was an ordeal to install iTunes JUST to activate an iPod an iPad. It took me a total of 4 hours to activate two devices. That included account creation and all. They have not used the iTunes app since Christmas, it is ridiculous that the iTunes app is needed just to activate an iTouch/iPad device.

My wifes Android phone took 30min for the whole process, including account creation.


But getting to the point really, is there a decent SMB client apps on the iTouch/iPad?

Originally Posted by jocampo

... I would not use it or have it, but not too happy with iTunes as main way to sync the device.

It's kind of ironic that Apple calls the iPad a post-pc device that requires a PC to activate it.

=X=

[GlennD]

They were activating ipads instore for people; if you buy your device at an apple store i'm pretty sure you could have it activated there and not have to install itunes at home.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by GlennD

They were activating ipads instore for people; if you buy your device at an apple store i'm pretty sure you could have it activated there and not have to install itunes at home.

I think that's a nice workaround, but we should not rely on that in order to use a +500 dollar device.

What about later or if a major Os upgrade is coming? Bring the iPad to the store? What if the store is 50 miles or more away?

[leebase]

Originally Posted by jswinden

As far as the Xoom having few apps, when the iPhone and iPod touch were first released there were few apps for them too. It took a while for developers to create them, but eventually they came along. As memory serves, it took at least 6 months after the touch was released before Apple even allowed apps to be developed for it and released the SDK. Even now with the new iPad 2 released there are still quite a few iPhone apps that have not been optimized for iPads.

But there was no competition then. Now when you buy a tablet, you have a choice. Why choose the one that has so few apps NOW? At least the iPad ran most all the iPhone apps and in addition there were over 3,000 apps for the iPad day 1.

When I bought the iPad it was because I had FAR more faith in the Apple ecosystem. I run windows mostly and linux some on my computers and am an IT professional. But for my tablet I didn't want it for "geeking out". I wanted it for showing off photos, couch surfing the internet, reading, magazines and APPS.

I really look forward to the day when Android on tablets is as competitive as Android on phones.

I agree with most of the complaints against Apple, Steve Jobs etc. I think there's too much control. I think that if I buy a tablet, it's mine, and I should be able to run any software I want (at my own risk, of course). I'd like a USB port, memory card slot, flash support (it may suck, but I'd have the choice to use it or not).

However, what the iPad does right is SO much more important to me. I've had mine for over a year -- and I just bought my mom the iPad 2 cuz the competition isn't even close.

You have to REALLY hate Apple to choose the Xoom at this point. And if you do -- wait a year before spending money on a tablet.

Lee

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by athlonkmf

There isn't exactly a ton of tablet-apps for android...

For the Samsung Galaxy Tab that's not a problem. With a simple hack -even using the Samsung toolkit- you perfectly can zoom 99% of all android apps. No pixelation, as you see it with most iPhone apps on iPad. And android certainly has tons of apps then...
I have no idea though, whether same can be done on Xoom. I've opted (for now) against it anyway because of negative reviews and dislike of Motorola.

EDIT: The "hack" on Samsung Galaxy Tab doesn't need any jailbreak. Just download the app from the regular android market, activate a switch and reboot.

[soondai]

that pixelation on iphone apps with retina support kills me. There's an easy fix for jailbroken iPads, but I strongly doubt it will ever be implemented officially.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

For the Samsung Galaxy Tab that's not a problem. With a simple hack -even using the Samsung toolkit- you perfectly can zoom 99% of all android apps. No pixelation, as you see it with most iPhone apps on iPad. And android certainly has tons of apps then...
I have no idea though, whether same can be done on Xoom. I've opted (for now) against it anyway because of negative reviews and dislike of Motorola.

EDIT: The "hack" on Samsung Galaxy Tab doesn't need any jailbreak. Just download the app from the regular android market, activate a switch and reboot.

Totally agree.

And I think that part of the reason is that the jumping from cellphone screen to 7" is not as big as going to 10" screen.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by jocampo

...I think that part of the reason is that the jumping from cellphone screen to 7" is not as big as going to 10" screen.

That's certainly one reason.
But the "hack" on Samsung Galaxy tab does change "something". It doesn't just scale, somehow it "smoothes" things up...

[jocampo]

@mgmueller,

Hmm... I see... I actually running it on my GT. You made the reference on another thread.

Thanks,

[pphilipp]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

That's certainly one reason.
But the "hack" on Samsung Galaxy tab does change "something". It doesn't just scale, somehow it "smoothes" things up...

I sure wish I had that 'hack' over a year ago. My Android tablet displayed 2/3s of the apps as pixilated and nasty. To make it worse, I seemed to be the only person in the forums complaining. Most of the forum folks were so glad they had an Android tablet that anything at all made them happy.

[sagiquarion]

The Xoom was never an option for me. I sold my ipad 1 last year once i knew the Ipad2 was coming this year. For reading (aside from my sony 650) I've not found any device or software that rivals ibooks for an overall positive reading experience. As far as I know, there are no comparable options in the android market. Even if there were, I wouldn't settle on a honeycome tablet until the new galaxy tabs are released this summer. They are the first android tablets to offer point for point challenge to the ipad market share.

That said, I haven't yet purchased an Ipad2, mainly because I want to see how these new tabs do this summer; however, if there really no "ibooks" like reading apps for android, or at least something that allows me to double tap words for dictionary or make notes, then I guess I will be going for the ipad2. On a decent screen with comparable weight, I don't see any reason why reading on an android tablet (in portrait mode) can't be as decent as reading in ibooks, presuming there is an app I don't know about that is like ibooks for android.

PS: I really like the browser in honeycomb but I don't think there is a way to archive web pages for later reading when offline or something. I know I could do that on the ipad but I don't recall if that was using an app or a built in feature.7

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by soondai

that pixelation on iphone apps with retina support kills me. There's an easy fix for jailbroken iPads, but I strongly doubt it will ever be implemented officially.

It might if and when Apple comes out with a higher resolution iPad. Right now they seem to be avoiding it because it brings those apps closer to the pixel resolution of the current iPads, giving less incentive for developers to produce iPad dedicated apps.

Of course there is more to a tablet optimized app than just pixel resolution.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

That's certainly one reason.
But the "hack" on Samsung Galaxy tab does change "something". It doesn't just scale, somehow it "smoothes" things up...

Certainly but why have a 10" screen with data that is huge text but not more data. Having 3.5" data larger is not what a 10" screen is about. A the app needs to change the layout and content for a bigger screen, not just make thing bigger.

Dale