When the iPad 2 came out in March, I like everyone else was panicking because every store was sold out. Before making the decision to buy an iPad i wanted to buy HP's Touchpad but i did not want to wait and the iPad was calling like a siren song. Since March a lot of tablets have come out such as the Asus Iconia, the HTC Flyer and others. Yet today after taking a trip to Bestbuy to finally check out the iPad's competition i was amazed and very impressed by the Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1.
As an IOS lover i have been insulted called numerous names from Android lovers and i still have stuck to my guns. But as a consumer who loves to see a lot of movies and TV shows i was very impressed with the flash running on Samsung's tablet. Normally anybody would be concerned about the flash because everyone knows flash completely sucks out the battery of anything. However, the Galaxy tab still manages to provide 10 hours of video playback. Another feature that impressed me is how bright and beautiful the screen is. Although i don't find the 3D effect at all useful.
The tablet is running Adobe flash 10.2 and Honeycomb 3.1. It has a 10.1 inch screen (as implied in its name) has 1280 by 800 pixels resolution along with 720p HD video recording and 1080p HD video playback. Most of all it is thinner than the iPad at 8.6mm thick. It felt light in my hand and it looks absolutely beautiful, i love the rounded edges of the device and it was a delight using it. The real question is how does it compare to the iPad 2. Yes, all Android lovers would say the Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1 is an "iPad killer" but the fact is it is still not. We are all waiting for the day that Steve Jobs ends his hate of flash and stop waiting for HTML 5 to catch on but it's probably not going to happen. Yet consumers and Apple haters overestimate what Steve Jobs is trying to do with the iPad. He is not trying to replace your laptop and he has said that a million times before. He is trying to supply consumers with a device that will provide you with some entertainment when you are away from your computer. Apple's simple and elegant designs (and lets face it, marketing team) is what allows them to make so much money. Android can compete and compete but people from South Africa are still going to fly to the US to buy an Apple device.
The iPad does not have flash that is the bottom line. But another reason for these tablets are the Apps and Apple is so far ahead compared to Android that the excuse of "Android will in the future build up their apps" just doesn't cut it. It seems that Apple is the only company that thinks ahead a few years. Google and other companies that are making these tablets should have started to make apps right after that first iPad was announced. However, after the beautiful tablet that i have seen today other consumers may be able to wait.
I personally am a owner of an Android phone and i can say from experience that the software is smooth at first but then becomes sluggish which is why i am not regretting my decision to buy the iPad. Yes the Galaxy tab is beautiful but writing is important to me and Honeycomb's keyboard lights up with this blue light that makes it seem so fake it distracts me. The iPad keyboard is elegant and simple with no weird lights to distract me from my work. Plus i could tell that in the after using it for sometime the keyboard was going to become sluggish and really a Bluetooth keyboard should be an option not a necessity.
Overall the Galaxy tab made an impression and for consumers who like the under dog and choose to support it, it is an excellent option. But i am an Apple iFan, lover, etc... and there is just something about the iPad that is so personal and smooth...its like coming home.
Android
Pro's: Adobe Flash, customization of screen, open software, tabbed browser, notification center, beautiful graphics
Cons: Sluggish keyboard, harder to use than an Ipad, few apps, a lot of menus, disorganized, does not support complicated apps like the iPad, security issues because of software.
Apple
Pros: Simple software, smooth and fast, organized, itunes, apps, its a leading company (no iPad no Android), few menus, does not have security issues, mail app, multitasking abilities
Cons: no flash
PS. I did not write lack of notification because the new software of IOS will have a notification center