Three Weeks Later...

There are still things that I’m not happy with. Switching between apps is still a pain - but that should change once iOS 4 is released for the iPad. The grid of icons that make up the homescreens is a complete waste to me. Why not allow for SOME widgets Apple? There’s so much empty space there. Apple could have increased RAM to reduce Safari crashes. It’s really not a productivity and content creation monster. Would I be happier with a similar Google Android tablet? In some aspects, yes I think I would be, particularly when it comes to those Google apps I use and love so much. However, just like diversification is the key in the stock market, I’m taking the same approach with my gadgets. Android and iOS have their strengths and weaknesses.

Concluding Thoughts

A tablet will not replace a smartphone or a laptop; at least it won’t for me. It fills that in-between gap when a smartphone is just too small, and a laptop too big and unwieldy. It’s for casual and relaxed use when sitting on the couch, eating breakfast at the table, or getting ready for bed. A tablet should be simple to use, fast, and have instant-on capabilities. You should be able to easily share what’s happening on your screen with a group of people, such as showing off photos from your last vacation or watching that funny Old Spice commercial. The iPad does all this smoothly, easily, and it’s lightning quick. A tablet using Android, iOS, or even Windows would do that very well, but the major differentiator is the support behind new, innovative apps. Apps that many of us haven’t even thought could exist. These are the apps that make little sense for a smartphone (watching hours of video, reading comic books, or reading books on a 3.5-4.3” screen has never appealed to me), but make perfect sense on a tablet device. Look at how many companies have already released their apps for Apple’s platform, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Marvel. Yes, many of these apps are on their way to Android, but while those are in progress, new and great apps are continuously being released for the iPad. Those are the reasons why I’ve recently passed the 14 day return period for my iPad and it’s still sitting next to me. Everyday I’m excited to read about the new apps that are coming out for this platform, but I’ll still keep an eye out for that new Android, webOS, or Windows tablet that will not only challenge the iPad, but maybe even surpass it.

Jeff Song is enamored by consumer electronics of all types, especially those that help him pass the time while he’s commuting on the bus to work through Chicago traffic.

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