So where is our "iPad Killer"???

Zascar

I'm a huge android fan and have been since I ditched my iPhone for a HTC a few years ago. I have just however, got an iPad, and I have to say its a pretty fantastic piece of kit. Work gave it to me (there is no way I would spend €700 of my own money on it) but I am very impressed with it overall.

However, it's still Apple, and I still hate them. It Infuriates me how they tell you exaclyle what you can and can't do, AND how to do it. I'd love a really good Android Tablet, but there has not yet been any real "iPad Killer" come out so far. Surely it's not that difficult. The software is already there to kick iOS's ass, someone just needs a really nice 10"screen,quick processor, and all the in built connections that Apple wont let you have like SD, USB, HDMI etc etc. Put it at 30%-50% cheaper than an iPad and surely it would start taking market share.

Ok so yes we have the Google nexus, and it's getting good reviews, but it's only 7" and I'm not sure if Apple are shaking in their boots just yet. We need Google to come out with a serious contender - but not only that, back it up with a serious marketing campaign too. Your average joe barely knows what Android is, Google need to show people that there are cheaper and better alternatives out there. Google also need to address their fragmentation issues as its one of the last sticks apple has left to beat them with.

So do you think Google will succeed, how and when?

Gary The Gamer

I just receieved my "ipad killer" in the post on Friday.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/25/asus-transformer-pad-infinity-tf700-review/

It's a tablet which combines the functionality of a netbook with the high quality and form of an ultrabook. The ipad doesn't even come close.

Gran Hermano

Saying the Nexus 7 is getting 'good reviews' is more than an understatement. I'm only using my iPad these days when the Nexus is charging. The smaller form factor makes it more portable and the hardware spec combined with jellybean works great. Wait until Google are able to ship enough units to meet demand and I reckon you'll hear a lot more about it.

Ronanc1

+1 on the Asus transformer infinity can't wait to get my hands on one..soon Theres an ipad in the house here and i use it now and again but certainly as zascar said its a case of extremely good build quality but hyper restrictive in other aspects , Im looking for an infinity for basically the reasons gary has give out of interest gary where did you get yours?

Tom Dunne

I don't think one device can be an iPad killer. In my opinion, the ecosystem has to be there too. The hardware on Android is comparable, if not better than the iPad. Things you can do with Android devices far outstrip what you can do with iOS. While I'm an avid iPad user, as soon as the Samsung Galaxy note 10.1 is out, I'm ditching it because I can't take notes with a pen on iOS.

However, what the iPad does, it does with simplicity and ease.

Buying content on the iPad is disturbingly easy - magazines, movies, books, music. And unless things have improved considerably in the last few months, Android just can't compete yet. It's just not as easy to part with your money on that platform (aside from, perhaps, the Kindle Fire).

Gary The Gamer

Ronanc1 wrote: »

+1 on the Asus transformer infinity can't wait to get my hands on one..soon Theres an ipad in the house here and i use it now and again but certainly as zascar said its a case of extremely good build quality but hyper restrictive in other aspects , Im looking for an infinity for basically the reasons gary has give out of interest gary where did you get yours?

Komplett were selling eu versions. Maybe better off waiting till the uk release as the keyboard is international type and it will probably ship with jellybean. Very minor issues. It has exceeded my very high expectations.

I can these types of machines dominating the laptop and tablet markets in the next year with the release of windows 8.

http://www.komplett.ie/Komplett/product/tablets/80006852/asus_10_transformer_infinity_64gb_%2b_dock/details.aspx

Zascar

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Buying content on the iPad is disturbingly easy - magazines, movies, books, music. And unless things have improved considerably in the last few months, Android just can't compete yet. It's just not as easy to part with your money on that platform (aside from, perhaps, the Kindle Fire).

This is one of things I dislike most about the iPad. It's simply trying to get you to spend money at every moment possible. The difference between the apps / app stores are massive. There are way way more really good free apps on Android imo - most of the free apps on iOS d the hard pushy sell to try to get you to buy the paid version or get coins or points in every game. Really annoys me. The Play store is so so much nicer to browse and view/find apps. Apple just want to show you the 20 they are pushing and you have to go round about to see what should be in front of you like it is on Android. Maybe its just me but I'm much more about the free choice spirit of Android and the entire way it works. It pains me to give Apple money

Tom Dunne

Zascar wrote: »

This is one of things I dislike most about the iPad. It's simply trying to get you to spend money at every moment possible. The difference between the apps / app stores are massive. There are way way more really good free apps on Android imo - most of the free apps on iOS d the hard pushy sell to try to get you to buy the paid version or get coins or points in every game. Really annoys me. The Play store is so so much nicer to browse and view/find apps. Apple just want to show you the 20 they are pushing and you have to go round about to see what should be in front of you like it is on Android. Maybe its just me but I'm much more about the free choice spirit of Android and the entire way it works. It pains me to give Apple money

And I'm the opposite. Horses for courses, really.

But it's not just about apps. Content that is available on iOS, is not always available for Android. Can you rent a movie on Google Play? I haven't used it months. Like it or not, iOS users are more likely to pay for content than Android users.

The "iPad killer" hardware is already there. Until Google get the ecosystem sorted out, Android will continue to lag iOS.

thomasj

Zascar wrote: »

I'm a huge android fan and have been since I ditched my iPhone for a HTC a few years ago. I have just however, got an iPad, and I have to say its a pretty fantastic piece of kit. Work gave it to me (there is no way I would spend €700 of my own money on it) but I am very impressed with it overall.

However, it's still Apple, and I still hate them. It Infuriates me how they tell you exaclyle what you can and can't do, AND how to do it. I'd love a really good Android Tablet, but there has not yet been any real "iPad Killer" come out so far. Surely it's not that difficult. The software is already there to kick iOS's ass, someone just needs a really nice 10"screen,quick processor, and all the in built connections that Apple wont let you have like SD, USB, HDMI etc etc. Put it at 30%-50% cheaper than an iPad and surely it would start taking market share.

Ok so yes we have the Google nexus, and it's getting good reviews, but it's only 7" and I'm not sure if Apple are shaking in their boots just yet. We need Google to come out with a serious contender - but not only that, back it up with a serious marketing campaign too. Your average joe barely knows what Android is, Google need to show people that there are cheaper and better alternatives out there. Google also need to address their fragmentation issues as its one of the last sticks apple has left to beat them with.

So do you think Google will succeed, how and when?

Everyone has their own "ipad killer"!

The one key factor is its in different shapes or forms. Some people (like me) like the ability to carry our 7 inch tablets in our jacket pockets/ bags others like the 10 inch tablets to use at home on the couch or in bed. Different strokes for different folks.

Having one "ipad killer" would have restricted the target audience and i certainly wouldnt be using a tablet if there was only 10 inch "ipad killer" out there! Im more than happy with my 7 inch galaxy tab plus.

Variety is the spice of life!

superb choice of username

For me, the iPad killer is apple. It's taken a few iterations of android to get it up to shape and ready for the masses. It's pretty much there. The title is there for the taking. There are a few decent Android tablets, but none have hit the big time (similar to how the Samsung S3 has in the mobile world). I'm pretty confident that within a few months a few strong contenders will be out there.

Q&A

superb choice of username wrote: »

For me, the iPad killer is apple. It's taken a few iterations of android to get it up to shape and ready for the masses. It's pretty much there. The title is there for the taking. There are a few decent Android tablets, but none have hit the big time (similar to how the Samsung S3 has in the mobile world). I'm pretty confident that within a few months a few strong contenders will be out there.

Hope you're right because I'm looking forward to seeing how the Note 10.1 goes down
http://www.technobuffalo.com/companies/samsung/galaxy-note-10-1-unboxing-video/

A tablet that can double as a phone (how I miss the days of not charging my phone for a week) plus the specs look very promising

conor.hogan.2

The Galaxy Note 10.1 looks amazing.

Dman001

Android Tabs are still way behind the supremacy of the iPad, and the main reason IMO is software. Hardware wise, many of the Android Tabs are far more supreme with their Quad Core CPUs, USB and Micro-SD Card support, HDMI-out built in, etc. But the software is average at best. ICS was a huge step up from Honeycomb, and Jelly Bean is another step in the right direction. But it's still pretty meh! I've used a number of tablets (Acer A500, Motorola Xoom, Galaxy Tabs) but none match the performance of the iPad. They tend to stutter and lag, and then to make matters worse, manufacturers like Samsung put their own skins on top of the OS which looks and performs dreadful.

I do agree though that Android does offer many benefits, such as the support for Widgets and a great selection of free Apps like the MX Player that supports a huge amount of video codecs. I don't think there is even a paid App that supports as many codecs on the Apple Store. But the Apps on Android Tabs don't offer the same look or feel of quality as they do on the iPad. There isn't a single App that I'd say would blow you away on Android, but the iPad is full of them. Most on Android just scaled phone Apps.

I don't believe this talk about Android being more "Open" than iOS either. That used to be the case, but once you Jailbreak an iOS device you've moreless the options as you do with an Android device. And fair enough you may lose your Warranty in the process, but in order to make my Android phone usable to my liking I had to unlock the bootloader and root it anyway, voiding the Warranty.

Android Tablets have great potential, and I don't know if Google, App developers, or manufacturers are to blame for their shortcomings, or all three are, but if I had the choice between a €500 iPad or a €500 Android Tablet I'd know what I'd pick.

Patsy fyre

I think the nexus 7 at 240 euro has the potential to be the ipad killer. I can buy 2 N7's for 1 ipad. If Google decide to release a 10 " tablet that could really break the camels back.

There needs to be more integration of Google services, the full play store needs to be opened up, stuff like Filmon, rte player and skygo not working by default is a big negative.
I think it will have to be a Google device as opposed to a third party such as samsung or HTC.

Ruski

Zascar wrote: »

However, it's still Apple, and I still hate them. It Infuriates me how they tell you exaclyle what you can and can't do, AND how to do it. I'd love a really good Android Tablet, but there has not yet been any real "iPad Killer" come out so far. Surely it's not that difficult. The software is already there to kick iOS's ass, someone just needs a really nice 10"screen,quick processor, and all the in built connections that Apple wont let you have like SD, USB, HDMI etc etc. Put it at 30%-50% cheaper than an iPad and surely it would start taking market share.

You do know that people are not actually that smart? Especially kids and stuff who want all this shíte. The main argument you'll hear is that "It's just not as cool as the iPad." Sure it can have all the specifications and connections and what have you but it just wouldn't beat that big glowing apple on the back.

elderlemon

This is the killer. Tablets are consumption devices. People browse, read, listen or watch using a tablet, much more so than on a phone. This is where the ipad wins (by a long way) and where Android fails.

Content is kind and right now the ipad is the king of content. This is where google needs to up its game in a big way.

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Buying content on the iPad is disturbingly easy - magazines, movies, books, music. And unless things have improved considerably in the last few months, Android just can't compete yet. It's just not as easy to part with your money on that platform (aside from, perhaps, the Kindle Fire).

Patsy fyre

It would have to be marketed well. Apple are brilliant at this. Eg when my grandmother seen my Galaxy S2 she asked me is that an iphone! Also when me maa seen my nexus 7 she asked me is it like an ipad!
The best thing about apple products is the name.

Mc Love

It really comes down to the same argument with the phones, if you want to be restricted and have superior build quality, you buy and Iphone/Ipad etc, but if you want superior spec, unlimited ability with regards to OS/Apps then you get an android system.

Its why Irish people buy cheap, basic reliable cars because they are sturdy!

thomasj

Variety is the killer here. What you don't like in one tablet you might like the features in another tablet. Ie size, battery life, expanded memory and other features the list goes on.

You don't get this option with the ipad!

Captain Chaos

Mc Love wrote: »

Its why Irish people buy cheap, basic reliable cars because they are sturdy!

No,that's because of VRT and the Irish tax system, but that's another topic.

Gary The Gamer

elderlemon wrote: »

This is the killer. Tablets are consumption devices. People browse, read, listen or watch using a tablet, much more so than on a phone. This is where the ipad wins (by a long way) and where Android fails.

Content is kind and right now the ipad is the king of content. This is where google needs to up its game in a big way.

I was watching the latest episdoe of Louie from my bed last night. You can't do that with an ipad.

Mantel

The ipad killer was invented before the ipad was!



Seriously though, if you want an ipad killer your looking for a device that will kill the tablet form factor before a tablet device that will kill the ipad market, android might do it in 5 years if it keeps getting better but your not going to get a tablet that will make millions of people regret their decision of an ipad purchase and throw it in a bin.