To be fair, a hammer can be quite a useful and flexible tool. “Sounds like you had a pretty special and intimate relationship with this hammer and that losing it was almost comparable to losing a loved one.”
I have to say, though, that the original intent of the iPad (and implicitly, all small and medium sized tablets that followed it) was that it was primarily a media consumption and communication device rather than an all purpose computer to be used for business and scientific applications, and the AndroidOS was specifically designed to pare down the Linux operating system to just what was needed for mobile applications. Although the Microsoft Surface and iPad Pro have sort of bridged the gap between lightweight laptop and tablet, no Android tablet has really entered the same feature space, and the primary reason is that there is a limited audience for a full-sized tablet versus a really lightweight laptop.
The original iPad and tablets that followed were the perfect size for a larger handheld device, easily stored in a small book bag but giving enogh screen to watch videos or videochat without squinting. The smaller tablets (and supersized smartphones) fed the niche of devices that could fit in a large jacket pocket or,purse but still offer enough real estate for reading documents or watching videos. The full sized (10 inch or larger) tablets are really intended for artists or limited mobile productivity by someone away from their workstation, not as a full on replacement for a full sized laptop or workstation. The Microsoft Surface, while aiming for that space by merging its desktop and mobile operating systems, hasn’t received the market penetration that was expected even with favorable reviews, and the disappointment by many in the totally expected limitations of the iPad Pro along with a size and weight that makes it awkward has a mobile media consumption device have resulted in less than stellar reviews and sales.
All that being said, I’ve managed to use the iPad Air as a reasonably good device for mobile computing including hacking Python and using it to connect to more powerful stationary devices for remote work. I actually use my tablet for >90% of my home media use, and actually the only reasons I watch vidoes on my laptop is because I’m already sitting at my workstation doing other work. It is so much easier to carry around and has more battery life, and with a robust case I don’t worry about accidentally dropping it or spilling something on it. In fact, other than being on travel, I can’t remember the last time I actually used my laptop computer in the laptop mode rather than being attached to a monitor and external peripherals; for nearly all I used it for, it might as well be a featureless brick, and the iPad serves for casual internet browsing, watching video and, checking emails.
Also, there is a ton of documentation about AndroidOS online. It does not come from one canonical source because AndoridOS is open source and like many things developed by Google gets a variable degree of support, but you can find pretty much anything about how to use the operating system for free with a little searching, or buy one of those “For Dummies” type books; probably as much as for iOS or Windows 10 Mobile. If there is a reason to disdain AndroidOS, it is the vulnerabililty and lack of commitment to ensuring user privacy, not its lack of flexibility or documentation.
Stranger
