# iPad-type tablets. Tell me about them please. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 15, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815 "2011-08-15T19:40:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/21 "2011-08-16T11:34:30Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > You’re telling me there’s no way to simply plug it into my desktop computer and transfer files? I had hoped I misunderstood that. The iPad lacks ports except for one proprietary one (for which Apple will gladly sell adapters that connect to standard ports at a zillion-percent markup). That was one of the major reasons I went with the Toshiba Thrive – it has two standard USB ports (one full-size, one mini). ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/22 "2011-08-16T11:56:06Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > The iPad lacks ports except for one proprietary one (for which Apple will gladly sell adapters that connect to standard ports at a zillion-percent markup). That was one of the major reasons I went with the Toshiba Thrive – it has two standard USB ports (one full-size, one mini). It’s not even a port issue. My understanding is that you can’t simply drag and drop files, create file structures, or anything at all like that on in iPad. It’s iTunes or nothing, unless you hack around it. Android tabs don’t have this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/23 "2011-08-16T12:39:07Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > Android based tablets, like the Galaxy 10.1 which we just got, let you use it essentially like a giant USB stick, as well as a tablet. It’s one of the reasons we didn’t go with the iPad. Exactly. Plug it in via USB, and it mounts and acts as an external storage space. Drag and drop your files, as you do with any other folder (assuming you’re a windows user). Of course, you also have a host of wireless options, such as the aforementioned dropbox/cloud-based solutions, bluetooth and wifi network transfers, or even SD card support (on some Android devices), etc. The iPad is an excellent product, but I believe it more comes down to the users needs and then personal preferences between the two operating systems. For most casual usage, the competing tablets will serve most anyone. > [@](#): > > 1. Tablets are not full blown computers. Agreed. Tablets are largely about content consumption, not creation. While I do use applications such as Evernote or compose emails here and there, there are certainly better methods for creating and organizing my content. There is no way I’m typing a multi-page document on my tablet versus my desktop. The key with my tablet, is that it allows me to stay “connected”, while still being mobile. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/24 "2011-08-16T18:44:02Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > And what if iTunes doesn’t like my files? I can’t seem to put movies or any video files onto my iPod unless they’re in Quick Time format. I hate this, but I put up with it because I only use my iPod for music. > > So what happens when I try to put avi movie files on the iPad? Or pdf files I want to read? Or even simple little txt files? There are two issues with iTunes not ‘liking’ a file. First, if you want to use an audio, video or ePub/PDF file with built in iOS apps, you must first add them to your iTunes library then sync them to the iPad. In this case, the files must be in a format accepted to the apps (and thus also by iTunes). Just like MacOS, iOS apps don’t recognize avi files so you need a third party app. Second, for third party apps, you can skip the add to iTunes library step and use the File Sharing options on the Apps page when you connect your iPad to iTunes. In this case, you must have an App that understands avi files - there are several in the store. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/25 "2011-08-16T18:47:23Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > I can already do these things on my BlackBerry, but I would really like having something like my BB, but with a bigger screen and faster speed. I would also like to be able to add a keyboard (like with the iPad) because I don’t like the swipey-tappy touch screens a whole lot. I noticed that no one here is talking about the Blackberry Playbook, which might be of interest to you since you have a BB already. The Playbook, from what I hear, is a piece of crap. However, I’ve been hearing that from people who think all Blackberry products are crap, so I would take that with a grain of salt. I would not personally get a Playbook, but if you are used to the way Blackberry works and have existing Blackberry apps you’d want to use between your phone and tablet, it is something for you to take a look at. Some cell providers also let you tether your phone to the tablet so you can share the data plan. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/26 "2011-08-16T19:00:34Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > There are two issues with iTunes not ‘liking’ a file. First, if you want to use an audio, video or ePub/PDF file with built in iOS apps, you must first add them to your iTunes library then sync them to the iPad. In this case, the files must be in a format accepted to the apps (and thus also by iTunes). > > Just like MacOS, iOS apps don’t recognize avi files so you need a third party app. > > Second, for third party apps, you can skip the add to iTunes library step and use the File Sharing options on the Apps page when you connect your iPad to iTunes. In this case, you must have an App that understands avi files - there are several in the store. I’m not one of those people who go around hating Apple. But I may start. Seriously, this seems incredibly annoying. Seems like a step backward to have things stop being compatible. Windows has its problems, but at least it’s more flexible in this manner. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/27 "2011-08-16T19:08:43Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > I noticed that no one here is talking about the Blackberry Playbook, which might be of interest to you since you have a BB already. > > The Playbook, from what I hear, is a piece of crap. However, I’ve been hearing that from people who think all Blackberry products are crap, so I would take that with a grain of salt. I would not personally get a Playbook, but if you are used to the way Blackberry works and have existing Blackberry apps you’d want to use between your phone and tablet, it is something for you to take a look at. Some cell providers also let you tether your phone to the tablet so you can share the data plan. In my brief experience with the playbook, I found the OS was a bit too dependent on gestures. On a phone (which is smaller), I may not mind as much, but with the larger area of a tablet, I found it to be more effort than necessary (I suppose it was an attempt to distinguish the OS). I much prefer Honeycomb, personally. ---
**Author:** ![Yaxche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8dc957/32.png) [@Yaxche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yaxche)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/28 "2011-08-16T19:31:36Z")
I went with the Samsung Galaxy tab myself, and haven’t been disappointed so far. Looked at an iPad, but I really want a 7 inch tablet, and Apple killed that option - at least for this generation. To me, the 7" feels more portable, fits right in a jacket pocket or my wife’s purse, and does pretty much everything I need. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/29 "2011-08-16T20:09:03Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > Seriously, this seems incredibly annoying. Seems like a step backward to have things stop being compatible. Windows has its problems, but at least it’s more flexible in this manner. What it is, primarily, is a step away from giving users direct access to the file system. The reason for this isn’t that Apple hates you, it’s that, on average, people do not understand the concept of a hierarchical file system. You do, and I do, but we’re in the minority. A whole bunch of people just stumble around the standard Windows/MacOS filesystem paradigm, constantly losing things, or relying on the “Open Recent…” menu item to save their skin. The iOS way is less flexible, but flexibility is a double-edged sword. The problem with providing a more flexible interface is that people who don’t understand things will have more opportunities to do something dumb. For example, with iOS, it’s pretty hard to get a file onto your device that you can’t open with a currently installed app. That’s probably a good thing. Yes, it does mean that you can’t (easily) use your iPad as a giant USB flash drive. But you also (if you were a user who didn’t really understand things) can’t randomly fill up the disk with files that you don’t know how to get rid of. And you can’t add a bunch of .avi video files, assume they will play, and find out when you’re in the middle of a plane flight that you don’t have any applications that will open .avi files. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/30 "2011-08-16T20:24:33Z")
For transferring files to the iPad, I strongly encourage people to check out [Pogoplug](http://software.pogoplug.com/). It essentially provides you **your own personal cloud** and frees you from having to predict what you might need while you’re out and about. Just last week while I was in Vermont, I used only this software on my iPad to access some files from my HD back in California. It was pretty awesome! Setup is simple: I simply downloaded the free desktop app (which allows you to easily specify a directories or volumes to share) and the free iPad app (which allows you to download them to the iPad). _I find they way Pogoplug is marketing their products really glosses over how versatile and powerful this software is._ ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/31 "2011-08-16T22:47:01Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > I’m not one of those people who go around hating Apple. > > But I may start. > > Seriously, this seems incredibly annoying. Seems like a step backward to have things stop being compatible. Windows has its problems, but at least it’s more flexible in this manner. Well, all I can say is that Windows understands avi but not QuickTime and the Apple OSes are the bother way around. They each support their standard but require a 3rd party program to use the others file format. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/32 "2011-08-16T22:57:17Z")
Thank you all…once I’ve paid for my huge dead tree to be removed, my next decent check will go towards…I dunno. Both the Asus Eee and the BB Playbook are intriguing. I guess I will go to my nearest big box store and play around. I had an Android phone for a while and absolutely loathed it, the learning curve seemed really steep. I traded it back in for another Blackberry. I know Android is the now big thing, but meh. That’s what is putting me off many of the tablets on the market…I want something easy to use. I’m not a sophisticated or geeky consumer…just want something small, very portable that will perform basic computing-type functions. > [@](#): > > In my brief experience with the playbook, I found the OS was a bit too dependent on gestures. Can someone explain what this means, please? ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/33 "2011-08-16T23:24:14Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Well, all I can say is that Windows understands avi but not QuickTime and the Apple OSes are the bother way around. They each support their standard but require a 3rd party program to use the others file format. But I can manipulate a Quick Time file on a Windows computer. I can move it to and from my PC without having to use a third party program that may not want to deal with it. I can rename it, convert it to something else or play it as is on any number of programs. But from what has been described it sounds like Apple’s method is to pretend that “non-approved” files don’t even exist. I can’t move an avi file into iTunes at all, if I’ve understood this correctly. I’ve only just learned of the term “walled garden”, and I’m starting to think I dislike the idea. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/34 "2011-08-16T23:26:30Z")
Why plug in your tablet just to drag and drop files on it, when syncing it to a folder ala Dropbox (et al) over wifi is a breeze? Of course, I’ve been using iTunes since it first came out, and most of my media is iTunes compatible, so when it comes to music and movies, it ain’t nothin’ but a thang. But for text docs or pics and the like… I just sync it to a free online service, so when I save it from my iPad or the computer, it’s automatically the updated file.\* \*And Apple’s about to launch iCloud this September, which is free for all, and will provide something akin to this natively. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/35 "2011-08-16T23:26:38Z")
nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/36 "2011-08-17T00:03:17Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Thank you all…once I’ve paid for my huge dead tree to be removed, my next decent check will go towards…I dunno. Both the Asus Eee and the BB Playbook are intriguing. I guess I will go to my nearest big box store and play around. > > I had an Android phone for a while and absolutely loathed it, the learning curve seemed really steep. I traded it back in for another Blackberry. I know Android is the now big thing, but meh. > > That’s what is putting me off many of the tablets on the market…I want something easy to use. I’m not a sophisticated or geeky consumer…just want something small, very portable that will perform basic computing-type functions. > > Can someone explain what this means, please? Gestures are the touch movements you make on the screen. I don’t know the Blackberry ones, but for example, on the iPad, to zoom in you ‘pinch’ the screen and to zoom out you move your fingers out (opposite of pinching). ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/37 "2011-08-17T00:23:09Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > Gestures are the touch movements you make on the screen. I don’t know the Blackberry ones, but for example, on the iPad, to zoom in you ‘pinch’ the screen and to zoom out you move your fingers out (opposite of pinching). Thanks, that’s what I thought it meant. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/38 "2011-08-17T00:24:23Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Thank you all…once I’ve paid for my huge dead tree to be removed, my next decent check will go towards…I dunno. Both the Asus Eee and the BB Playbook are intriguing. I guess I will go to my nearest big box store and play around. > > I had an Android phone for a while and absolutely loathed it, the learning curve seemed really steep. I traded it back in for another Blackberry. I know Android is the now big thing, but meh. > > That’s what is putting me off many of the tablets on the market…I want something easy to use. I’m not a sophisticated or geeky consumer…just want something small, very portable that will perform basic computing-type functions. How long ago did you have an Android phone, and what version was it? One of the biggest failings of Android is version fragmentation, because certain carriers and manufacturers don’t want to support certain versions on certain hardware, and some even have their own custom interfaces they use on top of Android - either for performance reasons, or to lock things down, or both. However, the tablet space is quite different - Honeycomb, the official Android tablet version, has had somewhat of a unifying effect on this space, in addition to the fact that most tablet makers are using the same basic hardware (geek alert: NVidia’s Tegra2 platform, which combines a dual-core ARM chip similar to what you find in a powerful cellphone with an NVidia graphics processor). Plus, now that Google has announced their intention to acquire Motorola’s Mobility division, you’re goingto see some pretty interesting things coming, especially in terms of stability and ease of use, now that Google can control at least one hardware platform. Granted, that doesn’t help now, but by the time you need your next tablet, you’ll definitely have more and better options. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/39 "2011-08-17T00:53:42Z")
> [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](#): > > How long ago did you have an Android phone, and what version was it? One of the biggest failings of Android is version fragmentation, because certain carriers and manufacturers don’t want to support certain versions on certain hardware, and some even have their own custom interfaces they use on top of Android - either for performance reasons, or to lock things down, or both. However, the tablet space is quite different - Honeycomb, the official Android tablet version, has had somewhat of a unifying effect on this space, in addition to the fact that most tablet makers are using the same basic hardware (geek alert: NVidia’s Tegra2 platform, which combines a dual-core ARM chip similar to what you find in a powerful cellphone with an NVidia graphics processor). > > Plus, now that Google has announced their intention to acquire Motorola’s Mobility division, you’re goingto see some pretty interesting things coming, especially in terms of stability and ease of use, now that Google can control at least one hardware platform. Granted, that doesn’t help now, but by the time you need your next tablet, you’ll definitely have more and better options. May-June, a Huawei m860. I gave it almost two months and traded back. Mostly it was things like…it took 6-7 taps and swipes to make a freaking phone call (yes I am a weirdo who actually makes phone calls from her phone) and my utter inability to get used to the little tappy-type keyboard without 8,137 typos per text or email. I can’t recall details now but I do recall having an awful time trying to install apps, and having home screen icons stay in the same place so I could find them again. It simply wasn’t that intuitive. I am not alone; I know two other people who, around that same time, got that type of phone and became disgusted and went back to their older versions. I have to say the couple of times I’ve played with an iPhone or iPad, they’ve been relatively easy to figure out. Also I fully admit to not being geeky and having a low tolerance for frustration which is not a great combination of traits when trying to figure out new technology! ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815/40 "2011-08-17T02:02:38Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > May-June, a Huawei m860. I gave it almost two months and traded back. > > Mostly it was things like…it took 6-7 taps and swipes to make a freaking phone call (yes I am a weirdo who actually makes phone calls from her phone) and my utter inability to get used to the little tappy-type keyboard without 8,137 typos per text or email. > > I can’t recall details now but I do recall having an awful time trying to install apps, and having home screen icons stay in the same place so I could find them again. It simply wasn’t that intuitive. I am not alone; I know two other people who, around that same time, got that type of phone and became disgusted and went back to their older versions. > > I have to say the couple of times I’ve played with an iPhone or iPad, they’ve been relatively easy to figure out. Also I fully admit to not being geeky and having a low tolerance for frustration which is not a great combination of traits when trying to figure out new technology! Yeah, Android phones can be a bit flaky sometimes, depending on what you want to do. As for phone calls, I just used the voice dialing on mine, so I kind of got over the “Tap on phone icon; tap on log/contact lists; tap on contact; tap on phone #; tap on Dial phone # already, dammit!” That shouldn’t be an issue with a tablet, and again, they really worked a lot of the kinks out with the newest version of Honeycomb, from what I’ve seen. That is the nice thing about Apple iOS devices - while they are more limited than Android phones, they do just work, which is a big benefit of “walled garden” approach that **Mach Truck** mentioned. As for me, I’m a huge geek, so give me ten different ways to do one thing, and I’m happy. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipad-type-tablets-tell-me-about-them-please/592815.md?page=3)