Recently I found myself in the position to buy a tablet. After extensive research I had whittled my decision down to the iPad 2 and Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 however I was in a state of indecision for some time, even after trying both of them in-store.
Transformer
The Transformer is fantastic on paper. Running Android’s Honeycomb 3.2 OS, it is fast and showcases all the latest Android has to offer. There have been comments surrounding which version of Honeycomb you will receive straight out of the box, but that’s the great thing about Android – within hours of setup you will be prompted to download the over the air (OTA) update if you don’t have the latest version.
Of course it comes with standard apps such as music, video, photo, mail, calendar and reading as well as the Polaris Office suite which is basically Microsoft Office (for Google). An excellent addition for those of us intending to use our tablets for more than just gaming and browsing. It supports flash, enabling a wider range of video files (and other kinds) to be viewed. One thing to be said about the Android suite of apps is how many of them are free or reasonably-priced. Sure, you may have to endure advertisements to use them (which personally I don’t think is a sacrifice) but at least they are accessible. There is a slow adaptation of the mobile-sized apps being converted to tablet configuration (using an app that is mobile-sized on a tablet screen is incredibly frustrating) however this is happening slowly but surely. Apple’s apps are guilty of this crime too.
The navigation is incredibly easy to use. At any point you are able to bring up a menu to access the core programs (ie. Mail, internet, music, etc) and multi-tasking is not a problem. Other reviews have mentioned lag when viewing videos and poor camera quality however these were not issues during review. The 5mp (still) camera is certainly higher resolution than the iPad 2’s VGA cameras.
Like all displays, there will be variation in colours and resolution between various tablet devices. The Transformer’s 1280×800 makes for a clear, sharp image however it is not the best on the market when held side by side with others. Do you notice in the store? Yes. Would it bother you on its own? Not at all – it’s a beautiful display.
At 675g it is somewhat heavier than the iPad 2 and its squarish feel certainly isn’t as sleek and sexy. But on its own the Transformer tablet feels quite comfortable to use. The on-board speakers are mounted on the front of the tablet providing a better sound experience for both the user and those in the room.
Plug it into the keyboard and it’s not really the kind of thing you’d be walking around with. Time to settle down on the couch. Oh yes, it comes with a keyboard (optional).
The keyboard is not just something to type on when you get sick of the touch screen. It also serves as a docking station, boosting the battery life by as much as half – taking a six hour gaming session or eight hour browsing session to almost 14 hours on a single charge. The dock also adds more external inputs to the device. The keyboard contains two USB and SD card inputs in addition to the tablet’s micro SD.
For the time being most Australian retailers are either selling the Transformer as a standalone tablet or bundled with the keyboard dock. The keyboard is not particularly easy to get hold of on its own, and it really is better value to buy it in a bundle than separately. This may change over time. There are not a lot of cases on the market for the Transformer yet, and those I have seen are for the tablet alone – you will have to shop around and most likely import from overseas.
iPad 2
The iPad2 is pretty. It’s shiny. It feels good, both in your hands and under your finger as you swipe. It’s crisp and clean – you want to gaze upon its beauty for hours.
Unfortunately it is hard to give an objective review of the iPad 2 because it really is the benchmark of tablets. There are not a lot of reviews out there arguing why to buy an iPad 2 as opposed to another tablet; simply why it is better than the iPad 1.
Apple have done well on the iPad 2 in providing an experience. The device is very fast. Swiping between pages is easy and having the ability to not just flick but to do it at your own speed is a pleasant surprise (for example if you are reading the last few words on a page). The navigation however is not exactly intuitive. If you get lost you can always press the home button but it removes you from the program – unlike the Transformer’s menu which can be brought up at any time (and if you change your mind, easily dismissed).
The camera might not be fantastic but honestly, if you are using this as your primary camera and not just a webcam you really need to get a decent camera – or at least a phone with a good camera. One downside with using the webcam/FaceTime interface is that the speakers are mounted on the back. The volume needs to be turned right up which doesn’t produce great results – and is quite a problem for others in the room when the user is simply watching video. Earphones are an option and while there is an output for these, they are not included in the box.
The on-board apps include ones you will use on a regular basis but also Apple’s exclusive products that you may never intend using (hello FaceTime). You will likely upgrade the basic apps such as Notes for one that is actually useful. I much preferred the Transformer’s book reading app over the iPad’s iBooks.
Built-in apps may be lacklustre but it is the App Store where Apple really shines. It’s no secret that the best apps are developed first for iDevices and then possibly rolled out to Android, and it really shows. The abundance and variety of apps available for the iPad is endless and although not all apps are configured to iPad size (ie. they will display at the size of a mobile screen) there are many that are configured – and the sheer number of apps available is simply a vote in the iPad’s favour. Beware of the $20 and $30 apps, and the very large file sizes – with no external storage capabilities the iPad 2 can easily fill up once you have put all of your favourite music, movies, books onto it and downloaded a decent amount of apps and games.
The iPad 2 has reached a competitive position in the Australian marketplace. Brand loyalty aside it is a fast, lightweight (590g), long-lasting (10hrs on a single charge) device with excellent aesthetics and a system that really does just work. You don’t need to worry about the PC-related problems that other tablets might face, because it’s a Mac. And you can get one for about the same price as any other tablet on the market.
