Been getting a lot emails from people wanting to buy a tablet this Christmas, mostly as a gift to themselves. The top two contenders are the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Here’s a quick guide to all those who asked just to help you make that final decision.
For a more appropriate comparison, we’ll pit the 16GB iPad 3G + WiFi against the 16GB Samsung Galaxy Tab P1000. That should even the playing field for both with the inclusion of the 3G SIM slot.
photo credit: united gadget
Size and Form Factor
At 9.7″ across, the iPad is way bigger than the Galaxy Tab which is only 7″. The difference also reflects on the screen size and over-all weight of the devices.
The iPad is better for watching movies/videos, e-magazines and browsing the web due to the bigger screen real estate. This is more prominent if you are sharing the device with two or more people at the same time. You can place it at some distance and still be able to enjoy what you’re watching or reading.
The Galaxy Tab is better in a more personal setting like reading an eBook. It’s still good with watching videos or web browsing but more on a one-to-one basis. Since it’s also lighter than the iPad, it is easier to hold for a prolonged period of time. While the Galaxy Tab is fine when held with one hand, you’ll need both hands to manage the iPad.
Android Market vs. iTunes App Store
The iTunes App Store is undeniably the king of mobile app market. Both free and paid apps are available in the Philippines. Unfortunately, Google’s Android Market is only limited to free apps in the Philippines and the paid apps are nowhere in sight.
There are 3 times more available apps in the iTunes App Store than in the Android Market so you have a much wider selection with Apple as well.
As for app compatibility, the iTunes App has versions for the iPhone/iPod Touch and another HD version for the iPad. On the Android Market, there could be some resolution compatibility issues with the Galaxy Tab’s screen size and the app’s native resolution.
Support & Warranty
Up until today, the iPad is not officially released in the Philippines so there’s no local warranty to speak of when your device conks out. You’ll either send it back to GreenHills for repair or ship it to Apple Singapore for warranty claims.
With the Galaxy Tab, you can get support and warranty from Samsung Service Centers. If the rumors are correct though, Apple is set to officially release the iPad this month so warranty shouldn’t be a problem after then.
Mobile OS and Feature Differences
The iPad runs on iOS 4 which is specifically made for the device. On the other hand, Android Froyo isn’t really for tablet form factors. You’ll have to wait for Android Gingerbread to get the full compatibility with tablets like the Galaxy Tab.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab’s 2 biggest advantages over the Apple iPad are the camera and the voice calling/SMS features. If these are very important to you, then there’s no contest here. Then, there’s the WiFi tethering on Froyo too (there’s WiFi tethering on the iPad when jailbroken via Cydia).
As a mobile device, the iPad scores points on battery life with up to 10 hours on a single charge. The Galaxy Tab comes at a distant 7 hours.
Multi-tasking is no longer an issue since the latest iOS 4.2 already solved that.
Price and Affordability
The 16GB iPad 3G+WiFi sells for about Php32,000 in the grey market. That’s Php3,000 cheaper than the Galaxy Tab which has a suggested retail price of Php34,990. The iPad 3G can even go down to a much as Php26k in some stores so there’s a huge difference there already.
If you can’t afford the straight cash payment, Smart has a postpaid plan for the Galaxy Tab. At Php2,000 a month, the Galaxy Tab is free and you’re locked to the network for 24 months. That brings you a Php1,000 for unlimited internet a month and Php24,000 for the Galaxy Tab over the 2-year period.
Paired Devices and other Factors
Perhaps, the least obvious among the things to consider when deciding between the two is the use case. What would be the primary use of the tablet and what devices will you pair it with?
If you already own a smartphone (say a Galaxy S), getting a tablet with a smaller form factor may not make sense since the size difference isn’t that much (becomes redundant). If not, then the Galaxy Tab can serve as a tablet and a smartphone at the same time — you’re getting two for the price of one.
If you’re heavy in content consumption, the iPad offers much longer battery life and if you’re always on the road, battery life trumps everything else. Really important if you also bring along a laptop or netbook with limited battery life.
There’s really no clear-cut winner here because the decision will heavily rely on how you will use it. For tablets, I’d put more weight on apps, battery life then price.
The iPhone and the iPad are smudge magnets, especially for those who have sweaty palms like myself.
I think it’s the glass that puts both devices a bit on the heavy side.
@scorer
yugatech hits (pera) = 100000000
:D
For me Apple iPad pa din. wala akong problem sa iPad ko and ok ang browsing, games and reading experience.
apple fanboys = 2
apple fanboy haters = 3
android fanboys = 2
ano ba yan…
sa screen pa lang
ang labo na ng SAMSUNG!
ang mahal na ang pangit pa.
My mom and bro have ipads. When they first arrived, I used my mom’s extensively for a week then I stopped borrowing it. Same goes for my wife’s iphone 4. I gushed at the retina display and speed (as opposed to her old 3g), but lost interest in it in a week. I’ve had my Galaxy S phone for over a month and I’m still playing around with it. What’s the difference? It’s the freedom android offers. With iOS you get to play around with apps and games and that’s it. With android, you play with flashing roms and kernels.
Go to XDA and you can find all sorts of ROMs that can cater to your specific needs. If you want kernels that overclock your CPU for performance boost at the expense of battery life, it’s there. If you want undervolting and underclocking to extend battery life, it’s there. If you want a stripped down, no frills, smart phone, it’s there. And if you want to access paid apps in the market in a country where it’s not allowed, like the Philippines, there is MarketAccess. :)
With iOS, you get what Steve gives you. And what he gives you works nice and smooth. You can jailbreak and get even more goodies. What iOS has over android is that: It. Just. Works. Those who like an excellent out-of-the-box experience, like my wife, should go for an iOS device.
However, an adventurous personality (like mine), will find it restrictive and that it gets old real fast. I love and enjoy the freedom of android. You don’t have to even be technically inclined. There are tons of how-tos that all you need is the ability to read. And besides, Samsung’s S-AMOLED is just…. wow!
I want any tablet device for portability lang, mapa Ipad man or G tab.
But then again, I have my 14in laptop and touchscreen phone…and since it is just a WANT (not need), maybe I can pass pa muna.
It is very informative by the way. Kaya nga kasama ka na sa saved buttons ko ang Yugatech. Hehehehehe
I want any tablet device for portability lang, mapa Ipad man or G tab.
But then again, I have my 14in laptop and touchscreen phone…and since it is just a WANT (not need), maybe I can pass pa muna.
It is very informative by the way. Kaya nga kasama ka na sa saved buttons ko ang Yugatech. Hehehehehe
Sir abe, comment lang aq sa itunes apps store at android market. Mas madami nga ang itunes mga walang kakwenta kwenta naman karamihan. Compare po sa android market maraming maggandang apps kahit free. Ang magagandang apps ng itunes ang mamahal naman. Opinion q lang po. Sa multitasking naman po android ang true winner jan. Sa 2 devices na to ipad at tab, i’d rather go to ipad kc mas mura xa compare to tab. Tama nga cnabi u sir abe google mismo nagsabi na android 2.2 ay d nakadesign para sa tablet. Hntayin na lang natin ang android 2.3 gingerbread.
I also debated whether I should get an ipad or a Tab. In the end I settled for the Ipad because of the stability of the IOS, quality of apps & watching videos on a bigger screen. Contrary to other people saying it is a lot of hassle to convert movies for ipad viewing, you just have to download a free version of VLC player which can pretty much handle any video files. Absolutely no regret on my purchase..
I agree with YuYu. These two products do not compete with each other in my opinion. With one having 7″ and the other having a 9.7″ screen it is like comparing a 11.6″ laptop with a 13.3″ laptop… first you pick the size you want, than the brand.
i go for the Galaxy Tab, (and i’m really considering getting one).
and my only reason is the SIZE.
if there’s a 7″ iPad then i’ll probably reconsider.
i’ve played around w/ an iPad, at nabibigatan ako. masakit sa kamay. ;'(
Sa website ng Smart free lang ang Galaxy Tab at plan P3000 or mas up to date ba yang info mo sir Abe.Thanks
How much is the cheapest iPad 32GB WIFI+3G, and where to buy (store)? I want one as a X-Mas present for myself hehehe.
iPad will be officially released locally on December 14, 2010..warranty won’t be a problem anymore.
Majority of the people do believe iPad is better. then again it is a matter of preference.
You guys should wait for iPad2.rumor says it’ll be released around April 2011 already with retina display and dual cam for face time. it’s not confirmed, but I suggest for those who’s yet to own an iPad should wait for the later release.
@Carlo Ople
some people are just butthurt at the very mention of enjoying their favorite apple product.
-> coming from a non-apple user.
nilampaso lang ng android ang ios e.
bluetooth file transfer -check
connect your device to ANY pc/laptop -check
connect USB thumbdrive on your android tablet -check
real multitasking -check
microsd card -check
flash player (froyo) -check
file manager -check
pang totoong techie -check
pang simple at pogi pero may utak -check
btw, i own an archos tablet
Now don’t go writing off the Galaxy Tab yet. I actually got one (from Smart) and am very pleased with it. Don’t get me wrong. I like the iPad, and its advantages are a sleeker interface, smoother scrolling in books, PDF files and websites, and tons more apps (among other things). But I got the Samsung for similar reasons that I went for the Nokia N900 instead of the iPhone (I’m actually not fond of Samsung phones): full browsing experience with Flash (when I go to sites, I don’t want watered down mobile versions) and easier access to files with expandable storage (you can connect it to PC and it’ll act as a mass storage device, just drag and drop files without needing iTunes or WIFI, but read/write speeds are slower compared to N900), & full Angry Birds comes free (with Christmas and Halloween editions pa! And despite what they say about phone games not optified for bigger screens, Angry Birds actually looks fantastic), among other things. It comes with Office (Word, Excel, Ppoint equivalents – read and edit files) preinstalled. Both iPad and gTab are excellent devices but they cater to different markets, with some overlap. Try them before bashing either.
BTW, correction on the article: the gTab (from Smart) is free at plans P3000 and P4000, and costs P4000 with plan P2000, while for plan P1000, you shell out P16,000.
I’d go for iPad, since I have my cell phone for the voice call and SMS, also nothing beats watching a movie on a larger screen!!!
But of course the support issue can be a deal breaker to some people!!