Just how big is the iPad ?

[miffed]

We all know that the iPad is a success, many were very sceptical at launch as to why anyone would even want such a product..... then they came round to that idea, and now we hear a lot of talk about how Apple defined a market.
Of course every Manufacturer and his dog make an tablet , all of which that look suspiciously like the iPad, these manufacturers have played the trump card of filling in the "missing bits" of the iPad - cool eh ? they take the iPad , copy it , then add the bits Apple missed - making it perfect right ?
The reality is ... no - each and every one has fallen pretty much flat on its face , a smart person would conclude that Apple actually knew what the were doing WRT the omissions ?

What I hadn't realised is the magnitude of the iPad's dominance ! I was at The Gadget Show Live at the NEC yesterday , and the dominance of the iPad , and generally the iOS platform was staggering ! Virtually every stand had an iPad on it for one reason or another ! be it that their products were iPad related , or the used iPads as part of their display stand , I'd guess I saw a couple of thousand iPads (literally !) .... whereas I could probably count the entire number of non iPad tablets on my fingers ! , DEFINATELY if I used my toes too.

I actually went to the show hoping to bring home an Android Tablet , but if anything I felt pushed away from them - I came away pondering a new iPad !

[Hands0n]

The only currently true alternative to the iPad is an Android-based tablet, and then it has to have version 4.0.x (Ice Cream Sandwich) version of the OS to even become to be close. And even then it will be a fair old distance away, and behind, the iPad. That is just the situation as it currently stands.

As you observe, the manufacturers all jumped on the bandwagon thinking that they'd have a piece of Apple's action, hoping to repeat what has been done with the smartphone where Android has now got dominance, albeit not with a single manufacturer but the amassed group of Android makers. That and the significant price under-cutting compared to the iPhone has assured Android's [phone] success.

But none of that is repeating on the tablet, and that is for several reasons that come to mind. First up has to be price, the ICS tablets are not a great distance, price-wise, from the iPad. Then there has to be the lack of Android tablet-specific apps. The bulk of apps available for tablets are smartphone versions that simply, and horribly, scale up to fill the screen size. The biggest culprits have to be the Social Media apps (Facebook, Twitter and its clones, also the other recent entrants). These look dreadful on a 10" Android).

After that little lot there is the matter of software quality, the ICS OS is not yet stable across all Android tablets that currently sport it. Asus are having dreadful trouble with the two Transformer ranges, as is Samsung and the others. The word is out, tablets sold and seen to be faulty are returned to the stores. The average punter knows not much at all about OS versions and suchlike, only that their mate has an iPad that "just works" and they're struggling with their alternative device.

The Apple SDK is in no small way a lever to pull in corporate developers to the device. I've used both Apple's and the Android SDK (Eclipse) and can tell you that UI design and code development in iOS is near-trivial to the mess that is Java and XML that has to be either hand built or use third party tools to prepare before submission into the SDK. One is a breeze, the other is a complete chore.

There are plenty more reasons why any business may decide to use an iPad over Android tablets. The list is a rather long one. And that is the particular battle that Android has to face in the tablet world. It is not a foregone conclusion by any stretch that Android will repeat the smartphone experience in this space.

[gorilla]

I really want to argue with you but I can't! The iPad is everywhere and with the price drop, it's only going to go further. Ebuyer are flogging iPad 2's on ebay for £290.

So where does that leave Android? I think it is fair to say that this is make or break year for Google in the tablet space what with the prospect of windows 8 tablets and potentially the kindle fire landing on UK store shelves this year. I have repeatedly stated that for Android to succeed it has to seriously undercut Apple and the current generation of 'premium' android tablets just don't cut it.

However, I have been intrigued by reviews of Ainol (yes that's the name) tablets that have been circulating on HotUKDeals or the Eken ICS tablet for £80. I'm not suggesting these can compete with the iPad, but what I am going to suggest is that we are going to see a viable ICS android tablet for much less than £200 in 2012. I have been very tempted by the Ainol Novo for £118 but have held off so far. I really have no need for one, but I'd like a spare tablet if for no other reason than to surf the web while watching TV (if the iPad is in someone else's hands!).

Google are rumoured to be releasing an Asus made tablet but if it tries to compete with the iPad on price then it will fail. Google should ship these subsidised in the hope that they will make money through google search and Play sales (like Amazon are effectively doing with the Kindle line). If this tablet materialises, if it's 10" running proper (google) Android and it retails for £180 I would absolutely buy one. If it retails closer to £300 then why would I buy one?

[paulbds]

OMG that Ainol Novo tablet seems v e r y tempting.

Just out of interest, i went to for the iPad2 Ebuyer offer this morning and will sell my wife's iPad 1 (3G), should fetch a decent price 2nd hand so a good deal really.
I really must avoid Hot UK Deals
Digression: Went to Gadget show last week and there were some very good deals, especially so on the on the TomTom stand - they were giving trade in prices without the actual trade-ins being hadned in at the show. You could purchase the latest TomTom 1005 (Eu maps) for £120 whereas they are going for £200 retail
BTW, anyone on the site going to PCR Bootamp this year? - they are giving each attendee an Apple TV for attending - and its free. Google it for further info

I am neutral as to which platform I use, mainly Android phones but use Apple tablets, they just work and support all the apps I need to run
However, the 7" ipad that's rumored for later in the year????
Been a long day, night night
Paul

[paulbds]

How about some of us meeting up at next years Gadget show!!
I also was hoping to come home with an Android tablet of some sort but just bought a few stocking fillers

P

[Hands0n]

Cool idea about a T3G meet up at next year's Gadget Show - best start reminding us lot nearer the time. I'm up for that

Being a long-time (!?) Android tablet user, Asus Eee Pad Transformer (TF101), Honeycomb (yeulk) and now ICS (less yeulk, its a bit broken) I can see the very obvious gap that exists between Android in tablet form and the iPad. I have both. The iPad "simply works" each time, every time, without fail. The Android tablet is quirky in its own right, the OS is now sublime when it works, but the apps remain clunky or weak. There are few exceptions.

This is probably because the developers have not yet got their heads around ICS's key attributes in terms of on-screen design and capabilities. There are no strong design guidelines in the near-anarchy that is Android. And the fragmentation that exists in Android's UI is difficult for developers and confusing for users who may be looking around at a selection.

I think this alone is where Windows 8 for tablets will score over Android, the Metro UI will be a major challenge to Android tablets. Where it (WP7) currently fails to attract in smartphones Windows 8 will score on the larger screen. Consistent UI across all manufacturer's platforms, a more regular [rigid?] developer paradigm, it will all win out.

Google, and the Android tablet makers, should feel threatened. They're not going to have an easy ride and repeat their success over iOS on the smartphone.

And I don't believe price alone will be the deal winner. How many cheap Android tablets have been consigned to behind the settee, never to see the light of day again?

[miffed]

The meet would be fun ....although I am thinking of boycotting it next year in disgust of the decision to axe the lovely Suzi Perry.

I actually see the iPad as almost a seperate entity from "The tablet market" - Its like the iPad is more of a finished product / Appliance , whereas Android tablets are generic chunks of hardware. I'd never consider replacing my iPad with an Android tablet in the way that I replaced my iPhone with the Galaxy Note , but I would certainly buy one as an additional toy.

Which actually reminds me , a few years back (pre-iPad) I predicted that I'd faithfully stick to the iPhone until a point when Android handsets were good enough ...and then I'd have an Android "flagship" and an iPod touch - it has just struck me that I have now reached that point , only using an iPad instead of an iPod touch. If I didn't have an iPad I am not sure I'd have been so keen to lose the iPhone , I feel like I need to keep my nose into iOS in some way !