Tablet Wars - iPad 2 vs Xoom vs Galaxy Tab

Over the past month I have been testing a number of tablets, specifically the iPad 2 running iOS 4.3, Motorola Xoom running Android 3.0 and Samsung Galaxy Tab running Android 2.2. At the time of writing these are the main three tablets available in the UK.

I don't plan to write a detailed review of each device, as this has already been widely covered across the web. Instead I thought I would simply post some images of the different devices for comparison. So if you're just interested in the gallery I suggest you jump there now - Tablet Wars - Gallery.

However, being a Tech Guy, I couldn't help but write a quick summary on my experience with each device.

I'll start with the iPad 2. I don't think there is too much more to say on this device. Simply put, it's the best all-round tablet on the market today. iOS 4.3 offers a great user experience that is fast and reliable, it also has the most comprehensive App Store with thousands of applications designed specifically to take advantage of the iPad's features. Regarding the hardware, it is the slimmest and most elegant tablet of the three, but retains incredible performance and battery life. The IPS screen literally shines through as the best of the bunch. The only disappointment is the two cameras that fall below what I have come to expect from mobile devices.

I really like the Motorola Xoom as I see huge potential in Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). Unfortunately, in my opinion, this feels like an unfinished product. The hardware clearly has plenty of power, but at times Honeycomb feels very sluggish, especially when compared to iOS on the iPad 2. The Android Marketplace is also currently unusable for tablet users. Finding an application that has been optimised for Honeycomb is nearly impossible and after many hours of searching the web I found a handful of applications, but none offered the overall quality found in the Apple App Store.

Finally, regarding the hardware, I have high hopes for NVIDIA's Tegra 2 chipset, however it's the Xoom's display that lets it down. The lack of IPS and anti-glare technology results in a display that looks great indoors, under low light conditions and if you are looking directly at it, however as soon as any one of these conditions are changed, it immediately becomes very frustrating to use. Hopefully we will see better results from future Honeycomb devices, such as the Asus Eee Pad which does include IPS technology.

The final tablet I have tested is the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is an older product and has been on the market since the original iPad. Let me offer one piece of advise "Do not buy this device". Although the hardware is ok, the software (Android 2.2) has simply been ported from a smartphone. Therefore the user experience is awful, with the UI trying to fill the gap between a phone and a tablet and applications looking stretched and in some cases not working at all. This product is the exact reason why Google went back to the drawing board with Honeycomb to create an Android experience designed specifically for tablets. 

So in conclusion, if I was going to recommend one tablet right now it would definitely be the iPad 2. In my opinion Apple are still at least one year ahead of the competition, in terms of hardware quality and software maturity. Going forward I expect to see Google Android devices to close the gap, as it is clear that Android 3.0 is a significant leap forward from where they were with Android 2.2 for tablets. I'm also looking forward to geting my hands on devices from HP with the TouchPad and RIM with the PlayBook.

Don't forget to check out my "Tablet Wars - Gallery".

Samsung Galaxy Tab

When Apple released the iPad back in May I fully expected to see a surge of Android and Windows 7 devices hit the market. We did initially see a few unique products, such as the JooJoo, Dell Mini 5 and HP Slate, however each of these products failed to deliver a compelling alternative to the iPad. It has now been four months and finally we may have a real competitor with the release of the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab is part of the Galaxy mobile line that is running Google Android 2.2. It is a 7-inch device that Samsung believe will offer a better overall experience then the iPad. As a result, Product Executive Hankil Yoon states; "The company expects to ship 10 million Galaxy Tabs and grab a third of the global tablet market by next year". This is certainly a bold statement, so let's take a closer look at the device and find out what it has to offer.

The front of the Galaxy Tab (see below) is very similar to the iPad, with a black bezel on all sides to esnure your fingers do not accidentally interfere with the touch screen. The screen is 7-inch with a resolution of 1024x600 (compared to the iPad's 9.7-inch with a resolution of 1024x768). The result of the smaller screen and high resolution results in an impressive pixel density, which should look great when displaying text. The Galaxy Tab also has four touch sensitive buttons and a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera that can be used for video chat.

The back of the Galaxy Tab has a 3 megapixel camera with flash. Although currently available in white it is believed that different carriers will offer a range of different colours.

The full specification of the Samsung Galaxy Tab can be seen below:

• Android 2.2 running TouchWiz 3.0
• 7-inch TFT LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution (WSVGA)
• Weighs 380 grams
• 1GHz Cortex A8 processor
• 16GB or 32GB internal storage
• microSD expansion for up to 32GB additional storage
• Front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and rear 3 megapixel camera with flash
• 4,000mAh battery
• 3G data / voice (including speakerphone and Bluetooth for phone calls)
• 5GHz dual-band 802.11n WiFi
• Full HD (1080p) video playback
• There's a 30-pin dock connector on the bottom that allows for HDMI, USB, and docking accessories.

In terms of looks and hardware specification, the Samsung Galaxy Tab does not disappoint. Bundle this with the versatile Google Android Marketplace and we could be on to a real winner. The only concerns I have at the moment are related to price, battery life and how the Samsung TouchWiz user interface optimises the Android operating system to work with a larger screen size. I will also be interested to see how older Android applications work on the device, as well as the uptake of new "tablet specific" applications. This could be a potential stumbling block as developers will need to cater for multiple Android tablets on the market, instead of a single platform like with the iPad. To get a feel for the device check out the Samsung advert below:

For details on how to get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy Tab head over to the UK website.