Look out! Ipad2 v. Motorola Xoom

[GhostFist]

well I've done my research to date and in my humble opinion, the xoom is the most capable piece of hardware in its class. The fact that it's flagship Honeycomb means it's updated without bloatware as soon as google releases one. All the ports necessary, expandable internal sd card, and a solid all around build. It's competitors have their pluses no doubt, but I have to crown the xoom....still waiting for mobile sketchup though....angry birds be damned. (seriously whats with the angry birds thing?)

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I don't understand the whole angry birds thing either.  What is it?  Why does it seem to have a cult following?  People are referencing to it so much.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

I don't understand the whole angry birds thing either.  What is it?  Why does it seem to have a cult following?  People are referencing to it so much.

Angry Birds is a great game, very addictive but easy enough to pick up and put down for just a minute or two.

I just got an iPad, I had bought it for my mother who decided after the return period expired that she would rather have a real computer.  so when I bought her an iMac, she gave me the iPad.  Philosophically, I have a number of serious  problems with Apple's mobile products...closed for one thing, lacking an accessible file system for another thing, lacking the ability to read Sd cards natively, inability to be miunted as an external hard drive to arbitrary systems, and mostly forcing users to go through iTunes for nearly everything.  For these reasons, I wouldnt have bought one for myself.

But I have come to love having a tablet.  It's great when on errands to be able to check Evernote or Tapatalk or the Lee Valley catalog.  I'm not sure the iPad does these things better than other tablets, but the availability of accessories is far greater in the iPad space.  I bought a little dongle that let's me plug my electric guitar into it, use it as as an effects suite, and even (evidently) play over songs in my library.  I doubt that's easily doable on Android.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I know it's a game, but what is it about and why are so many people hooked on it?

 

[NuggyBuggy]

How do you explain why certain games are addictive and others are not  ? Why do some people find Tetris, Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Asteroids, Solitaire, Minesweeper or Bejeweled addictive ? For that matter, why are some people addicted to checking their emails, Facebook pages, or the pages of their favorite forums ? There's billions of dollars waiting for the people who can come up with the answer to these questions.

 

[JeromeM]

well I've done my research to date and in my humble opinion, the xoom is the most capable piece of hardware in its class. The fact that it's flagship Honeycomb means it's updated without bloatware as soon as google releases one. All the ports necessary, expandable internal sd card, and a solid all around build. It's competitors have their pluses no doubt, but I have to crown the xoom....still waiting for mobile sketchup though....angry birds be damned. (seriously whats with the angry birds thing?)

You are correct in saying that the xoom has better hardware than the iPad 2, though that may not last past September when the next iteration iPad 2+ comes out.

The big difference is the software. iPad has it all xoom may get it in the future.

Flash iPad no. Zoom yes but if you use it a lot then the battery life drops down to 5 hours.

My take is that if the SW you want is on the zoom now, great get one. But don't hold your breath waiting.

For me the iPad 2 has what I need at work, on the way to work, at home, and when I get into the workshop next week I expect it will do OK there.

YMMV mine does

 

[Ken Nagrod]

How do you explain why certain games are addictive and others are not  ? Why do some people find Tetris, Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Asteroids, Solitaire, Minesweeper or Bejeweled addictive ? For that matter, why are some people addicted to checking their emails, Facebook pages, or the pages of their favorite forums ? There's billions of dollars waiting for the people who can come up with the answer to these questions.

Who cares?  I'm not coming up with my college thesis.  I'm just asking a simple question to those people familiar with Angry Birds.  I don't know anything about it, so I asked.

 

[tiralie]

I know it's a game, but what is it about and why are so many people hooked on it?

Who knows, but it could be a college thesis trying to figure it out. My guess would be almost instant gratification (exploding/eating whatever the heck those things are) and the haptic (tactile) feedback (directing the birds flight with your finger) seem the most obvious reasons.
I am familiar with the game as my brother plays it all the time.  I tell him that he likes the game because it fulfills some need (issues with my mother) that only Freudian analysis can unlock [big grin]. His only response is to tell me that I am an obsessive compulsive, (Festool, potato chips, etc.) to which I smile and agree to.
Seriously, it's probably a stress and/or anxiety reliever that becomes a habit much like smoking or eating (potato chips) is for others.

Tim

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Thanks Tim.  Hopefully you're eating Pringles or similar so you're Festool's aren't all greasy.  [big grin]

 

[woodguy7]

Just got my ipad 2 a few days ago, that angry birds is a good game though eh  ;D

 

[tiralie]

Just got my ipad 2 a few days ago, that angry birds is a good game though eh  ;D

I think it's a really well designed game. For some it's addictive. I have never played it and I am some what reluctant to try. Getting that iPad outta my brothers hands is like taking a bottle from a baby so I haven't dared. I find the game graphics to be both cute and sinister at the same time.

Are you also using the iPad for work, showing clients samples etc?

Tim

 

[woodguy7]

Tim, its funny you should ask that.  It is work i bought it for, actually i bought it through the business.  I made a gate for a customer & fitted it 2 days ago.  I have to go see him in half an hour to price more gates (must have been happy) so i have just this minute loaded work pictures to show him.
This is my first apple product so it will take me a little time to learn Apples ways but i hope to do a  lot for work on it.  Really pleased so far  [big grin]

I hope, in time to be able to show examples of work, type invoices in the customers house, e-mail it to them & if possible take a card payment.  Just waiting for my mini sim card to arrive for  the 3G internet.

Downloaded the Bamboo paper app for writing notes & sketching drawings but i ordered a stylus last night as I'm not keen on writing or drawing with my finger.

Woodguy.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

Who cares?  I'm not coming up with my college thesis.  I'm just asking a simple question to those people familiar with Angry Birds.  I don't know anything about it, so I asked.

You didn't ask a simple question.  Answering the question properly would probably require a Ph.D. thesis, not a college thesis. 

 

[tiralie]

Hopefully you're eating Pringles or similar so you're Festool's aren't all greasy.  [big grin]

No real preference, (obvious signs of an addict) just love the combination of crisp, starch and salt. I don't eat them if I am working, that oil gets on everything. If the bag is open I will probably eat them can't keep any chips in the house or they are gone. I am allergic to MSG so I can't have the flavored chips e.g. ketchup etc. but I love them.
However if they aren't there, I don't go out of my way to buy them.

 

[upscale]

However if they aren't there, I don't go out of my way to buy them.

How do they get there in the first place then? Let me guess, the potato fairy regularly sneaks into your house in the middle of the night and leaves a bag of chips.   [poke]  [laughing]

 

[tiralie]

... the potato fairy regularly sneaks into your house in the middle of the night and leaves a bag of chips.   [poke]  [laughing]

That is correct!  [big grin]

 

[upscale]

But, just to quantify things, I've built a list of my wants when it comes to a tablet.

Well, just about ready to buy. I've been seriously considering the Motorola Xoom, but just yesterday, I read an advert for the Toshiba Thrive. ~ Some minor advantages to each.

One big thing that's been delaying my buying, is wanting 3g or 4g on my tablet. (Canadian market) But, in a dazzling sense of clarity, I've realized that at a later day, I can buy a USB 3g or 4g memory stick when and if I decide I need this type of communication. Just have to decide to stop procrastinating.  :-\