Jason has a lot right in this article, primarily around the idea that Android tablets need to quit competing against each other and focus on competing against the iPad. Most of the current Android tablets are already more technically powerful than the iPad. I upgraded from my iPad to my Motorola Xoom and consider it to have been and continue to be a big upgrade. How can that be when the Xoom isn’t as powerful as the latest Android tablets and is probably barely on par with the iPad 2, particularly if actual weight comes into play?
- Expandable storage. My Xoom allows for expandable and swappable storage. Fixed storage is a huge disadvantage and I don’t intend to be locked into such a situation until wireless connectivity is as fast and reliable as my home wifi, and reliable 24×7 and free everywhere. What can I say? I don’t want to watch stuttery, blurry videos on the plane and pay usurious rates to do so.
- No bloody iTunes. In case you didn’t know, I abhor iTunes. I bought one album on it and have not purchased anything through it since. I connect my iPod to it for podcasts only and increasingly I don’t do that as my podcast listening is migrating to my phone. I was astonished and dismayed at having to attach my iPod to iTunes to get quite a few things done. Many of the apps I most used had to be attached to iTunes to load the files I wanted to use with those apps. Granted, my wife hadn’t attached her iPad to iTunes ever and perhaps she’s more of a “mass market user” than I am. However, we were both confused that she had to attach her iPad to iTunes to get the latest updates and iTunes screwed up a bunch of her apps, bookmarks and other settings. Pile onto this the continuing lack of Flash and needless to say, my wife’s next tablet will be an Android.
- Apples purposeful gimping of all other services driving everyone through their store. It cracks me up that Applistas still think of Microsoft as the fascistic, big brother while they toil away in the shadow of Lenin’s, whoops, I mean Steve Jobs memorial proclaiming their superior liberalism. Jason points out that services is the key and he’s right about that, but I’d argue that the platform that gives me more freedom to use those services of my choice in the way I want is better than being locked into one. Android provides me access to Google’s Market and services as well as Amazon’s Market and services. Additionally, I get the best experience that other app / service providers can give me without them being hamstrung by Apple’s “no store but ours” policy.
Jason is also on the money in that tablets are already bloated with features and continuing to add crazy bells and whistles to them is counterproductive. For instance there are things my Xoom does as even a first gen Android tablet that I have never used and never expect to use:
- Camera. I have cameras and a phone that do that nicely.
- Front facing camera. I have no need to do video chat on this device. I can do that better and more easily on my PC, my laptops and even my phone. Not sure how much these camera bits cost, but I imagine they add the better part of 10% to the cost of a tablet.
- HDMI out. This one is just a complete mystery to me. Why the frell would I want / need to attach the device with the least amount of video storage in my house (outside of my phone) to my TV to watch anything?
That last point on HDMI out brings up one thing that iPad does better than every Android tablet I’ve seen. Cable attachments. Seriously Android tablet makers and even Android phone makers, you are completely screwing up by not providing a single connector that covers power and device connectivity all in one. The iPad, iPod, iPhone, iTouch, etc. all have one thing that works across all devices. Plug that one thing in and you are good to go. This carries over into mounting your phone or device into other devices. In my car, my iPod (or iAnything) slides nicely down onto the plug where it gets power and broadcasts to my radio. Does the same thing for the various music players I have scattered around my house. My Android phone however, has a tiny micro port that is on the side and is a pain to get to and doesn’t dock to players other than through the headphone jack and then of course doesn’t have power. I know I’m going on a bit much about this, but it is a hugely glaring thing that needs addressed by the Android hardware community. Do it jointly guys and pick a standard. Give up on you each making individual margins on the bloody cables.
So now you know why I have and will continue to have Android phones and tablets vs. the Apple iStuff. I hope the Fire has gotten Android hardware makers thinking about Jason’s points and pulling out some of the over the top, price inflating functions from their devices. Of course, that being said, I’m eyeing the Asus Transformer Prime as my Xoom replacement if I had to buy something today. Good news is that I don’t have to buy anything today as my Xoom continues to do everything and more, that I ask of it.
