Android Tablets - School Me

[Jimmy]

So I was in to Best Buy and still don't know..they had the nexus 7 and iPad mini there. The iPad mini was a great size and looked really nice, though I hate the thought of being restricted by Apple.

What restrictions are you worried about? What could you do on a Nexus that you can't on an iPad mini?

I don't really know to be honest. I just know Apple likes to make proprietary formats and restricts you to adding files via iTunes. It's more so my lack of knowledge about the iPad that worries me.

[RubberToe]

I'm probably going to pick up a Nexus 7 soon myself.

Sent from the brew timer.

[jeffsmith]

So I was in to Best Buy and still don't know..they had the nexus 7 and iPad mini there. The iPad mini was a great size and looked really nice, though I hate the thought of being restricted by Apple.

What restrictions are you worried about? What could you do on a Nexus that you can't on an iPad mini?

I don't really know to be honest. I just know Apple likes to make proprietary formats and restricts you to adding files via iTunes. It's more so my lack of knowledge about the iPad that worries me.

I've never run into any issues personally, but iTunes is the centre of all the media in our house.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

I have never put a single video on y parents ipad, because they've never been an apple approved format.

[Jimmy]

I have never put a single video on y parents ipad, because they've never been an apple approved format.

As in you've never been successful, or never attempted? I think I'm decided on the nexus 10, but I was in future shop tonight and the iPad's sure do look purdy..The nexus 10 is supposedly just as nice though.

[jeffsmith]

I don't think you can go wrong with either of them to be honest.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

I have never put a single video on y parents ipad, because they've never been an apple approved format.

As in you've never been successful, or never attempted? I think I'm decided on the nexus 10, but I was in future shop tonight and the iPad's sure do look purdy..The nexus 10 is supposedly just as nice though.

i tried once on their ipad, and once on my ipod touch. but it didn't like my mkv either time! (they only support a few filetypes). i have never looked into the android tablets, so i really can't comment on them, just wanted to make sure you were aware of format limitations with ipad

[jeffsmith]

iOS devices require h.264 video (m4v or m4a). Slightly better compression algorithm than mkv. But when you're talking 3.5GB vs. 3.45GB, it's not really that big of a deal.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

iOS devices require h.264 video (m4v or m4a). Slightly better compression algorithm than mkv. But when you're talking 3.5GB vs. 3.45GB, it's not really that big of a deal.

mkv is just the container, it could be h.264 as well. i dont know what mine were

[derek]

I have never put a single video on y parents ipad, because they've never been an apple approved format.

As in you've never been successful, or never attempted? I think I'm decided on the nexus 10, but I was in future shop tonight and the iPad's sure do look purdy..The nexus 10 is supposedly just as nice though.

i tried once on their ipad, and once on my ipod touch. but it didn't like my mkv either time! (they only support a few filetypes). i have never looked into the android tablets, so i really can't comment on them, just wanted to make sure you were aware of format limitations with ipad

Same with the Apple TV. My original one failed, and Apple replaced it, and of course the replacement wasn't jailbroken, so I started off trying to do what I'd previously been doing with XBMC directly from the AppleTV software. When I discovered that it couldn't play .AVI files - and most of my videos were AVI - I quickly resorted to the jailbreak and XBMC again. And the crazy thing is that AVI is only an envelope - the actual video and audio components of the one file I checked were in formats that Apple supports!

[CorneliusAlphonse]

I quickly resorted to the jailbreak and XBMC again.

hmmm, i wonder if there is anything like xbmc for ios if you have it jailbroken? ipad or iphone, just curious

[Jimmy]

Ended up going with the nexus 10. Couldn't break through my fear of Apple

[mr x]

[RubberToe]

Where from? I thought they were sold out.

Sent from the brew timer.

[Jimmy]

Where from? I thought they were sold out.

Sent from the brew timer.

Google Play in the US; my parents have a place in Florida so they had it shipped there.

[gyorke]

Lesson learned, they do not survive 10 storey falls down elevator shafts. This is what my original Asus Transformer looks like after it slipped and slithered through that small crack in front of an open elevator.

uploadfromtaptalk1359986049544.jpg

uploadfromtaptalk1359986076709.jpg

[mr x]

Bad luck there....

[chalmers]

Reviving this thread to get some advice on tablets.
Is the Nexus 7 still a decent choice? $229 looks quite good, though slightly bigger would be nice. Seems like quite a jump in price to go to the 10" ($399).
I was toying with getting one from dealextreme.com, but too many choices make my head hurt.
iPad is more than I'd like to pay.

[jeffsmith]

Reviving this thread to get some advice on tablets.
Is the Nexus 7 still a decent choice? $229 looks quite good, though slightly bigger would be nice. Seems like quite a jump in price to go to the 10" ($399).
I was toying with getting one from dealextreme.com, but too many choices make my head hurt.
iPad is more than I'd like to pay.

I have a Nexus 7 and an iPad Mini. For the extra $80-90 ($319 at Walmart last time I looked), I'd recommend going with the iPad Mini. More speed, better build quality, nicer screen. Just more responsive overall.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Nexus 7 they sell now is the second version and a pretty significant upgrade. I think. (I dislike iOS so I gotta stick up for my team)

[chalmers]

Based off the specs I was reading at http://www.google.ca/nexus/7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; vs http://www.apple.com/ca/ipad/compare/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, the Nexus has a higher dpi screen (or same as the Retina display), so it must be the second gen.
Though like you mentioned to Jimmy previously, Jeff, best to get my hands on both and give them a whirl.

[jeffsmith]

Yup exactly. I hadn't realized that the second gem of the Nexus was out. Mine is over a year old.

[dexter]

For movies videos on an iPad You can use AVPLAYER. Plays every file known to me even opens and plays RARS and costs 4$ or so. It basically bypasses iTunes as the player, you do add files thru it.

[gm-]

Really happy with all my nexus products, have both a nexus 4 phone and a nexus 7 tablet and my wife has a nexus 4 as well.

[RobD]

For anyone in the market for tablets (or other stuff in general), I found a great couple of sites to use together to get some pretty great prices. I give all credit for finding these to my fellow frugalmites at RedFlagDeals. The sites are Ebates.ca and Shop.ca.

Create an account through Ebates, and use it as a "clickthrough" to Shop.ca and you will get 20% back from purchases with Shop.ca. I've used it 5 times now (coffee machine, coffee, Xbox games, Xbox1), and have gotten the money from Ebates deposited to my paypal account, no issues. Full list of cash back eligible stores: http://www.ebates.ca/stores" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In addition, stack the 20% off with these to get another $65 off:
- Sign up bonus with Shop.ca: $25 (spend over $100 to use it)
- Sign up bonus with Ebates: $5
- There is a Paypal deal going on now ($25 off purchase of $75 or more)) : http://www.shop.ca/shop/en/infoView?sto ... ogId=10301" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- There's a $10 coupon code for Shop.ca right now (Code: COUPONSCA10)

Shop.ca currently has the 16GB Nexus7 for $249 (http://www.shop.ca/c/google-nexus-7-asu ... k-23377850" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).. so you can easily save a pile of money on the purchase.

Edit: Both sites offer referral bonuses. My post was certainly not an attempt to get 'em, but I would take them if someone decides to buy something. You can also use this to refer yourself using different email addresses.