It has nothing to do with them being shit (which is true for both) but it has to do with critical mass. Both markets (in regards to phone apps) have reached critical mass.

On a side note, Android's apps just got a MAJOR boost with the addition of a ton of cool new developer tools and the Open Accessory API. Google knocked it out of the PARK with today's announcements.

Here are some quotes on Android 3.1 and what is now available to developers...

OK this is funny...

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget....-day-10124.jpg

For what it's worth, Google's making an attempt at fixing the fragmented updates issue. We'll see how it works in reality.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/10/g...-android-upda/

Pretty sure this is a byproduct of the massive changes we'll see in Ice Cream Sandwich. The UI (moving forward) is going to be extremely easy to "skin" so the carriers won't need to waste as many resources getting the updates ready. Combine that with the fact that the base interface itself is WORLDS better and it won't require as much customization anyway.

but as DaFace said... we'll see.

Why You Should Be Outraged by iPad Subscription Model

http://www.applegazette.com/wp-conte.../evilapple.jpgA few months back, Apple unveiled its subscription service for content distribution on the iPad. The model first used by The Daily news app is now available to all app content makers, such as magazines, newspapers, and even video and music. Anything that’s published can be delivered automatically to your iPad without the need for individual in-app or App Store purchases, if you wish.
On the surface, this sounds great. It will certainly make life easier for iPad users. It’s just like the difference between having to run down to your local magazine stand to pick up your favorite rag, vs. having a subscription that sends your magazine directly to your house. The latter is just more convenient. But there’s more to it than just subscriptions. This is a grand, sweeping change that goes into effect on June 30th, and requires any content provider to sell their content from within their app — not just subscriptions.
The old way of doing things, for example, was if you want to buy an ebook for your Kindle app, you have to go to Amazon.com in your web browser and purchase the ebook there. Amazon would then send the ebook to your iPad’s Kindle app. Now, Apple’s requirement means that Amazon has to make all of their ebooks available to buy from inside the Kindle app.
This doesn’t sounds so bad at first, until you look at Apple’s new policy of taking a 30% commission on every in-app purchase. Amazon and other content providers can sell their stuff outside of their app, but they must also offer it inside the app, at the same price or lower. And no longer does Apple allow developers to include links to websites for purchasing content — which makes it a lot harder for consumers to know that they can buy content for their apps on the Net. Adding insult to injury, Apple had the gall to announce this new policy in a happy/shiny press release that makes it sound as if Apple is doing everyone a favor.
http://www.applegazette.com/wp-conte...oads/iflow.jpgBecause of this new commission structure, one app has had to pull its own plug, after a quarter of a million downloads. And they’re not taking it lying down. iFlow Reader, a slick ebook app that took 15 months to develop and cost its makers over a million dollars to create, is shutting down as of May 31st (the app has already disappeared from the App Store), because the commission that Apple is demanding equates to more than the profit that iFlow Reader itself makes on each book. Meaning they have to take a loss for every ebook they sell.
BeamItDown software, the company behind the iFlow Reader, has fired off an angry tirade against Apple for essentially screwing them over after selling them on the dream of digital content. And I can’t blame them for being upset. In fact, as a writer myself, I’m siding with BeamItDown on this one.
Whatever else your sentiments toward Apple — and I love their products more than I love some people — this policy is just plain evil. I want to believe that Apple never foresaw how this content model would negatively impact the little guy developers out there, but this feels way too calculated a move for that kind of innocence.
The folks at BeamItDown go so far as to call this move “an eviction notice” from a “totalitarian dictator” who wants all ebook purchases on the iPad to come from iBooks and nowhere else.

In what may end up being the most ironic Chiefsplanet news ever...

I am about to do a major VBulletin update and in order to get some added mobile functionality I will likely purchase the full mobile suite. And here is where it gets funny... it would include custom Chiefsplanet Android and iOS apps. So, the guy that thinks it's silly to use an app when there is a perfectly good mobile version of the site available... will be publishing two apps for the site!

Now, to stay true to form.. I will bitch about Apple...
To publish an Android app I can use any platform... Mac, Windows, Linux...

To publish an iOS app... I HAVE to use a Mac... what a complete crock of shit. **** Apple.. seriously **** THEM SQUARE IN THE ASS.

Thanks for trying anyway dude, it really is appreciated; most of the time I spend on CP these days is on the iPad2, so some sort of iOS format would've been cool.

Don't count me out, I will probably just use a buddy's Mac to publish the iOS app. Which means it may not happen for a couple months but definitely before the 2011 season starts.

Brilliant sir, many thanks

http://on.mash.to/lSoOSy

So in case anyone doubted the overall crappiness or general unusability of an iPad 2 camera for anything other than Skype/FaceTime, Apparently there are only 23 people a day using Flickr on iPad 2. Which isn't surprising but still... 23 seems low even for a substandard camera like this.

Well, it's not like you need an iOS app for the site, anyway.

As for the camera -- who the hell uses a camera on an iPad, anyway? I don't think I've ever even bothered turning it on. Not because it's useless, although it may be, but because using a camera on a tablet is awkward.

It's really a combination of both.

There's now an app for that......

iPlayboy. Every Playboy issue ever made, now on your iPad.

http://i.playboy.com/index2.html

No current development planned for an Android version......

I've long felt that if I were tech-savvy I'd develop a working, interactive vagina app; there'd be a clit, vibrating feature, orgasm sounds and ultimately an ability to get it off... I figure at least 100,000 people would pay 99 cents for that... Steve jobs would never agree to it though :(


What may have been...

The playboy app doesn't include the good pictures.

Funny, because Apple sucks... they had to fake an app and instead it's just a mobile optimized website...

So, (unless they purposely block certain browsers) this should be available in ANY web browser.

The important point here is that they went with the "i" prefix..... Clearly a statement that even someone like Playboy knows that the iOS owns the future of tablet porn viewing....

My first post from my new iPad2. Hooray!!

iOS5 is nice so far (halfway through the keynote), but there's hardly any innovation here. Just reusing ideas from apps, WebOS and Android.

Disappointing, Apple. I expected more. Still, it's an improvement, so I can't complain too much.

iCloud is pretty awesome.

iTunes match just took a steaming dump on Amazon and Google.

http://www.mobiledia.com/news/92718.html

Interesting that iPhone 4 is still selling well. Evidently, Walmart is selling them for $150 beginning today.

iOS 5 looks amazing...

Tabbed browser, iMessages, instant access from the lock screen to specific apps, splitting the keyboard on the iPad, the whole thing looks very, very cool.

LOL...... iOS 5 jailbroken within 24hrs of release....

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/219...eak2485420.jpg

See those Cydia and iSSH icons? How about the Reminders and Newstand apps, see those? What you're looking at is the harmonious coexistence of hacks and Apple's virgin iOS 5 beta release running on a 4th generation iPod touch. In other words, MuscleNerd and Co are letting us know that iOS 5 presents few surprises so far when its comes to closing the existing holes exploited by the tethered limera1n jailbreak.

They're always going to jailbreak. 90% of the ideas for iOS5 (and Android) came from jailbreaking, anyway.

Trüff.

Which is why I've always been such a big supporter of jailbreaking. It does just as much for the future of iOS as their paid developers do...

Installed it this morning on my iPhone. So far, I like it a lot. It really does seem like they went out of their way to eliminate every gripe that most people had with this version.

Notifications are SO much better now (tip of the hat to Android).

iMessages sounds really cool, but I haven't been able to test it yet because I don't know anyone else who has iOS 5 installed.

iCloud in iOS 5 looks amazing. I plugged in my iTunes Account information and set up iCloud. It syncs calendars, contacts, bookmarks, reminders, photos, etc. Haven't tried it yet, but can't wait to try backing up my phone to the cloud.

What I did think was strange was that my iTunes account is my Gmail address. Under the iCloud settings, there was an option to turn on "Mail". I turned it on, and it let me create a new "@me.com" email address. Almost sort of like now I can sign in to iTunes using my Gmail account or my new me.com email address.

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZkWokTEYwtA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Have an iPad 2 waiting for me in my office. Looking forward to getting it on Sunday.

LOVE the iPad.

somebody explain to me why amazon sells these things for so much more than everybody else? Just curious.

Probably to fool the consumer into thinking they're super expensive, and to deter sales.

They want to do this:
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/06/22/...ad-competitor/

What will they call it? The Kindle Pad?

Just bought an IPad2. Love this little thing...

Did you get the 3G version? Using google maps satellite images as a GPS was pretty cool.

My phone does that.

:)

I'm sure most do; I just thought it was cool (and the big screen provides a nice perspective). I've stayed away from "smart" phones as I haven't wanted to pay the high monthly fees.

I'm sure the big screen is nice, but you can't mount it on your car's windshield.

I'm pretty OK with paying $70 a month to have broadband in my pocket.

Should have waited for this: http://www.archos.com/products/gen9/...try=us&lang=en

http://www.archos.com/img/gen9/Intro_en.jpg:D

iPad 2 jailbreak is finally here!

A beta iPad 2 jailbreak has been leaked. It's been tested working. Currently, this is a beta, and using it is not recommended unless you know what the hell you're doing. The mirror sites have been up and down, so there's no guarantee the links in the article are still working. You may have to search for fresh mirrors.

http://www.limera1n.cc/2011/07/ipad-...32-431-43.html

There will be a final version likely released in the next 24 hours. It is a pdf exploit, which makes it about the easiest possible jailbreak method. "Slide to jailbreak"....

Check www.jailbreakme.com later today for the final working version.

Xoom price drop:

http://skattertech.com/2011/07/motor...oost-unlikely/

No, he shouldn't have. iOS >>> Android. Especially when it comes to tablets.

In your opinion.

Shit. They better knock off another $200. $500 is still way over-priced.

Plus, that 10.1 comes with a 250 gig HDD and a 1.5 dual-core processor. Price will be set below $400. YEAH, SUCK IT, BITCHES!

:)

Archos has been shit quality for the last several revisions of the tablets. Complaints of poor screen quality and cheap build.

I'll believe it when I see it. Time goes on, and the iPad killer is still just around the corner....

Well, I would bet money it is better than the Viewsonic Gtablet. I'm looking forward to seeing what Amazon comes out with.

LMAO You fanboiz are some sensitive drama queens.

I get a kick out of how many think that $500+ is reasonable for a tablet when items that do so much can be had for less.

FWIW, my friend got an ASUS Transformer a month or two ago and is loving it so far. No complaints whatsoever as far as I've heard.

Actually... you are dead wrong... Honeycomb ANNIHILATES iOS in the tablet space...

Do you know why there are so many more "tablet specific" iOS apps? because Android doesn't need an app to be tablet specific.. most "phone" apps flawlessly scale up to the size of the tablet.

If you HONESTLY believe iOS is a better tablet os, you are delusional or completely ignorant of how much better Android is... although even I will admit that it looks like WebOS kills all of them. I have a feeling Ice Cream will leapfrog WebOS though.

Ice Cream Sandwich is supposed to be open sourced. Thats huge.

iOS is doing just fine, and looks to be for quite some time.......... Excellent news for me....


Gartner Says Apple iOS to Dominate the Media Tablet Market Through 2015, Owning More Than Half of It for the Next Three Years

Egham, UK, April 11, 2011—    Despite mounting competition from other operating systems (OSs), Apple’s iOS will continue to own the majority of the worldwide media tablet through 2015, according to Gartner, Inc. Due to the success of Apple’s iPad, iOS will account for 69 percent of media tablet OSs in 2011, and represent 47 percent of the media tablet market in 2015.

Gartner analysts said Apple iPad did to the tablet PC market what the iPhone did to the smartphone market: re-invented it. A media tablet is not just a different form factor to perform the same tasks that can be done on a PC. Tablets deliver a richer experience around content consumption, thanks to the ecosystem they support. The richer the ecosystem, the stronger the pull for consumers.

“Seeing the response from both consumers and enterprises to the iPad, many vendors are trying to compete by first delivering on hardware and then trying to leverage the platform ecosystem,” said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. “Many, however, are making the same mistake that was made in the first response wave to the iPhone, as they are prioritizing hardware features over applications, services and overall user experience. Tablets will be much more dependent on the latter than smartphones have been, and the sooner vendors realize that the better chance they have to compete head-to-head with Apple.”

Google’s Android OS is forecast to increase its worldwide share of the media tablet market from 20 percent in 2011 to 39 percent in 2015 (see Table 1). Analysts said Google’s decision not to open up the Honeycomb, its first OS version dedicated to tablets, to third parties will prevent fragmentation, but it will also slow the price decline and ultimately cap market share.

“Volume will be driven by support from many players, the ecosystem of applications for tablets getting more competitive and some platform flexibility allowing lower price points,” said Roberta Cozza, principal analyst at Gartner. “The new licensing model Google has introduced with Honeycomb enables Google to drive more control, allowing only optimal tablet implementations that don’t compromise quality of experience. This might mean that prices will drop at a slower pace than what we have seen in the smartphone market.”

Table 1
Worldwide Sales of Media Tablets to End Users by OS (Thousands of Units)
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="bottom"> </td> <td valign="bottom"> </td> <td valign="bottom"> </td> <td valign="bottom"> </td> <td valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="bottom"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Source: Gartner (April 2011)

With the migration of Blackberry devices to QNX – the OS used on the Blackberry PlayBook - in 2012, RIM will be able to offer users a consistent experience across its whole product portfolio and create a single developer community. While QNX is a strong platform that delivers on performance, graphics and multitasking features, Gartner analysts said success in the media tablet market will be driven by richness of ecosystem.

“It will take time and significant effort for RIM to attract developers and deliver a compelling ecosystem of applications and services around QNX to position it as a viable alternative to Apple or Android. This will limit RIM’s market share growth over the forecast period,” Ms. Milanesi said. “It will be mainly organizations that will be interested in RIM’s tablets because they either already have RIM’s infrastructure deployed or have stringent security requirements.”

Gartner analysts said platforms such as MeeGo and WebOS, which currently have a weak presence in the smartphone market, will have a limited appeal unless they can grow that business.

“Smartphone users will want to buy a tablet that runs the same operating system as their smartphone. This is so that they can share applications across devices as well as for the sense of familiarity the user interfaces will bring,” Ms. Milanesi said. “Vendors developing on Android should be prepared to see more cross brand ownership as some users might put OS over brand when it comes to the purchasing decision. Improvements on usability and brand recognition are the strongest differentiators they can focus on.”

A media tablet is a device based on a touchscreen display (typically with a multitouch interface) whose primary focus is the consumption of media. The devices have screens with a diagonal dimension that is over 5 inches and may include screens that are as large as is practical for handheld use, roughly up to 15 inches. The media tablet runs a lightweight OS such as Android and iOS that is more limited than, or a subset of, the traditional fully featured OS such as Windows.

Gartner’s detailed forecast is available in the report “Forecast: Media Tablets by Open Operating System, Worldwide, 2008-2015.” The report is available on Gartner's website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1624614.

Thats nice. I'll still own a Android tablet.

Yes, it's pretty obvious why there are so many iOS apps for functionality. It's because that's exactly the type of OS framework Apple was shooting for. It's much easier for them to support, as they don't write most of the apps that run on the device. The basic functionality of the OS is very simple and easy to manage. Yet they have complete control over the environment, as their app approval process is strict and emphasizes usability first and foremost. In making app developers completely conform to their system, instead of the other way around, they have an ideal setup. Not to mention that it's insanely profitable for them. They can charge much more for lesser specifications, and still guarantee the smoothest and most consistent tablet OS for the general user. It's the perfect setup for the idiot consumerist.

It's been clear throughout this thread that you don't agree with the "App per function" approach. I have serious reservations about many parts of it myself, which is why I support the jailbreak community so heavily. But it's futile to argue with the success and current market domination of iOS. That alone is proof that built-in OS functionality isn't the final deciding factor for a tablet OS in the eyes of the majority.

It's only dominant in the TABLET space because Android has yet to have a number of cheap, quality devices on the market. As soon as they do, they will dominant in the EXACT SAME WAY that they dominate the smartphone space.

iOS is really NOT a very good tablet OS from a TECH standpoint. You can argue about "ease of use" or whatever but the fact is, it holds market share due to Apple's MARKETING prowess and for NO other legitimate reason.

This argument didn't work with PC vs MAC, it didn't work for smartphones and it won't work for tablets... In the end, the more open OS that can be installed on a variety of DIFFERENT, cheaper devices will win.

This will become MUCH more evident over the next year as hardware vendors start to take advantage of all the amazing features that are being teased with Android 3.1 like broad platform support for USB-connected peripherals.

Uhhh huh....

You posted this over a year ago:

Since you posted that... Apple has sold 23 million iPads. Check THIS if you don't believe me. And yet today you're still saying these Android tablets are just about on the market, and once they do....

You spent the first year of this thread arguing about Flash support, and then Honeycomb was released and didn't have Flash for quite a while. The Xoom came out with no Flash support. The one feature you made out to be the binding force of the internet universe.

These Android tablets have been very flawed for quite some time. It's been 14 months and 23 million iPads later, and you're still saying the same things.

I will completely agree that I overshot the mark by expecting better hardware to come out for Android... they failed to live up to expectations. NOW the hardware has caught up and surpassed iPads but they aren't priced to move yet. We'll see the cheap tablets this fall and then we SHOULD see the cheap and far superior tablets next year.

I stand by my feelings on FLASH. It's annoying that it's missing and seriously limits the iPad's usefulness.

Lastly, 23 million iPads sounds like such a huge number... but in reality.. it's only big compared to the anemic Android sales so far. The vast majority of the tablet market is still waiting for the price to drop. The only way Apple will be able to keep up is to match the price drops.. something they have been awful at in the past.

So, in short.. I was wrong on ONE thing.. timing... I expected Android to move much faster in it's takeover of the tablet market... it's only a matter of time before it does happen.

ROFL

What it boils down to is cost. apple isn't going to lower their price so Android is the best option.

That's like saying BMW isn't going to lower their prices, so Kia is the best option.

It's also entirely false; original iPads are hundreds of dollars cheaper than when they came out. When the iPad HD comes out, the iPad 2's price will see a similar fall.

Can I just say this though? Both are excellent products. iOS v Android is nothing but personal preference, and both platforms do 99% of what the general population wants. I've heard developers say that the standardization of Apple makes things far easier to deal with than Android with a multitude of configurations to account for, but frankly, I don't give a damn about developers. Just make sure Vegas Hotel and Penultimate don't crash, and I'm good; I really am.

If Google really want to beat Apple at something, they should focus on inventing something new. Start the arms race to a functioning Holodeck. But the iPhone is still the single best-selling phone in the world, and they've built up so much brand loyalty, it's going to be very difficult for tablet sales to be stilted towards anything but iPad.

At the end of the day, the best thing both platforms do is function to make each other better.

:clap:

Thats a good and fair post. :clap: For me, surprise surprise, it comes down to bottom dollar. Which gives me the most bang for the buck. As much as I would like to have an iPad, the lack of flash for web browsing really kills it. I want a fully functional web browser on my tablet and Android definitely gives me that.

Just my personal preference.

EDIT - I seem to remember the original iPad starting at $499 just like it is now though.

I don't have a tablet, but I do have an Android phone and a current gen iPod touch. I like the customization abilities of Android, but the iPod is not nearly as glitchy as my phone is.

I agree it comes to personal preference. If you like one buy it. I don't understand the hate for either/or, it's hilarious to watch.

I swear Android tablets are the best selling vaporware of all time around here.

This whole Apple Vs. Android thing is laughable. Its like arguing whos better Ford or Chevy?

They are both good products so what it comes down to is personal preference. Quit worrying about what your neighbor is buying and buy whatever makes you happy.

Yup.

Well.. Ford is better and always has been. Anybody who buys a Chevy must be a total dumbass....

Word. Although I hear that Chevy is going to be coming out with a super duper car that compares favorably to Ford any decade now.

:D

And that's more than fair; everyone's gotta watch their bank account closer these days, and for something so utterly useless in most practical applications, I understand the motivation for wanting something functional but not necessarily the Mac daddy of the bunch *rimshot sorta*

I mean, I love my iPad 2. I think it's a brilliant little device. I love the user interface, I can handle its shortcomings with certain videos on the web, because ultimately, it is something for me to have on my lap while watching TV or sports that keeps me connected to the world on a bigger screen than my iPhone without frying my testicles like my Macbook.

It seems to me that anything you can 'do' on a tablet, you could do with about 10X more efficiency on even a basic laptop. These are the definition of luxury items. They aren't great for doing extensive typing or spreadsheets, video or audio editing, or photos. They're okay at Skype/FaceTime. Video quality is fine, but I do wish I could watch a video and surf with the audio in the background.

All I'll say with regard to Flash is this: most if not all tablets do not have the proper hardware to run Flash the way your laptop would. Flash on tablets as they exist today slows them down. The technology just isn't there yet. If you get a tablet for the inclusion of Flash, I'm almost certain you're going to spend most of your time browsing with it turned off. So I would simply caution against citing Flash as a deciding factor for the amount of time you'll actually need it.

I haven't had any issues with slowdown on my gtablet with flash. If it were not for the HORRIBLE viewing angle on my gtablet it would be perfect.

Absolutely. I've never really understood the Apple hate that some have (and haven't really met many Android "haters.")

Well, I don't hate Apple. I just hate their prices. The product is really good. I love my ipod touch.

Very cool discovery... I just got Icefilms playing on my iPad.... Also works on iPhone/iPod.

Here's how:

Step 1: Download Buzz player on iPhone or iPod Touch or iPad. It currently cost 3.99 and is well worth it.. On a jailbroken device, this player will play nearly any format.

Step 2: Open Buzz player and tap the "Internet Explorer" icon(funny I know). Type in the address "www.icefilms.info" and find the TV show or Movie you want watch.

Step 3: Once you're at the source page, click on a megaupload source. At the next page that says you do not have the script installed click on the link that says Proceed to "www.megaupload.com/xxx".

Step 4: At megaupload wait for the countdown to reach zero and click the "Regular Download" link. A box will pop up that has two options "Download file" or "Watch File". Click on "Watch File". The movie or tv show will then open and begin downloading while you watch, just as if you were watching them on icefilms in the DIVX web player. If you get an error, click Done and then click the link again in the Buzz player window..

A Premium Megauplaod account eliminates the 45sec wait and also lets you scan and skip.

This gives you thousands of current movies and TV episodes on your iDevice. Let the streaming criticism commence...

It comes from the pretentiousness of the average apple fanboi.

What does that have to do with the product?

Not a thing.

That arrogance has created a stigma.

It rubs some people the wrong way. I'm not alone in this around here.

What does this arrogance look like? How is it different from someone touting a different piece of technology that they like?

The Apple "fanboys" around here are hardly pretentious or fanatical with maybe 1 or 2 exceptions.

It rubs you the wrong way that people are proud of their device? Why? Many Apple owners are certainly douchebags, but why should that bother you? That sounds like insecurity. If you're happy with what you use, why should you feel rubbed the wrong way by what someone else uses?