Switching from Apple to Android, Which of These Three Tablets?

[captainkirkw]

I have decided to get an Android tablet this weekend and have narrowed it down to these three that I can get locally.

1) Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0
2) Acer - Iconia Tab A110
3) Nexus 7

Any recommendations between them?

I am planning on getting a Note 2 or posdibly waiting for the Note 3 as my next phone, so would the Galaxy Tab 2 be the best choice or does it not really matter since I really just want to get used to the Android OS?

I currently have an iPhone 4 and original iPad and don't really want to carry around two devices. I think the Note 2 might do the trick but I would like to get a feel for the Android OS before signing a new 2 year contract with a device that I might not like, or rather not like the OS. I doubt that will be the case but none the less I think playing around with a tablet first might be a good idea.

I want a 7" because the iPad is a bit larger than I would like and I also had a Blackberry Playbook for awhile and really liked the size.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Frederuco]

Congrats on making the jump.

Head to this site: http://tabletnation.com/compare#

You can compare the tablets side by side. Keep in mind, the Nexus 7 has not been updated there and it is available in 16 and 32 GB configurations for 199 and 249.

Personally, I think the N7 is the best deal, but there is no microSD slot. The other 2 on your list have 8 GB of storage, which is really only about 6 after the OS is installed and the card formatted.

 

[J515OP]

I agree about the Nexus 7. As you speculated there is no advantage in having both devices be Samsung. The key is having Android no matter which device it is on. There is a learning curve coming from iOS to Android mainly because you have so many more ways to do things on Android. Stick with it, ask for help and read on sites like this and you probably wont go back to iOS.

JP

 

[Astrix]

+1 Nexus 7

 

[captainkirkw]

Thanks. I will do a bit more research. The reasons I would not go with the Nexus 7 are no sd slot and no HDMI out. Those are not deal breakers but I think I would like to have them. However, I am reading so many good things about the Nexus that I may just go with it as it would not be much different than my 32GB original iPad as far as not having the features that I mentioned. I don't have movies on my iPad, just apps, pictures and music, and I currently have 15.3 GB available on it so if I got a 32GB Nexus 7 then that should work.

If you are interested in a bit more detail, as well as what I talked to a Samsung employee about as far as the next Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab 7 might be, read my original post and #9 in this thread on the Note2 forum. There might be a reason for me to just wait until the next round of Samsung products early to mid 2013 but I have the itch to get something new right now and I am not sure I can stand to wait that long.

The Samsung employee didn't really tell me anything new that I had not already read rumors about but rather kind of confirmed some of them.

 

[Spider]

Hi, congratulations on your new tablet and welcome to the forum. Nice of you to become a member of Android Tablets. Apple to Android, another lost soul saved. Add my vote in the Nexus 7 column. Enjoy the forum!

 

[Tom T]

One tablet you might be missing is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 plus. Not a quad core but a very fast dual core Exynos processor. It offers Gorilla Glass, something the Nexus sorely lacks, a rear camera with led flash, microSD memory expansion, currently running ICS but soon to upgrade to 4.1. Kind of the premium version of the tab 2 7. Solid 8 hours battery life and an IR blaster with good universal remote software. Well worth looking into, maybe the overall most powerful 7" device on the market.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 10.1

 

[takuarc]

Tab 2 or N7 are bot great products. It boils down to whether you like the Samsung proprietary sw or not. N7 runs stock Android which might be a bit faster

 

[captainkirkw]

I am still hesitant because of the speculation of a 7" Galaxy Note with a version that could also have cellular capability as per postings like this. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 tipped as GT-N5100 clears testing - SlashGear

A 7" cellular Galaxy Note would be exactly what want. The Samsung employee would not confirm it but just kept saying that I really should wait so I don't know if she meant that this was true or that the next Note cell phone around its current size would be worth the wait. Ugh... I hate playing the waiting game but I am not in a rush as there is no real need for me to upgrade right now. Again, I just have the itch for something new.

 

[Spider]

If a Samsung employee told you to wait, that's probably very good advice.

 

[captainkirkw]

If a Samsung employee told you to wait, that's probably very good advice.

That's what I was thinking. She was in the engineering department too so that made it more credible. Still might go ahead and get a tablet now anyway to start getting used to the Android world so I will be ready to make the change with a cellular device next year. If my wife likes the Android tablet too, then I cam sell both of our first gen iPads, she can use whatever tablet I get now, and I will get a Note 3 or whatever the next cool thing is next year.

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Welcome over & glad you found us here...good luck on the tablet search!

 

[captainkirkw]

Here is what I did to get used to using the Android OS, I ordered a Samsung Galaxy Tab2 today. I found 2 places that had refurbs for $149.99, Best Buy and Wal Mart, and while I don't really like buying from Wal Mart, they had the better deal, at least for me. I usually don't buy the service plans either but they had a 2 Year Drop, Spill and Cracked Screen Replacement Plan for Refurbished Tablets for $19.50 and I felt that was worth it since I will be carrying this around with me for work and for fun. I also applied for the Wal Mart Discover card which gave me $20 cash back so here is the cost breakdown:

$149.99 for Samsung Refurbished GT-P3113-TS8A Galaxy Tab 2 with ICS
$19.50 2 Year Drop, Spill and Cracked Screen Replacement Plan
--------------------------
$169.49 subtotal
$13.98 tax
--------------------------
$183.47 total
-$20 cash back for Discover card
--------------------------
$163.47 final price

Now I didn't actually get to subtract the $20 right away but it will be taken off on the next billing cycle so I effectively got the 2 year replacement warranty free or got the tablet for $163.47, however you want to look at it.

Anyway, I am excited to start using the Android OS and I am sure I will be even more pleased when I replace my iPhone with the Note 2, or wait for the Note 3, or 7" Note phablet that I have read rumors about.

 

[Spider]

Congratulations, sounds like a good plan to me. If you have any questions/problems with the new tablet, just click this link to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0/ forum. The folks there should be able to help you out.

 

[captainkirkw]

Thanks. I have already started reading through it to help the learning curve before my Tab arrives.