One thing that many keep ignoring... Android-based tablets and phones have little to no “control” over what is developed for them. While this is good in many ways, it also falls into the same part of the computer OS debate of the more open vs. more closed environment. Android OS must be generic enough that it will run on a huge smorgasbord of devices from little phones, to tablets, with a wide variety of hardware components. Add to that the applications that have no oversight or controls = and you have a recipe for conflicts and stability issues.
Or you can sacrifice a portion of the bigger picture of flexibility by using a device that runs an OS that is specifically tailored for a relatively small menu of devices - with a comparably smaller pool of hardware component parts. Those devices then run apps that have at least gone through a screening process that includes a check for stability-damaging properties. Of course, with such review, you get some editorial largess... but again - what is stability and usability worth?
And lets not forget - Google “gives away” Android for a reason - they benefit directly. Google is all about data mining. Running an Android-based device gives Google access to every single bit of information on that device,including how it is used. At least Apple devices/iOS is suppose to give warning when an app is using your information, with an opt-out ability.
I don’t begrudge anyone who chooses an Android-based device. I just expect them to hold the same level of respect for my choice to use an iOS device. And if I run into frustrations - they don’t have to be sympathetic towards me - and the same is true with their issues.
It’s not like app access to Android is a total secret. During the installation process, there is a list of what the app has approval to use and the option of not intalling.
Android is like Windows and Apple is like Apple. Good points that you’re making overall. Points for Apple for stability. Android is not without its drawbacks. Apple is well designed, attractive, and is solid, does work.
But I see a scenario where these android tablets are as good as standard computers (maybe lacking in some areas) and serving as the only computer a person owns. Back in the day, Windows was on nearly every computer, and Apple was on a few.
I see Android and Windows basically like Windows back in the day. The leaders.
One thing to remember about this particular mid816 is that it really is, at this point in time, the best of the generic android tablets (except for the screen). And it’s only $204, and it’s a new device. This device is as good as the Apple, and it’s still less than 2 months old, and they’re still working out the bugs in the firmware. It is believed that this device can run Honeycomb 3.0. And it’s $204 now.
What happens to the price of this when Tegra2 is on a bunch of generic tablets? It falls. The fastest tablet in Jan 2011 will be relatively slow in 2013. You’ll be able to get it for maybe $100.
There are perfectly usable tablets for under $100. If they can’t run Flash 10.1, they’re obviously flawed, but soon enough all new Android tablets will run 2.2 or above.
Google makes money from Advertising. If they can give away a free O/S, fine with them. I read an article somewhere - from here? - which examined the question - why is google bothering with this O/S. They’re spending a lot of time, a lot of effort, on something that they’re giving away, and people can’t see exactly where it’s going, moneywise, with this.
One thing to consider when talking about data mining and google is that the hard drive is removable. I’m not an expert here, but I’d think that feature, the ability to use a different o/s depending on what you’re doing, might make the data mining difficult or impossible.