Is the Nexus 10 Good Enough to Replace an iPad 3?

November 24, 2012 48 Comments

Last update: February 26, 2013

This article has had almost 20,000 views! Thanks for reading it.

It’s been several months since my Nexus 10 arrived, so it’s time for an update on my attempt to replace an iPad 3 with it. Was the lack of good tablet apps as big of a problem as everyone said it would be? And what about the superior build-quality of the iPad? Was the Nexus 10 lacking in this area? Read on to learn the answer to these and many more questions.

My Top Gripes After a Month

Since most of my previous columns about the Nexus 10 have stressed its benefits, I’ll get right to my gripes about it. Here are the things that bothered me the most about the Nexus 10 after the first four weeks of use.

You can see an example of a good tablet interface on the left and a bad one on the right.

  1. Limited number of great tablet apps – The number one complaint from reviewers about the Nexus 10 is the lack of great tablet apps. Although it’s true there are more good tablet apps for the iPad, I was surprised this wasn’t more of a problem for me. Many of my favorite Android smartphone apps ran fine on the Nexus 10. In some cases I did need to replace apps, but I didn’t have much of a problem finding suitable replacements. There were two reasons why I needed to replace apps. The first was the fact that some apps have controls which are too small to accurately touch on the Nexus 10. A bigger problem for me was the fact that some of my favorite Android apps couldn’t be downloaded on the Nexus 10. Examples include Zite, USA Today and Flickr. I suspect this is because the companies are working on tablet-optimized apps and are not allowing downloads to tablets because they don’t want to get bad reviews. Now that there are finally a few good selling Android tablets, I suspect we’ll see app makers put more emphasis on creating good tablet apps. I’ve included a list of some Google-recommended tablet-optimized apps here in Tip #4. It’s worth pointing out that not all popular apps are available in tablet versions for the iPad either. For example, Instagram looks much better on the Nexus 10 than it does on the iPad. That’s because it only occupies a small portion of the iPad’s screen. Sure you can blow it up 2x but the text looks distorted and ugly.

    Update: After a month this is no longer a serious problem. Every day I find new tablet-optimized apps that look great on the Nexus 10. Just today a tablet-optimized version of Flipboard finally became available.

    2. Android 4.2’s calendar issue is well-documented

  2. Android 4.2 bugs – Although the stories about Android 4.2’s bugs have been overblown, there is no doubt that iOS 6.0.1 is a more stable, less buggy operating system. Most of the current Android 4.2 bugs are things you won’t experience unless you stream music over Bluetooth, use the lock-screen music widgets, or enable auto-brightness. There is also the well-documented issue which occurs when you try to add an event that occurs in the month of December in the People app. As far as the random crash issues go, I still experience a few a week, so Google does have some work to do in this area.

    3. UPDATE 11/27: Google pushed out an Android 4.2.1 update today which addressed the missing December issue.

    UPDATE 1/15: A Google employee confirms the next Android update will contain a fix for the Bluetooth issue.

  3. Issues rearranging apps and creating folders – Early versions of Android were far superior to iOS when it came to moving apps from screen to screen without rearranging other apps. I’m having problems with this on the Nexus 10 now. A more serious issue is the fact it’s sometimes hard to get an app to go into a folder you drag to. Sometimes the folder moves, other times it won’t work the first time, but if you keep trying you can always get it to go into the folder. This is strange and annoying.

    4. Sometimes magazines can be viewed and other times they cannot

  4. Disappearing magazines – One of my biggest Nexus 10 gripes so far is the problem I’m having not being able to view some of the free magazines that Google provided. I get a ‘Fetching latest…’ message when I try to open a magazine that never goes away. This occurs on magazines I’ve viewed without problems before. This may have to do with the fact I downloaded these to my tablet. The only way I’ve been able to fix this so far is to go to Settings/Apps and swipe to the left until I see the ‘All’ heading and then scroll down to Google Play Magazines and touch the ‘Clear data’ button and redownload the magazine again.

  5. Playback issues with ultra HD video on some apps – I’m having problems trying to watch ultra high-definition (2560*1440) movies using MX Player. The video appears to pause every few seconds now, when it used to work fine on the same software. The same video plays perfectly on the MoboPlayer app so this could be a software-only issue.

  6. Text editing problems in the browser – It’s much more difficult to edit text in a Nexus 10’s browser, than it is to do the same with an iPad 3. There are several reasons for this: The first is the fact it’s harder to insert the cursor precisely in browsers like Chrome. The second is the fact it’s harder to accurately cut and paste text on the Nexus 10 than the iPad. The third, is the fact the Nexus screen sometimes automatically zooms in or repositions itself when you touch the screen or hit the backspace key. It blows my mind that no one at Google has tried to use the Nexus 10 for this purpose because it’s so bad. Editing text in Firefox is even worse than in Chrome. I couldn’t get copy and paste to work reliably in Firefox at all. Two caveats: these are Android-related issues and not Nexus 10 flaws, and furthermore, HTML editing is something I do a lot, but not something a typical consumer does often.

    Update: I’ve figured out what is happening here. Google and browser software makers have implemented logic to try guess when you’re having a hard time touching a button or control. When they detect this, they zoom in around the area to make sure you touch the right thing. This is nice for typical users, but can cause problems when editing HTML. I must have adapted, because I’m now doing almost all of my HTML editing on the Nexus 10 instead of the iPad.

    7. Both the Nexus 10 and iPad 3 have similar back light bleed issues

  7. Screen-related issues – The screen on the Nexus 10 does not have blacks that are as dark as Samsung’s Super Amoled displays. There is also some light leakage in both of the bottom corners. This may only be visible when you are in a dark room and the screen is black, but I wanted to point it out. Some additional leakage is present on each side, but it’s less obvious. As you can see from the photo above, the iPad 3 has backlight leakage that is worse to the Nexus 10. Even with its backlight issues, the iPad 3 and 4 still have a few advantages over the Nexus 10’s display. They have higher contrast, more brightness and better overall color accuracy then the panel in the Nexus 10. That’s not saying the display on the Nexus 10 isn’t great. It will blow your mind when you play a game like “Asphalt 7” or watch an ultra HD movie on it. It’s also noticeably sharper when it viewing small fonts on websites.

    8. The camera on the Nexus 10 isn’t great

  8. Mediocre rear camera – Although the front camera on the Nexus 10 is only 2MB, it looks much better than the camera on the iPad 3. This is probably because the iPad 3 only has a 0.3 MP camera. The rear-facing camera on the Nexus 10 is not great, but neither is the one on the iPad 3.

  9. Plastic back cover – Although I love the lightness of the Nexus 10 and the way it feels when you hold it, occasionally when you hold its case a certain way, you’ll feel the back move a little. I mainly notice this is when I’m polishing the screen using my shirt. Is this a really big deal? Not for me, but it could have been avoided with a better design.

  10. Wi-Fi range issues – Google claims the Nexus 10 has MIMO Wi-Fi — but its antenna is less sensitive than the one in the iPad. You’ll see this on the Wi-Fi signal strength meter, and you’ll notice a difference in performance when you have a low signal. This isn’t a major problem, but it is a little annoying in light of Google’s bold claims in this area.

  11. Google Play screen update problems – This is a minor issue but I once experienced problems with the screen flashing when I was downloading updates in the Google Play store. This also appears to be an Android 4.2 issue and probably has nothing to do with the Nexus 10.

  12. Auto-brightness problems – Android 4.2 has an auto-brightness setting, but it doesn’t work well because it’s possible for your finger to occasionally block the light sensor when you hold the tablet in Portrait mode. To address this issue you can download Lux Auto Brightness. Lux adjusts the brightness of your display based on your environment. When you go into a dark room, Lux will automatically lower the brightness of your display after you unlock your screen. This approach seems to work better than the dynamic approach that Google uses by default.

    13. The Nexus 10 has the 8th best battery life of 474 Android devices

    The Nexus 10 is one of the more batter-friendly Android devices

  13. Slow charging – Slow charging with the stock charger is a problem, but this was only a issue for me on my first day of use. After that, I charged the tablet at night and did not have a problem getting through most days. When I use the Nexus 10 more than normal, I charge it for an hour around lunch and that gets me through the day. Although there has been a lot of talk about battery life on the Nexus 10, you can see from the chart above it is actually one the top battery-friendly Android devices.

    14. If you’re thinking some of these problems are pretty lame, you’re correct. It’s not easy to find too many things wrong with the Nexus 10’s hardware. Things like backlight leakage are also a problem on the iPad 3 and iPad 4. Most of the serious Nexus 10 issues are software-related, and should be fixed at some point.

Observations After 8 Weeks of Use

I order this product on day one and have spent as many hours with it as anyone outside of Google. After eight weeks I am now using my iPad 3 only a few minutes a week. Here is a summary of my observations after eight weeks:

  • The claims about Apple’s superior app ecosystem are overblown. I don’t miss any of the iPad apps I was running before. Not a single one. That doesn’t mean all of the Android apps are at parity, because they are not. But the differences are small enough now that they don’t bother me. Since the Nexus 10 launched the number of good tablet apps has increased dramatically.

  • My problems with the Nexus 10 crashing have sadly increased, but they are not a serious problem yet. Sometimes it will crash twice in a day and then go days without another crash. There is a lot of speculation over the cause of this. Some people think it’s caused by the Chrome browser. Others think the problem goes away when the GPS is disabled. I’ve noticed that many of my crashes occur when I’m using the Chrome browser and Wi-Fi signal strength is low or the tablet is downloading updates. I also suspect that moving wallpapers might be a contributing factor. This hasn’t become a major annoyance for me yet, because I’m confident Google will fix this soon.

    • Update: Since I installed Android 4.2.2, my crash problems seem to have gone away.

  • Most of the display gripes about the Nexus 10 are overblown. The back light bleed is not a problem for me, but I would like darker blacks. That is my number one screen gripe. Color accuracy on the Nexus 10 isn’t great, but that hasn’t been a problem for me. Nor have non-HD desktop icons. I do feel the lack of great HD wallpapers is a problem, but likely one that won’t last long. Screen brightness has also not been a problem for me. Although its not perfect, I love the display on the Nexus 10. To my eyes it’s much crisper than the iPad 3 and that’s what I care about the most.

  • The build quality of the Nexus 10 is fine. I’ll take the lightness over the iPad any day. My only gripe is the fact that the section on the back does not stay in as snugly as I would like.

  • One new problem I’m a little concerned about is the heat from the main chip. This was initially only a problem when gaming, but now I notice it when I’m scrolling on site like Facebook for long periods.

    • What About Build Quality?

    Along with lack of tablet apps, build quality is the most common gripe about the Nexus 10 from Apple fans who have never seen one. I’ll admit the Nexus 10 doesn’t look great in most review photos, but in person, it looks and feels very nice. I’m not the only one who feels this way. Here are a few excerpts about build quality from Nexus 10 reviews:

  • Gizmodo said: “It feels extremely solid and well-built. The back panel is a hard plastic that has been rubberized in a really interesting way. It’s very smooth, but very grippy at the same time.”

  • Ars Technica said: “I do find that I actually prefer the textured plastic back of the Nexus 10 to the aluminum back used by the iPads—the latter gets pretty cold to the touch in November in New Jersey, and the tablet is only too happy to transfer that coldness straight to your hands. The Nexus 10 is a bit more hospitable when pulling it out of a bag that’s been outside.”

  • CNET said: “It is the most comfortable 10-inch tablet to hold in your hand its light weight and smoothly rounded corners the tablet never digs into your palms when held with two hands. The back is a soft, grippy, almost rubbery plastic that not only feels great to hold, but doubles as protection for the tablet. The aforementioned rounded corners have that same rubbery plastic around them. The whole outer shell feels almost like an exoskeleton accessory, specifically designed to protect the delicate tablet organs.”

  • Ubergizmo said: “To put it simply, the design of the Google Nexus 10 is beautiful. The front of the tablet is made of a pristine black glass surface from edge to edge. I really like the soft touch treatment which gives a solid grip when holding the tablet. This is an issue that I have regularly with the iPad. Overall, I find the industrial design to be excellent and high-quality. Unless you are adamant to feel metal when you touch the tablet, I expect most people to be pleased with the quality of this device.”

  • The Guardian said: “The Nexus 10 is a sleek, smooth tablet that feels solid, and sits nicely in the hands with its rounded corners – more rounded than the iPad.”

  • Venture Beat said: “The tablet’s curved design makes it surprisingly comfortable to hold, and the soft back case material feels simply luxurious. The Nexus 10 is so well designed that you’ll be tempted to fondle it even when it’s turned off.”

  • Android Community said: “It’s extremely well made, very durable, feels great and is indeed a polished and beautiful product inside and out.”

  • Android Police said: “Amazing build quality. I tried really hard to find a flaw in the build of this tablet. But I couldn’t. It’s top-notch – everything is super-solid… The back is the real standout feature of the device’s physical design, as it’s coated in a very soft rubbery-plastic that feels almost like leather. It definitely adds a feeling of quality, and is absolutely fantastic in the hands. It’s not cold and slippery like aluminum, nor does it feel cheap and flimsy like typical plastic. It’s slightly grippy, which allows you to hold the unit with less “force,” leading to less wrist fatigue. It also makes it easier to hold the device in your hand palette-style without fear of dropping it.”

  • Tech Radar said: “The rear plastic chassis has a soft-touch feel, with the rubberized effect providing additional grip in the hand, and wrapping round to the front of the tablet for a smooth, seamless finish.”

  • And last, but not least, Wired said: “The back panel is a grippy plastic that makes the Nexus 10 much better than previous Samsung tablets and even the iPad for one-handed use.”

    • Why The Nexus 10 is My New ‘Go to’ Tablet

    You might be wondering why I still favor the Nexus 10, even though I admit the iPad still has some important advantages. Here’s why:

    1. The Nexus 10 absolutely kills the iPad 3 and 4 when it comes to features.

    2. The Nexus 10 is a much better value than the iPad 4. Its hardware beats the iPad 4 in almost every area and costs $100 less.

      3. Apple prevents older hardware from running some features

    3. I want access to all of the newest technologies. The Nexus 10 has features like NFC and multi-user support, which iPad users could be waiting years to get. Not only is Apple behind, they have a history of preventing their users from accessing their new features. Even though the iPad 2 is capable of running Siri and Panorama, Apple forces iPad 2 owners to buy newer hardware in order to run those features. That just isn’t right.

    4. Speed is important to me and the Nexus 10 is faster than the iPad 3. After using my Nexus almost 100% of the time for several months the iPad is noticeably slower on things like scrolling Facebook in the browser.

    5. Lastly, I want the same experience on my phone and tablet. Now that I’ve switched from iPhone to an Android smartphones, it only makes sense that I use an Android tablet.

    Could I replace my iPad 3 with the Nexus 10?

    My transition from an iPad 3 to a Nexus 10 wasn’t as easy as my transition from an iPhone to a Nexus phone. My first few days with the Nexus 10 were not great. I was getting it set up properly and finding good tablet-optimized apps. Most of my issues with the Nexus 10 were software-related, and not directly related to the Nexus 10 hardware. The Nexus 10 is not a perfect product, but it’s good enough that I’ve put my iPad 3 on the shelf and only use it for occasional HTML editing now. The surprising thing is I actually prefer using the Nexus 10 now over the iPad 3. The main reason for this is the fact the Nexus 10 is noticeably lighter than the iPad and feels much better in my hand. Its corners are nicely rounded and don’t dig into my palm the way the iPad 3 does. This is a big deal when you hold your tablet for long periods with one hand like I do. Another reason I prefer the Nexus over the iPad is the display. The crispness of text on the Nexus 10’s display is second to none.

    The bottom line is the Nexus 10 is a great tablet, which holds its own against the best tablets. This says a lot, because the iPad 4 running iOS 6 is a very good product. But for me, the Nexus 10 is even better.

    Final update 2/26: My crash problems seem to have been fixed by Android 4.2.2. I no longer use my iPad for a single thing. It sits on my floor lonely and unused, so I’ve decided to give it to my Dad on Fathers Day. In the past few months there have been a large number of good Android tablet apps which have been released. It’s now at the point where I can’t think of a single iPad app that I still miss — except maybe Zite which runs on my GS3.

    – Rick

    Copyright 2013 Rick Schwartz. All rights reserved. Linking to this article is encouraged.

    Follow me on Twitter @mostlytech1

    It’s true the iPad has more tablet-optimized apps, but some popular apps still appear like this.

    Here is how Instagram looks on the Nexus 10. Which would you rather use?

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    30+ Reasons You Should Buy a Nexus 10 Tablet

    November 2, 2012 73 Comments

    Last update: March 4, 2013

    This article has over 40,000 views! Thanks for reading it.
    It only took two days for every single model of the Nexus 10 to sell out worldwide. The 32GB model sold out just two hours after sales began.


    The last two articles I wrote about tablets were my most popular ever, so I’ve decided to write another one about the new iPad 4 and its top competitor. Since some people complained my last article was unfair because I compared the iPad mini to several different tablets, this time I’ll compare the iPad 4 to a single tablet.

    Don’t get me wrong, the iPad 4 certainly has some great qualities, but it’s no longer leading the way. Its Retina-display was the gold-standard for resolution, but those days are over. There’s a new tablet king and it’s called the Nexus 10. Here are over thirty good reasons why you’d be crazy to buy an iPad 4 over a Nexus 10.

    1. It costs less and gives you more – A 16GB Nexus 10 costs $100 less than a 16GB iPad 4. That 20% less, for a product with much better specs as you’ll see below.

    2. It has a better, higher-resolution display – Apple’s Retina displays used to be second to none, but those days are over. The Nexus 10 has a higher-resolution display than the iPad 4. It’s the world’s first tablet with a WQXGA 2560×1600-pixel display. But that’s not all, the Nexus 10 beats the iPad 4 in two other important areas as well: number of pixels and pixels-per-inch.

      – The Nexus 10 has almost a million more pixels than the iPad 4’s Retina display (4,096,000 vs. 3,145,728)

      – The Nexus 10 has more pixels-per-inch than the iPad 4 (300ppi vs. 264ppi). That may not sound like a lot, but you can see the difference on very small text. Like the iPad 4, text on the Nexus 10 looks very sharp.

      The Nexus 10 has a processor with a faster clock speed than the iPad 4

    3. It has a faster next-generation processor – The Nexus 10 has a processor clock speed that is over 30% faster than the iPad 4 (1.7GHz vs. 1.3GHz). The Nexus 10 is the first tablet with an ARM Cortex-A15 processor that beats the iPad 4 badly on benchmarks like Geekbench (2480 vs. 1768). This processor is 40% faster than previous generation ARM chips. The A15 is expected to be used in the iPad 5, which won’t be released until mid-2013.

    4. It’s considerably lighter than the iPad 4 – The Nexus 10 is noticeably lighter than the iPad 4 (603g vs. 652g). This is a big deal when you use your tablet for hours at a time. I used to be able to hold the original iPad in the air with my left hand, but my new iPad with its leather case is so heavy that I have to put my elbow on the table or bed.

      The Nexus 10 is noticeably thinner than the iPad 4

    5. It’s thinner than the iPad 4 – The Nexus 10 is thinner than the iPad 4 (8.9mm vs. 9.4mm). This is surprising, because thinness is one area Apple normally dominates in. The Nexus 10 also does not have sharp corners which dig into your palm when you hold it with one hand.

    6. It has twice the memory and twice the storage as the iPad 4 – The Nexus 10 has 2GB of RAM, while he iPad 4 has only 1GB of RAM. More memory allows you to run more apps at once without slowing down. A $499 Nexus 10 also has twice as much internal storage than an iPad 4 (32GB vs. 16GB). This is important because it’s not hard to fill up a 16GB iPad when you have a large media collection or lots of apps.

      You can share media by simply touching two NFC-enabled Android devices together

    7. It has touch-to-share capabilities – Android tablets like the Nexus 10 can share media by simply touching another device with NFC support. This allows you to share photos, videos, contacts, Web pages — as well as information between apps. You can see Android Beam in action here.

    8. It has faster Wi-Fi than the iPad 4 – The Nexus 10 has dual-band Wi-Fi and MIMO support. Amazon claims that MIMO results in better range and 40% faster Wi-Fi data speeds. Google says accelerated page loading and MIMO gives you web browsing speeds up to 4x faster than normal WiFi. Of course these are theoretical gains, we’ll have to see what the real-world numbers are.

    9. It has a brighter display with wider viewing angles – The Nexus 10 has a Super PLS display, which has several advantages over IPS displays like the one Apple uses. Super PLS displays have wider viewing angles, and are supposed to be 10 percent brighter.

      10. Size matters when it comes to speakers. The Nexus 10 has two front-facing speakers

    10. It includes front-facing stereo speakers – The Nexus 10 has two large speakers on the left and right sides of its screen. These speakers shoot forward so the sound doesn’t get muffled by your hands (like it does on the iPad whose speaker faces down). The Nexus’ dual speakers also sound better than Apple’s single mono speaker. I was hoping the potential space savings that resulted from the switch to a Lightning connector the iPad 4 would allow Apple to add bigger, better-sounding speakers, but that did not happen.

      11. You can see the Nexus 10 is fast. I’ll replace this once I find a comparison to iPad 4

    11. It has an extremely fast GPU – Engadget says the Nexus 10 has the “most detailed and smoothest graphics we’ve seen.” Early benchmarks are mixed. Some favor the Nexus 10, while others favor the iPad 4.

    12. It’s much easier to repair – According to iFixit, the iPad 4 is much more difficult to repair than all other tablets. iFixit gives the iPad 4 a repairability score of 2 out of 10, which is horrible. The battery is glued to the rear case which is unfortunate because it makes it very difficult to replace. iFixit goes on to say, “Just like in the iPad 2 & 3, the front panel is glued to the rest of the device, greatly increasing the chances of cracking the glass when trying to remove it. Gobs of adhesive hold everything in place, including the battery. The LCD has foam sticky tape adhering it to the front panel, increasing chances of it being shattered during disassembly.” I’m still waiting for a repairability score on the Nexus 10 from iFixit, but another source rates it “extremely repairable.”

      13. The Nexus 10 comes with 5 books, 3 magazines, 10 songs, an HD movie and a TV show

    13. The Nexus 10 comes with lots of free content – Content varies by region. U.S. users get the following three free magazines: Conde Nast Traveler, Entrepreneur and House Beautiful. There are also five great books you are provided with including: “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas, “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson and “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll. Like music? The Nexus also comes with ten songs from The Rolling Stones, Cat Power, M. Ward, The Lumineers, Bob Mould, Eskmo and more. And last, but not least, the Nexus 10 also comes with an HD copy of the full-length movie “Ice Age” and the BBC TV show “Planet Earth.”

    14. It has multi-user support – The iPad 4 is a single-user device tied to a single iTunes account. The Nexus 10 is the first tablet to allow multiple users to log-in. Each user has their own home screen, background, apps and widgets. Things like game-progress and high-scores remain separate. This feature will be very important for families.

    15. It has GPS support – The Wi-Fi only model of iPad 4 does not have a built-in GPS. That means you can’t use it to check-in or load maps of your area like you can using the Nexus 10.

      16. You can use Google Wallet anywhere you see these images

    16. It includes digital wallet support – The Nexus 10 has Google Wallet preinstalled. It allows you to purchase things without a walled in places like Best Buy, CVS Pharmacy, Einstein Bros Bagels, Home Depot, Jack in the Box, McDonald’s, Peet’s Coffee, Pinkberry, Rite Aid, Sports Authority, Whole Foods and many more places. In fact, there are over 300,00 PayPass-enabled cash registers today. You can learn more about NFC here. The iPad 4 has something called Passbook, but it only works at Starbucks (and the Apple Store).

    17. It plays Flash videos – Flash may be a dying format, but there are still millions of Flash videos around, and the iPad 4 can’t play any of them. The Nexus 10 can play all Flash videos as long as you side-load Flash by following these easy instructions and use a browser like Firefox which supports Flash.

    18. Android beats iOS 6 in many areas – This will surprise some, but Android 4.2 has many advantages over iOS 6. You can read about those advantages here.

    19. File transfers are much easier – It’s a major hassle to get anything (but photos) on or off of an iPad 4. Android devices don’t need iTunes or iCloud to copy media. Just connect a USB cable and your device will appear on your desktop like a hard disk. You can then drag and drop any file (or folder) onto it.

      20. The Nexus 10 has several different keyboard layouts like this one with number keys

    20. It has a better on-screen keyboard – The Nexus 10 has a much better on-screen keyboard than the iPad 4. In addition to all of the standard Apple keyboard features like a spell checker, auto-capitalization and auto-correction, the Nexus 10 also has the ability to add words to a personal dictionary, show correction suggestions, perform gesture typing (where you swipe from key to key), Provide next-word suggestions and the ability to change your keyboard to one that is more PC-like and includes all numbers and extra keys.

    21. You can easily load custom ROMs – Nexus devices do not come with locked or encrypted bootloaders. That means you are free to install customs ROMs and fully tailor your device however you wish.

    22. It has a better rear-facing camera – According to reviews, photos taken with the Nexus 10’s rear camera have better color accuracy, definition and less noise than the iPad 4′s camera. The iPad 4’s iSight camera lacks Panorama, Photo Sphere and other camera features present in Android tablets.

    23. It has a better front-facing camera for video calls – Apple upgraded the front-facing camera on the iPad from 0.3MP to 1.2MP, but it still doesn’t match the 1.9MP front-facing camera found on the Nexus 10. The iPad 4’s front camera records noisy 720p videos at a only 24fps in low light.

      24. Nexus 10 Flash

    24. It has an LED flash – Every camera needs a flash in order to take good photos in low light conditions. The Nexus 10 has one. The iPad 4 does not.

    25. It has a standard micro-USB jack – The Nexus 10 has a standard micro-USB jack, so you can easily connect your tablet to a keyboard or charger without purchasing an expensive cable. The iPad 4 has a new proprietary Lightning connector that is not backwardly compatible. This was done so Apple can sell you overpriced cables that cost $20 to $50. If you want an extra charging cable for an iPad 4, it will cost $19 and is hard to find. You can buy an Android power cord almost anywhere for as little as $2.

      26. HDMI connector

    26. It has a dedicated HDMI port – The Nexus 10 has a built-in HDMI port which ensures it can output video to all HDMI-equipped TVs, projectors and monitors. That’s not always the case when MHL over USB is used for video output. Another benefit is that any mini-HDMI cable will work and a special adapter cable is not needed.

    27. Its AV adapter supports 1080p – Although it’s hard to believe, Apple’s Digital AV adapter (which connects to the HDMI jack on your TV) doesn’t support 1080p today. It’s capable of supporting 1080p, but Apple has chosen to hold back 1080p support for now.

    28. It has a Gorilla Glass 2 screen – I know Apple uses Gorilla Glass 2 on the iPhone 5, but as far as I can tell they do not use it on the iPad 4. If they are using it, they are keeping it a secret — which doesn’t make sense because it’s a benefit.

      29. The Nexus 10 has a slightly larger display than the iPad 4

    29. It has a larger display – The Nexus 10 has a 10.055” Super PLS display, while the iPad 4 has a 9.7” IPS display.

    30. It has a 16:10 screen – Tablets are great for watching movies, but all movies are formatted to fit on a 16:9 display. Because the iPad 4 has a 4:3 aspect ratio, all 16:9 movies need to be letter-boxed so they fit on the screen. This makes movies appear smaller. The Nexus is much closer to 16:9 than the iPad 4.

    31. It has dual NFC sensors – The Nexus 10 is the only mobile device with dual NFC sensors: one in the front, and one in the back. These have been added so you don’t have to turn the tablet around to beam things.

      32. Android 4.2 allows you to access settings from the Notification Bar

    32. It gives you quick access to settings from the notification bar – On the Nexus 10, settings can be quickly by accessed by pulling down on the top right portion of the screen. On the iPad 4, all app settings are grouped together in a Settings app making them harder to access.

    33. It has haptic feedback – Like most Android devices, the Nexus 10 supports haptic feedback. This gives you a little vibration when you type, long press, or touch the navigation buttons. This makes it clear your touch was acknowledged, so you don’t have to tap twice. Haptic feedback makes games much more enjoyable because of the tactile feedback.

    34. It has a built-in barometer – The Nexus 10 has a built-in barometer, which improves GPS accuracy. I didn’t believe this would make a difference until I compared the GPS in a Galaxy Nexus (which also has a barometer) to the GPS in an iPad and Galaxy S III which do not.

      35. Micro-USB jack

    35. Works with a USB mouse – One advantage of having a micro-USB jack is that it makes it easy to plug-in peripherals like a USB mouse. Even if you could figure a way to attach a USB cable to the iPad 4, it still will not work, because iOS 6 doesn’t support mice. You can also attach USB keyboards or memory sticks to the Nexus 10 after purchasing an adapter for a few dollars.

    36. It has multicolor LED alert – The Nexus 10 has a small LED indicator at the bottom of the screen (when held in landscape mode,) which alerts you to new messages or other system events. As with other Android devices, you can customize exactly how this LED works by installing a third-party LED control app like Light Flow. The iPad 4 does not support any type of LED alerts.

      37. The preinstalled Android Gallery App has more powerful photo editing than you’ll find on any free iPad app

    37. It’s stock photo viewer has more advanced photo editing – There are some good photo editing apps available for the iPad, but the best are not free. The stock Android Gallery app has much more advanced photo editing than you’ll find in than Apple’s Photos app.

    38. It has dedicated back button – All Android devices include a dedicated back button. In addition, most apps have a menu button proves fast access to settings and other app-related commands like Share. The back button makes it easy to go back to where you were before. This is one of the features I miss the most when I jump between Android and iOS.

      39. Why You’ll Still Buy an iPad 4

      If you’re an Apple fan, you don’t comparison shop, you don’t care that Apple products cost more and do less. You’ll find a way to convince yourself that all of the above reasons somehow don’t apply to you, and you’ll buy an iPad 4 anyway. And in six months, when Apple comes out with an iPad 5, which is twice as fast and has a better Retina display, you’ll buy that one too – and thank Apple. This may sound harsh, but it applies to millions of people. So go ahead and buy one — you know you want it.

      The Tide is Turning

      Apple has dominated tablet sales since the original iPad launched back in 2010. But those days are coming to an end. For the first time, Apple is losing tablet market share. According to Strategy Analytics, shipments of Android tablets surged to new highs in the third quarter of 2012, accounting for 41% of all tablets shipped. In the same period, shipments of Apple’s iPads shrank to only 57% of the market. IDC paints an even gloomier picture for Apple and says they now have only 50% of the tablet market. That may sound like a lot, but it wasn’t long ago that Apple had 90% of the tablet market. Apple’s drop in market share started before the Nexus 10 and Kindle Fire HD tablets were available, and will likely accelerate now. Apple’s still an important player in the tablet space, but they need to lower their prices significantly or improve their products to justify their price premium. Apple image has taken a big hit as well. As TechCrunch said, “the fourth-generation iPad doesn’t seem to be nearly as big as the leap from the first to second generation, or from the second to third generation.” Sure, most Americans will continue to buy Apple exclusively no matter what, but it’s a big world, and buyers from other countries are much more discriminating and price-sensitive.

      Update 1 – The Nexus 10 went on sale on 11/13 and the 32GB model sold out within two hours in the U.S. The 16GB Nexus 10 sold out in the U.S. in the first two days. However, since then, additional supply has become available, and the 16GB model is now available for purchase again (11/18)

      Update 2 – My Nexus 10 arrived on 11/16 and I’ve posted my first impressions here. You can find a list of 21 tips and tricks for the Nexus 10 here.

      – Rick

      For the Apple Fanboys

      1. This is an opinion piece – I think the title makes that very clear. Don’t read this if you can’t handle an opposing view point.

      2. This article is focused on the Nexus’ advantages – I’m aware there are good reasons to buy Apple products. Since every other reviewer focuses on those, I saw value in showing another point of view.

      3. I don’t just pick on Apple – I write highly-opinionated articles about other companies as well. Here are examples where I single out Samsung, AT&T, United, Google and Rhapsody.

      4. I don’t hate all Apple products – I think most of the new products Apple announced are good or great — just not the new iPad 4 or iPad mini. I own two iPhones, an iPad, an iPad 3 and an Apple TV. I buy Apple products when I believe they outperform other products and are not outlandishly priced.

      5. I want this to be factually correct – Believe it or not, I really do try to keep my articles factually accurate. If think one of these points is incorrect, let me know and I will edit or delete it, but you’re not going to change my beliefs, just like I’m not going to changes yours, so we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

      What About Build Quality?

      Since most comments about this article mention the so-called “crappy build quality of all Android tablets” I thought I would address this issue. When I first wrote this article, I mentioned the build-quality of the Nexus 10 was good, but not great, but after reading close to twenty reviews I removed that comment. Read on to see why:

      1. Gizmodo said: It feels extremely solid and well-built. The back panel is a hard plastic that has been rubberized in a really interesting way. It’s very smooth, but very grippy at the same time.
      2. Ars Technica said: “I do find that I actually prefer the textured plastic back of the Nexus 10 to the aluminum back used by the iPads—the latter gets pretty cold to the touch in November in New Jersey, and the tablet is only too happy to transfer that coldness straight to your hands. The Nexus 10 is a bit more hospitable when pulling it out of a bag that’s been outside.”
      3. CNET said; “It is the most comfortable 10-inch tablet to hold in your hand its light weight and smoothly rounded corners the tablet never digs into your palms when held with two hands. The back is a soft, grippy, almost rubbery plastic that not only feels great to hold, but doubles as protection for the tablet. The aforementioned rounded corners have that same rubbery plastic around them. The whole outer shell feels almost like an exoskeleton accessory, specifically designed to protect the delicate tablet organs.”
      4. Ubergizmo said: “To put it simply, the design of the Google Nexus 10 is beautiful. The front of the tablet is made of a pristine black glass surface from edge to edge. I really like the soft touch treatment which gives a solid grip when holding the tablet. This is an issue that I have regularly with the iPad. Overall, I find the industrial design to be excellent and high-quality. Unless you are adamant to feel metal when you touch the tablet, I expect most people to be pleased with the quality of this device.”
      5. The Guardian said: “The Nexus 10 is a sleek, smooth tablet that feels solid, and sits nicely in the hands with its rounded corners – more rounded than the iPad.”
      6. Venture Beat said: “The tablet’s curved design makes it surprisingly comfortable to hold, and the soft back case material feels simply luxurious. The Nexus 10 is so well designed that you’ll be tempted to fondle it even when it’s turned off.”
      7. Android Community said: “It’s extremely well made, very durable, feels great and is indeed a polished and beautiful product inside and out.”
      8. Android Police said: “Amazing build quality. I tried really hard to find a flaw in the build of this tablet. But I couldn’t. It’s top-notch – everything is super-solid… The back is the real standout feature of the device’s physical design, as it’s coated in a very soft rubbery-plastic that feels almost like leather. It definitely adds a feeling of quality, and is absolutely fantastic in the hands. It’s not cold and slippery like aluminum, nor does it feel cheap and flimsy like typical plastic. It’s slightly grippy, which allows you to hold the unit with less “force,” leading to less wrist fatigue. It also makes it easier to hold the device in your hand palette-style without fear of dropping it.”
      9. Tech Radar said: “The rear plastic chassis has a soft-touch feel, with the rubberised effect providing additional grip in the hand, and wrapping round to the front of the tablet for a smooth, seamless finish.”
      10. Wired said: “The back panel is a grippy plastic that makes the Nexus 10 much better than previous Samsung tablets and even the iPad for one-handed use.”

      These are just a few of the positive comments about the Nexus 10’s build quality. There are many more online. I’m not saying the build quality of the Nexus is better than the iPad 4. I’m just saying most reviewers like it.

      Copyright 2013 Rick Schwartz. All rights reserved. Linking to this article is encouraged.


      Follow me on Twitter @mostlytech1

    Filed under Blog Posts, Mobile Technology Tagged with , , , , , ,

    Who Makes the Best 10” Tablet on Earth?

    October 27, 2012 39 Comments

    Last update: February 3, 2013

    This article has had over 16,000 views. Thanks for reading it.

    Tablet Shopping Guide – No Opinions, Just the Facts

    There have been lots of new tablets released since my last article, so I’ve decided to do an update. I started by evaluating all of the popular tablets, and then narrowed the list down to only eight finalists. Although there are some truly amazing 7” to 8.9” tablets out there, this article is only evaluating tablets that are 9.7” and larger. You can learn more about the new iPad mini and other smaller tablets here.

    This time I’m trying a new approach. Instead of giving my opinion, I’m going to provide the facts, and let you decide for yourself. If you think I’ve missed anything, please let me know in the comments section. This is a “living” article that will be updated as I come across new information. Make sure to check back to see what has changed.

    Apple just recently released the iPad 4 with a Lightning connector


    Let’s start with the king of the tablets: The iPad. Apple has sold more tablets than any other manufacturer – by a long shoot. Just last week, Apple refreshed the “new iPad” by adding a Lightning connector, bumping up the speed on the processor and upgraded the front-facing camera. Let’s look at the strengths and weaknesses of the newest iPad:

    Apple iPad 4

    Strengths

  • Very good build-quality – All metal and glass construction
  • Fast performance – Beats the Nexus 10 on most benchmarks
  • Twice as fast as the iPad 3 in some benchmarks
  • More tablet-optimized apps than any other platform (275,000)
  • Very powerful battery (11,560 mAh) – Up to 10 hours battery life
  • Gets iOS updates on the first day they are available
  • Retina display (2nd highest resolution here 2048×1536)
  • One of the brightest displays
  • Boots in only 16 seconds
  • Excellent color accuracy
  • iOS apps are less likely to contain malware than Android apps
  • Dual-band 2.4GHz/5.0GHz Wi-Fi support
  • Optional 3G/4G support
  • Great selection of third-party accessories
  • 12W AC adapter for slightly faster charging
  • Lightning connector is reversible so it can’t be inserted wrong
  • Has AirPlay support for wireless media beaming
  • Touchscreen can register 11 points at a time
  • Powerful headphone amp
  • 1080p video with digital image-stabilization
  • Very good HTML5 performance
  • Best for portrait use
  • Smart cover automatically powers on the tablet when opened
  • Physical home button

    • Weaknesses

  • Heavier than all of the other tablets here except one (652g)
  • Thicker than all of the other tablets here except one (9.4mm)
  • Identical to the iPad 3 in most ways except processor, front cam and connector (case, display, etc.)
  • No memory expansion slot
  • Wi-Fi-only model doesn’t have an internal GPS
  • Use a proprietary connector so you can’t connect USB or HDMI cables directly
  • Lightning connector has no backward compatibility, so older accessories won’t work unless you buy an adapter
  • Much more difficult to repair than other tablets. Gets 2 out of 10 rating, which is horrible
  • Retina display has a big impact on battery life. One reviewer reports only 5.5 hrs video playback at full brightness
  • Gets badly beaten by the Nexus 10 on benchmarks like Geekbench (2480 vs. 1768)
  • Loads web pages slower than an iPad mini
  • 3G/4G support costs $130 more (plus data charges and other monthly fees)
  • Single mono speaker (no front-facing stereo speakers)
  • Has half the memory of other tablets (1GB vs. 2GB)
  • Some visible light leakage the LCD display
  • No quad-core CPU like other tablets have
  • Doesn’t have NFC support
  • Gets very warm on the left-hand side after you’ve been using it for a while
  • Very reflective display
  • The iSight camera is only 5MP. Other tablets have 8MP and 13MP cameras
  • The iPad 4’s iSight camera lacks panorama, Photo Sphere and camera features found in other Android tablets
  • No infrared transmitter
  • Parental controls only work with iOS and even then have serious limitations
  • No camera flash – Low light photos are very noisy
  • The front camera records noisy 720p videos at a only 24fps in low light
  • No mouse support
  • Only has a 1.2MP front camera
  • Screen has a 4:3 aspect ratio, so 16:9 movies cannot be displayed full screen a must be letter-boxed
  • Has a 4-core GPU while other tablets have 8 or 12-cores
  • Worse battery life than all previous iPads
  • Screen is smaller than other tablets
  • No back button or menu button

    • Acer makes several affordable 10.1″ quad-core tablets


    Acer has three different 10.1” quad-core powered Android tablets with very similar specs: The Acer Iconia Tab A700 (which came out back in June) and the newer A700-10s32u and A700-10k32u tablets. The A700-10k32u tablets seems like a good value at only $399.99

    Acer Iconia A Series

    Strengths

  • Full HD 1920×1200 display (224 ppi)
  • Quad-core processor
  • A good value – starting at $399 with 32GB
  • Good build-quality
  • 32GB storage (twice other tablets)
  • Includes a GPS
  • Stereo speakers
  • Has a microSD slot for memory expansion
  • Runs Android 4.1
  • HDMI connector for TV-out

    • Weaknesses

  • 1GB of memory (Some others have 2GB)
  • Camera lacks an LED flash
  • No 3G/4G cellular option
  • Acer doesn’t specify a resolution for the front cam (normally that means it’s 0.3MP)
  • No NFC support
  • No 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi support
  • Not as thin or light as some other tablets
  • No internal microphone

    • The ASUS PadFone 2 and dock are extremely innovative

    The ASUS PadFone2 is one of the most innovative mobile devices available today. Its Android-powered smartphone has amazing specs and a 13MP camera. The phones slides into a dock to become a tablet.

    Asus PadFone 2 with Dock

    Strengths

  • Fast quad-core processor (1.5GHz)
  • Detachable phone works on its own, or docks in tablet
  • 13-megapixel Sony BSI sensor plus f/2.4 five-element optics
  • Almost zero shutter lag, can also shoot up to 100 continuous shots at 6 fps
  • 1080p at up to 30 fps
  • 720p at up to 60 fps
  • Twice as much memory as most other tablets (2GB)
  • 3G/4G support
  • NFC support
  • 9.5 hour battery life
  • Capable of beaming to media AirPlay or DLNA devices when free 3rd-party apps are installed
  • Dual-band 2.4GHz/5.0GHz Wi-Fi support
  • Phone and dock weight less than the iPad 3 or iPad 4 (649g)
  • 50GB of free ASUS web storage
  • Bluetooth 4.0

    • Weaknesses

  • No Android 4.1 support yet
  • No MicroSD slot
  • Not the highest resolution display (1280×800)
  • Single mono speaker
  • No physical home button
  • No infrared transmitter
  • No U.S. carriers are offering this phone yet
  • Limited stylus support (no pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, special features)

    • The Asus Transformer has one of the best keyboard docks available

    The original ASUS Transformer Prime was the world’s first quad-core tablet. This Android-powered tablet been upgraded to a 1920p HD display and has an excellent optional keyboard dock. Some reviewers believe this is the best tablet available today.

    Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700

    Strengths

  • Fastest quad-core processor available today (1.6GHz)
  • Thinner than any of the other tablets here (8.5mm)
  • Twice the storage of most other tablets for $499 (32GB vs. 16GB)
  • True 1920p HD display (224ppi)
  • Fast graphics (12-core GPU)
  • Beats the Nexus 10 on most benchmarks
  • Android 4.1.1 update available (ships with 4.0.4)
  • Excellent keyboard dock with full-sized USB connector which offers 13-14 hours of battery life
  • 8MP camera with f2.2 aperture
  • Can operate as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot
  • Very good build-quality
  • Full size SD card slot
  • Light skin that doesn’t get in the way as much as TouchWiz
  • Bright display
  • Better black levels than the iPad 4 or Nexus 10
  • Higher contrast ratio than the iPad 4 or Nexus 10
  • Capable of beaming to media AirPlay or DLNA devices when free 3rd-party apps are installed
  • LED flash for camera
  • You can connect a standard mouse or external HD drive directly to the keyboard
  • microHDMI connector
  • Two microphones for stereo sound recording
  • Good selection of pre-loaded apps
  • 1080p video capture
  • Gorilla glass 2 screen
  • Nexus devices do not come with locked or encrypted bootloaders. That means you are free to install customs ROMs and tailor your device however you like
  • Has an ASUS customized settings app

    • When docked, the battery life on the Transformer Prime is second to none

    Weaknesses

  • Price starts at $599 but includes 32GB
  • Half the memory of other tablets (1GB vs. 2GB)
  • Images taken with camera are not the best
  • No NFC support
  • Slower Wi-Fi download speeds than the Nexus 10 and some other tablets
  • Not great low-light performance on camera
  • Single rear-facing speaker
  • Keyboard dock is $150 when purchased separately, but includes powerful battery
  • No dual-band 2.4GHz/5.0GHz Wi-Fi support
  • No optional 3G/4G support
  • Other tablets have better I/O performance
  • No infrared transmitter
  • No physical home button
  • Limited stylus support (no pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, special features)

    • Barnes’s and Noble’s Nook HD+ is the first 9.0″ tablet

    Barnes’s and Noble’s Nook HD+ is the the world’s first 9.0″ tablet. It’s very light and costs less than any other tablet here (pricing starts at $269). This is a pure e-reader without extras like cameras, GPS and cellular capabilities.

    Barnes and Noble’s Nook HD+

    Strengths

  • The most affordable tablet here ($269 and up)
  • High-resolution HD display (1920×1280)
  • The lightest tablet here (only 515g)
  • Includes stereo speakers
  • High pixel densitiy screen (256ppi)
  • Expandable memory via Micro SD slot
  • Parental controls for a kid-safe experience
  • HDMI out via cable
  • A micro USB port rather than a proprietary connector

    • Weaknesses

  • Not yet shipping (pre-order available 11/8)
  • The thickest tablet here (11.4mm)
  • No front or rear cameras
  • Least powerful battery here (4000 mAh)
  • No 3G/4G data option
  • No NFC support
  • No Dual-band 5.0GHz Wi-Fi support
  • No GPS support
  • Lacks an ambient light sensor for automatic screen brightness adjustment

    • The Fujitsu Stylistic M532 is a durable business-ready tablet

    The Fujitsu Stylistic M532 is a business-ready Android tablet. It has a fast quad-core processor and is thin, light and durable.

    Fujitsu Stylistic M532

    Strengths

  • Fast quad-core processor
  • The 2nd thinnest tablet tablet here (8.6mm)
  • Above-average durability
  • Designed for Business – Includes Absolute Computrace security
  • Has 32GB storage
  • Highest megapixel front camera available today in a tablet (2MP)
  • Has stereo speakers
  • 8MP rear camera
  • Has 2.4GHz/5.0GHz dual-band Wi-Fi
  • micro USB port
  • GPS support
  • Stock Android – No bloatware
  • microSD card slot

    • Weaknesses

  • Display is good, but it’s 1280×800. The best tablets are 1920×1080 or higher
  • Only 149 pixels per inch on display (the best have 200-300ppi)
  • Inaccurate touch screen
  • No 3G/4G cellular data option
  • Expensive $549
  • 30-pin proprietary connector
  • Runs Android 4.0.3
  • Only 1GB RAM (some others have 2GB)
  • No NFC support
  • No HDMI port (docking cradle ($69 direct) which allows HDMI out and USB inputs)
  • 5 hour battery life – Lowest power battery here (3170 mAh)
  • Bluetooth 3.0

    • The Huawei MediaPad 10 is a 10 inch Android tablet with a quad-core CPU

    The Huawei MediaPad 10 is a 10 inch Android tablet with a quad-core CPU and optional LTE support. Currently it’s only available in Europe.

    Huawei MediaPad 10

    Strengths

  • Quad-core CPU
  • 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display
  • Optional LTE support
  • Very thin (8.8mm)
  • Attractive design
  • 2GB memory
  • Good benchmark scores
  • Relatively light (580g)
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dolby 5.1 audio support
  • Strong audio output
  • microSD slot
  • Powerful amp for speakers
  • 8-megapixel rear camera
  • Gorilla Glass screen
  • HDMI connector for TV-out
  • 1080p video

    • Weaknesses

  • Pricing starts at 424 euros ($540 for 8GB Wi-Fi only)
  • Currently not available in the U.S.
  • Not great battery life (7+ hours)
  • Lacks microSD slot for storage expansion
  • Proprietary USB connector (no standard microUSB)
  • Heavy OS skin
  • No app drawer
  • No NFC support
  • Occasional delay when switching between open apps or launching apps
  • Sharp edges
  • Some issues with cameras
  • Rear-facing speakers
  • Highly-reflective screen

    • The Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 has a built-in FM radio

    The IdeaTab S2110 is a 10/1″ Android-powered tablet from Lenovo with 3G connectivity and a built-in FM radio.

    Lenovo IdeaTab S2110

    Strengths

  • Very nice keyboard dock
  • Only tablet with a built-in FM radio
  • A good value. Pricing starts at $429
  • Bright display with 178° wide viewing angle
  • Very thin (8.69mm)
  • Fast dual-core processor (1.5GHz)
  • Dual speakers and SRS TruMedia audio enhancement
  • Optional 3G connectivity
  • 10 hours battery life
  • Optional dock increases battery life to 16+ hours
  • Sturdy construction
  • Capable of beaming to media AirPlay or DLNA devices when free 3rd-party apps are installed
  • Micro-HDMI output
  • A micro USB port rather than a proprietary connector
  • 5.0MP rear camera with autofocus and LED flash
  • 1080p video recording
  • Bluetooth 4.0

    • Weaknesses

  • Lacks microSD slot for storage expansion
  • No optional 4G cellular
  • No NFC support
  • GPS is only available on 3G-enabled model
  • No 5GHz dual-band Wi-fi support
  • Matte finish attracts fingerprints
  • No infrared transmitter
  • No physical home button
  • Limited stylus support (no pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, special features)

    • The Microsoft Surface RT is the only tablet which runs Office today

    The Microsoft Surface RT is the most affordable Windows 8 tablet available today ($499). It runs Microsoft’s new Windows 8 Operating system and comes preloaded with a full-version of Microsoft Office.

    Microsoft Surface RT

    Strengths

  • Preloaded with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013
  • Most affordable Windows 8 tablet ($499)
  • Best laptop replacement
  • Quad-core processor (1.3GHz)
  • Twice as much memory as iPad 4 and most other tablets (2GB)
  • Twice the storage as most other tablets (32GB vs. 16GB)
  • Split-screen multi-tasking feature
  • Multi-user support
  • Full-sized USB jack (instead of a proprietary connector)
  • More than twice as good as the iPad 3 in a JavaScript benchmark
  • Large screen 10.6”
  • Dual speakers
  • microSD memory slot
  • Has a sturdy built-in stand
  • 2.4GHz/5.0GHz Wi-Fi support
  • Better keyboard support than some other tablets
  • The membrane keyboard doubles as a cover
  • Good HTML5 performance
  • 16:9 screen
  • microHDMI jack
  • Gets OS updates on the first day they are available
  • Bluetooth 4.0

    • Weaknesses

  • Limited number of great third-party Windows 8 apps
  • Preloaded OS and apps consume 12 GB of space
  • Heaviest tablet here (676g)
  • Windows 8 requires some learning curve
  • Some reviewers say battery life is only 7-8 hours
  • No GPS support
  • Can’t run legacy Windows apps
  • Slower web page loading than other tablets
  • Outlook is not included with Office, so you have to use Mail and Calendar to sync up with Exchange
  • No NFC support
  • Only 1MP front and rear cameras with no auto-focus
  • No Dropbox (or other third-party Cloud-based storage apps) are available today
  • No optional 3G/4G support
  • Screen resolution is good, but not great (1,366×768)
  • Lower pixel density than other tablets here (148ppi)
  • Touchscreen can only register five points at a time
  • Magnetic cord is sometimes hard to attach
  • No camera flash
  • No infrared transmitter
  • Only 720p video support
  • Limited stylus support (no pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, special features)

    • Looking for a good collection of Microsoft Surface RT hardware reviews?.

    The Nexus 10 tablet is the first 10″ tablet which runs Android 4.2

    The Google Nexus 10 is an Android tablet which has a Samsung Exynos 5250 processor clocked at 1.7 GHz. It’s a dual-core Cortex-A15 chip that performs well in benchmark tests. Central to the speed of the Exynos 5 Dual is the ARM Mali-T604 graphics processor, which more than doubles the 3D performance of the already fast Samsung Galaxy S III’s chip. But the biggest standout in the Nexus 10 is its beautiful 2560×1600-pixel display.

    Nexus 10

    Strengths

  • World’s first tablet with a WQXGA 2560×1600-pixel display
  • Starts at only $399
  • First tablet with an Exynos 5 ARM Cortex-A15 processor that beats the Tegra 3 in benchmarks.
  • First and only tablet which runs Android 4.2. Will be the first to get Android 4.3
  • First tablet with multi-user support which allows you to set up a guest profile so someone can check their email but can’t update your Facebook status. Also allows different family members to have there own spaces and apps.
  • World’s highest resolution tablet display (300ppi) – Over 4 million pixels. Games like “Nova” look much sharper on the Nexus 10 than on the iPad 4
  • Pure Android OS (no skinning or bloatware)
  • Fastest processor speed available in a tablet today (1.7GHz). The Verge says: “apps launch a lot faster and multitasking is an absolute breeze — even with 20 apps open, nothing seemed to slow down.”
  • Fast quad-core Mali-T604 graphics processor – Engadget says it has the “smoothest graphics we’ve seen.”
  • Twice as much memory as most other tablets (2GB)
  • Comes with 5 books, 3 magazines, 10 songs, an HD movie and a TV show
  • Beats the iPad 4 on benchmarks like Geekbench (2480 vs. 1768)
  • Android 4.2’s voice input and speech-to-text entry are second to none
  • NFC support (Only mobile device with dual NFC sensors)
  • Gets all Android updates the first day they are available
  • The new Android 4.2 Gallery app has been improved so you can now tweak your photos like pro software.
  • Has Google Wallet preloaded. Allows you to purchase things with your tablet.
  • Boots in 19-24 seconds
  • Dual-band 2.4GHz/5.0GHz Wi-Fi support
  • Well-built and durable
  • Has MIMO WiFi and accelerated page-loading
  • Very good sounding stereo front-facing speakers
  • Rated “extremely repairable”
  • Capable of beaming media to AirPlay or DLNA devices when free 3rd-party apps are installed
  • Pleasant to hold. Doesn’t dig into your hand like the iPad 4
  • Has an RGB notification LED
  • Fast and smooth scrolling. The entire user interface runs at 60fps.
  • Android 4.2 has a new Swype-style keyboard that allows you to slide your finger around the keyboard to spell out words more quickly and accurately
  • Built-in barometer sensor improves GPS accuracy
  • Smart cover automatically powers on the tablet when opened
  • LED flash
  • No bloatware (pre-loaded apps which cannot be removed)
  • Quick settings can be accessed by pulling down on the top right portion of the screen
  • 16:9 display
  • Good parental controls (when multiple profiles used)
  • Photos taken with its rear camera have better color accuracy, definition and less noise than the iPad 4’s camera
  • 1080 video recording
  • A micro USB port rather than a proprietary connector
  • Gorilla Glass 2 screen
  • Built-in micro-HDMI port
  • Bluetooth 4.0

    • Weaknesses

  • 16GB model is only available from the online Google Play store. 32GB model is available from Walmart, Staples, and Google Play
  • Many reviewers feel the Android ecosystem is lacking when it comes to good tablet apps
  • No microSD memory slot
  • Android 4.2 contains more bugs than earlier versions. Some were addressed in a 3.2.1 update, but others remain
  • No docks and limited other accessories are available yet
  • The included charger charges slowly, Consider buying Google’s magnetic pogo charger instead
  • No quad-core processor – Gets beat by the iPad 4, Transformer Prime and Galaxy Note 10.1 on most benchmarks
  • Battery life is acceptable, not great. One reviewer reports only 5 hours of video playback at full brightness
  • No 3G/4G support option today (some say it’s planned for the future)
  • Not as thin as the Asus Transformer Infinity (8.9mm)
  • Camera is only 5MP. Other tablets have 8MP and 13MP cameras.
  • Has a slightly larger bezel than other tablets (0.9″ Nexus 10 vs. 0.8″ iPad 4)
  • Like the iPad, it has some light leakage around the lower corners and sides of the LCD display
  • Wi-Fi signal strength issues
  • Lacks support of 802.11a
  • No infrared transmitter
  • Miracast not currently enabled
  • Its “smart cover” doesn’t stay closed very well
  • Limited stylus support (no pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, special features)
  • No physical home button
  • More Nexus issues listed under my first impressions article and a second article.

    • Update: The Nexus 10 went on sale on November 13th and the 32GB model sold out within two hours. Since then, Google has gotten more in.

    What about the build-quality of the Nexus 10? Click here, and scroll down to the bottom of the article.

    You can see the Split Screen feature here on the Galaxy Note 10.1

    The Galaxy Note 10.1 is the only tablet here with full stylus support including pressure sensitivity. This Android-powered tablet also has the ability to split the screen in two and run two apps at once.

    Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

    Strengths

  • Full stylus support (1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, special features)
  • Fast quad-core processor (1.4GHz)
  • Excellent performance – Fast GPU – Beats the Nexus 10 on several benchmarks
  • Multi-view split-screen multi-tasking feature
  • Twice as much memory as most other tablets (2GB)
  • Very thin (8.9 mm)
  • microSD memory slot
  • Built-in infrared transmitter
  • 9+ hours battery life (7000mAh)
  • Dual-band 2.4GHz/5.0GHz Wi-Fi support
  • Optional 3G/4G support
  • Good sounding stereo speakers
  • Capable of beaming media to AirPlay or DLNA devices when free 3rd-party apps are installed
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Includes quality stylus and storage space for it in the case
  • microHDMI jack

    • Weaknesses

  • Average-quality case
  • Average-quality 5MP camera
  • Not the highest resolution display (1280×800)
  • Uses TouchWiz skin
  • No NFC support
  • Preloaded with some Samsung apps which cannot be removed
  • No Android 4.1 support yet
  • Camera is only 5MP. Other tablets have 8MP and 13MP cameras.
  • No physical home button
  • Not scratch-resistant glass
  • Some have reported the default Clock, Media Hub, Game Hub and Music Hub widgets affect performance

    • The Sony Xperia Tablet S is one of the thinnest tablets available

    The Sony Experia is the lightest tablet here. This Android-powered tablet has a fast quad-core processor and built-in infrared transmitter.

    Sony Xperia Tablet S

    Strengths

  • Starts at only $399
  • Lightest tablet here (570g)
  • Quad-core processor (1.3GHz)
  • Built-in infrared transmitter with programmable macros
  • Very thin (8.6 mm)
  • NFC support
  • 8MP camera
  • Scratch-resistant screen
  • Splash-proof (water resistant)
  • Dual-band 2.4GHz/5.0GHz Wi-Fi support
  • Stereo speakers
  • Capable of beaming media to AirPlay or DLNA devices when free 3rd-party apps are installed
  • Full-sized SD card
  • Full-sized USB port (instead of a proprietary connector)
  • Full-sized HDMI jack (instead of a proprietary connector)
  • Aluminum body

    • Weaknesses

  • Only 1GB RAM
  • Not the highest resolution screen (1280×800)
  • No optional 3G/4G support
  • No Android 4.1 support yet
  • Back is not flat. Has a bump near the top
  • Limited stylus support (no pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, special features)
  • No physical home button
  • No camera flash

    • Areas of strength are shown in blue; Weakness is shown in red


    That’s it! Now it’s up to you to select the best tablet based on your needs. Let me know which one you decide to buy and why.

    Thanks for stopping by.

    – Rick

    P.S. Because I’m starting to get some stupid comments from Apple fan-boys, I’m going to give you a little background: Before anyone accuses me of being an Android fan-boy, you should know that almost all of this article was written on an iPad 3, which I like very much. I write very opinionated articles about all platforms. My previous post was about Windows 8 tablets. One of my most popular posts slams Samsung and Google about beaming. I was also an iPhone user for three years and think Apple TV is a great product. Some of the new Apple products look very appealing to me, but sadly the iPad 4 is not one of them. I’ve listed everything good and bad I can find about every tablet here and I’m continually updating this post as I find more stuff. Make sure to check back later to see how this article evolves. There are a few new tablets that have come out since I wrote this. Although I haven’t had time to add them yet, you can read about them in the Comments section of this article.

    Thanks for making this my most popular post ever!

    This post received more views on 10/30 than any other post I’ve even made. I never thought it was possible to get this many views in a single day. Thanks everyone!

    Copyright 2013 Rick Schwartz. All rights reserved. Linking to this article is encouraged.

    Follow me on Twitter @mostlytech1

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