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1:40 pm

November 6, 2011

Both iPad and Samsung tablets are very good. You really won’t go wrong with either of them.
If you have an iPhone already, then you’ll probably be happier with the iPad since is works mostly the same. The iPad is also a bit simpler to learn because it is standardized by Apple.
Samsung (and Android devices in general) are more open systems and, therefore may have many special features not available on the iPad. Swype is one app that comes to mind – it is a new way of typing onscreen by ‘swyping’ over the keys to a word rather than tapping each letter separately.
I wrote an article last year on What Tablet to Buy. The general advice is still appropriate – the specific models mentioned may be out of date. https://geeksontour.com/2012/11…..ne-to-buy/
Any other members out there have a Samsung they’d like to tell us about? Please add your reply to this message.
10:20 am

I have had a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.2 for a year. I really like it. However, I don’t think of it as a replacement for my laptop. I primarily use it for reading. It is a good size for reading newspapers, magazines and ebooks. I do check email and a few web sites on it.
I’ve compared my Samsung to my sisters iPad and it is a bit lighter. I do find the iPad has more apps than Android. But since I’m a Droid user the Samsung works better for me.
These tablets don’t come with much storage space. But the Samsung does offer a slot for a small card that holds 32GB in addition to the 16GB that come with the tablet. You can use that to store music, video, photos, etc. I use it to store many of my reference type ebooks . . . cookbooks, reference books, field guides and travel guides.
Cloud storage is very handy on a tablet. I use it to store fiction ebooks, my recipes and other documents I like to always have available. The tablet is good to have in the kitchen to access recipes, either on the web or ones I have stored in Dropbox. When I bought the Tablet it came with 48GB of storage in Dropbox for a year. When that expired in Sept Dropbox extended it for two more years.
I have to say I have enjoyed and used the tablet much more that I ever thought I would. I was skeptical so I bought it at Costco feeling I could return it if I didn’t like it. Good luck.
6:51 pm

I don’t have a Samsung tablet. I have an Asus and have had a Nexus 7.
One thing to be aware of with Android tablets is the updating of apps. Almost every time I start my tablet it starts updating apps. The more you have the more that need updating. During this time the tablet is extremely sluggish due to the downloading and installing process.
I don’t know if an ipad does the same but I am strongly considering changing to an ipad.
10:52 am

I have the Samsung and I do find Adroid apps update quite a bit. But you can control when they update so it shouldn’t slow you down at startup. I also use the free app called Clean Master. It makes it very easy to clean your Smartphone or Tablets junk files,gives you a memory boost and generally helps you keep you device clean from files you don’t need.
Just fyi – Apple devices also need updates. I haven’t tracked how much one updates vs the other, but I don’t think there is that much difference. Here is an Apple Article about Updating Apps
And, here are some instructions from Google on the Update settings for Android. From your message it sounds like you might want to turn off Automatic updates. Follow the instructions … it needs to be done on each app.
1:21 pm

Thanks to both of you for your reply’s.
I did turn off auto update of apps and loaded and ran Clean Master. Clean Master did seem to help significantly.
However, I was trying to view a website today and the photo loading was very balky. I picked up our work ipad, tried the same website and the results were much faster. So I am still leaning towards a replacement ipad.
If you have any other ideas on speeding up the android I would love to try them.
Usually load speed is related to Internet connection. Were your Android and iPad on the same Internet connection?
I have also been finding my Android phone to be sluggish lately and my iPad mini is quite zippy – but I am chalking that up to the fact that my Droid is nearly 2 years old and the iPad is less than 6 months. I have been spending some time removing unused apps. It’s so hard to know exactly what the cause is. I still say you’ll be happy with either Samsung or iPad … I’d get both! 🙂
8:14 pm

August 5, 2010

I just received a gift of a 32GB ipad Air and a Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for the ipad Air. Both Bill and I just upgraded our phones with Verizon. We now have Samsung Galaxy S4’s and we also added the MiFi jetpack. We discontinued our Hughes account ( to see if we like the MiFi better) and only use the Motosat for the Direct TV bird on a wire. Do you still feel that using two different operating systems isn’t a problem?
Welllllll…. ummmmm …. two different operating systems is twice the learning. That’s always a problem unless you love learning as much as we do! And, we are overwhelmed at this point
That said, I think you’ll love your iPad air. I also think you’ll love your Galaxy phones! Be sure to watch our Sunday afternoon “What Does This Button Do?” shows where we teach both. http://www.geeksontour.com/weeklyshow/
6:22 pm

August 5, 2010

MrsGeek said
Welllllll…. ummmmm …. two different operating systems is twice the learning. That’s always a problem unless you love learning as much as we do! And, we are overwhelmed at this point![]()
That said, I think you’ll love your iPad air. I also think you’ll love your Galaxy phones! Be sure to watch our Sunday afternoon “What Does This Button Do?” shows where we teach both. http://www.geeksontour.com/weeklyshow/
Okkkkkkkkk It’s hard to ask a question when I don’t know enough to know what to ask. Thanks for answering me. I just need to sit and research the ipad air and the Samsung galaxy note pro or note 10.1. The gift was bought at Costco so I can try it and return it if I don’t like it. Just spent some time reading and gonna give the ipad a try.
Looking forward to the Sunday program. I couldn’t watch it with Hughes as it was so slow and buffered forever. Haven’t tried the MiFi yet.
Enjoy yourself in OR and WA. I am excited about your proposed schedule next year. Looking forwards to seeing you in Phoenix and Tucson.
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