The ASUS Transformer Prime is superior to the iPad 2 IMO, and Apple is responding with iPad 3. It's leapfrog, so it just depends on when you get in, though the TF Prime will probably under cut the iPad 3 in price.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It's very possible that I misunderstand the technology but I get "free" streaming with Amazon Prime that won't play on my iPad. Does that mean no tablet will be able to stream from Amazon Prime?

My HP Touchpad streams Amazon Prime with no problems. It can't do netflix, though.

This highlights Amazon's dilemma. This device is no longer sold (and also didn't run Android). Amazon's game plan has been disrupted and it will have to turn to Plan B. We just don't know what Plan B is at this time.

Anonymous wrote:
It's very possible that I misunderstand the technology but I get "free" streaming with Amazon Prime that won't play on my iPad. Does that mean no tablet will be able to stream from Amazon Prime?

My HP Touchpad streams Amazon Prime with no problems. It can't do netflix, though.

Anonymous wrote:Are any of the non-apple tablets out there competitive with the iPad yet? Someone mentioned having a the Galaxy Tab...

Just curious how they compare.

PP with the Galaxy Tab. I prefer the Android operating system interface to the iPad but it's just a preference thing. The resolution on my Galaxy Tab is better (to my non-technical untrained eye) than the iPad. I passed down my iPad to my DC, who also plays on my Tab, and he says he prefers the Tab as well. I told him he can't have my Tab yet.

I have found managing music collections on the Android is easier than iTunes, especially with Amazon MP3 usage. But we have more devices than people in our house, so ours is hardly the normal consumer environment.

Anonymous wrote:
It's very possible that I misunderstand the technology but I get "free" streaming with Amazon Prime that won't play on my iPad. Does that mean no tablet will be able to stream from Amazon Prime?

The technical answer is fairly complex and this is likely more of a business decision than a technical one anyways. But, in short, Amazon should be able to make its streaming service available for iOS and Android devices fairly easily. However, it it chooses to use streaming to drive Kindle purchases, it may choose not to. My own guess is that Flash will soon be dead, both on the desktop and on mobile. So, Amazon will probably have non-Flash streaming. But, it still might restrict that to Kindles.

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I'm wondering if our second tablet shouldn't be one that can play things in Flash. I do find that annoying about the iPad. Lots of DS's little videos and his online guided reading programs require Flash.

Adobe has dropped mobile Flash. Apple won that one. Going forward, websites will migrate away from Flash because mobile users -- except in very limited cases -- won't be able to use Flash.

It's very possible that I misunderstand the technology but I get "free" streaming with Amazon Prime that won't play on my iPad. Does that mean no tablet will be able to stream from Amazon Prime?

Anonymous wrote:
I'm wondering if our second tablet shouldn't be one that can play things in Flash. I do find that annoying about the iPad. Lots of DS's little videos and his online guided reading programs require Flash.

Adobe has dropped mobile Flash. Apple won that one. Going forward, websites will migrate away from Flash because mobile users -- except in very limited cases -- won't be able to use Flash.

Anonymous wrote:Are any of the non-apple tablets out there competitive with the iPad yet? Someone mentioned having a the Galaxy Tab...

Just curious how they compare.

I'm wondering if our second tablet shouldn't be one that can play things in Flash. I do find that annoying about the iPad. Lots of DS's little videos and his online guided reading programs require Flash.

Are any of the non-apple tablets out there competitive with the iPad yet? Someone mentioned having a the Galaxy Tab...

Just curious how they compare.

Anonymous wrote:I was waiting for ipad3 to come out so I could get an ipad2. How bad is the screen res? I thought it was ok for ipad native apps?

The screen rez is ok, it's just not perfect. The only time I notice is when reading small font online newspaper articles. The letters can sometimes look a bit grainy.

I have the iPad2 (32g) and it's a battle using it sometimes between my DD and DH. I love that thing though. I'm thinking of getting the new ipad when it comes out. This time I'm thinking of getting the 16g since this one will be dedicated to all the things I like (no kid movies/shows/books/games).

will ipad3 have siri? i'd "upgrade" for that feature but not for a better screen

I was waiting for ipad3 to come out so I could get an ipad2. How bad is the screen res? I thought it was ok for ipad native apps?

jsteele wrote:There is a good bet that any non-Apple tablet is manufactured under worse conditions than an iPad.

Not sure that I would bet on the "under worse conditions" part, but they are all bad.

http://www.hardwarezone.com/blog-you-me-our-sweatshop-toys

Signed,
owner of an iPad and a Samsung Galaxy Tab (among other devices)

Regarding the labor conditions in China, see this article:

http://blog.laptopmag.com/labor-activist-apple-best-at-auditing-factories-still-not-doing-enough

"Labor Activist Li Qiang wants you to know that the iPhone 4 in his pocket is not an endorsement of Apple’s policies, just an acknowledgement that the company is doing a better job of monitoring factory conditions than its peers."

"“Although I know that the iPhone 4 is made at sweat shop factories in China, I still think that this is the only choice, because Apple is actually one of the best. Actually before I made a decision, I compared Apple with other cell phone companies, such as Nokia,” he said through a translator. “And the conditions in those factories are worse than the ones of Apple.”"

There is a good bet that any non-Apple tablet is manufactured under worse conditions than an iPad.