GADGET REVIEW: iPad vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab

AppleApple iPad

So when I was recently given the chance to not only check out an Apple iPad, but also the new Samsung Galaxy Tab, I was in gadget heaven.

Unless you've been living under a rock , you've heard of the iPad thanks to the mighty juggernaut that is Apple's public relations department. The Galaxy? What's that? And I must confess that I immediately went into the comparison of the two gadgets assuming that the iPad would be superior in every way.

But, surprisingly, the Galaxy gives Apple a bit of competition in the tablet computer wars, and after playing with both of them for a week, I have to say both offer some mighty cool and useful features.

The iPad did it all first, so the Galaxy comes off initially as just an iPad clone, and since the Galaxy is about two-thirds the size of the iPad, you might be tempted to call this clone a "Mini-Me" ... or in this case a "Mini-i."

In the end, it was really hard for me to decide which device I liked better because both have so many similarities. The Galaxy runs on the Android operating system, so being a Droid phone user, that had quite a bit of appeal for me. It was tough to say which tablet was ultimately superior, so I'm going to run down some of the pros and cons for each device and let you -- and Santa -- decide.




SIZE MATTERS -- OR DOES IT?

Samsung Galaxy Tab

This comes down to a matter of preference. The iPad has a 9.7-inch screen while the Galaxy's screen is only 7 inches. But the resolution on both are so close that it might actually come down to pure psychology. Both screens are so crisp, that only the weakest eyes would have a problem with the Galaxy's smaller display. The iPad also weighs about half a pound more than the Galaxy as well. But it's bigger, so you'd expect that.

WI-FI
If you're wanting to surf the Web when there's no Wi-Fi around, then you will be out of luck with the iPad. The Galaxy has an integrated Mi-Fi which turns the tablet into a mobile hotspot. Verizon offers a separate Mi-Fi with the iPad, but who wants to lug around yet another device? The caveat with mobile hotspots is, of course, data usage. And that can run your bill up quickly. You can opt out of the Mi-Fi altogether if you want. Both tablets are pretty speedy when picking up a standard Wi-Fi connection.

CAMERAS
Sorry, no camera for you, iPad. But the Galaxy offers a 3 megapixel camera in the back as well as a 1.3 megapixel camera in the front for video conferencing using Skype. This is an obviously absent feature on the iPad that left everyone scratching their heads when it debuted. My guess is this won't be a minus for Apple for long, but why it was left off to begin with will always be a mystery to me.

MEMORY
The iPad comes in three standard memory sizes: 16 gigabytes ($499), 32 GB ($599) and 64 GB ($699). The Galaxy comes standard with 2 GB of internal memory and a 16 GB of external. Unfortunately, you can't add more memory to the iPad, but you can add more to the Galaxy with an SD card. Of course, more memory comes with a bigger price tag, and if you add the external 3G Mi-Fi to the iPad, the 64 GB model will run you $829. The Galaxy is $599. Unfortunately, the external capacity for the Galaxy maxes out at 32 GB.

The pricing for me is the only deal breaker in the comparison wars. With the Galaxy being so much smaller, I would expect the price to be at least $100 below the iPad's lowest price option.

You can get the Galaxy for as low as $400, but that involves a two-year contract that would probably include data usage for the 3G network.

APPS
Apps for the iPad are as abundant as they are for the iPhone. But since the Galaxy uses the Android operating system, the ever-expanding app store for that tablet is growing exponentially.

So, it all boils down to a matter of taste and preference. If you think Steve Jobs hung the moon, then it's doubtful that your eyes will ever lose sight of the iPad. But the Galaxy has a lot of things going for it, too. My advice is: Before you buy, give both of them a test drive. No doubt you may come away from the experience as much of a fence-sitter as I am.


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New App From Peel Aims To Turn Your iPad Into A TV Remote

Peel is looking at turning your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch into a all bells and whistles universal remote control.

With Peel’s new Wi-Fi “fruit”, your iOS device will be able to find your favorite TV shows, recommend programs to you, also being able to operat your home theater system and posting your reviews on Facebook or Twitter.

Peel is the maker of a free iPhone app launched in October that’s like a mashup of TV Guide, Netflix and Flixter. The app lets you use your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch to search for your favorite TV shows, giving you time and channel information. It recommends more TV based on the shows you liked and then hooks you up with social networking sites so you can chat about your favorites.

Peel has also taken the next step in turning the app into a TV controller. Instead of buttons and onscreen menus, you would use the iOS device’s gesture based interface. It finds the shows, changes channels, adjusts volume, all the controls you expect from a universal type remote control.

The Peel hardware consists of two pieces: the Peel cable and Wi-Fi-enabled Peel fruit. There aren’t a lot of details available yet on the system and we’ve pressed Peel to tell us more.

Peel says: “The fruit so named because it was designed by Yves Behar of fuseproject to look like an orange must sit within line-of-sight of a user’s entertainment system. The cable plugs into a power outlet and an Ethernet port on a wireless router.”

Like all universal controls, Peel also promises that its system works with thousands of models of TVs, DVD and Blu-ray players, cable and satellite boxes, Internet connected streaming devices like Roku, Tivo and Apple TV, and home theater receivers. It does however require iOS 3 or above.

As for the price, the company wants prospective customers to log onto its Web site and vote on what price they would be willing to pay although it does suggest that “comparable systems cost about $200″. The company say they have some test units that it’s willing to give away via a “Priceline like make me an offer” deal.

http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog/app-peel-aims-turn-ipad-tv-remote/

Custom iPhone Made of T-Rex Tooth and Meteor

A new phone by Stuart Hughes features meteoric rock and dinosaur tooth.

Looking for something "fierce"? The British jeweler who brought the world the $8 million Apple iPhone 4 has gone for something a little more prehistoric

The newly designed iPhone 4 History Edition by Stuart Hughes is not only encrusted by diamonds, it features the actual tooth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Instead of the typical glass, the back is custom fitted with a T-Rex tooth -- splintered and shaved into polished meteoric stone that dates back 65 million years. The phone also boasts a bezel of diamonds and sports a platinum Apple logo.

It’s not the first time Hughes has worked with dinosaur. His company GoldStriker specializes in custom made luxury electronics ranging from mobile phones to notebook computers -- even aquariums that made headlines in October for offering an iPhone sporting 500 diamonds that cost $8 million.

Hughes will be producing 10 of the T-Rex iPhone 4s, which are going for about $62,700 -- the perfect stocking stuffer for any dino-enthusiast.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/12/08/custom-iphone-features-t-rex-tooth-meteor/#ixzz17an1ewjP

iPadLock Protects Your iPad From Thieves

iPadLock Protects Your iPad From Thieves

There's no doubt that Apple's iPad is a popular device, and the downside of that is that many folks will be eyeing your iPad, possibly with the intention of stealing it too. Since the iPad doesn't offer a built-in security slot like most notebooks out there, the folks over at MacLocks have come up with the iPadLock, which is a clear case that you can use to protect your iPad which happens to provide a security slot too, giving your previous tablet an added layer or protection. The case is currently available for pre-order on its own for $40 without the cable lock and $65 for the version that bundles the cable lock together.

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2010/12/ipadlock_protects_your_ipad_from_thieves.html

Top 10 Pointless iPhone and iPad Accessories

10 Pointless iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad Accessories

There's a huge, lucrative accessories industry based on tricking out Apple's iPhone, iPod, and iPad. Some of the accessories are genuinely useful--or at least undeniably cool (such as Parrot's AR.Drone iPhone-controlled quadricopter)--but others look dumb and serve no discernible purpose. In this slideshow we gravitate toward the latter, spotlighting accessories that are, at best, pointless money wasters and, at worst, awkward destroyers of the user's social life.

You can thank us later for preserving your bank balance and your contact with other people.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/212689/10_pointless_iphone_ipod_touch_and_ipad_accessories.html

Speck’s DustJacket now Available for iPad

We get to play with a lot of iPad accessories here at PadGadget HQ, some of the stuff we get is pretty cool but a lot of it is just ho-hum. One brand we always enjoy checking out is Speck. So we were happy to hear that they just released their popular DustJacket case for the iPad.

The DustJacket for iPad is based on the company’s well known Kindle 2 folio case design. The case opens like a book but allows you to angle the iPad in a number of positions for watching movies or typing emails. The cover of the DustJacket flips over and acts as a stand, holding your iPad in a number of preset positions thanks to special ridges integrated into the case.

While in the case, your iPad is protected from the bumps and bruises of daily use thanks to a padded leatherette exterior and the microfiber interior helps keep your iPad’s screen scratch free. You also have full access to all of the iPad’s ports and controls so you don’t need to remove your iPad when syncing with your computer.

The DustJacket’s is available in black or red and has a MSRP of $49.95.

http://www.padgadget.com/2010/12/07/specks-dustjacket-now-available-for-ipad/

iPad 2 shipping Feb 2011 for April release tip insiders

iPad 2 manufacturer Foxconn is tipped to be preparing for shipment of the second-generation iPad “within the next 100 days”, putting the new slate shipping in late February 2011 and, according to the sources, on sale in April 2011. That’s according to DigiTimes, whose component manufacturer sources are suggesting that firmware development delays have pushed mass production of the iPad 2 back by around a month.

The company apparently intended to begin mass production in January next year, but longer than expected testing of the firmware has meant that schedule had to be pushed back. Initial shipments are tipped to amount to 400,000 – 600,000 units.

As for the hardware itself, there have been various rumors about the iPad 2′s functionality, including talk of an iPhone 4-style Retina Display and a carbon fiber frame. The iOS slate is also expected to have a front-facing camera for Face Time video calls.