[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] wynand32:
I haven't posted here in awhile, having moved on from the Prime after discovering that I was spending way too much time trying to make it work for me when, in the end, it really didn't. Not a knock against ASUS: I think they've done a lot of good things to resolve issues, up to and including providing an ultimate refund, but I think the Prime is a chapter they'll be happy to put behind them.

That said, I have to say: I broke down about a month or so ago and bought a new iPad. After months of defending Android tablets, I've changed my tune a bit. Today, while I think that Android ICS is a better tablet OS in theory, the implementation so far is nowhere near to providing a better experience than the iPad. And until it is, the iPad will continue to dominate the tablet market.

I think this is a combination of a few factors:

1. The iPad is a better piece of hardware, hands down. Apple has done a remarkable job of picking one thing and building a device around it. With the original iPad it was the modern tablet concept in general. With the iPad 2 it was how thin and light it was. And with the new iPad, it's that utterly remarkable screen. I've now compared a number of Android tablets side-by-side with the iPad, and in my opinion no Android tablet even comes close to the clarity of the iPad in terms of text and color.

I'm a convert: Android tablets have horrible text by comparison, inferior colors, and in general a much less pleasant experience. And, there's no Android tablet that feels as good in the hand.

2. The iPad is a smoother, more reliable experience. Yes, apps crash (although far less often than on Android tablets). However, there's no lag, apps may not multitask but when you return to them, they're exactly where you expect them to be, and overall the performance just seems more seamless and elegant.

Putting #1 and #2 together, and I can see why a typical consumer will look at an Android tablet, then at an iPad, and pick the iPad 90% of the time. It's just a better immediate experience.

3. The Android tablet app situation is an embarrassment. iPad apps are incredibly plentiful and vastly superior to what's available on Android tablets, and they're much, much easier to find. I can think of only one app (Evernote) that's better on Android tablets than on the iPad, and I can think of many that are either much, much better on the iPad, or don't exist at all on Android tablets. Google needs to get in gear here--honestly, only the most hardcore Android geeks should buy an Android tablet over an iPad if they want to really be able to take advantage of the tablet platform.

All of that sounds pretty bleak, but the iPad does have some weaknesses to exploit:

1. Working with files on the iPad is a joke. It's literally painful. Install Dropsync on an Android tablet and set it to sync folders to Dropbox, and you have local, offline access to files that can be easily edited and then synced with any other machine that supports Dropbox. On the iPad, offline file access is almost impossible, and working with files online isn't nearly as seamless as on Android.

2. Android widgets really do make a difference in how productive a tablet can be. Part of the reason iOS on the iPad is so smooth is that it's so simple. It's far less functional, by an order of magnitude.

3. iOS is so much more locked down in terms of apps sharing information. Enough said.

If Google and Android tablet makers can improve the stability and performance of Android tablets, and figure out how to make more solid devices with screens that compare well to the iPad, then that will improve things dramatically. Then, get developers to make better tablet apps, and price the tablets aggressively, and maybe in six months to a year Android tablets will be a more viable option.

However, while I would never get an iPhone to replace my Android phone, I would likewise never give up my iPad for any current Android tablet. Whereas Android smartphones are legitimately better than the iPhone in terms of variety, customizability, local file access, productivity, etc., in addition to having just as good hardware if not better, Android tablets just aren't there yet.

This is a pretty significant change in my position. Review my posts from a month or so ago, and you'll see me singing a different tune. But having used the new iPad for a few weeks now, using any Android tablet just feels like an exercise in frustration. I really WANT to like them as much as the iPad, but I just don't. And if I feel that way, as much as I prefer Android and can't stand Apple, then I can see why the iPad is so dominant.

Google and the Android tablet makers have a fair way to go to become truly competitive.