iPad 2 vs Archos 101 Internet Tablet

[ITweijie]

Which device should I get? Which is better? Im using it for watching videos, playing games and surf the net with it.. I'm an advance user. Which device should you recommend?

[frank]

Mercedes or Hyundai, which is better?

[karel jansens]

iPad <--> Archos 101
Walled garden <--> Open Serengeti
safe in your fascist utopia <--> roaming the grass with lions

You choose. Me? I hate Apple with a vengeance. Then again, I also cannot stand Microsoft, or Oracle, or or Amazon, or even Google. I'm an old, grumpy b*st*rd, I am.

[gte105u]

Well, that is a night and day difference.

The "better" device is clearly the Ipad 2. I would never want one, but if you lined them up specs to specs the Ipad would win in a landslide. Now if you take into account a lot of different factors such as USB/SD card, price, customization it is not so clear anymore.

First you must decide on iOS or Android. You can get a number of tablets which are comparable to or better than Ipad in quality and specs. The Xoom, Acer A500, next generation of Archos are all good choices. The new Samsung Galaxy is getting a lot of buzz (and heat) because it is basically an Ipad knockoff for Android. So if you are willing to spend the costs for an Ipad but prefer the flexibility and options of Android then there are a lot of good choices... probably better than the G8 Archos.

If you want to save the money it would cost to get an Ipad as part of the reason for the Archos... it is probably you best bet. Ipad2 is expensive, Samsung Galaxy 10.1 is expensive, Xoom is fairly expensive, and the A500/Transformer/Thrive are all more than the Archos. If cost is a big factor, go with the current 101. It should be more than enough to satisfy the basic surf the net and watch videos needs. Honeycomb is a great OS on tablets though, I did not even comprehend how much better it was until I used it. It may be worth taking the step up to a Honeycomb tablet like the Archos G9 101...

[baxjohnson]

I must disagree. If you want Android spend the extra bucks and go with the Tab 10.1 or one of the Asus Tablets. No questions asked. Don't buy the Gen 8 10.1! There are enough documented issues that it is not worth the $$$ you will save.

The Gen 9s may be better but I have yet to see Archos openly address the USB issues with the Gen 8. Until they do I would not trust that they are fixed. One of the biggest things that set the Gen 8's apart from the other early Android tablets was the USB feature. Feeling defeated on that one.

[Mori78]

Amazon just announced a $200 tablet that looks to be very zippy. Not onlt that but it has integration with amazon media. If it werent for this archos i would buy this tablet

[viking]

If you want $200, why not consider the arnova gen2 version of archos 101? Sticks with the big screen, upgrades the flavor of android, doubles the ram, and even omits charging for the USB host port which seems to be unloved in this thread. I ordered one, and hope it still meets the wonderful criteria below (with arc promising a google market hack in a few days).

iPad <--> Archos 101
Walled garden <--> Open Serengeti
safe in your fascist utopia <--> roaming the grass with lions

[TinyJWR]

The biggest reason I dislike Apple products is that I dislike being told what software I have to use on my computers. If the company hasn't approve the app, you're mostly out of luck.

The other reason I dislike Apple products is that Oranges are must juicier.

[exelletor]

The other reason I dislike Apple products is that Oranges are must juicier.

But not when they are still green.

[karel jansens]

The other reason I dislike Apple products is that Oranges are must juicier.

But not when they are still green.

Surely those are Shelbyville turnips.

[TinyJWR]

Surely those are Shelbyville turnips.

I've learned something new again today. I had never heard of a shelbyville turnip before. I guess I might be one of the few people who have never watched The Simpsons. I believe it was Groucho Marx that said he found television to be very educational. Whenever someone turned it on, he went into the next room and read a book.

[karel jansens]

I believe it was Groucho Marx that said he found television to be very educational. Whenever someone turned it on, he went into the next room and read a book.

I kinda agree with the Great Gouache-Moustached One there: Whenever someone else turns the tv on, I'm usually gone too. Terry Pratchett is so much more educational than X-Idol With the Stars.

Although, as a case study in abnormal psychology...

[jbmcb]

Don't buy either until you try them both. See how you like the feel of holding one. Try browsing the internet and switching between and interacting with apps. Try a couple of games you would like on each one. Doing this with the iPad is relatively easy - there are Apple stores everywhere. Not sure about the Archos - I bought mine from a computer store that didn't have them out to try at all. I tried a friends before purchasing.

[johntemp]

I own an A70 and a Samsung Tab. Both are great the Tab is definately nippier, and fractionaly less prone to suddenly freeze up.

I've borrowed the iPad 2, a short loan, and have to say it is stunning.

My biggest gripe with the iPad though is iTunes, I could seriously pull my hair out with this, and Apples ÔÇÿmother knows bestÔÇÖ software policy. It's rather like driving a Ferrari round a go kart track. Pointless.

The A70 and the A101 you take more risk, but there's a strange satisfaction to be found forcing it do things for which it was never originally intended. Although a lot of the Apps are not nearly as polished, they are mostly free, or have free to play variants.

Certainly and especially with the 250GB version (yes Apple fans you read this right) you can't go wrong running regular video and audio files, ripped to pretty much any format in 720p, and the official market store is greatly improving, paid for apps are an equal in many respects to Apples effort. The Archos makes an OK Internet browser, and Flash play is a bonus.

When the A70 and A101 came out last November, I would of been hard pressed to recommend them. Many firmware releases later, and a greatly improved App store, I'd say if money is any consideration at all, and you like to use technology and are IT savvy then go for the Archos.

If you have the extra bunce, and you don't mind Apples tightly regulated Apps store then get that instead.