Streetlife

No idea on the differences but be aware that if you have an iPad, you are soon out of time for the updates.  We have the original iPad and with the advent of IOS6, it is nigh on obsolete.  I think it is about 3 years old.  Might be the same for the rest of them, only have knowledge of the Apple products.

' do I really need one '

if you are asking that then perhaps you should hold fire for now?

I have an ipad, but only thanks to my wife's generosity on my birthday. It is a very nice luxury to have but i dont really see it as a replacement for an actual computer or laptop. certainly as a document viewer, or for twitter, facebook, emails and internet searching it is great to have on your coffee table. Early days though so maybe i will find more 'productive' uses (collecting recipes and having them to hand while cooking?)

re the comparison, i would go for the cheapest/best value, which i suspect may be the galaxy. dont rule out the kindle Fire also!

I wish I'd bought a laptop with a solid state drive....ipad is just an expensive toy/larger iphone.

Go for the new Iaptop. i agree with stephen.

The Galaxy Tab is cheaper, and is pretty much equivalent. Right now there is a cash back offer so you pay around £220 (if you get the cash back, they obviously make it obnoxious to get it) for one.

I have no idea how much the iPad costs, but I am pretty sure it isn't £220....

You have to ask you why do you want it. In my case I wanted something to consume media more easily (videos, the occasional book, read emails, social networks, visit websites).

My understanding is that in the iPad all has to pass through the iTunes clearing house, in the Galaxy you just insert or attach a card or USB stick (with an additional adapter)  and you can access your files to your heart's content (I normally rip my DVDs so I can watch them anywhere I want) without iTunes getting on the way.

Many applications exist for both tablets, the ones that exist in the Galaxy tend to be a bit in the rougher side of things because Google or Samsung aren't so fastidious about feel and look as Apple is.

At the end these are just toys, they won't solve any problems that a laptop can't  solve, but they are a bit more comfortable to use if you want watch or see things (it is by nature a more passive experience).

All good points above - & You may want to hold fire before splashing out an i pad - which are VERY overpriced. Apparently Apple are shortly producing a compact ipad which can fit into a ladies' handbag with a much more reasonable price tag - around £200.

A lot of rather confusing comments here. I would suggest you go to an Apple Store such as Covent Garden where you will find lots of very helpful and clued up staff who will show you exactly what you will be paying for when you buy an Apple product, I suppose you would need to go to Dixons or somewhere equally dubious for the equivalent information re a Galaxy. An iPad is not a replacement for a laptop though. At the end of the day do you want to buy the Porsch or the Mondeo :)

And be aware that Apple make hardware obsolete in a very short space of time.  Within a few years the software is incompatible with older bits of kit.

Yeah, great idea Kieran, ask the people with a naked interest to sell you something to show you a demo. No drawbacks, only the good points will be shown.

I can almost  see the guy at Apple (they wish us to call them "geniuses", ugh!) telling you "Nah, to be honest mate, this thing is rubbish, get yourself a Dell laptop".

As for chaps at Dixons, Currys or elsewhere, you are better off googling about the gadget, more often than not they don't have enough knowledge to give you an informed assessment of most devices (not their fault, very few are trying to make a career in those shops, so the training they receive while working there is pretty spare).

I reckon the best advice you can get on both products is John Lewis. Their staff are real pros and can answer most of the technical questions. Kingston/Sloane Sq/Oxford St are the nearest.

Hi everyone - thanks for all your comments.  I think I know now that I don't really need one but would quite like one to carry around in my handbag to use for social things and when I'm on the move - so I think a trip to John Lewis might be on the cards
Thanks again to you all

What about the new kindle fire, out in late oct - looks interesting?

Dear Joanie,
HI! Whichever tablet you choose - I'm sure you will enjoy it! I just wanted to say that when you do get it, please be wary of crime and theft. When I look at the weekly crime figures that the local Police send out to everyone on their mailing list - one thing doesn't change: iphones and Ipads are gold dust for thieves. And they are prepared to use violence to get an iphone/ipad from their victim.

So try to avoid getting it out at bus stops, train stations etc - best to use it in the safety of a coffee shop/restaurant/pub - rather than in the street...& if you can get it covered by your home contents insurance - do so...

Enjoy your new purchase.... :-)

Maybe check this out Joanie for a comparison:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bprm2SxHVaA

If you are wanting to carry one around with you all the time, then it might be worth considering a 7" tablet rather than the 10" iPad or Galaxy Tab2. I have the original galaxy 10.1 and it rarely leaves the house. I've had 2 x 7" tablets, with the current (Nexus 7) being used daily. It's small enough for it to fit in my coat pocket, light enough for me to treat it as a kindle on the tube, and powerful enough for me to run business applications as part of my work. 

As someone else pointed out, you just plug android devices into your PC and drag and drop content. If you're already signed up with Apple then it might make more sense to stick with that infrastructure. If you don't want to be locked down to buying everything from one source then android is probably the way forward