Tablet advice wanted
Since I no longer have my school-issued netbook (long, boring story), I have decided to buy a tablet of some kind. The dilemma, of course, is whether to get an iPad or something else. I've been browsing Amazon and reading reviews on C-Net, but I am utterly baffled by the range of options. My top concerns are portability and word processing. I know that tablets are not widely recommending for word processing, but my old netbook spent a lot of time in my car or hotel room because it didn't fit comfortably in my bag with the battery inside and the adapter was pretty heavy. Even if a tablet is less than ideal for typing things, I think I'll get more use from it than the netbook just because I'll carry it with me. This is part of the iPad vs. something else dilemma. Android tablets apparently have something called Swype, which I played with today on a student's phone, and it was much easier than using a standard touchscreen keyboard. With an iPad, I would probably have to get (and consequently carry) a wireless keyboard (but maybe I would end up doing that for an android tablet too?). The Android tablets are also lighter weight, which would be nice, and the ones with 7-inch screens are pretty reasonably priced. I absolutely love the size of my Nook, so 7 inches seems ideal.
On the other hand, the iPad comes with such good reviews that it's hard not to buy it. Everyone I know who has one loves it passionately, and I only know one person who has another brand. He described it as "useful" but "not as cool as an iPad." I've never read a review that said an iPad frequently locked up or froze, and I know that their OS runs quickly and has the widest variety of apps. My friend let me play with his a few times, and I covet his news reader and the nifty little Pages file for formatting recipes. iPad's reputation is sterling, and I believe I would love it if I had it. I don't have quite the same confidence in other brands, especially given their mixed reviews on professional sites and Amazon. The iPad will cost $100-$150 more than the other devices I've looked at, and that's not an insignificant sum of money for me. On the other hand, I will use it frequently and I need it for my job, so I don't think price is as important as quality.
I am definitely going to a store to examine the offerings more closely, but I'd really like to have an idea what I'm looking for before I have a sales person breathing down my neck. I would love to hear your thoughts/personal experiences/advice about what features and specs I need to look for.
On the other hand, the iPad comes with such good reviews that it's hard not to buy it. Everyone I know who has one loves it passionately, and I only know one person who has another brand. He described it as "useful" but "not as cool as an iPad." I've never read a review that said an iPad frequently locked up or froze, and I know that their OS runs quickly and has the widest variety of apps. My friend let me play with his a few times, and I covet his news reader and the nifty little Pages file for formatting recipes. iPad's reputation is sterling, and I believe I would love it if I had it. I don't have quite the same confidence in other brands, especially given their mixed reviews on professional sites and Amazon. The iPad will cost $100-$150 more than the other devices I've looked at, and that's not an insignificant sum of money for me. On the other hand, I will use it frequently and I need it for my job, so I don't think price is as important as quality.
I am definitely going to a store to examine the offerings more closely, but I'd really like to have an idea what I'm looking for before I have a sales person breathing down my neck. I would love to hear your thoughts/personal experiences/advice about what features and specs I need to look for.