[nimrodity]

Hello
I have my pb now for about 6 months and just go the new iPad.
I will do a detailed comparison between the 2 and try to stay neutral all the time.
I am no fanboy nor a troll I just like tech and wanna share my thoughts
I will make separate Sektionen for all the Things i think are Important,ok let's start.

Size
That is for sure the biggest difference between the two.
9.7" vs. 7" it's quite a difference here.
I bought both to get the best of both worlds.
The pb is very portable and easy to hold,though it could be a bit lighter ,the screen real estate is ok but longer browsing can be a bit exhausting for the eyes and you have to scroll very much.
But it's much better for the smaller quicker tasks like checking mails and so on.
The iPad is bigger for sure,it's much harder to hold it longer because of the high weight and you have to reach around very much to get everywhere you want to,with the pb in both hands in landscape or portrait it is a piece of cake to reach everything without having to have to get one hand up.
But therefore longer and more complex things like longer browsing and texts are a bit easier if you can rest the iPad on your knee or lay it down .
I won't decide a winner here because it is to much a choice of own preferences,I personally couldn't decide now to stay at only one size after having both,the both have the pros and cons for sure .
No winner here,it's a tie

Display
The display is quite nice but a bit low in resolution compared to newer tablets out there,but its sharp,very bright and nice overall,though I have sometimes strong backlight bleeding on the right side,but that's ok because it seems to appears mostly after charging or when I take it along with me,don't know why exactly but enough of that.
It is no surprise the pb doesn't stand a chance compared to the retina display,it is a benchmark right now for all portable displays for sure.its far lie� bright compared to the pb but it's super clear and sharp,you just have to see for yourself.
At first sight I thought ,yeah it's awesome but honestly I had higher expectations,but after I switched to the pb anwsering a mail I thought something was wrong with it,somehow now it looked very washed out and pixelated.This happens every time you make a quick switch between the two.
iPad is clearly the winner here,doesn't surprise anyone I think.

OS
Qnx vs. iOS
Very big differences here,the first is a multitasking best the other one rich of content and such things but very limited.
Qnx is fast,slick and clean.i really love the bezel gestures though I would like to have much more of them.You can swipe really fast through everything when operating.when you get the hang of the gestures and the way multitasking and the other things work,it's super intuitive and fast to use.
You can use it as a wireless drive with your pc and transfer files between the two very easily,without any need of additional software.
The ui is ok but it could take better advantage of the screen real estate ,I think of smaller but therefore more icons on the screen.Folders are made easy and let you better organize .
The OS itself is very good.
iOS,it is very fast to,very simple,maybe too simple.But therefore file management and such things are very uncomfortable,slow and annoying.
Why?the simple answer is iTunes ,it just restricts everything that would make it easy and fast.Syncing such simple things like photos and PDFs end up in a long odyssey,really don't like it at all.
Winner,with a huge lead is Qnx

Multitasking
Sure the pb is the winner here,everything runs all the time till its closed but multitasking on the iPad isn't as bad as I thought.Apps stay on hold what is most often good enough but its a big letdown that apps like splash top dont stay connected after you get back to them,but therefore it's easier to use use on the bigger screen,also it's faster than on the pb too.
The problem with the pb is,it uses up too much ram for all this which often causes crashes.


Apps
I know the apps are linked together with the OS ,but I decided to separate them,because I don't think a OS is good because of the available apps.But good apps can make a bad OS better.
The playbooks apps are something I really don't like much at all.
Why?First of all it doesn't have many,ok but that's not the main problem,the problem is they aren't native for now,most of them are air based and not nearly as smooth as the OS itself.
I think it is necessary to mention the android player.
My thoughts about the android player are not that positive but this has 2 reasons.
The first one,they are android 2.3 apps,which were meant for smartphone and the just look like that.Most of the apps do what they suppose to but the are just ugly in my opinion.
I can live with them one my phone but on a tablet it just looks to cheap I think.
The second problem are the restrictions on the PBs android player,lots of apps don't work or only very poorly and slow and they can use the PBs internal hardware components like gps and so on.
Also the prices for most of the apps are to high for that what you get.There aren't many free apps apart of the poor android ones.
The iPads apps are infamous everywhere,there is just an app for everything.
They look way more polished and are very matured on the OS.Prices can be very high sometimes but often you can find an acceptable app if you look long enough.
Winner here is the iPad,but seeing cascade on the PB could make up for the not so good apps right now ,we just have to wait and see what happens.

Battery life
The PB has very good battery life,though I see much higher drain since OS 2 sometimes,especially is standby it sucks much more on the battery.
But for me its good enough for sure on normal daily bases.
The iPads battery is better but than again its way bigger so it should be.
Both need a long time recharging but because I do this mostly overnight while sleeping I don't have a problem here with both.
Winner is the iPad,but with only a very small lead.

Browser
Again I keep this separate because it's very important on a tablet,at lest for me.
The PB has only two 3rd party browsers worth mentioning,which are simple browser plus and secure browser.Why do I mention them at all you might ask,this is a good question,the answer is because the are both better than the stock browser.
The stock one is great in terms of performance but that's just about it.
The options are too weak here,you can't even edit or rearrange your bookmarks,which is one of the biggest complaints I have here,also there is no full screen mode or something like that.you can make the bar smaller but than you lose all controls except the back button.dont understand why they didn't leave all buttons but just made them smaller.
Simple browser plus is my default browser on the pb,because its a little bit faster but gas lots more feature like ad blocking,full screen,a nice way of handling tabs and so on.
Since OS 2 it has some tab problems,but i am sure hatax will fix them soon.
Now to the iPad,there a lots and lots of other browser.
Especially ones like atomic and mercury have very cool multi touch gestures which make browsing very easy,fast and comfortable but,at least for me the performance is sometimes very laggy,I don't know why.
Safari doesn't have much options,but it does have the most things necessary to browse.
The biggest plus here is the speed.Its very fast even with JavaScript enabled its super fast and smooth.
This is by far the biggest complaint I have with the PBs one,the JavaScript performance isn't good enough for me,the reason why i turned it off most times,and turn it only on if I really have to.
The speed of both are very much the same turned off,but turned on ,on the iPad makes the difference for me and its quite big.
Of course pb has flash and that's a huge deal for the most pb users,but it's not that big for me.A day and a half of heavy browsing on the iPad I didn't really seem to miss it that much.

Keyboard
Another major thing on a tablet and often mention not enough .
Since OS2 the pb keyboard has predictive text and auto correct.it works very well and fast.
Because its based on the swift key engine,which I use on my android phone,the typing experience is great,both in landscape and portrait.though in landscape it's sometimes a bit to wide for me and exhausting for longer texts.but I have small hands,people with bigger ones should have less problems with that
The iPads keyboard seems faster without any sort of lags.
But the predictions and autocorrect don't work nearly as good as on the pb,thx to swift key.
I mistype a lot and using in landscape or portrait while holding in your hands.
In landscape with the iPad laid down its very good on the other hand,still correct and predictions aren't on par with the pb.
I write this review on the iPad so forgive me for odd spelling...

Games
The great games on the pb like asphalt 6,dead space and modern combat are really good on the 7"er.
Performance is smooth,controls are made well for the smaller screen
The problem is,there arent very much games,at least not the good ones.
The iPad has a lot games,much more than the iPad and there are a lot of good ones out there right now.
The performance is super smooth and the games seem a bit less buggy than on the pb.
And because of the retina display the look really really good for just a mobile device.
Winner is the iPad,in terms of apps and games apples still has quite a lead over its components.

Customizability
To be short both OSes aren't very customizable,you can create folders and organize your apps.You can change the wallpaper but that's pretty much all you can do on both.
No widgets or themes like on android.
The clear winner here would be google with its android ,but since this is a fight between apple vs. rim it's a tie.

Build quality and design
The pb is build very well,mine squeaks a bit on the left side,but there are always differences here for all brands.And then there is the backlight bleed on the right side I mentioned earlier.
The design is very nice,I love the soft touch so I don't have to worry much scratching it.
It is not the thinnest one out there,but the grip is very nice so you can hold it for longer,only the weight could be a bit less,about 50g less would be nice.
The build quality of the iPad is exceptional,mine has no real visible flaw at all.
But in terms of materials I prefer the pb,the aluminum on the iPad seems to scratch very easily.In terms of weight its not my favorite,it's hefty despite everyone saying its good.
Ok but on the other hands it's bigger than the pb and has to be heavier.Sure Samsung can do it lighter but except of the tab 7.7 there build quality isn't that great and they feel way cheaper .
Build quality winner is the iPad but in terms of design I prefer the pb because it has a nicer grip.

Speaker
PB has stereo is loud and clear,impressive for such a small device.
iPad has only one speaker,it's placed somehow awkward.
Not even close to beeing as loud and clear as the pb so clear winner here is the pb.

Camera
I just tested both for a small amount of time because I wouldnt really care if there wasn't one here at all.
PB has good video cameras both at the front and back.
The one on the back is great for recording videos in sunlight,very sharp and smooth.
In lower lighting the picture gets a bit too grainy for me personally.
Pictures aren't really good with it,unsharp and washed out,and again to grainy.
The front camera of the ipad isn't worth mentioning,its there and usable for things like FaceTime but the quality isn't good at all.
On the other hand the one on the back is very acceptable even a bit impressing , for photos and videos.The pictures it takes are surprisingly good,sharp and clear,the light sensor seems to do a good job.
Videos look great to,I think on par with the pb but I didn't do any side by side comparison here ,also videos intend to look always better anyways on the iPad because of the stunning display.
Winner back camera is the iPad,winner front camera is the pb

Connectivity
PB with OS 2 now has bluetooth a2dp what is great,but it took them long enough.
Connecting a bigger display with hdmi is pretty easy and very usefull for a lot of people ,i never tried it,because I don't really have a use for it.My pc is hooked up on my projector anyways but its nice to know its possible.
No connection like hdmi without an adapter which cost money but at least you could if you are ready to spend the money
No winner here for me,because I don't use those things,but both would do what I would like if I wanted to.

I don't know what much else to say,if someone has another point,feel free to ask.

So now you maybe want to know who is the overall winner,but here's the disappointment,I won't chose one just because it would send for all the fanboys and trolls of both sides.

But I will let you know my conclusion
The pb is very fast and intuitive to use in daily,but it obviously lacks in quality material ,apps or games.For office use its great because it's very portable and has the things like an office suite to get most things done very good.You will probably find something for all you need maybe the app isnt super smooth or looking nice but it should get the job done.
The display is nice,as is the battery life and the tablet in overall.
For its current reduced price its a awesome deal,and I recommend it to everyone who is looking for a small nice device entering the tablet world.The original price was just too height,the current one on the other hand maybe even to cheap.
Don't get all the hype about the kindle fire,I think you get much more tablet for the money here with the pb.
The iPad is fast and intuitive too,but things like iTunes make the daily use a bit more challenging for me.
The display is pretty much the best out there right now,it's just wonderful to look at it.
You will get an app for everything you need but sometimes you will have to pay more you would like for it.The tablet in its current status feels very polished,in terms of hardware and software.

You shouldn't really be disappointed by either one,you just have to choose what's more important to you.
For the money you get more out of the pb for sure,but the ipad is worth it's money too I think.
With the same price on the other hand the iPad would be the overall better deal,but gladly it isn't so.

[Happyeric]

Great review! Thanks! The only thing aspect I would add to your review is compatibility with IT space at work (email, calendar, MS office, ppt projection, ...). For me it's pb but it would be interesting to hear from Ipad users at work about their experience.

[anthogag]

Thanks for the review. It seems like the playbook holds-up really well against the new iPad.

I think it's interesting the new iPad would only have one speaker and the playbook is still better

[nimrodity]

I use my smarthphone for my calendar most the time because I have it on all the time.
Mails are nice on both but I have to take a closer look at the email app,don't get it quite right for now,don't understand all the icons ,will have to use the manual for it I think.
But it's faster on the iPad,on the pb it lags often but its a bit simpler to use for now.
Since I don't use it at work I can't say anything about those aspects

[PineappleUnderTheSea]

There aren't many good Android apps for tablets, as a colleague at work found out when he bought the 7 inch Galaxy Tab. Many of them seem to be made for phones and don't use the bigger screen real estate. But that's not the PB's fault.

[jthep]

The new iPad isn't really different from the iPad2 if you were going to do a comparison of the iPad2 vs the PB a year ago, is there really much to talk about that wasn't discussed almost a year ago? Only significant upgrade to the new iPad is screen resolution from last year's model, but this new iPad is thicker, I actually like last year's iPad2 build better.

The iPad2 load the non-flash sites or mobile sites faster than the PB last year, so it comes as no surprise this still holds true.

PB still has has IMHO, the better size for me, 2.0 makes it the better OS IMHO, the browser even though not as fast is more complete than the iPad, and IF you have a BB, the bridge functions are a godsend.

The iPad now has better screen resolution, faster browsing which it did last year too, and more apps/games which it did last year too.

My point? Other than the improved screen, the new iPad is more of the same. I would rather own the iPad2 than the new iPad for its slim design...

[AggreX]

Nice review on two tablets that have a big price and size discrepancy that perhaps shouldn't be compared. I own iPad1 and two PBs and only one stays home. Neither can replace my laptop but the desktop pc is usually off. Definitely will consider a newer version of the PB and maybe an iPad3 upgrade (once the mob dissipates) which looks interesting for the retina display, speedier processor and better cameras (the iPad2 were the worst ever) but a serving tray camera is not cool.

[nimrodity]

I didnt compare the pb with the ipad2 last year,simply because i didnt have one.its the first ipad I bought and I did a comparison because half year earlier when i bought my pb I exactly had this problem ,choosing between the 2,at that time the price difference wasnt that big as now,I paid 375€ for my pb and the iPad would have cost about 420€ then,so i thought its worth comparing.
And if you don't like it ,you don't have to read it

[pri79269]

My point? Other than the improved screen, the new iPad is more of the same. I would rather own the iPad2 than the new iPad for its slim design...

If that's your only deciding factor, it's a 0.03 inch difference...

iPad 3
Height: 9.50 inches (241.2 mm)
Width: 7.31 inches (185.7 mm)
Depth: 0.37 inch (9.4 mm)

iPad 2
Height: 9.50 inches (241.2 mm)
Width: 7.31 inches (185.7 mm)
Depth: 0.34 inch (8.8 mm)

[kay-cie]

I don't get it why people keep comparing a sub-$200 device with a $500+ product...

[nimrodity]

Maybe because the price was that high at first,rim only dropped it because it didn't sell,but for me it's still meant to be a premium device,just because it's cheap now doesn't make it actually cheap.
And the other thing every tablet is going to be compared to the ipad at some point just because it's the best selling one out there because of this the benchmark

[anon(4086706)]

I don't get it why people keep comparing a sub-$200 device with a $500+ product...

To be fair, the PB was a 500$+ product... Before. Of course, featurewise, iPad rolls over.

Now that the PB is now priced lower, and have arguably found its sweet spot. I could say reviews must now balance out.

[kay-cie]

Nonsense, when you compare electronics, you look at current price.

Do you compare ipad 2 and ipad 3 with same initial cost in mind?

[[email protected]]

Nonsense, when you compare electronics, you look at current price.

Do you compare ipad 2 and ipad 3 with same initial cost in mind?

The current price at Best Buy and several other places is $499. Which was the original price.


So what's that about "nonsense" again?

[bluezone1]

The current price at Best Buy and several other places is $499. Which was the original price.


So what's that about "nonsense" again?

For me that argument doesn't work. Best Buy and several other's is not everywhere. People shop around. I wouldn't pay full price at one store when it's available for less elsewhere. It should be a weighted average at best.
Most people consider the price of a house before they buy and the same applies here. Unless they want an ipad. Then their price choices are more limited.

[kay-cie]

The current price at Best Buy and several other places is $499. Which was the original price.


So what's that about "nonsense" again?

The way you think $499 is actually the current price of PB. If that isn't nonsense, I don't know what is.

[jthep]

You can still buy a Playbook on Amazon for $200+

[nimrodity]

wow never thought the money would be such a huge deal comparing the two,yes its right there is a big difference here but after everything its tablet vs. tablet.
i know different sizes but both are the top models of their brands so why is it that wrong comparing them.

[TgeekB]

Comparisons are only good on an individual basis. For some price will matter, for some size. You do the comparison and decide for yourself.

[Admorris]

Nonsense, when you compare electronics, you look at current price

Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. In this case, this is a comparison between the best tablets two companies have to offer. The only reason the PB is a $199 device is because it was a dud upon release. It wasn't built as a $199 device...and I'm sure BB is taking a beating selling it for that marked down price. Besides, how can you begrudge someone's comparison that they obviously spent a lot of time writing? Give the guy credit, I thought it was actually a good unbiased review.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[shahriyar]

Shortest iPad vs PlayBook:

If you WANT a tablet, buy iPad.
If you NEED a tablet, buy PlayBook.

I'm not much an App guy so playbook just suits me well. And with unlimited BIS I have Internet wherever and whenever I want using one SIM.

[Fmar]

I don't get it why people keep comparing a sub-$200 device with a $500+ product...

It's sub-price as it didn't sell as well as intended. And like many others here... the PB cost me AU$850 ($800) just under a year ago.

[kay-cie]

I am well aware of what the PB original price was, and what it could cost in parts of the world today where they are not "on sale".

However, there's also a guy/gal selling his/her mint PB on my local kijiji (craiglist) for $120 today. I picked up mine for $150 two weeks ago, while I already have a galaxy note and ipad. Why? Just because it's cheap. Someone in my family could always use an extra movie player during road trips later this summer. But after I got it, it was a pleasant surprise to find out all these extra things this "movie player" can do. It's actually like a super-book for the price that I paid! I don't in any way care what more the ipad 3 can do.

PS. I don't intend to be in anyway disrespectful to the OP. Just didn't think it makes sense to compare a civic with BMW due to price difference.

[smartie88]

To be fair, the PB was a 500$+ product... Before. Of course, featurewise, iPad rolls over.

Now that the PB is now priced lower, and have arguably found its sweet spot. I could say reviews must now balance out.

yes,price change already made conclusion,so no longer need compare/argue. I guess only PB user is still trying to justify it

[Tomcat_Alley]

Camera review seems to be a bit.... poorly thought out. if you are comparing the camera, you need to put up photos taken, of the same thing, at the same time, in the same light levels, on a third party screen. like a computer monitor. because as you already covered, the screen sizes are different, as are the lighting levels and resolutions, you said next to the Retina screen the playbook screen looks washed out and pixelated, surely this will affect viewing photos on it.

put similar photos from both devices (from different light levels) and you will see that in fact, they are pretty much identical. the ipad fairs a little better in bright light, and the pb fairs a little better in low light, but the overall quality is about the same.