Apple's iPad Air 2 'Smokes' Android Tablets

[CEpeep]

38mb file. Won't fit in an email.

Your email provider is worse than anything Apple has going on if they won't let you send someone a 38MB file. Shit, even fucking Hotmail uploads the file to SkyDrive for you and sends it to the recipient if it's too big for your outbox or their inbox. You have an email provider worse than Hotmail but are on here complaining about Apple devices you never have to use.

The problem with all of this is that it's never the Apple zealot that has to deal with this shit. They are usually ignorant about computers and expect everything to just work, causing headaches for everything else when they are trying to exist in a cross-platform world, where every other device and system uses industry standards for everything, and Apple's designs are broken and don't play nice with anything else.

dat irony tho

 

[SRTie4k]

Also, since about Android 4.0, getting files on and off Android devices is a complete trainwreck now. They moved from a sensical mass-storage approach to some idiotic MTP / PTP / WTF mechanism. But I have noticed that Google has this trend of trying to make everything worse with every new release.

All of my Android devices I've had worked as mass storage devices: my N5, my N7 2012, my N7 2013 and my GS3. Granted Verizon implemented some shitty driver installation tool on autorun popup, but changing the mode to MTP turned it into a mass storage device.

 

[SRTie4k]

Your email provider is worse than anything Apple has going on if they won't let you send someone a 38MB file. Shit, even fucking Hotmail uploads the file to SkyDrive for you and sends it to the recipient if it's too big for your outbox or their inbox. You have an email provider worse than Hotmail but are on here complaining about Apple devices you never have to use.

Expecting a workaround like email to transfer files when something as simple as plugging it into a PC with a USB cable is SO much faster and more logical. Email was never even designed to be used to transfer files, why should we be required to use a method that wasn't designed for the task at hand over a method that WAS designed for the task at hand but is not implemented?

 

[mope54]

these guys are trolling this thread [H]ard!

@SRTie4k
I don't know about your 4s and iPad3. Are you referring to recent times or two years ago when they were released?

I can't remember when Apple changed this or if they ever have because I don't like living in the digital age circa 2012. so yes, Zarathustra[H], my dSLR and my desktop have bluetooth, I have dropbox accounts, I have MS Live accounts, and I have an iCloud account. I can't imagine how anyone can go this long without having one, two, or all of them by this point but whatever. Why your GF couldn't log into the iCloud account she has to have (and you know this if you are being truthful that you used to have an iPhone years ago) but whatever none of this is relevant or even remotely related to the iPad kicking the shit out of the other devices in the benchmarks.

 

[Stiletto]

Your email provider is worse than anything Apple has going on if they won't let you send someone a 38MB file.

GMail.

 

[jwcalla]

All of my Android devices I've had worked as mass storage devices: my N5, my N7 2012, my N7 2013 and my GS3. Granted Verizon implemented some shitty driver installation tool on autorun popup, but changing the mode to MTP turned it into a mass storage device.

MTP / PTP protocols are good enough for most use cases... but they don't expose the whole filesystem (that's available to the user, i.e. I'm not talking about the root stuff). So you'll get directories that have media files (MTP) or photo files (PTP) and maybe the Downloads directory, and typically only media / photo files (except in the Downloads directory).

Previously you had access to the whole filesystem (that the user could access), in a "mass-storage" sense that was similar to plugging in a thumb drive.

But yeah, MTP is good enough. Except maybe when I want to pull a file off, edit it, and send it back.

 

[jimmyb]

I use Linux as my primary desktop. Works just fine. Nothing to install, just plug and go.

Most Linuxes also have native mechanisms to transfer to iOS devices (via libimobiledevice). Works just fine. Nothing to install, just plug and go.

Not all of them, but likewise not all Linuxes support MTP (via libmtp).

If it doesn't work on an OSX desktop, then maybe it's OSX that is the problem...

And maybe lack of iOS support on Windows is Window's problem.

Regardless, of the engineering reasons. The process is more complicated in both directions if you are mixing Apple and Microsoft products.

 

[CEpeep]

GMail.

What? Google uploads your files to GDrive and send the user a link if it's too large to attach. Just like every other modern email service.

 

[mope54]

What? Google uploads your files to GDrive and send the user a link if it's too large to attach. Just like every other modern email service.

but don't you understand? you have to have an account for that and then you have log in to that account before you can do that esoteric function!

 

[lilbabycat]

oh don't mind me...I'm sure the video you wanted to "share" with your relative was a home video of everyone gathering around the Thanksgiving table that you just happen to have on your iPad.

Well, it was on my galaxy s4, and it was a video of a relative announcing a pregnancy just minutes before. I plugged in the cable to his pc, copied it over, and he got it. End of story.

There is no good reason for Apple not to have a USB port (with native support) on 100% of their devices.

 

[jwcalla]

but don't you understand? you have to have an account for that and then you have log in to that account before you can do that esoteric function!

That sounds like a pretty huge pain in the arse if all you want to do is move a file two feet from your device to your hard drive and you have a wire connection readily available.

Not to mention the fact that it's a completely idiotic idea from an engineering standpoint, but that is pretty much standard these days in the tech industry. Yeah let's bounce a 40 mb file all over a wide network to get it from the device in my hand to the computer on my desk because the most inefficient and least practical way is "good enough".

 

[Ocean]

MTP / PTP protocols are good enough for most use cases... but they don't expose the whole filesystem (that's available to the user, i.e. I'm not talking about the root stuff). So you'll get directories that have media files (MTP) or photo files (PTP) and maybe the Downloads directory, and typically only media / photo files (except in the Downloads directory).

Previously you had access to the whole filesystem (that the user could access), in a "mass-storage" sense that was similar to plugging in a thumb drive.

But yeah, MTP is good enough. Except maybe when I want to pull a file off, edit it, and send it back.

my android tablet was far more useful before the ics mtp switchover i endured. i preferred the usb mass storage device. now all file transfers are far too slow on that tablet to be useful.

 

[CEpeep]

There is no good reason for Apple not to have a USB port (with native support) on 100% of their devices.

Lightning already carries USB natively, along with a bunch of other stuff USB can't do natively like digital audio and RGB video. Why would I need another port on my device?

 

[jimmyb]

Well, it was on my galaxy s4, and it was a video of a relative announcing a pregnancy just minutes before. I plugged in the cable to his pc, copied it over, and he got it. End of story.

As has been pointed out , transferring from OSX to Android is similarly difficult. The difficulties go both ways.

 

[lilbabycat]

As has been pointed out , transferring from OSX to Android is similarly difficult. The difficulties go both ways.

Except when connecting an Apple device to a PC, its Apple actively locking you to their software to transfer files. With Android, they specifically made an app that does file transfer, and nothing else. No Store, bloated music player, or other silliness wrapped around it; just a file transfer tool.

Lightning already carries USB natively, along with a bunch of other stuff USB can't do natively like digital audio and RGB video. Why would I need another port on my device?

You don't, but proper support of devices that use that port was also part of my statement.

 

[mope54]

Except when connecting an Apple device to a PC, its Apple actively locking you to their software to transfer files. With Android, they specifically made an app that does file transfer, and nothing else. No Store, bloated music player, or other silliness wrapped around it; just a file transfer tool.

oh, you'd be satisfied with a simple file transfer app?

something like these:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ifile-browser-download-manager/id587912462?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/filebug-file-manager-document/id574385365?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ifilemanager!/id595640616?mt=8

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

Why your GF couldn't log into the iCloud account she has to have (and you know this if you are being truthful that you used to have an iPhone years ago) but whatever none of this is relevant or even remotely related to the iPad kicking the shit out of the other devices in the benchmarks.

iCloud didn't exist when I had iPhones. I had the original 2006 iPhone, the 3G and the 4. The first two I was happy with, but by the time the 4 came out, I was kind of wishing I had gone the Android route instead, which I did at my next upgrade.

Actually, I think maybe the cloud launched halfway through my iPhone4 ownership, but I had no interest in it at that point, and never used it.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

That sounds like a pretty huge pain in the arse if all you want to do is move a file two feet from your device to your hard drive and you have a wire connection readily available.

Not to mention the fact that it's a completely idiotic idea from an engineering standpoint, but that is pretty much standard these days in the tech industry. Yeah let's bounce a 40 mb file all over a wide network to get it from the device in my hand to the computer on my desk because the most inefficient and least practical way is "good enough".

My feelings exactly.

Let alone the fact that I have a philosophical disagreement with having to create an account for something unless something about what it does necessitates an account.

I don't even read articles, if they are the type that require me to sign in to something.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

Most Linuxes also have native mechanisms to transfer to iOS devices (via libimobiledevice). Works just fine. Nothing to install, just plug and go.

Not all of them, but likewise not all Linuxes support MTP (via libmtp).

Well, as I was saying, it wasn't the USB file transfer protocol per se that was the problem.

Plugging in the ipad to my computer gave me access to copy photos and videos FROM the device. I could also write files to the devices storage, but there was no apparent way to get the device to notice it was there.

I imagine when iTunes syncs a picture or video to an iDevice, it makes an entry in some XML database somewhere that tells the device "hey, you should look for this file on your storage", where as android just shows me everything that is in a folder.

 

[mope54]

iCloud didn't exist when I had iPhones. I had the original 2006 iPhone, the 3G and the 4. The first two I was happy with, but by the time the 4 came out, I was kind of wishing I had gone the Android route instead, which I did at my next upgrade.

Actually, I think maybe the cloud launched halfway through my iPhone4 ownership, but I had no interest in it at that point, and never used it.

it's the same account information you had for those early iDevices

 

[jimmyb]

Except when connecting an Apple device to a PC, its Apple actively locking you to their software to transfer files.

Nope. It's a different file transfer protocol that Windows doesn't currently support - Microsoft is free to implement it, or even just take bundle libimobiledevice with their OS (as is already done is Linux).

 

[ScottSwing]

How weird that people don't agree with you, or so the over 90% worldwide Android market share would seem to prove.

That doesn't prove that at all. Worldwide people don't buy a lot of apps.

 

[Damar]

To each their own I say.

If you can and want to pay more for the Apple experience, then enjoy.

If you prefer being able to have more say in how your device looks and operates, go Android.

A tablet/phone only needs to be so fast before its just marketing hype and stupid anyway imho.

 

[Freebo]

With todays hardware spec benchmarks are becoming less important. Just about every new hardware coming out now its more then fast enough for day to day users.

Battery life and the feel of the system you use is important, windows, android, ISO whatever works for you great. Each device and each OS has its strengths and weaknesses. Its whatever fits your needs.

 

[Arbit3r]

I guess should go without saying would like to see 3rd party reviews of this to prove it. Apple has in its history used highly optimized benchmarks for their hardware then some crap software on the competeing hardware. To make their crap look like a polished turd, in the end still a turd.

 

[mope54]

I guess should go without saying would like to see 3rd party reviews of this to prove it. Apple has in its history used highly optimized benchmarks for their hardware then some crap software on the competeing hardware. To make their crap look like a polished turd, in the end still a turd.

these are 3rd party benchmarks. nothing in the link is attributed to Apple directly

 

[SGA76]

If you want an OS that doesn't run all music and video formats, doesn't support drag n drop, and usually runs at a lower resolution with fewer pixels per inch but is fast and stable pick iOS.
If you want a completely customizable OS that can play every type of music and video file, plus run torrents, go Android.
If you want to be made fun of and have your ass beat by Android AND Apple people, go Windows.
Seriously, the only thing Android and iOS users hate more than each other is Windows.

 

[lilbabycat]

Seriously, the only thing Android and iOS users hate more than each other is Windows.

And my poor buddy with a blackberry playbook doesn't even get mentioned. Its a very decent device.

 

[IceDigger]

Oh hell!

Someone post some boobies!

 

[MasonDesigno]

If you want an OS that doesn't run all music and video formats, doesn't support drag n drop, and usually runs at a lower resolution with fewer pixels per inch but is fast and stable pick iOS.
If you want a completely customizable OS that can play every type of music and video file, plus run torrents, go Android.
If you want to be made fun of and have your ass beat by Android AND Apple people, go Windows.
Seriously, the only thing Android and iOS users hate more than each other is Windows.

If you don't mind being spied on, go with Google. If you want to have some privacy, go with Apple. If you want to feel completely left out like your phone lives in a ghost town then go with Microsoft. BlackBerry died, maybe we'll see them in the next life.

 

[QwertyJuan]

And my poor buddy with a blackberry playbook doesn't even get mentioned. Its a very decent device.

That was released what... 3.5 years ago? Sorry dude/dudette... it wouldn't be 10% as fast as anything being released today.

 

[SGA76]

If you don't mind being spied on, go with Google. If you want to have some privacy, go with Apple. If you want to feel completely left out like your phone lives in a ghost town then go with Microsoft. BlackBerry died, maybe we'll see them in the next life.

And there was that huge backdoor in iOS for the NSA article a few months ago...
No thanks.
None of them are THAT really secure.

 

[Jagger100]

these are 3rd party benchmarks. nothing in the link is attributed to Apple directly

3rd party benchmark that made it to press because of what they said. Easy enough to contruct a synthetic benchmark to favor multi-core and 64-bit dispropotionately to the actual experience.

 

[mope54]

solid argument. i'm convinced.

 

[t0ked]

Just like the bar graph that showed safari is 6x faster than every other browser. Can't trust a single benchmark from the fruit. I'll wait until independent sites test these machines. Doesn't really matter to me as I don't buy fruit merchandise. Switched my fiance from an iphone and ipad over to android and we're one big happy family.

 

[jimmyb]

Easy enough to contruct a synthetic benchmark to favor multi-core and 64-bit dispropotionately to the actual experience.

Yes it is easy to do this, but do you have literally any evidence to suggest this is what they did?

Let's also note that there are several multicore devices there.

 

[dr.stevil]

These results aren't entirely surprising when you consider how well their previous AX CPU's stood up, and in many cases, blew away the competition with fewer CPU cores and slower clock speeds. With an extra CPU core in the new processor, these results aren't unreasonable. IIRC, these are browser based as well, so the Nitro engine probably helps too.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

If you want to have some privacy, go with Apple.

LAUGH OUT LOUD!

It's not like Apple has been infront of Congress umpteen times trying to defend the privacy of their devices or anything...

That and, then there was the location tracking incident

Then there is how easy it is for unauthorized 3rd parties to mine data off of Apple devices.

Oh, and the fact that Apple in general takes an opaque and cavalier approach to security problems, as evidenced in the recent celebrity boobie hack...


Don't get me wrong, Google DOES do data mining, but they have a very clear privacy policy and are completely transparent about how they use the data. They also are vigilant about addressing security problems, so others have a harder time getting at your data as well.

Apple on the other hand are opaque about how they use your data, they have a secretive opaque security patch process where sometimes known bugs aren't patched for several months or even years.

In the privacy/security side, I'd trust Google MUCH more than I'd trust Apple.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

Yes it is easy to do this, but do you have literally any evidence to suggest this is what they did?

Let's also note that there are several multicore devices there.

No one knows what they did. That being said, it's always a good idea to take fanboy "reviews" with a grain of salt. (I mean, come on, their NAME is AppleInsider, how can you expect them to be objective?)

When all the dust settles, I would expect that the new iPads are indeed faster than the products they tested. After all, it is a brand new device being compared to older devices and things move VERY fast on the mobile front. That and apples ARM chips are very impressive.

I would - however - not be surprised if the gap shrinks quite a bit when we get to more impartial reviews.

What will be more interesting is to see how they compare to the Nexus 9. I would suspect that the new iPads will still be faster, but I don't think the margin will be as huge.

Either way, it doesn't matter much, unless you do serious number crunching or play a lot of games on your tablet. Even older gen ARM chips are more than fast enough for email/web/etc.

 

[mope54]

No one knows what they did.

I know this is going out on a long limb here, but I'm going to guess that AppleInsider posted the results from Primate Lab's tests after using their Geekbench benchmarking app.

But you're right in saying that we really have no idea who did the actual copy/paste from Primate Lab's twitter posts into the article so that methodology is anyone's guess.

I would - however - not be surprised if the gap shrinks quite a bit when we get to more impartial reviews.

I'm sure you will be quite surprised when someone devises a more impartial test than Geekbench.

What will be more interesting is to see how they compare to the Nexus 9.

It will indeed be quite interesting when GSMArena tests the Nexus 9 and AppleInsider posts the results in this article for people to evaluate. When that occurs is anyone's guess...