Let me just start by saying that there is no right or wrong choice here, it is really going to come down to preference. I'm also going to say that this review will be void of all that technical mambo-jumbo because lets be honest here...most of us don't really know what all that means.
Lets talk about the Ipad Air first (and I'll do my best to not be biased here). When Apple first hit the scene YEARS ago with the Ipod, I was able to get my hands on one and loved it. From there I muddled my way through the different versions while dreaming of one day owning my own Macbook. Having always used windows when the day came for my Macbook I was so disappointed and ultimately when back to windows. Even after having my taste of Mac and not liking it, I still desperately wanted an Ipad. When Tmobile started financing them, of course I was there in the story getting my hands on a 32 gb Ipad Air. While I wasn't disappointed with it, after using it for about a month my feelings towards it were "Eh." I felt like it was more of a status thing, because it was "Apple". I didn't have any real complaints about it but I had always viewed a tablet as a extremely portable laptop. The Ipad fell VERY short of this. I found that there were a lot of apps that while compatible, weren't made for the Ipad but for the Iphone. So while they worked, they just looked a little funny. I used this a lot while laying in bed but wanting to write, but found it difficult to sit comfortably with it. In portrait, it was easy to use your thumbs like when texting on a phone, but after a while my hands would get tired. When in landscape, it was more like typing on a computer but with a really cramped key board, so again my hands would hurt after a while. Using the Kindle app was really nice, no complaints there. I used it on a 6 hour car ride from Florida to Georgia to read with no issue. I also used this a lot for Movies, using apps like Netflix, Vudu, and Disney Movies Anywhere. The sound was sometimes an issue as it wasn't very loud forcing me to watch with subtitles or headphones. I never experienced a problem with the transition from app to app, didn't experience a lot of crashing of apps, the camera was alright (but I never really used it) and the back light on it was pretty nice. Also the battery life on it is insane. I could go DAYS without charging with moderate use, but watching movies did seem to drain it more. So all in all it was a nice experience nothing to really complain about however, I do have one HUGE complaint.
The Ipad is GARBAGE when it comes to being used in ANY type of light, especially outside. You want to lay out in the sun and watch a movie, maybe read a little? Forget it. Its not happening. Period. I tried to lay out and tan, and I put the Ipad under the table so it was in the shade and STILL couldn't see the picture, ended up just looking at myself. Now I don't know if this can be solved with a non reflective screen protector, I never tried. My second complaint would be the inability to expand the storage. I had a 32gb device and with my movies this was an issue. Obviously a movie file is a large file, but there isn't a way for you to store your movies. So its pretty distressing or upsetting to have to choose what movies get to stay and which ones have to go.
Now. This tablet right here? This makes the Ipad look like an expensive paperweight. To be fair, I will probably have to do an update on this review or revisit a review on this tablet because I've had it less than 12 hours. Lets start with complaints - So far my two complaints would be the fact that the 2014 Edition doesn't come in white, only black. While this isn't a huge issue, me being mildly OCD, would have liked it to match my phone (I have a Galaxy S5 in white). The other complaint is that the screen doesn't seem to turn off. Like on my phone if I leave it sit inactive eventually the screen goes dark, or if you push a button to turn the screen on and leave it sit inactive it will go dark. The tablet doesn't seem to do that, unless I push the lock button. I'm thinking this is just a setting that I haven't found yet to adjust.
On to the fun stuff!! This tablet is AMAZING when it comes to all the things it will do and if I was more tech savy I'm sure it would do so much more for me! One of the things I love most is its ability to multi-task!
As you can see this pictures shows 4 different apps running at one time. Looks like they have the ChatOn app, the gallery, Google maps, and an internet window open. You can certainly run more than these four windows but I haven't found a way yet to put one in the foreground, they just overlap and get in the way so you constantly have to move it. But split even like this you just select which window you want to work in. As I mentioned before I do a lot of writing, so I was able to actively run my Google Doc app on one side and Facebook on the other side. I found that Facebook updated in real time, so I didn't have to click on that box and refresh. While I don't think my feed refreshed on its on, it did alert me if I received a notification. Tonight I'm going to try and run my Doc apps on one side and Netflix on the other to see if I can write and watch movies/tv at the same time.
I wish I was more artist inclined because the integration between stylus and tablet is off the wall. The picture above was drawn on the tablet using the stylus. Now this does take a very steady head and a still surface but it would be very easy to achieve anything you wanted to draw if you held such talents. Seeing as my skills are more writing based, I probably won't get much use out of the Sketch pad app but let me tell you...I can draw some pretty awesome stick figures with this thing!!! Another feature I really enjoy with the stylus is the little button on the side of the stylus itself. Think of it as a "Select" or "Enter" button on the pen. When you hover the stylus over the screen and push the button, a shortcut menu opens up. I haven't played with all the options but there is a feature called "Scrapbook" that allows you to use the stylus to "crop" pictures or parts of documents from any application and store them in your scrapbook to view/use later. There is also an option that allows you to draw a box anywhere on the screen and any size, then open an app in it. Now this feature is limited to the apps that it can open I believe but its till a fun feature! So far I've also found that I can use the pen to take a screen shot (then write on or draw on said screen shot) and also use the pen to select certain pictures, or parts of documents to save.
This tablet seems like its perfect for anyone who is constantly on the go, loves being able to have more than one thing open on the screen at a time, and it is the perfect companion for professionals. For anyone who uses a Galaxy phone you're already use to not only the operating system but also all the wonderful things Samsung offers...only on steroids! This tablet does feel a smidge heavier than an Ipad but it also feels more sturdy than the Ipad, I'm not afraid of breaking this one. While I'm sure I'll run into the same problems, writing wise, the Galaxy Note puts the Swype feature to good use with the stylus and also provides the ability of turning your hand writing to text.
My over all opinion on the two tablets is this - When comparing side by side spec wise sure there are minor difference that lead the buyer to stick with what they know. If you have an Iphone you will lean more towards the Ipad and vice versus. I urge any Apple user to look past the operating system, give yourself a few minutes to get used to the drastic difference between operating systems, and really get to know the Note. Honestly, the Note makes the Ipad look like an expensive, obsolete paper weight. After having both, I really feel like I went to Amazon and tried to order a knock off tablet and ended up with the Ipad. As you can see there were more pictures included for the Note than the Ipad and thats for a reason. The bottom line is the Note does more than the Ipad. Plain and simple.
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