I love my Nexus 7, but should I get an iPad Air 2?

June 4, 2015 3:18 PM

I've really enjoyed owning a Nexus 7 for the past couple of years and my 2013 version is still going strong. However, my husband's offered to buy me an iPad Air 2 for my birthday in a couple of weeks. I hear the iPad is lovely, but I'm wondering if it'll let me do all the things I enjoy doing on the Nexus 7.

Things I like to do on my Nexus 7:

- Watch films (in various formats) that I've loaded onto a USB stick via an OTG cable. I'm pretty sure I can't do this on an iPad; what do y'all do instead when you want to watch your own media (and you're not in wifi range)?
- *cough* Download films directly onto my device. Is this doable on the iPad?
- Read books that I've sent to the device from my PC via the Android Calibre companion app. Again, is this a thing I can do on an iPad?
- Use Google apps, e.g. Gmail, maps, calendar, tasks, docs/sheets, etc. I realise there are iOS apps for all these, but are they frustrating to use on an iPad?

I've never used an iPad before, but I've had iPhones for years (currently using an iPhone 5s) so I'm familiar with both Android and iOS ecosystems to a certain extent. I guess my main concern is whether Apple's locked-down approach is going to make it harder for me to consume my own media (films, ebooks etc) on the device.

Reasons I'm considering the iPad:

- Hey, an iPad for my birthday! Thanks honey!
- iPads seem nice
- I haven't been able to pair my bluetooth keyboard with my Nexus 7 for a while (a known issue, apparently) and it would be nice to be able to have a laptop substitute I can write on
- Might be nice to edit my little iPhone videos on a larger screen
- It looks like there won't be another Nexus 7, and all the 'iPad Air 2 vs Nexus 9' comparisons I've seen have the iPad coming out on top
- I'm about to go overseas for an extended family visit that'll be very sad and emotionally draining, and having a new toy is somewhat cheering

We can definitely afford the iPad, but I'm usually pretty frugal, so want to think this through before I give my husband the go-ahead. What do you think?

posted by handclaps to Computers & Internet (10 answers total)

I loved my Nexus 7, and did most things you're doing on yours (that Calibre app sounds awesome).

That said - I'd go with the iPad. I recently purchased an iPad Mini and while it has its definite quirks -- for OTG support, you either need another proprietary cable or an adapter; it *really* likes to lag when connecting to wifi; Google apps are there, but aren't like those on the Nexus -- but it's a keeper. Reading on it is fantastic and watching videos on it is also pretty amazing.

I'm definitely more of an Android lover, but these iPad things...not too shabby.
posted by singmespanishtechno at 3:42 PM on June 4, 2015

- Watch films (in various formats) that I've loaded onto a USB stick via an OTG cable. I'm pretty sure I can't do this on an iPad; what do y'all do instead when you want to watch your own media (and you're not in wifi range)?

The iPad had a media dongle (extra purchase) that allows you to do this - you probabky should use VLC as the media player

- *cough* Download films directly onto my device. Is this doable on the iPad?

The transfer can be done either with VLC or dropbox but the *cough* download will have to be done through a different machine *unless* you use iTunes - which is a pay service.

- Read books that I've sent to the device from my PC via the Android Calibre companion app. Again, is this a thing I can do on an iPad?

No. however if you simply drop the caliber book in your dropbox account you will be able to read it with GoodReads - an absolutely AMAZING and free book reader.


- Use Google apps, e.g. Gmail, maps, calendar, tasks, docs/sheets, etc. I realise there are iOS apps for all these, but are they frustrating to use on an iPad?

Google's iPad implementation of those apps are all wonderful and wonderfully easy to use.

The thing that I love best will love about the iPad is the amazingly readable screen which has always appeared better than any comparable tablet I've seen
posted by AGameOfMoans at 3:58 PM on June 4, 2015

- Watch films (in various formats) that I've loaded onto a USB stick via an OTG cable. I'm pretty sure I can't do this on an iPad; what do y'all do instead when you want to watch your own media (and you're not in wifi range)?

Yep, Apple continues to be generally shitty about expandable storage in all their mobile devices, it's why I've switched over to Android completely.

- *cough* Download films directly onto my device. Is this doable on the iPad?

Possible? Yes. Hassle-free or doable without root or paying an irritating amount of money or using iTunes? Last I checked, no.

- I haven't been able to pair my bluetooth keyboard with my Nexus 7 for a while (a known issue, apparently) and it would be nice to be able to have a laptop substitute I can write on

You can definitely do all that with iOS stuff, but Android's certainly better at dealing with non-touchscreen input methods.

- It looks like there won't be another Nexus 7, and all the 'iPad Air 2 vs Nexus 9' comparisons I've seen have the iPad coming out on top

These aren't the only options, there are a few other companies that make stock or close-to-stock Android tablets that might be worth a look into. I still use and love my Nexus 7, I'm just waiting to see which one of the non-Google stock/near-stock tablets gets Lollipop first before I bite the bullet on an upgrade. I'm currently waffling between the Samsung Galaxy Note and the Nvidia Shield.
posted by The Master and Margarita Mix at 4:01 PM on June 4, 2015

If you're thinking of making an imminent purchase, MacRumors' buyer's guide suggests caution, given that the Air 2 is close to the end of its release cycle and an Air 3 might be forthcoming.

Further, there is a rumored "iPad Pro" model that would have a larger screen than the current iPad Air 2, if released. In addition to being a better laptop replacement, it might make your video editing even easier.

Apple is having its yearly Worldwide Developers Conference next week, when new iOS hardware might be announced. You might consider holding off on any purchase until after next Monday (they usually make product announcements on the first day of the conference).

You can't really go wrong with an iPad — it's the best all-around option out there, really — so I'm only mentioning this stuff because you can either get a newer model when it comes out soon, or get the soon-to-be older model Air 2 at better prices.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 4:08 PM on June 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I have both. The Nexus 7 is my own, and the iPad is from work. For reading (I use Calibre as well!) the Nexus wins. This is due to the smaller screen which makes it lighter and less strain on the wrist if I hold it in one hand. Also, if I am dining out alone the Nexus is more discrete for table-side reading. The iPad is great for, pretty much, everything else: movies, comics, browsing, etc.
posted by alchemist at 12:06 AM on June 5, 2015

I bought a Nexus 9 last week, after playing with an iPad for a few weeks to see if I would prefer it. For some background: my personal phone is a Nexus 6, but my work phone is an iPhone 6; I am very familiar with both ecosystems.

Quite honestly, I find the Apple experience incredibly frustrating and inefficient. While the iPad was a nice piece of kit, the 9 is a very well-constructed, well thought out design with few compromises.

If you are already happy with the Nexus 7, I'd recommend the Nexus 9 all the way. It also has the benefit of being cheaper (although you should definitely get the 32GB version).

Oh, and it has stereo front firing speakers. I have an aged Nexus 10 with the same, and I will never buy another phone or tablet that does not.
posted by builderofscience at 2:08 AM on June 5, 2015

I personally find using my iPad really frustrating compared to Android. Unless there's a specific app for the iPad you need, I'd recommend an Android tablet over the iPad. The Samsungs are nice.
posted by salmacis at 6:16 AM on June 5, 2015

whether Apple's locked-down approach is going to make it harder for me to consume my own media (films, ebooks etc) on the device

Yes it is. VLC helps somewhat, but swimming against the Apple current on an iDevice is in general even more difficult than doing things Google doesn't want you to on Android.

iDevices are good for people whose use cases Apple anticipated. Personally I find them consistently enraging.
posted by flabdablet at 10:07 AM on June 5, 2015

Watch films (in various formats) that I've loaded onto a USB stick via an OTG cable. I'm pretty sure I can't do this on an iPad; what do y'all do instead when you want to watch your own media (and you're not in wifi range)?

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here, but I have a large library of movies ripped from DVD, and I selectively sync them to our iPad via iTunes. So there's no problem with watching your own media. (Add them to iTunes with "Preferences -> Advanced -> Copy to Media folder" unchecked if you have them organized already on disk and don't want extra copies, add them to an iTunes playlist, and sync that playlist to your iPad.)

The downside is limited storage space on the device, of course - 64GB only goes so far. But really, even at Handbrake's High Quality setting, it's less than 1 GB per hour of video.
posted by RedOrGreen at 1:22 PM on June 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Read books that I've sent to the device from my PC via the Android Calibre companion app. Again, is this a thing I can do on an iPad?

It is absolutely possible and pretty simple to read books on the ipad. I have both the Kindle app (for .mobi) and the iBooks app (for epub) on my ipad, so I can read whichever version of a book that I *cough* "find" available. Yes, those services where you find movies also have books. The apps are free in the App store on the ipad.

Kindle is managed via Amazon - deep in the Amazon settings, you will find an email address that goes directly to your ipad Kindle. Using my desktop PC where I download the mobi files from the web, I just attach the mobi file to an email and send it to my ipad Kindle address and voila, it is available to read on my ipad via the Kindle app.

For epub files, I email the attached file to the email address that I used to set up the Mail app in the ipad, then read the email on the ipad and longpress the attachment, which asks me which app i want to open it in.

For movies - I read all the advice that I could google, including dropbox and VLC and itunes sync etc, and I tried it last year but I couldn't get anything to work. It all took forever to sync and then timed out partway through. If I was following a tutorial, I would get partway through and then the button that was the next step just wasn't there on my device. I gave up. I'll look into the media dongle that AGameofMoans mentioned (Hey, AGoM, if you're reading this, could you find a link to a dongle for us? Can it go to a USB stick?).
posted by CathyG at 8:26 AM on June 6, 2015