19-03-2022, 11:22 PM
Entry level iPads are £319
Looking at Amazon, Lenovo Yoga Tab range from £198 to £801. From a quick look, I think the nearest equivalent to the entry-level iPad is £275.
Hmm. Hardly a "fraction of the price of equivalent"...
We have an older Lenovo - can't remember the exact model, but it's the same basic form-factor, with the battery bulge that contains a fold-out stand. We paid around £200 for it. It's quite good. Or rather, it was quite good. After about a year, it received an Android update and became a lot slower and much less stable. After a few more updates, it became almost unusable - unless you are very patient. But better than the Google Nexus 7 that we bought a couple of years before that. That was lovely at first, but was "bricked" by an Android update after about a year. That, by the way, is not exaggeration or hyperbole - it really is unusable. As a result of these (and other) direct personal experiences, we would need a lot of persuasion to buy another Android anything. We've given it a fair shot over the years - and I would hope it's better now, but that's not the impression I get from friends and colleagues who for some reason seem willing to persevere with them.
A few years back I bought a digital sound desk that can be remote-controlled by an iPad. Upon learning that it was iPad-only, I almost changed my mind about buying that particular model. But then I discovered that iPads aren't as expensive as a lot of people seem to think - given that at this point, I'd already wasted well over £500 on Android - and was expecting to have to buy a new £200 Android tablet for the sound desk - I was delighted to learn that iPads start at just over £300. And really, really pleased that I went with the sound desk I did, as it's lovely.
Now, the thing about iPads (and iPhones) is that Apple support them for at least 6 years from launch. Right now, my work phone is 6 years old, and still works just as well as it did when I got it - only, of course, there's lots more functionality that's been added by the various updates, and it's still receiving regular updates for security as well as functionality. I only qualify for a replacement when it's finally out of support, which is likely to be in September this year (although it will continue to function for many years after this point, of course). Prior to moving across to Apple, we were changing our Android phones every 2 years because they were being rendered slow and unresponsive by the updates, and then abandoned by the manufacturer. So we've had 3 times the service life at only perhaps 25-50% more on the initial purchase cost. That's an incredibly ROI by any standard.
As for the iPad, I've had it now for 3 or 4 years, and like the phone, it's still like new. Still getting software updates, still quick and responsive. The battery is excellent. I don't use mine much between gigs, but left sitting, it'll last for a few weeks before needing a charge - I can't tell you exactly as I've never managed to run it down between using it in anger. And to get that standby life of weeks, perhaps a month or two, I don't need to mess about turning off stuff - wifi and Bluetooth are just left as they are. I really can't be faffing about like that - life it too short.
Despite how it might sound, I'm not an Apple fan-boy. Far from it. I know almost nothing about their laptops and desktops, and - for the sake of balance - I have seen a lot of Louis Rossmann's videos about Apple products, and would probably avoid their laptops as a result. But 6 years of experience demonstrates to me that they've done a really good job with iOS (iPhone/iPad). It just works. No more having to reboot devices every few days, no more having to turn things off or force-quit apps to keep it stable, and no need to hold off installing updates until you've found someone else who's already tested them before you. As long as you avoid the expensive stuff, the price of entry is only slightly higher than the Android equivalent, but you'll get a much, much longer service life. Batteries last well, too - my 2016 iPhone is still on the original battery, and lasts nearly as long between charges as it used to. Should it become necessary, the official battery replacement cost for my particular phone is £49, but you can do it for about half that if you want to risk the small high-street repair places or DIY it.
In short, a £319 iPad meets the original request, and is what I would recommend, based on extensive experience with both platforms. Simple thumb-print to unlock, single touch of the browser shortcut if it wasn't left open before, and you're good to go - all in less than a second. Ignore it, and the battery will last weeks between charges.
If £319 is a bit much, it's worth checking the second-hand market. We've had good results with CEX for iPhones - there was only one that was a problem (caused by inexpert battery replacement), but they happily refunded in full and we bought another from them the same day - 2 years on, it's been as good as gold. There will be cheaper on-line suppliers, but I'm happy to pay a bit more and see it in the flesh, and it's so much easier if there's a problem. If going s/h, read up about the various models, so you know what to look for. Personally, I don't see a reason to move up the price scale, especially not for just web-surfing, so you might not want/need an "Air" or "Pro".
For the sake of balance, my laptop is Lenovo. I think they make decent enough hardware, and I've nothing against them as such. Likewise Asus, who made the Nexus 7. Similar comments apply to all the Android devices I've bought over the years...
Looking at Amazon, Lenovo Yoga Tab range from £198 to £801. From a quick look, I think the nearest equivalent to the entry-level iPad is £275.
Hmm. Hardly a "fraction of the price of equivalent"...
We have an older Lenovo - can't remember the exact model, but it's the same basic form-factor, with the battery bulge that contains a fold-out stand. We paid around £200 for it. It's quite good. Or rather, it was quite good. After about a year, it received an Android update and became a lot slower and much less stable. After a few more updates, it became almost unusable - unless you are very patient. But better than the Google Nexus 7 that we bought a couple of years before that. That was lovely at first, but was "bricked" by an Android update after about a year. That, by the way, is not exaggeration or hyperbole - it really is unusable. As a result of these (and other) direct personal experiences, we would need a lot of persuasion to buy another Android anything. We've given it a fair shot over the years - and I would hope it's better now, but that's not the impression I get from friends and colleagues who for some reason seem willing to persevere with them.
A few years back I bought a digital sound desk that can be remote-controlled by an iPad. Upon learning that it was iPad-only, I almost changed my mind about buying that particular model. But then I discovered that iPads aren't as expensive as a lot of people seem to think - given that at this point, I'd already wasted well over £500 on Android - and was expecting to have to buy a new £200 Android tablet for the sound desk - I was delighted to learn that iPads start at just over £300. And really, really pleased that I went with the sound desk I did, as it's lovely.
Now, the thing about iPads (and iPhones) is that Apple support them for at least 6 years from launch. Right now, my work phone is 6 years old, and still works just as well as it did when I got it - only, of course, there's lots more functionality that's been added by the various updates, and it's still receiving regular updates for security as well as functionality. I only qualify for a replacement when it's finally out of support, which is likely to be in September this year (although it will continue to function for many years after this point, of course). Prior to moving across to Apple, we were changing our Android phones every 2 years because they were being rendered slow and unresponsive by the updates, and then abandoned by the manufacturer. So we've had 3 times the service life at only perhaps 25-50% more on the initial purchase cost. That's an incredibly ROI by any standard.
As for the iPad, I've had it now for 3 or 4 years, and like the phone, it's still like new. Still getting software updates, still quick and responsive. The battery is excellent. I don't use mine much between gigs, but left sitting, it'll last for a few weeks before needing a charge - I can't tell you exactly as I've never managed to run it down between using it in anger. And to get that standby life of weeks, perhaps a month or two, I don't need to mess about turning off stuff - wifi and Bluetooth are just left as they are. I really can't be faffing about like that - life it too short.
Despite how it might sound, I'm not an Apple fan-boy. Far from it. I know almost nothing about their laptops and desktops, and - for the sake of balance - I have seen a lot of Louis Rossmann's videos about Apple products, and would probably avoid their laptops as a result. But 6 years of experience demonstrates to me that they've done a really good job with iOS (iPhone/iPad). It just works. No more having to reboot devices every few days, no more having to turn things off or force-quit apps to keep it stable, and no need to hold off installing updates until you've found someone else who's already tested them before you. As long as you avoid the expensive stuff, the price of entry is only slightly higher than the Android equivalent, but you'll get a much, much longer service life. Batteries last well, too - my 2016 iPhone is still on the original battery, and lasts nearly as long between charges as it used to. Should it become necessary, the official battery replacement cost for my particular phone is £49, but you can do it for about half that if you want to risk the small high-street repair places or DIY it.
In short, a £319 iPad meets the original request, and is what I would recommend, based on extensive experience with both platforms. Simple thumb-print to unlock, single touch of the browser shortcut if it wasn't left open before, and you're good to go - all in less than a second. Ignore it, and the battery will last weeks between charges.
If £319 is a bit much, it's worth checking the second-hand market. We've had good results with CEX for iPhones - there was only one that was a problem (caused by inexpert battery replacement), but they happily refunded in full and we bought another from them the same day - 2 years on, it's been as good as gold. There will be cheaper on-line suppliers, but I'm happy to pay a bit more and see it in the flesh, and it's so much easier if there's a problem. If going s/h, read up about the various models, so you know what to look for. Personally, I don't see a reason to move up the price scale, especially not for just web-surfing, so you might not want/need an "Air" or "Pro".
For the sake of balance, my laptop is Lenovo. I think they make decent enough hardware, and I've nothing against them as such. Likewise Asus, who made the Nexus 7. Similar comments apply to all the Android devices I've bought over the years...
