iPhone or iPad? Which is the better choice?

[Cahow]

Hi! Since registering on this side of the site, I've met some fantastic and very helpful members.

Although I have a Samsung Galaxy Tablet and love it to bits and pieces, it's becoming increasingly clear that some of the more Science-geared apps will NEVER come to the Android OS. I've contacted all four of the app developers, to see if they were planning on doing an Android version and of the two that replied, they politely said, "No. Sorry, but we don't work within the Android OS."

Okay, so here I am: with a $300.00 Visa Gift card left over from Christmas and a contract with AT & T about to expire, and enough credit from them to get an iPhone for free. I already have 4 Apple apps that would greatly enhance my life: The Elements by Theodore Gray; iBirds (not Angry Birds! LOL); National Geographic's Dinosaur app, and Recipe Box, which is a recipe app that blows my mind!

Being that I love the 7" screen format of the Gal-Tab, smaller is rather better for me than a larger screen size. However, I don't see myself leaving the house with the iPad so the larger screen will be used in the kitchen and for enjoying the apps I've listed so I won't be needing to haul it around.

NOTE: It will be "Either/Or". I'm not interested in both. Period. I asked a friend, who has an iPhone what she would recommend and she was of little help, saying I should get both because I get a free phone and I had the gift card. Again, that is not going to happen!

So, what would YOU do, if given the choice? I could equally get a "dumb phone" from AT & T, since I use the Gal-Tab for everything except placing a call. Problem with buying an iPhone is getting stuck with a data plan; I currently have a four year old "dumb phone" and the data plan for the tablet is off of Sprint, which had the better pricing structure on the tablet and plan. If I buy the iPad, it will be the Wi-Fi version, only.

Part of me says to "bite the bullet" get the free iPhone and see if I like Apple apps or iOS. That way, I'm only out a $15.00/month data plan. The other half of me says, "Get a 16GB Wi-Fi off of ebay for $300.00 for the full pleasure of viewing those science apps."

My contract renewal is up in May so I have until then to make a decision. I'd love to hear some other voices of experience chime in to what they think is my best choice.

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies!

 

[cardfan]

To play those apps you mentioned, you need an ipad. Sounds like the better choice for you given that you're likely to take your tab & dumbphone on the go.

 

[Cahow]

Thanks, cardfan. The tab and future dumb phone are part of my business case I carry with me daily.

If folks here suggested by a majority, that an iPhone would provide the same satisfactory viewing of those apps, then I'd send my future phone to college and get a smart phone, i.e., an iPhone.

Science and Cooking are my two passions and Android apps are very weak in those two areas. GREAT business apps and fun apps (so I've been told) but they suck in the sciences.

 

[AppleFan]

I would say go the iPhone ... it is more likely that you will like iOS and iPhone apps more, and with the current rate of daily developed apps, I'm sure that sometime soon you will finds that apps you hope for.

 

[Yusuf.Moosa]

To build in the question. I have an iPhone 4. What additional things can I do on an iPad(thinking of getting the iPad2) that I can't do on my phone? What justifies getting an iPad if I already have an iPhone?

 

[cardfan]

Some of her apps she likes are ipad only. I think Elements is though i could be wrong given i don't have the app. And to review recipes, a dock in the kitchen with the ipad beats an iphone.

@Yusef

The ipad is good for viewing graphics like comics, pdfs, etc. It's also great for the kids with a ton of kid apps and that bigger multitouch screen is a big hit. Text is a bit fuzzy IMO compared to the iphone 4 though...but that's more of the iphone's retina screen. Video looks great on ipad though i'm fine with it on iphone. An ipad is more suitable to showing off things to others. Browsing is more full on the ipad showing desktop versions of websites rather than iphone versions.

But is it worth 300 - 499 getting an ipad? That's up to you. I've seen 64gb 3G ipad one's going for 500-520 on ebay. That would run you 829 just a month ago..

 

[Yusuf.Moosa]

Thanks. Not convinced that it's worth the money since I got the iPhone. Still seems pretty cool. Will have to think about for a while.

 

[lawls]

elements is ipad only. you need all that screen real estate

 

[Travelin'Rich]

I bought my iPhone 4 the first day they were available at retail. I've loved it. It does just about everything I could want in a device this size. With the 32g iPhone I have plenty of room for all the music I would want to travel with. I can get all of my personal e-mail. I can acces my work webmail through Safari or Skyfire. I can watch anything while away that I can watch at home via SlingPlayer or Netflix. I can listen to my SiriusXM. I can convert movies and copy them to my iPhone for airplanes, etc. Given all of this, I could never justify spending the money for an iPad which wouldn't do anything more for me than my iPhone.

That is, until the iPad2 came out and the price of the original iPad dropped considerably. Given the chance to buy a refurbished iPad 16g wifi from Apple for $350 I figured it was worth checking out. I've had it for about 10 days now and I'm thrilled I took the plunge. App-wise, I'm not doing anything different on it, but it's so much nicer to see a "real" size image and not having to squint at the little iPhone screen for movies, TV, etc.

If you really like your Tab and it does what you want in a size you prefer, I'd vote for getting an iPhone and using it in conjuction with your Tab. You might not be able to use all of the apps you mentioned on the iPhone, but with so many apps out there I'm sure you can find an acceptible alternative that would hold you over until something comes out for the Tab. Save the money. Get the free iPhone and put the savings toward your data plan. This will get you into the iPhone app world which you can always use later should you decide to buy an iPad.

I could definitely live without my iPad (but I don't want to), but I would be in a world of hurt without my iPhone.

 

[sting7k]

I'm more curious in what science apps you need on iOS that are not on Android?

In any case, get the iPhone and keep your Galaxy tab.

 

[9thWonder]

they aren't really interchangable in my mind. if you need a phone get an iphone. if you don't need a phone get an ipad. To me it's pretty simple. but i don't view the devices as filling the same purpose so that's me.

 

[Ipheuria]

Which one to get is really up to you. The good thing is although they have different pros and cons they do overlap on some functionality. So in the end whichever way you go you will have a good experience. You said you're not interested in the Galaxy Tab because of apps, so like someone said look into the apps. If the majority of them can only be run on the iPad then you have your answer. So saying that, it depends if your apps need to be mobile, meaning do you want to use them on the go or are you only going to use them at home? The iPhone is more mobile, you said you're not carrying the iPad out, so if you are planning to use the apps at home then get the iPad with the bigger screen. If the apps run on both devices and you want to be more mobile then get the iPhone because like it was said you can keep the Tab as your tablet device.

 

[Cahow]

I'm more curious in what science apps you need on iOS that are not on Android?

In any case, get the iPhone and keep your Galaxy tab.

Hi sting: Specifically, it's The Elements by Theodore Gray; the National Geographic's Dinosaur app (I go dino digging each year with the Burpee Museum in Montana); and the iBird app, for birding.

Yeah, there are periodic table and birding apps on Android but they are almost beta versions (in looks and information) compared to what the deveolper's have poured into the iPhone apps. The Recipe Box app, I guess, I could do without as there are C+ kind of recipe apps on Android.

Not being familiar with the iFamily except for TV ads, I didn't know that there are specific iPhone vs iPad apps. Now that several kind members here have pointed out that the apps I desire are ONLY available on the iPad platform, I guess I'll be buying an iPad.

The sentiment of getting the free iPhone from AT & T is convincing and makes the most financial sense but if I can't get the science apps that would rock my world, I'd view the iPhone as "just a phone" and still moan that I couldn't buy these specific apps.

I get it. iPad is the Juggernaut that really made the older tablet concept into a phenominon, embraced by an 80% market share. So, people in the Tech Field who want to make money, piggyback off of the iProduct family. Large institutions and Science Geeks are going to develop for iPad's first, and maybe if they're bored, any other OS. I don't want to fight windmill's any longer and if it means that I own the Galaxy tablet for my hard-core work useage and the future iPad for my sheer geeky pleasure, than so be it.

Now, I just need to decide, as I'm sure many, many iProduct lovers have to: do I buy a used iPad1, get in line for the iPad2, or just wait a year for the inevitable iPad3? After all, you know it's already in the works.

 

[Cahow]

Which one to get is really up to you. The good thing is although they have different pros and cons they do overlap on some functionality. So in the end whichever way you go you will have a good experience. You said you're not interested in the Galaxy Tab because of apps, so like someone said look into the apps. If the majority of them can only be run on the iPad then you have your answer. So saying that, it depends if your apps need to be mobile, meaning do you want to use them on the go or are you only going to use them at home? The iPhone is more mobile, you said you're not carrying the iPad out, so if you are planning to use the apps at home then get the iPad with the bigger screen. If the apps run on both devices and you want to be more mobile then get the iPhone because like it was said you can keep the Tab as your tablet device.

Well thought out post, Ipheuria. Please work with me, here: so, after I register at iTunes (is that how you view the apps???), when I click on a link, does each app SPECIFICALLY STATE "For iPad ONLY?" That's the only way that I can think if apps I desire are only optimized for iPad.

 

[Cahow]

I bought my iPhone 4 the first day they were available at retail. I've loved it. It does just about everything I could want in a device this size. With the 32g iPhone I have plenty of room for all the music I would want to travel with. I can get all of my personal e-mail. I can acces my work webmail through Safari or Skyfire. I can watch anything while away that I can watch at home via SlingPlayer or Netflix. I can listen to my SiriusXM. I can convert movies and copy them to my iPhone for airplanes, etc. Given all of this, I could never justify spending the money for an iPad which wouldn't do anything more for me than my iPhone.

That is, until the iPad2 came out and the price of the original iPad dropped considerably. Given the chance to buy a refurbished iPad 16g wifi from Apple for $350 I figured it was worth checking out. I've had it for about 10 days now and I'm thrilled I took the plunge. App-wise, I'm not doing anything different on it, but it's so much nicer to see a "real" size image and not having to squint at the little iPhone screen for movies, TV, etc.

If you really like your Tab and it does what you want in a size you prefer, I'd vote for getting an iPhone and using it in conjuction with your Tab. You might not be able to use all of the apps you mentioned on the iPhone, but with so many apps out there I'm sure you can find an acceptible alternative that would hold you over until something comes out for the Tab. Save the money. Get the free iPhone and put the savings toward your data plan. This will get you into the iPhone app world which you can always use later should you decide to buy an iPad.

I could definitely live without my iPad (but I don't want to), but I would be in a world of hurt without my iPhone.

Hi Travelin Rich: you had utterly convinced me to go with the free phone with this well thought out post...until other posters wrote that the apps that I was very interested in were ONLY available on the iPad. Although everything makes great sense in your post, I'll grow to resent the iPhone in a short while because it will be identical to my Galaxy Tab...a device that WON'T ALLOW ME TO DOWNLOAD THOSE APPLE APPS. LOL So, although financially, the free iPhone makes so much sense, I guess it's now become clear, through later posts, that I have no choice but to buy one of the versions of the iPad to gain access to those four apps I've listed.

Thanks SO much for your feedback; you helped me very much with what you shared with me.

 

[Travelin'Rich]

You can check the requirements for an app (iPad, iPhone, iPod, IOS4, IOS3.1, etc.) at the app store. For example, the listed requirements for iBird Explorer Plus says "Compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Requires IOS 3.1 or later". If you have not downloaded iTunes yet you can go to the apple website and click on the iTunes link. At the bottom of the page you'll find a link to Browse App Store.

 

[Ipheuria]

You are getting one or the other and they both require iTunes so you should download it. You will have to create an Apple ID to enter the store this is how your apps, media, etc is purchased in the store. Once you get into the store you can go to Apps and you can now search for iPad only etc. So I would put it on iPhone and iPad and search for all your apps if they all show up they're either using a universal binary which means the same app will work on both devices ie. no need to buy two versions or they will have an iPhone version and an iPad version. If you don't see some on your list switch it to iPad only and do a search for those, this will tell you which ones if any require the iPad specifically.

 

[Cahow]

To Travelin Rich & Ipheuria: thanks so much for the instructions on how to research for apps on the Apple platform. As many members here informed me, not ALL apps are available on the iPhone vs the iPad so I'm going to buy an iPad and just use my AT & T credit for a nicest dumb phone they have.

Now, I just need to decide if it's going to be an iPad 1 or 2. It will only be the 16GB Wi-Fi version since I won't be leaving my home with it and plan to have no music files or games on the device, so that's tons of storage, just for apps.

I really want to thank the people who posted in this thread! You made a newbie to the Apple world feel comfortable coming here and asking questions.