iPad vs Samsung Galaxy vs MS Surface

[pieterh]

I don't have enough experience with the Android and Windows tablets and thus can't make comparisons. I use an iPhone myself and have an Android phone from work - I get all my calls diverted to my phone because Android on the phone drives me crazy, I find iOS much easier to navigate.

However, what I do know is that the architecture of the iPad and other iOS devices generally lends itself better to multi-media applications than the others. It may have changed recently but we run a sound level measuring app on our iPad; according to a review of such apps from 2012 the design of Android tablets didn't easily accommodate such programs.

Apart from this app one of the best things about tablets for us is being able to remote control digital mixing desks - this means I can do a band mix on stage hearing exactly what they are hearing, save it and then do the main mix from FOH. Walking through the auditorium, checking how it sounds and making adjustments there and then is invaluable. iPads (or whichever if they have this function) are great in this context because you can in principle give each band member control over their own on stage mix (like Aviom but tablet-based).

[janmulder]

Folks often ask "Why the iPad?" and point to the many 'better' features of all the alternatives ... bigger, faster, sdcard, blah blah ...

I have an iPad so I'm biased but I also have a Nexus so I have experience of good Android based systems. Usually owners of each don't see eye to eye and so arguments about each run parallel to each other ... the advantages of one system seen by one person are the very disadvantages seen by another person.

For example: free software vs paid. Most of Android software is free or low priced and this can be seen as an advantage. I see it as a disadvantage ... I like to pay more for what I see as better software. Higher prices means good developers (especially big software houses) are more likely to program for iOS because they will get a good return ... and the prices are rarely more than 10$.

So here are my reasons for the iPad over any Android tablet to date ...

For me it is 3 things mainly...

1) The sheer amount of software and hardware that is available.

2) It just works. Little or no fiddling needed.

3) Massive battery life.

My main gripes with the Android systems is the hardware and software is generic ... i.e. the OS is not specifically made for the machine and the hardware is not specifically made for Android. This results in many things ... but in the end, every system is a compromise in some way and you notice this in the 3rd party software and hardware available.

At the moment there is just so much hardware for the iPad like dedicated mics, audio interfaces, dongles to plug your guitar directly, foot controllers (for loopers, songbooks etc), ... the list goes on and on and just keeps growing and all of these are made specifically for your machine ... plug in and go.

Software is the same ... multitrack, loopers, wav recorders and editors, songbooks, realbooks, ... one of my favs is the ability to slow down tunes for learning without deteriorating the sound too much.

And all of the stuff I got for the iPad just works ... never had to fiddle. Fo my Nexus it is a totally different story.

And, lastly, the battery ... I still get more than 10 hours out of an iPad 2 that is in daily use. My Nexus, which is 2 years younger only lasts 3-4 hours now although one of its selling points at the time were excellent battery use!

At the end of the day, both systems are good and both have their advantages and disadvantages. You need to think of what you need and want out of the system and then see which matches your requirements best.

[EighthAveLocal]

Throwing a +1 for the iPad.
For those stuck to MS documents set up a drop box and back all those documents up. Download the Dropbox app on the iPad and have at it.

[bluzuner]

I have had issues over the years with my iPhones, so have made a permanent shift away from Apple for phone use. But for tablets? I prefer Android by a long ways, but until a major manufacturer can even remotely come close to the iPad for battery life, I'll stick with the iPads. I've had two Nexus' and two Samsungs, and even though they claim great battery life, in real use I don't think I get more than about a third of the life I get with my iPads. In addition, I've grown very comfortable with GarageBand, and haven't found a replacement in the Android ecosystem that is nearly as polished or effective.

In terms of Windows use on a tablet, I wouldn't suggest it. I don't think I'd worry about getting used to the way an iPad works.....frankly, it's set up for the least common denominator.....if you're IQ is above about 30, you'll literally learn it in 2 minutes . I had a Surface, but I would not recommend that to anyone. The app ecosystem is completely bare, and the Surface Pro, although nice, is a bit small for those of us that aren't in their 20's. If you end up wanting to stay in the Windows ecosystem, I STRONGLY recommend using a laptop, not a Surface.

[jmkratt]

Originally Posted by billder99

So, my remaining question.... I would actually prefer a simpler program like UnRealBook (your longtime favorite), but I can't find anything that fits the bill on a Windows platform... does anyone know of a good application meeting this description?

I have been wondering the same thing but haven't had any luck. Will report back if I find anything.

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by billder99

It seems practically everyone is going to tablet computers for music support... fantastic on-stage for backlit lyrics, auto scrolling with footswitch, both now available in 12.2" format so easier to read, easy to make and locate chord charts, etc... Lot's of good reasons to start using one, for both practice and performance.

I would appreciate hearing from people that are using them for music... any strong preferences? Why?

Well my day job is developing apps. I own Windows 8, Android and iPad tablets and have for some time. The iPad continues to be the ONLY tablet offering that has real tablet apps usable on stage. It also has the best support for third-party devices. Everything from mic stand attachments to audio interfaces.

If you're considering the Surface there are some things to know. First DO NOT buy the cheaper Surface model! It's not full Windows, it runs Windows RT an OS that looks like Windows but doesn't support any of the full Windows apps. So Surface Pro would be the one to consider and it cost $950 on sale (about twice that a new high end iPad would cost)! The nice thing about Surface Pro is that it's a full PC and not just a tablet, meaning it can run Pro Tools, Ableton Live, etc... Since it has USB ports it can support any audio interface your PC can! So this makes it the most powerful option, but I do not think it's the best! The question is do you really want a $1000 PC mounted to your mic stand? Why do you need that? Also the Surface Pro is running full Windows. I've found Windows 8 tablets to be BY FAR the most unstable. You'll have device drivers fail and crash the OS, it's also target to any virus or other malware full Windows is so it's harder to maintain and you'll have to run anti-virus software. Surface Pro is a great idea of a full PC and tablet hybrid device but it's just not refined enough yet. It will fail on you often and when you're on a stage with tablet as part of your gear you need something very dependable!!! Surface Pro and similar Windows 8/8.1 tablets will frustrate you whereas Android tablets and iPads generally "just work".

A used iPad or iPad Mini (I've found the iPad Mini to be the sweet spot for my music needs) will cost you maybe 1/3 of what a Surface Pro will. With iPad you have many great music apps that are designed to be interacted with in touch mode (unlike Surface Pro where you'll need a mouse and keyboard attached to realistically use Pro Tools, etc...). You have apps like Tabs HD that has a huge catalog of chord and TAB files with auto-scroll built in. It's designed be used mounted on a microphone stand. It also supports USB MIDI keyboards, microphones, etc.. There are plenty of professional grade amp modeling apps for it if you want to plug an electric guitar in. Unlike Surface Pro where you have to buy the plug-in and launch the full version of Pro Tools to get the amp simulation up, on an iPad it's effortless because the software s designed for touch and the business model is so that the same functionality on iPad is generally much cheaper because developers don't have a lot of apps for Surface Pro they make you buy the full desktop version of the plug-in. (Amplitube is a great example of this, also see Line6's modeling apps)

Android should be your last choice. There are no audio interfaces for it and the music creation apps for just horrible by comparison. Android makes a great tablet for e-book reading, watching Netflix or playing games but it's definitely NOT a creation tool at this point

[skitoolong]

Originally Posted by Rmz76

......
A used iPad or iPad Mini (I've found the iPad Mini to be the sweet spot for my music needs) will cost you maybe 1/3 of what a Surface Pro will. With iPad you have many great music apps that are designed to be interacted with in touch mode (unlike Surface Pro where you'll need a mouse and keyboard attached to realistically use Pro Tools, etc...). You have apps like Tabs HD that has a huge catalog of chord and TAB files with auto-scroll built in. It's designed be used mounted on a microphone stand. It also supports USB MIDI keyboards, microphones, etc.. There are plenty of professional grade amp modeling apps for it if you want to plug an electric guitar in. Unlike Surface Pro where you have to buy the plug-in and launch the full version of Pro Tools to get the amp simulation up, on an iPad it's effortless because the software s designed for touch and the business model is so that the same functionality on iPad is generally much cheaper because developers don't have a lot of apps for Surface Pro they make you buy the full desktop version of the plug-in. (Amplitube is a great example of this, also see Line6's modeling apps)...

Totally agree. I got a used Ipad just for my music needs. It was cheap, and I didn't even get the cell version. Just the wifi. I just tether my cell phone if I need to.

It's the right tool for the job.

[Silly Moustache]

Gentlemen, (pardon the assumption), I am very old,and relatively uninterested in IT - esp. in my music, however you have caught my imagination.

I am EVEN older than bilder99 and have built up extended repertoires for my three current bands,a couple of prior duos, and my solo stuff.

Allthe words and chord changes (and importantly notes about intros/outros and who takes which breaks) are on simple MS word docs.

I keep these in a number of "arch lever" files which sit on a music stand at waist (or lower) height so that I can just glance down to remind myself from time to time.

Is there some simple contraption which would provide a bright (even in sunlight) A4 display (at least) to which I could transfer all my word docs ?

I await your comments with interest - (written on parchment by the light of an oil lamp).

[Retropicker]

We love the Galaxy and just picked up their 12" tab 5(?), our 3rd Samsung product. However, you can't beat the iPad for applications and hardware accessories especially when it comes to any type of recording interface.

I just picked up a $199 Windows 8.1 tablet and think it's excellent. For as bad an operating system as it is on a desktop it's very good as a tablet. I'd look hard at the Surface if you need to use Windows which I do at work with Cad and modeling software. Not that it will run those apps but the support applications.

[Retropicker]

Silly Moustache. I'm not an antique but approaching the end of classic.
I keep my tab, lyrics, etc on The Cloud so no matter where I am or what I'm using I can access and edit it. Cloud storage whether Google's or Microsoft's have built in word processing, spreadsheets, etc so you don't even need software. Pretty neat, and handy stuff.

[marioed]

I used an iPad for quite a while, but over the last year I've found it to be too small to read the sheet music well. After trying out a number of tablets, portable all-in-ones and 2-in-1 laptops, last week I got a 15.6 inch Asus Flip convertible laptop running Windows 8.1. The size is a real improvement over the iPad and I've been playing around with a trial version of MusicReader software. So far it seems to be doing everything I want.

The cons are the laptop is much heavier than the iPad, the battery life is less and the model I got (the cheapest) doesn't have auto rotation. The pros are: it work's with the Page Flip Cicada; the MusicReader software allows easy rotation to portrait; it has bluetooth, 3 usb ports, HDMI and ethernet connections; and it is much easier to read music from.

I also looked really hard at a Dell XPS 18 but with the Asus being half the cost I decided to go with it.

Regards,
Ed

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by marioed

I used an iPad for quite a while, but over the last year I've found it to be too small to read the sheet music well. After trying out a number of tablets, portable all-in-ones and 2-in-1 laptops, last week I got a 15.6 inch Asus Flip convertible laptop running Windows 8.1. The size is a real improvement over the iPad and I've been playing around with a trial version of MusicReader software. So far it seems to be doing everything I want.

The cons are the laptop is much heavier than the iPad, the battery life is less and the model I got (the cheapest) doesn't have auto rotation. The pros are: it work's with the Page Flip Cicada; the MusicReader software allows easy rotation to portrait; it has bluetooth, 3 usb ports, HDMI and ethernet connections; and it is much easier to read music from.

I also looked really hard at a Dell XPS 18 but with the Asus being half the cost I decided to go with it.

Regards,
Ed

Hi Ed...

Yup, there are good & bad aspects of each system.

Hope yours is one you can wrangle into submission (they all require wrangling).

I'm hoping for a larger iPad, but would rotate a standard iPad and use a scrolling pedal before I drag a computer around. On Sundays we start at 7:30am & go till after noon (3 services) and computers are battery hogs, and space eaters.

I attach a small music stand which clamps onto my Mic stand and it holds the iPad, capos and occasional sheet of paper I'm handed.

[marioed]

Hi Larry,
The Asus isn't too bad for wrangling, it's about 5 pounds. It's essentially a larger copy of the Lenovo Yoga, in tablet mode it's flat and fits nicely on a Manhasset music stand. I've been using it in portrait mode and really like the size of the display. You're right about them being battery hogs though.
Regards,
Ed

[broken thumb]

iPad mini air, onsong, GarageBand. I have a stand holder that holds it in landscape mode. Have had improperly imported song charts in onsong flip out at inopportune moments, but for the mostpart, it's been a real asset. Very light, big enough for fortyish eyes when I make the text big enough (have to balance scroll speed), looooong battery life.

So much an asset that my duo partner just got her own, though she got the full-size. We'll be sharing song charts etc. I only open up my laptop anymore to do real word processing. Anything less than a few pages, I just use the iPad. Even wrote a magazine article on it.

[jp2558]

Setlist Maker on my iPad2 attached to my mic stand with an iKlip. Our other guitar player was reluctant but on e he got an iPad and became familiar with it and then got Setlist Maker, he's learned to love it and has no regrets.