As Apple continues to push both the iPad and iPhone with more and more apps, the Android is starting to bridge the gap slightly with its own app store. The Android now boasts 38,000 different apps right now and is on pace to have 100,000 by year’s end. The Apple store already 100,000, so it appears at first glance that Apple already has the market beat, but only time will really tell. The problem both phones face is an issue of quality over quantity. While some apps for both phones are very practical and beneficial, there are quite a few that fall into the “almost worthless” category, according to an article by Jared Newman.
I personally think that Android will be able to grab a little more of the market when people realize that the Android is not limited when it comes to apps. What I mean is that Apple makes custom apps that pull info from the internet and then presents it in a way that Apple wants people to see it. The Android does not have that limitation. The biggest example of this is the Flash issue that Apple refuses to accomodate. If a website has Flash anywhere on the site, that portion of the site will not function on the iPhone or iPad. The android again does not have that limitation which I think will ultimately help Android take some of the market from Apple.
I’m finding more tablet computers that are on par with the iPad from a spec sheet point of view, and in some key ways, are actually better. Like this one. This Eken M001 has an SD memory card in addition to USB ports. It can also hold 32 GB of info. I think it might even be lighter than the iPad. I can’t remember what the iPad weighs, but this thing clocks in at 0.77 pounds, so it should be easy to carry. Here’s the best part; you can own this piece of technology for only $140. The deal breaker is that you can only buy it if you live in China. Hopefully we’ll see this or something similar to it in the near future.