>
Given that matrix, it’s hard to see how the iPad is really the no-brainer upgrade over everything else in the world the way that the iPhone was when it was announced. Yes, I’d rather own an iPad than, say, either the HP slate or the 10-inch, Tegra 2- and Android-based tablet prototype that [MSI showed at CES](http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/08/msi-shows-off-10-inch-android-tablet-running-new-tegra-chipset/). But, at least in the case of the MSI tablet, I’d have to do a little more homework first before making a final decision.
| iPad | Leading Smartphones | A bazillion other tablets in 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Buy & watch video | X | X | X |
Buy & play music | X | X | X |
Buy & play games | X | X | X |
Buy & read e-books | X | X | X |
App Store | X | X | X |
Use non-Apple media stores (e.g., Netflix, Amazon MP3) | X | X | |
Use office apps (word processor, spreadsheet, slides) | X | X | X |
Surf Web | X | X | X |
E-mail/IM | X | X | X |
Multi-task | > > | X | X |
Multi-touch | X | X | X |
3G | X | X | X |
Wi-Fi | X | X | X |
Integrated SD card slot | X | X | |
Flash support | X | X | |
Integrated webcam | X | ||
10hrs battery life | X | X | ? |
0.5 inches thin, 1.5 lbs | X | X | ? |
$500 starting price | X | X | ? |
via [arstechnica.com](http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/01/ars-ipad-reax.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss)
Seriously, if you still think that Linux or Windows-powered tablets stand a chance at beating Apple at anything, you simply haven’t left your house enough over the past five years.
I encourage you to check out the nice chart that Ars prepared for you here, listing all the features the iPad lacks. Oh, boy. Here we go again.
When are people going to get it into their thick skulls that lists of features are meaningless? On paper, every Apple product is bested by its competition.
On paper, a Corvette is a better car than a Ferrari.
In reality, using a device makes a much larger impression on which one you want to buy. It really is that simple.
Apple has hundreds of retail stores. They’re going to get an iPad into the hands of millions of people in the next 12 months. None of those people is going to have ever heard of the HP Slate or the Tegra-2. Trust me.
