Joshua Topolsky of The Verge has done a video comparison between the Windows 8 consumer preview that Microsoft launched at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and Apple’s iPad 2. The 10-minute video goes through the basic features and UIs of both platforms.
Gestures seem to be a big deal in Windows 8, and the “live tiles” concept is a refreshingly different take on interface design. It’s important to remember that this version of Windows 8 is not ready for prime time, so don’t expect the same level of polish that’s currently found in iOS 5.
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32 responses to “Windows 8 Tablet vs. iPad 2 [Video]”
Windows 8 is very impressive. It’s like when Microsoft was king of the hill and Apple was brushed off as a joke, only the positions have switched.
Ok but I prefer the iPad
I don’t know about Apple, but Android should be more worried….
What happens on Apps when you want to stroke down from the top on something like Photoshop? Will it just close the App? Seems cool but a little fiddly – especially the side by side interface (2mins 50sec) which didnt seem to be able to select which App was dragged into the side..
This isn’t ready for pritime…yet, but I do like the size of that tablet. Very nice. Microsoft has come a long way and it shows. Competition is good for all of us. Definitely sparked my interest.
iPad: “Pretty straight forward”
So let me get this straight..
He would prefer to search areas within Windows 8 that do not turn up results? As opposed to the iPad where the only options shown are options that have results?
iOS gestures are “cumbersome” but he is still trying “to get a hang of” the gestures in Windows 8?
Thanks for convincing me that iOS is more user friendly than Windows 8.
Who is this guy?
As a fanboy, gotta admit it looks a whole lot more impressive than Android garbage. If the form factor is that big (or bigger), I can see myself having one of those devices. Alas, as all things Microsoft it will probably Blue Screen on me just when I’m getting amped and get riddled with viruses or something dumb.
Agreed. It is interesting to see the company that used to lead the industry play catch up.
It’s at least polished, unlike Android. Still has a long way to go but definitely worth a look into.
Someone else can have that windows tablet…..I’ll keep my iPad 3 (OK, when I can actually buy my iPad 3, lol)
The only market area that I find interesting as the Windows tablet comes out is corporate. As an IT admin, I’ll be interested to see how well this tablet does in a domain environment.
BUT – I still like the iPad. I’d like to see Apple put more features in IOS that supports a corporate world.
Does anyone here actually think Microsoft will EVER put out a product that is more polished, user friendly, and STABLE than Apple? Not a chance……
They talk about Android being fragmented. Pssh
At least the same version of Android can run both a smartphone AND a tablet. Windows 8 is on its own island, can’t run desktop apps, can’t run mobile phone apps.
And unlike the OS for dummies, Android gives tablets desktop replacement capabilities.
Unlike Apple’s approach – which, instead of adding desktop type functionality to the iPad, they’re doing THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
Poor Apple users.
Ice Cream Sandwich is quite polished, troll. And acts as a desktop replacement unlike the OS for dummies.
Looks decent as a tablet OS. The key will be what unique apps (and I don’t mean Microsoft’s core apps) will really make it stand out above iPads and Android tablets, otherwise all the hand gesturing in the world won’t make it exciting.
Apple fanboys compliment Windows 8 and Windows Phone 7 because it has 1% market share. Just wait until it grabs market share then they will bash and troll it like everything else.
Grrr… Why do they keep forgetting that it’s not necessary to use the Home button to switch between apps on the iPad? Four fingers swipe up shows the apps bar at the bottom. Not a biggie but should be included in comparisons like this.
Yeah, I’m the troll. You do realize that you’re on a Mac site, right?
Apple and Microsoft are great innovators. I want to see both the iPad and Windows 8 become successful. Android on the other hand is crap and I hope it dies. iPad > Windows 8 >>>>>>>>>> Android
4-fingers swipe up is much harder to do in a 2-hand hold than a simple thumb swipe over an edge. 4-fingers also won’t work on the iPhone or iPod Touch.
From Win8 Tablet I really like the split keyboard in landscape mode, method for switching apps, ability to run 2 apps simultaneously splitscreen, and more informational home page or icons or whatever its called. They did a good job.
From HP TouchPad I like that you never need to hit the physical button at all.
There are some good ideas out there and I hope they create enough competitive pressure for Apple to up their game. iOS is starting to look its age.
Joshua Topolsky is a windows 8 butt boy now? A four finger gesture is hard to do? What a moronic comment
coming from a tech pundit. I think windows 8 looks better than Android but come
on. The iPad is less intuitive..lol I’ll bet you $1000 I can give a grandma an
iPad, Windows 8 tablet, and know which one she will be turning on and emailing
in five seconds. Thank you Alex Heath
for showing us never to trust Joshua Topolsky I wonder how much Microsoft is paying him. Ladys and gentlemen the new Paul Thurrott.
It comes down to the apps really. As long as the data can be synched, there is an app that can read it. And it can get 10 hours out of the battery, then it might have a chance.
Split keyboard is nice in iOS5 as well.
Agreed. Android needs a strong tablet year. Although I think even the fabled Nexus tablet will fail to inject life into Android tablet market share.
I think my biggest problem with the tablet trying to ‘multitask’ on one screen is that it just makes things smaller. Sure you can browser the web and check your email, but are we really getting that much email that we are trying to do both? And who can really read two things at once and have it be productive?
The other issue I have with the title system is that I feel like the blocks with the white icon are less descriptive of what they actually are. I know when I look at the iOS icons what app I am opening up. Whereas the tiles just don’t have that definition and you have to look at the words to associate the icon with the tile you are selecting.
Swipes for gestures start off the screen, so there is SOME differentiation but I agree there is definitely some possibility for confusion.
Windows 8 looks like crap next to iOS. It’s another example of Microsoft’s just good enough philosophy. The zooming out thing is totally useless. My prediction is that Windows 8 will hurt Android far more than it will hurt iOS. Also, keep in mind that Windows 8 will be out at a time when we should be seeing iOS 6 soon, including new iPads, and new iPhones, not to mention a new OS X.
Its less polished than iOS perhaps but light years ahead of Android in that department.
Yes, a complete failure. But even complete failures can have a good idea or two. HP TouchPad’s method for switching and closing apps is far superior to iOS, and I’d like to see Apple step up their game.
Who does this guy think he is? IOS5 is way more intuitive than Windows 8. And as for the multitasking menu on the iPad, I’m pretty sure Windows doesn’t even have a place where you can see all your recent apps.
A Windows 8 tablet is the only thing that really makes sense to me. If I’m going to carry around something as big as an ipad, it needs to do something more than what an ipad is capable of. It needs to actually replace a laptop. By replace I don’t mean, I will no longer do the things I did on the laptop because they are either difficult or impossible on a Android tablet or ipad. I want those things to become easier. That’s an upgrade. For what an ipad does, I have a smartphone.
I don’t know. I think grandma would do better with large tiles that are easy to see and touch than the sea of little icons on ipad. Both will take some learning to remember gestures. Nothing is obvious where gestures are concerned.