I have an iPad. It is secure and trouble free. Apple has that thing locked down, though. My computer thinks it is a camera (which it is). The default transfer seems to be iTunes. If I want to copy PDF files onto it, for example, it uses iTunes (or e-mail). Apple's Facetime is incredibly high quality sound and video but it only talks to other Apple devices.
My employer issued me an Android phone. I will say in some ways it is more convenient but maybe not as secure. I plug it into my computer and my computer thinks it is a USB hard drive. That simplifies some file tasks. In order to use the camera JPGs, however, I have found I have to tell windows to transfer the files using the Camera wizard. Just copying them Windows drag and drop style results in unviewable JPGs.
The walled garden of Apple is tempting -- it's beautiful, and with few exception things just work. But you can't get out.
My wife is an Apple person: Macbook, iPhone and iPad. She loves them, but has no idea what's going on under the hood. Apple was made for folks like her.
I'm an Android guy. I like to install the apps that I want, not just the ones that the manufacturer (or even my service provider) says I can install.
Want to use your iPhone as a WiFi hotspot? Get ready to fork over for the tethering option. With my Samsung I just turn on the hotspot -- my provider doesn't know I have the app installed (and as a practical matter doesn't care, since I don't use it much).
Different approaches for different kinds of users.
I use my wife's discarded Droid X as a web browser over my wireless lan from my recliner, keep up with football games that are not being broadcast and to manage my music playlists and send to my audio receivers and headphones by bluetooth.
The fact that I can simply connect a mini USB to the phone and open the files on the Micro SD card and manage them from the PC is a big plus.
Being able to put any mp3 or movie file from any source is also a plus.
I downloaded Baby Genuis DVDs to my wife's Droid Razr for our daughter's benefit and am able to put most any movie on there as well.
Now I am trying to learn the capabilities of my smart TV. I connected it to an XP last week.
B-)
It's in German but it's the best I could come up with.
Probably a chevy/ford argument, but Apple has a lot going with all the appliances and one can d/l what you want and plenty of them.
Facetime on Verizon is free time and free minutes. Awesome.
I went from a Nook Color to iPad in December, then droid to iPhone in February.
I think if you look at people who actually evaluate both and choose one over the other (rather than just pick one because it's on sale or it's what the 'cool kids' are using) you'll find that it comes down to where the person falls on a baseline with technology at one end and design/aesthetics on the other.
As an oversimplified generalization; if you were given a choice to go back in time have dinner with either Thomas Edison or William Morris, the folks having dinner with Morris would be Apple users (edit: except Keith, I just can't see him hanging out with a famous socialist 😉 )
I'm droid and SWMBO is apple....
My htc is smarter and qucker at maps and some other things than her iphone, my nook color is easier to read than her itablet (or whatever it's called) and we don't have mac computers, just pc laptops.
Droid = choice
If I wanted a tablet just for web browsing and e-reading, and cost wasn't an issue, I'd get an iPad. They're very good at doing what they do. The trouble is, I want more than just web browsing and Apple-approved apps, and I'm cheap, er, cost-conscious, so I find the Android systems more appealing.
We gave swmbo an Ipad a few years back for her day.
She has been an IPod user for many years and my son got an iPod shuffle a few years ago and I opened an account for them years ago for their I-pod music.
Just before Christmas, our phone carrier offered me a free I-phone4 and I bought her a Iphone 5 for Christmas.
Since here music was all on ITunes, it was easy to do. I also use ITunes at the office to listen to music. I wanted music player while walking the dog so it was easy but I did open a separate account for me on my laptop and transferred in my music which is pretty diverse and esoteric.
So all in all, it was beneficial and the path of least resistance to keep Apple devices.
I like my smarty phone but I just don't get the media stuff or game thing.
I like a few apps and I like getting email or quick net searches.
I also admin a FB account for the soccer club so it is helpful in posting game scores, photos and weather conditions etc
Son was dreaming and wishing for an Itouch but I took his Nook Color that he got the Christmas before last and rooted it as an android tablet. Loaded Minecraft pocket on it and he has forgot about the Itouch for now.
The android platform does open a lot of boxes for the user but I really don't care about most of them.