IPad or APad? What's the real deal?

Lately, I've been hearing about this Apple IPad look-alike product from China which is known as the APad. I've also seen it once on a TV news being featured as a hot gift this coming Christmas. The APad really looks like an IPad but I wonder about its technical features. Will it surpass IPad's feature? So I've decided to do some research about APad's specifications and compared it to Apple's IPad. I'll be using APad E8001 model for this comparison and IPad Wi-Fi model.

  IPad

                                                                            

 APad

Specifications:

1. Dimension (HWD):
APad: 190.5*118.5*14.7mm
IPad: 242.8*189.7*13.4mm

* APad is smaller but thicker. If I'm watching a movie I prefer a wider screen.

2. Weight:
APad : 332g
IPad : 680g

* Not surprising APad is lighter because it's much smaller.

3. CPU Speed:
APad: Telechips TCC8902 ARM 11 high-performance processor, highest frequency 720MHz, support for hardware 3D graphics acceleration
IPad: 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip

* IPad is much faster, no question about that. Apple A4 processor has already  proven its worth. I don't know about APad's processor.

4. Storage:
APad: Built-in 2GB, support External TF card, maximum capacity of 16GB
IPad: 16B, 32GB, or 64GB

* What I like about APad's storage is you can expand it using T-Flash Card. Unlike IPad's fixed storage size that depends upon the model.

5. Memory/RAM:
APad: 256MB
IPad: 256MB

* I don't know the manufacturer of their RAM, but basically both have the same amount of RAM.

6. Camera:
APad: 0.3MP digital camera
IPad: No

* Well, APad's 0.3MP built-in camera isn't that promising. But better have one than nothing.

7. Display:
APad: 7-inch TFT LCD w/ Resistance Touch Screen
IPad: 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology

* IPad uses a capacitive touch screen which is perceived by most people as superior than resistive touch screen. Which in my opinion is not always true. It really depends on the software used and application. IPad's software concentrated on touching using the fingerpad method because capacitive touch screen won't work using finger nails. Resistive touch screen on the other hand work well with fingertip method. You can check this link for more information about resistive and capacitive touchscreens. Here's a video also to show how APad's touch screen work in action. Click this link.

8. Resolution:
APad: 800*480
IPad: 1024*768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)

* High definition movies are much fun to watch on IPad basing on the specifications above.

9. Battery Type:
APad: rechargeable polymer battery
IPad: built-in 25-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery

* Both APad and IPad have their built-in battery. That's the problem it's built-in. You can't replace it easily. Oh well, better take good care of those batteries.

10. USB:
APad: USB1.1 high speed interface and USB2.0 OTG
IPad: No

*Having USB port on APad is very useful. You can now connect to internet via 3G. If you want an IPad then another model will be required to connect via 3G. Of course it comes with a price.

11. Speaker:
APad: Yes
IPad: Yes

* I don't have a comparison between the two. But I prefer listening using my headphone anyway. But having a speaker is a plus for both tablet.

12. G Sensor:
APad: Yes
IPad: Yes

* Gravity sensor allows you to work into multiple orientation.  Both have this functionality.

13. I/O Ports:
APad: T-flash port, 3.5mm headphone jack, built-in microphone, USB1.1 high speed interface and USB2.0 OTG, 3.5mm headphone jack
IPad: Apple dock connector, 3.5mm headphone jack, built-in microphone

* I personally prefer APad in this part. Expandable and cost-effective. There's no need to buy those extra accessories from Apple.

14. Wireless Network:
APad: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
IPad: Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR

*Bluetooth in IPad can be used for wireless headphones or the Apple wireless keyboard. But data transfer is not supported. Experts say that Wi-Fi- 802.11n is the fastest protocol to connect to Wi-Fi networks. But that does not mean Wi-Fi 802.11b/g is inferior.

15. Operating Software:
APad: Android 2.1
IPad: iOS 4.2.1

* I don't know which is better. But both OS have good reputation on their field.

16. Browser:
APad: Google Browser
IPad: Safari Browser (default)

* Not a problem for me. As long as I can connect to the internet then that's fine. (But for PC I personally prefer Firefox. Out of the topic...)

17. Video Supported:
APad: 1080P Full HD / MP4, AVI, XVID, H.263, H.264, RMVB formats
IPad: H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format

* Well at least both can play the common video formats today. That's fine with me. I can use a video converter anyway.

18. Audio Supported:
APad: MP3/AAC/AAC + / WAV formats
IPad: HE-AAC (V1), AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV

* All is fine. If you can't play it, then convert it. No big issue in this part.

19. Image Supported:
APad: JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, TIFF
IPad: JPG, TIFF, GIF

* If you need to view pictures then both support the common image format today.

20. Price:
APad: Starts at around $139
IPad: Starts at $499 for 16GB, Wi-Fi model

* What? Around $360 difference? Well, obviously if you're on a tight budget you can choose APad. But I don't know about its reliability. Or how long will it last without problems. But who knows, maybe if you properly use it then it might last longer than you think. And besides IPad's price is almost four times than APad. So if in case your APad fails then you can easily buy another one.

Basing from the information above, APad is a very functional alternative for IPad. APad possesses features like storage expandability, built-in camera, and USB ports. Those features made APad a good product to be considered. Let's face the fact that APad is just a copy of IPad. But it has features most IPad users longed to have. It is also cheaper than IPad. And I don't see any wrong about being cheaper.

It seems like I'm sounding like an APad lover here, but don't get me wrong I don't have any grudges against Apple, I'm just writing these based on the information above. In the end of the day it's still up to you to decide which one among the two you will choose. Just always remember to choose what will make you happy without sacrificing your budget.