I won an iPad Mini a month or so back and have it to the wife. Before that she'd only used Android phones. It didn't take long to adjust to iOS, but there were a few annoyances.
* The lack of a back button. Most apps put a back button at the top-left corner of the screen, but you only ever hit the home button to jump out of an app. My wife still tries to hit the non-existent back button every now and again.
* File management is a pain. iOS fences of every app into its own area, and there is no way for apps to send files between each other. About the only shared space is the photo roll and that is only allowed to store photos and videos. You have to use iTunes to load files for individual apps. It's possible to use non-Apple software like MediaMonkey to send content to the iPad, but it's not always reliable and is limited to the media types that the iPad supports with its built-in apps.
* The notification bar has its good and bad points. It's good in that you can access it at all times, even in full-screen apps. But when you do access it, it's very narrow, taking up only about half the width of the screen in portrait mode. Getting rid of items takes 2 taps instead of Androids sideways swipe. One thing that Android could borrow is the ability to control notifications on a per-app basis. You can stop an app from showing notifications at all, remove the notification sound, add it as a badge on the lock screen, or make it pop up in the middle of whatever you're doing.
* If you actually use home screen widgets, you'll miss them. My wife uses calendar and weather widgets on her phone, and has to find and start an app on the iPad.
* Setting up your apps can be a pain if they have logins. There is no sharing of account data, so you have to enter your credentials separately for every app. You don't know how annoying this is until you set up Gmail, G+, Google Drive, YouTube and Chrome all in a row.
The iPad is by no means a bad device. It's different to Android, but I wouldn't say it was better or worse.
Amusing side-note: My wife is tech-friendly, but not a true geek. After she'd been using the iPad for a week or so I asked what she thought of it. Her response: "I think it'd be more useful if it ran Android."
Re comment on file format support and having to convert. No.
Apple default apps have limited file support, but you are not restricted to that. Most of my files, video, books, magazines, music were not purchased from iTunes. You can use other apps that have wider file support, video being the obvious potential issue. I've never converted anything
The key issue I see is smoothness, fluidity, performance, screen quality, the iPad has those in spades. Being a consumption device, that's why Android users seem happy with the less featured iOS as they are not needing those features as they do on phones.
Lack of file system you will get used to. On Android, you own the files, do what you wish with them. On iOS, the apps own the files. Not as quick and easy to add files, but IMO still quick and easy. God, where are my magazines located?? In one app, Goodreader for me, so I don't care what or where the files live, they are in one place.
However, if there is a high end Android tablet that looks great on screen, and is smooth, no lag, that is a sensible choice too.
Thanks for these helpful replies, especially those from members with both who were able to itemise specific pros and cons. As for a decision - the jury is still out!
nzgeek: One thing that Android could borrow is the ability to control notifications on a per-app basis.
You should try using JellyBean 4.1 upwards - that has that said feature.
I found the setting this afternoon, quite by accident. It's hidden away under the app management area, on the same screen that you might use to freeze an app, clear it's data or move it to the SD card. Fairly logical, I guess, but not exactly obvious. It's also a simple on/off setting, not a group of settings like on iOS. Apple has the upper hand on this point.
I also have a android phone and frequently use an iPad (not mine though) and most of the obvious points have already been said.
The iPad is probably the most responsive tablet that I have used and battery life is fantastic.
Not having access to the file system is definitely a pain though.
I would say go for the iPad if the main purpose of owning the tablet is to browse the web and watch/listen to media. However if you plan to do work on the tablet buy a Windows 8 tablet.
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