Tablet Video: Does the iPad Offer a Better Experience than Your TV?

By Rob Scott
October 1, 2012

Kevin Sintumuang writes about the benefits of viewing video on a tablet and introduces add-ons that improve the experience.
“I’m not claiming an iPad beats the big screen,” he writes in the Wall Street Journal, “but I will say this: Watching shows and movies on a tablet feels closer to what television viewing should be like in the 21st century than what 21st-century TVs actually deliver.”
Smart TVs that offer access to streaming services often feel sluggish, he notes. “Devices that help bridge the gap between Internet-based content and your living room’s television, like Apple TV and the Xbox 360, are pretty excellent, but once you’ve become accustomed to the speed and intimacy of using something like an iPad to watch your shows and films, it’s hard to deal with tech that’s not as responsive.”
Sintumuang suggests that portability and functionality puts the tablet ahead of the television — while apps from networks and providers offer all the content a viewer needs. He also lists the gear and apps required for the best experience.
Essential apps: Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, Fanhattan, HBO GO. For live TV, he recommends apps from Dish, DirecTV, ESPN and Disney. Attaching a Slingbox to your cable box is another option with the $30 SlingPlayer app.
Essential gear for upgrading the A/V: Optomo ML500 projector ($599), Logitech UE Boombox rechargeable speaker ($100-250), Klipsch Image ONE Bluetooth headphones ($250).

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