The Gadget That Beats the iPhone 5 -- Even This Week

All eyes were on Apple's (NAS: AAPL) new iPhone this week. Me? I can't stop thinking about the iPad. I've never wanted one more.

Color me among the minority. Much of the coverage here and elsewhere speaks of how Amazon.com's (NAS: AMZN) new Kindle Fire could grow to be a serious threat to iPad sales. I'm not so sure.

Two weeks ago, the Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet -- a special preview edition that I got at Google's (NAS: GOOG) 2011 I/O developers conference -- died. Even when fully charged, the screen flashes nothing more than the Samsung logo, the underlying software stuck in an infinite loop.

Pssst, guys? Thanks. No, really.
Give Google and Samsung credit for making me a tablet fan. For all its limits, the Galaxy was great for reading books bought through the Amazon's Kindle store, watching Netflix (NAS: NFLX) movies, and downloading and reading digital comics via the comiXology app. Using the tab for every type of digital entertainment was an experience; yet, it's on-the-go video that I miss most.

Which, naturally, makes me a potential buyer of the new Fire. Or at least you'd think so, seeing as I'm subscribed to Amazon's Prime premium shipping service. Trouble is, I've already made a substantial investment in iTunes. I subscribe to, download, and watch purchased TV shows on my Mac and our Apple TV. The service ranks second only to Netflix in supplying me video content. YouTube's custom programming is a not-too-distant third.

Recently, I decided to test how dependent I've become on these services. As you read this, I'm a little more than a week into an experiment in which I've forsworn anything other than on-demand options for audio and video. The goal? Find out where live TV and terrestrial radio really rank in my menu of entertainment options.

Padding up for the winter
So far, I'm missing neither. Podcasts substitute well for radio while driving, and Amazon, iTunes, Netflix, and YouTube offer plenty of video at home. All that's missing is on-the-go video, which brings us back to the iPad. Presuming my experiment becomes a habit -- and I think it will -- my best choice for a tablet is one that connects me, seamlessly, to the most programming. Apple's device has no peer in this area:

Source: TMF research.

See the problem? Kindle owners get access to plenty of great content. So do Nexus 7 owners. But only iPad owners get access to iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon's Instant Video store, arguably the big three among content suppliers. Perhaps that's why, during this week's iPhone 5 event, CEO Tim Cook told the gathered audience that iPad accounts for -- wait for it -- 91% of web traffic from tablets.

Source: Apple.

"I don't know what these other tables are doing," Cook said, taking a page from the bombastic songbook once employed by the late Steve Jobs. Yet, he has a point. Cook's figure matches the latest estimate from ad network Chitika, which put the iPad's share of web traffic at 91.07% in June. Samsung's Galaxy ranked second, at 1.77%, with Barnes & Noble's Nook, third, at 0.85%, and the Kindle Fire, fourth, at 0.71%.

Taking a bite of the Apple
I'll take the iPad, thanks, even if that means foregoing an iPhone 5 upgrade in the short term. Would you do the same? Weigh in using the space below.

And, remember, if you're thinking of buying, or already own, Apple shares, now's a great time to sign up for our premium research service. You'll get a complete rundown of everything you need to know about the Mac maker, plus a bonus iPhone 5 report with ideas for profiting from the new device. Sign up today to get it all, and enjoy free updates for a year.

The article The Gadget That Beats the iPhone 5 -- Even This Week originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributorTim Beyersis a member of theMotley Fool Rule Breakersstock-picking team and the Motley Fool Supernova Odyssey I mission. He owned shares of Apple, Google, and Netflix at the time of publication. He also had a long-term call options position in Netflix. Check out Tim'sweb home,portfolio holdings, andFoolish writings, or connect with him onGoogle+or Twitter, where he goes by@milehighfool. You can also get his insightsdelivered directly to your RSS reader.The Motley Fool owns shares of Netflix, Apple, and Amazon.com.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended buying shares of Google, Netflix, Apple, and Amazon.com.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended creating a bull call spread position in Apple.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended writing puts on Barnes & Noble.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended creating a bear put ladder position in Netflix. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days.

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