Apple’s base iPad lives in a special space. Somehow, it has become the go-to tablet against which all others are compared, and its name has become synonymous with the large-screen experience — on par with Kleenex and Xerox in terms of recognition. It’s dispatched would-be rivals over and over again, seemingly proving that Cupertino has the secret sauce when it comes to simple, straightforward tablets.
And yet, I’ve never really loved the base iPad. It’s always felt too much like a jack of all trades but a master of none, so I’ve been waiting patiently for an Android alternative to beat Apple at its own game here in the US.