Cius vs iPad: Feature Showdown

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For awhile now, Apple’s iPad has reigned king in tablet territory. They were the first to get a tablet out, and so far the Android tablets have struggled to keep up with Apple’s head-start out of the gate. Samsung Galaxy Tab came out months after the iPad, and as yet has not closed the gap between iPad and Android in the tablet arena.

Cisco, however, is attempting to break the Apple hegemony, at least in the business and enterprise world, with their Cius tablet. Cisco, famed for their networking and interconnectivity, are aiming to make a tablet that makes productivity worries with a tablet a thing of the past: Cisco is combining its business and videoconferencing apps with the open source Android to provide a tablet that is specifically geared towards business and enterprise, including native support for apps like Cisco Quad, Cisco WebEx, Cisco Unified Presence, Cisco Unified Communications Manager, and more. Additionally, access to the Android market will be controllable through access restrictions that can be placed on the device by an IT department, making the tablet extremely attractive to a business that otherwise would be leery of handing an Android or iPad tablet to an employee while not being able to control what apps they put on the device.

In addition to its plethora of apps designed to make business that much simpler and efficient, hardware-wise the Cius also brings to the table docking ability with the newer models of Cisco docking stations, letting you dock your Cius when you’re at your desk and then take it on the go when you need it!

It’s important to note here that Cisco is not advertising its Cius to consumers, and does not intend the device to be a consumer opponent to the iPad; instead, Cisco is trying to edge out Apple in the business world by bringing a device into the fray that is more attractive to businesses on a productivity, security, and efficiency standpoint. That said, as a consumer you can try to buy it, but don’t be shocked when you’re asked to plunk down almost $1000 for it; Cisco’s not joking when it says it’s aiming for enterprise and small businesses, and consumers looking to save over the iPad need not apply.

That said, for IT professionals and businesses the Cius may be a very attractive alternative to the iPad even with its hefty price tag: Take a look at the specs, consider the apps you’re getting, and decide for yourself if Cisco’s Cius tablet is right for you or your organization!