Benjamin Kabak

With the attention recently on tablet computers in the subway — perhaps for some of the wrong reasons — I have a guest post today from my friend Joseph Pawlikowksi. In addition to writing with me at River Ave. Blues, Joe also keeps up with everything BlackBerry at BBGeeks, and today, he offers up this primer on the best tablet for your commute. I’m an iPad guy myself. It makes reading the papers in the morning on the subway far easier.

Since the introduction of the transistor radio, people have used electronic devices for entertainment on the subway. Think about how many people you see using one on the subway. On some days you might be better off counting the people who don’t have an iPod, a Kindle, or some form of electronic entertainment. The latest trend has involved the tablet PC. The iPad got everything started, and now it seems there are dozens of different tablets making subway appearances. There are dozens of tablets on the market, and each one provides a different experience on the subway. Here are your best bets.

Apple iPad

Pros: It is the standard bearer of the tablet computer. More people own an iPad than any other tablet, so it’s easy to get recommendations on apps and cases from people who already own one. It also has the largest selection of apps, so you’ll have plenty of choices for your entertainment. The big screen makes for great video watching, and there is plenty of storage for your music, videos, and apps.

Cons: The size and weight can be a problem. If you have to stand up, your arms can get tired holding up the iPad while you watch, read, or listen. It’s also an obvious target for any subway theft.

Android tablets

Pros: They come in many sizes, so you can find one that fits your specifications. There are even some that have keyboard attachments, so you can get some work done if you find a seat. There are also tons of apps in the Android Market. Best of all, many of them are free where iPad apps cost money.

Cons: The app environment on Android is not as regulated as on the iPad, so there’s a lot more crap to sift through. While the variety of Android tablets makes it likely you’ll find one you want, there is an abundance of low-quality Android tablets on the market that will break with reasonable wear and tear. That is, in order to find a high quality Android tablet you have to do some homework. The software also isn’t up to par with Android smartphones.

BlackBerry PlayBook

Pros: It’s one of the most compact tablets, measuring 7.6 inches wide by 5.1 inches high. That can fit in the back pocket of some jeans. The video quality is on par with the iPad, even if the screen is a few inches smaller. It ranks among the more durable tablets as well, so if you drop it while sitting you might be able to avoid damage you would incur with an inferior tablet.

Cons: There still aren’t many apps for it, though the addition of the Android player, which gives users access to Android apps, will help. That should come in the fall 2011. There is also no native email and calendar, staples of the BlackBerry platform, though again those are due to hit the PlayBook in the fall. It works best when tethered to a BlackBerry device, so BlackBerry owners will benefit more than non-owners.

A note to subway tablet PC users

If you’re going to carry your tablet on the subway, the first thing you need to do is buy a case. It’s amazing how little of a drop it takes to damage them. As these guys demonstrate, even a waist high drop can ruin your tablet if you don’t have a proper case for it. If you’re on the subway, it’s the No. 1 essential thing you need.

A 2010 stunt from Jason Shellowitz failed to bring courteous behavior underground. (Courtesy of Animal New York)

On a multiple occasions at random times of the day in recent weeks, I’ve found myself on a few different trains with bench seating. When I ride those lines, I try to be mindful of the space between me and others next to me. I prefer not to sit on top of my neighbors when train cars are half empty, but I also like to make sure I’m not hogging more than my fair share of the space. If there’s room, someone should be able to sit next to me.

What really grinds my gears, though, is when the person sitting down doesn’t take the same precaution. Recently, I’ve had people stumble over me, bumping into me and then sitting on top of me as they’ve attempted to take a seat on the train. Only after I glance, glare or raise an eyebrow at them do they mutter a half-hearted apology or finally utter excuse me. In any other setting — a movie theater, a sports stadium, an airplane — this behavior would be considered rude, but on the subways, it seems to be de rigueur as straphangers do everything humanly possible to avoid interacting with their fellow subway riders.

In the grand scheme of the way we ride, these seat-bumpers are but a minor inconvenience. They pale in comparison with the pole-huggers, door-blockers and iPod headphone abusers, but they’re still a part of the great dance of the subway system. They set the tone for the way we view people sitting next to us and for the way we all interact during our short or not-so-short subway rides.

Before the long weekend, Jen Doll at The Village Voice’s website offered up a primer on subway etiquette. Over the years, I’ve covered various approaches to politeness underground. Some have come in the form of a laundry list of dos and don’ts. Other pieces have examined single-issues topics (including the ever-controversial pregnant lady conundrum). Doll’s list though is short, sweet and to the point.

Picking up from a video of people doing something in the subway that isn’t normally done in the subway — for instance, yoga — Doll distills subway etiquette into three simple points: 1. Pay attention to yourself, and to other people; 2. The subway is for getting you to where you want to go; and point three, which I’ll quote at length:

?3. Get on the subway train of your choice. Sit down or stand up in an area that seems convenient, and is not massively in the way of or on top of other people. Stay there until you reach your stop, reading, listening to music, staring into the ether, counting the minutes until you’ve arrived. Get off the subway. Carry on.

In other words, be a good person and don’t use the subway for things that would annoy you if someone else did it or aren’t appropriate for the subway. Don’t eat; don’t fight; don’t host dinner parties; don’t take up more than your own seat. It’s all common sense to me, but when I watch the way we ride, I’m always shocked by how many New Yorkers can’t seem to grasp these simple concepts. The Golden Rule doesn’t always exist underground, but if it did, the subways would be a far more pleasant place for a commute.