The difference is convenience. You don't have to reposition your fingers to access the menu. IMO, the best example of this UI pattern is Android Browser (at lea

The difference is convenience. You don't have to reposition your fingers to access the menu. IMO, the best example of this UI pattern is Android Browser (at least on tablets, don't have an Android phone yet) - you slide your finger from either side of the screen and get a circle menu, which looks rad and is really much more convenient to use.