Android tablet?

[redls1]

I got a good deal on the acer iconia a500 tablet. It is nice but not happy with the wifi reception. Anyone have opinions on others? Actually looking for something other than ipad lol

[CJREX]

I have a Toshiba Thrive that I'm pretty happy with.

I like it better than the Asus Transformer that I had previously.

But honestly, I also have an iPad and it is a better tablet experience.

That said, watch the bargain websites and you can get a great deal on an Android tablet.

I got my 32GB Thrive for $250 shipped (refurb)

If you don't mind a 7" screen, you can get the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 brand new for $250 Linky and it comes out of the box with Ice Cream Sandwich (which the Thrive and most Android devices are still waiting for)

[Dsmdave]

Ics is great in tablets and for most users who are willing to root it can become even better

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[INMY01TA]

Samsung Galaxy is nice.

[NE-Firebird]

Hmm, that's like saying you want another car, any suggestions? Yea, a fully loaded brand new Vette with a manual tranny!! Screw the purchase price, winter driving, gas mileage, insurance, driving in back to back traffic, having to park in slim parking spaces, and so on.

The point is it depends on what your wants, desires, and needs are.

Currently, the Asus line is #1 in Android tablets - direct purchase, not bought through AT&T, Verizon, T-mobile, or other ISP/phone-service provider.
Asus is quickly becoming a top source in Window 8 tablets/PC, and Window desktops.
But, no 4G and 3G connectivity in most of their devices. For that, go with the Asus Padphone, or the Samsung Galaxy line.


Or, get an AT&T Mi-fi.

Or, do what I do. And get the "internet on the go" now offered at Wal-mart (http://www.internet-go.com/). I got the $45/1GB, bought the refill card right at Walmart.
Auto Refill :$20 / 450 megabytes
One-Time Refills:
$10 / 100 megabytes
$25 / 500 megabytes
$45 / 1000 megabytes

The speeds are not great (I get ~1/2 Mbps up/downloads), but the price and coverage can't be beat! In fact, I used it this past Friday when the theater we went to lost power, and we had to make other plans. Note: I normally use wi-fi at home and at work (on non-work wi-fi setup for employees and visitors).


Asus now has a ton of devices coming out. Their phone/tablet/netbook is nice. But, you will pay for all of those options.
ASUS - Mobile- ASUS PadFone
ASUS Padfone





FWIW: I have an Asus transformer with dock - 10", Acer A100 - 7", rooted B&N Color Nook ~7", and Android Phone.
I don't like the touch screen performance on the A100 at all. But, it is the most convenient and comfortable size while at home to check email, weather, forecast, some sites, etc. IMHO, I still think that the processors are way too under-performance for a tablet and web browsing (I view the desktop site versions of web sites - I hate the mobile versions). So, I'm waiting for at least another 1-3 processor development cycles before I think about upgrading my tablets.


ASUS is one of the top 3 companies working directly with Google(Android).
ASUS is now one of the top 5 companies working directly with Microsoft (Windows8).

[NE-Firebird]

I got a good deal on the acer iconia a500 tablet. It is nice but not happy with the wifi reception. Anyone have opinions on others? Actually looking for something other than ipad lol

BTW, if you buy an ASUS Transformer Prime (referb or used), make sure it's not an original version. They had poor performance (compared to the Transformer and other top tablets) with wi-fi and GPS because of the position of those devices inside and the metal case.

[redls1]

Very true. Guess I just need to do more research on each device and take the jump. Everyone has a different opinion and if I don't like it take it from there.

[CJREX]

Also, if you can wait just a bit, the new Asus tablet is about to be released and the quad-core Prime will be discounted.

Asus Prime Infinity

Be aware the Prime has GPS issues though if you plan to use it for that.

At this point almost every new Android tablet will be very similar in operation and performance.

Choose the one that feels best in your hands and meets your price goals.

[NE-Firebird]

For ASUS 10" Tablets:
TF101 ASUS Transformer
TF201 ASUS Transformer Prime
TF300 ASUS Transformer Pad
TF700 ASUS Transformer Infinity


TF700 ASUS Transformer Infinity
ASUS' high-end Transformer Pad TF700 is coming to the US next month for $499 and up -- Engadget
ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 review: meet the company's new top-of-the-line tablet -- Engadget


TF300 ASUS Transformer Pad
ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 review -- Engadget


TF201 ASUS Transformer Prime
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime review -- Engadget


TF101 ASUS Transformer
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer (UK edition) review -- Engadget



Acer 10" Tablet
Acer A700
Acer Iconia Tab A700 review: a 10-inch ICS tablet with Tegra 3 and a 1920 x 1200 display -- Engadget



GOGGLE 7" Tablet - IMHO, the BEST tablet unless someone really wants a 10" tablet and a netbook functionality.
Google Nexus 7 - 7" tablet made by ASUS sold by Google.
Available ~first week in July.
Google Nexus tablet reportedly shows its pre-rendered face, packing Android 4.1 and a $199 price -- Engadget

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/...ng-to-reports/


Also, IMHO, around Sept, after the Nexus-7 has been out for ~2 months, it will drive the prices down and embarrass the mega cr*ppy performance of the existing <$200 tablets. Also, IMHO, the price of most of the Android tablets will come down after the Nexus7 is released!

[Homer J]

I have the same Acer a500 tablet and I love it. My laptop died after 4 years, and the tablet was on sale for less then $330 so I bought it.

Its been great so far. My only wifi problems have been because my modem from Cox keeps dropping connection.

I even found a way to share my desktop media with my tablet.( picture and music)

[CJREX]

This week your decision became very easy

Nexus Tablet

[NE-Firebird]

This week your decision became very easy

Nexus Tablet

For the money, it can't be beat! IMHO, it'll be at least 1-2 years before other companies catch up. To make the Nexus-7 tablet and not loose a ton of money, it requires Google's deep pockets to fund the development, push suppliers on cost, and end up with enough unit sales per month (week/year).

Look at the ASUS tablet list above. That's from just this past Christmas!
In Christmas, the TF101 transformer was all that people could buy. For people like me that have been in the electronic R&D area since the dinosaurs roamed the Earth , it was super super clear that ASUS was not coming anywhere close to making money on those products and their new product cycle time was super out of wack with reality (being able to keep it up without loosing a ton of money each day!)! Either ASUS was betting the whole company on being able to greatly dominate the tablet field (stupid to even think that was possible), or "something else was going on". Yup, that something else was Google.



It all depends on exactly what people want/use a table for. Saying one tablet fits all is like saying one computer fits all. Heck, at home, my disk RAID controller alone costs ~$1K! And, I do not use those POS SATA drives (except for backup). I use enterprise class SAS drives (3X-10X the cost of a typical SATA drive).

I do not use my home PC as some DUH-look-dude-it-plays-games POS. I have $20K++ in professional software locked to my PC. I also use it for the consulting work I do at home.


Tablets also have many different uses and their users have many different needs/desires/requirements.

For note taking and as a netbook/laptop replacement, then a 10" table with keyboard (can be BT) is required. Or, for watching movies

For checking email, light web surfing, etc, *I* see a 7" tablet as the ideal size.

Semi-OT: The popularity of the 7" tablet form factor again goes to show that Steve Jobs (former CEO of Apple) was not really the great "technologist" as the koolaid drinking Apple crowd says. Jobs was a good strong-arm businessman since the reason that Apple tablets all suck for the majority of the population is because Steve Jobs would not allow a 7" tablet no matter what! BTW, Apple has more product failures than successes. The company's success, and it's reasons, make for interesting business studies.

Apple's/Job's failure to have a 7" tablet is exactly what Google needed!
IMHO, even Jelly-Bean (4.1) Android is still a "work in progress", especially when it comes to tablets. With HC(3.x) and ICS (4.0), Android became "okay" for a tablet. If Apple had a 7" tablet, it would have made it very hard for Android to get tablet market share.

IMHO, the 7" tablets, and the Nexus-7 are going to blow the iPads out of the water this year and Christmas! And, at $200 for a kick-*ss 7" Android tablet, even a '7" iPad' would struggle with the non-kool-aid drinkers because of Apples very high-prices and locking people into obeying the "Apple way/view on life".


More Nexus-7 reviews:
Nexus 7 review: the best $200 tablet you can buy -- Engadget

AnandTech - Google Nexus 7 and Android 4.1 - Mini Review

Google Manufacturers Nexus Prime In The US, Makes No Profit -- But Will Consumers Care? - HotHardware
Google is prominently highlighting the fact that the tablet is "Designed and Manufactured in the USA" as opposed to Apple products, which are "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China*."
The good news is that bringing component-level manufacturing/sourcing back to the US is a far better way to stimulate job creation and wage growth than building semiconductors in Asia and simply assembling the finished product here. The bad news is that going this route has forced Google to sacrifice its profits on the actual device.



Note to Kool-aid drinkers: I have $500+ invested in my ASUS 10" transformer. However, I use my ~$200 7" Acer tablet (referb) every day, and the transformer sits most of the time.

Until you use and live with a nice light easy to handle 7" tablet, don't even think about making some stupid comment about how the iPad is better than a 7" tablet. LMAO! Yea, use your iPad as your regular cell phone and phone, or to send 10-100 text messages a day. That's as foolish as comparing generally using a 10" tablet to a 7" tablet.
Each have their better use and purpose.