Android tablet (WiFi, 3G, laptop, plan) - iPad, Kindle, Galaxy Tab, Nook... - City-Data Forum

seamusnh · 01-19-2011, 03:45 PM

My teenagers want a tablet like the iPad. I checked out some of the new tablets that are powered by Android and the pricing looks good, but there are many models, lots of obscure brand names, and everything is new... This would be just WiFi and used to check email, facebook, and general surfing...
Any recommendations? Any sources of reviews?

Bo · 01-19-2011, 03:51 PM

If you're determined to go with Android, my recommendation is not to buy one until the Honeycomb version of the Android OS is released this summer. Until Honeycomb is in the wild, reviews are meaningless.

Honeycomb will be a lot more robust OS and you'll want to make sure that the tablet you buy is capable of running it well. The current Android OS running on these effectively makes the tablets act like a large smartphone that can't make calls or text! That approach fails to take advantage of the dimensions of the tablet screen.

Personally, my experience with an Android smartphone has been disappointing. My phone is laggy, underpowered and it is uncertain when the manufacturer Samsung will get around to updating it to the current (Froyo) version of the Android OS. Tablets will have the same problem - you're completely at the mercy of the manufacturer to push OS updates to the device. The only thing my phone and the Android OS has going for it over iOS is price, and I feel like I'm getting maybe 1/3 of what I would get from the equivalent Apple device.

Sayantsi · 01-20-2011, 12:37 PM

What is your price range? I also agree, Android isn't quite "there" yet for these devices.

Sasha Eubanks · 01-24-2011, 02:42 PM

I am looking for some info on tablets as well. I've been reading sucky reviews on the Android OS because of its inability to support flash. What would be a good (inexpensive) alternative to the iPad?

Bo · 01-24-2011, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sasha Eubanks

I am looking for some info on tablets as well. I've been reading sucky reviews on the Android OS because of its inability to support flash. What would be a good (inexpensive) alternative to the iPad?

There really isn't a decent alternative yet after Android. There are a few off-brand tablets running flavors of Linux that are cheap, but underpowered to run and a real gamble to buy because there's no guarantee of future repair support or updates.

Brill · 02-21-2011, 02:09 AM

Motorola Xoom has been getting a lot of hype. Though it's a bit pricey. 600 for wifi only, 800 for 3g/4g capable. I'm considering getting the wifi only one.

Peregrine · 02-21-2011, 01:24 PM

The Xoom is nice.
Another alternative would be the Color Nook from Barnes & Noble.
Probably your cheapest option and it really is just a fancy Android tablet.

Bo · 02-21-2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brill

Motorola Xoom has been getting a lot of hype. Though it's a bit pricey. 600 for wifi only, 800 for 3g/4g capable. I'm considering getting the wifi only one.

Price is the Achilles heel of Android tablets. To get a decent one, like the Xoom, you pay almost twice as much as an iPad costs. It's kind of ironic that Apple now has a popular product that undercuts its competition on price, after so many years of selling computers that were unabashedly priced higher than the competition.

The reason iPad rivals can't compete on price | ZDNet

Peregrine · 02-22-2011, 07:28 AM

Right on Bo.
My wife really likes her girlfriends iPad. BUT she would be willing to use an Android pad. Then we saw the prices... looks like an iPad in our future if no one can come out with a $500 Android tablet in the next few months (before her birthday).

Brill · 02-22-2011, 11:06 AM

When you compare like for like, the prices aren't as far off. I keep seeing people compare a $500 ipad to an $800 xoom (kind of like comparing a price of a netbook to apples high end laptops). That cheap ipad is wifi only where the $800 xoom comes with 3g/4g connectivity.

A 32gb ipad and a 32gb wifi only xoom are both $600. Xoom also includes usb and hdmi ports, a dual core processor, camera (can't imagine taking pictures with a tablet anyway, but it's there) as well as software that apple considers evil such as flash. Not a bad deal imo.

Going up to the data plans, 32gb 3G ipad is $730 vs 32gb 3g xoom for $800. Again, same hardware (dual core processor, etc.) plus the xoom will be 4g capable.

I'm not saying the Xoom is a bargain by any means. In most cases, better hardware does = a more expensive product which can explain the more expensive Xoom. But, my point is the prices between the two are not that far off. In the end, Apple does have that 16GB ipad for $500 which will be the selling point for those that don't need/don't care about the extra hardware/features of the Xoom.