Tablet Shopping

[bjarvis]

Continuing my exploration of Android tables, I've just returned from Best Buy down the road, checking out their selection. My goal is a 10" unit, wifi, bluetooth, Honeycomb, 16GB of RAM (pref. 32GB), built-in USB port, front & back web cams, don't care about HDMI. Probably will use a bluetooth keyboard & mouse. I primarily want a device which can give me convenient Internet access around the house instead of lugging around & booting my laptop. I also want to be able to take docs, spreadsheets, ebooks & PDF files with me when I travel for quick reference. Music, movies and photos are lower to non-existent priorities.

• Asus Transformer. $400 for 16GB unit. Optional docking station but I'd prefer a detached keyboard & touch pad/mouse rather than a connected unit; the docking station has the USB ports though so plan on an extra $150. Felt heavy. Crappy camera resolution.
  
• Acer Iconia A500: $400 for 16GB unit. 1 USB port, 1 micro-USB port. Optional docking station. Thickest of all models thus far but didn't feel heavy.
  
• Samsung Galaxy 10.1 Tab: $500 for 16GB unit. 1 USB port. Crappy camera resolution. Slim & light though.
  
• Toshiba Thrive: $480 for 16GB unit. 1 USB port, 1 micro USB port. Lightweight & slim.
  
• Motorola Xoom, Blackberry Playbook, HP Web Tab: Not even in the running for various reasons
  

So far, for my purposes, the Acer Iconia A500 is the leader. But do I want to spend $400 for a tablet ($300 if I use my Staples coupon before July 31)? I'm not yet persuaded a tablet is the best use of money.

Edit: I've decided against purchasing in the near future. There's some nice hardware out there, but nothing compelling enough to make me open my wallet.

Comments

[wescobear.livejournal.com]

I primarily use a Dell Mini netbook with a higher 1366 X 768 resolution screen and an extended battery around the house. It's not thin, but it was around the price point you're looking at for tablets. And of course it comes with a keyboard and a trackpad. My Dell Mini also runs all the business apps I use as well as the AutoCAD viewer (the reason I opted for the higher resolution screen.) Don't worry about trends, just buy what works for you.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Did you consider the iPad2? I'm asking ... and no, I do not own an iPad. But, I wondered why.

HUGS!

[abqdan.livejournal.com]

I'm also looking for a good reason to buy a tablet, and haven't found one. A netbook would probably be just as functional, though less 'cool'. A unit that is well spec'd and gets below $400 (eg $399...) will command some thought. For the moment, I feel the field is too immature to make the investment. So I'm glad you went through that review - kind of makes me feel I'm right not to buy!

[weekilter.livejournal.com]

OK, here's a question for you. You've settled on an Android tablet of some sort and it's going to cost you upwards of $400 or more to get a decent one. Why have you limited yourself to Android vs. iOS or WebOS? I know the app infrastructure isn't a great as it is for Android in WebOS, but just curious for your choice of OS.