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Hi peeps been looking around at the android tablets on the market and wondering if i should take the plunge?.Thought i would ask here as you guys probably have more experiance than most.Can you recomend a couple?, i'm not looking to spend a fortune just want something that covers most bases and doesnt struggle to run the usual suspects.HDMI out would be a plus but any ideas you can offer or just give me ideas on what not to buy.Any helps good, thanx in advance.
I have a smoldering interest in a tablet as well but I will continue to hold off as my Lenovo X61t and Windows Phone compliment each other pretty well and I don't "need" one.
However, I have taken note of the Archos' that were just released. The general feeling is that they feel cheap in build quality but the price and performance is right there. This is engadgets take on the two tablets they have.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/24/archos-70-and-101-internet-tablet-review/
I have used the Samsung Galaxy S and it is a nice device. Gotta be honest though, nothing seems to be "more complete than the ipad", just in terms of docks, jailbreaking, best apps, etc.
There are so many 'knock offs' in this category, let us know what you find!
I agree in the upset front, it's a great piece of kit but I refuse to spend that kind if money. Have found plenty of cheap ones, and I don't mind the price tag but most are just a bit gutless lol. But yeah likewise bring the info if you find something good.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Back again, on the subject off cheapo knock off tablets have you seen the a-ok pad lol now don't laugh. I could be persuaded to gamble on something as (shall we say rough) if it ticked the right boxes. Anybody heard if them? Any horror stories?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Buying a new tablet
I'm in the market for a tablet, and have taken my sweet time for the last 3 months researching and looking for the best one to buy. I've done my fair share of research and now i'm asking you: Should I buy the ASUS Transformer Prime with the dock, od should i wait for samsung/htc/moto/lenovo/acer... next-gen tablet? My fear is you see, that I'll buy The Prime, and that it won't be supported by some software develeopers, and left out in the cold with some apps, or not on par with the next-gen 2012 tablets. I want the best hardware specs, possible future windows 8 compatibility, preferably tegra device, 3g isn't a must, nor GPS but preferred. I don't mind waiting for a few more months since this would be my first tablet, wich i don't really need. NO IOS/IPad talk please, android tablet only (but like i said, with a possibility of win8 in the future). Any reasonable advice is more than welcome, and thank you all very much in advance!
IIRC Asus Prime will begin getting ICS/4.0 Jan 12th.
With that said, I would definitely play around with one before buying. Numerous reported issues that can't really be fixed through OTA's or software. (GPS, WIFI, light bleed, glass/screen loose from rest of tab).
Typical Asus if you ask me, crapshoot on quality.
Also depends on what you want in a tab. If you don't really want to play around/mod/customize then I think the Ipad 2 or hold out a couple of months for an Ipad 3 would be your best bet.
If you have to have an Android you have one of two options. Wait for more quad core tabs to be released, or start looking at what's available now.
Samsung 7.0 Plus is probably the best out for 7"ers.
For the 10"ers it's a toss up right now. Galaxy Tab 10.1 has good support, decent performance, light, easy to hold, good screen, great speakers (for a tab). It's cons to me are the Tegra 2 isn't up to snuff with Honeycomb OS.
The HP Touchpad is a great buy for the OS and specs, and can also be ported to Android (Still need to play with one)
Asus Transformer TF101 is also a good buy but again a crapshoot on quality but can be had for a good price.
The new Moto Xyboards are getting good reviews but they are overpriced for what they are, are only sold through VZW and were "technically" outdated before they were even released. Also locked bootloaders are never fun if flashing kernels are your thing.
Right now I'm looking at getting another tab so I guess you could say I'm in the same boat as you. I have an OG Galaxy Tab 7 on the way b/c I got it cheaper than cheap and just wanna play with it.
Considering picking up an 8" Xyboard also.
ETA: I probably won't pick up a Xyboard however until they come down in price or a WiFi only version is offered.
The SGT 7.7 also sounds promising. Decisions decisions.
First of all, thank you for the fast and torough reply... And yes, sweet sweet decisions
I forgot to say that I'm in the market for a 10" minimum tablet, don't want smthng smaller 'cause i allready have an SGSII so I'm covered for mobility.
As for ASUS's build quality, like I said I never owned a tablet so I definately will try out/play with one for a couple of hours before purchasing, and watch out for the screen bleed on an ips display. But currently most of my pc's componens (2xmobo, 2xgraphic cards, and a lappy) are ASUS made and i must say i'm more than satisfied with them, and as I recall, when I was buying my SGSII there was talk about screen burn-in, overheating and wifi problems too, but I haven't had a single one with my device. Besides that, I don't really need GPS or 3g in a tablet so it's not a dealbreaker with me on The Prime.
The problem is: I wouldn't buy any other tablet now existing in the market, mostly because of the Tegra3 chipset The Prime has, so if I'm paying a hi-end device (around 700$) i want the latest and fastest performer in the ring. And yes, in my book that is android only, as i find apple's devices a bit limiting sometimes (without any fanboyism, I come from a long line of iphones before my android). The things I'm worried hardware-wise are: the amount and speed of Prime's RAM (1gb od ddr2), possible wifi signal problems, screen bleed, and that it's topheavy when docked (a minor thing really). I love that it has a full USB 2.0 port, so you don't need a jack/ adapter of some kind (e.g. like on a SGSII microUSB to full USB). Not really worried about the one speaker layout eather, altough i was a bit dissapointed since the TF101 had a stereo layout, but still, not a dealbreaker (hey, it's still a tablet)...
Now you may laugh at this seeing your sig, but in my mobile history (25+ phones) the worst were accually motorolas (v3 being the worst of the lot, but than again A925 was more than excellent) I'm not so fond of HP either, last month i sold my DV6 3020em, (that's the i7 touchscreen version for Europe since i'm european), and i can say it was utter rubbish, overheating, shoddy build quality, squeaky, noisy fans, you name it... That's why I sold it, but it had a touchscreen which was more than handy, and that's why i want a tablet, I just might look a bit more into the HP touchpad after all.
Acer is great quality for it's price, really great. But I only had Acer's laptops, and the Iconia tablet is as ugly as a bullfrog from chernobyl, so I wouldn't want one.
Tf101 is ugly too by my standards, too big as well, but the looks aren't so important if it was an excellent performer, which none of the now available androids are compared to The Prime (at least not on honeycomb).
I played with samsung 8.9 a few days ago and I can report is't a great little device, thin, capable, satisfying all in all, but i'd like a bigger screen, and a real keyboard and it's not a tegra device (I play a lot of games so i'd like the tegra zone, as chainfire's plugins don't support all tegra tweaked games)
Now I do like to install a new ROM every few weeks on my SGSII but i srsly don't think that will be the case on a tablet (except Win 8, when it comes out).
So i guess the question remains: should i wait for Samsung's next gen 10.1 answer or just go with the prime now
P.S. sorry for my poor english
cavkic said:
First of all, thank you for the fast and torough reply... And yes, sweet sweet decisions
I forgot to say that I'm in the market for a 10" minimum tablet, don't want smthng smaller 'cause i allready have an SGSII so I'm covered for mobility.
As for ASUS's build quality, like i said i never owned a tablet so I definately will try out/play with one for a couple of hours before purchasing, and watch out for the screen bleed on an ips display. But currently most of my pc's componens (2xmobo, 2xgraphic cards, and a lappy) are ASUS made and i must say i'm more than satisfied with them, and as I recall, when I was buying my SGSII there was talk about screen burn-in, overheating and wifi problems too, but I haven't had a single one with my device. Besides that, I don't really need GPS or 3g in a tablet so it's not a dealbreaker with me on The Prime.
The problem is: I wouldn't buy any other tablet now existing in the market, mostly because of the Tegra3 chipset The Prime has, so if I'm paying a hi-end device (around 700$) i want the latest and fastest performer in the ring. And yes, in my book that is android only, as i find apple's devices a bit limiting sometimes (without any fanboyism, I come from a long line of iphones before my android). The only thing I'm worried hardware-wise is the amount and speed of Prime's RAM (1gb od ddr2), possible wifi signal problems, screen bleed, and that it's topheavy when docked (a minor thing really). I love that it has a full USB 2.0 port, so you don't need a jack/ adapter of some kind (e.g. like on a SGSII microUSB to full USB). Not really worried about the one speaker layout eather, altough i was a bit dissapointed since the TF101 had a stereo layout, but still, not a dealbreaker (hey, it's still a tablet)...
So i guess the question remains: should i wait for Samsung's next gen 10.1 answer or just go with the prime now
P.S. sorry for my poor english
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Don't jump the gun on the Prime until stock has settled in, right now retailers are price gouging due to low availability. The Prime should be $500 for the 32GB, $600 for the 64GB, not $650-700 for the 32GB.
I have a Transformer and an Iconia Tab A100, and I can tell you from first hand experience that the build quality isn't nearly as bad as the above poster is making it out to be. I actually like the finish on both the original Transformer and the Iconia series a lot, and the Prime seems to be a winner also. Another thing to consider for both ASUS and Acer is that they keep their Android releases relatively 'vanilla' except for a few bloatware-type apps of their own, unlike Samsung and HTC, who just can't help themselves but smear TouchWiz and Sense over everything they produce.
The only real reported issue with the Prime appears to be the GPS accuracy, but at least to me, it's a non-issue, since I disable GPS and bluetooth on everything.
The Windows 8 bit is yet to be seen, porting a device to another OS is something you can hope, but never hold your breath for. We've yet to see how Windows 8 distribution is going to work and remember that even if you do install Windows 8 down the road, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to run all windows-based programs, since mobile devices use ARM CPUs, and everything written for windows right now is made for x86 CPUs, so it will be up to each third party to rewrite their programs for compatibility.
Although I would never write out a company with pockets as deep as microsoft, they have proven time and time again that they are unable to compete in the mobile segment, so I don't see Windows 8 with as much hope and awe as many others do. (Especially since Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android iteration we can really call "excellent")
TL;DR - If you can find a Prime for a decent price, then it's an amazing device to be had for a very reasonable price. If you plan on waiting, then checking out the upcoming Iconia A700 isn't a bad idea either if the dock isn't that important to you.
littleemp said:
Don't jump the gun on the Prime until stock has settled in, right now retailers are price gouging due to low availability. The Prime should be $500 for the 32GB, $600 for the 64GB, not $650-700 for the 32GB.
I have a Transformer and an Iconia Tab A100, and I can tell you from first hand experience that the build quality isn't nearly as bad as the above poster is making it out to be. I actually like the finish on both the original Transformer and the Iconia series a lot, and the Prime seems to be a winner also. Another thing to consider for both ASUS and Acer is that they keep their Android releases relatively 'vanilla' except for a few bloatware-type apps of their own, unlike Samsung and HTC, who just can't help themselves but smear TouchWiz and Sense over everything they produce.
The only real reported issue with the Prime appears to be the GPS accuracy, but at least to me, it's a non-issue, since I disable GPS and bluetooth on everything.
The Windows 8 bit is yet to be seen, porting a device to another OS is something you can hope, but never hold your breath for. We've yet to see how Windows 8 distribution is going to work and remember that even if you do install Windows 8 down the road, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to run all windows-based programs, since mobile devices use ARM CPUs, and everything written for windows right now is made for x86 CPUs, so it will be up to each third party to rewrite their programs for compatibility.
Although I would never write out a company with pockets as deep as microsoft, they have proven time and time again that they are unable to compete in the mobile segment, so I don't see Windows 8 with as much hope and awe as many others do. (Especially since Ice Cream Sandwich is the first Android iteration we can really call "excellent")
TL;DR - If you can find a Prime for a decent price, then it's an amazing device to be had for a very reasonable price. If you plan on waiting, then checking out the upcoming Iconia A700 isn't a bad idea either if the dock isn't that important to you.
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Tnx for the reply, and I have to say I think you misunderstood me. I don't think I said anything bad about acer's or asus's build quality just HP's (and only the perticular model of the DV6 I had), just that they're a bit on the ugly side, but that's totally a subjective stand, and irrelevant to anybody else.
As far as Prime's price goes, it should be available in Croatia, about 2hrs drive from my home in 10days for less than 700$ with the dock for the 32gig version, which is not a bad pricetag considering where I live, and I'm ready to give that kind of money for it. The dock is accually something i like about the Transformer, and it would probbably be a dead heat between TF101 just because of the dock) and the Sammy 10.1 if it weren't for the prime.
GPS, like I said, I don't mind. The SGSII has a great GPS reciever which i hardly ever use, maybe 6 times since i got it in july.
As far as ARM windows goes, I know what to expect from it , nothing special, but it would be nice to have that option when it's available
So you are happy with the TF101 and the Iconia? But would you recommend buying now the Prime if I'm happy with the price? I should mention I probbably won't buy it before ICS, and I'll try to get a hold of a stock ICS one when it's out after Jan. 12. because I want to make sure i missed the first version shipment
I believe you about Motorola. Until my Droid X I have ALWAYS hated Motorola. I never had a phone that worked right after some wear and tear and always had problems. From before smartphones thru the Droid 1, 2, and 3. (Went through multiples of those). I'm also a Samsung and HTC fan.
I've never had a problem with Asus computer components myself, w/ that said, there are quite a few complaints when it comes to the TF201 on quality. With that said, you, as I'm sure you do, have to take into account the dissatisfied ones are always going to moan and groan much more and louder than the happy customer.
I guess I just wish it was like cars when it comes to Tablets and would love for them to let me take the exact tab I'm looking to buy for a test drive. (Not leave the store but just open the box and get a good look at it and test everything to make sure I'm getting what my hard earned money is paying for).
I really want a TF201, but I'm going to wait til a few more Tegra 3 tabs come out. I really think Motorola would have hit a homerun if they would have put a quad core in their Xyboards and kept the price what they're charging now.
The three tabs I'm really torn between right now are the Xyboard 8.2, TF201, and Samsung 7.0 Plus. But man we are so close to seeing quad core as the new standard for tabs so the other part of me just wants to sit it out and wait.
So true what you said about the sitting and waiting for the quad core as the new standard, but on the other hand, HOW BAD DO WE WANT ONE!?!
Personally for me it's no competition between the Prime and other tablets, the Prime is just on another planet.
This morning the store answered my email saying that the Prime will be available mid january (in about 10 days) and said that maybe they could reserve one for me because of the small supply, but said the price may be different depending on the usd/euro stocks, but under 700$ for the 32gig version with dock...
Still I'm not planning on buying one before a test drive like you said (mostly to check for screen bleed). And yes, I took into account the moaners which is true like you said again...
I think I wathched every single review/comparison of the tablet on youtube, and read at least 10 reviews online, and it's all mostly positive.
I'll update as soon as i get my hands on a test one, hopefully in about 10 days.
So, I've been doing my due diligence before deciding...and have spent a good many hours reading up here in the GTab XDA forums. So, now I'm asking for some earnest / honest advice from the community here...
I own an Archos 70 IT currently, and it's a blast. Gonna hand it off to the wife, and want a 10 inch Tablet for myself. Do I take the chance now with the GTab...or wait a few months for the new onslaught of Tablets with Honeycomb pre-installed?
I'm wanting the Tegra2 base...and am hearing that while the GTab is dismal out-of-the-box, Devs are cranking out ROM goodness to improve on the shoddy UI, etc.
I'm pretty Flash savvy, as I also own a Galaxy S Vibrant. So no concerns there. However, having said that...I worry about the manufacturers ability to deliver once Honeycomb is released. Samsung STILL hasn't released Android 2.2 Froyo for my device!!
Whatcha think? Should I take the plunge? Thanks in advance for you suggestions!
**EDIT - Just found another similar post....so feel free not to comment - oopsy?**
I recently sold my gtablet and purchased the flat computing a10w. Its essentially a rebrand with a 1366x768 screen, hdmi, better rom. Etc. Same price too.
I couldnt reccomend the gtablet... the a10w im more than happy to.
Sent from my V9 using XDA App
I've had my G Tablet for 3 days now and really like it. I did use it before the firmware update and see a big difference in performance with the new firmware. I loaded a bunch of pictures and a movie tonight on its internal memory and all plays well. I would recommend the G Tablet, I think this is turning out to be a nice tablet.
Regards!
Ed
daml said:
I recently sold my gtablet and purchased the flat computing a10w. Its essentially a rebrand with a 1366x768 screen, hdmi, better rom. Etc. Same price too.
I couldnt reccomend the gtablet... the a10w im more than happy to.
Sent from my V9 using XDA App
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I tried to find info on this.
If it does in deed have the 1366/769 screen and an hdmi out for the same price, it might be worth a look. The rest of the specs are identical.
However, i found confilicting info. One article on it said it had the same 1024x600 and appeared to me just to be a rebranded gtab basically.
Also THIS post on xda says it just 1024x600
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=816719
Does it really come with 1G of ram? If so, thats a nice feature (along with the higer res screen).
Edit: That is the A10T so maybe the A10W does have 1366/768, not bad for the money.
Does it have dev support like the Gtab?
Not worth it if you cant root it to honeycomb this spring (like is suspect you will be able to with the gtab).
At this point i see no subforum for the flatpad so suppor alone would be an issue to make me hesitant to buy it.....
G-tablet + custom rom = awesome!
The stock firmware is horrible. I had it out of the box for 5 minutes before I loaded vegan onto it.
There are 2 models. A10t with 1024, gb ram, 8 gb internal and A10w with 1366, 512 ram and 512 internal. Roms, hacks etc from the gtablet should be 99% comatible. All that will be needed is to change the screen resolution, and to setup hdmi.u
Sent from my v9 using XDA App
If a Honeycomb tablet is your goal, then it seems that you either wait until machines that REALLY have Honeycomb on them are available, or you get one that you think should be able to run it AND has great community support AND is hackable, including infrastructure things like tools, etc.
I think that the Gtab is one of the few that makes the latter...
If you go the former way, even then, you're going to have to watch out for tabs that are so locked down (saw an article that Samsung was thinking of making their devices unrootable) that you're stuck w the manufacturer's upgrade schedule.
Jim
jimcpl said:
If a Honeycomb tablet is your goal, then it seems that you either wait until machines that REALLY have Honeycomb on them are available, or you get one that you think should be able to run it AND has great community support AND is hackable, including infrastructure things like tools, etc.
I think that the Gtab is one of the few that makes the latter...
If you go the former way, even then, you're going to have to watch out for tabs that are so locked down (saw an article that Samsung was thinking of making their devices unrootable) that you're stuck w the manufacturer's upgrade schedule.
Jim
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Well said...and you nailed it on the head. After my experiences with Samsung, and the constant delays I was kind of looking forward to a product that worked as intended out-of-the-box. However, knowing the industry these days...any immediate release with 3.0 is gonna be anti-user friendly for the most part. Especially considering the big names releasing them. Seems like the good ones are gonna be tied into carriers anyways...lame-sauce.
All I've seen here has really helped me make up my mind for the GTab. Plus, I do thoroughly enjoy flashing some ROM goodness! Thanks for the info all!
Its like getting a new tablet going from vegan to tntlite and back and forth. I'm glad I have one to mess around with.
I can't even begin to think of the ways the various companies are going to screw with the newer honeycomb models. It seems like to them the dual cores are just an excuse to have 100s of things running at once and the end result is its just as slow as before.
I'm interested in flat computing. Sent them an email to ask about their lcd panel they use in the 1366x768.
daml said:
There are 2 models. A10t with 1024, gb ram, 8 gb internal and A10w with 1366, 512 ram and 512 internal. Roms, hacks etc from the gtablet should be 99% comatible. All that will be needed is to change the screen resolution, and to setup hdmi.u
Sent from my v9 using XDA App
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I just ordered an LG screen per your recommendation in another thread and now I have to know,
Does the a10w have SIGNIFICANTLY better viewing angles than the gtab in stock form ?
daml said:
I recently sold my gtablet and purchased the flat computing a10w. Its essentially a rebrand with a 1366x768 screen, hdmi, better rom. Etc. Same price too.
I couldnt reccomend the gtablet... the a10w im more than happy to.
Sent from my V9 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Did you receive your FlatPad yet? I am very interested to hear your comment on the quality of the sceen.
Thanks.
the gtab has not the best screen but otherwise is a pretty good piece of hardware that should get honeycomb one way or another once it gets released. i wish it had gps, a viewsonic dock, and a viewsonic case.
It's completely possible to be happy with the Gtab but it depends on what your looking for.
I personally find it a great peice of hardware, and it along with my G2 work together very well. I find I don't need to be attatched to my PC near as much were I would look something up on my desktop because the G2 screen was just to small. The Gtab screen is fine, I showed it to my friend and he said "I don't know what the people on the forums are complaining about".
Now if your wanting a tablet that is going to be top of the line for more than a year you are going to be waiting awhile, the tablet race is going to move very fast for a year or 2 until we get to a stable level with 2-3 major competing brands.
To me the Gtab is a great tablet with plenty of hardware to hold me over for that year or 2 until I find that stable platform that will be good for 2-3 years or more.
Of course I go from buying new products (went through 3 android phones in 6 months) to using a product for 3-5 years because it works well enough for what I need.
Agreed -- paired with an Android phone, this tablet is great value for dollars...
For me, the screen is the biggest shortcoming -- but as someone else pointed out, in some ways, the reduced viewing angle could be considered a "feature" if you are worried about security (i.e. someone looking over your shoulder)
At home, that isn't a concern for me so I would prefer an IPS screen or AMOLED (as in my phone) to be able to share the tablet for video playing...but the current screen isn't unusable so I'll live with it...
GPS would have been nice -- but I can pair with my Android phone and it works fine
I doubt I would ever use the tablet as a camera (especially when I have a 5MP camera in my phone and a 10+ MP "real camera") -- so again, the weak FF camera is fine if we ever get VideoCalls working properly...
I would have preferred a full size SDCard slot to the microSDCard...or even support for SDXC (new standard)...but small gripes...
Overall, there is nothing wrong with the hardware -- and the Devs here have made the software competitive with anything out there...Honeycomb will only make it better!
As an aside, I would like to see the soft buttons on the left hand side from TNT (and TNTLite) brought over to Vegan (which mas the soft buttons on the right top of the notification bar)...The TNT soft buttons are very similar to what has been shown in Honeycomb (which had theirs in the bottom left)
I looking to buy a tablet and from everything I have read and tested at Office Depot (viewing angles) the G tab seems fine to me. I am sure it will be faster after I root and load new ROM.
But with all of the new tabs coming (xoom and so on) at this point should I just wait. I know the xoom seems very high to me (800.00) not sure I want to pay that much. I know I don't want to buy another tab for 2 years or so. So maybe the xoom would solve that issue.
Thoughts?
David
If you are willing to root the 'g' tablet and install one of the community developed ROMs, I say go for it. The 'g' tablet was bleeding edge when it came out, is still at the head of the pack and will remain a strong platform for another year and a half to two years.
The price is right and unless you always have to be right at the bleeding edge, you will not be disappointed with a 'g' over the time frame you are looking at (and perhaps a little beyond).
Wait for Xoom to Come Out and Then Buy GTablet
Given how active the developers are, I'm betting that within a couple of weeks of the release of Xoom there will be a XoomLite Rom here for the Gtablet. So I'd wait a couple of weeks until the Xoom comes out. Take a look at it in a store and if it is really $800, unless there is something in the Xoom hardware that you can't live without, buy the Gtablet. Then put the ROM of your choice on your Gtablet (I use TNTLite) and keep checking back for what I expect will be a version of Xoom for our Gtablets.
If you are a tinkerer- get the Gtablet now. Seems all of the devices have quirks coming out, but one common thing is some form of dual core chipset. Quirks are there in one combo or other:
1. Overpriced
2. Proprietary connectors
3. No USB Host
4. No USB
5. Did I say overpriced yet?
Example is the Xoom. Costs $800. My Gtablet and 64gb iPod 4 cost $86 less than that.
My next tab will be the iPad "2". I love the app ecosystem and the game & app quality is AMAZING. I have my Gtablet and Incredible for Android fun and for Flash & internet function. Game emulators too.
BTW, my next phone will be either the Thunderbolt, Bionic or something similar on Verizon. No iPhone and the Xperia Play will likely have proprietary connectors, no microsd (Sony proprietary) and be locked down, so no dice for me.
iTunes may suck butt since a forced interface, but a lot of apps rock hard! Real hard.
Please forgive the slight tangent of my post.
If you're still unsure, then your best bet is to wait. You may even want to wait for the new 10.1 inch samsung tablet. I believe it will cost more than the Xoom but its another option. Here are some specs for that device:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=953341
I just bought one yesterday from office depot after looking at the tabs in general for awhile and
Buying a archos 7 first. I got rid of that because it wasn't what I thought. I think the g tab is the coolest
toy I have ever had. If you want just a giant cell phone without the phone then wait for the Xoom.
The new Elocity A10 is coming out, but the 4gb is more money than the 16gb Gtablet. For the extra money you get a (supposedly) better screen and backlit buttons. But, since it hasn't been shipped out yet you have no idea about the quirks involved.
The Notion Adam looks cool, people that have it seem to like it but who knows how long it will take to get your hands on one. I would wait and watch since it is a new company.
The Archos 101 has it's pluses like a ton of codecs, but it has bugs and also supposedly has a bad screen. The price is nice though.
The Xoom is $800 and requires a month of Verizon service. It is a great looking tablet, but if I were going to spend that much I could get a good computer with money left over.
You can wait forever for more tablets tablets to come out. When the iPad was announced I kept hearing over and over that a better, cheaper Android tablet was on the way. Here we are, nearly a year out and there is nothing that competes.
Were I think the G tab excels is price point. Especially if you can get the $279 price. It has a great following on this site, a good set of hardware and once it is rooted it flies.
Buy the gtablet...better yet buy two for the cost of one xoom! We'll get honeycomb too.
If you're willing to wait, also consider toshiba's tablet. http://www.thetoshibatablet.com/
I like that it uses a full SD Card slot for cheaper/larger storage options (>32gb) and has a user replaceable battery.
vpad10s ?
I've seen a lot of comparisons between the Gtablet and other tabs, but what does everyone about the vpad10s?
From the specs and all, it looks like a dual boot Gtab, which has its own appeals.
yelrx8 said:
I've seen a lot of comparisons between the Gtablet and other tabs, but what does everyone about the vpad10s?
From the specs and all, it looks like a dual boot Gtab, which has its own appeals.
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Dual boot would be great if the device would at least come with Android 2.2 but instead only having 1.6 makes it deal breaker for me.
And then there's the Touchpad, the HP/Palm WebOS tablet that's due out this summer:
palm.com/us/products/pads/touchpad/index.html
Was in the same boat...
I was torn between waiting and getting the G...ended up with the G-tablet and no regrets once I figured out how to encode high def video so it would play.
Wth TNTLite installed, this thing really hums, and frankly, I was expecting a seriously bad screen, and while it's not a 90 degree viewing angle, it looks fantastic when you're looking right at it (and frankly, if I'm using it, I'm looking at it).
Not to mention that at the price they're going for (and I had shipping and taxes to get to Canada), it is still soooo much cheaper than any of the alternatives with same specs (The Elocity A10 for around the same price only has 4GB onboard).
Hope that helps...
You can always wait for something better, but for us it was a matter that it seemed like a great deal for the price. I had the FCs with the stock TnT apps but after installing the vegan rom everything is great.
Would of loved to have gotten a Xoom, but considering we got 2 Tegra2 based 10' tabs for the same price, and they do everything that we need I am satisfied.
Thanks everyone for your posts.
I have ordered a GTab from Amazon (should be here tomorrow.. you have to love prime). I have not ordered a keyboard yet nor a sd card. But have a 6gb card that should work for now.
If all goes well then I will keep it. I will try the xoom when it comes out, but for the money and features of the Gtab and for the use I need (really just notes in meetings and browsing the web) I think I am good.
Another question: I want to use either a USB keyboard or a RF keyboard/Track ball) what ROM do you suggest?
And if I wanted to make a backup of the current ROM before I upgrade what do you suggest? Or should I just use one of the manufacturer ROMs listed in the dev forum?
Again thank you for your help.
Up until last week, I too, was torn between waiting for the Xoom, or 'settling' with a lesser tab like the Galaxy Tab.
I picked up a Viewsonic G Tablet at Sears for $399, rooting it 30 minutes after unwrapping it, I've no regrets. My reasoning was as follows:
1 - Wanted it to be Android-based, so no Ipad.
2 - Galaxy Tab at 7", a little too small.
3 - Tegra2 based, should be Honeycomb-ready, no need for a rear camera.
4 - Xoom, even if Wifi-only version is released, I doubt it would beat the GTab at price.
This should last me until maybe the next gen of Android tablets arrive next year.
Currently running Vegan 5.1.1 ROM, with full market, all the apps I could want. This is so much fun!
Really was an easy choice for me. Price plus fun of rooting and flashing roms while I wait for honeycomb. The gtab rules and my friends that get to play with mine can't put it down. I can't put it down ;-)
So my situation, I was fortunate to earn a free ipad wifi/3g 16gb from a sales contest at work, well Ive played with the thing for a few weeks and I have to say apple blows. Anyways gunna sell it on ebay, looking like I can get about $450 for it.
I then want to take the money and buy an android tablet, i really want a honeycomb one, but I know they are very expensive as they are just coming out.
So I thought to myself why couldn't I just buy a tablet that comes with Froyo, and then root it, and flash a custom honeycomb rom once a developer ports it over to my device..? It would save me alot of cash/waiting.
So I'm assuming all the G tab owners did some shopping around before buying this tablet. What are the top 3 android tablets under $450 in your opinion?
Obviously another concern is which tablet under $450 will be likely to have the most developer support, being the flashaholic that I am, I really want something that has many roms and kernels etc.. availiable. I did see quite a few roms in the G tab development section, but I am finding it very difficult to find out information about other tablets as far as rom development. What do you guys thing from a developer support stand point?
Thanks!!!!
Under $450 and that are out now tablets....
If you're just looking for a tablet to browse the internet, casual gaming, youtube..you know basic stuff...you can save about $100 by buying a nook. Lots of dev support...I mean lots.
If you want something more powerful with a bigger screen but weaker viewing angles than the gtab is tops in my opinion. If you don't mind a used gtab...than I would grab one if you can find it.
As for a third choice, I guess I would get the archos 70 or 101.
Awesome thanks.
I personally wouldn't get a nook. I had one and ended up trading it for an archos 101. From what it looks like there is more development for the GTab. The nook is a nice device but I really didn't think the device was speedy enough for me. If I'm getting a tablet then it should have better specs then my phone (Nexus S). Screen on the Nook was nice but I've always wanted a bigger tab. I like my archos 101 but then again the processor was good but I felt it could be better. I just sold my archos a few days ago on here and ordered a GTab and it'll be here tomorrow. Nook is $250 new and GTab cost me $368, with the GTab you may be getting a worse screen but you get more internal storage, better processor, bluetooth, IMO better dev support, and a USB port which I personally want. I've also had a Galaxy Tab but when I had it development was slow so I got rid of it also again it has the same specs as my phone. IMO theres no point in a tablet that has equal or worse specs then your phone (unless you have a dual core phone) and after experience 7inch screens are good for reading and comics but 10.1inch screens are better for web browsing and even better for reading and comics
Had my gtab for about 2 weeks now that I bout from another user here on xda for $320. Prior to the purchase I had been following the forums and watching youtub videos of the device and drooling. Now that I have it, I feel I may have hyped it a bit too much. It is a good device but there are a few things about it that bother me but to be fair I was expecting some of them. the screen is as bad as they say. This device is pretty hefty. Holding it in can be tiresome at times. The bezel is thin on three sides, one of which also has capacitive buttons which makes it hard to find a comfortable way to hold it at times unless you are using both hands. No gps. As for the roms, as good as they are they are far from perfect. They each have their own issues which were easy to ignore at first but after a while i find to be annoying when you want something that just works. I appreciate the devs though and I'm sure in time they will figure everything out. After trying a xoom at frys the other day I can honestly say they know what a tablet should be like. I just wish it wasn't an extra 500 bucks.
BuI shopped arround for a good while. I have been using resistive screen tablet PC's in my work for years, and hated them. Ugly screens tedious repeated touches to get anywhere. Call me crazy but I really believe that anyone who complains about the screen on the gtab needs to take a reality check. This thing has better viewing angles than my android phone. What do you want to do with it? Rest it on your coffee table and sit 10 feet away at a 45° angle and expect perfect color? Yes there are nicer screens out there but IMHO this is way better than the crap I have seen for years. I'm sure it would have had a super top of the line screen too if Malta could have gotten screens from LG at nearly cost like apple does.
The price is perfect and the screen is perfect for the price. Enjoy the fact that no one will see what's on your screen unless you want them to. Its a security feature in my book.
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Mantara said:
BuI shopped arround for a good while. I have been using resistive screen tablet PC's in my work for years, and hated them. Ugly screens tedious repeated touches to get anywhere. Call me crazy but I really believe that anyone who complains about the screen on the gtab needs to take a reality check. This thing has better viewing angles than my android phone. What do you want to do with it? Rest it on your coffee table and sit 10 feet away at a 45° angle and expect perfect color? Yes there are nicer screens out there but IMHO this is way better than the crap I have seen for years. I'm sure it would have had a super top of the line screen too if Malta could have gotten screens from LG at nearly cost like apple does.
The price is perfect and the screen is perfect for the price. Enjoy the fact that no one will see what's on your screen unless you want them to. Its a security feature in my book.
Sent from my Chromatic Magic using XDA Premium App
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^^^^Yeah This. I waited a week for mine to come from the good ol' US of A (Im in oztralia )
After reading all the reports.. bad screens, slow stock UI etc I thought ok, well the screen is probably as bad as they say and the UI cant be that bad...
well it was exactly opposite - the screen is actually not that bad compared to some screens i deal with daily. UI was even worse than I could have imagined.
I know have vegan on it and it rocks. For the price I am absolutely blown away.
You can not go wrong with the g-Tab. Especially since you stated that you are a "Flashaholic." I have had mine for almost 2 months now and absolutely love it. I have tried both the vegan and TNT-Lite roms, and ended up staying with the TNT-Lite. While there are many things that could have been implemented better, in my mind it is a better value right now than the competition. I love the fact that it has removable storage. I have a little case that I keep my micro-SD cards in and swap them out whenever I want to watch something else or need more storage. Since purchasing this product, I have taken it with me on several business trips, and have found it indispensable. I can even back my photos up onto it using an SD card reader.
Bottom Line: If you do not mind playing around and fiddling with settings and enjoy trying new things, then I suggest getting the g-Tab. Over wise I suggest waiting a little longer until the "Tablet Form Factor" becomes more settled.
Just a note on the Notion Ink Adam which falls into the sub $450 category (wifi LCD version, anyways). I received hoping to get better viewing angles but they seemed to be the same as the Gtab, plus I really like the Gtab's form factor a lot more. The Adam was heavier, thicker and more squared off making it not as comfortable to hold as the Gtab. I ebayed the Adam and actually turned a little profit from it
Great info guys! Thanks to everyone who replied, all very helpful!
I got several buyers for my ipad so it should be gone today
I think the g tab sounds like it will do what I want, it really will just be for playing games, web browsing, and taking on airplanes etc, so it sounds like the way to go. And hopefully honeycomb roms will be available before too long!
Follow up question, where can you get a good case for the g tab? I liked the one that I bought my ipad, it was kind of like a little padfolio and it could fold into a "stand" which was great for watching movies on the plane.
Other than that just gotta research rooting this thing, I plan to pick one up before the end of the weekend. And you guys have already given me some ideas which roms to try. Thanks!
luigic81 said:
Follow up question, where can you get a good case for the g tab? I liked the one that I bought my ipad, it was kind of like a little padfolio and it could fold into a "stand" which was great for watching movies on the plane.
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Check the G Tablet Accessories forum, there are a couple of options depending whether you want a keyboard or not and at least one more on the way
Alright just a couple more for the helpful people here
1. is this the best way to root the g tab? http://droidpirate.com/2010/11/27/how-to-root-your-viewsonic-g-tablet/
2. After I root I will be following the instructions in this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245
So I was wondering if I had to update anything in order to flash custom roms, or can I just root my tab, and then follow the instructions on that thread and be good to go on custom roms?
Also what ROM would you guys recomend? I am typically an AOSP guy assuming that everything is functional, but my wife will be using this tablet too and she is not very tech savvy, so I would like a rom that is pretty stable, any suggestions would be apprecited thanks!
Also I see clockwork v08 seems to be the hot ticket, so I assume that I will use that? I have always used Amon RA on my EVO, but it doesnt appear that Amon RA is availiable for the G tab, is that a correct assumption?
Thanks again for all the help, I know those last few questions arent necessarily pertinent to my original post, but I appreciate the help.
All the instructions you need to root the device are in the second thread you linked -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245
Just pick out a ROM - TNTLite and VEGAn are the two most popular around here - and follow the instructions carefully.
perfect thanks, guess I should've read this line from that thread
"You do NOT need to root your tablet to install a ROM on this device using this guide. All the after-market ROMs are pre-rooted."
LMAO!! haha cool.
Just a little update, I got my GTab today and love it sooooooooo much. Viewing angles aren't to bad. Monster Madness, Samurai II, and Backbreaker are awesome. Very fast device
Awesome I can't wait, should have mine before Monday
Wi-Fi only Motorola Xoom at Sam's Club
I think the gTab is the best bang for your buck at between $350 and $400 especially with the ROMs our gTabDevs are churning out for us. However, if you really want an official Honeycomb tablet I've read that Sam's Club will be selling these at their stores for around $500 each in the next few weeks.
Just thought some folks might want to know.
I am sticking with my Nook Color
After having received the Archos 101. I was disappointed in the screen quality and the touch screen and lack of dev support. I sold it and got the g tablet and was in love with it until I bought my mom a kindle and started to like the form factor and size. I then started becoming bored with my g tablet. I then began looking at the nook color forums and decided to buy one, since I have bought it, I haven't touched my g tablet. I really like the size and the feel of it, I read more now and still play the games I like. I am happy running CM7 gingerbread and looking forward to honeycomb when it comes out as AOSP.
The dirty little secret is that there is no day to day life changing use for a tablet. So this can put you in two categories.
#1. You want to try and use the tablet during travel and such. In this case form factor is going to be important. The Nook Color is probably a better option as you sacrifice overall performance for the usability of the design.
#2. You want a device to develop on and try to utilize the latest and greatest. The Tegra 2 is the "it" platform right now for the android tablets. The GTab and its brothers give you the best entry into this field.
I am solidly in #2. Sure I have played some games on my tablet, I have browsed the web and I have used it on the go. But there has never been a situation where my VZ Droid would not have let me do the exact same thing.
I am comfortable with the fact that I bought a development platform. Having it in hand shows me the potential of the concept.
slysecretspy said:
The dirty little secret is that there is no day to day life changing use for a tablet. So this can put you in two categories.
#1. You want to try and use the tablet during travel and such. In this case form factor is going to be important. The Nook Color is probably a better option as you sacrifice overall performance for the usability of the design.
#2. You want a device to develop on and try to utilize the latest and greatest. The Tegra 2 is the "it" platform right now for the android tablets. The GTab and its brothers give you the best entry into this field.
I am solidly in #2. Sure I have played some games on my tablet, I have browsed the web and I have used it on the go. But there has never been a situation where my VZ Droid would not have let me do the exact same thing.
I am comfortable with the fact that I bought a development platform. Having it in hand shows me the potential of the concept.
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Excellent post, and i'm in catoegory #2 as well, I'm playing with house money becuase I got the ipad for free. But my wife really wants something to play games with and I like to watch movies etc on the airplane as well as browse the etc at home.
hello, I've been recently looking at tablets. I want something pretty decently nice, with honeycomb (which you can put on this), and just generally nice specs. But my real question is, is this thing a piece of complete crap? it's off brand for things i buy usually, but I've seen generally good reviews. I've also been looking at the Transformer and the Xoom. Thank you all for the help.
considering that you can get one on Ebay for under $250, I would say yes, it's most definitely worth it.
Even with Froyo roms, it's a very useful tablet that will probably do the things that you want it to do. Yes, the screen angles are not ideal, but they are acceptable (in my opinion)
Put it this way, is buying a transformer, or Xoom for almost twice as much going to be just as useless when the newest tablets come out for Christmas?
I believe that it's a question of perception. What do you want to use it for?
and who knows, when Ice Cream Sandwich gets released, it may be easier to port to the G-Tablet than Honeycomb.
Well the transformer is only $150 more.. ill look up a comparison between the two. That was the other one I am still honestly considering
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gobluewolverines4 said:
Well the transformer is only $150 more.. ill look up a comparison between the two. That was the other one I am still honestly considering
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I guess my point was, is the transformer going to be just as obsolete when the new tablets arrive? Nvidea is releasing a new tegra platform, that will basically make anything running on a tegra2 old hat. This would include the Xoom, Transformer, Iconia, as well as the G-Tablet, Adam, Vega, etc. These things depreciate faster than a car driven off the dealer's lot. Originally what, $450 when they were released? I bought mine for $300 (with a few extras) on Ebay. now they are retailing for $250 in Woot deals and Tiger Direct, while used ones on Ebay are plummeting down to nearly $200. When the new Tegra devices are released, I suspect that a G-tablet can be bought for $100 used.
What I mean, is why not save the $150 now, to put toward a better tablet down the line...The g-tablet will at least give you a less expensive introduction to the android tablet world, while still being a quite useful tool.
I would just hate to see somebody spend more money on a similar tablet that will cause them buyers remorse in 3 months or so. Of course, if you have the cash to burn, then go ahead and buy what you really want...for most people, that's an iPad...jk
TJEvans said:
I guess my point was, is the transformer going to be just as obsolete when the new tablets arrive? Nvidea is releasing a new tegra platform, that will basically make anything running on a tegra2 old hat. This would include the Xoom, Transformer, Iconia, as well as the G-Tablet, Adam, Vega, etc. These things depreciate faster than a car driven off the dealer's lot. Originally what, $450 when they were released? I bought mine for $300 (with a few extras) on Ebay. now they are retailing for $250 in Woot deals and Tiger Direct, while used ones on Ebay are plummeting down to nearly $200. When the new Tegra devices are released, I suspect that a G-tablet can be bought for $100 used.
What I mean, is why not save the $150 now, to put toward a better tablet down the line...The g-tablet will at least give you a less expensive introduction to the android tablet world, while still being a quite useful tool.
I would just hate to see somebody spend more money on a similar tablet that will cause them buyers remorse in 3 months or so. Of course, if you have the cash to burn, then go ahead and buy what you really want...for most people, that's an iPad...jk
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Wow. Very excellent explanation. I see now. Yes I will probably soon be purchasing the g tab!
PS: screw the ipad
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gobluewolverines4 said:
hello, I've been recently looking at tablets. I want something pretty decently nice, with honeycomb (which you can put on this).
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Honeycomb is not completely functional on the gtab (as of now). It is missing the Honeycomb specific drivers from Nvidia (aka full hardware acceleration, high def video).
If you really care about Honeycomb you should get the transformer IMO.
Although, I am quite happy with froyo based ROMs
Others are right in saying that quad core Tegra 3s are around the corner, Tegra 2 prices might drop by the end of the year. Given how Nvidia and Viewsonic acted regarding the gtab, I foresee support for Tegra 2s dropping drastically as newer hardware gets released.
Yeah the almost fully functioning honeycomb on here is fine for me. Should be ordering my g tab this week!
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Hello, I wrote a quick review for some guys that I work with. I am sure there are many reviews of the gtablet, but...
Here are my conclusions so far;
This thing is about the same size as the Xoom, and thicker than the IPAD. It is definitely not as sexy.
The screen is OK. It is not a high quality screen like you find on the other devices.
The processor is great, and the memory is sufficient. Things move pretty quick.
The ROM out of the box REALLY sucked. I was hoping to just deal with it, but Google had not approved the tablet so there were NO Google apps at all. Not acceptable. It took me a couple of hours to learn (last night till around 1:00am), but I replaced the stock ROM with a hacked ROM with everything I wanted.
This thing is really just a big Android phone with no phone or GPS.
I loaded up my Sony Reader software, downloaded all of my books, and then imported them into a DRM capable reader that is better.
Although there are some ROMs that support Gingerbread screens, I think I will stick with this 2.2 (or is it 2.3) Android feel.
What will I use it for?
Reading ebooks, PDFs (Scientific American, Maximum PC)
Google apps – maps, search
Kayak, hotels.com apps
Games (mostly for the kids) – I got Android Market to work
Web Browsing / some forum reading (via Tapatalk)
Personal email reading and contacts (no work email will be set up)
Maybe occasional Skype and Gotomeeting (camera sucks, so mostly audio)
News and weather
Of course, with the exception of reading the ebooks, I would always use the Macbook Pro if it were available.
So the speed and memory makes this all possible, but the experience (screen, size, build) is not equivalent to the expensive tablets.
Biggest complaints?
No GPS
Screen is not easy to see at an angle
I needed to root the thing to make it useful, which means I now need to stay on top of that and update it manually
The 10.1 device is a bit bigger / bulkier than I expected – the weight is the same as the ipad I believe.
I “can” watch videos on it (even 1080p), but moving the files would be a drag… it uses a microSD card that I would need to pop ion an adapter, or I could use the USB connection. Maybe I can find a way to do it with wifi or Bluetooth.
No USB charging… WTF??? It comes with a separate adapter that has to plug into the wall…
The screen is a 1024x600 which is similar to most pads, but it is really inferior to the Macbook Pro, and there is just something that is “fuzzy” about it.
Biggest positives?
Cheap - $269 delivered (no tax or shipping)
Fast
Should do what I want…
Next Steps…
See how much I actually use it for anything other than ebooks. If I do end up needing it more than I think, I would consider the Asus Transformer or something else new in the next year or so.
Hope this helps,
R
gobluewolverines4 said:
hello, I've been recently looking at tablets. I want something pretty decently nice, with honeycomb (which you can put on this), and just generally nice specs. But my real question is, is this thing a piece of complete crap?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen is complete crap.
You should look hard for something with a better screen around $300-$350. If you can find it, get it.
And I *like* my Gtab - but its really just for kicking around and messing with roms and android. The screen really is killer bad unless you use it only at night, head on
Honeycomb works, and works well, as well as you could hope for unsupported xda rom hacking - ie, no netflix, no Hardware acceleration, occasional stand on your head workarounds, and the possibility of sudden death... well, ok, not that last one.
Bottom line: if you can find it for $100-$200, and want to play with roms, and tweak, and screw with it a lot to get it to be as good as a $400 one except for the horrible screen that cannot be fixed, YES, this is your tablet.
If you want a tablet to take out of the box and use, with rom updates from the manufacturer, and a screen you can read ebooks off of, this is NOT your tablet. Even for free.
So should I just get the transformer? Ah so many decisions!
Well I'm literally about to go to fry electronics and ill test out some there. Thanks !
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gobluewolverines4 said:
So should I just get the transformer?
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For $400, I'd say yeah.
Better screen, 1Kx800 resolution, 2x the ram. Yeah, looks like that's all worth $120.
Oh... and a GPS too.
Oh, and Honeycomb 3.1 from Asus. Plus lots of XDA love it seems.
gobluewolverines4 said:
So should I just get the transformer? Ah so many decisions!
Well I'm literally about to go to fry electronics and ill test out some there. Thanks !
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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I think the main question is what you want the tablet for or what to do with it.
A cheap $250-300 laptop has so much more computing power and practical use than any tablet...just a bit bulkier.
The tablet market will have much more offerings and better with faster cpus and such..just have to wait a bit.
I bought my gtab from woot 4/2011 for $275. I have installed several ROMs on it. They all are pretty good with their own pluses and minuses.
I'm currently on Flashback 5.4 HC: it looks nice and works well. Gmail, Talk - w/o video; G-Voice, Maps, Lattitude, Earth etc all work. You Tube works; a bunch of games works. The big screen is better than the phone size screen. Nice quick weather apps. Nice calendar.
What it cannot do is replace the screen and functionality of my desktop for real work.
If you can find a cheap Gtab and play with ROM's, flashing, androids quirks etc - jsut for the fun of it, then get a gtab. Fully flashable with great recovery process. Almost 99.99% Non-brickable. Get a used one for play and test.
If you want a decent a functional tablet w/o hassle, get an I-pad2.
I have read many complaints about the viewing angle of the screen, but I have had my tablet for months and I have no complaints. It has replaced my planner for work and is great for watching movies, not sharing with my neighbor.