Tablets?

[MahrinSkel]

Yeah, Netflix approves the hardware before it can run, basically to assure themselves (and the studios) that there's no way to get the video stream *off* the machine.

Which is silly, since it's all out there somewhere, anyway, at DVD quality anyway (which is more than enough for a tablet).  But Netflix streaming exists at the sufferance of the studios, so don't expect it to change any faster than it took for DRM to get dropped off of most music download stores.

Anyway, for cheap (not counting the Touchpad, if those prices come to the US) the best option seems the Vizio gTablet (10 inch screen, SD card slot, and mini-USB host port) for $270.  Downside: Running 2.2, and probably not going to get an official upgrade.  At the full price level, the Asus Transformer is still my favorite.

--Dave

[fuser]

I have a Tab 10.1 and have been deploying the Asus Transformer for company staff. As Quinton mentioned its very netbook like with the keyboard and it will run ~499 for the 16GB version with the keyboard.

One of the major downsides to the tab 10.1 is the sheer lack of ports. The transformer has a mini HDMI out/Micro SD card on the unit itself. The keyboard base has two USB ports with you can attach things like USB flash sticks and a media card slot. Also Asus seems faster getting newer OS releases out there (tab is still on 3.1 while the Transformer/Xoom is off on 3.2.x)

Speaking of which the transformer is an almost perfect netbook, I don't understand chrome books at all now.

[Trippy]

Is it possible to hack TouchPads to run Android?  Because I suspect there's going to be a few going cheap....

$99

So far that just seems to be Canada, the US retailers are offering a trivial $25 or so markdown right now.  At $100-150, it has a lot to recommend it even if it becomes an orphan and nobody gets Android or a more generic Linux working on it.

--Dave

Not just Canada but good luck finding one at those prices now:

http://mashable.com/2011/08/20/hp-tablet/

[MuffinMan]

I've been camping sites all day at working, hoping to catch one when they drop the price. The only motivation I have left now is to refresh Newegg every now and then.

[Phire]

Picked up a 32gb today for $149. Neat little device, been using it to surf the net around the house, and read some books through the Kindle app. Hopefully the app support for it stays pretty strong!

[squirrel]

Picked up a 32gb today for $149. Neat little device, been using it to surf the net around the house, and read some books through the Kindle app. Hopefully the app support for it stays pretty strong!

Um, I wouldn't count on significant app support.

[Sand]

Picked up a 32gb today for $149. Neat little device, been using it to surf the net around the house, and read some books through the Kindle app. Hopefully the app support for it stays pretty strong!

Um, I wouldn't count on significant app support.

Yep since they just killed the operating system.


Im going to wait and see if netflix adds support for the Toshiba Thrive. I dont think anyone else has the ports and options it has currently on the market.
Might send netflix an email to see if I can get an answer out of them on that.


Edit: News!
Lenovo released a tablet. Business version has all the ports you want or need (USB, micro USB, SD Card, HDMI), with flash and comes pre-installed with the Netflix ap!
.

Downsides include its heavier than most normal tablets weighing in at 1.65 lbs versus the Toshiba Thrive at 1.6 lbs. And it doesnt have the removable and rechargeable battery that the Thrive has.

See it here: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/products/tablets/

[Quinton]

Having used both original iPad and Xoom which are ~1.5lbs, I'm pretty convinced that for using a tablet for reading or any other task where you're going to be holding it longer-term, you want something closer to (or under) one pound.  Tab 10.1 is 1.3lbs and that doesn't sound like a big difference, but it's pretty huge.  Still a little heavier than would be ideal but about as light as you can get with the current generation of these things.

[Phire]

Picked up a 32gb today for $149. Neat little device, been using it to surf the net around the house, and read some books through the Kindle app. Hopefully the app support for it stays pretty strong!

Um, I wouldn't count on significant app support.

Not significant but they are still supporting webOS going forward:

http://www.precentral.net/kerris-work-webos-and-app-ecosystem-will-continue

And there is a push now to get Android running on the Touchpad.

http://rootzwiki.com/showthread.php?t=3327&p=67699

[Sand]

Having used both original iPad and Xoom which are ~1.5lbs, I'm pretty convinced that for using a tablet for reading or any other task where you're going to be holding it longer-term, you want something closer to (or under) one pound.  Tab 10.1 is 1.3lbs and that doesn't sound like a big difference, but it's pretty huge.  Still a little heavier than would be ideal but about as light as you can get with the current generation of these things.

Well for business I need the ports.  Especially like having the HDMI for presentations.
I think I'm buying that business version when it's released on the 23rd.

[schild]

Just picked up a 16GB Touchpad for $100 shipped from Costcentral. They still have over 6500 in stock. Poor guys.

Now let's get fucking Android running on it.

[Salamok]

Barnes and Noble is still taking orders on the 16gb version at $101.95, I went ahead and bought one but am somewhat skeptical they still have them available.

edit - I guess people are saying that they are getting a cancellation emails after ordering from B & N, you would think they would remove the item from the site...

[Hawkbit]

So I wonder when the other manufacturers will come around to the idea that these things sell like fucking hotcakes if the price gets dropped?  There's a pretty solid place for a low end tablet, maybe one in every home kind of thing. 

[Trippy]

When they can make money selling them at that price?

[Hawkbit]

Well, sure.  I'm just wondering if they put the power vs. price point too high with these to begin with.  Take a hit on the hardware and make up the loss with apps.  Or something...

[Ingmar]

The per-unit manufacturing cost for the iPad is allegedly somewhere around $300, so don't hold your breath on things getting to the 'hotcakes' price point anytime soon.

[KallDrexx]

Well, sure.  I'm just wondering if they put the power vs. price point too high with these to begin with.  Take a hit on the hardware and make up the loss with apps.  Or something...

I would put money to bet that this is Amazon's strategy with the Kindle tablet they have in the works.  Also B&N currently does this successfully.

[Salamok]

Just got my "we are sorry we don't really have that item" email from B&N, odd that they left the item up for sale on their website for a good 12 hours past the point that I purchased it and hit my CC right away as well.  Whatever happened to we will bill you when we ship, I didn't even get a thank you for the interest free loan.

[Sand]

The per-unit manufacturing cost for the iPad is allegedly somewhere around $300, so don't hold your breath on things getting to the 'hotcakes' price point anytime soon.

The MSRP on the 32gb ipad is at $499 which if their wholesale cost is $300 would put them just shy of keystone pricing model at %40 markup for retail.
I have seen estimates that their production cost is any where from as little as $229 to as much as $325. These estimates are hardly ever right though and for the most part are on the high side.

Maybe their business model is such that they can wholesale them at cost to retailers and make all their money on the sale of apps, but I would be suspicious.
Only way this would work is only to sell them in their own retail stores, but they arent doing this.

[Tmon]

I settled with the Acer Iconia.  Really, really happy with it.

Me too, it's a little heavy for long duration reading but it does everything I wanted a tablet to do.

[Ingmar]

The per-unit manufacturing cost for the iPad is allegedly somewhere around $300, so don't hold your breath on things getting to the 'hotcakes' price point anytime soon.

The MSRP on the 32gb ipad is at $499 which if their wholesale cost is $300 would put them just shy of keystone pricing model at %40 markup for retail.
I have seen estimates that their production cost is any where from as little as $229 to as much as $325. These estimates are hardly ever right though and for the most part are on the high side.

Maybe their business model is such that they can wholesale them at cost to retailers and make all their money on the sale of apps, but I would be suspicious.
Only way this would work is only to sell them in their own retail stores, but they arent doing this.

Remember that Apple, unlike most of these guys, sells a fair number of units directly, no middle man. The number is probably high though, since it is one I saw rather a while ago.

[Quinton]

The per-unit manufacturing cost for the iPad is allegedly somewhere around $300, so don't hold your breath on things getting to the 'hotcakes' price point anytime soon.

I suspect that's more likely the BOM.  The iSupply and suchlike teardowns don't take into account much in the way of manufacturing, logistics, reverse logistics, etc.  Estimates on component pricing also can be way out of whack with reality (in either direction).

[tgr]

I settled with the Acer Iconia.  Really, really happy with it.

How's the battery time? It's got to suffer with having two screens, surely?

I'm currently starting to look around for a replacement to my aging dell or hp or whateverthefuckitis laptop with something else to bring along on my photo travels. One of the main irritations I have with the current laptop is that the monitor is really awful the instant there's any sun even vaguely near it, so if I'm replacing it, it'd be replaced with something that could interface with an external harddisk and preview pictures with a larger screen than the current d300 3" monitor.

[apocrypha]

Just picked up a 16GB Touchpad for $100 shipped from Costcentral. They still have over 6500 in stock. Poor guys.

Now let's get fucking Android running on it.

Some people are working on it:

http://rootzwiki.com/showthread.php?t=3327

[fuser]

Some people are working on it:

http://rootzwiki.com/showthread.php?t=3327

Kinda crappy it will only have gingerbread and not honeycomb, the way its going it seems like there's a better chance of getting the ice cream sandwich source then honeycomb.

[Sand]

Pulling the trigger on the Lenovo Thinkpad tablet today.

USB, micro USB, SD card slot, and HDMI slots. Flash and netflix capable from day one.
And it is prebuilt to be upgradeable to use 3G, which is coming out in October.

[Phire]

Installed preware today along with a whole bunch of patches that speed up the tablet, increase the sound volume and reduce caching among other things. Really smooths out the interface and the tabbing between apps.

Also got the SNES emulator which is surprisingly on the official app store (Search for SNES) and runs really well. Obviously not the best for platformers but for RPGs it is pretty sweet.

For the price I paid this device is pretty awesome, it may not be a full featured tablet but for what most people would use it for; surfing, youtube, games, ereader it performs really well!

[Ginaz]

I bought the Asus Eee Pad Transformer today (16GB w/keyboard dock).  I haven't used it much yet, obviously, but a guy at work has been raving about it and its gotten some good reviews so far and its priced very well for a tablet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMLkjdjLWMs&feature=related

[Tale]

iPad 2 security flaw