Analysis - Cheap Android tablets set to hit the market

[HEXUS]

With tablets now available for under £100, Samsungs pricing for the Galaxy Tab looks increasingly untenable.

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[Funkstar]

These cheap tablets are all well and good, but they don't have the Android Market place, so really, they are a waste of time and money. This is what the Tab has going for it, it actually does have the Google seal of aproval.

[marshalex]

i cant seem to find this Toshiba on the PC World or Currys websites. Is it in store only? wouldn't mind taking a peak to see the potential these have to offer!

[eek]

These cheap tablets are all well and good, but they don't have the Android Market place, so really, they are a waste of time and money. This is what the Tab has going for it, it actually does have the Google seal of aproval.

The only requiremet for Marketplace access seems to be 3g access to the market. Rumour has it that that requirement will disappear in Gingerbread / 2.3 as Currys / Advent seem very confident that marketplace access is only a temporary issue.

Of course there is always another option with Amazon once their marketplace appears in the wild.

[[GSV]Trig]

These cheap tablets are all well and good, but they don't have the Android Market place, so really, they are a waste of time and money. This is what the Tab has going for it, it actually does have the Google seal of aproval.

I'm looking at the Archos 101, and yes, no market place which is pretty much the whole point of Android although it can be "installed", the Archos also needs to have software from Archos to play certain media types..

[crossy]

The only requiremet for Marketplace access seems to be 3g access to the market. Rumour has it that that requirement will disappear in Gingerbread / 2.3 as Currys / Advent seem very confident that marketplace access is only a temporary issue. Of course there is always another option with Amazon once their marketplace appears in the wild.

I'm guessing that you mean that the device accessing GMP must be 3G "capable", because I do most of the GMP transactions on my SE X10 phone via Wifi (it's faster than 3G and I'm seldom accused of being patient)

Meanwhile a 7 inch model will make its debut for £129.99

Now that's a device I'd be interested in - especially if it's got the full access to GMP (eventually?). And £250 for the 10" version isn't unpalatable either - although £199.99 would have been more attractive.

As with the netbooks, I really can't see the point of paying the same as the cost of a decent basic laptop for an auxiliary device, so the current prices of the iPad and Galaxy Tab are totally unattractive. Hopefully Samsung will realise that it's only Apple that can get away with ramping the prices, and consequentially "realign" the prices to something more realistic.

[3dcandy]

I've spoke to a couple of friends that have seen/used Galaxy Tab's and they reckon they're the only real rival to ipads at the moment. Hardware wise they are better, and they need market place access else people won't even give them a second look. So, here are the problems - you need 3G else no market place or apps. You need it to look good and have good build quality to compete thus driving the price up. We have a massively subsidised mobile/3G market here and the Galaxy Tab doesn't really fit in any current markets. All these contribute to the eye watering price! Yes I believe it will come down, yes I prefer it to the ipad (too big, too heavy and too APPLE) but I won't get one at £500+. Played with a cheap Android tablet from Maplins. Dire, unresponsive, bad build, Android 1.6? Sluggish, poor screen.....
Apple does get away with high prices, and in my opinion dumbs down phones completely. They lock you into the upgrade cycle, no replaceable batteries etc. etc. but a lot of people overlook these faults because of useability. However, the anti-Apple backlash is growng, and a fair few people I know have bought ipads and sold them on after a short while as they can't actually find a real good use for them!