Best tablet on a budget?

[steadyrock]

My wife recently stated she wants a tablet for Christmas. She likes my iPad2 but won't care whether she has an Android tablet or an iPad - and I can't afford the iPad (mine was free). Mostly she will use it for WiFi at and around the home and other hotspots, she has a Droid phone so if she absolutely needs to do something while she's out, she can use that. My budget is pretty slim - what's the best tablet on a tight budget? She likes to read, is the Kindle Fire worthwhile and is it a full-featured tablet?

[CHS]

The Kindle Fire is definitely worthwhile since with Amazon prime you get to take advantage of all the Amazon content, but no, it's not a full-featured tablet. It's more similar to the Kindle and/or B&N Nook in that it's a delivery device designed for Amazon content but will also do extra things like run a lot of Android App's.

For the price, either the Kindle Fire or the B&N Nook Color (or Nook Tablet) are all good choices, but they aren't full-featured devices.

For about 200-300$ you can probably get any number of 3G-based tablets from any of the major carriers (I have a Samsung Galaxy tab that cost $199) on contract and with that you'll have a full-featured tablet that uses wifi AND has 3G and will run any normal Android app from the regular Android Market. They'll have the extra features that things like the Kindle and Nooks don't have like cameras, accelerometers, and GPS built in. The data services will then run you an extra $30/month. But this is not a bad options. I love my Galaxy Tab.

Bottom line is that tablets are still kinda pricy unless you want a neutered specialty device like the Fire or Nook, or you want to get a tablet from a cell carrier at the subsidized price.

[evidens83]

Aren't the first gen Asus Transformers goin down in price in anticipation for the new Asus Transformer Prime? That would be my first choice. Otherwise, my coworker absolutely raves about his Kindle Fire.

[freonr22]

iPad 3 comes out in feb or march, if she can hang out a couple months, iPad 2 will be cheaper, and the rest will too

[Peter.Steele]

My Nook Color sure as hell is a full-featured tablet ... only thing it lacks is GPS.

Get a Nook Color - the prices must have come down now that B&N has their new thing out - and then get an n2a card for like another 20-30 bucks, and you've got a full-on Android tablet. The n2a card comes pre-loaded with just about all the software you'll ever actually use, too.

[dtjester]

+1 for nook color or kindle fire

[low94noma]

The Nook Color would be my second option compared to the Vizio Tablet. Both can be had for about the same price. Look into the tablets you can root, which both the Vizio and the Nook Color can be rooted. You would have to follow online tutorials or have someone experienced to root it or you might end up bricking it. Rooting is like jailbreaking your phone, it allows you to have more flexibility with the system settings and more availability as far as applications go. There are many Android apps that require the app to modify system settings when running that would not be available without having a rooted tablet. Search rooting, there are pros and cons to both but I recommend it as long as you do it slowly and carefully, it can be pretty confusing but I think that will give her more flexibility in the Tablet and make it feel more "personal". The Vizio is a great, proven tab for the price range whether rooted or not, that would be my first rec.

[low94noma]

The n2a card comes pre-loaded with just about all the software you'll ever actually use, too.

+1, it will actually take some of the headache away form rooting if you did not want to go that direction.

[low94noma]

And I forgot to mention that rooting voids the factory warranty, it can be reversed but just as difficult as the rooting process itself.

[dtjester]

And I forgot to mention that rooting voids the factory warranty, it can be reversed but just as difficult as the rooting process itself.

I didn't think rooting was all that difficult

[low94noma]

I didn't think rooting was all that difficult

You are one of the lucky few, depends on the Tab and what OS you want to install. There are developers that developed all-in-one one-click programs to root too. But most software is open sourced so you would never run out of people developing new/or modifying existing software to make it better.

[Gringo Bandito]

Sounds like the kindle fire would be a solid choice for the application. You may want to check out the 7in galaxy tablet from Verizon. Last I checked it was $199(don't hold me to that) But does required a contract and data plan.

Galaxy 10.1 $429.99. iPad $499-$629 and the new Moto table that launched today is mid 500. All of these are solid choices if you want to spend more.

[Peter.Steele]

And I forgot to mention that rooting voids the factory warranty, it can be reversed but just as difficult as the rooting process itself.

Actually, the N2A card doesn't void the warrantee on the Nook. Also, reversing it is as simple as powering it off and pulling the card. You'll re-start with the normal Nook operating system after wards. And rooting it ... as simple as putting the card in the slot and turning it on.

That's all there was to it.

[dtjester]

You are one of the lucky few, depends on the Tab and what OS you want to install. There are developers that developed all-in-one one-click programs to root too. But most software is open sourced so you would never run out of people developing new/or modifying existing software to make it better.

For what its worth I installed cyanogen mod 7 on mine. Everything I needed to know was on a YouTube video about it.

[akoba]

Buy a used wifi only iPad in craigslist.