Tablets in the sub $200 range

[Stirolak123]

Here is another device I found that has ipads basic functions and what most ppl uae n ipad for (esp those with macbook airs on the side or laptops):
http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/archos-7-home-tablet/4505-3126_7-34093843.html?tag=also

So why is apple charing so much for what is basically jut a largw ipod touch when you can have competing products for less than half the price? Sure there is less storage and features but the ipad doesnt have many more features than the ipod either and also costs more.

Also why is tne freaking psp still so expensive, its so old and outdated and irrelevant now so why hasnt sony dropped its price way down by now?

 

[Southern Dad]

So why is apple charing so much for what is basically jut a largw ipod touch when you can have competing products for less than half the price? Sure there is less storage and features but the ipad doesnt have many more features than the ipod either and also costs more.

From this quote, I can tell that you have little to no experience with an iPad. I've used an iPad since its release. I'm a heavy iPad user. I will tell you that unequivocally it is worth every penny that I paid for it. Prior to getting the iPad, I would answer emails from a MacBook or actually go to my computer room to use the Mac Pro. Now, I quickly answer emails from many accounts on my iPad.

Opening Word, Excel and PDF documents? iPad handles them all like a pro. The ipad sits on the arm of my favorite chair. When I want to know what is coming on television, I tap on the TV Guide app. Read a book? I've got iBook, Kindle and Nook at my fingertips.

In my vehicles the ipad is a GPS unit as well as an entertainment system. In my office, the iPad is great for a little background music and a digital picture frame. Quick check of the weather? There's an app for that. Need a reservation for lunch? Click on Open table.

The Archos 7 Home Tablet is $200 and can't do a fraction of what the iPad does. Even the link that you yourself posted is nothing but derogatory toward the device. Good luck with that.

 

[ditzy]

From reading the review, the best thing about that tablet is the price. You point out that the iPad doesn't do much more that the iPod touch, which is technically true, though it has a much better user experience for everything other than listening to music. You fail to point out, that the iPod touch does considerably more than this tablet. I'm almost certain that you would have a better experience using the touch rather than this tablet. Compared with the iPad it would lose in every way other than price.

 

[Stirolak123]

How can you say it isnt overpriced and that the ipod is a tablet computer? The nook (maybe kindle as well but it is more just about reaidng I heard) costs sub $200 as well and internet browsing and many non gmaing related tasks including ereading and I believe pdfs. On my ipad i cant get anything done because if I have more than a few tabs open on any browser, it crashes. I am also already totally out of space and its ridiculous I paid $500 for only 16 gb ans how little space they all have (memory). Heck try doing some real blogging using the wordpress ap. It constantly crashes or makes mistakes. There are even qorse apps out there. Or look at how vlc got pulled and u cant even watch air video movies because of drm issues from itunes. Its a hassle for the end user. And how can u say apple still shpuldnt drop the price or that it couldnt have added more memory space abd ram?

If all u do is watch netflix and surf any old tablet or even $130 dollar deices like the sonh dashwould do. What can the ipad really due that makea it more useful than cheaper devices?

 

[Stirolak123]

From reading the review, the best thing about that tablet is the price. You point out that the iPad doesn't do much more that the iPod touch, which is technically true, though it has a much better user experience for everything other than listening to music. You fail to point out, that the iPod touch does considerably more than this tablet. I'm almost certain that you would have a better experience using the touch rather than this tablet. Compared with the iPad it would lose in every way other than price.

Well this version is a bit more expensive and a lot better:
http://www.amazon.com/Archos-Intern...?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1294572404&sr=8-11

And this one has 500 gb:
http://www.amazon.com/Archos-500-In...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1294572463&sr=8-2

How can you say apple should still charge people $550 with the case for only a 16 gb device?

 

[rockinred]

The reason the pricing is where it is at is because of competition. There is none. It is a cool device to have so it comes with a heavy price tag. I paid the full deal for a 64mg iPad. I did this knowing that I was paying quite a bit for it. I didn't think I was getting a really good deal, but I had the extra cash and liked it.

Do I regret that I paid that much for it? no. Why, because I had the money and I liked it. In all honesty it shouldn't be that much compared to the prices for a notebook and the technical capabilities in comparison. But you are paying for innovation and convenience. You are right, in the pecking order of capabilities and current prices for PC device production, it should be around the 200-400 range.

With all that being said, if you want to wait for a few more years the competition and reality of the cost to generate these will cause the price to drop significantly. Look at the iPod... Apple almost tapped out the market on these compared to the early years. Prices will drop respectively in due time. So if you are that hell bent on getting a good deal than just wait. There are always those who buy early and first generation of products. It is not for everyone. Just about anything you can think of is the same way. Cars, Tv's, you name it. All the same way.

 

[Southern Dad]

Overgrown iPod Touch? Not hardly. Try entertaining your child while you drive with Netflix on an iPod. Try checking your email without a WiFi signal on your iPod. Try using your iPod for navigation. Try creating a Word/Pages or Excel/Numbers document on your iPod Touch.

Comparing an iPod Touch to an iPad is like comparing my daughter's 12 volt Barbie Jeep to my Lincoln Navigator. Either the iPod or the iPad will play a few mp3s but can the iPod go on Pandora? What about when you leave the driveway and that convenient WiFi signal?

 

[ditzy]

Well this version is a bit more expensive and a lot better:
http://www.amazon.com/Archos-Intern...?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1294572404&sr=8-11

And this one has 500 gb:
http://www.amazon.com/Archos-500-In...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1294572463&sr=8-2

How can you say apple should still charge people $550 with the case for only a 16 gb device?

Again it is about usability, every archos that I've ever used the UI has been awful. I'd rather spend $500 on something that I enjoy using, than the same on something I don't enjoy, but has better spec. Especially when that better spec is only really better in one area.

 

[filmbuff]

OP, have you ever used one of these competitor tablets? If you do you will find that they are nothing like an ipad. Questionable construction, terrible UI, and overall a worse user experience. Do you think an Archos will get 10 hours on one battery? And the downside of all that storage space is that it is on a slow spinning hard drive.

The $200 competitors don't even have a capacitive touch screen. They are resistive with no multi touch.

 

[Stirolak123]

Overgrown iPod Touch? Not hardly. Try entertaining your child while you drive with Netflix on an iPod. Try checking your email without a WiFi signal on your iPod. Try using your iPod for navigation. Try creating a Word/Pages or Excel/Numbers document on your iPod Touch.

Comparing an iPod Touch to an iPad is like comparing my daughter's 12 volt Barbie Jeep to my Lincoln Navigator. Either the iPod or the iPad will play a few mp3s but can the iPod go on Pandora? What about when you leave the driveway and that convenient WiFi signal?

I dont have any of those festures outside Iwork pages. My ipad is a 16 gb non 3g and apple charges $130 extra just for 3g that you need to subscribe monthly to anyway.

 

[jb007clone]

Buyer Beware: You get what you pay for. Having said that, this is supposed to be one of the 'better' sub $200 tablets:

http://www.amazon.com/Coby-MID7015-...screen/dp/B0047Q9GT4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

[mrboult]

Well in that video he pretty much says it all at the end. . . . something like. . .

"it isn't exactly dazzling but the price is great"

In my opinion if my iPad wasn't so "dazzling" i wouldn't use it. I'd use my laptop or iphone.

It is because my ipad can be so quick, efficient and "dazzling" at daily tasks that i use it so much.

 

[Southern Dad]

I dont have any of those festures outside Iwork pages. My ipad is a 16 gb non 3g and apple charges $130 extra just for 3g that you need to subscribe monthly to anyway.

I use the Pages and Numbers apps. They work perfectly for me. If you purchased the 16 GB without 3G, did you expect to be able to surf the web? That little $30 per month for the unlimited data plan is too much for you to spend?

 

[rusty2192]

From the link in the OP: "The bad: Its resistive touch screen is clunky, the processor is sluggish, storage is skimpy, and basic buttons for home screen and volume control are missing. There's no support for Adobe Flash, Bluetooth, GPS, video output, accelerometer, digital compass, and multitouch, and previous Archos tablet accessories are incompatible. App support is hit or miss--mostly miss."

Resistive touch screen? No thanks.

The Good: "The Archos 7 Home Tablet delivers a large screen, slim design, microSDHC-based memory expansion, and a familiar Android operating system, all for an unbeatable price."

So basically, the only thing that it has that is good compared to the iPad and other tablets is the price. And maybe the microSD slot. And it's screen is only about half the size.

You get what you pay for. Apple knows this all too well. Of course you are going to pay more, but you get a whole lot more in return for it. I love my iPad 64GB Wifi. Its the perfect travel companion.

 

[Stirolak123]

Why cant apple just allow more storage via sd cards instead of forcing customers to pay and arm and a leg for just a tuny bit more already crappy storage? Id rather had them pit a harddrive in there or something. I mean it cant be that expensive considering its just a big ipod and the ipod has more storage witj less space and costs less.

 

[From A Buick 8]

I suggest you return your iPad ( do it quick before the iPad 2 comes out) that way you can get one of those cool $200 devices.

 

[MrWillie]

Why cant apple just allow more storage via sd cards instead of forcing customers to pay and arm and a leg for just a tuny bit more already crappy storage? Id rather had them pit a harddrive in there or something. I mean it cant be that expensive considering its just a big ipod and the ipod has more storage witj less space and costs less.

Umm, Apple didn't force me to do anything. Sorry you are having a tough time.

http://www.lightinthebox.com/wholesale-Android-Tablets_c4781

You can keep the 800x480 'high resolution' screens, 2gigs of storage, no n, no mic or mic jack, ect...

 

[kdarling]

The $200 competitors don't even have a capacitive touch screen. They are resistive with no multi touch.

True, you have to move up to the Archos 70 ($275) or 101 ($300) to get capacitive.

(Those two tablets are hot right now, selling for 10-20% higher than retail on eBay.)

 

[chain752]

I dont have any of those festures outside Iwork pages. My ipad is a 16 gb non 3g and apple charges $130 extra just for 3g that you need to subscribe monthly to anyway.

Just because you didn't get 3g doesn't mean you can complain about what it can't do to everybody else who is perfectly happy with their product.