Please stop with all the crap 7 inch Android tablets already

[ponyo]

And the availability?

See if Sammy's Tab 3 lineup is worth a look in a few weeks.

Price will be the key. Note 8 needs to be cheaper than the iPad Mini and below $300. I have a feeling it won't be though.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

And they're mostly crap, even the good ones aren't close to as good as iOS tablet apps. Numbers mean nothing, I'll take 100 great apps over 675k of junk. Not even taking into consideration the majority of those 675k apps don't have tablet versions.

They why didn't you move to Windows RT/8? They don't have the most apps but the few good Modern apps released so far have considerably better layouts than iOS tablet apps. Not to mention the Windows Store seems to be growing at a decent pace, a lot of the essentials are already covered and since MS provided excellent development tools (unlike Apple) things should only get better with time.

 

[Stone Rain]

In general a cheaper, low end but functional device will sell way better than a higher end, more powerful and expensive device, at least with something like a 7 inch tablet. For the tablet market at least, most users are more concerned with "does it work", and "how pricey is it" than if it's truly a high quality device.

 

[QueBert]

They why didn't you move to Windows RT/8? They don't have the most apps but the few good Modern apps released so far have considerably better layouts than iOS tablet apps. Not to mention the Windows Store seems to be growing at a decent pace, a lot of the essentials are already covered and since MS provided excellent development tools (unlike Apple) things should only get better with time.

Don't think there's a 7" Windows RT Tablet that I can buy for the price of the iPad Mini. Also Windows RT is severely lacking on good games. Windows 8 tab's will be another story, but they will be expensive as hell and probably not ever in a 7" form factor.

 

[lopri]

WinRT tablet will not come in 7", imo, until MS completes Metrofied Office and gets rid of desktop completely.

 

[Eug]

Agreed. They need to improve on the Nexus 7. Specifically, it has a terrible speaker.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Agreed. They need to improve on the Nexus 7. Specifically, it has a terrible speaker.

- Screen
- Haptic feedback
- Rear camera

That's fine if Google wants to make a $199 tablet, but they should also go for a slightly higher end version. Same goes with the phone. I know the Nexus 7 was a retreat from the 10" tablet wars and also ceding the high end ground to try low priced tablets.

I'd hope they build a solid product next round now that they know what's up.

 

[ponyo]

Well, I'm expecting 1080P for the Nexus 7 sequel this June/July. I want minimum S4 Pro and 1920x1080. And the same $200/250 price points. And launched with Key Lime Pie. Anything else will be a disappointment.

These 1024x600 tablets can move down to $99 or less where they belong. HP is going for $99 Touchpad repeat with their 7" tablet.

 

[jhansman]

Samsung Tab 2 already beat them to the punch. I have no idea what these other companies are thinking. $99 tablets here we come.

This. The 10.1 version is equally a good value.

 

[lopri]

I agree with the OP. Android has matured tremendously and for those who have used computers for more than web browsing the OS itself can be a lot of fun to play with. And Google's search expertise makes it incredibly fun to find apps that do things that you've never thought about doing on phones/tablets.

I will have no problem shelling out more $$$ for higher quality Android tablets when the upgrade time comes.

 

[Geekbabe]

ASUS, HP, and Lenovo all have sub $200 7 inch tablets coming out. They all seem to have rather low end processors and screens. All of them being only 1024x600 resolution, most not even IPS. And all these are priced between $150 and $200.

I don't get what these guys are thinking. Why in the world would anyone spend nearly $200 on a tablet that is much worse than the Nexus 7 that has been out over half a year already? Why do they think just being $30 to $50 cheaper is going to make their crap tablet compelling? I guess they'll find some suckers for this.

I don't mind so much that they are making these crap tablets. But that they aren't making higher end Android tablets.

It's 2013 and it still seems to be impossible to find anything that is better than the Nexus 7.

Why is there no 7 inch 1440x900 IPS tablet with a quad core processor (or dual A15), 2GB of RAM, micro SD slot, micro HDMI out, and stereo speakers? Why does this not exist?

B&N has the 1440x900 IPS panel on it's 7 inch Nook HD. Amazon Kindle Fire HD has nice stereo speakers. It's like my choices are fast stock Nexus 7, great sounding Fire HD, or high DPI Nook HD. Why can't I just have it all? I'd pay more money for a good 7 inch tablet.

Why? Because you are in the 1%, most average people view tablets as high tech toys & balk at the price of higher end tablets. There are a LOT more average people than there are geeks who will pony up a few extra bucks to buy a better Nexus 7.

Mother's day & Father's day are coming, people who won't shell out $329 plus tax for an ipad mini just might decide that they can & will spring for a $170 device so mom can read the news over her morning coffee or so that dear old Dad can have a new toy to tinker with.

You gotta remember, people like us are outliers, we want cutting edge, we want the highest screen quality, we want & are willing to pay for all the things. For the vast majority of people this isn't sustainable, practical or anywhere near the top of their priority list.

A lot of my blog readers have been reminding me of this pretty strongly, I'm getting emails that say " sure you love that phone, it's $300 with a 2 year contract, I have a husband & 2 teenagers needing new phones, how about doing a review round up of mid level & low priced or free phones that are within our budget?"

I'm interested in seeing if any of the oem's can put together a 7 inch device with solid build quality & reasonable features for under $200.

 

[HeXen]

While obviously us tech literate folk know the difference between good and bad when it comes to gadgets, most do not, and so they are likely to buy things just because they're cheaper.

Until they learn how quickly unhappy they are with it. I used to always buy the cheaper version of something...not gadget or tech wise. Like from work boots to concrete mix. I finally learned not to do that, i research more now and if i'm not sure, i'll buy the pricier item.

It's about buying something you'll be happy with, i got tired of buying things and not being satisfied, i would think many consumers do that too.

 

[Geekbabe]

Until they learn how quickly unhappy they are with it. I used to always buy the cheaper version of something...not gadget or tech wise. Like from work boots to concrete mix. I finally learned not to do that, i research more now and if i'm not sure, i'll buy the pricier item.

It's about buying something you'll be happy with, i got tired of buying things and not being satisfied, i would think many consumers do that too.

I agree with this in general .. but I think for a lot of folks a budget tablet makes good sense though, they get a chance to see if the device has a place in their life. If they love it chances are good they'll max out the device capabilities & upgrade as soon as they can, passing the device onto a child or other family. If the tablet ends up being a flop for them, then they haven't spent upwards of $300 to have a device collecting dust on their coffee table.

 

[poohbear]

I was in china & korea recently on business, they have cheap tablets everywhere, mostly for kids or ppl that can't afford $230 on a tablet. Its NOT a needed product like a computer or even a smartphone, so why splurge on it? What's so difficult to understand?

Actually, look @ my system specs, im a hardcore geek, and i dont even own a tablet! I could never justify buying one: i have a laptop, have a 5" galaxy note smartphone (the "phablet"), so where would it fit in my needs? Its a luxury item cause its completely a toy.

 

[lopri]

@Geekbabe: I think what OP laments isn't the abundance of affordable tablets or lack of them. The way I read his OP is while he doesn't mind affordable tablets, he would also like to see more polished hardware that run Android OS. I think it is a reasonable expectation and from the looks of things s/he may get her/his wish later this year when OEMs get their hands on newer chips and the next version of Android (Key Lime Pie) hits.

 

[Geekbabe]

I was in china & korea recently on business, they have cheap tablets everywhere, mostly for kids or ppl that can't afford $230 on a tablet. Its NOT a needed product like a computer or even a smartphone, so why splurge on it? What's so difficult to understand?

Exactly this! OEM's are NOT targeting the geek niche with these offerings ( though i suspect many geeks will buy merely to tinker) they're going after families with 2-3 kids all clamoring for tablets who are unable/ unwilling to shell out Apple prices.

 

[Geekbabe]

@Geekbabe: I think what OP laments isn't the abundance of affordable tablets or lack of them. The way I read his OP is while he doesn't mind affordable tablets, he would also like to see more polished hardware that run Android OS. I think it is a reasonable expectation and from the looks of things s/he may get her/his wish later this year when OEMs get their hands on newer chips and the next version of Android (Key Lime Pie) hits.

Oh I get that clearly! My son has a Kindle Fire HD, loves it, uses the crap out of it & doesn't want a 10.1 inch tablet. I'm sitting here waiting on something higher end in the smaller form factor to surprise him with. Unfortunately though, I suspect people like us are in the minority, OEM's will probably sell a lot more of this mass produced, budget priced devices than they would beefier versions.

 

[ponyo]

Why? Because you are in the 1%, most average people view tablets as high tech toys & balk at the price of higher end tablets. There are a LOT more average people than there are geeks who will pony up a few extra bucks to buy a better Nexus 7.

Mother's day & Father's day are coming, people who won't shell out $329 plus tax for an ipad mini just might decide that they can & will spring for a $170 device so mom can read the news over her morning coffee or so that dear old Dad can have a new toy to tinker with.

You gotta remember, people like us are outliers, we want cutting edge, we want the highest screen quality, we want & are willing to pay for all the things. For the vast majority of people this isn't sustainable, practical or anywhere near the top of their priority list.

A lot of my blog readers have been reminding me of this pretty strongly, I'm getting emails that say " sure you love that phone, it's $300 with a 2 year contract, I have a husband & 2 teenagers needing new phones, how about doing a review round up of mid level & low priced or free phones that are within our budget?"

I'm interested in seeing if any of the oem's can put together a 7 inch device with solid build quality & reasonable features for under $200.

The problem is what you're asking for already exists. That is our confusion. Companies like HP are late to the party with their budget 7" offering. You have the Nexus 7 at $200/250 for the premium and power users. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7" at $200 for someone who wants mSD and Samsung branded "Galaxy" product. Kindle Fire HD at $200 and Fire at $169 for casual and Amazon customers. And then you have the cheap no name $50-$100 Chinese tablets you can buy from stores Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Frys, and Walmart. Just on Walmart.com there are 52 tablets under $200 with many Chinese tablets in the $80 range. http://www.walmart.com/browse/ipad-ereaders/tablet-pcs/3944_1078524_1078084/?tab_value=all&facet=price%3a%24100+-+%24150%7c%7cprice%3a%2450+-+%24100%7c%7cprice%3a%24150+-+%24200&pref_store=1578&ss=false&ic=32_0

 

[Geekbabe]

The problem is what you're asking for already exists. That is our confusion. Companies like HP are late to the party with their budget 7" offering. You have the Nexus 7 at $200/250 for the premium and power users. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7" at $200 for someone who wants mSD and Samsung branded "Galaxy" product. Kindle Fire HD at $200 and Fire at $169 for casual and Amazon customers. And then you have the cheap no name $50-$100 Chinese tablets you can buy from stores Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Frys, and Walmart. Just on Walmart.com there are 52 tablets under $200 with many Chinese tablets in the $80 range. http://www.walmart.com/browse/ipad-ereaders/tablet-pcs/3944_1078524_1078084/?tab_value=all&facet=price%3a%24100+-+%24150%7c%7cprice%3a%2450+-+%24100%7c%7cprice%3a%24150+-+%24200&pref_store=1578&ss=false&ic=32_0

Yeah but those are "no name" tablets who's warranties will be questionable to even the most average consumer. OEM's like HP are household names to everyday people, a budget tablet bearing the HP brand & backed by their support & warranty will sell a lot of devices in the $150 price range.

 

[vshah]

Why? Because you are in the 1%, most average people view tablets as high tech toys & balk at the price of higher end tablets. There are a LOT more average people than there are geeks who will pony up a few extra bucks to buy a better Nexus 7.

Mother's day & Father's day are coming, people who won't shell out $329 plus tax for an ipad mini just might decide that they can & will spring for a $170 device so mom can read the news over her morning coffee or so that dear old Dad can have a new toy to tinker with.

You gotta remember, people like us are outliers, we want cutting edge, we want the highest screen quality, we want & are willing to pay for all the things. For the vast majority of people this isn't sustainable, practical or anywhere near the top of their priority list.

A lot of my blog readers have been reminding me of this pretty strongly, I'm getting emails that say " sure you love that phone, it's $300 with a 2 year contract, I have a husband & 2 teenagers needing new phones, how about doing a review round up of mid level & low priced or free phones that are within our budget?"

I'm interested in seeing if any of the oem's can put together a 7 inch device with solid build quality & reasonable features for under $200.

why would they buy a 170 device with worse specs and probably zero positive reviews versus the known entity 199 nexus 7 that has been talked about and reviewed well for the past year. sure, if your budget is hard capped then you'll go for the cheaper one, but many people will make that jump. to the non-geek consumer, there are basically 3 tablets out there under $200 that they have even heard about - kindle fire, nook, and nexus 7.

you should definitely remind your more budget conscious readers about tmobile's value plans. bring your own (cheap) device and save a ton on monthly costs. I pay <$150 for 5 lines, 4 with data.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Why? Because you are in the 1%, most average people view tablets as high tech toys & balk at the price of higher end tablets. There are a LOT more average people than there are geeks who will pony up a few extra bucks to buy a better Nexus 7.

Mother's day & Father's day are coming, people who won't shell out $329 plus tax for an ipad mini just might decide that they can & will spring for a $170 device so mom can read the news over her morning coffee or so that dear old Dad can have a new toy to tinker with.

You gotta remember, people like us are outliers, we want cutting edge, we want the highest screen quality, we want & are willing to pay for all the things. For the vast majority of people this isn't sustainable, practical or anywhere near the top of their priority list.

A lot of my blog readers have been reminding me of this pretty strongly, I'm getting emails that say " sure you love that phone, it's $300 with a 2 year contract, I have a husband & 2 teenagers needing new phones, how about doing a review round up of mid level & low priced or free phones that are within our budget?"

I'm interested in seeing if any of the oem's can put together a 7 inch device with solid build quality & reasonable features for under $200.

It's good to make some budget tablets. But when you buy something less than a Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD or Nook HD, you are not getting your money's worth. There is a huge drop off in quality with these newly announced sub $200 tablets. But fine, some people just don't care I get that. Though I don't believe they equal 99% of the tablet shoppers.

I probably shouldn't say stop with the crap tablets, I'm sure there is money to be made off the suckers. But I'd really like to see some quality tablets in addition too. A retina iPad mini is likely coming out this year, I'd hate to feel like I have no choice but to buy this because all the Android manufactures gave up are are trying to sell $150 tablets at Walmart to gramma and grandpa instead.

 

[Geekbabe]

It's good to make some budget tablets. But when you buy something less than a Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD or Nook HD, you are not getting your money's worth. There is a huge drop off in quality with these newly announced sub $200 tablets. But fine, some people just don't care I get that. Though I don't believe they equal 99% of the tablet shoppers.

I probably shouldn't say stop with the crap tablets, I'm sure there is money to be made off the suckers. But I'd really like to see some quality tablets in addition too. A retina iPad mini is likely coming out this year, I'd hate to feel like I have no choice but to buy this because all the Android manufactures gave up are are trying to sell $150 tablets at Walmart to gramma and grandpa instead.

Rav, I think a lot is going to depend on how successful brands like Google & Amazon are at monetizing their lower priced offerings. Building a top quality device costs a certain amount of money & what is the point of doing that if you aren't making a profit? Amazon & Google are betting the farm that selling hardware basically at cost will yield them a profit by bringing people into their ecosystems. I think a lot of other brands have sadly given up on the idea of beating Apple out at the top tier price point & are setting their sites at the more budget orientated consumer. Will OEM's like HP be able to create their own ecosystems? Lure in consumers & be able to offer higher quality devices at close to cost, that I think is key.

 

[Tom]

Exactly this! OEM's are NOT targeting the geek niche with these offerings ( though i suspect many geeks will buy merely to tinker) they're going after families with 2-3 kids all clamoring for tablets who are unable/ unwilling to shell out Apple prices.

Excellent point. Even compared to the N7, 3 times $170 tablets is a lot cheaper than 3 times $250.

And the HP for $169 has more than good enough specs to run almost all the apps and games. I'm very happy with my Nexus 7 but I would like a front facing camera.

 

[Red Storm]

Excellent point. Even compared to the N7, 3 times $170 tablets is a lot cheaper than 3 times $250.

And the HP for $169 has more than good enough specs to run almost all the apps and games. I'm very happy with my Nexus 7 but I would like a front facing camera.

You mean rear camera?

Honest question, who here actually takes photos out and about with their tablet? Especially when you more than likely have a smartphone? I'm not excusing the missing rear camera from the Nexus, I can definitely see uses for it at home, but I'm just wondering if anyone here actually uses one as a camera out and about? I remember seeing this kid holding up their giant iPad as they were walking through the museum. It looked ridiculous and tiring.

 

[Tom]

Yea, the missing rear camera. Partly for grabbing shots when I'm using the N7 but also for games or apps that need a rear camera to work.