which tablet should i buy with a $400 budget?

[vshah]

Don't rule out that the W8 beta being out not to much after the TF2. If that is case might wanna look into a W7 tablet and put W8 beta on it. That is my plan full fledged OS + browsing FTW. Right now both the Ipad and Android tablets are just way to limited thanks to phone like OS.

you do realize there are roughly zero windows desktop apps compiled for ARM right?

 

[AstroManLuca]

ok so my friend tells me to get the upcoming kindle fire...
and i can't tell from the product page on amazon... is it a full android tablet or is it customized for amazon? can i buy and use android apps as if it's a normal android tablet?

btw, transformer 2 ETA is early next month

It's a custom Amazon tablet. The OS is Android at its core, but it doesn't have any standard Android apps. You'll be limited to using the Amazon app store to get other apps unless you hack the thing, which might not even be that viable since it doesn't have an SD card slot.

I'm kind of stuck between the Fire (fast hardware, locked-down software), the Lenovo Ideapad A1 (slower hardware, but running normal Android), and the Transformer 2 (twice the cost, but does everything). And there's always the Nook Color 2 that will probably come out sometime this year and will probably be similar to the Ideapad A1 - not the fastest hardware but quite possibly more open than the Fire.

 

[BladeVenom]

Amazon said they are not going to try to stop it from being modded.

 

[quest55720]

you do realize there are roughly zero windows desktop apps compiled for ARM right?

I don't want the gimped arm version of W8 Might as well do an Ipad if I went the arm version. I am talking the 86 version and real programs. The MSI windpad runs the developer version of W8 very well. I am willing to give up battery life for a full fledged OS that runs the same progams as my desktop especially at work. I am sure battery life will be much better as W8 86 launches. There will be a new generation of zacate on 32/28nm and W8 will have been tweaked for performance and battery life.

http://www.techspot.com/review/441-msi-windpad-110w-windows-8/page5.html