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Question

Best inexpensive tablet to buy (Android)?

Mar 14, 2015 8:28AM PDT

I am personally not a big tablet fan and don't want to spend much money on one. My GF wants to play the game Ingress as she works at the newspaper and the local tourism bureau is pushing this game. I want to get something good enough to play this game, browse the web, and watch the news. I read lots of reviews on cheap tablets from like Wal-Mart and such that say "This tablet worked great until it decided to quit working days or weeks after we bought it." You usually get what you pay for. Are there any cheapos that seem to hold up decent but don't have lots of RAM or CPU? How about models that are good used?

I am personally going to try out the Bluestacks emulator on a netbook I have but don't know if the GPS feature will be passed through correctly before getting a tablet.

I am not a fan of tablets when coming from using full-power Core i5 and i7 laptops which have plenty of power so just would want a basic one that works for pretty much this one purpose.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Frankly?
Mar 14, 2015 9:25AM PDT

See if this app is on the Kindle Fire models. I have no qualms recommending those.

How about something new like a 6 inch phone? The office picked up this Blu HD 6.0 Studio for 150ish and I like it. You don't have to slip in a GSM card. You can use it like a 6 inch tablet. I did slip in a 32GB memory card.

Besides that I've made calls and text messsages with Ring.to and calls with Google Hangouts, Of course folk drop such things then write badly about repair but check it out.
Bob

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mostly a nope for kindle fire
Mar 14, 2015 11:06AM PDT
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Answer
see the following
Mar 14, 2015 11:16AM PDT

I have the original galaxy note tablet (2013) and am waiting for the 2015 version (if there is one) so I really do not have any specific suggestion other than give a link. I would say to check out some of the older models thats been updated over the past year or so. The older models are usually a lot cheaper and should still do everything. you want. just won't have the latest features.

http://blog.laptopmag.com/best-cheap-tablets

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I see.
Mar 15, 2015 3:32AM PDT

Well I would have a hard time spending more than $100 for this but may get a new phone soon so will wait until then if that is what it takes. I really would have no other use for the tablet besides this one purpose. I have friends who love them and have some $600-700 ones but find myself longing for even a cheapo laptop after a few short minutes.

Also, does the game Ingress require a constant data connection? If so, a phone or tablet with a data plan may be required. In this case, the cheap tablet idea is really a no-go.

If a constant data connection isn't required, I plan to try it out with Bluestacks. It installed and loaded but I haven't set it up or tried to play it yet.

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About 150ish. The real deal. Nexus 7 32GB model.
Mar 15, 2015 3:37AM PDT
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Answer
About DATA CONNECTION. YES.
Mar 15, 2015 3:43AM PDT
https://www.ingress.com/ and other links tell me this is a MMO so a data link is required.

That site shows it on a big phone so I'm going to write a little more after it installs on the office's Blu HD Studio HD which has NO CELLULAR SERVICE and NO SIM CARD INSTALLED.

OK, it's installed, launched and wants to connect to Google's App Engine which confirms it's an online game.

Looks great on the 6 inch screen.
Bob
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More. To really get into it, you need cellular.
Mar 15, 2015 3:48AM PDT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6-JAm3NCAk#t=44

Since it's unsure if your connection can be WiFi only at the locations you go to, it appears you'll need not only the cell phone or tablet but a data connection.

You mention blustacks but is your laptop mobile enough to get in the game?
Bob
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The laptop is an 11.6 inch netbook
Mar 21, 2015 12:12AM PDT

It is a cheap Acer Pentium Dual Core 1.4GHZ based on the Sandy Bridge design. I have this plus I wouldn't want to use a more expensive unit in this situation in case it gets dropped or something.

Either way, it sounds like a data plan is required, not just WIFI when it is available. I thought maybe it would cache stuff and send when it had the opportunity but guess it is more meant for real time use. The laptop option is probably out even though Bluestacks and Ingress installed fine on it.

I will probably just wait until I upgrade my phone.

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Small world. Upgraded a few last month.
Mar 21, 2015 12:18AM PDT
https://www.google.com/#q=cnet+ting

So for the mid 150 we can get a 6 inch GSM phone that does work with said app over WiFi and then get on Ting's new GSM system for pretty cheap. You can control sms, data use via Ting's web control panel which I didn't find on say ATT.

That's as cheap as I've found it today.
Bob
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Answer
Best inexpensive tablet to buy (Android)?
Mar 20, 2015 8:55PM PDT

I recently bought a Samsung Tab S 8.4. I enjoy the Tab S 8.4. Light weight, high res screen (2500*1600).

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That is a nice tablet but not inexpensive.
Mar 21, 2015 12:37AM PDT

I personally don't like tablets and really only would want it for one main use (Ingress). Anyway, it now seems Ingress is more suited to a phone than a tablet (without a data plan) so will probably just wait until I get a phone.

Either way, Samsung is one of the top tier brands if you ask me and I view them as a direct competitor to Apple. I was more looking for a decent cheap no name tablet if one of those exists. I read lots of reviews on them that say they work great until they just quit one day. Obviously the quality isn't there on many of these.

I have a friend with a Hisense tablet. It was cheap from Wal-Mart on Black Friday and he really doesn't have a need for it so it only comes out to get the updates and keep the battery charged. He says it works fine but is never used so he isn't the one to ask about the long term durability of it. I tried to trade him out of it but it was a gift from a family member so feels obligated to keep it even though he says he wouldn't think twice about getting rid of it if it wasn't for that fact.

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Maybe this would work for you?
Jun 10, 2015 9:32PM PDT
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Answer
Best cheap tablet
Apr 24, 2015 11:54PM PDT

I would recommend the new Acer 7" Tab .. it has Android Honeycomb 3.2 (it's the first 7" with Android 3+) and it starts at $329.99 for the 8 gig model.. available at Walmart in my area.

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I think he have put off the idea for now.
Apr 25, 2015 2:14AM PDT

A tablet really isn't the answer and I might be upgrading my phone soon so I will just wait until that time.

Also, I know Acer makes some nice stuff but don't think i would spend $329 for something from Wal-Mart. I work on computers and routinely see stuff made for them that is just cheap. I think i would get some type of Samsung if I was spending that much.

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Also 8GB isn't that much memory for that amount of money
Apr 25, 2015 7:42AM PDT

It may have an SD card slot but still seems like it should have more memory for that kind of price.

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Answer
Android
Jul 16, 2015 12:25AM PDT

There are lot of android phone according to your budget. you can select it.