X

Get a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablet with 3G for $255

Sprint's 3G service is optional, but even without it, the Tab packs plenty of Android power.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
3 min read
Samsung

The other day I polled CNET Marketplace readers and asked them to name the "best" size for a tablet: 7-inch, 10-inch, or maybe something else.

This is an update of a deal I posted a couple months ago.

The results so far? Most users prefer the big 'uns. Of course, maybe that's because they haven't tried a 7-inch model yet.

Here's your chance to do that on the cheap.

Until 9 p.m. PT, and while supplies last, Yugster has the refurbished Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch Android tablet with Sprint 3G for $254.97, plus $5 for shipping. That's a few bucks more than the last time I wrote about it, but still a very solid deal.

(Too pricey? CowBoom has a limited supply of pre-owned Galaxy Tabs with Verizon 3G for $209.99 shipped, but these models may have physical blemishes and/or missing items. Still...)

Let's do a little comparison shopping. The Kindle Fire is priced at $199, while the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet runs $249. What does the Galaxy Tab offer that those models don't? In addition to a full, open Android OS, three key features: Bluetooth, front- and rear-facing cameras, and 3G.

Bluetooth is great if you want to stream audio to an external speaker or car stereo. You could even pair a headset if you wanted to use the Tab for Skype calls or the like.

Likewise, the front-facing camera enables video calling, while the rear-facing one (though a bit limited at 3 megapixels) is fun for casual snapshooting, moviemaking, and the like.

Finally, 3G. This is the Sprint version of the Tab, but there's no data plan included. That's a good thing: you can sign up for one if you want, but you're not locked into a two-year contract from the get-go. Sprint has plans that start at $19.99 per month.

The Galaxy Tab runs Android 2.2, but I'm sure it can be rooted to run other versions. I've got the Wi-Fi version of this tablet, and I like it a lot--everything except for battery life, which has been so so. (See how I improved it.)

Yugster's warranty is a mediocre 60 days, and I've never purchased a refurbished item from them, so I can't say whether this Tab will arrive looking brand new or somewhat used. Even so, you're looking at some considerable small-tablet power for $260 out the door. Not too shabby!

Bonus deal: If you can buy an 8GB flash drive for eight bucks, it stands to reason you should be able to get a 16GB drive for 16 bucks, right? Wrong: While supplies last, Buy.com has the Kingston DataTraveler Generation 3 16GB flash drive for just $13.95 shipped. Not wild about the easy-to-lose cap, but, hey, it's 14 bucks!

Bonus deal No. 2: Need some portable juice for your smartphone or, say, small tablet? Today only, Woot has a two-pack of Duracell rechargeable lithium ion battery packs for $14.99, plus $5 for shipping. They're compatible with USB, Micro-USB, and Mini-USB devices, and they recharge via your PC's own USB ports. Great little item to keep on hand in your car, purse, briefcase, etc.

Bonus deal No. 3: CNET has a pretty sweet exclusive that just kicked off: The Pogoplug Mobile and 30GB of cloud storage (for one year) for $49.95 shipped. The Mobile by itself normally sells for $79.95, and a 30GB cloud account would normally run you $4.95 per month. Killer deal!