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One-day deal: Get a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablet for $29.99

What's the catch? You probably guessed it: you'll have to sign up for a two-year contract with AT&T. Still, are we almost at the point of getting the tablet for free?

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
2 min read
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a powerful 7-inch Android tablet.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a powerful 7-inch Android tablet. Samsung

It was just last week that I wrote about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablet with 3G for $249.99. Now, all of a sudden, you can get the same model for $29.99 shipped. Today only.

What's the catch? Actually, there are two. First, this is a refurbished Tab with a 90-day warranty. Second, to get the tablet at that price, you must sign up for a two-year data contract with AT&T.

Now, if you were planning to do that anyway, this is just about the tablet deal of the decade. (Granted, the decade's barely two years old, but still.) It's a stone's throw from "buy the service, and we'll give you the tablet free."

AT&T's only available data plan for the Galaxy Tab runs $35 per month, which includes 3GB of data. Each additional gigabyte will cost you an additional $10.

Personally, I'd rather pay for a mobile hotspot I can use with multiple devices, but that's just me. For example, TruConnect offers a pay-as-you-go Novatel MiFi 2200 that works with up to five devices. And depending on your usage, you'd probably end up spending less than $35 monthly. Just a thought.

I'm a bit surprised AT&T is doing this with refurbished Tabs rather than new ones, but perhaps they're testing the waters on a dirt-cheap tablet option. I mean, think about it: what if you could get, say, an iPad for $99.99, provided you signed up for two years of service? Would you do it?

And never mind that; what about this? Is the allure of a $30 Android tablet (a good one) enough to get you to spring for a service plan? Or would you rather pay more for a Wi-Fi-only model (like, say, the Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet) and BYO 3G? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments.