[axllebeer]

Browsing around the web this morning I came across this article and almost all of the complaints seem to me to be solved buy 1 simple solution:
If you own a BlackBerry smartphone and want a tablet, then it's a no brainor to get the PlayBook. (Of course I already knew this) Here's the article...


Why people hate on-contract tablets

[BigBadWulf]

One thing they inexplicably missed was Wi-Fi hotspot capability. Seems to me that would be the main motivation of most tablet users, for avoiding one with mobile capability, combined with PB users having the bridge.

[barkomatic]

I never understood why carriers/tablet makers *ever* thought that a tablet with a data contract would be successful in the mass market. Most people who buy tablets only want to use data when they need it on occasional trips--and not be locked into 2 years of service whether you need it or not.

You can pay full price for the tablet, but the carriers have still been in the practice of slapping an activation fee on top of the data charges for nonconsecutive service. That makes it extremely expensive if you need data service in May, but don't need it in June or July--but then again in August. You'll get an activation fee each time you activate. Absolutely stupid.

However, this is changing. The other day when I was in the AT&T store the rep told me that the Jetstream would no longer suffer activation fees if you wanted to buy it off contract. It can be set up as pre-paid data just like the iPad. I'm not sure its true, but I hope this practice becomes standard.

[Economist101]

Browsing around the web this morning I came across this article and almost all of the complaints seem to me to be solved buy 1 simple solution:
If you own a BlackBerry smartphone and want a tablet, then it's a no brainor to get the PlayBook. (Of course I already knew this) Here's the article...


Why people hate on-contract tablets

The article reads more like an explanation of why people are passing on 3G connected tablets than it does "on-contract" tablets, especially since the two are not equivalent in all cases.

[alnamvet68]

Good article. I briefly had a Toshiba Netbook that was tied to the carrier, and I returned it within a week, realizing that the overall cost of ownership over 2 years was just not worth it. The Toshiba was not subsidized, so I paid MSRP, and having to spend $30.00+ more each month for 24 months was insane. Perhaps I would go for, say an Apple iPad 3G if it was subsidized for free by my carrier on the condition I contract for 24 months a data plan, and over a 24 month period, the total cost for iPad and data service would be right in line with what I would pay for a 3G tablet if I didn't ever have to add additional service for data, which combined with 3 phones, I would never ever use anyway. Data is data, and if I pay for 2GB per month, and stay within that parameter/limitation, and that would be for any and all devices I may own, then I'm all for that. But this BS (which, BTW is not how they do things in South America) that you pay for a so-called "unlimited" data plan, then buy a 3G tablet, and then that unlimited plan is no longer unlimited, so now I have to buy another data plan for the tablet wreaks of felony theft, at best.

[axllebeer]

True, hot spot is very handy in all kinds of cases and was totally omitted. On other note, I really think that if someone were to buy a device like a tablet from a carrier they could waive the rebate and opt for free 3G data for "XX" ammount of time or pay for it but have unlimited data in place of a price cut.

[alnamvet68]

The Hotspot availability found a most newer phones is a great idea, but the problem is the carriers won't allow you to use it as was originally intended. Try to use your personal hotspot to tether your other devices, and you're connected to your carrier where you are required to sign up for an additional data plan. My in laws in South America use an iPhone 4 that they tether everything they own via its hotspot feature with no add on costs; they pay simply for data, nothing more.

[TheCLEANSER]

Thats an amazing article and pretty much sums it all up in one shot.