another Android noob looking for help

[zipflint]

Yep, just another goofus walking in here and blindly shouting for help!
I'm really really keen on learning about the Android tablet side of things.
Mainly because I really REALLY want a tablet for media consumption and light
photo and audio editing/creation.

I have no idea where to start. In my ignorance, I've stumbled across a trove of too-good-to-be-true
Chinese tablets that purport to have quad CPU AND GPU parts. Screen sizes around 9.1-10 inches.
(7inches is too small for my mits). These aren't "Apple" clones or fakes. But the pricing seems
to be around $250 for most of these. Sounds awesome! But are these for real? I don't even
know where to start looking. I'm totally lost.

So that's my introduction, which boils down to:
Hello! I'm an idiot.

 

[Spider]

Hi zipflint, welcome to the forum. Glad you decided to join us here at Android Tablets. The best place on the forum for "shopping" information and recommendations is the Android Tablet Discussions section. I'm going to move your thread over there for you so folks can discuss your tablet requirements with you and hopefully make some suggestions. Good luck!

 

[Frederuco]

In my opinion, I would try to stick to a major brand (Acer, Asus, Samsung, Sony, Lenovo, Motorola, Kindle, Nook) as they tend to be quicker with firmware updates and have better support when you have issues.

Many of these cheaper tablets may work good, but some of them do not have access to Google Play unless you root (jailbreak) them and install it manually or run a different firmware. Many of these tablets are not as stable with the firmware that is out there.

If you DO decide to go with a cheaper tablet, be sure it is one with some support. I know the Coby tablets have some pretty solid support on this forum if you get stuck. If you get an off name brand, it can be tough if you get stuck in a bootloop or brick situation when trying to upgrade the firmware and have issues. The OEM may not even be in business by then.

Have a look at the main forum page and you can see which tablets have the most activity on them. Keep in mind some of the major ones have their own dedicated sister forums (AcerTabletForum.com, GalaxyTabForums.net, Xoomforums.com, TransformerForums.com) so they may not be that active here, but other places they may be. I am not sure that there are many other places on the net that would have a dedicated Coby forum other than XDA.

 

[darkriderk1200]

I like both the Asus TF300T and the Samsung Tab 2 10.1, but your chances of getting one for $250 are slim. $300 - $325 would be a better bet. For about $225, you could get the Ainol Novo Hero, which I've read good reviews on. I've seen the Fire/Flame (7" version), and build quality was good. It also has plenty of support on this site. If you're in the US, www.flsuperstore.com has them, and will remove all bloatware, flash to newest firmware, etc. before shipping!

 

[zipflint]

AhHA! That's the kind of info I was hoping for! Thank you VERY much!

I like both the Asus TF300T and the Samsung Tab 2 10.1, but your chances of getting one for $250 are slim. $300 - $325 would be a better bet. For about $225, you could get the Ainol Novo Hero, which I've read good reviews on. I've seen the Fire/Flame (7" version), and build quality was good. It also has plenty of support on this site. If you're in the US, www.flsuperstore.com has them, and will remove all bloatware, flash to newest firmware, etc. before shipping!

 

[zipflint]

Just out of curiosity, what do you all think about tablets like this:
Android Tablet Quad Core Sanei N10 Quad Core Tablet Pc Quad Core - Buy Android Tablet Quad Core,Android Tablet Quad Core,Android Tablet Quad Core Product on Alibaba.com

Again, the specs sound good. But I don't have an understanding of how these different chipsets affect the end user's ability to
access the main app markets, like Google Play. And I didn't even KNOW about the bloatware that apparently comes loaded on these
Chinese tablets. That's why I'm still liable to stick with flsuperstore.

I'm probably too hung up on specs, coming from the desktop PC world. I do a search at alibaba (only because it seems to list so many products,
not because I think it's a particularly good or reliable resource, mind you) and I get all kinds of Tegra3 and other quad-core 10-inch tablets with
pricing that appears to be between $200-$300. The vague odor of a swindle surrounds most of those....but I wanted to ask in here before
I form much of an opinion.

 

[raju201239]

In my opinion, I would try to stick to a major brand (Acer, Asus, Samsung, Sony, Lenovo, Motorola, Kindle, Nook) as they tend to be quicker with firmware updates and have better support when you have issues.

Many of these cheaper tablets may work good, but some of them do not have access to Google Play unless you root (jailbreak) them and install it manually or run a different firmware. Many of these tablets are not as stable with the firmware that is out there.

If you DO decide to go with a cheaper tablet, be sure it is one with some support. I know the Coby tablets have some pretty solid support on this forum if you get stuck. If you get an off name brand, it can be tough if you get stuck in a bootloop or brick situation when trying to upgrade the firmware and have issues. The OEM may not even be in business by then.

Have a look at the main forum page and you can see which tablets have the most activity on them. Keep in mind some of the major ones have their own dedicated sister forums (AcerTabletForum.com, GalaxyTabForums.net, Xoomforums.com, TransformerForums.com) so they may not be that active here, but other places they may be. I am not sure that there are many other places on the net that would have a dedicated Coby forum other than XDA.

Cheap & fake tablets are not solution for any need.

Without Google Play Store access there is hardly any use of having a tablet device. Your tablet will be more efficient & useful with Play Store Apps, Otherwise better not to buy a tablet.