Vizio VTAB: What Do You Get, etc.?

[SEMIJim]

Hi All,

Shopping at Costco this afternoon, my wife and I saw the Vizio VTAB and were pretty impressed. So we're considering buying a pair. But in reading the reviews on Amazon, and comments in a ZDNet article linked here, I suspect that few of the apps that were on the demo device at Costco (identical demo on Vizio's web site) are actually included with the device.

So I'm wondering: Does anybody know for sure what apps that tablet includes, and what apps one would have to buy to make it a truly usable device? Would certainly want a browser, POP3/IMAP email app with TLS/SSL support, and preferably a FaceBook app. Picture/image/graphics editing? The Nook reader? Another app that would be desirable, for me would be an SSH client. An app that can play music? Google Earth? Does the USB support on these things support USB filesystem, so you can hook just any old camera up, browse it, and grab its pictures?

Brand-new to this whole tablet thing, and just wondering what I can expect.

I realize the Vizio product isn't the fastest thing in the tablet market, and we're probably going to want to add microSDHC cards to them, but I think they'll do for our modest requirements--providing they either include or we can get (inexpensively!) capable apps.

Oh yeah, in the Amazon user reviews, somebody wrote that you had to have a Google account, with an associated gmail address, to do just about anything with this tablet. What's that all about, if anything?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[bclinger]

It utilities Google to verify bunches of things in its routine operation. When buying a tablet, look at what you want to do, how much you will use it, does it meet your minimum connectivity issues, et cetera. Cost is a factor, but the more you use it, the more you will realize it does or does not meet your needs. Is screen size important? an inch or so may not seem important, but it just might be. Does it support more memory? those are the questions to consider when looking at a device. I did bunches of looking and ended up with the Acer A500.

 

[SEMIJim]

It utilities Google to verify bunches of things in its routine operation.

May be a non-starter, then. I'm not particularly interested in something that's constantly phoning the mothership, swapping who-knows-what information with it.

When buying a tablet, look at ...

That's what I'm trying to do, by way of the questions I posted.

I've searched and searched, and have been unable to find any definitive answers to them. Thus my post.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[kdkinc]

Do yourself a favor and go to Walmart......
Check out the Acer 7" A100 tablet. I had the Vizio 8", now I have the Acer 7" and am quite pleased so far.
There good mid-level tablets but I feel Acer wins the battle hands down.

 

[SEMIJim]

Do yourself a favor and go to Walmart......
Check out the Acer 7" A100 tablet.

Looks to be slightly more expensive than the VTAB, and I kind of like the VTAB's 8" screen. It looks like the VTAB has longer runtime on a charge?

I had the Vizio 8", ...

What did you not like about the VTAB? What specifically do you like better about the A100?

Thanks,
Jim