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Verizon Galaxy Tab at Bestbuy w/ No Contract?

T.C.

Newbie
Nov 14, 2009
18
0
So if you can pick this bad boy up at Bestbuy for $549 and no contract (per LINK) can you just use WIFI and not worry about getting a Verizon Contract?

Really want to get one of these, but would just use it around the house, thus I would just use WIFI, so no use to pay Verizon monthly.

I know I'm missing something.
 
Best Buy willing be selling a WiFi only version for $499

My understanding is that the WIFI ONLY version won't be released until sometime in early 2011. I'm looking to get one ASAP, so trying to figure out if its possible to get the Verizon Galaxy Tab from Bestbuy on Black Friday and just use WIFI.

Would the market, email, everything work just as it should? Any issues I should be aware of?
 
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Right, I understand that. My question is, is there any draw back to buying the Verizon one WITHOUT a contract, and only using WIFI.

Will it function properly? (market, email, web, apps, etc.)

I bought one !!!
I did have to pay for one month of data for twenty dallors (1gig) but can cancel that and just use wifi. But, I think the twenty per month is worth it for when there is no wifi around. Also if you cancel you will lose the asigned number but, you can always sign back up and get a new one. I rarely talk on my phone so if I can get skype and or google voice working well. Then I will no longer need a phone. You can also put a texting plan on the Tab.
So after my Droid contract expires, for 45 bucks a month I can have 3gig of data and 500 texts.

So to answer your question ... Everything sync'd up perfectly and works great. Even my paid apps downloaded and installed. Slingplayer rocks on the Tab. A nice little feature is the Tab can disable 3G data so no need to worry about background services using up data.

So far ... I am loving my Tab !!!
 
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gnath, thanks for the reply. So it sounds like everything would be fine running on just WIFI. So why is there a need for a WIFI only Tablet, if the ones out now can run on WIFI only? Doesn't seem to make sense.

Thanks again.

My guess is it will be cheaper since it has no radio in it for 3G services. I am gonna keep the minimum data on mine since $20.00 per month wont break me.
 
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do you know if you can group it on some sort of Family Plan with your phone? Right now I'm paying $115 or so for my cell phone (original Droid). Can't really see paying more money for data, when (if I remember correctly) you can tether it to your cell phone anyways.

Like I said, I plan on only using mine around the house as I can't think of any other reason I would use it. Bigger than my phone and my phone will do jsut about anything that the table will do.
 
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No you can not. It will be its own line but, after your first month and $20 if you drop the data you will have zero dollars on your bill per month on the Tab.

Android will not tether to android because of the lack of ad-hoc. Thats the only reason I have for paying the $20 data fee.
 
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No you can not. It will be its own line but, after your first month and $20 if you drop the data you will have zero dollars on your bill per month on the Tab.

Android will not tether to android because of the lack of ad-hoc. Thats the only reason I have for paying the $20 data fee.

You can use Hot Spot on your Android phone and not need a data plan on the Tab.
 
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You can use Hot Spot on your Android phone and not need a data plan on the Tab.

However, at least on verizon, hot spot is $20 a moth for 2G of data for my droid incredible. I was going to do that until I realized I can get 3G for $28 per month with the discount.

Overall the tab is great. The on screen keyboard works well. I'm still getting used to the different layout. I had a viewsonic g-tablet and the keyboard was very laggy.that with all of its other problems caused to go back and I became a galaxy tab owner. I wasn't crazy about the higher cost, but the samsung works.

randy
 
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I returned my VZW Tab and got the T-Mobile version because once again, VZW is up to it's old tricks of putting less hardware in their devices but charging the same if not more for it. VZW chose not to go with the 16gb internal memory and instead included a manditory 16gb external car. If you upgrade the card to a 32gb card that gives you 32 + 2 internal for a total of 34gb. The T-Mobile and Sprint version comes with 2gb Internal, 16gb Internal and a card slot for putting a 32gb Microsd card. That would add up to 50gb for the same price. Also VZW wanted $50.00 for 5gb with no overage allowed where T-Mobile has a faster network speed and it's $40.00 for 5gb with no overage charges. Also I got a 15% military discount with no taxes and fees. That makes it $35.00 a month for unlimited. Also T-Mobile only wanted $112.00 down plus one month of data upfront and then the remaining three payments of $112.00 are not due till Feb 2011 and then it's 112.00 amonth for three months. So that gives me till April to pay it off with a $50.00 check sent to me as a rebate. How can you lose? For those who don't want a contract, I can cancell at any time and just pay the $200.00 ETF, after a year it's $100.00 ETF. I save $200.00 up front so I'm okay with that.
 
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I'm pretty sure the Sprint version only comes with 2GB of internal memory... just like the Verizon one. The T-Mobile version is the only version (I believe) that has the 16GB internal storage.

I also went with the T-Mobile one... although I do like the white backing of the Sprint version and it is what I originally wanted, but the specs of the T-Mobile are better.

I still haven't hooked up 3G service though. Curious if you do get the 5Gb plan for $39.99.... does it also allow you to use the device as a "Hotspot" for other devices? Or is it something you have to pay extra for?

One last note. even though I did not start service with T-Mobile and I do not even have a plan, my device connects to the internet and I can surf it over their 3G network. The Wifi is turned off too. It was even before I connected to a Wifi network. Very weird. Wonder if you get a free month or something.
 
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I'm pretty sure the Sprint version only comes with 2GB of internal memory... just like the Verizon one. The T-Mobile version is the only version (I believe) that has the 16GB internal storage.

I also went with the T-Mobile one... although I do like the white backing of the Sprint version and it is what I originally wanted, but the specs of the T-Mobile are better.

I still haven't hooked up 3G service though. Curious if you do get the 5Gb plan for $39.99.... does it also allow you to use the device as a "Hotspot" for other devices? Or is it something you have to pay extra for?

One last note. even though I did not start service with T-Mobile and I do not even have a plan, my device connects to the internet and I can surf it over their 3G network. The Wifi is turned off too. It was even before I connected to a Wifi network. Very weird. Wonder if you get a free month or something.

Yes the Mobile AP works and its free. I almost had a heart attache when I couldn't find it. I was looking in the App drawer since I was used to VZW. I thought for a minute I was screwed. I thought was a GSM thing but then found it under Wireless settings.
 
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Could you explain what you meant by Mobile AP works and it's free?
I also went with the T-Mobile one, and bought a $10 pay as you go sim card.



Yes the Mobile AP works and its free. I almost had a heart attache when I couldn't find it. I was looking in the App drawer since I was used to VZW. I thought for a minute I was screwed. I thought was a GSM thing but then found it under Wireless settings.
 
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Could you explain what you meant by Mobile AP works and it's free?
I also went with the T-Mobile one, and bought a $10 pay as you go sim card.

I mean that there is no Hot Spot charge on top of your data plan. You can use it for as much data as you have. It works really well and the speed is fast if you are in the 4g or 3g network area.
 
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I was going to add Data Service with my T-Mobile Galaxy Tab yesterday, but discovered that you still have to sign a 2 year contract. The only way to get the 5GB a month plan for $39.99 a month is if you sign a 2-year contract. That bites. I just want a month to month plan like Verizon or AT&T has.

Has anyone got a month to month plan with T-Mobile?
 
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Has anyone got a month to month plan with T-Mobile?


It was an option when ordering from their website until this week. I stopped into a store that was selling them month to month and was told Tmobile corporate changed the rule as of Sunday that they needed to be sold with a two year contract.

Silly though as you could cancel at anytime and pay the ETF and essentially pay the $599(at most) for the TAB.

In the end is too many hoops for me to jump through as I don't really want a data plan.
 
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Show us where we can buy an Archos 70 now and I will. :rolleyes:

I got slammed REAL hard there :eek: ;)

Good point :)

I got the Viewsonic G-Tablet. Sucks butt out of box, but is good with one of the custom roms. For me, the good and bad points:

Good:

Plays Flash better than my Incredible or the Droid X
Great sound quality
Display looks nice- when staring directly at it
1.79gb for app storage :)
Great battery life
Play PSX games twice as good as the Incredible or the Droid X (no exaggeration)

Bad:

Out of box it sucks
Viewing angles are bad, so straight on or slightly off angle is only option (OK for me).
Some games do not install or work if installed (mapping and tegra issues to be fixed)- more games work than not, but Angry Birds is one that does not yet.
USB strange mode does not see both the internal and microsd card (only sees the internal space)
Stock rom is awful, so must update with custom rom for good performance

Good news is rooting and installing TnT 1.02 is VERY simple :)

Better news is more roms to come and based on update coming next week :)
 
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Yes it fills the whole screen.

That's great news. I know that you have to get Slingplayer through the Market. Did you have any issues with the Market not being on your Tab?

BTW...is yours a WiFi only? If not, who is your carrier? If you have 3G, is the Slingplayer experience good through 3G?

Sorry for all the questions but I really want one of these things and having a good Slingplayer experience with it is a significant factor moving me towards getting one.

Ken
 
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