Lowest Cost Android Tablet running Logos Beta

I'm running L4Android on a Color Nook with an $8 MicroSDHC card that I installed Gingerbread on.

I don't know of anything "full up" cheaper right now...for maximum cheap, buy a refurbished Color Nook.

However, if you are willing to accept some interface issues, then perhaps the cheapest is a Nook Touch, rooted to run L4Android.  Check out the linked video to see what issues you'd have to accept.

Building on Ward's comment, a Nook Color 2 is expected to be released this month, and Lenovo has introduced a 7 inch, $199 tablet. I'm looking into this myself, and with the prospect of decreasing prices along with advances in technology, I don't see putting $500 to $600 into a tablet at the present time.

One thing I do wonder is what does one give up in utilitizing Logos with a 7-inch display instead of a 10-inch display.

Consider buying a used tablet from a place like Craigslist. There are lots of people always trying to sell their tech from 6 months and a year ago so they an buy the latest. You can get some great deals that way. For example, a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" can be had for around $200. That is an excellent Android Tablet which runs Logos really well. Nook Colors can also be purchased used for $150 or less if you keep your eyes open. You want cheap, then consider used. Let someone else take the initial depreciation hit. [:)]

I am also using the Nook Color w/ Gingerbread - been very happy with it.

I have a Nook Touch...Great for an e-reader of your logos books

Consider the Lenovo A1 - $199 new, should be available shortly.  This video gives some of the pros/cons of buying at that price range.

Thanks, Daniel. That really looks like a great option. It looks like there are about to be quite a few attractive 7" tablets under $250.

If you can wait most people expect an Amazon tablet sometime in the next month or two.

That's true, but I'm wondering what separates the Amazon tablet from the Nook Color (isn't a Nook Color 2 about to be released?). Rumor has it that the Amazon tablet will be a 7" tablet with a forked Android OS. If the TechCrunch article is true, the Lenovo A1 that Daniel linked looks better to me. What do you think, Kevin?

Edit: I see that the A1 price layout may not be quite as attractive as at first blush: $200 (8GB), $250 (16GB), and $300 (32GB).

Hi Daniel. I agree with your assessment. I'm not sure I want to invest more than $250 in a tablet while the tablet market is in such a state of flux.

One thing about Android and 2.x versus 3.x OS, do any 7" screen tablets use the 3.x Android OS?

I'm wondering what separates the Amazon tablet from the Nook Color (isn't a Nook Color 2 about to be released?). Rumor has it that the Amazon tablet will be a 7" tablet with a forked Android OS. If the TechCrunch article is true, the Lenovo A1 that Daniel linked looks better to me. What do you think, Kevin?

Edit: I see that the A1 price layout may not be quite as attractive as at first blush: $200 (8GB), $250 (16GB), and $300 (32GB).

Those actually look pretty good considering that Android apps often take up less space plus you can add memory via microSD. That looks like a good value if it is fluid.

My only frustration with a 7" tablet would be using the screen space for Logos with hopefully more robust features in the future versions of the app. I had a Nook Color and I liked it, but you had to root it to get it to run Logos. I'm hoping that won't be the case with the Amazon tablet.

Amazon: most likely rooting will be necessary to install Logos since the Logos app is not currently available in the Amazon App Store, rooting will probably break stuff or Amazon may block it, and the tablet will be very Amazon-oriented

You don't have to root a tablet to side load apps on an Android tablet. I installed the Logos app before it was in the Market without rooting on my Android devices. If Logos makes it available online and Amazon allows for non Amazon App Store apps, you will be able to install. That last IF is a BIG if.

I believe an Amazon Tablet will be a high quality device with a lot
more options for audio, books, video, and apps. When it comes out it
will likely sell very well and draw apps to its app store that are not
currently available in it with my guess being that Logos will be
available.

The problem with budget tablets is they are always a huge compromise
when compared with the king of this space the iPad. I think the Amazon
tablet will be an exception, unless you consider 7" a compromise over
10".

When it ships I will be getting one to review it and will let you
guys know how it works.

Correct, but that assumes that you can get a current copy of the Logos for Android apk, which has been hit and miss whenever I've checked the beta download page.  And, like you said, that Amazon will allow sideloading - another big if. 

B&N probably needs the media attention from "It is possible to put Android 3.7 on the Nook!" (caveat: there is no Android 3.7), so to this point it seems they look the other way.  But Amazon will likely get press regardless of whether the tablet can be hacked, and when the whole thing is built so they can get you to buy from them, their motivation is low for letting you circumvent that environment.  Especially when they've been putting the pieces together for months (e.g. the Amazon App Store) vs. launching the device and hoping people hop on board.

I don't think it's quite far to put a device from Lenovo, B&N, or some decently established company in the same category as the random junk you can buy for $80-150 on eBay from unknown manufacturers.  Granted, Lenovo/B&N/Archos may not be backed by the same experience in device-building or customer support reputation as Amazon (B&N in particular is not so great with customer service, particularly phone support) but it's not like these are fly by night companies working out of a garage or warehouse, either.

The bottom line is that there are several decent 7" Android tablets in the $150-250 range with solid capacitive screens, good resolution (1024x600), and reasonably fast processors.  There are also some reasonably priced contenders in the 10" range like the Asus Transformer, which may hit $300 again after coupons or price drops when the next batch of quad-core tablets comes out in the next few months. 

Back to your original question, Bill, if you spend $200 today on a tablet, you should be able to sell it for at least $150 in a few months.  For example, the Nook Color was released as new for $249, but stayed at $180-200 used for quite a while.  iPads are even better, selling used for within 5% or 10% of their retail, and then within 20-25% after the next model comes out. So I'd get the use out of whichever tablet now and consider selling and upgrading around Black Friday or early next year if a better option becomes available.

I agree about a 7" screen not being optimal for tablets. I'm quite happy with my recent acquisition of the Asus TF101 Transformer, which is powered by a dual-core Nvidea processor. At $399, it won't remain the cheapest for very long but it's still a couple hundred cheaper than an iPad.

The Logos beta is fast and works very well on my Asus Tranformer Android tablet.