Samsung Galaxy Tab $399 US at COSTCO

wodin · 02-13-2011, 01:54 PM

I went to COSTCO to buy coffee yesterday, and dropped by the cell phone kiosk. I noticed that the display GT was missing, so I asked the rep if they still had them. He said they had one left, and that it was $399 US off contract with Verizon. I was surprised because I had been on the VZW website on Friday, and they were still $499 there, but the rep told me that it was a COSTCO only deal, and that there was a 90 day return policy at COSTCO while at VZW it was only 30 days.

Since $399 is near my comfortable price point, I immediately bought it. I've been playing with it and reading "Towers of Midnight" on K4A since. I nearly have it customized to my liking, and must say that reading on the larger screen (I usually read on my 4.3" HTC EVO 4G) was quite enjoyable. All of my favorite apps work well on the larger format, so I'm not sure if Honeycomb will be as important to me as I've been led to believe, and the jury is still out on whether the GT will be upgraded to it in any case.

It is a little heavy for extended reading, and I haven't yet found a comfortable way to hold it, but I'm sure I'll figure that out; and I miss the HTC Sense UI.

All in all, I'm happy with it so far, and I need to determine my usage to decide if I'll cancel the $35/month data plan (I opted for the 3 GB plan) and just use WiFI. That will depend on how much I find myself carrying it outside of home.

soondai · 02-13-2011, 01:59 PM

heading in the right direction. about 100 bucks from where I'll bite

TallMomof2 · 02-13-2011, 03:51 PM

Maybe I'll return mine to Costco and get the $399 one. I paid $499 right after Christmas. I'm reading the Honor Harrington series on mine. Aldiko is a very nice reading app.

FizzyWater · 02-13-2011, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wodin

All in all, I'm happy with it so far, and I need to determine my usage to decide if I'll cancel the $35/month data plan (I opted for the 3 GB plan) and just use WiFI. That will depend on how much I find myself carrying it outside of home.

Doesn't the price require a 2-year contract with Verizon?

jocampo · 02-13-2011, 11:56 PM

List the GT in your profile

Not a kill joy but I think that bluetooth works on the Tmobile one only. Not a major concern though. The advantage is that if you decide to hack it later, the VW one will give voice; Tmobile blocks voice at carrier level so hacking the hardware does nothing on that point (all that is what I read from XDA forums)

About the launcher, try Launcher Pro, recommended and free!

by the way you'll love it! Really powerful and elegant device. lot of potential not just for ereading ...

RockdaMan · 02-14-2011, 08:47 AM

I looked at it at Costco as well. Don't like how narrow it is in portrait mode.

wodin · 02-14-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Doesn't the price require a 2-year contract with Verizon?

No, no contract. Month to Month only. But you have to take at least one month to set it up the first time, then you can cancel. The cheapest one month service is $20 for 2 GB, I opted for the three month one for $35 because overage is only $10/GB instead of $20 for the 2GB plan.

jocampo · 02-14-2011, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wodin

No, no contract. Month to Month only. But you have to take at least one month to set it up the first time, then you can cancel. The cheapest one month service is $20 for 2 GB, I opted for the three month one for $35 because overage is only $10/GB instead of $20 for the 2GB plan.

Hmm, like Tmobile then. If that's the case, was a great offer! Are you able to use Bluetooth in yours, like an external keyboard?

wodin · 02-14-2011, 12:05 PM

I haven't tried, but the liturature says it has BT, and the Wireless settings menu has it in there.

wodin · 02-14-2011, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jocampo

Hmm, like Tmobile then. If that's the case, was a great offer! Are you able to use Bluetooth in yours, like an external keyboard?

I checked T-Mob a couple of weeks age, and theirs was $379 with a two year contract. I asked about the cost of service, and they told me it was ~$35 if your were a T-Mob customer; I asked what if your not, they said ~$70. I just said "thanks" and walked away!

jocampo · 02-14-2011, 12:14 PM

Hmmm, weird ...

I'm not in a contract, just a month to month plan with zero penalty if drop, about 30 bucks only and unlimited data.

Maybe price depends of the branch, state and other factors.

wodin · 02-14-2011, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jocampo

About the launcher, try Launcher Pro, recommended and free!

I paid for "Open Home Full" on a previous phone, maybe I'll try that.

rock · 02-15-2011, 04:40 PM

It's 250. on Tmobile, but you need a 2 year contract.

emt · 02-16-2011, 08:13 PM

Extremely happy - I came from a rooted Nook Color (which was really quite good for the $249 price but heavier and slower) so I sold the Nook and got the GTab - a few observations:

Bluetooth works very well indeed - I loaded all of my music/audiobooks on a 16GByte card (comes free with device) and can listen while surfing the web.

The screen is awesome - as good as the Nook Color and IPad and nicely sensitive and bright.

I got the month-to-month plan for $20 and will cancel in a few days as I only will use WiFi.

Now, I can use any book reader program (Nook, Kindle, Aldiko, etc.) without having to purchase a dedicated reader!

It's a hell of a good price - about $419 for a very fast, all-purpose tablet.

jocampo · 02-16-2011, 09:27 PM

emt,

Enjoy. The GT is an awesome tablet!

02-13-2011, 01:54 PM	#1
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	Samsung Galaxy Tab $399 US at COSTCO I went to COSTCO to buy coffee yesterday, and dropped by the cell phone kiosk. I noticed that the display GT was missing, so I asked the rep if they still had them. He said they had one left, and that it was $399 US off contract with Verizon. I was surprised because I had been on the VZW website on Friday, and they were still $499 there, but the rep told me that it was a COSTCO only deal, and that there was a 90 day return policy at COSTCO while at VZW it was only 30 days. Since $399 is near my comfortable price point, I immediately bought it. I've been playing with it and reading "Towers of Midnight" on K4A since. I nearly have it customized to my liking, and must say that reading on the larger screen (I usually read on my 4.3" HTC EVO 4G) was quite enjoyable. All of my favorite apps work well on the larger format, so I'm not sure if Honeycomb will be as important to me as I've been led to believe, and the jury is still out on whether the GT will be upgraded to it in any case. It is a little heavy for extended reading, and I haven't yet found a comfortable way to hold it, but I'm sure I'll figure that out; and I miss the HTC Sense UI. All in all, I'm happy with it so far, and I need to determine my usage to decide if I'll cancel the $35/month data plan (I opted for the 3 GB plan) and just use WiFI. That will depend on how much I find myself carrying it outside of home.

02-13-2011, 11:56 PM	#5
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	List the GT in your profile Not a kill joy but I think that bluetooth works on the Tmobile one only. Not a major concern though. The advantage is that if you decide to hack it later, the VW one will give voice; Tmobile blocks voice at carrier level so hacking the hardware does nothing on that point (all that is what I read from XDA forums) About the launcher, try Launcher Pro, recommended and free! by the way you'll love it! Really powerful and elegant device. lot of potential not just for ereading ... Last edited by jocampo; 02-14-2011 at 12:05 AM.

02-16-2011, 08:13 PM	#14
emt Nameless Being	Just Got The Verizon Galaxy Tab at Costco, $399 Extremely happy - I came from a rooted Nook Color (which was really quite good for the $249 price but heavier and slower) so I sold the Nook and got the GTab - a few observations: Bluetooth works very well indeed - I loaded all of my music/audiobooks on a 16GByte card (comes free with device) and can listen while surfing the web. The screen is awesome - as good as the Nook Color and IPad and nicely sensitive and bright. I got the month-to-month plan for $20 and will cancel in a few days as I only will use WiFi. Now, I can use any book reader program (Nook, Kindle, Aldiko, etc.) without having to purchase a dedicated reader! It's a hell of a good price - about $419 for a very fast, all-purpose tablet.

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02-13-2011, 01:59 PM	#2
soondai Guru Posts: 672 Karma: 1109784 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Paperwhite	heading in the right direction. about 100 bucks from where I'll bite

02-13-2011, 03:51 PM	#3
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	Maybe I'll return mine to Costco and get the $399 one. I paid $499 right after Christmas. I'm reading the Honor Harrington series on mine. Aldiko is a very nice reading app.

02-14-2011, 08:47 AM	#6
RockdaMan Banned Posts: 1,644 Karma: 213512 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: On the other side of over there Device: Pandigital Novel, Kindle G1 (broken), iPod Touch	I looked at it at Costco as well. Don't like how narrow it is in portrait mode.

02-14-2011, 12:05 PM	#9
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	I haven't tried, but the liturature says it has BT, and the Wireless settings menu has it in there.

02-14-2011, 12:14 PM	#11
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	Hmmm, weird ... I'm not in a contract, just a month to month plan with zero penalty if drop, about 30 bucks only and unlimited data. Maybe price depends of the branch, state and other factors.

02-15-2011, 04:40 PM	#13
rock Addict Posts: 240 Karma: 18772 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Nook, Astak EZ Reader Pocket, iPhone 3g, Droid	It's 250. on Tmobile, but you need a 2 year contract.

02-16-2011, 09:27 PM	#15
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	emt, Enjoy. The GT is an awesome tablet!

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