To get the Galaxy Tab or to not get the Galaxy Tab

Are you getting a tablet? The iPad has made the devices a hot commodity, and thanks to a deluge of Android tablets hitting the market they figure to be among the hottest purchases of the fall and holiday seasons. I’ve just resigned myself to eventually getting one, which means it’s time to do the homework. Clearly the Galaxy Tab is getting all the hype right now, so I’ve been checking that out. It looks like Verizon is trying to convince everyone of the Tab’s greatness, though that’s to be expected. Thankfully we have people who aren’t so impressed with it, so we get a good balance of opinions. At Droid Life, Kellex posts an image of Verizon’s persuasion document, a 10-point list that describes all the advantages of the Galaxy Tab. You can view the whole list here. It’s not bad for a marketing document, but because it’s a marketing document it tells only one side of the story. Surely there have to be downside to the Tab.

That’s where PC World comes in. Writer Tony Bradley has put together five reasons why you should get the iPad instead of the Galaxy Tab. I happen to disagree re: the iPad; I’ve been mulling a tablet for a while and the iPad has never really been a consideration. But Bradley does make some good points, the most compelling of which are Nos. 3 and 4, the contract and pricing situation. That’s certainly my biggest concern about the Galaxy Tab. Apple and AT&T do have it right with the iPad. Sell the device unsubsidized and then offer a prepaid data plan. That way you can figure out what kind of usage works for you and pay for only that, if at all. I’m personally more inclined to use a Wi-Fi only device, at least until we get some 4G tablets. But that doesn’t seem to be an option for the Galaxy Tab, at least given the rumors of the unsubsidized pricing. If it’s somewhere in the iPad range I think it will be a viable alternative, but $600 to $800? I’m not so sure about that. Still, as I do my research on which tablet I will eventually purchase, the Galaxy Tab will remain at the forefront. It looks to be quite the excellent device in itself, so it might just come down to the implementation. What are you looking for in the pricing of the Galaxy that will make it most attractive to you?