Android Mobile device in USA without a phone?

There are low cost Chinese Android tablet iPad workalikes (e.g., aPad, ePad, etc) available on eBay; e.g.,

• John Navas wrote in misc.phone.mobile.android:

Hmmm, many of those sellers have little or no history. I was hoping for a reputable retailer. Guess Im stuck waiting. Thanks for the pointer.

Google is your friend:

• John Navas wrote in misc.phone.mobile.android:

[Devices available on Ebay]

Damn, beaten at my own game ;)

Any chance you have any personal experience with any of the recent models. I see the Archos one is restricted from Google marketplace which is a killer for my wish list.

I am sad that I missed a KMART special of the latest released on and see that very same one on Ebay at a pretty prfit for a guy that bought 5 of them.

I have been wanting a laptop for the living room but then the iPAD came out and I was excited by what it would trigger in the market place but it seems the market is slow to respond. Everyone seems to be releasing one 'soon', but im impatient and the forced phone tie in would also be a killer for me since I dont need/want a phone.

Not yet.

just out of curiosity, why an android? got an ipod at walmart on sale/no phone built in, (they sell droids online too, but all look like they have phones)... works with google and wifi, and i installed skype on it.... used skype on my nokia tablet, laptop, ipod, now ipod.... heck now i wonder if they have an app for a droid

• Peter Pan wrote in alt.internet.wireless:

Well, you asked. Im not here to start a flame war. I am not an Apple fan, and I am a Linux fan. I have tossed around the idea of an ipod but Im really looking for something larger in size comparable to the ipad. I prefer a mor open system that dosent require me to hack it to do what I want.

i'm confused, they have been making and selling linux tablets since 2003, they aren't ipads or droids, why not get one of them?

• Peter Pan wrote in alt.internet.wireless:

Sorry for the confusion. in 2003 they were nothing more than PC's in a new form factor and per the subject, I want an android device which was not around in 2003 either. The ones I am seeing now that are closer to what I want seem to be mostly available from foreign sources, have very few favorable reviews, dont run the latest Android 2.1 (now 2.2).

The ones available locally are older versions of the OS, seem to be locked out of google market place and many require a cell phone contract as well, I want wi-fi only.

so you want a tablet that has small display (ipod like), large display (ipad like) device, liteweight, that works with linux, and doesnt have a phone...

point is do you want a small screen (like an ipod), or a big screen (like an ipad) (droid has a small screen) bigger check these out (bit pricey, but has pix), other manufacterers make many other similar, but couldn't find pix

smaller i have and use these with my wifi at home (nokia n800 and n810 linux tablets, available from amazon, use skype and a headset for voice calls)

Nokia N810 Portable Personal Communicator/Internet Tablet/Wi-Fi Pocket PC/MP3/MP4/Audio/Video Player with 4.3" LCD Widescreen/Qwerty Keyboard/Webcam/Built-in Microphone/GPS Navigator

bunch of other links, if curious, goto amazon and search on linux tablet (got 19 hits just on that)

not sure what you mean by available locally, are you in north america? have internet? a door? order one online and have it shipped to you (they even sell droids) not sure why you think its only available if its at your local store on a shelf :?(..

• Peter Pan wrote in alt.internet.wireless:

Uhm, your a bit over done. Perhaps rereading my original post might help. I asked for an android tablet, without a phone that could connect to google market place. iPOD/Pad was brought in later and not by me.

I want an android device running 2.1 or greater without a phone that connects to google marketplace that I can get from a reputable retailer. Not Ebay, not some guy in China out of his basement.

Looks like to get Android on those, you have to install it.

[...]

I dont recall saying that either. I didnt think I was asking for something so rare. 2 weeks ago apparenlty KMART had a tablet but it was

1.6 and could not connect to GM. I do see a guy sellinig that tablet on EBAY after he scoffed 4 of them up and is now charging a nice premium. The Dell Streak would be almost OK but it requires a contract with ATT or its over priced for my need without one and it only has 1.6 currently.

android doesn't make a "tablet", only small screen things... tablets have bigger screens... course, then again androids misuse names on lots of things (try and find a headset- combo headphones AND a mike... android calls them "headSETS", but they only have sound-no mike.... everyone else calls them "headPHONES" wouldn't surprise me one bit if they call their little cell phone sized screen a "tablet")

ipods have small screens, ipads are tablet sized (bigger screens)

why would you want to install android over linux? the reply was there are lots of tablets out there, that run linux/unix and work better than an "android"

far as I know, their bigger screen "slate" device won't even be shown till ces in the fall

however, this article may interest you

I want an Android tablet ... but not Dell's Where is the large, slim and powerful competitor to the iPad?

• Peter Pan wrote in alt.internet.wireless:

That pretty much sums up my question.

Perhaps this will be the answer:

that's the headline in the article I posted a link to.. click on the link (just above the text line/headline) to read the whole article... the article should answer most of your questions....

• John Navas wrote in alt.internet.wireless:

I did see that as well today. Here is to hoping it doesnt require some cell phone company tie in to make it 'affordable'

• Peter Pan wrote in alt.internet.wireless:

Ha! I could/should have written that article. Its like he was reading my mind. Thanks for that link.

no prob, goes to my fighting innacurate descriptions... the droid calls itself a TABLET/PAD but its got a small screen like a cellphone/ipod... I generally classify pads as devices with screens way bigger than cell phone/pocket sized screens, I assumed you wanted a pad/tablet in the sense of something way bigger than a cellphone (TABLETS have been around for years, with screens of about 4 inches, PADS for a few years with screen sizes bigger than about 6")

• Peter Pan wrote in misc.phone.mobile.android:

I agree with your description as well as your assesment of what I wanted. Ah well, Novemeber is jsut around the corner and Holiday shopping season will soon be upon us. Here is to hoping for some healthy competetion in this market segment for the holidays!