Who wouldn't want a tablet for Christmas or Hannukah? Mom wants to reference recipes in the kitchen, all while peeking in on Facebook and streaming Spotify. Dad is hoping to check sports scores, then send a few emails, and rewatch the finale of Breaking Bad on Netflix. Most kids want a tablet for gaming, but wouldn't mind something that could multitask entertainment and social media options, too. Of course, there are also plenty of books to be read on a tablet! It's really an endless source of entertainment, all in a portable package.
Tablets can make for a great gift. However, they aren't cheap -- well, usually. We found a few Cyber Monday tablet deals that will make it easier for you to make those family members' and friends' tablet dreams come true this year.
Currently, there are bargains to be had on Android, Windows and even iOS devices. If you know where to look (and what to look for), you can get a tablet for everyone on your list -- and you won't have to pick your favorite family member! By the way, we're only including deals on tablets that we'd consider owning ourselves (or already do). A good deal on a no-name tablet may not be such a great deal when those smiles turn upside down.
UPDATE: Some additions to this list on Cyber Monday:
Samsung 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3
This compact tablet made its big debut back in July, with an MSRP of $199. However, Amazon is currently discounting the device to $149, which includes free shipping. It's a pint-sized portable with the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system, a 7-inch screen with a 1024-by-600 resolution, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera. And if you fill up the Tab's 8GB of internal storage, it's easy to add on up to 64 GB of storage for media files and documents using a microSD card. Also worth noting is that this tablet comes pre-loaded with free content, such as a Hulu Plus membership, Google Play credit and Boingo WiFi Access.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD
Amazon actually isn't the cheapest place to find this Amazon-branded tablet. That honor belongs to Best Buy, who currently has this 16GB tablet listed for $99.99. Sure, it's not the most recent model. However, it does have a 7-inch display with a 1280-by-800 resolution, 16GB of storage, a dual-core processor and built-in Wi-Fi support. Other features include a front-facing camera, unlimited cloud storage, and access to millions of movies, TV shows, songs, books, apps and games.
Apple iPad
In case you haven't noticed, iPad deals are kind of hard to come by. Walmart is taking some of the sting out of the purchase price of this popular tablet, by dropping the price by 50 bucks and adding in a little bonus. That would be the Ematic Accessory Kit, which has a Bluetooth speaker, a charger and more to pair with your new purchase. The iPad 4 itself is pretty cool as well. Sure, it isn't brand new (it's not the fancy iPad Air), but does have a 9.7-inch Retina display, a 5-megapixel iSight camera with 1080p video, FaceTime, built-in WiFi, the A6X chip with quad-core graphics, and 32GB of internal memory. Of course, it also provides access to over 275,000 apps, all of which are available for download through iTunes.
Acer W510-1432 Windows 8 OS Internet Tablet
TigerDirect is giving Windows users a little love -- and a whole lot of discount! The online retailer is slashing $230 off this device's list price, making it a good deal for those with an attachment to the Windows platform. It has the Windows 8 operating system, a 10.1-inch touchscreen with a 1366 x 768 resolution, and the Intel Atom 1.5GHz dual-core processor. Other features include WiFi and Bluetooth, as well as an HDMI port for sharing some of that portable content with a bigger screen. It also has 32GB of storage built in, which can be pumped up using a microSD card slot.
Whichever tablet you decide to buy, make sure you take note of the final price, as well as any taxes and/or shipping fees. That can effect your final price! Also note that while many retailers offer free shipping, those options could alter shipping times. Happy hunting!
