Vodafone’s jumped on board the Galaxy Tab ship in a big way, with a garden maze of pricing plans to cater just about anyone who would ever consider using a 7-inch tablet device. Let’s work our way through the plans with a chainsaw.
First up, we have the 24 month mobile broadband plans, designed to cater to people looking for a pocketable tablet computer. Plans start from $45 a month and include 1.5GB of data, and range up to $75 a month for 16GB. Interestingly, you’re paying for the Tab regardless of what plan you’re on with this structure, although when you consider $15 for 1.5GB of mobile data, pricing here is actually pretty competitive.
Next up we have the prepaid offerings. Since you have to fork out the $999 RRP for the Tab, these aren’t so much appealing as unappealing…
Finally, Vodafone are going out on a limb and thinking that customers may actually want to use the Tab as a phone, so they’ve got a heap of voice plans as well. On the $79 cap plan you get the Tab for $0 in monthly repayments, plus 3GB data and unlimited standard voice calls (excluding voicemail retrieval) and text messages within Australia.
Having used the Tab for about a week now, I can honestly tell you that even if you don’t want to listen to Matt’s review of the device, you definitely won’t want to use this as your dedicated phone. It’s too bulky, and you’re not always going to have a handsfree kit available…
Now that Vodafone and Optus have both announced pricing, we’re just waiting for Telstra to come to the party. We’ll let you know when they do.
[Vodafone]
Andrew
Friday, November 12, 2010 at 10:15 AM“you definitely won’t want to use this as your dedicated phone. It’s too bulky, ”
I held one last night, i totally agree with this statement. looking at something like the HTC desire HD is probably 1/3 to 1/2 smaller but is still decent.
I totally agree with the reviews saying its too big to be a phone but too small to be a tablet.
Matt
Friday, November 12, 2010 at 11:52 AMI picked mine up yesterday.
I agress it’s too big to be a phone. But I didnt buy it for that. It is perfect size for a tablet / ereader.
I’m pretty damn happy with it!
musicbox
Friday, November 12, 2010 at 12:01 PMMobile phone? bluetooth come in handy.
Tablet device? screen too small for gaming or watch video.
Pricing? too expensive.
Michael
Friday, November 12, 2010 at 12:09 PMAfter the Gizmodo review slammed the Tab yesterday I went and checked one out. After trying it I’m interest enough to get one. Now things went pear shape. They’re sitting on the shelves at Harvey Norman but I wasted at least two hours as staff futilely tried to figure how to do the Optus contract. I was then told the computer didn’t show the plan and they couldn’t give me one.
Tried again today at Vodafone. Almost exact same thing. They have them in stock but haven’t been told when they can start selling them and on what plans. This was after the sales assistant phoning another store to try and find out. Again I explained what Vodfone had released to press but Vodafone it seems tells the media but not their own staff.
Despite being a willingly customer and the Tabs being in stock, I can’t find someone who knows how to sell one. A bit of a fiasco really.
Steve
Friday, November 12, 2010 at 5:19 PMHonestly, it’s still too expensive for me. Now if only they simply axed the whole phone thing entirely (no-one’s going to use this as their primary phone), and thus avoid the whole carrier kerfuffel to release it at a lower price ($500ish), I’d be interested.
At this point, I’m not sure WHAT role this device is supposed to fill.
LeisuresuitLarryFan
Friday, November 12, 2010 at 10:21 PMSo the RRP here is $999, but isn’t the same tablet selling outright in the states for $599 ?, i’d be looking for an o/seas supplier if I intended to buy.