[cpd2009]

Here is that Samsung GT2 7'' in the Kmart BF advertisement, but the model pictured is actually the GT2 10'' model. A mix up perhaps?



My Webkinz Greta got the daily high score in "Hoppy Little Rocketship!"


Finally, the YouTube video review that convinced me to go for a GT2..
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU0JJNzMg88[/youtube]

[RAMChYLD]

I'll try, but I can't guarantee it as the tablet could be sold out by the time I get to Kmart.

But, the urge to get a Samsung Galaxy Tab is rising to be honest. As much as I like the cheap tablets, I am sort of afraid to get another low-end tablet. Even if said tablet runs Android ICS well, these tablets tend to suck at battery life. And most are single core while we are heading into a multi-core world.

The Samsung GT2 can last up to 11 hours. That means I would have far more gaming time than my current tablets. The GT2 also has the same video support that my current tablets have. It's true that the Rockchip/Allwinner tablets may have hardware support for additional file formats such as RMVB, but I have never come across an RMVB video. (RMVB is popular in China, hence why it's inside those Rockchip/Allwinner CPUs)

The Galaxy Tab 2 even has a built in GPS! You can even use the GT2 as a TV remote as well!

Well, to be honest, RMVB is only good if you're pirating Chinese/Taiwanese/Korean drama, since apparently all torrents for these are in RMVB format. Otherwise, yeah, they're not necessary. You can play back RMVB on most Android tablets with third party apps anyway.

You know what? I may just go ahead and get a Samsung GT2 if there is any left. It's something I can instantly attach a name to without regretting it. As for that name? Haven't decided but I'm close to a name.

Go for it! It's a fresh change to all those uncertified tablets, and I guarantee you'll enjoy it!

I also have a question regarding that MLP:FIM game. Being a Farmville-type game, I expect it to be addictive. But, have you found a way to keep the MLP:FIM game in moderation? Can the gameplay become tedious at times?

Well, yeah, it can get tedious if you try to take in too much of it at the same time. The trick to it is to develop a playing strategy and have strong willpower against temptations, even if it means slowing down your build rate. For example, I've developed the following playstyle on Eva's ponyville (currently being rebuilt):

1. Expand slow but steady. Despite what the game tells you to do (and although it's part of a quest), don't buy more land until you've fully occupied the current one. You will need to buy one expansion early on in the game as part of the tutorial tho, but once that's done, don't buy any more until much later.
2. Buy the third expansion only after getting Pinkie Pie. If you reach level 8 and there is apparently no more quest left, it's not because you haven't activated the first altar. It's because the game is sneakily programmed to finally only let you have Pinkie Pie after you hit level 9. Use this time to collect coins instead.
3a. Even though the Element Stone of Kindness is very close to the Element stone of Laughter, don't buy towards it yet once you've reached the Element Stone of Laughter! Instead, buy towards the Element Stone of Honesty (a little more southwest of the Element Stone of Laughter). The Element Stone of Kindness costs a whopping 100 element shards to activate, but the Element Stone of Honesty costs only 50 and is logically the next step.
3b. After that, work towards the northwest to get the Element Stone of Generousity (should take only two land purchases from the starting point that is the Golden Oaks Library).
3c. Above all, rule 2. Don't try to buy all the land at once, take your time to fill up the land before buying another.
3d. At this point, you may be asking, why not? The answer is that the game is a cheating bastard, land that is unused will fill up with rubbish automatically every day, and the game actually charges hard-earned coins to clear them. Even worse is that the game may spawn parasprites in the area, which is even tougher to clear since you need to find element shards to remove them instead of just summoning Pinkie Pie. Different colored parasprites may only be cleared off by different types of shards. And some shards are a PITA to get. Better safe than sorry.
4. If you have unused plots of land in the town, cover it with path or trees, since the game may try to spawn rubbish or parasprites in that area as well.
5. You're awarded gems for the first few quests and the first few level ups, and then three gems every week. Don' t waste them. You need them to complete certain tasks.
6. After reaching a certain point in the game, it will become very difficult to proceed without having enough gems. This is a good time to quit But if you want, go ahead and keep playing until you have enough gem to clear the quest out. This will take months tho.
And oh:
7. You will need friends to proceed in some quests. This is the only painful part.

So yeah.

[huckleberrypie]

I'll vouch on Dave's recommendation on the Galaxy. Like what I mentioned in the chat, it is a 'swell device, more so than the white-box/shanzai tablets you previously owned.

[cpd2009]

This year for my Black Friday shopping, I am going to put all of my attention to the Samsung GT2 7.0 tablet. There really isn't a better time to score a new GT2 at such a low price. If I get it, I should have close to $40 to $50 for other things, but I may just use that money for lunch and save the rest to repurchase all my Amazon Apps through Google Play. It's redundant I know, but Rovio pushes AB updates to Google Play first, and they also have a far better selection of BFTV apps as well, including the VocabuLarry book.


But, there is a challenge here. Kmart says they will have a limited selection of GT2 tablets, and seeing as how it's part of a three day sale during post-Thanksgiving weekend, there is about a 75% chance that the tablets will be sold out when I get to Kmart later in the morning. One helpful factor is the GT2 is not limited to a 9-hour "doorbuster" sale on BF, but it's available all through the weekend. That means shoppers may focus on other stuff and leave behind a decent stock of GT2s, but it's not a certainty.

If the GT2 is sold out, that is where I am currently lost. What then? The only other tablets around with either be the cheapo no-name kinds or the Kindle Fire. Should I just go for a well-reviewed cheapo tablet or hold off?

If I were to go for a cheapo tablet, I would try to get one with an Allwinner A10 instead of Rockchip. The Allwinner chips have a Mali-400 GPU, which is close to what the Samsung GT2 10'' model has. Many of these cheapo tablets now have capacitive screens as well. If not the GT2, I could just cut my losses and get an Allwinner-based tablet and pair it with Amazon AppStore.

If not a cheapo tablet, I could focus on a 24'' LED HDTV. Walmart will have a 24'' "Orion" LED HDTV for only $78, but it probably doesn't have PAL support as Orion makes the "Sansui" HDTVs, which also lack PAL support. That is the neat thing about Anna-Lena....she was multisystem right out of the box. If I wanted an LED-based Anna-Lena, she would have to have multisystem support.

If not an HDTV, I could get a BluRay player. ShopKo has a bare bones $39.99 model with a USB port.

If not any of the above, something quirky from Menards....if someone would leak out their ad.

If not even that...I may give in and get a Nintendo DSi from WalMart. They are $99 there!

[cpd2009]

Thanks for the tips regarding the MLP:FIM game, David.

I'm still not sure if I would ever play it, but if I ever do, I will keep those tips in mind.

[RAMChYLD]

If I were to go for a cheapo tablet, I would try to get one with an Allwinner A10 instead of Rockchip. The Allwinner chips have a Mali-400 GPU, which is close to what the Samsung GT2 10'' model has. Many of these cheapo tablets now have capacitive screens as well. If not the GT2, I could just cut my losses and get an Allwinner-based tablet and pair it with Amazon AppStore.

Well, don't. I recommend holding it off until a GT2 becomes available to you again. Or you know, keep the savings going until you can afford a Galaxy Tab without the discount, or better yet, an Asus Transformer. It's time to move on from the cheapo tabs to something worthy enough to be certified by Google

If not even that...I may give in and get a Nintendo DSi from WalMart. They are $99 there!

That would be a better choice if you can't score the GT2 since you don't have a DS.

[cpd2009]

Well, don't. I recommend holding it off until a GT2 becomes available to you again. Or you know, keep the savings going until you can afford a Galaxy Tab without the discount, or better yet, an Asus Transformer. It's time to move on from the cheapo tabs to something worthy enough to be certified by Google

Guess you are right. Truth be told, I am somewhat frustrated by my current tablets, which shouldn't even have names attached. The Polaroid tablet works, but it's subject to random freezing at times and a painfully slow cold boot if all apps are synced. The Curtis tablet, while more stable, has performance and touch screen issues, and the battery life sucks. Because of that, I can never have WiFi on all the time like it should be. Plus, the Amazon AppStore, while good, is not great. There are times when I want an app, but it's only available on Google Play. >.<

If there are no GT2 tablets left, I will just wait until the next opportunity to get a Samsung GT2, or in the spring, start saving up money to get one. That means I will have to deal with my current tablets. Who knows? I could even save up for the tablet of my dreams....a Toshiba Thrive or Excite. The Samsung GT2 is definitely another great choice.

I'll admit, the only good thing my current tablets are best at doing is video playback. Being Rockchip based, that is expected. Once I get my Samsung GT2 or Toshiba tablet, I will keep Herman along as a backup tablet kind of like what you do with Eve and Eva.

I will consider the Nintendo DSi and New Super Mario Bros as a plan B if the GT2 is a no go. If that Menards ad had leaked by now, I probably would find something else there too.

[cpd2009]

The Menards BF ad has leaked....

and it wasn't really worth the wait either.

As expected, the tablet computer they will have is another cheapo Polaroid, but with Android ICS skinned with some sort of knockoff Metro-style launch screen.

Turns out, it's not a custom launcher....the tiles are just large shortcut widgets you can remove like anything else.

To be fair, the Polaroid tablet I got last year did have great build quality for this kind of tablet, and it had one of the best resistive touch screens I have used, but the random freezing and slowness eventually did it in...but I digress.

Any interesting no-name MP4 players? Nope...just Sylvania ones you can buy any time of the year.
Any no-name DVD players with neat features like USB ports? Nope...Just a Sylvania one with HDMI out.

That was the charm of Menards BF sales. They loved the no-name electronics. You do risk a lot by getting one, but the ones I bought there are still with me. I still have the MP4 player they sold in 2010, named Jelly, and she still serves me well. The no-name DVD player I got there last year still works, even though I haven't used it much. (I need to start watching movies again, like I did in September).


But...Menards has redeemed itself a bit. I should have a decent amount of money left over after the Galaxy Tab 2, so here are two possible purchases:


Wii Charging Station!! For only around $7.


CD system. My current one has an old style volume knob, and it's hard to to get the volume low enough so I can sleep with background music. If this has a digital volume control, and if funds allow, I will get it.

Both of these will be purchased if the GT2 is a no show. If I do get the GT2, only the Wii Charging Station will be ensured. The CD system may have to wait because I want some of that leftover money for Google Play purchases.

[Stella Grapes]

Snow's fine. Moving around a lot isn't really my decision.

Hostess went out of business. Then this happened:



I don't know if Ben is overselling Hostess products. He most likely is. If he isn't, he's going to be mad that he didn't think to.

[cpd2009]

Snow's fine. Moving around a lot isn't really my decision.

Hostess went out of business. Then this happened:



I don't know if Ben is overselling Hostess products. He most likely is. If he isn't, he's going to be mad that he didn't think to.

Though there are other causes of Hostess' demise, it's mainly the fault of those union bakers who started complaining and decided to go on strike. If they would have just gone back to work and negotiated a new contract or whatever unions do, Hostess could have turned itself around.

Around my area, we don't have Hostess brand products like Twinkies, Ding Dongs, and Wonder Bread. We do have knockoffs from the likes of Deli Express and Mrs. Freshley's. But I spotted these at a local grocery store last night and bought some to eat....not sell.


The End of Hostess by cpd2005, on Flickr

Dolly Madison is another Hostess brand, and as a result, those donuts I saw were probably the last that store will get for quite some time.