AfterDawn: News

Best Buy shows off own Insignia branded tablet

Best Buy has announced its first tablet, the Insignia Flex.

Insignia is the company's in-house branding, used for HDTVs, Blu-ray players and more.



The company did not reveal all too much about the tablet, except to say it will have a 9.7-inch screen, a 1GHz dual-core processor and battery life of 10 hours.

Additionally, the company noted the device will initially run on Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, with an update to 4.1 Jelly Bean possible in the future. The tablet has a mic, headphone port and microSD slot, but other ports are unknown.

The device will ship in the second week of November but there is no word yet on price. Insignia is known for lower priced items, so most speculation has the tablet at $199.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 15 Oct 2012 7:44

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• 9 comments

• klassic

  $200 for a 9 inch tablet is pretty cheap.

  15.10.2012 11:22 #1

• bobwheel2

  seems a bit strange why a company is launching its first ever tablet and not include the latest jellybean OS but in stead offer that as an update at a later stage.

  15.10.2012 12:08 #2

• LordRuss

  Walmart has but given up on the Vizio tablet for the Targas & Pandigital (mostly) lineup. Although Vizio is putting out a newer tablet that 'looks' really nice, it most certainly isn't new to the rodeo.
  
  Which leads me to believe this $200 number is a retro fit starter kit or BB is testing the waters to ultimately buy into building something better down the line - or both.
  
  Rudimentary, I'm sure. It's basic business 101, but given that Apple is this late to the game (w- mini tablets) & most of the established tablet builders are to the point of actually designing, programming & pitching (advertising) some of their product line as being laptop/desktop replacements... this is WAY behind the 8 ball for a starter offering.
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  15.10.2012 13:03 #3

• shummyr

  This will probably end up being junk like there computers were before they quit manufacturing them.

  15.10.2012 13:05 #4

• Morreale

  "Flex" because it's Insignia and that's probably what it will do.
  

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  **\\\**//**\\\*//**\\\*******
  ***\\\//****\\\ ****\\\****

  15.10.2012 13:56 #5

• joepet200

  I've owned a few Insignia products and in my case, Ive gotten good value for the lower cost. 5 year old 720p 42 inch Insignia tv is still in use today. It was about 30% cheaper than other 720p tvs back then.
  If for $199 you can get a 9.7-inch screen, a 1GHz dual-core processor and battery life of 10 hours tablet I'm interested.
  
  I suggest you try one before deciding "it's junk".
  

  15.10.2012 18:23 #6

• shummyr

  Quote:I've owned a few Insignia products and in my case, Ive gotten good value for the lower cost. 5 year old 720p 42 inch Insignia tv is still in use today. It was about 30% cheaper than other 720p tvs back then.
  If for $199 for a 9.7-inch screen, a 1GHz dual-core processor and battery life of 10 hours tablet I'm interested.
  
  I suggest you try one before deciding "it's junk". I have had a couple of there computers and they spent more time in the shop then @ home, because the components kept dieing in the machine
  

  15.10.2012 18:53 #7

• megadunderhead

  what scares me is the statement that you can update it to the next version of android maybe in the future with all the tablet devices i have seen they say you can update them but they never do no thank you
  

  16.10.2012 11:22 #8

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by joepet200: I suggest you try one before deciding "it's junk". Having repaired my fair share of their product line via coming through a pawn shop second handedly; sure, their products will perform to the published expectancy up until the legal embodiment of any warranty claim. After said warranty most of their products are inclined to hit a 50/50 life expectancy.
  
  No amount of changing modular parts is going to lead me to believe that you're getting a 'bang for the buck' if chasing one cyclic problem after another ends up costing the equivalent of purchasing a new device/component. I.e., having bought a more mainstream manufactured item with a more established operating record.
  
  But that's me...
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  21.10.2012 11:23 #9