they have decent-looking phones for $150.

I'm considering going no-contract as well, but I'll probably get a more expensive model, that way it will last me longer (or so I hope). My current phone is only two years old and I'm already cranky about how it's slower than my BIL's.

When did the Excite come out? Are 3MP and 1 point something up to the high end tablet specs?

They first came out just over a year ago. What you see offered on that page is a newer version, which I don't remember seeing offered this past November and December.

I leave the specifications comparison research to you. That was why I included the link.

I don't expect to be in the market for a tablet again for at least a year, and probably much longer than that. Almost everything I do on my tablet I can do on my phone now, and the phone still fits in my pocket.

Hm, going through my iTunes purchase history, I've spent closer to $50 on apps overall, but enough of those were (a) impulse games I wouldn't bother replacing or (b) apps for Dylan's iPod Touch that I could probably replace everything I use regularly for under $25.

I have spent an awful lot on media though. Getting hooked on Big Love was more expensive than I thought. (Cheaper than an HBO subscription, but still!)

I haven't spent more than $1 or $2 per app, and that's one or two apps. The only app that I've paid signficant money for is the PDF annotator.

yep. and I have purchased a few PDF annotation apps. It was difficult for me to get exactly what I wanted until I paid for a few.

Apps are the new jeans for me.

I've read people complaining about a lack of decent tablet camera power, but then saying that the tablet shape and size is going to prevent them from using it to take pictures (because they'd look silly, which..Gizmodo, really? But a lot of their commenters agreed). The front camera, I assume, is for video chatting and self portraits--1.2 there seems a common enough standard. I'm just wondering if 5MP for the rear camera is OTT, or it's the new normal.

My phone is only an efficient laptop replacement for a few hours. If I hadn't had to plug directly into a router on my Christmas vacation, I'd have been okay with a tablet instead of a laptop (and as it was, I just borrowed) for the week and a half. I'd have gone *nuts* or into some sort of withdrawal on a phone for that long. I need my connection, and, I need my ability to compose longer pieces of text.

I am pretty cheap.

No way I've spent more than $20 in the two years I've had my phone (and three or four that I've had my iPad.) I spent $.99 on one game because a friend way gleeful about being able to end the world with pathogens. And just ponied $5.99 for Wonders of the Universe. I know I spent a couple of dollars on a nutrition app that I don't currently use and $.99 on a alarm that I hated.

So maybe $10 lifetime.

Frankly, give me a try before you buy and I'd increase that by a lot. But if I can't find out if I like it, I pass generally. I download too many free apps, try and them and delete. I'm willing to pay money for things but I want to know I like it or that if I don't like it after a week, I can "return it."

the tablet shape and size is going to prevent them from using it to take pictures (because they'd look silly

We've been using the iPad to have FaceTime chats with directors in which certain scenes are "acted out" to demonstrate how they should be shot. (If that sounds hilarious to you...you are not wrong.) As the "cameraperson" on one of these demonstrations, I found my arms got tired pretty quickly using the iPad. It feels a lot more awkward than holding my phone.

I’m imagining Kristen doing kick-ass Maggie Q moves right now, while holding her iPhone.