Sprint ZTE Optik Review: The Real Price of a $99 Tablet
When Sprint announced a 7-inch Android tablet priced at
$99.99, my ears perked right up. After all, Amazon's Kindle
Fire and Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet cost twice as much, and
they're both just glorified e-readers.
The ZTE Optik is a much more versatile tablet, with features like Bluetooth (for streaming music to compatible speakers and earbuds), GPS (for navigation, natch), dual cameras, and, perhaps best of all, Sprint's 3G data service.
In other words, unlike most tablets of its size, the Optik doesn't rely solely on Wi-Fi for connectivity. It comes packing Sprint's nationwide network.
And there, as you've probably guessed, is the catch. Although the hardware will run you a very reasonable $99.99, you can't get it without signing a two-year service agreement. And Sprint's Tablet Connection plans start at $19.99 per month.
The ZTE Optik is a much more versatile tablet, with features like Bluetooth (for streaming music to compatible speakers and earbuds), GPS (for navigation, natch), dual cameras, and, perhaps best of all, Sprint's 3G data service.
In other words, unlike most tablets of its size, the Optik doesn't rely solely on Wi-Fi for connectivity. It comes packing Sprint's nationwide network.
And there, as you've probably guessed, is the catch. Although the hardware will run you a very reasonable $99.99, you can't get it without signing a two-year service agreement. And Sprint's Tablet Connection plans start at $19.99 per month.