So I got a tablet for X-Mas...

[El Pollo Guerrera]

So... now what?

By that I mean, what exactly do I need to get this to work to it's fullest capabilities? I'm not the most technologically inclined.

My home computer is not wireless, so to be able to use the tablet at home I'd need a wireless hub. Right?

To use it away from home, I'd need to find a wireless network 'connection' (or whatever it's called) that I can access without a password... right?

Am I going to need a membership to use it, or sign up with a company like a cell phone?

Also, she got it at a really low price, which makes me think it may not be the top of the line... HERE'S the link.

So, help a dumb guy out?

[It's me]

You may not be happy with your tablet, sorry.

Check out this thread, and start reading from the end:
http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/...fotmic-12.html

If you do get it up and running you will need a WiFi connection... lots of places, such as MacDonalds or Startbucks have open WiFi. To connect at home you would need a WiFi access point (wireless router) connected to your Internet modem. Exactly what that connection would look like depends on what gear you have in place already. Post up, lots of tech savvy folks here.

And there are lots of good, free apps on Android Market. Start with Angry Birds and go from there

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

Wireless routers are pretty easy nowadays--it's just a little thumbdrive thingy you put in a usb port. Not too expensive.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Its no big deal to hook up wifi in your house. My husband and brother in law set one up in a hotel room.
My husband loves his tablet. He is laying in bed reading comic books on it as I type this.
Yeah I just asked him and he says the Cisco Valet is the easiest one he has set up. He has set up several and loves that one.

[Ben_Who]

Hooray! A kindred spirit. I got a tablet, too, which I celebrated by running around the living room shouting "Toy, toy, toy, toy!" (What? I'm forty.)

I don't know much about that model, but some tabbies don't need the WiFi connection if they can be synced with a regular computer. My parents don't have WiFi, but I'd already gotten quite a lot of mileage out of mine before I got it anywhere near a hotspot. Other tabbies, you only need to be hooked up for as long as it takes to pre-load the utility you want. So you go to Starbucks for half an hour and download the movie or game or book you want. If it has a SD or MicroSD card slot, you can just load files onto that.

Some tabbies are glorified Kindles, others are practically flat laptops. Search the app store using your interests as keywords and you'll eventually be wondering how you ever survived without it.

Toy!

[El Pollo Guerrera]

Hooray! A kindred spirit.

*high five*

Some tabbies are glorified Kindles, others are practically flat laptops.

From the looks of it, mine is the former and not the latter. I did read some of the negative reviews of the model before I plugged it in and that had me a little worried.

When I turned it on, it didn't start up in Mandarin, so that's a step in the right direction.

[emax4]

You can get a wireless router for your home, connect it to your modem if you have a cable modem or DSL modem, and then other computer devices will be able to connect to the internet wirelessly. When it comes to speeds:
802.11b = normal
802.11g = faster
802.11n = fastest

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Looking at that last post, I was unclear. The Cisco Valet is not a tablet, it's a router.

Sorry about that.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

It's official... it's crap.

After setting up the wireless router, I found it had problems finding the signal. I was less than 5 feet away. I took the tablet to the computer store where I got the router and they had a look at it... it couldn't find any of the three wireless networks that the store has running.

It's going back... although I don't think it's going to do any good.

[Ironclad Alibi]

It's official... it's crap. ...

It's going back... although I don't think it's going to do any good.

Since it was bought with Groupon, you have The Groupon Promise to help you (or her) get your money back.

We’re confident in the businesses we feature on Groupon and back them with the Groupon Promise. If the experience using your Groupon ever lets you down, we’ll make it right or return your purchase. Simple as that.

If you’d like to return a purchase for any other reason, our Customer Support team will work with you to help make it right. Contact us.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

Since it was bought with Groupon, you have The Groupon Promise to help you (or her) get your money back.

Thank you. I sent the link to my sister (who got me the tablet) and I'll be sending the tablet back right away.