Pantech Element

“With an army of faster, less expensive Android tablets for 2012 announced at CES, many of which will run Android 4.0 right out of the box, the Element could easily get lost in the fray. It does, however, stand out with its affordable price, fast 4G LTE, and solid, waterproof design. Performance-wise, it's on par with the AT&T Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, but delivers it all for $180 less. If you prefer T-Mobile, the Springboard 4G (3.5 stars) is a solid performer and costs $299.99 with a two-year contract. Overall, the Apple iPad 2 is still king when it comes to tablets, but the 16GB model with AT&T's 3G (not 4G) will run you $629, with no contract subsidy option. While the Element isn't perfect, it is a good value if you need a durable, waterproof tablet with fast 4G LTE.”

“The Pantech Element fills a valuable niche in the tablet market. It's the first mobile 4G tablet that truly affords you the freedom to use it outside, without fear that bad weather or a spilled cup of coffee will render your investment useless. Unfortunately, it's still quite an investment. The $299 subsidized price demands a two-year data commitment, with a minimum rate of $35 per month. That's a total of cost of $1,139 over the life of the tablet, not including taxes and messaging rates. The tablet is available off-contract for $449, but unless you consider 4G connectivity a must-have, that's a sucker's price when there are so many better Android 3.2 options on the market, not to mention the imminent wave of Android 4.0 devices. Still, if you have the kind of active lifestyle (or chronic clumsiness) to justify the expense, the Pantech Element is a solid choice.”

“There’s not a lot to dislike about the Element, but I don’t have a lot of things to love about it either. It’s just an average Honeycomb tablet that won’t die immediately upon being dripped on. Its hardware isn’t on par with a device like the Asus Transformer Prime or the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and even its size and price are awkwardly in no-man’s land: it’s not as portable as a 7-inch slate like the Kindle Fire or the Nook Tablet, or as immersive as a 10-inch device like the iPad. At $299 with contract or $449 without, it’s priced right in the middle as well. If you want a tablet you can place next to your bathtub and watch Netflix without worry, then Pantech’s here for you, but otherwise there’s just nothing exciting about the Element.”

“So, what's the verdict? Should you clasp this slate to your breast and dance about in a torrential downpour, belting out showtunes and banging out tweets in full gale force, or do we order Pantech's tab to walk the plank, and sink below its one-foot threshold? Well, we'll let price be the deciding factor here and at $300 on two-year contract, it's perfectly positioned to lure consumers away from Motorola's comparatively overpriced ($430 on contract) and underperforming Xyboard 8.2 -- all you're missing out on is that familiar Droid branding. Take AT&T up on its tempting limited time bundle that pairs this unit up with Pantech's other LTE spawn the Burst and you'll really be stretching the limits of your purchasing power. As a standalone product, however, and without the backing of a major marketing push, the Element's likely to disappear, undeservedly, into the unending stream of me-too Android tablets, a middle-ground oddity coming out of nowhere and attracting little-to-no attention.”