Get a Windows 8 tablet as low as $399 at Staples...

When we started to see Windows 8 tablets released at the end of December and early January 2013, you could expect to pay anywhere from $699 and up depending on the type of Windows 8 tablet you purchased. Fast forward May 2013, now Staples has some really good deals going on with a $100 coupon that you can use towards any Windows 8 tablet.

If you had been wanting to pickup the Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T, now is your chance. Staples is showing the ATIV 500T for $499 and if you use your $100 off coupon, you are basically paying $399 for a Windows 8 tablet that has great battery life and a digitizer to take notes and works great. I had done a review of the Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T and an unboxing video.

If you want to take advantage of the extra $100 coupon, you will have to hurry up as the coupon shows that it is only good until 5/27/13 so you have a few more days left.

Samsung XE500T Windows 8 Tablet at Staples for $599

I picked up the Samsung XE500 at Staples on Friday 26th release date, and better incentive was that Staples is running a great deal on the XE500. Staples is offering a great deal at the moment and saving you $50.

The XE500T has the full version of Windows8, with the new Atom processor. So far I will test some more and compare to the Microsoft Surface Tablet, but the battery life on the XE500 has been great. One thing that is leaning me towards the XE500 is that I can run full Windows applications and really like that it has the digitizer that allows me to markup. But I will see which one will best fit my needs, both are great devices but only one will win.

Samsung Future Firmware Could Block Rooting

Looks like Samsung wants to join Apple in blocking rooting your Galaxy Tab in a future firmware for the Tab. The new JM6 A, C and D builds that Samsung is planning on releasing, have bootloaders that are signed and prevent unauthorized firmware from running. Once the firmware is installed, any jailbreaks, roots and other custom firmware won't run. We had seen this earlier with the T-Mobile G2 phone, but now it has been by passed. So this can just make things a little harder for rooting and just not allow 3rd party ROMs to be installed on the Galaxy Tab, or maybe for all the Galaxy S series devices from Samsung. If the consumer buys the product, they should be allowed to configure to how they want that device, and if it involves rooting, let it be. I do agree that some custom ROMs could mess things up, but most of these users that are installing these custom ROMs know what they are getting into. Also rooting the device gives you at times some programs to run and do things that normally wasn't possible without rooting. To me, this makes a devices just that more better and more consumers will buy it knowing that they can customize the device and not really locked. Apple is always fighting the Jailbreaker's that are always finding ways to Jailbreak the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and the iTv. This method would make it more restrictive than the iPad jailbreaking. The only devices that will not have a signed bootloader will be the Nexus One and the Nexus S. With these devices you will be able to experiment with different firmwares, hacks, and custom ROMs.