I'm about to get my first groovebox, but i don't really know what to look for. I tried some at a musicstore today, but you know, i can't really tell the difference. I'm considering these three:
Korg padKONTROL
Akai MPD 32
Akai MPD 26

My budget is between 2-300 dollar. I already own a Microkorg så maybe it would be good for me to continue along the Korg road with this sampler too? Ofcourse Akai was the inventors of this so they might be the "safe" buys? And i don't really know if i need the 32 or the 26 will be good enough for me.

I'm gonna use it to learn these grooveboxes, as it is my first of it's kind, just to play and have fun and last but not least to record some stuff. I'm not that much into recording. I've been playing the piano and guitar for 8 years now, but have never really been recording my own stuff. But now i have started to record in garageband. So at the moment the recordings from the groovebox is just to be used in garageband, but sooner or later i'm gonna change to ableton, Logic etc. So the idea is that i can use the sampler for this too, atleast until i need something bigger.

The three items listed are just controllers for software. If you want a sampler/groovebox look at the MPC range by Akai.

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http://soundcloud.com/richie-royale
http://www.mixcrate.com/richieroyale

...or if you wanted a budget controller that integrates with a DAW you could also look at the Maschine Mikro.

Save a bit more money and get a Native Instruments Maschine. Pretty much everything you need really and more!

hello - i have a question regarding groove box and copyright usages. if I am making music from a groove box with programmed in box sounds and rhythms and beats and etc, and I compose a track with no or very minimal change to the patterns and sounds that it already comes with... do I have right to copyright / release / sell the resulting track? my concern is that the track we composed isn't too different sounding than something that might be easily created by anyone else turning on the same machine.

Check the manual. In most cases it shouldn't be a problem but the manual should tell you all you need to know.