Samsung Galaxy Tablet

[Rico]

Sounds like a nice piece of hardware.  Out next month:



The rumors are now reality: Samsung on Tuesday showed the world its first glimpse of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the company's new 7-inch tablet.

Samsung posted a teaser video on its Web site; Samsung Mobile will release more information about the Galaxy Tab on September 2 in advance of IFA Berlin 2010. Meanwhile, speculation builds that Apple will also release a 7-inch version of the iPad at a September event.

The details on the Galaxy Tab are thin, but here's what we know thus far. The Tab will run on Android 2.2 and feature full Web-browsing and video calling. The short clip also implied that the Galaxy Tab will sport an HD screen for video, Flash support (something it seems the iPad will never have), support for e-books, possible GPS navigation, and PC linking. The few shots of the screen's keyboard look promising, as do the brief flashes of the built-in apps. The device itself is black, with a few buttons below the touch display and the Samsung logo up top. There's no word on pricing yet.

Meanwhile, the Apple iPod event that has become a September tradition in San Francisco has yet to be announced. The Web was recently abuzz with rumors of a mini iPad also being announced alongside the new iPod crop, but Apple rarely shows off new products ahead of events, and since there has been no official word from the Apple camp, all we can do is speculate.

One thing is certain: if and when a new iPad mini hits the scene, it will have, arguably, its first serious competitor in the Samsung Galaxy tab, though Fusion Garage and Archos have released tablets with varying degrees of success.

Stay tuned for a full review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab on PCMag.com.


http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2368214,00.asp

[Bromptonboy]

Hmm, looks promising - but I still need to see the details (where the Devil is  -as always!).  I wonder if it has a forward facing camera?

[X]

Hmm, looks promising - but I still need to see the details (where the Devil is  -as always!).  I wonder if it has a forward facing camera?

Yeah it does. Top right near the name.

I'm interested and I'd like to see more, but I like what I see so far.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I wish Samsung would release a smartphone that was actually worth anything.  No, Mobile Windows is NOT good.  Stick to Droid or something else. 

But that looks pretty neat for a tablet.

King

[X]

I wish Samsung would release a smartphone that was actually worth anything.  No, Mobile Windows is NOT good.  Stick to Droid or something else. 

But that looks pretty neat for a tablet.

King

King, they stopped using windows mobile for a while now. Windows 7 is the new mobile os for windows and it's pretty good.

[QuadShot]

This actually looks pretty cool. Hmm, Star Trek reality! Yikes, I might ACTUALLY live to see the future! :)

[Rico]

Here's a little comparison and some more details comparing this to the iPad:

The launch of the first iPad contender is impending. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is scheduled to launch in Germany on September 2, and it is assumed that it will be available in the United States sometime this fall as well. Since the obvious comparison is Galaxy Tab vs. iPad, let's take a look at how the two tablets stack up against each other.

Size

A teaser video provides a glimpse at what the Samsung Galaxy Tab has to offer.The Samsung Galaxy Tab is smaller than the current Apple iPad (although rumors suggest a smaller 7-inch iPad model is in the works). The iPad is almost the size of a standard sheet of paper at roughly ten by eight inches, and it weighs a pound and a half. We don't yet know the weight of the Galaxy Tab, but based on a video teaser the size appears to be similar to the Amazon Kindle.

Display

The iPad has a 9.7-inch touchscreen display capable of 1024x768 resolution. As the smaller size mentioned above implies, the Galaxy Tab display is smaller. The Samsung tablet uses a 7-inch display originally thought to be limited to 800x600 resolution, but newer speculation is that it is 1024x600.

Processor

Apple designed a custom A4 processor for the iPad. It is a high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip running at 1GHz. Sources report that the Galaxy Tab will run on a similar 1GHz ARM processor.

Operating System

While the iPad runs a version of Apple's iOS, the Galaxy Tab will run on its primary mobile OS competitor--Android. The iPad is currently stuck on yesterday's iOS with version 3.2.2. It is slated to get an update to iOS 4 very soon, which will add functionality like nested folders and multitasking. The Galaxy Tab will reportedly come out of the gate with the cutting edge Android 2.2, a.k.a. "Froyo".

Apps

Both the Apple and Android app stores have more than enough variety to meet the needs of virtually any user. Granted, the Apple App Store has crossed the 250,000 apps mark, while the Android Market lags somewhere around 100,000, but at some point it becomes like the Cold War nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union: how many times do you need to be able to blow up the whole planet?

Features

Many of the features are similar, but this is one area where the Galaxy Tab doesn't just compare, but can set the bar for what to expect in the next-generation iPad. Based on the video, it appears that the Galaxy Tab has both front and rear-facing cameras, and is capable of video chat. The Galaxy Tab is also expected to support Adobe Flash, and possibly be able to play HD video.

Intangibles

When it comes to making an actual purchase, it rarely boils down to comparing spec sheets. There are intangible factors that come into play. How much does it cost? Which wireless providers support the device?

The Galaxy Tab will have the benefit of riding the wave of tablet demand created by the Apple iPad, but it is also at a disadvantage compared with the three million plus unit jumpstart the iPad has. Still, there are people who love Apple and iOS, and there are people who love Android. The Galaxy Tab looks to be a very capable device and will at least offer a worthy challenger in the tablet market.

source:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/204089/samsung_galaxy_tab_v_apple_ipad_how_do_they_compare.html?tk=hp_new

[Bryancd]

I wish them luck, they're going to need it. ;)

[Rico]

I wish them luck, they're going to need it. ;)

Plenty of room for another player or more in this market space.  And if they price it right, I think they will do well.

[Bryancd]

For sure, the Droid has been a great seller mainly due to the fact it's on the Verizon network. I would assume that this will also have a Verizon data package. The biggest challenge will be what happens when Apple opens up their mobile devices to the VZ pal;tform next year.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

For sure, the Droid has been a great seller mainly due to the fact it's on the Verizon network. I would assume that this will also have a Verizon data package. The biggest challenge will be what happens when Apple opens up their mobile devices to the VZ pal;tform next year.

Still in disbelief over this notion that Apple is coming next year.  I wish they'd just come out and say it so I know what to tell Verizon when my contract ends. 

I wish Samsung would release a smartphone that was actually worth anything.  No, Mobile Windows is NOT good.  Stick to Droid or something else. 

But that looks pretty neat for a tablet.

King

King, they stopped using windows mobile for a while now. Windows 7 is the new mobile os for windows and it's pretty good.

Ok, if that's true, why do I keep hearing complaints about the terribleness of the Ominaii 2?  (Or however that phone is spelled).  I have a friend who owns one and he's quite unhappy with it.

King

[Bryancd]

Tim, they are going to keep that under tight wraps until the very last moment. if they were intimate it was coming, AT&T would sue Apple for all the lost biz they would suffer from people nor renewing with them and switching in advance of the release. Apple has contractual obligations to AT&T as their partner and that needs to be honored until the exclusivity expires. It's not personal, it's just business.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Tim, they are going to keep that under tight wraps until the very last moment. if they were intimate it was coming, AT&T would sue Apple for all the lost biz they would suffer from people nor renewing with them and switching in advance of the release. Apple has contractual obligations to AT&T as their partner and that needs to be honored until the exclusivity expires. It's not personal, it's just business.

Oh I realize that, doesn't make it any easier for us.  I was just wishing out loud.  But that's why I don't think it will come because of that exclusivity deal and we don't know when it ends.

Oh inre

[Bryancd]

Actually, we do now with some certainty, it ends next year.

[Rico]

The tablet market can be even wider than the smart phone arena since you really are not tied into a specific carrier.  So I think you will be seeing a TON of new devices fairly soon.  Good to have competition.  Better choices for all of us.