Is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3G the iPad Killer?

I know, I've said it before, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab-like other Android tablets-could in fact be an iPad killer, despite its smaller screen size. The media has been saturated with talk of "iPad Killers" on the horizon lately, and with the 70 tablet PCs that debuted at the CES 2011 fresh in everyone's mind, it is high time to see if one is out there. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3G, the single tablet PC in the Samsung Galaxy S line up, is one of the biggest contenders for the Apple iPad Killer spot.

Rumors and sneak peeks have all indicated that this Android tablet can match up to the iPad and win and overall, this may very well be true. Just 45 days after Samsung released the Galaxy Tab, the company reported over one million units were sold by December 3, 2010. Feature wise, it would seem that the Samsung Galaxy Tab could definitely make a dent in the iPad and iOS Empire, since the iPad only sold 885,000 devices in the same amount of time.

Galaxy Tab Highlights

The highlights of the Galaxy Tab include its hardware, design, and performance. The main comparisons to the iPad are its touchscreen, two cameras, battery life, and flash support. Full Adobe flash support is built into the Galaxy Tab and makes it a big win over the iPad; Steve Jobs stated once that he would never allow Flash on an iOS device. While there are some website support issues and performance does suffer a bit while using flash, the overall marks are good. The Galaxy tab sports a 1 GHz processor and 512 megabytes of RAM and the Tab seems to handle most any load thrown at it with grace, and it would be rare for the average consumer to stress its performance at all.

Other Galaxy Tab Design Features

The screen is crisp and bright and runs at 1024 pixel by 600 pixel resolution. Being that it has a seven-inch screen, it translates to a very high resolution with great viewing results. Sharp clear images and a bright-some have complained that it is overly bright-screen makes using the Galaxy Tab pleasant. This is not a Super AMOLED display like the Galaxy S Flagship smartphones has, but the display is stunning nonetheless.

As far as the Galaxy Tab's overall design goes, it is another win. The form factor works and is easy to hold in the hand. Weighing in at only 0.83 pounds makes it light enough to be convenient and comfortable. There is not much to work with when it comes to tablet design, but the Galaxy Tab is clean and smart looking as they come. They are available with an off-white color on the back with the front bezel being black. It does not have the overly shiny look of the iPad and the button design is clean and convenient. There is no mini-USB, so charging must be done with the Samsung proprietary charging cable, which is also the only way to side-load apps. Battery life is less than perfect, as it will last only about six hours. It has some power saving features, which is good for Android tablets but the iPad still reigns supreme at nine hours.

Cost & Contract

As to cost, the no contract unlocked Galaxy Tab price is $600. Sprint is offering a $400 price tag with a two-year contract and Verizon is offering the Galaxy Tab $499, also with a two-year contract. The device is certainly worth considering, even at the full retail price and with only a $200 discount on the contract, it might make sense to consider paying the full retail. Compared to the iPad 16 GB 3G version, the Galaxy Tab costs slightly less. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3G will take a bite out of Apple that is for certain, but just how much of a bite is another matter. This is a credible competitor to the iPad dominance but no, it's not an "iPad Killer." Not just yet anyway, as it at least needs a bigger touchscreen.

Samsung: Galaxy Tab Specifications