Samsung Galaxy Tab

Features

The Samsung Galaxy Tab comes in two screen sizes and two hard drive sizes. There are 10.1" and 7" screen sizes (touchscreen of course), and 16GB and 32GB versions. It is a mobile tablet PC with a 1 GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor. It uses the Android 3.1 Honeycomb platform integrated with the Google experience. In layman's terms, it has the oomph to give you a high definition experience and can keep up with even the most demanding user. The Android 3.1 Honeycomb operating system is the first to be optimized for tablets. It is intended to provide a smooth, intuitive experience. And at only 8.6mm thick and 19.93 ounces, it is both thinner and lighter than the leading tablets on the market. The battery life also hangs with the best of them. Eleven hours of usage is at your disposal, and it can be placed on standby for a remarkable 280 hours. Not that you'd ever let it sit that long without using it.

There is a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. They are both capable of capturing 720p HD. Video chat with your friends or take pictures of them around town, the Samsung Galaxy Tab has the technology to let you do so in a resolution fit for a top-of-the-line tablet. The 1280x800 (WXGA) TFT display is crisp and clear. You can watch movies, play games, view photos and more and won't have to worry about poor resolution or choppy playback. The holographic-looking home screen provides great interaction, smooth navigation, and exhaustive customization. Place apps where you want, scroll through a number of desktops to organize apps based on the category of your choice, and flip through them easily. Pre-loaded apps help you format the tablet the way you want, so don't worry about having to figure all of this out on your own. An Action Bar at the top of the screen gives users access to widgets and menu options when using every application. Don't worry about having to exit every application if you want to mess with the settings of the tablet, or the application itself. As for sound, built-in dual speakers provide a surround sound experience that no other tablet can compare to unless they plug into an external set of speakers.

Browsing the Internet is a beautiful experience too. The Samsung Galaxy Tab has a full HTML browser for an experience that is completely like the web you've been used to all these years. It has Adobe Flash 10.2 so it can support Web pages which are Flash based. It can also play Flash movies or Flash games. It also features PC-like tabbed browsing, and has a spacious virtual keyboard which is both easy to use and is very responsive. Access all of the most popular Google mobile service including Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps and Google Voice. Google Voice, if you are not familiar with it, is a speech-to-text interface that lets you speak e-mails, texts, and even requests for directions. This feature enhanced the usefulness of the tablet when in a hands-free situation. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is Wi-Fi capable with no monthly fees or commitment. If you would like to access a mobile broadband network through your service provider it is capable of accessing 3G and 4G networks.

Accessories

There are a few accessories which are worth noting for the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The first is the Desktop Dock. This dock not only charges the Samsung Galaxy Tab, it does so while letting you listen to music, watch movies, enjoy a slideshow, use an app, or browse the Internet at a convenient viewing angle. You can also purchase a full-sized Keyboard Dock. This turns the tablet into a monitor and has shortcut keys to access your favorite features. Most tablets have an external keyboard option, but not necessarily with shortcut keys.

If you want a case there are currently two different options. The first is a slim book-cover case and the second is a leather carrying case. The book cover case is the option if you're just looking for a sleek design that doesn't make the tablet too much bulkier. If you don't mind a little extra protection, the leather carrying case also comes with a full-sized Bluetooth keyboard. A pen stylus is a great option if you want to keep the screen free of smudges and fingerprints. It has a silicone tip which provides a smooth experience and prevents the screen from being scratched.

When it comes to cords and adapters, there are three which come to mind. The first is an SD card transfer adapter that lets you easily upload photos to the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The second is a USB connecting kit. The third is an HDMI adapter that lets you share HD content on your HDTV.

Cost

$600 if you don't want to get tied down into a contract. $400 if you do.

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Sources:

http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab

http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/01/samsung-galaxy-tab-review/