It’s all kicking off at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, with Samsung going on an announcement spree. First the Galaxy S ll, and now we have the 2nd generation Galaxy Tab.
Called the Galaxy Tab 10.1 there are no prizes for guessing how big the new tablet is, with the screen playing host to 1280×800 itsy-bitsy pixels. Sat behind that nice large screen you’ll find a 1GHz Dual-Core Tegra 2 CPU alongside your choice of either 16 or 32GB of storage.
As has been expected for some time now, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be powered by Google’s new Honeycomb version of Android which is the first version of the popular operating system to be specifically designed with tablets in mind. Samsung’s original Tab used version 2.2, FroYo.
Engadget’s Joanna Stern has been spending some quality time with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and one of the things she mentions is the tablet’s weight, or lack of it. One of the negatives thrown at Apple’s iPad is the sheer weight of 10 inches of glass and metal, but it appears Samsung’s device doesn’t suffer from the same issue, presumably due to the lighter properties of the plastics used as opposed to the iPad’s metal.
Is this worthy of taking Apple’s crown as the king of all things tablet? Time will tell, and with iPad 2 on the horizon things are sure hotting up in the tablet space.
Expect more information on pricing and release dates soon.
Samsung’s Press Release in full:
Samsung expands the Samsung GALAXY Tab range with a 10.1" Entertainment Powerhouse
Global launch of Samsung’s first Honeycomb-based, Dual Core smart media device
BARCELONA, February 13, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a provider of smart media devices and the global leader in Android™ tablets, in partnership with Vodafone Group, today announced the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 (Model: P7100), a powerful Dual-Core Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) Smart Media Device, designed to deliver the ultimate mobile entertainment experience."As a leader in the Android-powered tablet market, Samsung is committed to providing a variety of feature-rich, always-on devices" said DJ Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Sales & Marketing. He continued, "The Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is a valuable addition to our expanding portfolio of smart media devices. Sporting a large 10.1 screen and dual surround-sound speakers, it enables users to enjoy multimedia to the maximum extent without having to compromise mobility.
Patrick Chomet, Vodafone’s Group Director of Terminals, said: "Vodafone customers in over 20 markets around the world will be the first to get the GALAXY Tab 10.1 when it goes on sale this spring. Samsung have produced a stylish, market-leading implementation of the new Android 3.0 platform which will be the first Honeycomb device to arrive in many of those markets. Vodafone’s competitive data tariffs and reliable, high-speed networks make using the GALAXY Tab 10.1 a great experience."
"Samsung continues to develop innovative products that contribute to the continued growth of the Android ecosystem," said Andy Rubin, Vice President of Engineering at Google.
As the tablet market experiences unprecedented interest, Samsung and Vodafone have partnered to cater to customer demand and offer them the perfect way to enjoy the huge variety of opportunities the Android platform provides. Whether playing games, reading eBooks or updating your Facebook status, the lightweight, ultra-slim Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is the ultimate entertainer and builds on the industry-wide success of the two million-selling Samsung GALAXY Tab.
The Ultimate Entertainment Experience
A 10.1" (WXGA TFT LCD) display with crystal clear resolution (1280 x 800) makes the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 an unrivalled device for experiencing the hundreds of thousands of games and applications available from Android Market™. To compliment the amazing visual quality of the device, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 includes dual surround-sound speakers to immerse you even more fully.The device also includes an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with Auto Focus and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera which lets users capture experiences with the best-in-market full HD record and play as well as easily share them. With the Android browser and Flash 10.1, the Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 is the perfect tool for consuming the world of the internet content wherever you are.
Performance and Speed
Combined with the latest version of Android’s tablet-optimized operating system, Honeycomb, Samsung has created a device that is powerful and lightning fast.The Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 includes a 1GHz Dual Core application processor, giving you the kind of fast and powerful multimedia and web browsing experience. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1’s Dual Core processor, low power DDR2 memory and 6860mAh battery, make it perfect for task management in an energy efficient way.
Maximized Portability
At just 599g in weight and mere 10.9mm- slimness, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is lighter, slimmer and more portable, meaning users are free to enjoy its many features while on the move. With the need to remain constantly connected, Samsung has also included super-fast HSPA+ 21Mbps, Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity to support rapid mobile download speeds and reduce data transfer times.
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