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Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 review
More Info Samsung announces Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 hands-on (video) PSA: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Galaxy Player 4.2 now available online When we review a second-generation product there are certain things we tend to take for granted: this new thing, whatever it is, will be thinner, faster, longer-lasting, maybe even with more bells and whistles in tow. With Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1, though, it's a little less obvious why its sequel is here. It offers near-identical specs, including a 10-inch, 1280 x 800 PLS display, dual-core 1GHz TI chip, 1GB of RAM and a minimum of 16GB of internal storage. What's more, this generation is slightly thicker and heavier, and sheds the LED flash that used to sit on the back side. But there's one detail we haven't mentioned yet: in addition to softening the specs, Samsung dropped the price by about hundred bucks, so that it now starts at $400. Clearly, then, the 10.1 has evolved into a mid-range tablet, whereas it used to be the best Samsung had to offer. That's good news for penny-pinching shoppers, but Samsung has a bit of a problem on its hands: it's jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire, dodging direct competition with the new iPad, only to find itself competing with a raft of affordable tablets made by Acer, ASUS and even Apple. So how does Samsung's warmed-over 10.1 compare? Can it be a winner in the mid-tier category, at least? Let's see.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 review (global edition)
Within an 11-day period last fall, Engadget published reviews of two different Samsung Galaxy tablets. At the time, we felt the company was turning into a caricature of itself, with slates in every conceivable size, including 10.1, 8.9 and 7 inches. Mostly, though, if we sounded exasperated with Sammy's "see what sticks" strategy, it was because the outfit unveiled not one, but two 7-inchers over the course of a month. One of these, the 7.0 Plus, went on sale in the US back in November, with mid-range specs and a mid-range price to match its in-between size. But that tablet always felt like a consolation prize next to our second contender, the Galaxy Tab 7.7, which brings a brushed metal back, 10-hour battery and Super AMOLED Plus, 1280 x 800 display. Even on paper, it always seemed promising. Special.Maddeningly, though, those of us here in the states still can't buy one through the likes of Best Buy and Amazon, and though Verizon Wireless plans to sell an LTE-enabled version, we know scant few details about when it will arrive, how much it will cost or whether there will be an off-contract option. Luckily for us, our friends over at Negri Electronics hooked us up with an international model, one with 16GB of internal storage and WiFi, HSPA+ and EDGE / GPRS radios -- a doozy of a tablet that would cost you $668.50 if you were to import it to the US. (You can buy it domestically if you live in select markets like the UK.) So is the product novel enough to warrant that novelty price? Find the answer to that question and more after the break.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 official: dual-core 1.4GHz CPU, Android 3.2, HSPA+
Here it is, official as official gets: Samsung just announced the Galaxy Tab 7.7. As the name suggests, it has a 7.7-inch (1280 x 800) display -- specifically, a Super AMOLED Plus panel. Like so many other 7-inchers hitting the market, it runs Android 3.2 and yes, that's a skinned flavor of Honeycomb, with Samsung's tablet-optimized TouchWiz UX layered on top. Inside, it runs the same Samsung-made dual-core 1.4GHz processor found in the new Galaxy Note, along with an HSPA+ radio promising theoretical download speeds as high as 21Mbps. Other specs for the 0.74-pound (335-gram) tablet include 16GB to 64GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, a 5,100mAh battery rated for 10 hours, 802.11n WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0 and dual 3MP and 2MP cameras. In a nutshell, it's the in-between-sized do-over a lot of folks have been awaiting since the original Galaxy Tab grew stale -- a slate that promises faster speeds and some seriously improved viewing angles. We'll be the judge of that in our review, but in the meantime stay tuned for some early hands-on impressions. %Gallery-132222%
Samsung halts Galaxy Tab 10.1 TouchWiz UX updates to prevent bricking issues?
Are you a Galaxy Tab 10.1 owner still waiting to upgrade your slate to TouchWiz UX? Well, prepare to be disappointed -- Samsung has pulled the update. It's remaining tight-lipped on the subject but it looks to be in response to some users experiencing lagging graphics or bricked devices. When Android Police tweeted Samsung's Carla Saavedra she said "(the update) has been temporarily halted to assess progress & ensure it's a positive experience for customers" and said regular service would "resume shortly" but "no specifics were given." We'll keep our eyes on this one, but in the meantime you can read the torrid exchange after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung brings WNBA-sized Galaxy Tab 8.9 to BlogHer 2011
The release date and pricing info we're waiting on from the Galaxy Tab 8.9 continues to elude us, but Samsung's slightly smaller slate did find time to make a live US appearance at BlogHer 2011 this week. Handled by our friends at Tecca, the new TouchWiz UX looked every bit as slick and speedy here as it did on the regulation size 10.1-inch Tab, but on a screen that might be easier to handle. There's no real surprises -- you knew the speakers had migrated around to the sides of the Tab's proprietary connector, right? -- but now that Samsung's showing it off to the public a wide release is hopefully just around the corner.
Hands-on with TouchWiz UX for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Today's Samsung event in New York City was a strange scene -- the company collected Galaxy Tabs from the journalists in attendance and handed back coat check receipts, promising to give the devices back after the press conference ended. One Samsung executive acknowledged the unusual nature of the event, explaining that, "this is the first time we've held a news conference for a software update, and it probably won't be the last." The event marked the pre-launch of a major software update for Samsung's slate -- one that is set to get wide release on August 5th. Members of the press, however, were given a side-loaded preview of the tablet UI -- as were New York City Galaxy Tab 10.1 owners who showed up to the Samsung store with tablet in-hand. We've been playing around with the update for a bit and have a full hands-on preview for you after the break.%Gallery-129900%
Samsung to roll out Galaxy Tab 10.1 TouchWiz UX update on August 3rd in NYC, and NYC only
Everyone else will get it eventually, of course, but Samsung is once again giving folks in New York City first dibs on its latest Galaxy Tab wares. In this case, it's the previously announced update that brings the TouchWiz UX to the tablet, and adds things like Samsung's Live Panel, Mini Apps, and a newly redesigned Media Hub interface. That will first be available to the press during a media event on August 3rd, after which Samsung will open the doors at its Samsung Experience store to the public from 1PM to 6PM, and let any Galaxy Tab 10.1 owner side-load the update onto their device. Needless to say, we'll be there to bring you all the details if you aren't able to make it yourself.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hits US retailers tomorrow, TouchWiz UX coming in future software upgrade
Folks in NYC may have been able to get their hands on one a bit early (not to mention those that attended Google I/O), but everyone else will finally be able to pick up a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 starting tomorrow. As expected, the WiFi-only Honeycomb tablet will run $499 for the 16GB model and $599 for 32GB at your choice of retailers, and Samsung says it will be available through Sprint in "mid-summer" as well (still just WiFi-only). What's more, Samsung's also promising to deliver a number of new features in a "future software upgrade," including the TouchWiz UX that was originally intended to be included on the tablet, and Samsung's Media Hub, which promises "easier downloads of rented or purchased content" and additional capabilities when the tablet's connected to a TV via a dock or adapter. Head on past the break for the complete press release and a new promo video that offers a glimpse of some of those upcoming features, and don't forgot to check out our full review if you're still undecided.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and new Galaxy Tab 10.1 hands-on: thinner than the iPad 2, dual-core power, TouchWiz 4.0
You know who took the iPad 2 launch pretty seriously? Samsung, that's who. Just as we had heard, the company's executives were impressed by Apple's ability to slim down its tablet and, well, it turns out that it took it as a challenge to come up with some thinner tablets of its own. That's right, in addition to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 that we have seen repeatedly teased over the last few weeks the company's announcing a totally revamped Galaxy Tab 10.1, and both slates are incredibly thin yet very well spec'd. On top of that, both will be the first Honeycomb tablets to stray from the pure Android 3.0 experience and add what Samsung's taken to calling its TouchWiz UX or TouchWiz 4.0. We've got all the details and some hands-on impressions waiting below, so hit the break! Updated: Samsung came clean with the pricing at its press conference this morning. The WiFi 10.1 will hit on June 8th -- the 16GB version will cost you $499 and the 32GB $599. The 8.9 is $469 and $569 for 16GB and 32GB, respectively. %Gallery-119459% %Gallery-119457%
