Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9 tablets at the CTIA show. Besting Apple, the Tab 8.9 is thinner than the iPad 2, while the 10.1 is lighter.
Samsung, as expected, introduced two new Galaxy Tab devices at the CTIA
Wireless 2011 conference March 22, a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and a Galaxy Tab 8.9-which
at 8.6mm is the "world's thinnest mobile tablet," according to
Samsung.
Was
Samsung Executive Vice President Lee Don-Joo having a laugh when, after seeing
the Apple iPad 2, he suggested that Samsung might have to rethink a few things?
"We will have to improve the parts that are inadequate," he
reportedly told Physorg.com. "Apple
made it very thin."
It
appears the Korean company had quite the iPad competitors up its sleeves.
"The
Galaxy Tab 10.2 and 8.9 are remarkable examples of Samsung's constant
innovation and show our dedication to designing premium tablets that fit the
unique needs of consumers around the world," JK Shin, president and head
of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business, said in a statement. "By
combining Samsung's innovations in design and display with our exciting user
experience, we've created a new class of products that will lead the tablet
market."
Both
new Galaxy Tabs run Google's Android 3.0, known as "Honeycomb,"
feature 1GHz dual-core processors, support HSPA+ network speeds-the flavor of
4G currently offered by AT&T and T-Mobile-and offer WiFi a/b/g/n and
Bluetooth connectivity. A front-facing 2-megapixel camera and a rear-facing
3-megapixel camera with 720p video capabilities are also in both models.
The
Galaxy Tab 10.1 weighs just 1.31 pounds, again besting the iPad 2 by a fraction
of a pound. A media-savvy device designed for consumers, it features
surround-sound stereo speakers and support for Adobe's Flash 10.2-another
feature the iPad notoriously does without.
The
8.9-as
Samsung hinted at in a recent teaser-additionally has an enterprise
clientele in mind. "Whether writing emails on a trip or reading an ebook
on the couch, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 provides the ultimate tablet experience
without compromising mobility," Samsung said in a statement.
Both
tablets also feature Samsung's TouchWiz user interface and a Live Panel menu
that lets users customize their home screens with images and widgets for Websites
and live feeds for social networks like Facebook. Another feature of the
interface is called the "Mini Apps Tray."
"The
interface includes an application tray of commonly used features such as task
manager, calendar and music player which can be launched while other major
applications are also in use, including large file downloads and document
editing," Samsung said in its statement.
They
also include Readers Hub and a Music Hub, connecting users with more than 2.2
million books, thousands of newspapers and magazines, and 13 million songs,
while a Social Hub aggregates email, instant messaging, contacts, calendar and
social-networking details into a single, streamlined interface.
Finally,
designed in collaboration with enterprise giants Cisco Systems, Sybase, SAP
and Citrix Systems, the newest Galaxy Tabs also feature security options
aimed to please IT managers. As Apple CEO
Steve Jobs noted when introducing the iPad 2 last month, tablets are being
enthusiastically embraced by enterprises across all verticals, from health care
to education.
The
newest Samsung tablets face a market that's grown still more crowded since it
launched its 7-inch Galaxy Tab-which, though it was reported to have sold well,
didn't sell quite as well as was first suggested, Samsung clarified during a
late-January earnings call.
In
addition to the iPad 2, the newest Samsungs will face the Motorola Xoom-the
first Honeycomb-running tablet to launch-and the BlackBerry PlayBook, which Research
In Motion finally revealed will go on sale April 19 starting at $499. AT&T,
Verizon and Sprint will all offer it, in addition to several retailers and
smaller carriers.
Samsung
hasn't yet revealed pricing details or when-or where-the new tablets will go on
sale.
Michelle Maisto has been covering the enterprise mobility space for a decade, beginning with Knowledge Management, Field Force Automation and eCRM, and most recently as the editor-in-chief of Mobile Enterprise magazine. She earned an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University, and in her spare time obsesses about food. Her first book, The Gastronomy of Marriage, if forthcoming from Random House in September 2009.
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