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Samsung Galaxy Tab, Samsung Fascinate, Verizon Droids Sum Up Android Summer
by Clint Boulton
Motorola Droid X
Verizon, Motorola and Google kicked off a promising Android summer June 23 by
unveiling the Motorola Droid X in New York City.
HotSpot
One of the many features Verizon Wireless touted for this 4.3-inch device was the wireless hotspot and tethering capabilities, allowing users to connect up to five devices in the home using the smartphones as the WiFi hub.
Motorola Droid 2
This 3.7-inch device, the first to
The Keyboard
The slideout keyboard is vastly improved, boasting raised keys and better layout.
Samsung Captivate, Vibrant
AT&T’s Samsung Captivate (left) and T-Mobile’s Samsung Vibrant (right) were the
firstof four phones in the Samsung Galaxy S line. Both boast 4-inch super AMOLED screens for indoor/outdoor use and are based on Android 2.1.
Samsung Epic 4G
This device is the
thirdSamsung Galaxy S device, coming with a slide-out keyboard from Sprint. However, Sprint's $249.99 price tag may be the kiss of death for this device in a market where the Android 2.2-based Droid 2 sells for $199.
Samsung Fascinate
Verizon Wireless' stake in the Galaxy S game, the
Samsung Fascinate, is so fresh it went on sale online Sept. 8 and in Verizon's retail stores Sept. 9 for $199. This Android 2.1-based device, like its brethren from other carriers, will also get the Android 2.2 bump soon.
Fascinated
What's interesting about this device is that it's coming in the wake of the wildly successful new Droid X and Droid 2 on Verizon. Both of those devices sport Android 2.2. With the Droids as competition, will people buy the Samsung Fascinate?
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Samsung isn't only leveraging Android for smartphones. The company is
launchingthe Galaxy Tab tablet this month in Europe and later in the United States.
Galaxy Tab vs. iPad
The 7-inch-screen tablet runs Android 2.2 and should be a joy for augmented reality apps, games and other apps that require more real estate on a mobile device.
Cost?
Rumor has it the Galaxy Tab will
costbetween $200 and $300, or at least $200 less than the low-end Apple iPad. That should make it quite agreeable for holiday shoppers this fall.
Archos & Android
Galaxy Tab will be beat to market in the United States by two of these
five Archos devices. Behold the Archos 28, a smartphone-like tablet with a 2.8-inch screen and costs $99.
Archos 32
This Archos 32 sports a 3.2-inch screen and costs $149.99. Rounding out the portfolio later this year will be the Archos 43, 70 and 101.
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See All Slideshows
The warmer months winding down can best be described as a Summer of Android, with the consumer electronics maker launching not only its Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.1 smartphones on AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and Sprint, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab computer. This Apple iPad challenger is allegedly coming to Verizon Wireless in the United States later this year. And don't forget the Archos Android tablets coming this month and later this fall. These five devices should give the Galaxy Tab its own stiff challenge. While Samsung has captured the mobile computing world's attention with its big, bold bet on Google's Android platform, Motorola dropped two significant new phones for Verizon's popular Droid smartphone line. The Motorola Droid X and Motorola Droid 2 have proven popular among users. This held particularly true for the Droid X, which sold out across Verizon stores all over the country. The Droid 2 offers a nice advancement from the original Droid model. eWEEK runs through key Android smartphones and tablets in this slideshow.