Galaxy Tab Review

User Ratings galaxy tab

galaxy tabThe Samsung Galaxy Tab is considered the closest tablet computer that competes with the Apple iPad 2. It is apparent when you see the Tab that it is making the effort to be a competitor in the tablet marketplace.  The iPad now has a valid competitor other than the Motorola Xoom.  The Tab feels great in your hands and is beautifully designed, very aesthetically appealing. The Galaxy Tab can definitely stand on its own with the iPad 2.

The Galaxy Tab is a bit larger than the iPad 2 at 10.1 inches versus the iPad 2 at 9.7 inches. The Galaxy Tab is one of the larger tablets, but weighs less than the iPad at 1.24 pounds versus 1. 34 pounds for the iPad 2 and is also thinner than the iPad 2. The Tab utilizes a 1Ghz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor combined with the NVidia Tegra 2,  1 GB RAM, 1280 x 800 resolution display, a front 2MP camera and a rear facing 3 MP camera for video recording, picture taking and video chat.  Plus, the tablet has powerful surround sound speakers with a pair of earbuds thrown in for personal listening.

In order to compete for consumer’s tablet bucks, Samsung basically decided to go with a design that would be comparable to Apple which left the Galaxy Tab without much in the form of integrated slots or ports or anything that would take away from the beauty of the device. Reviewers and consumers alike have complained about the plastic back which should have been metal to match that of the iPad 2 and other tablets.  You won’t find many buttons on the Tab except the on/off button and volume controls with everything else being navigated through the software via the multitouch interface.

The Android Honeycomb OS is very capable and users can do more in customizing the device than with Apple’s iOS.  Samsung does not have a huge selection of apps, but most owners of the device do not see this as a negative.  Google recently released Android 3.1 (which the Galaxy Tab 10.1 ships with) which now allows better multitasking (you can now open upwards of 20 apps simultaneously instead of just five) and full support for Adobe Flash 10.3.  Everyone is now aware that the iPad 2 does not have Flash support. The Tab 10.1 comes in grey and white and includes 16GB and 32GB storage options.  Unfortunately, the Galaxy Tab does not have an HDMI out, USB port, or mini SD card slot.

 Galaxy Tab Product Features

  • Android Honeycomb 3.1
  • Dual Core Tegra 2 processor, 1GB RAM
  • Wi-FiTM, 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4GHz, 5GHz
  • Memory Capacity:  16GB
  • Display: 10.1″ WXGA (1280×800)
  • Flash Support
  • GPS
  • Cameras:  1 front-facing and 1 rear-facing: with auto-focus and LED flash
  • Music Playback Formats:  AAC, MP3, OGG, WAV, WMA
  • Photo Formats:  BMP, JPEG, PNG, GIF
  • Video Formats:  AVI, MPEG4, WMV, H.264, XVid
  • Mobile Office: Polaris Office (create and edit): Powerpoint, Excel, Word
  • Entertainment: Full HTML Web Browser, Books, Browser, Email, Gallery, Gmail, Google Maps, Android Market, Google Search, Google Talk, Voice Search, Latitude, Music Hub, Navigation, Places, Pulse, QuickOffice, Samsung Apps, YouTube, Music Player

Connectivity

  • Wi-Fi, 2.4GHz, 5GHz Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR Connectivity

Processor, Memory, and
Motherboard

  • Number of Processors: 1

Hard Drive

  • Size: 16GB and  32 GB

Cases and Expandability

  • Size (LWH):0.34 inches, 6.9 inches, 10.1 inches
  • Weight: 1.25 pounds
  • Battery Type Supported:  Rechargeable up to nine hours; 72 hours with music playback

What Comes in The Box?

Galaxy Tab, USB cable, charger, headphones and documentation.

Galaxy Tab TechnoBytes

4G LTE

The Galaxy Tab can access Verizon’s  4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, which is being touted as the fastest mobile network in the country. The iPad 2 only works with the slower 3G networks from Verizon and AT&T.  Additionally, the Tab will need a hardware upgrade in order to be able to access the 4G LTE network.  Current users will have to send their Tab into the company to have the upgrade performed. Verizon has announced that it will be selling the Galaxy Tab 7 inch without a data plan in November 2011.  You can obtain the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with or without a data plan.

Why Can’t I Charge My Tablet Using My PC or Laptop?

Galaxy Tab or Apple iPad users may  notice if they plug their iPad into a computer’s USB port and error message, “Not Charging.” Most consumers are accustomed to charging their smartphone or MP3 player via the USB port in their computer.  This also goes for any of the tablets, the problem with a computer USB port is that it does not generate the power needed (10 watts of power) to charge a tablet computer. This is not to say that you can’t do it, but if you do you will find it a long tedious process. If the screen of the tablet is off, it does appear to be charging, but once you power it up the charge will quickly dissipate. It’s safe to say that the tablet computers are designed to be recharged using a 10W AC adapter that comes with the devices.

What’s interesting is that USB ports on PCs have varying wattages. For example, USB ports located on the front of the PC have lower power than the USB ports located in the rear of the computer.  One user showed that an iPad 2 could be charged using the rear USB port on a 27-inch iMac desktop and on MacBook Pro laptop.  The iPad would not charge when using the front and rear USB ports on computers with the Windows OS or on an Apple wired keyboard attached to an iMac. When in doubt, you may want to re-locate your USB cord charging your tablet if you’re using a computer’s USB ports.

What is TouchWiz For The Galaxy Tab 10.1?

TouchWiz is a touch interface developed by Samsung that feature a full touch user interface. TouchWiz is a proprietary software used internally by Samsung for sophisticated smartphones and tablet computers.  It sits on top of the Android Honeycomb OS and this particular version is designed specificially for Honeycomb and devices utilizing the large screen displays. Once it’s been downloaded to your tablet, you can’t get rid of it.

TouchWiz adds cosmetic touches to Honeycomb to improve how the user works with the OS and tablet while also introducing Samsung’s new movie collection interface and ability to work with Mini Apps that are integrated with the device’s full-screen apps and home screen.  The MniApps can be accessed by tapping the arrow icon in the middle of the screen at the bottom. This brings up a Mini Apps tray featuring six apps Samsung has decided are “commonly used” by tablet users. They are available no matter what app the you’re using or screen you’re in.  Users do not have the ability to add their choice of apps to the MiniApps tray. This has become a problem with most owners of the Galaxy Tab.

Mini apps sit on top of each other much like Windows or Mac Os. There is multi-tasking, but users can only see one app/window at a time. They don’t overlay each other. TouchWiz adds that element of overlaid apps, but users of the Galaxy Tab would like to choose the apps to reside in the MiniApps tray.  With the exception of the MiniApps tray, users can delete most of the TouchWiz enhancements if you don’t want to use them, but in doing so may prevent you from receiving future software updates.

Conclusion

In answer to the question of whether the Samsung Galaxy is a rival to the iPad 2, the answer is a mixed one. Its specs don’t blow the iPad out of the water, but still should cause some concern. The Galaxy Tab’s price is almost identical to the iPad’s for the available storage options. The Tab is a well-made tablet that looks good and performs well. Whether you opt for the iPad  or the Galaxy may depend on whether you prefer the (Android OS that is not proprietary software) to Apple’s iOS which is very proprietary. What is clear is that the Galaxy Tab is certainly making an attempt to give the iPad a run for it’s money.

galaxy tab

What Are Users Saying About The Galaxy Tab?

galaxy tab 4-star  A slightly better tablet than an iPad 2, but with a few drawbacks

Is this the iPad 2 killer as has been reported in the media?  Giving the Tab 10.1  5 stars seems a bit too generous as I feel the lack of an SD slot and slight plasticky
feel are noticeable drawbacks. . . Read the entire review here.

 

galaxy tab 3 star   Nice screen graphics weight but…

I am not trying to be negative,  as this is a nice looking device with great graphics and portability, but for $600 dollars. . . Read the entire review here.

 

PROs and CONs of The Galaxy Tab

galaxy tab

 

 

 

  • The tablet feels good in the hands, very responsive interface and has a really nice screen display. Main advantage is size and design. Very light, thin and beautiful.
  • Upon connecting to Google account everything automatically integrates with device, no setup or PC connection required.
  • Desktop layout is better than the iPad 2 without the large number of apps, can personalize desktop with widgets and a few select apps. Accurate voice search.
  •  Grey plastic back really does look like brushed metal, feels good and does not feel cheap at all as the tablet has been described by hardware reviewers and some Tab users.
  •  Fast. Very responsible and smooth. You Tube videoes play without a hitch. Screen has excellent vertical and horizontal viewing angles. Bright with vibrant colors.
  • User states that with Android smartphone and having a Google account was able to immediately sync, download and install almost all the apps that were on the smartphone to the Galaxy Tab.
  • Having the abiility to use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard is great to make the Tab more like a “laptop.”
  • Dual stereo speakers sound very good
  • Flash works well overall and also adds functionality of the Tab
  • Battery life is good, allowing full day use on a single charge.

galaxy tab

 

 

 

  • Require a proprietary cable connector to charge the tablet. Will need cable and the special charger because device cannot be charged using a USB port on your PC or cable box.
  • Price of ownership: Cost more than the iPad 2 with the same hardware features.
  • Despite updates, the Tab is still too glitchy. Slow, freezes up or will simply shut down.
  • Limited apps as compared to Apple iPad 2 over 30,000 apps.
  • Ugly TouchWiz Update.  There is no way to opt out of using TouchWiz because if you do, you will also opt out of all future OS updates.
    experience but Samsung failed to deliver.
  • Very non-user friendly, difficult to find settings, non-intuitive user interface
  • Not possible to sync data on a MAC
  • No external Ports (including HDMI) or memory expansion capability as well as battery not being accessible. Note:The Toshiba Thrive  is the only tablet that allows users to change out the battery.
  • Not user friendly, iPad 2 works right out of the box without having to customize it.
  • Tablet cannont handle PDF files properly especially if the document is over 100MB in size.  Device hangs and forces the software top especially when searching within a PDF document.

Galaxy Tab Suggested Accessories

galaxy tab
 
 
 


 
 
 
 

FTC Disclosure: You should assume that the owner of this website is an affiliate for providers of goods and services mentioned on this website. The owner may be compensated when you purchase after clicking on a link. The owner may also have received the product for free. Perform due diligence before purchasing from this or any other website.