Samsung was the first manufacturer to provide a credible iPad competitor with its Samsung Galaxy Tab and the company has just lifted the lid on its predecessor, the larger, more powerful Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Tab review.
As its name suggests, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a 10.1-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800. The original Galaxy Tab had a smaller 7-inch display, so the new model will compete directly with the 9.7-inch iPad]] and the upcoming iPad 2, which is rumoured to be the same size as the current iPad.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet also features a rear 8-megapixel rear camera that doubles as a 1080p HD video recorder, and a 2-megapixel front camera for video calls. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor, has 1GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of internal memory, along with a microSD card slot for extra storage. It has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, but uses a proprietary charging and synchronising port; the same port used on the original Galaxy Tab.
Like its Samsung Galaxy S II Android phone, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is made from sturdy feeling plastic, and features a carbon-like finish on the rear. This adds style, and makes the tablet easy to grip. In our brief hands-on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 feels well constructed but manages to remain lightweight at 599g.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb, which has specifically been designed for tablet devices. Samsung has stated the software will not come with any UI additions and will instead by a "vanilla" version of the Honeycomb OS. Key features of Android 3.0 Honeycomb include tabbed Web browsing, support for 3D graphics, added enterprise features like encrypted storage, a redesigned keyboard, and completely redesigned interface that aims to take advantage of the larger tablet screen.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be launched "sometime in Q2" in Australia, and will be exclusively sold through Vodafone as part of a global deal. Pricing details have yet to be announced.
