hey don't be grading me on thisIt’s too small!! It’s too big for a phone!! It’s too expensive!! Google says Android isn’t meant for tablets!! Seems to be what a lot of people are saying to bash the Tab, whether they have actually used / seen the device we do not know but my guess is no. A lot is riding on this device as it is the first ‘true competitor' to Apple’s iPad. The question is does the Tab hold up to this high standard that Apple has put in place? I think it is important to know that the Android OS on the Tab hasn’t been completely reworked to look like a tablet, whatever that may be. It seems like that comment from Hugo Barra, director of products for mobile at Google, was taken a bit too far. The software that comes on the Galaxy Tab is pretty much the same stuff you would see on your typical Galaxy S phone or any other Andoird device. Only a few apps have been modified to take use of the extra real estate. If you already own an Android device you will immediately be at home with your Galaxy Tab as it delivers the same experience you would expect on your phone.
Initial Impressions
The first thing you will notice about the Tab when you hold it is that it is a very solid device. That seems to be what everyone who’s held mine has said, and it’s true! Its 7” size actually fits really well in your hand. Holding it with one hand and using the other for surfing the web is pefect. Contrary to what people say, having a device in this size just feels better, and more natural. The Tab is very easy to hold and very easy to type with in portrait - you don’t feel like you are stretching your fingers across the screen to hit the keys and I would consider this very important. The screen offers a much higher PPI over the competition which in turn offers stunning clarity. Now I must note that the Galaxy Tab does not offer S-AMOLED. Rumors say that this may change, but don’t let that deter you from your purchase.
Pricing
Ah, pricing. Here’s where a lot of people start to complain that it is ‘too expensive’. To be fair, look at mobile phones. Off contract they are about $500. Sprint and T-Mobile both offer this device on a 2 year contract for $400 (may have to go in store for off contract prices), while ATT offers it for $650 and VZW offers it for $600 with pay as you go data plans (no contract price offered). This seems to be pretty fair... it is good to have options. Comparatively, Apple starts their 16GB iPad 3G for $650 with a no on contract price. 32GB and 64GB devices add about $100 to the price. I’ve also noticed a lot tend to confuse the price of the iPad WiFi to the Galaxy Tab. Saying iPad starts at $499. Well, yes, it does, but we need to compare apples to apples. There is no WiFi offering as of yet for the Tab so let’s not compare it to something that that is in a different class. So pick your flavor, would you rather get the device cheaper and be locked in a data contract or would you rather pay more and pay data as you go. Side note: Personally these devices should not be locked into a 2 year contact. Actually, I think all mobile devices should be 1 year only. Life cycles of electronics are far, far less than 2 years, but I digress.
Hardware
The hardware. CPU/GPU combination is one of the strongest in the market. The Tab has the same CPU and GPU that’s found in other Galaxy S phones. The device has a MicroSD slot for user upgradable memory (up to 32GB), volume rockers, an off button (which I wish was on the top and not the side arg), and has capacitive buttons to go back, home, search, and to access settings of an app. NOTE: It would be really nice if the capacitive buttons stayed on when the screen was lit because in the dark it’s hard to find them. A front and rear facing camera is also included. The front features a 1.3mp camera and the back features a 3.2mp camera. Maybe Samsung skimped on the rear camera… but you aren’t going to be replacing your point and shoot so this is not a deal breaker. I would have been nice to see all the effects in the camera settings like the ones seen on the Galaxy S phones. Quadrant scores are only about 1000, which seems a bit low for a device that is a lot more powerful than most devices on the internet. There is a fix for this which takes scores over 2000 but overall people say the device just feels the same (from what I read). Over all the hardware is top notch.
Not going to go into memory because some carriers have different specs.
Software
The device ships with Android 2.2 (Froyo) and features Samsungs TouchWiz UI. The overall feel of the TouchWiz UI is pretty good but it would be nice to have a few more options with the app drawer though. Rather than scrolling left or right to view apps it would nice to have the option to switch to up and down scrolling. I also am not fond of the background square behind the app. My biggest issue with the TouchWiz UI is that you can’t switch which homescreen your home button goes to. You can add up to 9 screens but you can’t change the fact that number 1 is always the home screen. With it like this you can only scroll to the right from home, not left and right.
The default browser has no home button. What’s up with that? That’s a pretty big letdown. Brower performance is not stellar either. Sites that have flash can be very laggy. Being a tablet and having that extra screen real estate shouldn’t mean that sites are forced to their mobile variant. Some mobile sites don’t even have the option to do to desktop and when you are trying to view flash content (like TV shows) this can be frustrating. I recommend downloading Dolphin HD this browser seems to fix some of my issues sans the mobile site issue. The Tab comes with Swype as the standard keyboard. I don’t love it and I don’t hate it because I do use it sometimes, but the one thing that bothers me with Swype is when you tell it to predict words from the settings and then you type, it puts the words in this box rather than in the field you are typing in. With it this way I feel I am constantly making errors when I type. The Tab also has the Samsung keyboard installed. I like this one a little better but I can’t seem to figure out how to turn off the vibrating when I type. The text box for corrections keeps popping up and down when corrections are needed and it can get pretty frustrating because it moves the window you are looking at. After some research Smart Keyboard Pro fixed all my problems.
Bottom line, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is a solid device and lives up to my expections. Whether you buy it out right or on contract you will definitely love it. The pros out weight the cons and the really most cons are really just me be being picky.
Pros:
• Solid device, feels good in hand.
• Easy to type with, very mobile and light.
• Battery life is great.
• Hardware is top notch.
• Screen is great and very clear.
• Has both front and rear cameras.
• Different carriers to choose from.
• Android 2.2.
• Some stock apps are made to be more tablet friendly.
• Great for reading books.
• Very minimal bloat with Sprint version.
• Gorilla Glass for screen
• Sends and receives unlimted SMS, MMS (with data plan).
Cons:
• Not many apps made specifically for the device. Yet.
• Stock browser performance sucks, no home button.
• Samsung connector – Not necessarily a negative but mini or micro USB would have been nicer.
• Swype could use some work / no default Android keyboard.
• Phone feature taken out for US users.
• No way to assign home screens to home button. Default home screen is panel 1.
• No WiFi 'only' model.
• 2 year contracts if purchased on contract. Where’s the 1 year?!
• Emails disappear randomly.
• Samsung seems to be lagging on 2.2 for the other Galaxy S devices, will the same be true when 2.3 comes out for the Tab?
• Video Player FC on me about 6 times when watching a movie. Movie rented from Media Hub with $50 credit.
The device is definitely worth an 8.5/10. Expect the device to get better when updates are put out/new OS arrives.
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