Samsung Galaxy Tab Review

[DaHarder]

Thanks wen, I enjoyed your review. BTW I just picked up the Nook Color...you might be surprised to hear it matches up with the Samsung Tab very well. If we remember that it costs $250--and ignore the lack of phone, 3G, and GPS--the only real hardware difference is the Tab runs a Cortex A8 @1GHz while the Nook has an A8 running @800MHz.

Looking forward to the iPad match-up!

-Matt

I've been conducting just such a 'match up' for quite some time now as I own an iPad 64gb/Wifi+3g, a Galaxy Tab/32gb, and the NOOKcolor/with a 32gb microSDHC card.

Personally I find that as nice as the NOOKcolor is, it in no, way, shape or form offers the degree of true tablet/slate functionality as either my iPad or (especially) Samsung Galaxy Tab, largely for the very reasons you so readily dismissed, and the fact is that B&N has purposely limited its ability to be anything more than a read-centric device at this point.

Make no mistake, it's a wonderful color eReader, easily the very best of its kind at this point, but even when the tools/opportunity come along to 'unleash' it as an (pseudo) Android tablet, it'll still lack more hardware features than you chose to mention to ever allow it to compete directly the far more versatile/functional/go-anywhere Samsung Galaxy Tab e.g. the essential 3G connectivity, dual cameras, and GPS functions, et al.

As for the iPad, it's really a completely different device in many ways, and due to constraints imposed by its rather ungainly size/form factor, less mobile-friendly ergonomics, and far greater weight, is more wisely considered a home tablet device, as opposed to a reasonably larger-screened device that one could/would actually take with them almost any/everywhere they go.

Nice review, but all these direct comparisons to the iPad are rather misguided, as they really do serve different purposes - IMO.

 

[DaHarder]

Oh... and here they are:

Here's a pic of my aforementioned iPad , Samsung Galaxy Tab, and NOOKColor.

All great devices, with very different purposes.

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/6338/sgtabipadnookcolor.jpg

 

[spillner]

This device needs a faster processor, I played with it at a Verizon store for a while and am very disappointed with its performance. Browser scrolling is laggy on full websites. Flash videos didn't work. Live wall papers cause overall lag throughout the system. I can't justify the price for something that doesn't outperform my phone.

This is disappointing because I wanted to replace my bulky laptop and the iPad is too big IMO, but if someone had a gun to my head and told me to choose I'd choose an iPad. Of course someone would need to put a gun to my head to buy it.

 

[kadunkadunk]

Hell, here is what I want in a tablet...

1) 8-10" LCD/AMOLED screen
2) 1ghz Dual Core processor so that true multi-tasking without lagging can be achieved
3) Wifi as well as 3/4G connectivity...but allow me to use my current cell data plan on the tablet and not charge me in addition.
4) 1gb of Ram...no reason this cant be accomplished using current technology in a larger format such as a tablet device.
5) 16GB interal memory is fine out of the box, but also have a 32GB SD card/slot available
6) Decent stereo speakers for normal audio playback...I wont always have a set of ear buds with me, as well as i might be the entertainment center for more than myself.
7) Scrap the super-smooth rear coatings...lay some light texture coating on the back so my $300+ device doesnt slip&slide on a whim...

Well played. My sentiments to the letter.

 

[TheOldFart]

Thanks wen, I enjoyed your review. BTW I just picked up the Nook Color...you might be surprised to hear it matches up with the Samsung Tab very well. If we remember that it costs $250--and ignore the lack of phone, 3G, and GPS--the only real hardware difference is the Tab runs a Cortex A8 @1GHz while the Nook has an A8 running @800MHz.

Looking forward to the iPad match-up!

-Matt

I've been conducting just such a 'match up' for quite some time now as I own an iPad 64gb/Wifi+3g, a Galaxy Tab/32gb, and the NOOKcolor/with a 32gb microSDHC card.

Personally I find that as nice as the NOOKcolor is, it in no, way, shape or form offers the degree of true tablet/slate functionality as either my iPad or (especially) Samsung Galaxy Tab, largely for the very reasons you so readily dismissed, and the fact is that B&N has purposely limited its ability to be anything more than a read-centric device at this point.

Make no mistake, it's a wonderful color eReader, easily the very best of its kind at this point, but even when the tools/opportunity come along to 'unleash' it as an (pseudo) Android tablet, it'll still lack more hardware features than you chose to mention to ever allow it to compete directly the far more versatile/functional/go-anywhere Samsung Galaxy Tab e.g. the essential 3G connectivity, dual cameras, and GPS functions, et al.

As for the iPad, it's really a completely different device in many ways, and due to constraints imposed by its rather ungainly size/form factor, less mobile-friendly ergonomics, and far greater weight, is more wisely considered a home tablet device, as opposed to a reasonably larger-screened device that one could/would actually take with them almost any/everywhere they go.

Nice review, but all these direct comparisons to the iPad are rather misguided, as they really do serve different purposes - IMO.

I just bought the NOOKcolor. Sure I would like the Galaxy tablet, but at over 2x the price, there is no way I could justify it. The NOOK color is a fine ebook reader and a good web browser for abound the house or at the many places my wife and I go that have free wifi access. I have no need for 3G access on it (always carry my Droid for that), the camera (phone cameras stink anyway and I have never used any of them), phone (again, I carry my Droid). GPS would be nice because of the higher resolution, but the Droid suffices. In my opinion, the Galaxy is definitely not worth the more than 2x cost of the NOOKcolor, at least not for me and I suspect many others who already own smartphones. I have no problem easily dismissing the things that the NOOKcolor doesn't have.