Notes:
- This is the same hardware as the developer tablet given out at the Google I/O event earlier this year. For a more in depth review of the hardware, click here.
- For the latest on Australian availability, see: Samsung’s Full Response On Australian Galaxy Tab 10.1 Battle With Apple
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Screen: 10.1-inch, 1280×800
Processor and RAM: dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2, 1GB RAM
Storage: 32GB
Camera: 3MP, 720p video (rear); 2MP (front)
Battery: 7000mAh
Price: $US600
Like
While stock Honeycomb opts for a darker, colder, more futuristic feel, Touchwiz UX is bright and inviting. It wouldn’t look out of place at a family breakfast table. Settings menus and keyboard are now a whitish-grey. Fonts have a cleaner appearance. The weather and news Live Panes aren’t terrible. There’s even a dedicated icon on the status bar for screenshots (something Android didn’t previously have built-in support for). Overall, everything is just easier on the eyes, if less stylised.
No Like
The Touchwiz UX is ultimately superficial. It opts for flourishes rather than revamps. If you had fundamental issues with Honeycomb before, this won’t do much to change your mind. Beyond the homescreen and settings menu, there’s not much that feels different. There’s also a dock bar full of Samsung-developed mini-apps/widgets that stays hidden until you tap the arrow icon on the status bar that will bring it up. But most of these apps are inconsequential at best.
Last Word
It’s not like you’ll have a choice of whether or not to use the Touchwiz UX (unless you already have a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and opt not to update your software). But if you’re on the fence about whether or not this skin ruins the Honeycomb experience, know that it doesn’t. In fact, it doesn’t change much at all. just makes the OS look much better.
IanM
Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 2:09 PMAnyone know where the bookmark bar is on the new browser?
EckyThump
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 10:47 AMIf it’s anything like the Asus TF101 browser, you should have a radial thumb touch menu that pops up, there should be a bookmarks tab there. #]
Big Windows
Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 4:25 PMI still don’t think Android tablet makers are getting it… We will see with future sales. These are consumer devices… They should be analogous to the old CD player… Sure each CD player will have different buttons but in the end play a CD. How is this different with Android tablets (In this case honeycomb). All of the hardware is predominantly the same (however some allow extra storage some don’t)… So some are good for lots of media some aren’t… a divergence already. Some have HDMI out some don’t… Etc The problem with all of these different tablets are that they are different and they end they don’t all have the same focus. Anyone that is not a pro-sumer is confused about what the differences mean. What does that mean… Show me the Ipad they are all the same… It’s dumb it’s counter intuitive but it is also a device driven market and Apple got to define it because they made it consumable… Unlike past tablet efforts.
Andrew
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 3:30 PMI see all of your “problems” as freedom of choice. Ultimately it is good for a consumer to be able to decide that they want an SD card slot or an HDMI-out or a keyboard dock. That is how technology evolves. Currently we know that people like the idea of a keyboard docking tablet. Because of that we will see more of them in the future and the design will get better. Technology is Darwinian in nature.
Leaving choice up to one manufacturer (you know what I’m talking about) is possibly the worst case scenario for the long term evolution of technology.
FFS, last night it took 45 mins to put 3 video clip on my sister’s iPad. A complete PITA that could easily be fixed by adding a USB port or an SD card slot. Freedom of choice however doesn’t help Apple funnel everyone to the iTunes store. They make everything difficult except the one thing that makes them more money. That all-consuming, cumbresome succubus represents a dark stagnated future for tech.. you really need to see technology as an ecosystem. The more open standards and freedom of choice, the faster we all get to where we’re going.
Steve
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 6:31 PMYou underestimate the intelligence of consumers if you think they’ll be confused by Android.
You’re speaking about freedom of choice like it’s a bad thing. This is Android’s largest boon. If you don’t want HDMI, you can buy one without that feature. If you want USB ports, you’re covered. You can pick what type of shell you want, whether it be durable and chunky or svelte.
Apple’s iPad model works for them, but it should NOT be applied to every scenario. With 3G/Wi-Fi and storage space as the only variation, all other doors like SD card/USB/HDMI are closed to you. I’d rather have choice than none at all, which is why like Windows, Android won’t crash and burn as you predict.
Michael
Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 4:35 PM@Big Windows, Samsung it’s finding it hard to release the tab 10.1 because Apple thinks it “looks” and “performs” too much like the ipad.
z3d
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 11:10 AM“Performs”? lol. Did you just make that up?
Big Windows
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 11:19 AMYou are correct however I don’t think it’s that simple… Sure they can have a go at opposition as they get closer to the mark and the samsung is the closest yet, however, I think they are going after Android not the Samsung. They want this device space and they want people to feel unsure about purchasing an Android tablet. I am sure that they would love to go after phone manufacturers as well but the iphone is looking a little second best at the moment and changes they make to it might make it look a little me-too and that will dint these sort of patent attacks if they are seen as a me-too rather than a go-to brand. One thing is for sure… They won’t have a go at the Touchpad and HP (even though their device is the most similar)… Why?.. Because they don’t know what IP HP has picked up in the Palm purchase and they might just find that a patent war with HP in this space is unwinnable.
Steve
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 6:16 PMIt’s not even Samsung-specific now. Apple has sued Motorola over the Xoom (which everyone would agree looks nothing like an iPad).
Apple just wants to shut down the Android tablet market early and it’s scary how much success they’re having. I can’t imagine where Android would be now if they pulled the same thing earlier with the Evo 4G.
Ruger
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at 7:26 PMCan someone please tell me that there is way to update software on a device i purchased in the US that technically does not exist here in Australia? I cant even create a samsung account:(
James
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 12:46 AMUm….what are they thinking!! It looks like an iPad. They pop up keyboard looks ugly.
EckyThump
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 10:53 AMSo basically besides the camera, it’s more or less the same as the Asus TF101 sans keyboard option? I don’t see what everybody was getting so exited about! As for the OS! root it and use a custom rom… too easy! #}
Pat
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 11:19 AMI actually have one of these devices (was lucky enough to have someone bring it back from a US trip) and let me tell you, it is easily one of the most awesome things I have ever used.
Yes, if you like the way iOS feels, you may not like this. It works quite differently. I’ve used the iPad and it just feels boring to me. The widgets in Honeycomb rock.
The new Touchwiz update does have some nice features. The new control panel in the bottom corner is handy.
The updates to the browser are pretty good too. It feels a bit snappier.
Like the article author said, nothing major, it just makes everything look nicer.
The little mini-apps are a bit useless though and the screenshot button even less so.
Overall, a visually nice but only semi-useful update. The tablet itself: Wouldn’t trade it for 10 iPads :)
Big Windows
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 11:28 AMHave a friend who got one at the Android developer event in the US and loved it… (Kept it for a little then sold it for a heap in NZ and bought an Acer. Only sold it to make a few bucks). Undoubtedly the most polished hardware out there (atleast on par with the ipad) and he loves developing for it… But at the same time has just developed an Ipad app because it has more traction in the market place.
IanM
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 12:27 PMSo Pat, you know where the bookmarks are in the browser?
I like you LOVE mine. Amazon and HopShopGo rocks!
Each to their own I guess.
Gage
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 1:08 PMI have one from the states too and I have to say…. there is a reason Apple is trying to keep this from as many markets as possible ;)
Steve
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 6:19 PMHave this on my own Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the only true benefit I’m getting from it is the settings menu now stacking on the bottom right.
Everything else is either useless or I’d never use. Screenshots is especially annoying since it’s placed in such a prominent position and the mini apps tray, I’ve noticed lags.
Len
Monday, August 15, 2011 at 8:50 PMBrowser is faster, systems tray is useful task manager is useful, less lag with typing but bookmarks is broken.good update all up.