More than eight months after the release of the Apple iPad, fans of Google’s Android mobile operating system finally have a contender in the race for tablet supremacy.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is just the first in an avalanche of Android tablets planned for release in the winter months.
The Galaxy Tab is much smaller than the iPad, with just a 7-inch screen. That makes it a breeze to hold with just one hand. It feels more like an oversized smartphone than the tablet computer packed with powerful features that it is.
The iPad’s considerable heft — it’s almost twice as heavy as the Galaxy Tab — has made it a hard sell for the on-the-go crowd. Samsung’s tablet would be a joy on a bus or airplane as a personal gaming or video device.
It features a superfast 1-gigahertz processor that makes navigating around the device snappy. Its touch screen is extremely responsive and never stutters.
It has front- and rear-facing cameras for video chats, mobile hotspot capabilities and turn-by-turn navigation — all unavailable on the iPad, which has sold more than 7 million units.
The Galaxy Tab is available from T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon, with more carriers coming on board soon. I tested a model on the Verizon network.
For Readers and Gamers
Samsung has brushed the Galaxy Tab with the same technicolor interface it uses on its superb line of Galaxy smartphones.
And when paired with the tablet’s super-vibrant display, that interface is a welcome respite from Android’s often utilitarian, machine-like appearance.
The Galaxy Tab also has the same widgets Android users have grown accustomed to, like e-mail and calendar notifications.
As an e-reader, the Galaxy Tab is a no-brainer. Its size is almost exactly the same as the latest Amazon Kindle — think of a paperback — and the color screen offers utility not available on the…