The new generation of Samsung Galaxy Tab slates were launched today in Makati City. Upgrading the 7-inch series, they’re sized at 10.1 and 8.9 inches respectively and noticeably slimmer than their rival iPad 2. The race is on for the unprecedented king of the tablet market !
Price remains TBA (to be announced) but we presume it will be somewhere between Php23,000-29,000 depending on the memory and model (16gb/32gb) . Maybe Samsung Philippines will also have a launching promo, like what they will do with the Samsung Galaxy S II on June 24.
In a nutshell, here are the specifications for both Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9: Android Honeycomb (version 3.1) operating system, 1 GHz Dual Core Processor, web-browsing with flash support, 1080p full HD video playback, dual surround sound speakers, a 2mp front facing camera and 8mp rear camera.
On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S wi-fi 5.0 smartphone (available soon!) will have the following specs: 5-inch screen, Android 2.2 Froyo platform, 1 GHz application processor, 8gb internal memory, and HD video recording.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9 are the thinnest and lightest mobile tablets to date, say officials from Samsung Philippines. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 weighs a mere 595 grams and the Galaxy Tab 8.9 only weighs 470 grams.
Both Tabs support HSPA+ network speeds of up to 21Mbps as well as Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity to deliver rapid mobile download speeds and reduce data transfer times. Both include a 1GHz dual core application processor for a powerful multimedia and multi-tasking experience.
Knowing that battery life has been a complaint on the old Galaxy Tab, Samsung said the new series is expected to have better battery power of up to 10 hours of playtime and double the number in 3G mode or standby.
However, unlike the old Galaxy Tab, it seems we cannot make voice calls with the new upgraded Tabs. I am still trying to verify. If this is true, it could be a bummer 😀
wow. ive seen that in kdramas and maganda talaga. sana magka money ako para mkabili din ng ganyan. haha
Hi Jel. Am excited to try it out myself….:)
thanks for the info. im glad samsung Philippines already announced the new galaxy tab. do you have any info on when will be the tabs available in samsung stores? i really want to buy one. thanks 🙂
Is it already available? Ive been waiting for this android tablet for months! Please tell me where I can buy this.
Hi Aren & Patrick. I don’t think it’s available in Samsung stores yet but it should be ready by July. Meanwhile, you can look for them in the gray market….
is the 10.1 version samsung tab available in any samsung store here in Ph?Cant wait to have it..ive been waiting for this for months…Thanks…Need to know if when pls…
sana nga 23 to 29 lang. hwag naman nila ibenta ng 35 up kasi mapipilitan akong hwag bumili.
hey samsung techie out there, i have two questions…
1st is samsung tablet 10.1 v has word-processing, spreadsheet and presentation software installed or can i use open source software?
2nd does it have the full functionality as phone (capacity for video calling, voice calling, sending sms)?
thanks for answering coz im thinking to buy one. thans
@rhonskie:
1.) Samsung usually includes some basic office suites in their tablets. So you can do some basic word processing, spreadsheet and presentation edit/view. But you can always download “Office/Document” Apps in the Android Market — both free and paid versions.
2.) No it doesn’t have the full functionality of a phone. Unlike the Galaxy Tab 7, the first and smaller version of Samsung Tablet that uses the Android OS for smartphone — Froyo and Gingerbread versions. The 10.1 and 8.9 uses the latest Android OS designed specifically for Tablets. So the phone functionality has been dropped. Plus the fact that for now, it’s available as wifi only, so you need to be in a wifi zone when connecting to the internet. No cellular/3G radio in it.
Good news though, since it’s the latest version of the OS, video calling can be done using GTalk or other Video Calling Apps available in the Android Market.
In the US, it’s priced the same as the iPad 2. I’m guessing that it will be the same here, because it’s useless to compete with a very well performing Tablet if they price it higher. The 8.9 version should be a little cheaper though.
By the way, just a last note: The one that they’re releasing here is the Galaxy Tab 10.1, without the “v” in the end. The one with the “v” is generally the same tablet but, thicker. They discontinued releasing that tablet since they wanted to be at par with, or better than, the iPa2d2 (really thin). But since they’ve already manufactured some of the thick ones, they’ve got to sell it and released it in a certain market in Australia or UK(Vodafone, i think), thus with the moniker “v” in the end.
Thanks yumax_phl for the useful piece of info 😀
Any updates on the release date for the 8.9? And will there be a version that has phone functionality like the 7″? 🙂
BTW, just asking for advice. Should I wait for the 8.9 or should I just buy the 7″ now?
Glad to know when it will be available in the market. I’ve been looking forward to its existence! Please let us know.
Thank you and more power to all at Samsung Philippines!
The suggested retail price for the Galaxy Tab 101.1 3G with 32GB is Php34,990. There’s no official word on the release date of the Galaxy Tab 8.9 but our info on the retail price posted here earlier seems to hold some ground.
where in Makati? i’ve been waiting for this for months now. I’d rather have this than buy a new laptop,great for work and we bbrowsing. gotta have it! can you help me locate stores which have this? i haven’t seen it on samsung phillipines’ website.
Wtf?! Hold for what?
I am looking all over for 8.9 here at smnorth and still nothing even shadow… Augghhh!
10.1 is now available in sm for the price of P27,000.00
I choose to buy this tab rather than a bulky laptop!!
yes, that’s what i think so too. I love my new Tab 10.1…kulang na lang is the keyboard accessory and it can replace my laptop already 😉
hi nku gusto ko ng bumili pagsweldo ko…mas ok cguro kung dine nlang ako bibili sa KSA mas makakamura pa yata ako…gusto ko lang mina kc mabasa yung full specification ng 8.9 at kung ano yung mga free application…the best lang nman kc to me skype.yahoo messenger,tweeter.facebook,at sure kung activate yung video call sa lahat ng nayan..lam nyo nman ang KSA TO PINAS…
I wish it will be available in the market(I mean in respective one)
Before this week then I will leave my freak’n heavy loptop there when I get back
Here in the boring place PNG,would u pleaz ggive me some advice if its is ok
To buy like in greenhills?are they selling orig there?
Thanks guys for the great info,now I chooce galaxy 10 or 8 rather than
Blacberry playbook.
which one is the best .. samsung galaxy tab 5.0 or the samsung galaxy s ? because soon im going to buy kaso hindi ako magaLing 2mingin kung ano yung mas ok ..