At today’s CTIA event, Samsung and Sprint managed to take the scene by making the event an all tablet bonanza with each one revealing the guns sealed on their arsenal. Before we continue, we have a good news and bad news for you. Good, because the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the current super tablets of Sammy. Bad because it make the first-generation Samsung Galaxy tab looked like a cheap doll, and nope, we’re not exaggerating here. With its super slim form factor sizing up to a mere .34-inch, it certainly looks like an iPad 2 competitor in terms of sexiness. Speaking of which, we made a comparison between the Galaxy Tab 8.9 just to settle the facts straight about their specifications.
Just like the iPad 2’s A5 dual-core chip, Sammy will try to fight that using the 8.9’s Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, packing with 16GB and 32GB models that has a powerful 6860mAh battery, said to last up to 10 hours of video play back — something that’s very at par with the so-called “legendary” 10-hour battery of the iPad.
While its core platform would run Android 3.0 (Gingerbread), its UI will be completely replaced by TouchWize UX a.k.a TouchWiz 4.0 which adds a lot of widgets on the home screen and googlified the UI experience a little bit. Then again, for iPad 2, we have the latest iOS 4.3 for that.
As for the pricing, Samsung made a spectacular move. Unlike last year, when it totally concealed the price of the first-gen galaxy tab, in which the media got into thinking its price would even go way up the 900 USD zone, Sammy today proudly presented the affordable prices for the Galaxy Tab 8.9. With its 16GB WiFi only version of 469 USD and 32GB model for 569 USD. If you’ll compare it to iPad 2’s WiFi-only 8GB model for a price of 499 USD, we certainly have some good price competition here settled by the former.
Then again, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 certainly isn’t an iPad 2 killer but rather, a good android competitor. And should I say a worthy contender against Motorola Xoom too? As usual, the real conclusion begins when we finally be able to hear the reactions of its customers on its release date this summer.
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Tags: ipad 2, ipad 2 vs samsung galaxy tab 8.9, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 price, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 specs, samsung galaxy tab 8.9 vs ipad 2, samsung galaxy tab 8.9 vs ipad 2 comparison
I love how both of the Galaxy tablets look, but I think I would prefer the 8.9 tablet. It seems more portable than the 10.1 Galaxy. It also has the same hardware and software as the 10.1, but it a tad smaller. Plus it is cheaper. I know that as soon as the 8.9 Samsung Galaxy Tab comes out, I am going to get one. Then as soon as I do get it, the first app I am going to download will be the the DISH Remote Access app. Using this app along with my 922 SlingLoaded receiver, I can stream live TV and my recordings to the tablet anywhere that I can get a 3G or wifi connection. If they put 4G on the tablets, then that will make streaming even better! As a customer and employee of DISH Network, I have been using this app for a while, and I think it will be great to see my TV on this 8.9 inch screen. I can hardly wait to get mine!