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8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

Summary: Samsung delivers on its teaser and announces 8.9-inch Samsung Tab

Joel Evans

By for The Mobile Gadgeteer |

Earlier this month we mentioned that Samsung was teasing the world about a possible 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab. Well, this week the company came forward with an official announcement.

According to Samsung, the new 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab will feature Honeycomb (Android OS 3.0), a WXGA 1280x800 display, Dual Core Application Processor, High Speed Multitasking, 1080p HD video playback, front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video calls, rear-facing 3-megapixel camera, and will be HSPA+ Enabled. If 8.9-inch isn't your thing, the company also showed off its 10.1-inch version, both of which are now just 0.34 inches thick.

Will the world embrace the new 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab with the iPad 2 making the rounds? First off, the 8.9-inch version won't be shipping until the summer. Second, it's $469 for a 16GB. Wi-Fi model. With that pricing, you have to want Android more than iOS.

I think it's actually a decent price point, considering you do get Honeycomb and HSPA+ support. That said, I previously mentioned that my own preference is iOS in a tablet. Then again, Honeycomb, with some nice Samsung flair (TouchWiz UX), may be just what the world needs.

Are you jumping on the iPad 2 bandwagon or is Honeycomb more your speed?

Topics: Laptops, Apple, Hardware, Mobile OS, Mobility, Operating Systems, Samsung, Tablets

About

With more than 15 years of mobile, Internet and wireless experience, Joel specializes in taking existing brands and technologies into the mobile and wireless space. Joel is currently the VP of Strategy Integration for Mobiquity, an enterprise-class mobile solutions provider.

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29 comments
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  • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

    A few days ago bloggers said that no one could compete with Apple's prices; today Samsung can do it. But now prices seem to be irrelevant and OS preference is the new "key"...
    Rigel.628
    Reply Vote

    • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

      @Rigel.628

      I wonder how much Samsung must reduce profit margins to compete with Apple?

      Or maybe, since Samsung manufactures quite a few key electronic components themselves (SoC, Flash) that perhaps they can, after all, compete with Apple on price alone and keep a relatively healthy profit margin on these tablets. It would be interesting to know that (but that knowledge will NEVER be made public .. alas.)
      kenosha77a
      Reply Vote

      • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

        @kenosha7777
        Or they have taken shortcuts . . . such as using poorer quality materials in the build.
        Restricted_access
        Reply Vote

      • This is the a good move on Samsung's part

        Now if they can only deliver good software and prompt updates.

        Until then I shall just stand on the sidelines.

        Though price is a great motivator and it will sell.
        Uralbas
        Reply Vote

    • Let's have a bleeding contest

      @Rigel.628 What people said was that no one could meet Apple's prices (with a comparable, high quality product) and still make money. That is true. A large company like Samsung that has other sources of profit can choose to lose money on tablets for a while, in the hope that their tablet will sell in high enough volumes that they can negotiate better prices for components. If Samsung sells ten million or so Tabs this year, they may consider that a win and continue. If thru only sell five million, I doubt they'll remain in the market.
      Robert Hahn
      Reply Vote

      • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

        @Robert Hahn 5 milllion, let alone 10,ould be a resounding success. And anyone thinking Samsung would give up so easily in an emerging segment is a bit delusional, even if they "only" sold a million units.
        farwest101
        Reply Vote

  • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

    It is good to see this healthy competition(apple vs Samsung).
    PaulTAntony
    Reply Vote

  • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

    There are many factors, and they are different for different users. Some need power/speed, others are more concerned with size, price is the driver for one market segment.

    Clearly there is no way one product will suit everyone. YES on competition. As far as price, Apple uses slave labor to build their products, Samsung?? So for some, it may even be a moral judgement. Let the games begin!
    tcurl@...
    Reply Vote

  • I didnt want to

    but the more I wait for a decent spec and price point for Android tabs the more it seems like IOS is the way to go
    DS-Solutions
    Reply Vote

  • Android is the way to go - period

    There is clearly more value in the Android platform. Apple time & again has exerted too much say & power into what they "allow" on their devices. As a consumer, I find this unacceptable. When I hand over my hard earned cash for an item, I expect full control, ownership, & decision making. Android clearly provides that & more. I also like the fact that I can do a lot of things on my Android devices that would be otherwise very difficult to do on "iOS" devices. Even if I root my Android products, I can still get updates. That's a far cry from iOS. When you jailbreak an iOS device, Apple spanks you by undoing all that work on the next update you receive - so you have to kill updates in order to keep your Jailbreak.
    DarthWizworks
    Reply Vote

    • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

      @DarthWizworks

      Right on the money - only fools lock themselves into a closed device/system. Sure, plenty of fools around, but there's no need to be one
      farwest101
      Reply Vote

    • yes, LOL.. you can totally choose any of the 24 tablet apps

      @DarthWizworks ..available for honeycomb LMAO.. have fun with that... oh, i forgot.. you guys also like spending hours and hour just adjusting and adjusting you environment.. because android is just so customizable... lol.. so you can make that choice.. while iOS users are "limited" to choosing from only 70,000 tablet apps..<br><br>i guess there is something for everyone.. if your primarily concerned with getting your environment JUST right.. not to concerned with a high performance hardware and apps and gaming.. then android is the CHOICE for you..lol..<br><br>in terms of performance there is just no competition for iPad 2 right now.. look at the benchmarking.. Apple A5 SoC vs Tegra 2 on Xoom and Samsung.. CPU is similar.. but but iPad 2's GPU performance completely blows xoom and likewise these new samsungs out of the water

      http://www.anandtech.com/show/4216/apple-ipad-2-gpu-performance-explored-powervr-sgx543mp2-benchmarked/2
      doctorSpoc
      Reply Vote

  • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

    Remember one thing as you consider spending your money, iOS is proprietary locking you in the Apple chambers.
    parcsoft
    Reply Vote

    • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

      @parcsoft Precisely. I like the fact that on Android, I can simply drag and drop my media files over the USB connection. I can't do that on iOS devices and one needs the stupid itunes software to manage content on iOS devices. Add to that, I only use Linux on my computers and Apple does not release itunes for linux. media management with Android is very simple - and you can share your content by plugging into a friend's computer and letting them copy your files from your device - and not some bastardized data structure such as on Apple's devices.
      DarthWizworks
      Reply Vote

      • yeah, lets see you drag and drop..

        @DarthWizworks.. all music of genre = pop and R&B, from the 80's and 90', with a rating of higher than 3 stars.. plus anything by Queen, Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk.. i can do that on iTunes with a few clicks.. two clicks if i have some playlists set up... how long does that take with drag and drop?

        LMAO.. ignorance is bliss
        doctorSpoc
        Reply Vote

  • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

    I have never had a experience with any of these tabs. I will check them out at my next upgrade this August with my carrier who isn't either Sprint, AT&T, or T-Mobile. I do place my faith in the Android which I have on my LG Apex
    charlesberry6
    Reply Vote

  • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

    I had an android device it was fun until and update and then it was messed up. Lost stuff. At least with iTunes stuff is there and can be replaces. I used to be anti iTunes but now that I am actually using it a lot I don't mind it. I perfer to work with it on my PC. I can drag and drop my music into it. Yes, you have to get their formatted stuff but even android has it's own. I could never get my movies to work on it even with formatting them with software. I just want my devices to work consistently and well.
    nbkz81f
    Reply Vote

  • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

    Apple is NOT a manufacturer. They are a design company. Samsung makes most of their own parts.
    markrosoff@...
    Reply Vote

  • Great that Samsung is in the game!

    Samsung ultra thin 9 series; the Galaxy S2 and these tablets ..... Samsung really stepping up ... like it!
    HeartStrong07
    Reply Vote

  • RE: 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab does Honeycomb

    And that is all you will ever get! Samsung still doesn't know how to do andreoid 2.2 update on Galaxy S phones. SAMSUNG DOES NOT DO UPDATES! So you had better be prepared to live with what you get.
    txtsage
    Reply Vote
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