Samsung Galaxy Tab Android 2.2 Reviews

 

By Ajax

This review is from: Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab Smart Media Device (ARM Cortex A8 1GHz, 16GB, 7 inch TFT LCD, 3G, BT 3.0, Android 2.2) - Sim Free (Electronics)

When Apple launched the iPad, I purchased one immediately. I remember being delighted by the large screen, and the effortless web surfing experience. After owning the iPad for a little over a week, however, I then wondered what exactly I was going to use it for - I had a Macbook Pro, and a smartphone - and the iPad failed to complete many tasks I wanted it to, and certainly failed to bring anything new in terms of functionality. Needless to say, it was sold on eBay shortly afterwards.

Since then, I have been waiting for a tablet device to come to market that offered a little bit more than just a large touchscreen. My wait is now over.

My Samsung Galaxy Tab arrived on November 1st, so I have been using it every day for just over a week. What a fabulous device! I have read various tech journals saying the iPad is better, and to those who just want a couch-surfer, maybe so. I guess the web experience on the iPad is a little more polished. But any criticism of the Tab ends there. After a week, I am used to the touch screen interface and the way it reacts to my inputs, I am happy with the smoothness of the scrolling when viewing websites, and I'm ok with the reported lack of apps available on Android market (by comparison with the app store). I followed the tip on sizing apps to fill the screen, and that works just great.

I use the device as a secondary phone, for personal calls, via a bluetooth headset. Call quality is excellent, and I haven't had a dropped call yet - can't say the same with my 3gs! The email client is fantastic, pushes my POP account and gmail over, and collects them all in a unified inbox. Keyboard is so easy for thumbing in portrait - I find it really fast and easy, but I'm no touch typist. Contacts and calendar synced up with google, great use of the extra screen size over a smartphone. I use google docs and thinkfree office for work stuff, mostly spreadsheet stuff, and it works well, and web browsing is just fine with full flash onboard. iPlayer looks a treat.

Many have wondered whether a 7" screen is large enough to be better than a smartphone - yes it is - way better. Screen size between 3.5" phone and 7" Tab may not sound much, but it seems about three times the size of my HTC Desire. Makes all the difference in the world - no more squinting! Camera works well, not fantastic by any means, but I've taken some reasonable snaps, and that's good enough for me. I generally take the pictures on my HTC Desire, and bluetooth 'em over to the Tab, then use the Tab to view the gallery - a nice visual experience, and great to pass around amongst friends and family.

Widgets, shortcuts, feeds and live wallpaper all help to make the Tab feel personal - I've got all nine screens pretty rammed. I have a 32Gb micro SD card in the slot, so bags of space - keep all the media on the card, works great - and you have the option of storing loads of media on lots of different cards - never run out of storage space.

I have used the device twice as a navigation tool - it has now replaced my TomTom. Enough said.

The Tab feels like a quality piece of kit - doesn't crease or flex, no creaking, screen seems tough, and plastics feel good quality - no scratches yet. Speakers are loud, and sound quality not bad at all. Battery life - 13 hours use including constant WiFi, bluetooth, regular surfing, email on push, calls, navigation, and angry birds, of course!

As an ebook reader, I am quite impressed - I loaded a couple of books up, and it seems great - nice, clear text, I can look up long words to increase my loquaciousness, and the device feels light and is easy to grip - even lying in bed. It is fab as a video player - seamless, good screen size, plays every format I've thrown at it.

I've downloaded PowerAmp from the Android market as a music player - works well - Angry Birds is cool on the bigger screen, FB works fine, what else do you want??? Notifications bar is useful, bluetooth is fast, multitasking is awesome, file manager helpful, and I've saved the best bit 'till last...

It fits in my jeans pocket!

I have never written a review before (as you may be able to detect), but the Samsung Galaxy Tab made me put my initial thoughts in writing - it really is that good. I doubt you could be disappointed, and if you are, an update to Gingerbread will probably sort you out!