Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless Review
The Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless hits the infoSync labs. Read the full review here.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Overview
After the deluge of tablets that showered the Consumer Electronics Show a few weeks back, it has become apparent that 2011 will serve as the harbinger for more to come. The Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless is the company's first attempt at an iPad killer, and Samsung has done a bang-up job. However, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is not very far removed from the Galaxy S line of phones when it comes to its interface. Consider the Galaxy Tab as a Galaxy S that was stretched out in a taffy room to achieve a 7-inch TFT LCD screen and stuffed with a powerful 1GB Hummingbird processor to run rampant in a land of Android 2.2 with Flash 10.1 support. Yes, the Galaxy Tab is a power-packed Internet and 1080p-friendly multimedia machine, but does it have what it takes to compete with the iPad? Will it still find relevance amongst the burgeoning crop of tablets that include Motorola's new XOOM and Apple's upcoming iPad 2? Let's find out in this review.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Design
Samsung spared no expense with the design of the Galaxy Tab, which is a glossy sheet of goodness. The back of the Tab features a lightly textured dotted pattern with the 3.2-megapixel camera lens and flash as the only occupants. In front, the Samsung Galaxy Tab has a 7-inch TFT LCD with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution and capacitive touchscreen technology. A row of haptic feedback-clad buttons line the bottom of the screen, consisting of Menu, Home, Back, and Search, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera is embedded above the top right of the screen.
External controls are minimal as well, just like most Galaxy S phones. The Samsung Galaxy Tab has a 3.5mm audio jack located on top and a pair of stereo speakers on the bottom, which bookend a proprietary 30-pin dock connector/battery charge terminal that's looking strikingly similar to that of Apple's. The Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless has a traditional Power/Lock button and Volume control on the right side, and a nice little surprise mounted below.
In place of a Camera button lives a MicroSD card slot that is capable of holding up to 64GB cards. Our Galaxy Tab came equipped with a 16GB MicroSD card, and having a modular media terminal is far superior to Apple's fixed internal GB capacity on the iPad. The Galaxy Tab is basically a Superman version of a Galaxy S phone when it comes to design.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Software and Interface
Things differ slightly when we look at the insides of the Samasung Galaxy Tab compared to a typical Galaxy S smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy Tab has a 1GHz Hummingbird processor with PowerVR SGX540 GPU, making the Tab one of the fastest devices on the market. Couple that with 512MB of RAM and Android 2.2 with Adobe Flash Player 10.1, and the iPad has met its match. The Galaxy Tab also offers EV-DO, Wi-Fi Wireless-N, and Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity. For gaming, the Galaxy Tab offers a gyroscope and 1080p playback via DivX, XviD, MPEG4, H.263, H.264, and more video containers.
We will say that the Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless offers the same immediate feel we get from a Galaxy S phone, only there are slight variations. For instance, we now have the ability to store up to 9 home screens, and we can pinch to minimize them all onto one screen with the ability to set any of them as the primary home screen. The Samsung Galaxy Tab operates fairly similarly in most other aspects. In order to add a Widget, Shortcut, or Folder, we just tapped on the screen and held in order to bring up a menu, and the classic drop-down menu at the top held all of our Power controls and updates. One thing we liked about the Galaxy Tab was the fact that it had Task Manager and Active Applications, allowing us to monitor and kill programs to conserve the battery.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab has a virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype technology for quick input, but you'll have to get used to typing deliberately with your fingertips one at a time before you master its touchy input patterns. Even in landscape view, we couldn't get the hang of the Galaxy Tab's keyboard when it came to productive typing, so that's just one of the drawbacks to owning an Internet tablet.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Internet Browsing
Internet browsing is a much better experience on the Samsung Galaxy Tab than it is on a standard Galaxy S phone. First off, we can play YouTube videos and other Flash content in real time, right from within the page we're viewing. Usually, we end up having to view videos in YouTube anyway, due to the lag on an average Android 2.2-equipped phone, but not on the Galaxy Tab. Also, the Galaxy Tab has the ability to support up to 6 web pages being active at once, and we can even assign individual bookmarks to our home screens.
History, Most Visited, and Bookmark options are easy as pie to access, and the Galaxy Tab's ability to support pinch-to-zoom and double-tap-to zoom led to an excellent Internet browsing experience. Images could be saved to the MicroSD card or phone storage while browsing, and we could download most links/programs just like we could on a computer. Consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab Internet experience like Apple's, but without the restrictions.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Multimedia
With 1080p playback as discussed earlier, the Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless proved itself as a veritable movie machine, allowing us to take high-definition along with us anywhere we went. Of course, Verizon tossed in its V Cast Music and V Cast Song ID, VZ Navigator, and other Verizon moneymakers. Slacker Radio, Kindle for Android, BLOCKBUSTER On Demand presented by V Cast Video, and a trial version of "Let's Golf" came out of the box, but we would have appreciated a few free full games. That's where the Android Market comes in, allowing us to download oodles of games and other applications.
We really liked the Samsung Galaxy Tab's Music interface, which offered album art and organized songs. Albums, artists, genres, and more. We will warn you to monitor usage of multimedia like games and music while you're not using them, as they will drain the battery while lumbering in the background. Fortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Tab has a very good battery life that withstood a lengthy standby time and remained powered during a fairly heavy bout of usage throughout the day.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Camera
The main Achilles Heel on the Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless was its 3.2-megapixel camera, which cranked out a subpar performance. The Galaxy Tab also has a 1.3-megapixel front-mounted camera for self portraits and is capable of taking 720 x 480 Widescreen VGA videos, but that does not help the meager quality of the Samsung Galaxy Tab's digital imaging performance at all. We found that colors were pale, and the lens created a defocused haze around most of the subjects we captured.
We will say that there's nothing quite like carrying a 7-inch flatscreen monitor in your pocket, and we loved the ability to frame our shots with such a large panel. Oh, if only consumer camcorders and digital cameras offered such giant monitors! But alas, we're in the Tab world, so we can't have everything. The Gallery remains the same on the Galaxy Tab when compared to Galaxy S phones, and the camera interface contains a moderate amount of camera controls, including a Flash that acts as a video light.
Samsung Galaxy Tab Final Answer
The Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless is here, and it's giving the iPad something to quiver about. The Galaxy Tab may seem like a giant Galaxy S phone, as it is in Europe, but its Internet browsing, gaming, and productivity levels are on a level of their own when compared to a standard Android 2.2 phone. If you're stuck between the iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab, we suggest considering the fact that the Galaxy Tab can connect to the EV-DO network. Also, the Galaxy Tab supports MicroSD cards for additional storage, offering the ability to mount the device as a computer and drag and drop files with ease. Yes, the screen is smaller on the Galaxy Tab, but its overall package edges the iPad out.
Either way you slice it, the Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless is a quality device, but if you're in a 4G LTE region, you might want to hold out for the 4G LTE Galaxy Tab. In the meantime, Motorola is bringing up the XOOM, and the iPad 2 is waiting in the wings. But if you want a tab right now, you can't go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy Tab for Verizon Wireless.
Verizon LG Ally Upgrades to Android 2.2 Froyo
For every 20 times we bag on Android device manufacturers for taking forever to upgrade to the next version, there’s 1 time that they actually come through by providing us with that firmware upgrade. This is the one time out of the twenty, as Verizon has now announced the LG Ally is ready to receive the Android 2.2 update, also known as Froyo.
We definitely are grateful for any updates on Android devices, but we also have to say: after being released in May 2010, it’s about time.
In case the picture above is too small, here are the improvements coming in the new update:
- Remote device wipe and additional security measures on passwords
- Bluetooth voice dialing
- Long-pressing the home key will bring up most recent applications
- Enhanced browser performance/faster loading of Javascript pages
- Instant data re-connection after voice call
- LG Social Application
- Updated contact directory complete with a combination of Google and corporate accounts
- Enhanced screen rotation up to 270 degrees
If you pack an Ally, be sure to keep an eye out for the update! If you are now suddenly interested in the LG Ally because it now has Froyo, you can get the LG Ally on Amazon for .01
Verizon to Launch HTC Thunderbolt & New Samsung 4G LTE Smartphone This February - This February seems to be rich with many a new launch gearing up to happen. Besides the many announcements likely at the Mobile World Congress that will get underway in Barcelona on February 14th, a few other launches also are being lined up during the month. Verizon is making the most of the hot February season, it seems, by bringing to their users two new devices – the HTC Thunderbolt and a yet-to-be revealed Samsung 4G LTE smartphone.
By the end of February, that means post-MWC, Verizon will be launching these two smartphones on their network. Going by a rumor, the two new Android smartphones are expected to arrive on Verizon around the same time.
Verizon has already hinted at this through their marketing documents. While the HTC Thunderbolt will be a smartphone with a 4.3 inch display and a 1.2GHz processor, we are yet to learn what would make the upcoming Samsung 4G LTE device a significant device.
The HTC Thunderbolt will come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, Qualcomm MSM8960 dual-core processor 1.2 GHz, an eight megapixel camera, and also a front-mounted 5 megapixel camera.
As mentioned, Verizon’s marketing materials have been doing the rounds heralding the arrival of these two smart handsets on their network.
Verizon Getting the Apple iPhone 4 Next Month: It's Official
After literally years of rumors, leaks, and
speculation, Verizon Wireless has just made it official: it's going to
start offering a version of the Apple iPhone 4 in February.
device is going to have a great deal in common with the one that
AT&T began offering last summer, including the "Retina" display
and a front-facing camera, allowing users to make video calls.
3G Not 4G
Despite what some of the early rumors
said, the upcoming version will not support Verizon's new 4G network
which uses the LTE standard. Instead, it will offer this carrier's 3G
service.
Speaking at today's announcement, Tim Cook, Apple's COO, said that
including LTE in this device would have required too many design changes
and slowed the release.
Still, Verizon's version will have a significant difference from
AT&T's: it will include mobile hotspot software, allowing it to
share its 3G wireless connection with other WiFi-enabled computers.
There will be an extra monthly charge for this, though.
But this version will have a drawback: it won't provide simultaneous
voice and cellular data. When on a call, users won't have access to 3G
wireless data services. Wi-Fi connections will still function, of
course.
Verizon's CEO Lowell McAdam spent part of today's announcement event
talking about how his company has increased the data capacity of its
network in recent months to prepare for the launch of the iPhone 4. It
is hoping to avoid the problems AT&T has had meeting customers'
demand for wireless data.
Pricing and Availability
The Apple iPhone 4 is
going to debut from Verizon on February 10. Current Verizon customers
are going to get a chance to pre-order this model on February 3.
There will be two versions: one with 16 GB of storage will sell for
$200 with a two-year wireless service contract, while the 32 GB version
will go for $300 with contract. These are the same prices AT&T
charges.
It will be sold at the 2,000 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide, www.verizonwireless.com/iphone, Apple Retail Stores, www.apple.com, and at Apple Authorized Resellers.
A Shake-up Is Coming
This one move will likely have a noticeable effect on the entire U.S. mobile market.
The iPhone is the 500-pound gorilla of smartphones, making Apple's
iOS one of the most used mobile operating systems even when it was only
available from AT&T. Verizon has more subscribers than its rival,
potentially more than doubling the number of iPhones on the market.
Over the last year, Verizon has sold millions of Android OS-based
models. It's quite possible that many of these customers will switch to
an iPhone, cutting into sales of devices from Motorola, HTC, and
Samsung.
AT the same time, many analysts have predicted that large numbers of
AT&T subscribers are going to switch to Verizon, as they were only
staying with AT&T to get Apple's popular smartphone.
Additional Details on the Apple iPhone 4
Verizon's
and AT&T's versions of Apple's latest smartphone are virtually
identical. They both runs iOS 4.2 on the 1 GHz Apple A4 processor.
Its rear-facing camera has a 5 megapixel resolution and an LCD flash.
Verizon's iPhone Unable to Make Calls Outside of the U.S. - Those considering getting Verizon's version of the Apple iPhone 4 should consider that this model will not be able to make calls in Europe or much of the rest of the world, while AT&T's version can.
Verizon's cellular network uses the CDMA standard, while most countries only have networks using a rival standard: GSM. This means that a majority of Verizon's phones can't make calls outside of the U.S.
This means that outside of the U.S., most travelers with Verizon's iPhone 4 will be unable to cellular-wireless networks to make voice calls. Their only option will be connection to Wi-Fi networks to use VoIP software like Skype.
AT&T subscribers with an iPhone, on the other hand, can arrange with their carrier to use their smartphone when outside of the United States. This is because AT&T uses the GSM standard.
Still, international roaming isn't cheap, especially for data. Using AT&T's version of this smartphone when abroad requires signing up for an additional voice and/or data service. Paying $5.99 per month means that calls placed outside of the U.S. will cost 99 cents a minute. For email or web access, $24.99 gets 20 MB of data while 200 MB is a whopping $199.
Verizon's version of the iPhone isn't going to be available until February 10, getting potential customers time to consider how much they want to use their phone when traveling in Europe, S. America, etc.
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January 2011 is an awfully exciting month for Verizon Wireless employees and customers. At CES 2011, the company announced several 4G LTE phones including the Motorola Droid Bionic and the HTC Thunderbolt. Just a few days after the largest tech week of the year, Verizon Wireless announced details about the Apple iPhone 4. With many great choices, selecting the phone that works best for you can get awfully overwhelming. Fortunately, we’re back with yet another infographic with an in-depth look at three of our favorite upcoming Verizon Wireless smart phones.