Before demoing the Samsung Galaxy Tab, no single device caused me to actually caused me to question my phone. I’ve reviewed a Droid X for crying out loud. And while it’s an amazing phone, I was okay with going back to my Droid Eris and living my life. Ever since this sweet little tablet arrived, I have wondered if I should make the switch back to a basic phone and purchase the Galaxy to carry around with me for mobile use.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab was amazing. We own an iPad and we love it, but I have two issues with it. First, it’s big and it doesn’t really just slip into my purse. Secondly, I can’t thumb type. If I’m going to use a tablet device, I don’t want to put it on the table and hunt and peck my words out on the touchscreen keyboard. And don’t tell me just to pick up an iPad keyboard because, well, at that point, why not just bring along my laptop? Get the best deals on HDMI Tablets and find everything you’ll need to improve your home office setup.
Fun-sized
We’ve all seen the shirt “I’m not short, I’m fun-sized.” Well, this tablet is fun-sized. I thought I would never use something like this, turns out, I have more uses for it than I thought.
I have a bunch of really useful apps on my phone that I never use because the screen is little and the keyboard is itty bitty, but the Samsung Galaxy tablet allowed me to download all of my favorite applications and use them in a bigger size.
WordPress app? Yes please! Blogging from my bed? Yes please! Facebook reading while I’m in the doctor’s office? Please and thank you! And best of all, I didn’t have to focus on the tiny screen.
I’d describe it as half the size of an iPad, which you can see demonstrated in my video. The perfect-sized for on-the-go mommies who want to use their tablet device for practical things.
Going the Distance
Being that this is a Verizon Wireless device, it has some of the best coverage around. I could use this just about anywhere without a dropped signal. And it was so seemless. Rather than having to find and connect to a network like with my laptop, because of the 3G connectivity, the device was ready to go whenever I was.
I can see the Samsung Galaxy Tab being useful as an in-car GPS, eReader and especially children entertain. Imagine all those long car trips and the ways you could entertain your kids. And if they get bored with the apps, no worries, you can find a new one on the go. Think about those days on the beach while you are on vacation (haha). You could take your books, Facebook and e-mail right along with you.
And a camera too.
That’s right. The Samsung Galaxy Tab has a built-in camera. While I never used it, I could see how you could, especially out and about. It just seems a little awkward being that the device is much bigger than your typical camera.
Extras
The Galaxy does require a monthly data plan along with a phone plan. It does allow for text messaging, which worked great. There is no need for extra minutes since you won’t be making calls on the device.
It’s $20 a month for 1 GB service, $35 for 3 GB, $50 for 5 GB and $80 for 10 GB of data. It also has wireless networking capability so you can cut down on data by utilizing in-home wireless networks.
And for those who like the specifics:
- 3.0MP rear–facing camera/1.3MP front–facing camera/3.0MP rear–facing camcorder
- Music Player For: MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MIDI, WAV, & SP–MIDI Formats
- HTML Browser with Adobe® Flash® 10.1
- Wi–Fi (802.11 b/g/n)
- Access to the Android Market
- Amazon Kindle e–Reader
- Notification Ringtones
- Virtual QWERTY Keyboard with Swype and Samsung keypad options
- Usage time: up to 780 minutes and standby time up to 500 hours
- SAR: Body 1.01 W/kg
- 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Processor
- 2GB internal memory & 16GB microSD™ card pre–installed
- Up to 32GB microSD™ Optional Removable Memory Supported
And now the fine print:
While Verizon Wireless provided me with a Samsung Galaxy Tab, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are mine.
