AndroidTablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 announced, YAXTT

galtab2 - for some reason we don't have an alt tag here

Samsung just announced the Galaxy Tab 2, and at this point I think we need a term for this type of tablet, so I give you YAXTT: Yet Another Xoom Type Tablet. 1280×800 10.1″ screen, dual core Tegra CPU and Honeycomb (Android 3.0) Sounds familiar? Yeah, that’s pretty much the Xoom…and the Toshiba Tablet….and the Asus tablets… The original Galxy Tab might have been ahead of its time being released last year, and a bit too small for my taste, but at least it was unique! The Galaxy Tab 2 is just what I said, YAXTT, and I’m trying very hard to understand why we need 20 basically identical tablets on the market.

In all fairness, it’s not 100% similar. In fact, it has some nice specs on the camera front, with a 8Mpix rear camera and a 2Mpix front camera. That’s a nice bump from 5/2mpix on the Xoom, and it even has 1080p recording. Then again, video and photo quality can’t be measured in megapixels, and it might produce worse images for all we know.

As for the rest of the specs, Bluetooth, WiFi and 3G is a given- GSM and not CDMA in this case, which means it will be more international than the Xoom. 16/32Gb storage, full sensor package (accelerometer etc) and a nice big battery. At 1.3 pounds it’s light, a bit lighter than the iPad. No USB or HDMI though, so that might put many people off from buying one. Engadget has a bunch more pictures and a video if this looks interesting.

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Andreas Ødegård

Andreas Ødegård is more interested in aftermarket (and user created) software and hardware than chasing the latest gadgets. His day job as a teacher keeps him interested in education tech and takes up most of his time.

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37 thoughts on “Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 announced, YAXTT

  • Avatar of Relyt

    Hopefully it will be stock Android. If so, this has the chance to pick up in the lower end that the Xoom closes off with its probable high price point. This is assuming that the price is more reasonable than $800 and on contract, of course!

    Reply
    • Avatar of macilaci457

      I dont know. I may lost hope, but I dont think the price will be OK.

      Reply
    • this is supposed to be GOOGLE experience.. meaning no TouchWiz crap.. and yes.. hopefully under 8

      Reply
  • Avatar of macilaci457

    I could live with it. I always liked Samsung products because of the many small things that worths not like with other brands. (eg. camera in HTC-s)

    Reply
    • Avatar of Twisthem488

      I think I would be happy with Sammy hardware as long as they kept it updated.

      Reply
  • Avatar of macilaci457

    By the way… where is the Super AMOLED screen?!?

    Reply
    • Avatar of Relyt

      I’ve always been pro-screen. Back in the days of 1.5″ TFT screens in PMPs, I was always the first to advocate for 2.5″ and 3.5″ screens. After that, a higher resolution than 320×240. Now, I realize that resolution isn’t the most desirable thing to have on a device like this, but screen quality and type is far more important. Were any screen details about this released at all?

      Reply
  • Avatar of sideways

    “I’m trying very hard to understand why we need 20 basically identical tablets on the market.” If it means the price is right I’m all for it. Here’s to hoping.

    Reply
  • Avatar of sideways

    Well it’s not a huge thing to have that capability… I mean it adds backwards compatibility with a whole mess of things people already have. Why would I want to buy new stuff? There are even those who will use their tablets strictly offline for privacy reasons making webbased solutions moot.

    Reply
  • Avatar of Relyt

    Another thing: Hopefully this will be available off-contract, unlike the current Galaxy Tab.

    Reply
      • That would not be a good idea. Then the perennial msft bob references would come back :O

        Reply
  • I wasn’t impressed by the first one, I hope this one will be more interesting. for me, it all boils down to what Android 3 will be like.

    Reply
  • By the way, do they make super amoled screens this big? It just occured to me that I’ve never heard of one…

    Reply
    • Yeah you can get amoled tvs, though i dont want to see the pricetag of such a tablet

      Reply
  • Avatar of Allen Schmidt

    The tablet market will basically become like the PC market. It just gives users choice. One tablet will have a rubberized backing, the other metal, the other plastic, another with 2 cameras, and another with only front facing. It all boils down to more choice for the consumer. This is the beginning of the tablet craze. These are the prized show me tablets. Down the road, they will be selling these specs as entry level tablets with dual core 2gHz tablets being launched, and so on. Much like they do with Android now. Heck, you can get a 1GHz entry level Android for free nowadays. So just as the PC market has many players, and evolves, we will see the same with tablets.

    Choice is good, regardless of Apple’s view on it.

    Reply
    • The problem is that my laptop squeaks. It does so because it’s plastic. It’s plastic because you can’t stay competitive with a better material because consumers dont understand the difference. I dont want the tablet market to be like that- i want opitions and choice, but enough differences that theres still money to be made for each company. A market where the difference between two Products is insignificant causes a lot of problems, at least according to economic theory

      Reply
      • Avatar of Matthew B.

        What would you think would be a solution to this problem? I see your point, and also would love to have an actual choice (not just a different name tag on pretty much the same product), but I don’t see any other way for the manufacturers to compete..

        Reply
        • There isn’t really a likely solution to the problem. This is how such markets work, it follows economic theory to the letter.

          Reply
          • i suspect, it’ll all come down to survival of the fittest and the eventually, only the bigger/better companies will be left.
            hopefully then, we will have just enough of variety with better pricing.

  • Relyt: it’s all marketing and that, but I hope they changed some fundamentals enough so that it warrants a second look from people that didn’t like the first one. In that respect, I quite like the name Tab 2. :P Well, marketing…

    Reply
    • I agree that Tab 2 is a better name. Just being correct and all ;)

      Reply
      • Avatar of macilaci457

        I think too.

        Reply
  • I don’t really care if its similar to other devices.
    The big question is it gonna be: good, reliable, reasonably priced and have options for people that don’t want 3g? If so then maybe this is something to take some of Apples thunder.

    I’d want a tablet than could be productive but I’ve never really been an apple fan so hopefully this is something that can do that.

    Reply
    • Oh and is it gonna have a reasonable battery life?

      Reply
      • the battery is about 6800mAh. Assuming it’s 3.7V, that puts it at the same 25Wh as the iPad. How that translates to battery life is unknown

        Reply
    • Sorry for multi-posting.

      But seriously, why have they got rid of usb and hdmi? Apple can get away with their stupid proprietary port because they’ve always done it and at this point their are loads of third party companies making cheap solutions for the overpriced Apple accessories.

      If you get this device then you’ll have to pay whatever Samsung want you to – hopefully they make them cheaper but chances are they won’t

      Reply
  • Avatar of Helena

    No USB and 3G… Well, another tablet I won’t buy. Thank you for nothing, Samsung :(

    Reply
    • Avatar of Twisthem488

      3g I can live without. Thats what tethering on my palm pre is for.

      No USB? That just seems lazy. That limits me to BT peripherals, and no external storage.

      Reply
  • Avatar of Calvin

    Many tablets look similar, so it’s nice to see that the Tab 2 will have a nice contoured backing to differentiate itself. Plus the specs are looking quite promising.

    Reply
  • Avatar of Barto

    I’m just waiting for the “and comes complete with a brand new mandatory 2 year contract!”

    Reply
  • one question:
    so this propriety connector, is this the one they all started using in korea? the one that Cowon uses??

    Reply
  • Avatar of tirim4

    its looking good for Android tablets right now…

    Reply

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