We spent a few minutes with Samsung’s iPad competitor, the Galaxy Tab at its launch today, and while these were clearly not enough for a review, we saw enough to record a few initial impressions, especially in comparison with the OlivePadthat we were carrying along
The first thing we must say is that the device seems very well designed, and in terms of sheer looks, a very worthy rival to the iPad. It is slimmer than the OlivePad and seemed lighter too, although it was longer. The display too stood out with brighter colours (the higher resolution coming into play we think).
We were also very fascinated by Reader’s Hub app that Samsung had placed on the Tab, giving users access to a number of Indian publications. In terms of speed, the Tab was a very brisk operator with apps and screens zipping by, although truth be told, we did not see much initial difference from the OlivePad, which also runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) – but then, we did not really get a chance to compare the two at high-level multi-tasking.
We had expected great video performance given the much-touted HD video support but unfortunately, the demo videos (3 Idiots) did not seem to be of HD format and the next result was a lot poorer than expected. The 3.0 MP camera seemed very good for still shots – we did not have time to try out videos.
The sole stumbling block, however, was the price. At RS 38,000, many felt that Samsung had erred on the higher side by almost Rs 10,000, making the Galaxy Tab the most expensive tablet in the country, supplanting the Dell Streak, which costs Rs 34,990 and comes with a AMOLED display and a 5MP camera, if a smaller screen and currently an older version of Android (although we hear an upgrade to Froyo is likely to happen in a week). The OlivePad on the other hand ,is expected to cost in the vicinity of Rs 25,000 and also sports a seven inch screen and a 3.0 MP camera (which we can attest to being superb), but has a lower resolution screen and a slower processor.
While many people at the conference were impressed by the form factor of the Tab, very few were convinced by the price. “Their own Galaxy S comes with an AMOLED display, a similar processor, a better camera, better battery life, and is getting Froyo soon – for a price that is a third lesser than this, ” said one person. “Yes, the Tab gives me 3 inches more of viewing area, is it worth the price?”
We must confess to being impressed by the general quality of the tablet and its specs. As to whether it merits the price tag, ah, we will be able to tell you only after we have reviewed it.
