Samsung GALAXY Tab 8.9 Revealed

We’re here at CTIA 2011 up close and personal with the brand new Samsung GALAXY Tab 8.9, an 8.9-inch Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet weighting in at the unbelievably light weight of 470 grams. This device is set to come in a variety of sizes, 16, 32, 64GB, and will be coming in both a Wifi-only version as well as a 4G HSPA+ version, the Wifi version set to be released this summer. This device as well at its 10.1″ relative releasing with Android 3.0 Honeycomb upgradable to a lovely TouchWiz user interface by Samsung that’ll be a completely optimized for the tablet environment. And it’s pretty, oh so pretty.

If I was a betting man, and I am, I’d say that the 16GB version of this device, if they DO end up selling different size GB versions, will be the biggest seller. It’s such a perfect size and it’s such an thin tablet that it’ll just bust the crap out of the competition when its released. Whether or not it’ll bust its weight around through the carrier ranks remains to be seen, but that wifi version, heck man, that’s going to be a stunner. The big question all owners of the device will be having to ask themselves is if they’re going to choose to upgrade their user interface to the TouchWiz option or not – you don’t HAVE to, but the option will be there.

This device will be exactly 230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6 mm in dimension, it’ll be running a humming 1GHz Dual Core application processor, and the networks it’ll be capable of working with will be specifically the following: HSPA+ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100, EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 – that’s of course the carrier versions of this device, not the Wifi-only. The face of this device will have a 2 megapixel camera, large when you consider the MAJOR majority of front-facing cameras to be 1.5, then the back will be working with a 3.0 megapixel camera AF with LED flash. That’s less than exciting, owing more than likely to the fact that tablets aren’t at this moment in history made to be media collecting devices, instead media distributing devices.

A lot of the other details I’ll leave to the press release to reveal to you, but an important point to make is that this device will be launching with Adobe Flash Player 10.2 for all your flash needs. NOTE: one of the devices we compare this GALAXY Tab 8.9 to in the photos and video is the Motorola XOOM Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet – the XOOM also just received its update to a working copy of Flash less than a week ago.

We’ll be rolling out a bit more info on this device and the GALAXY Tab 10.1 today and in the following weeks leading up until the release of the device via review model. Can’t wait to play with a working device!

Update: The Galaxy Tab 8.9 WiFi will follow on in “early summer” priced at $469 for the 16GB and $569 for the 32GB.

Samsung Unveils GALAXY Tab 10.1 and GALAXY Tab 8.9,
World’s Thinnest Mobile Tablets

Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 and GALAXY Tab 8.9 to feature the first customized Android™ 3.0 experience

ORLANDO, March 22, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the global leader in Android™ mobile devices, announced two new additions to its family of GALAXY Tabs, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 and GALAXY Tab 8.9, the world’s thinnest mobile tablets, measuring just 8.6 millimeters.

The GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 feature Samsung’s own TouchWiz user interface implemented on the Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb) platform, offering superior multi-tasking and enhanced user interaction and navigation.

“The GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 are remarkable examples of Samsung’s constant innovation and show our dedication to designing premium tablets that fit the unique needs of consumers around the world”, said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business. “By combining Samsung’s innovations in design and display with our exciting new user experience, we’ve created a new class of products that will lead the tablet market.”

Thinner & Lighter
The GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 are the thinnest mobile tablets available. The GALAXY Tab 10.1 weighs 595 grams and 8.9 weighs 470 grams. Combining the GALAXY Tabs’ ultra-thin form factor with a lightweight design adds to the outstanding mobility of these two products.

Super Fast
The new GALAXY Tabs will support HSPA+ network speeds of up to 21Mbps as well as Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity to deliver rapid mobile download speeds and reduce data transfer times. Also, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 include a 1GHz dual core application processor for a powerful multimedia and web browsing experience.

Customized User Experience “Samsung TouchWiz UX”
Samsung’s TouchWiz user experience is designed with a Live Panel menu users can customize to display a variety of content on the home screen including digital pictures, favorite Web sites and social network feeds.
In addition, the interface includes an application tray of commonly used features such as task manager, calendar and music player which can be launched while other major applications are also in use, including large file downloads and document editing. This Mini Apps Tray provides a mixture of convenience and flexibility previously unheard of with tablet devices.

The Ultimate Entertainment Hub
The GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 are pre-loaded with Readers Hub and Music Hub giving consumers instant access to more than 2.2 million books, 2,000 newspaper (49 languages), 2,300 magazines (22 languages), and 13 million songs. The devices are also designed with Samsung’s Social Hub, which will aggregate email, instant messaging, contacts, calendar and social network connections into a single interface.
The GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 feature a 3 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front camera, providing smooth transition and seamless 1080p HD video and Flash playback for a rich entertainment experience.

Ready for Business
The GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 will include an industry leading suite of solutions designed to give enterprise customers and IT managers more security. Developed in collaboration with industry-leading partners such as Cisco, Sybase, SAP and Citrix, Samsung’s enterprise mobility solutions will provide flexibility and connectivity for mobile workforces, ensuring that users are able to operate more efficiently on–the-move.

GALAXY Tab 8.9
At just 8.6mm thin and weighing only 470g, the GALAXY Tab 8.9 is the perfect device for today’s mobile professional. Whether writing emails on a trip or reading an eBook on the couch, the GALAXY Tab 8.9 provides the ultimate tablet experience without compromising mobility.

The GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 now join the original 7-inch GALAXY Tab to provide consumers with an unmatched array of choices to select the mobile tablet experience that fits their needs the best.

Samsung’s entire line of GALAXY Tabs will be on display at the Samsung booth (#2440) at CTIA Wireless 2011, March 22 through March 24.

Samsung GALAXY Tab 8.9
Network HSPA+ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100, EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900
OS Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb)
Display 8.9” WXGA 1280×800
Processor 1GHz Dual Core application processor
Camera Main(Rear) : 3.0-Mega Pixel Camera AF with LED Flash
Front : 2.0-Mega Pixel Camera Video
Format : MPEG4/H263/H264, Divx/Xvid
Playback : 1080p Full HD Video @ 30fps
Recording : 720p HD Video
Audio MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, OGG, MIDI, AMR-NB/WB 3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo Speaker
Enterprise Solutions
Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync
Quickoffice HD Editor
Value-added Features
Android Market™
Google Mobile Services :
Google™ Talk Video Chat, Google™ Maps, Books, etc
Samsung TouchWiz UX
Samsung Mini Apps Tray
Social Hub, Music Hub, Readers Hub
*Availability differs by region
Adobe Flash Player 10.2
Connectivity Bluetooth® technology v 3.0 USB 2.0 WiFi 802.11 (a/b/g/n)
Sensor Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Ambient Light sensor
Memory 16G / 32G / 64G, microSD slot (up to 32GB)
*Size 230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6 mm, 470g
Battery 6000mAh