The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 or simply Samsung Galaxy Tab is an Android-based mini-tablet computer produced by Samsung and released on 5 November 2010. The tablet was first introduced on 2 September 2010 at the IFA in Berlin. The Galaxy Tab was the first Samsung Android-powered tablet to be released.
The Galaxy Tab has a TFT-LCD touchscreen, Wi-Fi capability, a 1.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 Samsung Exynos 3110 processor (code-named "Hummingbird"), the Swype input system, a 3.2 MP rear-facing camera and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera for video calls. It runs the Android 2.2 (Froyo) operating system, (upgradable to 2.3) and supports telephone functionality as a speaker phone, via provided wired ear piece or Bluetooth earpieces (except models sold in the US). It can download videoconferencing apps such as Tango or Skype as alternative to telephone functionality.4 Android tablets vie for your attention . Computerworld (22 December 2010). Retrieved on 3 July 2011.
Hardware The tablet is enclosed in a plastic frame that makes it lighter than other metal-bodied tablets, weighing 380 g (0.84 lb).
The GT-P1000 model carries a 7" Super TFT instead of the AMOLED which is used by Samsung in its Galaxy S phones. The screen has a 1024×600 resolution With mDNIE (Mobile Digital Natural Images Engine). Internal flash storage of 2 GB (North America CDMA models), 16 GB or 32 GB can be supplemented with a microSD flash card with up to 32 GB. The Exynos 3110 (also known as Hummingbird) SoC design features a 1.0 GHz ARM architecture Cortex A8 CPU and has 512, 444, or 640 MB of RAM paired with a PowerVR SGX540 graphics processor.
The Wi-Fi-only model GT-P1010 has a different OMAP 3630 based SoC design. It incorporates also a 1.0 GHz Cortex A8 CPU but the graphics chip is a PowerVR SGX530 graphics processor which is only half as powerful as the SGX540 of the GT-P1000. Also, the GT-P1010 tab does not support TV out. Samsung has provided an update to Android 3.0 Honeycomb android version only for selected regions like the UK.
The tablet has two cameras: a 3.2 rear MP camera with a LED flash and a 1.3 MP front camera for video calling (the Verizon model has a 3-megapixel rear camera). The front camera has auto focus capability. The camera also has auto image stitching, combining 8 pictures. Modes include single shot, continuous, panorama, and self-shot. It can automatically trigger on detecting that the subject smiles. Autogeotagging uses the internal GPS receiver.
The tablet has GPS, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, and handsfree/bluetooth/headphone telephone. Cellular protocols include GSM CDMA, HSPA (HSUPA).
The proprietary 30-pin docking and charging connector is not shared with other manufacturers. This connector appears very similar to the standard PDMI connector (a non-proprietary alternative to Apple's docking connector) and is sometimes mistaken for it, but it is non-standard and all accessories, including charging cables, are incompatible with other equipment and only available from Samsung.
Samsung says that its 4000 mAh battery will give it 7 hours of video playback or 10 hours of talk time.
The GSM variants of the Galaxy Tab have an externally accessible SIM card slot. If the SIM card is removed while the system is on, the system automatically reboots. The AT&T and T-Mobile variants of the Galaxy Tab ship with a micro SIM in a micro SIM adapter. For non-US Galaxy Tabs, with phone function, this slot can also accommodate a 3G data-only SIM card if the user does not need telephone functionality.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab also has an optional RCA plug connector through which the screen image is shown on a TV or other display (the Tab's own screen cannot be turned off; it can be dimmed with a backlight dimming app).Samsung Galaxy Tab RCA Video Cable Review . Thegalaxytab.com (1 January 2011). Retrieved on 3 July 2011.
Software This tablet comes with a modified version of Android Froyo (upgradable to 2.3) with Samsung’s TouchWiz skin. Most Android apps (compatible with 2.2-3.0) developed using Google's design guidelines should scale properly when displayed on larger-screen devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, according to Samsung. Adobe Flash 10.1, DivX, MPEG-4, WMV and Xvid, H.263, H.264Samsung Galaxy Tab"http://www.vgaze.com/2010/09/samsung-galaxy-tab.html " support has also been announced. The Tab uses Atmel's maXTouch multi touch capacitive touchscreen,Atmel confirms the Samsung Galaxy Tab uses its maXTouch touchscreen controller . Engadget.com (27 September 2010). Retrieved on 3 July 2011.Latest Android 2.2 Froyo Multi touch capacitive Android tablet ( A-OK PAD ) . Beon.en.alibaba.com (1 January 2010). Retrieved on 3 July 2011. and supports multi-tasking.Samsung Galaxy Tab for launch in US, Multitasking Maestro can beat iPad with new iOS . Ic-technews.com (19 September 2010). Retrieved on 3 July 2011.. Articlesnatch.com. Retrieved on 3 July 2011.
The Tab supports calendar, email and instant messaging applications. It has a launcher for e-reading applications which starts PressDisplay when reading newspapers, Kobo when reading e-books, and Zinio when reading magazines. For viewing and editing Microsoft Office documents, the Galaxy Tab also comes bundled with the Android version of ThinkFree Office Mobile.
The Tab can also provide tethering, acting as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 5 devices. Stored addresses can be displayed in Google Maps with one click. It also allows linkage with a contact's Facebook profile if the phone address is linked with the contact's Facebook address.
Several HD video content multimedia formats, including DivX, XviD, MPEG4, H.263, H.264, are supported.Do More on the Go with the Galaxy Tab . Samsung.com. Retrieved on 3 July 2011. It can play video content either stored on the device itself or streamed from YouTube, and can output 720p video to a TV either as composite video or via HDMI when using the optional dock.Samsung Galaxy Tab HDMI Multimedia Dock . Cellfreeks.com. Retrieved on 3 July 2011.
Text can be entered using Swype, by tracing a path over letters on a virtual keyboard, and standard XT9 predictive typing is also supported.Samsung Galaxy Tab: An Android contender | 3 September 2010 (22:59) | Technology | By: BlackCode . Computerszine.com (3 September 2010). Retrieved on 3 July 2011.
TouchWiz Samsung Galaxy Tabs allow the screen display to be saved.Hands-on with the new Android Market on a Samsung Galaxy Tab, By Matthew Miller . Zdnet.com. Retrieved on 3 July 2011. Honeycomb tablets without TouchWiz, including the 10.1 in Galaxy Tab, must either be rooted or have the SDK installed in order to capture screenshots.
Hundreds of thousands of mobile apps, the majority being free, are available from Google Play.Look out Apple: Google’s Android Market surpasses 400K apps. , VentureBeat
The Tab also come with Allshare software that allow sharing of multimedia files for presentations in conference rooms or for in an education setting for classroom lectures or assignments, or even act as remote control (for Samsung product only)., The Tab can also be combined with a Wi-Fi All-Share Cast Hub to allows for quick and easy pairing with non-Samsung USB enable hardware and you can control content and perform actions from your phone.
Upgrades In May 2011, it was reported that Android Honeycomb 3.0 was being made available in Italy, and that it would be made available in other countries.
In February 2012, Android version Honeycomb 3.2 was made available. The Tab officially supported Froyo and Honeycomb. It can be unofficially upgraded to CyanogenMod 13 (Android 6.0)
Early impressions and reviews Some published early impressions were favourable, and the Tab was considered a serious rival to the iPad. "Rough edges" which should improve with later software updates were commented on.
Release
Africa South Africa started selling the Tablet from 2 November 2010.Galaxy Tablet in South Africa . Bcnn5.com (28 November 2010). Retrieved on 3 July 2011. Nigeria on 5 November 2010, Etisalat Nigeria became the first cellular network in Africa to launch the Galaxy Tab. Angola on 1 December 2010, Movicel used the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" as the launch Tablet for its December launched GSM 900 MHz Network conversion from a CDMA 800 MHz. Ghana on 6 December 2010, Vodafone Ghana launched the Galaxy Tab. Uganda in 2010, MTN Uganda launched the Galaxy Tab.
Asia The Samsung Galaxy Tab was released in Indonesia and Thailand without contract. in Malaysia, it was under contract by Maxis. The Galaxy Tab was also released in the Philippines under contract by Smart and was also available without contract for the GSM.
South Korea The Samsung Galaxy Tab was released in South Korea on 3 November 2010, delayed from the original release date of 14 October.
India Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab in India on 10 November 2010.
Singapore The Samsung Galaxy Tab was released in Singapore exclusively with Singtel on 13 November 2010.
Pakistan The Samsung Galaxy Tab released on 22 December 2010. It was available without a contract from Mobilink as well as in the open market.
Japan The Samsung Galaxy Tab was released in Japan on 26 November 2010 and was under contract with NTT Docomo.
Middle East The Samsung Galaxy Tab was officially released in the Middle east in Dubai's GITEX Shopper the largest gathering of the region's leading ICT retailers and suppliers.
Australia The Samsung Galaxy Tab was released on 8 November 2010. It was available without a contract from several major national retailers, and under contract from Vodafone, Telstra, Optus and other carriers.
Brazil The Samsung Galaxy Tab was released in Brazil on 26 November 2010. Brazilian version seems to be faster; the processor is clocked at 1.2 GHz and it has support for analog VHF and UHF PAL-M and digital ISDB-T TV broadcasts.
Europe The Samsung Galaxy Tab was released in Germany and Poland on 11 October 2010. The UK version of the Tab was released on 1 November 2010. In Spain and most other European countries it was released later in 2010.
United States The Galaxy Tab was released in the US from T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, U.S. Cellular and Verizon.
T-Mobile started offering the SGH-T849 Galaxy Tab on 10 November 2010.
Verizon started offering the SCH-I800 Galaxy Tab on 11 November 2010. Verizon's version of the Galaxy Tab has a textured black back, as opposed to the standard plastic rear of the T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T versions. The Verizon and Sprint versions disable the Human Interface Device (HID) bluetooth features so it will not work with bluetooth keyboards, mice, etc. However, updates did correct this issue for both carriers.
Sprint started offering the Galaxy Tab on 14 November 2010.
AT&T began offering the Tab on 21 November 2010, with no contract requirement.
The FCC approved a Wi-Fi only version of the Galaxy Tab. Some Best Buy advertisements appear to have been prematurely leaked about the Wi-Fi only version of the Galaxy Tab.
Wi-Fi-only model was released on 11 April 2011.
Sales A week after its release, Samsung announced that they had sold 600,000 units. On 4 December, it was reported that the 1 million mark was reached, two months after launch. However, an executive at Lenovo claimed that Samsung had only sold 20,000 out of the 1 million Galaxy Tabs that were shipped. In January 2011 Samsung announced they had shipped 2 million units to stores. In August 2012, actual sales figures were released in the patent infringement court case against Apple showing that a total of 1.4M Galaxy Tabs were sold from launch to Q2 2012.
Successor models