The Galaxy Tab slides into a pocket that exposes the screen and all the controls on the front and side of the tablet. The outside of the case is black leather, while the interior is gray suede. In addition to using the Tab book-style in the case, it has a unique construction allowing the case to function as an easel with two viewing angles. This is convenient for watching videos or other activities while the Galaxy Tab is in landscape orientation.

The Lambskin case adds very little thickness to the svelte Galaxy Tab, yet adds a layer of protection while closed with the elastic strap that prevents the case from opening. I had the misfortune of dropping the Tab while in the case, and can attest to the protection, as nothing happened to my Tab due to the fall from four feet.

The case has two pockets behind the Tab for business cards and ID cards. There’s a metal badge on the spine of the case identifying the Galaxy Tab that is inside. The case has served me well for transporting my Tab without worries, and is available from Samsung directly for $39.99. I purchased mine from Sprint at the time of my Galaxy Tab purchase for the same price.

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The Vario snaps onto the back of the iPad for instant use as a stand, and only adds a small amount of weight, unlike some other cases. It has a textured surface, so the iPad isn’t slippery in the hand with the Vario attached. It only adds a tiny bit of bulk to the thin iPad; I don’t normally like cases that add weight or bulk, but find the Vario to be tolerable given the benefits of using it as a stand.

The Vario serves double duty, as in addition to the stand feature, it can be snapped onto the front of the iPad. This turns it into a screen protector, which may come in handy for those who throw the iPad into the bag with other gear. The Vario is definitely worth a look if you are wondering what gift to get that iPad toter in your life for the holidays. It’s not cheap at $69.99, but is solidly built and attractive. Zerochroma has other versions of the case for the iPhone, iPod touch and the Kindle, with a model “coming soon” for the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

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We previously showed the unboxing of the Galaxy Tab on video, and now we take a tour around the tablet in this new video, showing how a screen just a bit larger than a smartphone’s can offer more utility than even a phone with the largest screen available. In the video you see the Galaxy Tab running several third-party apps that turn the tablet into a great web device, something the integrated 3G in most models is well suited to do. I only used one hand to demonstrate the Tab, something that I cannot do comfortably with the iPad. The Galaxy Tab is also shown side-by-side with the HTC EVO 4G, the Android phone with a 4.3-inch screen. Check out the video and don’t miss our first impressions of the Galaxy Tab.

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The Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch tablet that’s thinner and much lighter than the iPad. I’ve read on the web that the Tab is just a Galaxy S smartphone grown bigger. I’ve tested Samsung’s smartphones, and find the Tab is exactly as described, and that’s a good thing. The Tab doesn’t have voice call capability in the U.S., but I don’t miss it, as I find it to be a companion device to my smartphone. Think of all the cool web activities you can do on an Android phone, and those are the functions that the Tab does better given the nice big screen.

The specifications of the Galaxy Tab tell the tale:

• CPU: Cortex A8, 1 GHz, Hummingbird
• Memory: 512MB ROM, 592MB RAM, 128MB One D-RAM, 2 GB User memory, 16GB microSD (included)
• Network: CDMA 800/1900
• OS: Android 2.2 (Froyo)
• Dimensions: 7.48 x 4.74 x 0.47 inches
• Weight: 13.58 ounces
• Display: 7-inch WSVGA (600×1024 portrait)
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
• USB: 2.0
• Bluetooth
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Luminance, Gyro
• Battery: 4000 mAh
• Cameras: Front- 1.3MP, Rear- 3MP auto focus

Samsung has done a good job adapting the productivity apps (contacts, calendar, email) to the Tab’s larger screen, and they work much like those on the iPad. In the narrower portrait orientation, there’s a single pane display, but when rotated into landscape the display changes into two panes. Unfortunately ,the email app doesn’t work with Google Apps accounts, requiring the use of the standard Gmail app, which is single pane only.

My impressions are still forming, but here’s what I like and dislike about the Galaxy Tab so far:

Likes

• The build quality is solid and feels very sturdy in the hand.
• The Tab is heavier than I expected, but I’m getting used to the weight with use.
• Screen is beautiful, and very responsive to touch.
• Makes a fantastic e-book reader with the 7-inch screen (Kindle app pre-installed).
• The Twidroyd Pro app in the Android Market is fantastic on the Tab with two panes.
• All my core Android smartphone apps work well on the bigger Tab screen.

Dislikes

• Harder to hold than I expected; bezel is small and hands can cover the screen inadvertently.
• Charging cable included is only 3 feet which limits where the device can be charged. Proprietary connection limits use of standard USB cables.
• Web browser can be a bit laggy at times. Dolphin Browser in the Android Market is great, though.

This is just a rushed account of my initial impressions. I already like using the Galaxy Tab, and haven’t encountered any deal-breakers yet. Think of the online activities you do on an Android phone that would be even better on a larger screen, and you have the primary usage scenario for the Galaxy Tab.

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Fuze Meeting has been released for all Android devices, but has been optimized for tablets, too. Unfortunately, the remote meeting app doesn’t utilize the front-facing camera of the Tab (which has two cameras) to permit video calls, which would be a distinct advantage over the iPad without a camera. Attendees using an Android tablet can view shared desktops on the display, something that isn’t practical on smartphone screens. Fuze Meeting is available in the Android Market.

The Wall Street Journal is betting on Android tablets with the release of its app with a subscription model. The app is for tablet-sized Android devices only, and while the app is free in the Android Market, a $3.99 weekly fee is required to get full access to WSJ content. The fee also provides access on other mobile platforms (BlackBerry, iPad  and iPhone) and to WSJ online content. The app syncs content automatically and offers notifications when new articles have been downloaded; articles are cached on the tablet for reading offline.

Image credit: Fuze and Slashgear

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Gadget of the Week

The week was one of those rare ones in the Manor as no gadgets arrived for poking and prodding. The lack of new arrivals gave me much-needed time to think about the gadget space and especially about what upcoming devices are exciting me. This thought process kept leading me back to the one gadget that I find really appealing — the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

The Tab has several things going for it that I think set it apart from the crowd of Android tablets. Primarily, I think the 7-inch form is a good fit for maximum portability, while bringing more utility than smaller smartphones can offer. It’s designed for easy use in the hand, and that’s an advantage over the larger iPad. The build quality seems to rival that of the iPad, and the work on key apps Samsung has done to make them better fit the screen, which is larger than that on phones, rounds out the offering. I’m looking forward to using a Tab first-hand, and will probably be buying one.

Sadly, the Tab is the only Android tablet I have been scoping out that appeals to me. Other tablets the same size don’t seem to be as well constructed as the Tab, and the larger ones don’t really compete with the iPad that I already own. It’s obvious Samsung has concentrated design efforts into making the Tab a slick device that works as well as the iPad, but other tablets haven’t been given that same attention to detail, with companies choosing low cost as the main feature.

I don’t think that indicates as bright a future for Android tablets as I originally thought. Cheap tablets are going to be quickly exposed in consumer’s hands, and the user experience is going to fall short with constant use, and that will yield impressions with consumers that Android tablets are not nearly as good as the iPad. That will be a big obstacle for successful market penetration, and companies rushing to get them to the market will not be profitable. That’s the ultimate failure for a class of mobile devices.

The Galaxy Tab goes a long way to seriously compete with the iPad, but it’s not going to be cheap. It’s not clear how consumers will react to a good iPad competitor that costs roughly as much as the offering from Apple. Since it’s unlikely to be significantly cheaper than the iPad, the Tab will have to compete on quality, advertising and utility, and that may not be enough to take iPad sales away from Apple.

I do think Samsung will sell a lot of Tabs, but probably not enough to establish the Android tablet as a viable commercial competitor for Apple. Having seen the component breakdowns of both the Tab and the iPad, it doesn’t seem likely that Samsung will be able to do much with the pricing of its tablet and remain profitable. The iPad is firmly entrenched in the consumer tablet market, and Samsung may find that a formidable obstacle to consumer acceptance. It is going to be an interesting competition to watch as the Tab starts hitting the market in numbers. If any Android tablet has all of the pieces in place to compete with the iPad, the Tab sure does.

Apps of the Week

I spend a lot of time testing apps on all of the devices I use regularly. The low cost of most apps, coupled with the utility they can bring to the usage of a given device is an appealing combination. One of the apps I spent time with this week isn’t even an app. Google rolled out Instant Search for mobile, and I’ve been using it a lot this week. It was announced on Thursday of this week, but it had quietly shown up on my EVO 4G a few days prior to the rollout. My experience with it on the Android smartphone is mostly good, but not entirely.

In a nutshell, Instant Search starts presenting search terms that Google predicts you might be entering as soon as you start typing the term. As each letter in the term is entered, Google refines its prediction of what search phrase you are likely entering. A drop-down list of these terms gets refined with each letter entered, and it’s usually pretty accurate at guessing what you mean before you type the entire term. I’ve been using it to great effect on the desktop, and while it seems logical it would be even more useful on my Android phone with its more difficult text entry, I found that’s not necessarily the case.

Mobile phones, especially Android phones, have a choice of onscreen keyboards. Many of these touch keyboards have very good predictive text, where they guess what word the user is typing as each letter is entered. If it sounds a lot like Google’s Instant Search, that’s because it is. Because these keyboards with predictive text are so good, many users have been taking advantage of this method even before the appearance of Instant Search.

This means Instant Search isn’t a big game-changer on mobile like it is on the desktop. In my usage of Instant Search on my EVO, I find the keyboard’s predictive text entry butts up against Google’s Instant Search entry. It can be distracting looking at both the predictive text results from the keyboard and the Instant Search results in the drop-down list at the same time. Throw in the fact that the phone’s onscreen keyboard often covers up much of the Instant Search drop-down list, and you get a lessening benefit to the search. It’s surprising that the platform that should stand the most to gain from the Instant Search method doesn’t due to the technology already on the phone.

When I wasn’t playing with Instant Search on my EVO 4G, I was experimenting with a return to my HTC Sense roots. I love to customize the way my smartphones work, and I had done that on the EVO. I’ve used third-party widgets and apps to replace a lot of the functionality inherent in the Sense interface, primarily to build a “look and feel” to the phone that was more appealing to me. This has worked well, but this week, I decided to go back to the stock Sense interface to see what I was missing.

It surprised me to find the Sense interface to be more efficient, less trouble during use and even gentler on battery life. I also found what I knew, but had forgotten: I genuinely like the way Sense looks and works during daily use. I may not leave Sense running things forever  (I am fickle that way after all), but for now, I’m quite happy with my HTC Sense phone.

E-books of the Week

This week found me revisiting the world of Peter F. Hamilton’s Void Trilogy. I finished The Dreaming Void and started The Temporal Void, the second in the series. I love Hamilton’s view of technology in the future, and how he has worlds without much technology living side-by-side with those that do. It is an enjoyable story and highly recommended.

Wrap-up

Thanks for sharing my week, and I hope you found something to take away and help you in your own world. Who knows? Maybe a Galaxy Tab will be hitting Mobile Tech Manor before long.

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The keyboard isn’t a full-size model, due to the size of the iPad, and that takes a little getting used to for touch typists. The keys are rubbery and feel a little strange, but typing isn’t adversely affected. In the video, the case is shown open and closed, and the keyboard is demonstrated in operation. The video makes it clear how unappealing it is to use the iPad as a tablet while inside this case.

The case is sold online by Solid Line for $119.00, which is a hefty price. Those who need to frequently enter lots of text on the iPad may be able to justify that price, and get a case in the bargain. This Bluetooth keyboard is being sold under other names, as evidenced in our review of this Kensington KeyFolio case.

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The slightly older version of Android (2.1) is still found on more devices than Froyo, but the gap is narrowing. Froyo may even pass 2.1 shortly, given how fast the numbers have changed since the last time we took a look. The current numbers don’t reflect the flood of tablets expected to begin shortly, particularly the Galaxy Tab, and many of those will be shipping with Froyo.

Android 3.0 (Gingerbread) is poised to hit devices later this year, so the fragmentation watch will kick up a notch again. Gingerbread is expected to bring some UI changes to Android, some of them aimed at minimizing the use of proprietary skins (TouchWiz, HTC Sense) that are believed to confuse the consumer. The rate that consumers are snapping up Android smartphones might indicate that concern is overblown, as it’s apparent that consumers love choice.

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The ViewPad 10 is an entirely different beast, and not just because of the larger 10-inch display. This tablet runs both Windows 7 and Android 1.6 operating systmes and features an Atom processor (1.66 GHz) and a solid-state disk for system storage. The single front-facing camera is designed for video calling. The ViewPad 10 will be available in the first quarter of next year for $629.

If the ViewPad 10 specs and photo look familiar, it is because it is made by the same ODM that builds the TEGA v2 I recently reviewed. The specs of the ViewPad 10 are the same as the v2, down to the dual boot configuration. To get a feel for how the ViewPad 10 will likely perform, check the two videos of the TEGA v2 below showing it in action with both operating systems.

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When this breakdown is compared to that of the 16-GB, 3G iPad, the Galaxy Tab’s lower price to build indicates Samsung has some wiggle room when push comes to shove. Our roundup of Tab pricing shows the cheapest retail price offered is $399, and it looks like deals could bring that lower while retaining profitability. The lower pricing would help Samsung compete with the iPad, especially given the extras (such as two cameras) on the Tab that are lacking on the iPad.

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There are a number of keyboards available that work with Windows-based tablets, but for those using multiple devices, the Freedom Pro has a unique feature; it supports the HID profile that works with Windows and the iPad, and it also supports the SPP profile used by many smartphones. BlackBerry devices and Android phones work over SPP, and it made sense to get a keyboard I could use with my HTC Evo 4G in addition to my iPad and Windows tablets.

The Freedom Pro keyboard works over Bluetooth, so it connects wirelessly to devices. It’s a light, plastic keyboard, slightly less than full size, yet yields a good touch-typing experience. It folds in half for portability, and comes with a case for transport. The keyboard automatically latches when folded closed, and opens via a simple button push on the side. It sits firmly on a surface due to small rubber feet on both halves, and has a sliding lock to keep it rigid while being used. In spite of this lock, the keyboard doesn’t work well on the lap.

There are five rows of keys comprising the Freedom Pro, including a small number key row at the top. These keys are very small and don’t lend themselves to touch typing, but it’s nice to have them anyway. There’s a vertical row of buttons on the left side of the keyboard, which include dedicated keys for certain apps and two buttons for instigating/ hanging up a call for phones that support the functions. To the left of this row is a recessed button to trigger the Bluetooth pairing process (first time with each device only), a slider for selecting which protocol is desired and a power slider to turn the keyboard on and off. It uses two AAA batteries, which last quite a long time when the keyboard is turned off when not in use.

With the HID profile active, the keyboard works as expected with both Windows systems and the iPad. The pairing process with each is straightforward, after which the keyboard works as expected. Not all devices support all the special keys mentioned, but experimentation shows some of them work with each device. Typing on the little keyboard takes some to get used to, but I quickly reached a decent speed. The backspace key is too small and requires some practice to hit properly, as does the small space bar, which is split in the middle at the hinge. The DEL and CTRL key placement is particularly funky; this isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s a factor in fast typing.

The SPP profile lets me use the Freedom Pro with the HTC Evo 4G. I don’t do heavy text editing on the phone as a rule, but I figured since I have the keyboard, it’s nice to be able to use with the phone. Getting it going with the phone is a three-step process that’s detailed nicely in this short guide. The keyboard connects automatically once it’s working, and is a lot more useful than I expected. The kickstand on the Evo is pretty handy for use with the keyboard.

The Android driver for the keyboard allows assigning apps to each F-key. This is a handy way to fire up programs on the phone that are often used with the keyboard.

We know Android tablets are going to hit the market in great numbers shortly, and the Freedom Pro can be a handy keyboard to use with them. The Freedom Pro keyboard isn’t the cheapest alternative ($85 at Amazon), but it does work with virtually every device out there, so you get what you pay for.

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The Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch touch tablet based on Android that’s shaping up to be a real competitor to the iPad. Samsung has optimized the apps for the screen, which is larger than that found on smartphones, and the full Android Market is accessible. Our roundup of outlets to carry the Galaxy Tab shows that this starting price by T-Mobile is as cheap as that offered anywhere, although the carrier isn’t detailing the data plan pricing required to get that subsidized price. The T-Mobile model of the Tab has the advantage of the carrier’s high-speed HSPA+ network where available.

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Amazon isn’t just about Kindles; it sells millions of items, and those are now easier than ever to find on the iPad with the release of Windowshop. The app puts a touch-friendly face on the Amazon online store, designed to help customers find what they want with just a few taps on the screen. The app is free in the App Store, and once the user logs into the Amazon system on the iPad, a full shopping experience awaits.

The app makes searching for products of interest straightforward, and drilling down through all the offerings is actually fun. One-click purchasing is fully supported in Windowshop, and the entire shopping experience is more pleasant than the old-school browser technique. The release of Amazon Windowshop is further proof the company knows online retail, especially how to make buying products easy for the customer.

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In addition to the four U. S. carriers handling the Tab, it’s been spotted in Best Buy. It will be sold in various outlets outside the U. S., but this roundup is restricted to the U.S. outlets.

Best Buy. Signs spotted in the giant retailer indicate a Wi-Fi version of the Galaxy Tab will be sold for $499.99. Best Buy will also sell 3G-enabled versions for Sprint and Verizon requiring data contracts or month-to-month service.

Sprint. Sprint has the best confirmed price for the Tab, with pre-orders for $399.99 now available. This price requires a two-year “3G Tablet Mobile Broadband” plan. This special tablet plan comes in two flavors: 2 GB data for $29.99 monthly and 5 GB data for $59.99 monthly. Both plans include unlimited messaging. It is being reported that Sprint will offer the Tab with no contract for $600.

Verizon. The Galaxy Tab will set you back $599.99 from Big Red, with no contract required nor offered. A month-to-month data plan will be available for the Tab starting at $20 monthly for 1 GB of data.

AT&T . Pricing for the Galaxy Tab has not been revealed by the carrier, but data plan pricing has leaked to the web. This indicates an a la carte system for data plans for the Tab, starting at $15 for a measly 100 MB per day, to a whopping $50 monthly with a 1 GB data cap.

T-Mobile. The carrier hasn’t confirmed pricing for the Galaxy Tab, but rumors show T-Mobile will offer it starting at $399.99 with a two-year contract. The same rumors indicate pricing without a contract will be $649, with no details on data plan pricing.

The Galaxy Tab is a compelling device with the highly portable 7-inch form factor. Early reviews of it have been positive, and access to the Android Market is a big plus. The Android tablet space is shaping up like the smartphone space as the carrier involvement creates confusing data plan pricing and device pricing. I’m thinking the Wi-Fi only model at Best Buy might be the best way to go, especially given how LTE tablets will start appearing next year. I hear one calling my name, how about you?

Gadgets of the week

This week, I spent a lot of time using the TEGA v2 tablet that had just arrived when I was writing last week’s column. The TEGA v2 is a 10-inch (1024×600) slate that’s almost as thin and light as the magical iPad. The v2 packs both Windows 7 Pro and Android 1.6 under the hood, making it an unusual tablet. It’s the first Windows 7 touch slate I’ve used, and this week I used it quite a bit.

I like using the v2 – a lot, in fact. I’ve long been a tablet fan, and the comfortable form factor makes it a joy to use. I’ve been surprised how comfortable it is while using it for long periods, either in portrait or landscape orientation. The Atom processor is plenty fast, and the SSD keeps Windows humming. The newly exposed HP Slate 500 will give the v2 a run for its money, with dual digitizers and cameras.

The TEGA v2 is essentially a fast netbook without the keyboard; it has the same hardware components as netbooks, with the addition of the good capacitive touch screen. The touch screen makes Windows 7 pretty useful, but it doesn’t go far enough to replace both the keyboard and a trackpad. Windows is designed to be operated with the keyboard and mouse (trackpad), and sometimes they’re required to get the job done.

I have an old Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard that, for some reason, doesn’t work with the TEGA, so I researched portable keyboard options currently on the market. The search brought me to the Freedom Pro Bluetooth keyboard, and I ordered one from Amazon for $85. It’s expensive, but besides being highly portable, it has one feature no other keyboard has: dual protocols for working with mobile gadgets.

Keyboards designed to work with computers use the HID protocol to connect over Bluetooth. This is used by both Windows and OS X, and even the iPad uses HID. That’s not the case for Android phones and BlackBerry devices, which use the SPP protocol. Portable keyboards usually support one protocol or the other, but the Freedom Pro keyboard can toggle between the two. I can use it with Windows systems like the v2, and also with my Android phone. I don’t really have a need to use a keyboard with my EVO 4G, but since I was getting a keyboard anyway, I figured it was good to have the capability.

The keyboard is really nice, and I intend to write a review of it soon. It folds in half and is so small and light it’s easy to throw in a bag just in case it’s needed. It’s a good companion for the v2 for those times when I need to do some serious writing and a keyboard is the tool of choice. I am happy with the purchase so far.

Apps of the Week

The only new apps I played with this week were both related to the TEGA v2, and I showed them off in a video. FrontFace and Thinix Touch are shells that try to hide the less-than-touch-friendly Windows 7 interface from the user. So far, I like FrontFace better; even though it’s not officially released (and not fully functioning), it’s getting close. It completely hides Windows and turns the whole screen into a touchable interface that’s easy to use with fat fingers. I’m in the process of configuring it the way I prefer, which, admittedly, is a big task. I’m hoping to get the official release soon so all functions are operational.

One app that I’ve been using for almost a decade is Pocket Informant, a calendar/task manager that is great for mobile devices. I’ve used it on Windows Mobile devices, the BlackBerry, and most recently, the iPad. It’s the first app I run each morning on the iPad, which sits next to my computer where I can easily keep an eye on the things that are important to me. I spoke with Alex Kac, the PI developer, about the version he’s working on for the Android platform. I could really use PI on my EVO, and Alex reported he’ll be ready to release a beta version for Android any day now. It’s not out at the time of this writing, and I am so excited about the impending release I’m checking the Android Market several times a day to see if it’s available. From early looks on the PI website, it might be one of the best apps for Android once released.

E-book of the Week

This week, I’ve been plowing through Judas Unchained, the last of the Commonwealth Saga by Peter F. Hamilton. The series has been great — an epic space opera — and I’m almost finished with it. I may take a breather and read something by another author before jumping into Hamilton’s Void Trilogy, which is sitting in my Kindle library waiting for me.

Wrap-up

That’s how I spent my week in Mobile Tech Manor. It was a typical week full of small things that do big things. I’ll be back next week, and who knows what I’ll have to share. Until then, be safe and happy computing.

The Slate 500 has an Intel Atom Z540 (1.86 GHz) processor, 2 GB of RAM, a 64 GB SSD and a Broadcom Crystal HD Accelerator for handling HD video playback. The 8.9-inch screen features the N-Trig dual digitizer, for both multi-touch and pen input. The inclusion of pen support adds capability aimed at enterprise workers, although early reports indicate there is no palm rejection technology to allow resting the hand on the screen while writing with the pen. There is a 3 MP camera on the back of the tablet, and a second camera on the front for video conferencing.

HP is including two accessories for the Slate 500 in the $799 price, a portfolio case and a docking stand. The stand includes ports for peripherals, providing an easy way to connect the tablet to desktop peripherals. The HP Slate 500 is currently showing a shipping date of Nov. 11.

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