The Battle Begins: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, a 7-inch Android slate, set to debut this Thursday, is the first high-end Android tablet to hit the market and thus the first real contender to Apple’s iPad. And if Android’s attack on the smartphone market is any indication, Apple could have a tough fight ahead.
Aside from its 7-inch display, the Galaxy Tab features a front-facing camera for video chatting and runs Android 2.2, the most recent edition of Google’s mobile OS. It sports a 1GHz processor and a 3.2-megapixel camera and also expected to have a built-in GPS system. In terms of connectivity, it features both 3G and Wi-Fi data along with regular phone calling functions.
In comparison, the iPad has a 9.7-inch screen with 1024-by-768 resolution. It has no cameras and but does have GPS. It runs on a 1GHz processor.
Some of the differences between the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the iPad come down to software. Android and iOS are worlds apart in both style and function. While Apple’s OS has its strengths, there are numerous areas where an Android-based tablet like the Galaxy Tab could have an advantage:
• App support: Apple’s App Store may have a larger selection than the Android Market, but Android’s open ecosystem allows you to install anything you want.
• Tethering. Android’s open approach to apps opens up the potential to use a tablet for fee-free tethering.
• Flash. Android’s support of Flash does not cause devices to crash, burn, or be drained of all battery life.
• Full access. Android devices can be used like hard drives.
• Full multitasking. Android allows you to run multiple programs at the same time. Apple’s newest edition of iOS allows for only limited and carefully defined types of multitasking.
Android devices also tend to have removable batteries, something Apple’s mobile hardware does not support. And finally, there’s the issue of USB support — namely the fact that Apple’s iPad doesn’t have it.
But ultimately, it’s all good news for us and this battle will benefit us all. Innovation improves and products get increasingly better.
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