Saturday, September 3, 2011

New compact Samsung tablets, and Amazon tablet (updated)

Some sources report that sadly and oddly, Samsung has no plans of releasing the new Galaxy Tab 7.7 or big-phone 5.3-inch Note in the USA. Too bad if it's true, for they both seem really promising. In fact the 7.7 sounds close to what I've been wishing for in an ereader: a seven-inch tablet with high-rez display (not Retina-high, but higher than usual), and weighing under 350 grams!



I don't get why some say the original Galaxy Tab was disappointing. Despite me being an iPad fan, I find it to be a very likeable and useful device, and a good ereader.

Aaaaand, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note has the same number of pixels, but on a 5.3 inch screen! This might make a very interesting pocket ereader! Hardly bigger than a phone or pocket camera, but a compromise-free ereader also, it seems to me.
Like I've said earlier, the high-rez iPhone 4 screen is as good to read on as Dell Streak's screen, despite the latter being twice as big. And 5.3 inches is almost as big as the Kindle 3's screen, but with much higher resolution and contrast. So I'm... intrigued.



This might be the perfect take-everywhere ereader/videoplayer. I'm sure it fits in the thigh pockets of the kind of pants I like to wear, "combats" with lots of pockets. ... Testing: heck, even my old Galaxy Tab fits there, the Note should fit in almost any pocket I have.

The Galaxy Tab 7.7 in comparison is a bit doubtful: it's lighter than the old one and thinner, but it's slightly larger. But if you do have a pocket it'll fit in, I don't think it'll be a bother, due to the cutting-edge lightness/thinness.

It sounds really crazy that they wouldn't release these in the US, that's gotta be faulty reporting. And other reports say "Galaxy Note hits Europe Q1 2012, US afterwards".

Newest solid rumors are that the upcoming Amazon tablet will be a 7-inch Android for $250 and released late November. I'm sure that's cheaper than these Samsungs, but then they say that the Amazon device will not be a full Android device and of course we don't know if it can be hacked to become so like the Nook Color. If it has free 3G like the Kindle 3, probably not! But then it surely won't have free Net connection, since it can buy and run video etc.

PS: both Samsung devices have AMOLED displays. These are supposed to be grrrreat, but I haven't seen any. Anybody seen them?
[AMOLED on wiki. OLED advantages on wiki.]

Update: this is YH Lee, Samsung Senior Vice President (Mobile Global Marketing). Isn't she wonderful?

3 comments:

Bruce said...

Well I found a Galaxy Tab WiFi for less than $300 and bought it. Like you, I like it. At that price, I think it's pretty good. Of course, two days after I bought it Samsung announced the other two devices! Still, I think I'll be OK with the Galaxy Tabu - unless Apple comes out with something 7" in size.

The new Samsung 7.7 tablet uses Honeycomb, which I consider a drawback because of having fewer apps available.

Amazon, I'm afraid, is chasing the Nook Color instead of trying to beat the low cost 7" tablets. Did you see Lenovo announced a 7" Android 2.x tablet for $199?

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Yes, it seems that really cheap 7-inch tablets are becoming a reality sooner than anybody thought. Interesting times.

Stephen A said...

What actually occurred on the units vanishing:
The Think Different folks had them banned.

Even if the design is radically different from the iPad (which is built of Samsung components), it must be suppressed.

Seeing innovative new designs and market competition crushed makes my blood boil. Had the big boys like IBM and Xerox played this way on the 80's Apple would have been a small grease spot.

I pray motogoogle starts using its patent stockpile to maintain a balance of terror.