Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The boom began with the universal tablets imitating Apple iPad. However, the producers quickly realized that just imitating Apple, they do not attract buyers because the buyer will prefer the cheaper original than the parody of the more expensive (and less expensive, but at the same level of quality just do not know how). Therefore, manufacturers have tried to equip their devices such features that are not the iPad. This primarily concerns the possibility of memory expansion slots and more, which together with the openness of the (relative) Google Android operating system gave much more freedom than a closed ecosystem of Apple. The next step - filling with higher performance than Apple A4, which was built iPad. Such was the dual-chip solution NVIDIA Tegra 2 , designed specifically for tablets and offering performance processor at 1 GHz for each core. Apple, however, quickly gave the appropriate response by equipping the iPad 2 processor Apple A5, also a dual core. And at this point I would not dare to answer the question, who is filling manufacturers - iPad or a tablet on NVIDIA Terga 2. But this result is also well worth it. In addition, of course, a very important asset is the emergence of rivals Apple operating system, Google Android 3.x, it is focused on the plates.

Thus was formed a very clear standard "worthy competitor iPad»: a screen diagonal of approximately like iPad, with high-quality matrix (* VA or IPS), NVIDIA Tegra platform 2 and the operating system Google Android 3.x.

This year has already reached several devices based on this standard ( Acer Iconia Tab , Asus Eee Pad Transformer ), and a few more - will be released soon. Among the most notable innovations of the "second generation» Android-tablet - Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 08.09 . The first of them came to us for testing before reaching the shop shelves.

samsung galaxy tab 10.1

The model without the 3G module is marked - GT-P7510MAVXAB.

I must say that the release of the first tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab (with screens 7 inches) in autumn last year, Samsung has made a very important objective enshrined in the minds of the opinion that Android-tablet - it is primarily Samsung. Actually, Sales Galaxy Tab was just the same, the undisputed leader among Android-tablet (though many times slower than iPad). But then the Samsung was not as serious competitors like Acer, Asus and others. Let's see how is the situation now, and how the new revision of Galaxy Tab is suitable for the purpose of consolidating the position of Samsung in this market segment.

Outset that this article does not pretend to be an exhaustive study, in future we plan to develop a theme, in particular, by means of detailed videos about Tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Design

Since we tested a sample press release tablet came to us completely "naked" - without the box and accessories.

As for appearance, it should be noted that all the tablets "aypadovskoy" era is very similar to each other. Get at least a lack of hardware buttons on the front surface. Tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 fully meet this trend. Yet it has one significant difference from the iPad: a plastic housing (Apple tablet is enclosed in an aluminum casing). Consider whether this difference advantage or disadvantage - it's up to buyers. But thanks to the plastic plate could make it easier - just 565 grams (in main rival - 601 grams)! The width of the Samsung, too little (though very few) circumvents Apple - 8,6 vs. 8.8 mm. Curiously, the first tablet should have had other dimensions - less attractive. But after the announcement of the iPad 2 in early March, Samsung withdrew almost ready devices and decided to improve their options. Of course, this has delayed the entry of the second generation of the family tablet Galaxy Tab, but I think consumers and the industry as a whole will only benefit. Because today Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - the thinnest and lightest in the world (among tablets with similar screen sizes).

The rear surface of the tablet, who visited the testing - white, but the bezel facets - silver (aluminum).

There is also a modification of the tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, executed in black , and the design of the case it is quite different. You can choose what you prefer.

With connectors and expansion options sad situation: in addition to a standard headphone jack is only a single proprietary connector used for charging, connecting to a computer and connection accessories.

In the first Galaxy Tab was at least a slot for memory cards microSD. Here, there and this. However, we tested a version without 3G. And with the 3G version has a microSD slot (which is the tablet version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 3G module you will see in our videos). A strange decision (perhaps related only to pre-samples)! The rest - all the same seven-inch tablet Galaxy Tab: left and right speakers are located on top - on / off button and volume control rocker.

Operating system and software

The tablet is running the latest version of the operating system Google Android - 3.1. Originally scheduled to release a new generation of "tabs" with Android 3.0, but when it was decided to postpone the release, it became clear that the issue should be with a new version of the OS, especially since 3.0 has been found a number of serious shortcomings. We have to test the tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has been with Android 3.1, but it's an engineering sample, so the firmware "store" copies may be slightly different (perhaps go on sale already tablets running Android 3.2).

So, the main thing you should pay attention - this shell TouchWiz. Samsung sets its own shell in all its Android-devices, and tablet Galaxy Tab 10.1 - is no exception. True, if the case with Android 2.2 (in the first Galaxy Tab) it really was a must (so far has been very interface Android 2.x from those standards, which set the iOS), then the Android 3.x interface and in itself quite a good . And not to say that Samsung has made its shell looks more attractive - just a little different, in the style of Samsung. On the other hand, originality, and in this case, not to the detriment of usability, and this is commendable.

As for the functional part, the shell is TouchWiz really adds some nice features, such as "hubs" (content aggregators certain type, for example, Social Hub for e-mails and messages from social networks), the button for screenshots (on the test copy did not work in all applications, and unstable), as well as a set of widgets (weather, key contacts, mail, news, etc.) and quick access to several programs that offer "tapom" (or if you will, "click") on arrow in the center of the bottom line of the service icons (in the terminology they are called the Samsung Mini Apps).

Among these "mini-programs": the Task Manager, Calendar, World Clock, Pen memo, calculator, and Music. It is worth noting first of them - the Task Manager.

As you know, running Android 3.x itself "decides" when the application must close and unload from memory. That is, when you close it yourself, the application is still some time to hang in the memory. So the Task Manager allows you to just close the unwanted applications at once, freeing up space in RAM.

And, incidentally, demonstrates an interesting information: according to the Task manager for soft tablet is available in 724 MB of RAM (generally the same in the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is set to 1 GB of RAM), while if the memory is clear from all the applications in the background, it will employ 379 MB (hence their use of the operating system and office services). If it does not clear the memory and work as usual (no excessive use multi-tasking), it will employ 500-600 MB. What is the stock remains, in general, very small.

Very conveniently arranged in the shell space TouchWiz "home" desktop: with five screens, we can get quick access to emails, news (albeit in a test instance it was the English-language resources), several Internet bookmarks, share prices, multiple contacts, as well as updates from social networks (widget Social Hub). All of this is provided widgets position where we can change at will.

Among the pre-installed software is not included in standard delivery Android 3.x, there are: Polaris Office (office suite), Pulse News (application for reading news feeds), Pen memo (handwritten notes), uTalk (messenger) and Samsung Apps (sobstvennny App Store Samsung). And, as already noted, the three "hub» - Social Hub, Readers Hub (an aggregator of books and media) and the Music Hub (an aggregator of music).

Screen

The main feature of the tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - the screen on a matrix of a new type - PLS (Plane to Line Switching). Matrix Super PLS was announced Samsung recently, and the tablet Galaxy Tab 10.1 - one of the first devices with the screen. It is assumed that the PLS - an alternative to the IPS, and in some respects superior to these displays are displays such as IPS. In particular, specialists Samsung managed to increase the brightness by 10% (compared to the IPS), and increase the viewing angle (compared to the TN-matrices). It is noteworthy that the production cost of new displays up to 15% below the cost of IPS-type panels of the same size. Screen resolution at Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is equal to 1280x800 pixels.

Samsung has learned from the claims of the first Galaxy Tab, which, when sky-high price (in the first week of sales) was the usual TN-matrix, while the cheaper iPad - used IPS-matrix. Note that Samsung still did not equip the second generation of its proprietary tablet matrices AMOLED or Super AMOLED (not to mention the Super AMOLED Plus, which are used in smart phones Galaxy S II). Apparently, it is not possible to establish a competitive price for the device. So that the matrix of PLS ​​- a good way out. Picture is bright, clear, almost no "slepnuschaya" in the sun, though viewing angles are still not outstanding. And of course, can not say that the tablet screen Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 fundamentally better than the iPad, Acer Iconia Tab or Asus Eee Pad Transformer. But an equal sign between them can not be set: as different types of matrices and the number of dots per inch is a little different, then different types of operations (web surfing, watching movies, games, etc.) tablet screens can manifest themselves in in different ways. So the issue we will come back and draw a full comparison test screens of modern tablet - now with the use of specialized tools. In the meantime, we note that the tablet screen Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 gesture support multitouch, including the original gesture: if you press two fingers on the screen and turn it from a horizontal scale of the image that will increase if to himself - then decrease.

Performance

Thus, the tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is built on a platform of NVIDIA Tegra 2, consisting of two cores with a frequency of 1 GHz. Declared RAM - 1 GB. Flash capacity ranges from 16 to 64 GB, while in models with 3G module flash memory can be expanded through the use of cards microSD. In general, we have a typical tablet 2011 hardware configuration, there is even a special and nothing to comment. Here are the results of two tests that were run on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the nearest competitor.

We also tried to run the Galaxy Tab 10.1 test Linpack, but the tablet showed an incorrect result - apparently, this firmware is not yet supported by the test.

With regard to subjective impressions, the applications are no "brakes" were noted, but here is the interface the OS does not always work smoothly - that we are again likely to be attributed to the raw firmware (because power NVIDIA Tegra 2 for the needs of Android 3.x enough).