As a Samsung Galaxy S smartphone owner (specifically, the T-Mobile Vibrant S), I was eager to get my hands on a Galaxy Tab from Verizon Wireless and smudge up the 7-inch touchscreen a bit. To be fair, I had reservations about the Tab from the first time I heard it was coming.
My Galaxy S phone, although a nice piece of hardware, has lacked in the software department. Nearly five months later, I'm (and the rest of the United States) is still awaiting an Android 2.2 update promised numerous times, and the Samsung TouchWiz UI its a bit cumbersome and prone to lag.
All that aside, the Galaxy S series is still an impressive slab of hardware, with some of the fastest available processors and other innovative features, like the (blindingly) brilliant Super AMOLED display.
The comparison of the Galaxy Tab to the iPad is inevitable, and that is exactly what you will find below:
Design: Tie
The form factor of the iPad is sleek, smooth and polished. The rounded form factor, tapered edges and smooth aluminum back are a very attractive package, reminiscent of the first-generation iPhone.
Samsung's Tab has a form factor strikingly similar to the iPhone 4. The edges are sharp, the corners slightly rounded. The design is very “slab-like.” Despite a plastic casing, the Tab feels extremely solid and exhibits no noticeable flex.
Options: Advantage Galaxy Tab
The iPad gives users three storage options: 16GB, 32GB or 64GB. The Tab comes with 2GB of built-in storage and can expand up to 32GB via a relatively inexpensive industry-standard MicroSD card, which works with a variety of other common devices.
The iPad has 3G as an option, all Tabs come with 3G connectivity. There is a possible downside to this, as those opting for a 3G data plan could be in for a few expensive surprises, though data plans vary depending on the carrier. Samsung has indicated a WiFi-only the Tab is en route.
Speaking of carriers, the iPad is available on the AT&T network and Verizon (via MiFi). Tab users have the option of AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and U.S. Cellular. Tab specs and data plans vary from carrier to carrier, allowing Tab owners to pick the one best suited to their usage.
AT&T has restricted tethering with both the iPhone and iPad, which means it can't be used as a 3G hotspot. Free apps in the Android Marketplace make tethering easy with the Galaxy Tab, and several carriers equip the Tab with tethering capabilities out of the box.
Hardware: Advantage Tab
The iPad doesn't have a camera; the Tab has two. A 1.3MP camera in the front allows for video chat over 3G or WiFi, and the 3MP auto-focus camera is more than sufficient to take Facebook-worthy photos. You may get a flash too, depending on your carrier.
Raw CPU processing power is a tie as both feature excellent 1Ghz CPU's, which some have speculated came from the same design.
Samsung's Tab features 592MB of RAM whereas the iPad features 256MB—half what the iPhone 4 was given.
The iPad is much larger than the Tab. I found the Tab easier to carry (even fitting in some jacket pockets) and easier to type on. My thumbs could easily reach all keys in both landscape and portrait mode. The iPad keyboard is very close to being too wide to do so in portrait mode, and not possible for most in landscape.
The display on the iPad has a slightly lower pixel-per-inch count than the Tab, making the Tab's TFT-LCD display a bit crisper. I was disappointed the Tab didn't receive the same gorgeous Super AMOLED screen as the Galaxy S phone. Still, I found the color, contrast and saturation to be superior to the iPad's backlit-LED screen.
Points go to the iPad for battery life. Apple claims a 10 hour life (9 hours when using 3G). In my experience, the iPad does get around 8-9 hours per charge with moderate use. The Tab seemed to get 7-8 hours maximum with moderate use and 3G enabled, a significant difference from the manufacturer's claimed 13 hours.
User Interface: Galaxy Tab
iOS4 sort of lets you multitask by 'suspending' apps not in use. Since its release, Android has offered full multitasking capabilities, which the 1Ghz processor handles with aplomb. I don't see why iOS4 couldn't offer the same.
The updated Samsung TouchWiz UI appeared much cleaner, smoother and more stable than the version released on Galaxy S handsets. I didn't experienced any lag issues, a welcomed change.
Apps: Tie
As far as app selection and quality, the Android Marketplace now boasts over 150,000 apps, a larger percentage of which are free vs. their comparable Apple counterparts. Many of the apps in the Android marketplace offer features their Apple counterparts do not. That being said, the Android selection can be overwhelming and redundant at times.
Android users will enjoy receiving first-run free Google apps, whereas iOS4 users will enjoy getting the same app their Android friends have, possibly months later.
I particularly enjoyed using blogging apps such as Twitter, Tumblr and WordPress. The apps are available on both the iPad and Tab, though I found the Tab's camera very useful for posting photos to Tumblr and Twitter. The 7-inch display proved large enough to comfortably compose WordPress posts.
Game selection has improved dramatically since the debut of the Android Marketplace, but discerning users may notice a lack of 'big-name' games in the app store in comparison to the iTunes store.
It's worth noting that the iPad features many apps specifically designed to take advantage of its additional screen real estate over an iOS4-based iPhone. At this time, all Android apps are still developed for the Android smartphone market. Some apps, notably the Twitter app, will lack some features the comparable iPad-specific app will have.
Web Surfing: Advantage Samsung Galaxy Tab
Like Adobe Flash or not (and I don't), the reality is millions of sites utilize Flash. Android 2.2 supports Flash, opening up a large part of the web inaccessible to iOS4 users. I consider essential at this time on a device largely meant for web browsing.
Music, podcasts and multimedia: Advantage iPad
I would consider Android 2.1's music and media player nothing short of terrible. Android 2.2 has seen some improvement. However, Apple's included iTunes media player still is the best player I have seen on a portable device. There are a number of improved Android music and media players available for download, some even for free, but none seem to fully replicate Apple's iTunes experience.
Mac users will also have to jump through some hoops to import playlists and music to their Android phone. It doesn't require a computer science degree, but it does require some 3rd party apps, patience and ability to follow instructions.
Pricing
The iPad (3G models, for comparison's sake) is $629.99 for the 16GB model, $729.99 for 32GB, and $829.99 for the 64GB model.
The Galaxy Tab 3G was initially priced at $599.99 across all carriers, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular have both announced recent price drops, to $349.99 and $199.99 with a contract, respectively. Before you rush out to buy your Tab, note that some Tab owners have been experiencing a bit of buyer's remorse due to “ongoing and hidden costs.”
The unit I reviewed from Verizon is $599 but does not require a monthly contract. If you opt for 3G service, plans start at $20 a month for 1 GB of data.
Overall
The iPad is an excellent internet and multimedia device, living up to Apple's legendary user experience . The iPad is well suited to the user who wants a low maintenance, multimedia, internet browsing device—with a few limitations.
The Tab is better suited for more advanced users, as Android is still not quite as polished as Apple's highly refined iOS. Android is quickly catching up, and showing great promise as a worthy iOS competitor.
For portability, app selection, hardware features and carrier choices, the clear winner is the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
No comments:
Post a Comment