Kenenter: Samsung Galaxy Tab headed to AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, hands-on video & more

Samsung Galaxy Tab headed to AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, hands-on video & more

9/17/2010 10:53:00 AM

That's right! Once again, Samsung's gotten all four of the major US carriers in its court -- and just as we'd heard, the 7-inch Galaxy Tab will be heading to Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile sometime during the October / November timeframe. We wish we had more to share on the availability part, but Samsung's leaving that and the pricing announcements to the carriers. (We do know that the keyboard dock will cost $100 and the desktop dock $50.) We got to check out the US version of the Galaxy Tab earlier today, and its raw specs -- 1GHz Hummingbird, Android 2.2, 7-inch, 1204 x 600 WSVGA resolution display, front and rear cams -- were exactly the same as the one we previewed last week at IFA. However, Samsung tells us that TouchWiz will be tweaked slightly for the stateside crowd -- it won't have the Reader or Music hubs, but will have the social networking apps and a new Media Hub. There will also be preloaded carrier apps -- for instance, AT&T's version will come with its Connection Manager. Obviously, we can only hope that Verizon's wised up and isn't planning to totally Bing-out its Tab. No word on an unlocked or WiFi version hitting the US, but apparently it's being talked about internally. We'll be bringing you some more hands-on shots soon and trying to dig up more on pricing.

Samsung Galaxy Tab WiFi-only version coming, 3G versions almost certain to require contracts

After revealing the Galaxy Tab will be coming to all four major US carriers, Samsung also said a WiFi-only version will be coming soon. No word on pricing or availability yet, but it's pretty critical that Samsung meet the $499 base price of the iPad, especially since the Wall Street Journal says the carriers will offer the 3G version for $200 - $300, a price point that all but guarantees required data contracts given the unlocked European pricing. We'll be trying to find out more after the press conference, so stay tuned...

Samsung Media Hub: movies and next-day TV shows from NBC, Paramount, Universal, and more

We've been itching to see how Samsung would leverage Media Hub, and now we're getting the goods at its Galaxy Tab event. Compatible with Tab and Galaxy S devices, both movies and next-day TV shows will be available for purchase and rental. As for the content partners, they're not quite shabby: MTV Networks, NBC, Paramount, Universal Studios, and Warner, with more to be announced. Purchased content can be shared with up to five devices. What's not specified is pricing. We should be getting hands-on with it soon, so stay tuned -- or whatever the internet equivalent of that idiom is.

Samsung Galaxy Tab for T-Mobile Due by This Holiday Season; Feature Full Flash 10.1

We just heard that the Android-based Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet device from Samsung was heading to every major wireless carrier in the United States, and sure enough we just got confirmation from T-Mobile that this is indeed the case (not that we didn’t believe Samsung, of course). The Galaxy Tab for T-Mobile will be the first mobile tablet for T-Mobile’s Android offerings.

As for the features, there’s everything we’ve already covered: you’ve got the Samsung Media Hub, which will feature plenty of movies and TV shows. You’ve also got the social networking applications that everyone knows and loves by now. The tablet will launch with Android 2.2, feature full Flash Player 10.1, and will have a 1GHz Hummingbird processor under the hood.

There’s no word on pricing quite yet, and there’s no exact date provided by Samsung or T-Mobile quite yet. But, the Magenta carrier is saying that the tablet will be launched by this holiday season, which means you already know where your Christmas money is going.

Sprint Samsung Galaxy Tab won't have 4G

Well, isn't this a bit sad -- the Sprint version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be 3G-only. Ouch -- we'd definitely heard that Sprint's version of the Galaxy Tab would follow in the steps of the Epic 4G and have a WiMAX radio, but no dice, amigos. We're guessing Sprint won't be cheekily releasing a Tab case with a built-in Overdrive pocket, either.

Samsung Galaxy Tab loses voice capabilities in the US

Bad news, folks: not only is the Sprint Samsung Galaxy Tab a 3G-only device, but Samsung just confirmed to us that telephony was cut out of the Tab for the US market. That means you won't be able to pair up a Bluetooth headset and use the Tab as a really large phone like you can on the Euro model. That's super lame -- telephony features might have been the only way the inevitable two-year carrier contract would have been justifiable. Suffice to say, we're even more curious to hear about official pricing now, but it doesn't look like we'll be getting it until Samsung and its carrier partners are good and ready. We'll let you know.

Samsung Galaxy Tab for US (and Media Hub) hands-on

By and large, there aren't really any surprises with the Galaxy Tab we just tried out -- it was only two weeks ago that we tried it at IFA. We did hear from Samsung that the company might change the back, but what we said about hardware and experience before remains true here. The Media Hub, which is new, is sleek and convenient, and the Iron Man preview we watched looked great on the screen. If you're in need of more Tab pictures, we got you covered just below.