Samsung’s legal duel with Apple has received an inordinate amount of press coverage, with both parties being equally guilty of leveling some overdramatic accusations against the other.
In the midst of the legal quagmire that the Korean giant finds itself in, Samsung’s fans may be pleased to know that the 7 inch version of the Galaxy Tab 2 is about to be launched tomorrow (Friday, August 17) by Verizon. It has been priced at a reasonable $350, moreover.
Verizon will be selling the new Galaxy Tab in its retail stores from tomorrow. The good news is that buying the Samsung slate will not require any contract. Then again, buying it will make it necessary you to register for a Verizon LTE data connection, making it a bit of a bother for non Verizon customers interested in the Tab 2 7.0.
The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is an interesting tablet in its own right, moreover. It comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, which should make for a far superior Android tablet experience than has been the case so far. But the hitch is that Samsung has decided to go with its TouchWiz skin on top of ICS yet again, and that may prove to be a bit of a bother every now and then.
On the hardware side, the Tab 2 comes with 8 GB of internal storage (expandable up to 64 GB), and a powerful 1.2 GHz dual core processor, which should make the heaviest of Android apps work without a hiccup. There’s a 3.2 MP rear shooter, and a VGA front camera thrown in as well.
The Tab 2 would be a very worthy alternative to the likes of the iPad and Transformer Prime even 2 months back, thanks to its combination of good hardware and pocket friendly price. But since the launch of the $199 Google Nexus 7, the whole landscape of budget Android tablets has been turned on its head. With more of the same coming up with the launch of Amazon’s Kindle Fire successor, the Tab 2 may just not have a real customer base to target after all.
Have a look at Verizon’s press release for the Samsung tab below:
VERIZON WIRELESS ADDS SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 2® 7.0 TO EXPANSIVE TABLET PORTFOLIO
Affordable 7-inch Tablet with Access to Rich Multimedia on America’s Largest 4G LTE Network
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS – Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the latest addition to the Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio, the Samsung Galaxy Tab® 2 (7.0), available beginning Aug. 17 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com. Galaxy Tab 2 customers will have access to the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network which covers more than 75 percent of the U.S. population and will soon be available in more than 400 markets nationwide.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) features power and portability with its 4G LTE connectivity and 7-inch display making mobile entertainment easy. The Galaxy Tab 2 runs Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and comes loaded with multimedia-rich apps like Netflix and Samsung’s Media Hub for watching movies and TV shows while on the go or on the couch. Customers can also take advantage of the compact design and use the Amazon Kindle app to keep their favorite books with them at all times. The Peel Smart Remote app turns the Galaxy Tab 2 into a universal remote, helping customers easily find their favorite shows, while eliminating the need for multiple remote controls.
The Galaxy Tab 2 is also a SAFE™ (Samsung Approved For Enterprise) device featuring on-device AES-256 bit encryption, enhanced support for Microsoft®Exchange ActiveSync®, and support for industry-leading Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions. Additionally, the Galaxy Tab 2 can maximize productivity with the Polaris® Office application to easily create and edit documents. The app is optimized for tablets and has support for various file types like Microsoft Word, Excel®, PowerPoint®, Adobe® PDF, Zip files and more.
Additional features
- 4G LTE – Customers can expect fast download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G Mobile Broadband coverage areas
- Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – Support for Google Mobile™ Services including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™, Google Maps™and access to more than 600,000 apps available to download from Google™ Play Store
- 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera and VGA front-facing camera for video chat
- 1.2 GHz dual-core application processor
- Bluetooth® 4.0 technology
- Multiple video file formats supported, including DivX and XviD support
- Wi-Fi® Connectivity (802.11 b/g/n)
- 8 GB internal memory with support for up to 64 GB microSD™ card
Business features
- Samsung’s SAFE mobility solutions provide flexibility and connectivity for mobile workforces, ensuring that customers are able to operate more efficiently on the move.
- Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) – Customers communicate directly with Microsoft Exchange Server enabling push email, calendar and contacts
- VPN and MDM support from Industry-Leading Solutions Providers – Supports industry-standard VPN protocols to help customers efficiently tap into VPN networks, and MDM capabilities that allow IT departments to effectively safeguard employees’ mobile devices and corporate data
- On Device Encryption – SAFE helps prevent unauthorized access to mobile data by leveraging the AES 256-bit encryption standard, encrypting all data, including app-specific internal data and internal/external memory
Price and availability
- The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.comstarting Aug. 17 for $349.99.
- Customers purchasing the Galaxy Tab 2 will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless data plan. Share Everything Plans allow customers to add the Galaxy Tab 2 to their account for $10 monthly access. For additional information, customers should go to: www.verizonwireless.com/shareeverything.
- For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go towww.verizonwireless.com.
