Customer Reviews

Samsung Galaxy Tab (T-Mobile)

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

As a current iPad owner who also uses the Droid X, I must say that after spending 15 minutes with this thing I absolutely love it. The size is fantastic in that its a signifcantly improved viewing experience over the 4.3 inch Droid X screen (which is also great) and it is easy to hold with one hand and navigate with the other - an added bonus is that it also fits in a suit coat pocket.
The Microsoft Exchange integration with email/calendar/contacts is seemless and allows for almost all of the functionality provided via a laptop. One of the drawbacks of the iPad is its poor integration with Outlook (couldn't delete, move emails while one a plane working offline - not a problem with the Tab).

The screen is gorgeous, speed is quick and the Google location services (GPS, Latitude, Maps, Place and the list goes on and on) are fantastic.
I would highly recommend this product.

Update - after 1 week of ownership, I love it even more. As someone who travels (4 cities over last 5 days), I'm considering leaving my notebook home on business travel with future trips. The benefits of the form factor can't be overstated - it fits in my jeans pocket when out casually and in my suit jacket during business. It also smartly switches from WiFi to 3G when a WiFi network is not within reach and vice versa (so that you don't unnecessarily consume data via your cellular carrier). I also watched a movie on my East to West coast trip - 3 hour and 13 minute move burned less than half the battery time. It's also great to be able to modify .xls documents when needed - seamless integration with outlook / attachments.

Absolutely love this thing...

I ran out and bought the Galaxy Tab from T-Mobile the first day it was released. I have been using it to take notes and read on the Kindle app since. I have a Droid X, which filled the need till the Galaxy Tab was released, but it is so much easier now with a 7 inch screen. The Galaxy Tab is basically the size of three Droid X screens, so much easier to type and to read.

I haven't found any apps developed for the Galaxy Tab specifically, but most android apps I use seem to work ok or even better on the larger form factor. I am hoping, just like some developers have built apps just for the iPad, that soon apps will come out built to take advantage of the additional screen size.

It fits well in my hand, but with the case it does not fit in my pocket. I also find that even in landscape mode that I can not really type with both hands. I hear there is an optional qwerty keyboard you can buy, but I haven't gone that route yet.

I have tested out using Skype as a phone and it seems to work fine - at least when calling people in the US.

And with T-Mobile there is no additional charge to the Galaxy Tab as an access point!

Review update: Initially my belief was that Samsung has crippled this device, but in fact it has been done by Verizon. The Verizon web site explains that NONE of their mobile devices includes the ability to use a Bluetooth keyboard or mouse. Moreover, the T-Mobile model has been reported to work fine with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I also briefly tested a Sprint model with a Bluetooth mouse, and it seems as though it should work -- there was a menu option to connect to the mouse and use it as a HID (human input device), an option that is not even available on the Verizon model. I wasn't actually able to connect to the mouse, but it's possible that it was a mouse incompatibility issue (it's a Targus N2953), or my batteries were too low.

Steer clear of the Verizon model of the Galaxy Tab. And since this review is under the heading of the T-Mobile model of the Tab, I am changing my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars.

I'm surprised Samsung lets Verizon do this, owing to the bad press it's giving Samsung.

Original post follows.

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It's an amazing little tablet. Quick, responsive, light, bright screen, and all the Android apps I've tried run very well on it. It even works as a WiFi-to-3G hotspot out of the box. This tablet is impressive. Too bad it's been deliberately crippled by Samsung [edit: it was Verizon, not Samsung].

The problem is Bluetooth, which on the Galaxy Tab is usable ONLY for file transfers (the supplied USB cable is used for the same thing). The ability to use the Tab with Bluetooth HIDs (human input devices) has been DISABLED. Google put it into Android, and Samsung [edit: no, Verizon] took it out. That means you can't use wireless keyboards or mice with it. This tablet has the ability to replace a PC if only it could use a keyboard and a mouse (but then that's probably why Samsung [Verizon] has disabled it: politics, lawsuits, myopia, inbreeding, whatever). I have also tried 3rd party Bluetooth drivers, but they don't work. Not yet, anyway.

Bluetooth headsets are also reported not to work, but what's the point? Samsung [edit: might really be Samsung] has also disabled the Tab's phone capability.

European users do not have these restrictions placed on them by Samsung [edit: by whomever]: their units work well with keyboards and mice, and as phones. Check YouTube for some videos of this.

From the technologizer web site:
"Will the Galaxy Tab support Bluetooth HID? Will it support Bluetooth headsets or keyboards?
No, and no, said Kim Titus, a Samsung representative. Looks like Samsung's keyboard dock accessory is your only option."

[edit: T-Mobile & Sprint users should be able to use Bluetooth HID with no problem.]

My advice? Should BT HID remain unattainable (I'll report back if I can find a way to fix it), resist the burning temptation to buy this beautiful and extremely usable but very expensive tablet, and wait a few months for the 7" tablet competition to ramp up [OR get the T-Mobile or Sprint model] -- there are several on the horizon. Features on other tablets will increase in number, and prices will drop. Apple will release the iPad 2 in 2011, which will undoubtedly have a camera and other nice features you've been waiting for (the iPad already supports the Apple BT keyboard, but no mouse). Samsung will eventually cave in and provide BT HID support in a software update for the Galaxy Tab, but it will be too late. Potential users will have taken their money elsewhere.

A beautiful product EXCEPT T-mobile has disabled the telephone. When you install a T-mobile SIM card you cannot make a voice call. If you pay to have this tablet unlocked you still cannot make a voice call with any carrier's SIM.

This very material fact is not mentioned on the Amazon page which offers this item. for sale Curiously his item is sold under the banner of Cell Phones and Accessories but it cannot make or receive a call - and Amazon doesn't even mention this.

Also if you unlock the unit you still won't have phone service. But now you will be denied phone service regardless of whose SIN you use.

If you wan't to use the phone feature of the Galaxy buy the European model which is often sold as "unlocked" (here "unlocked means "never locked). If you don't need a phone and have access to wifi wait a few weeks for the forthcoming WiFi only nodel and save hundreds of dollars - but you will not be able to use 3g or 4g.

Why doesn't Amazon disclose the very, very material fact that the phone function has been disabled?

This product is really good. Carrying a stock android of 2.2. Although it feels almost like a pound but its just the right size for your pocket or purse. Samsung really made promised on overall graphics of the tablet. i still haven't fully dug into the tablet all the way. Only one thing I can really point out is the internet with this device on carrier 3g network. I gave it four stars for it for that reason. The internet is horribly slow. IThe internet can also drop as well. Thats why wifi comes in all the way. Very fast on Wifi. As for games is really great. I usually have all my movies and tv shows on itunes, so theres no need to buy any from the media hub unless theres a reason if my show or movie isn't specified on itunes. The box comes in black. A set of headphones, the tablet, and a few manuals. There is no case or cover which left me disappointed about it. Samsung should have least put cases in the boxes just like t-mobile and their mobile devices. Battery power is awesome. Charged very fast charging. From a half a charge in about an hour. I'd say two hours for a full charge. As for camera, it's no that bad. As for orientation portrait and landscape mode, it is a little sluggish when turning the tablet either way. I'd say that I am waiting for honeycomb update for the tablet itself to experience the full force of a tablet. 2.2 is a good build on it, just not perfectly set for the tablet. There are apps that aren't adjusted for it. But all developers will jump on track as soon as this tablet sells more often. Thats it for my review. Its a great tablet. It will not or cannot replace a laptop. And its a lot like and android phone, just bigger. I do recommend buying this tablet if your interest in one for yourself. If you have any questions regarding this feel free to ask me. I'll answer the best of my ability. As I dig deeper into the this tablet, I'll post more information regarding this over the next few days. Please to read all post for more understanding about the tablet.

Update November 5th, 2010

Media Hub, now I'm not an apple fan, I'm just a customer to them. But to say the very least is that the movies on the media hub is a little more expensive. Like the dark knight almost 17.99. Others 19.99. And the itunes price 8.99 movies. I would say to use itunes than media hub. Does not support call capabilities. North America strip that from the tab when it crossed into the states. Does support texts. You can get unlimited. If you want to root your device for the call capability there is a site for it. But I wouldn't recommend right now considering the device it is still new.

December 7, 2010

Sorry Im a bit late on my replies, just been busy for the holidays.

WIFI TETHERING

Everyones been asking me about the mobile connection with the galaxy tab internet usage. Well here it is.
As this have been a month of playing with my tab, its been surprisingly good. Though I am still waiting for Honeycomb in early next year. Internet connections using the Galaxy Tab: I have just recently used the internet connection for this device under settings: Wireless & Networks; Mobile Ap. This activates the wifi on the device for internet use for mobile and/ or laptops. This is more faster than 3g network and is free. I tried this using my Nexus One and MacPro. Connections were good. I usually have internet at home, so I think this is a feature to burn up your tablets life quicker. Or unless you want to pay $9.99 from T-Mobile or $14.99 for tethering.

Added extra updates:

Music: As for the music, it is loud and clear to understand. I used DoubleTwist to download my music fast and convenient. The music app separates your music into the categories of artists the songs that go under them.
As for game loft games, the Hd is superior on it. [...] for more games for the galaxy tab. You do have to pay for them, $4.99 or you can have it charged on your phone bill after you downloaded the demo game. The game is fully downloaded into the tablets memory card 16gb. You just have to buy it if you are interested in the expansion of the rest otherwise uninstall. I only have Asphalt. The thing about this game is that when your driving, the steering wheel seems to stop turning therefore, you crash into a wall or turning around. Using the sensor was a bit difficult for me. So some game controls from gameloft is a bit sluggish, but its still good.

Slacker Radio: This app is pretty good when it comes to listening to music. You can upgrade for the full version or just keep the demo. The demo, you do have options of switching stations only six times, then you would have to wait an hour to change them again. Though this app will sometimes take awhile to load the radio station thats because its the demo app. One month: $4.99 or $3.99 monthly thats $47.88 annually. You don't have song lyrics in the demo and there are ads.

This device is just a magnet for fingerprints, Luckily I have a spare nylon cloth.

More Updates coming soon.

Technology is a never ending race: you buy something today, probably you'll find something equal or better in six months or so. That also applies to the Samsung Galaxy. But at the moment of my review, I can safely say that this is the best Android Tablet in the market right now.

Why is so good:
-Full access to Android Market out of the box (no need for rooting or hacking)
-Awesome resolution: 1024 x 600-resolution (I've seen even movies and long video clips, they look amazing and with sharp colors)
-Perfect size: not a small device like a cellphone but smaller than an iPad. That makes the GT a really portable device
-3G, Wifi, Bluetooth (all on same device)
-Micro SD port for expanded storage
-Two cameras (front and rear): perfect for video conference or Skype
-Google maps supporting pinch zooming
-Optimized calendar application

I mean, this is a very competitive device. I've being using the GT for over of 3 weeks and had zero problems since then, no crashes, no complains. It is running Froyo by factory (Android 2.2) so you can also browse pages with Flash. I've downloaded lot of Android Applications and they run perfect on Froyo and for this screen: Angry Birds, Kindle, Nook for Android, Kobo, Poker, you name it.

Now, please keep your expectations clear. This is not a toy (not cheap) and not an e-reader, I repeat, this is not a dedicated e-reader. So I find really unfair those that get a GT just for reading books and later are complaining about battery life. Yes you can, but there is much more potential on this device and the battery life is not suitable for long reading sessions or outdoors like Sony or Kindle, even though I noticed that with moderate to heavy usage it last the whole business day without a charge ( 8 to 10 hrs)

The bad
-Expensive
-Locked for phone calls in USA (you can flash the firmware, but you will be on your own, and I believe it only works for the AT&T model)
-Ok battery life

If you are looking for a nice complement to your eink device and a something that you can use as an extension of your office computer, besides reading or for fun, this is the perfect device. It keeps you in contact with the outside world while traveling, thanks to the 3G, but you will have the versatility of a tablet on your hands; iPads are too big and eink readers don't do color.

Mine is a Tmobile version and I got it without a contract. I suggest anyone to do the same. I pay around 30 bucks or so for 3G access but I can drop it at anytime without penalty. I like the idea of having 3G while traveling and not depending of the uncertainty (and doubtly secure) of a wifi spot at the airport of the closest coffee place.

Just want to say that I bought the Samsung Tab outside the US, so it might not be the same as US units. It is unlocked, and all the functions such Bluetooth are fully operational. This is not a review by an IT pro, but simply an end-user's initial thoughts after a week of using the machine.

I put off buying an iPad because it seemed to be just an oversize iPod without the functionality of a laptop. I reckon that Samsung has produced exactly the machine that the iPad should have been. It has all the bells and whistles, including front facing and rear facing cameras, Bluetooth, internet, wireless, GPS, micro-SD slot, etc, etc - oh, and it's a really good cellphone. The Android 2.2 operating system is terrific and seems to be as intuitive as the Apple OS. I have all sorts of documents loaded on the Tab including Pdf's, Word, jpegs, etc and they all open easily. The screen is sharp and is easy to read even in sunlight. The email function is really good, and attachments open without a problem. I have not tried the video function yet, so I cannot comment on that. However, the camera is nothing to rave about,as the resolution is pretty grainy, but I didn't buy the Tab to take photos. The virtual keyboard is responsive and easy to use, however the unit is too large to do typing with both hands,and anyway, I plan to get a Bluetooth key board for use in the office. I have not tried the rear facing camera, but will do so as soon as I can load Skype. All in all, this seems to be a well-designed, quality built piece of kit. I think this has raised the bar for Apple, and they had better hussle to get an upgraded iPad to market.

After researching tablets for some time, it came down to either the iPad or the Galaxy Tab. Both of these tablets seemed well constructed and responsive to me. The iPad has a slight edge over the Galaxy Tab in its touch screen functions (pinch zoom, etc.), but both work very smoothly overall. The biggest problem for me with the iPad was its lack of a real USB connectivity. With the Galaxy Tab, one can simply connect it to a computer with the supplied cable and mount it as a disk. iPad does not have this convenience; getting data in and out of an iPad is cumbersome at best (think of it as a large iPod Touch and you get the idea). Also, there is no external storage on the iPad while the Galaxy Tab accepts microSD cards. The iPad's larger screen can be an advantage when viewing magazines, newspapers, etc., but it is really to large for an eReader. As an eReader, it is pretty flappy and tiring to hold after a short time. Galaxy Tab excels in this area. Apps are better at this time for the iPad; many Android apps are cell phone oriented and appear as a little rectangle in the middle of a big screen. Probably this will change as Android evolves, but the advantage goes to iPad at the moment. What it comes down to is personal preference. The smaller size and easier use as an eReader make the Galaxy my preference; you may prefer the iPad. But, don't be misled--tablets are not PCs! If you had planned on all of the niceties of, say, Microsoft Office--well, they just aren't there. Tablets work fine for email, web browsing, viewing most documents, etc., but they simply do not work well at all when more "heavy duty" processing is required.

I bought the T-Mobile version because it has more internal storage (16 GB vs 2 GB) than the other networks' versions, but wirelessly tether it (for free) to my HTC EVO on the Sprint network and avoid a monthly bill and a contract. I did a ton of research and spent a lot of time deciding between the two before I made a final decision on the Galaxy Tab vs the iPad. I played around with each device for several hours and went through each and every feature with a fine tooth comb to ensure I was making the right call. Here are the highlights of what I found:

At first, I much preferred the bigger screen of the iPad vs the Galaxy tab. It seemed to generally make the web browsing experience a little better having the big screen and bigger keyboard. However, after using the two extensively, I ended up liking the smaller, more compact Galaxy because the iPad is too big to type two handed by holding it, and it is too small to type on like a regular keyboard. With the Galaxy tab, you type on it like you would a big cell phone, which isn't a bad thing...it makes it easier to two-thumb type when holding vertically which is difficult to do on the bigger screen of the iPad. The smaller, more compact design also makes the Galaxy easier to carry, as it fits easily in my suit pocket, and even the pocket of a pair of jeans. Ergonomically, after extensive use, I think most would find the more compact Galaxy much better and comfortable.

Then comes the operating system. I find the iOS that runs the iPad is simpler and generally more responsive and smoother than the Android OS that runs the Galaxy Tab. For many people who just want to get to the point, they may appreciate the simplicity of the iOS. However, I much prefer the Android OS for the same reasons I switched from the iPhone to the Evo with the Android OS. iOS is very bland, boring, stale, and juvenile compared to the Android OS, which in contrast is FAR more capable, customizable, and fitting to personal use. Apple controls everything on the iOS and locks everything set in stone, making the experience very plain. Android OS however makes the device unique, and personal which I love.

Some features that are on Android that are not on the iOS are:
Expandable storage
Free navigation built in to the phone with google maps (seems useless if you have a navi in your car, but this works so much faster and easier to look up addresses and POI's...I use this exclusively over my car's navi because it is much faster and easier to use)
One-touch navigational shortcuts. Touch one button to go home, work, airport, wherever you define
Widgets. These are icons on the homescreen that provide shortcuts to just about anything on your phone, such as your clock, weather, calendar, wifi, ringtone profiles, favorites for calling (see picture)
True multi-tasking. Apple has made an attempt to do so, but doesn't compare to the integration that Android has done and allows for multiple apps like skype, pandora, etc to run in the background.
Customizable in so many ways, but most importantly in ergonomics like customizable keyboards which makes the overall experience more fitting to individual typing styles, finger sizes, etc.
Better integration with facebook and google accounts...all mail, calendar events, and contacts in one place and synced wirelessly to your phone and updated with facebook pictures and status
Real file management. Allows you to cut, copy, move, delete files as you would on your computer. Very important for working on the go or just to manage your files. This combines great with apps like dropbox where you can sync all of your files together between computers and mobile devices...
Very easy to unlock features such as wireless tethering...normally a $30/m feature, but easy enough to unlock on an Android device. POSSIBLE to unlock a similar feature on iPhone, but with bluetooth tethering vs wifi. Also doing so on an iPhone is much more difficult and dangerous since iphone is built to be unlockable in every way, whereas android is built to be easily unlockable and customizable.
Open-source operating system: This is where the fun begins and allows users to do all sorts of jazz like overclock, install custom operating systems, etc. Of course, MOST won't bother with this, but the open source is what drives innovation and features from concept to reality. This is why the gap between features on Android OS and iOS is growing exponentially.

I am surprised that Apple's OS lacks the features that Android OS has, because Apple's Macintosh OS is known for having the most features and customization of any other OS, however, their OS on their mobile devices have by far the fewest and blandest features of the competition's OS on the mobile platform.

Nonetheless, the Android OS, and thus the Samsung Galaxy Tab, is packed with much more customization options and features than the iPad and was the clear choice for me.

i have both an ipad and the galaxy. And the galaxy is way better. No website restrictions like on ipad, so i can get on websites that run flash like fancast and youtube. (on the ipad you need an app to watch videos on youtube, and they have to be videos that were made to be seen on the apple, which means many aren't apple ready). The keyboard is a lot fater to use. Out of the box it comes with some great apps. I dont have to link to itunes to transfer files. On the galaxy I can download files from email and open them just like a pc, unlike apple where i would need a special app and link to itunes to see files. its more portable than the ipad. I got it unlocked and i can use my phones sim card on it... overall a better product than the ipad and without the apple restrictions.