Verizon pushes out update for Galaxy Tab, promises improved battery life, browser performance

Feeling less than enthused with your Galaxy Tab? Verizon is rolling out an update to the tablet, whose forthcoming LTE radio and higher-resolution rear camera took us by surprise at CES. In particular, the tweaks promise to speed up browser performance and extend battery life, particularly when searching for WiFi hotspots. The update also packs a slew of improvements to the non-Gmail email app (if you even use it), including better font sizing and linking, a line in the status bar indicating the time the email was received, larger attachment openings, Word doc downloads, and the ability to send multiple name cards. If your Tab hasn’t received the update yet, well, keep your eyes peeled.

Update: Verizon’s LTE Galaxy Tab is still in the works; this fix will help conserve the current 3G Tab’s battery life, particularly while it searches for WiFi hotspots.

Verizon pushes out update for Galaxy Tab, promises improved battery life, browser performance originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung confirms WiFi-only Galaxy Tab availability: April 10th, $350

We’ve already seen it turn up on a few retail sites, but Samsung has now finally officially confirmed the launch details for its WiFi-only Galaxy Tab. It will be available online and at retail stores across the US on April 10th for $349.99. Specs otherwise remain the same as the 3G version, including a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, 32GB of internal storage (with a microSD card slot for up to an additional 32GB), rear and front-facing cameras, and Android 2.2 with support for Flash 10.1 — from the looks of things, it’s also only available with a white back. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Samsung confirms WiFi-only Galaxy Tab availability: April 10th, $350

Samsung confirms WiFi-only Galaxy Tab availability: April 10th, $350 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frys lists WiFi-only Galaxy Tab at $350, now accepting pre-orders

$399.99 for a WiFi-only Galaxy Tab not low enough to pique your interest? Then perhaps $349.99 will be a bit more to your liking. While there’s still no indication of a release date, Frys.com is now accepting pre-orders for the device at that price, which is presumably not a mistake. Of course, the device itself is identical to the regular Galaxy Tab apart from that “wifi-only” bit, including the same 7-inch display, 16GB of storage, and Android 2.2 with Flash 10.1 support. Those willing to sign a contract will soon be able to get a 3G model for even less, however, with Sprint now set to offer the Tab for a mere $200 on a two-year contract.

[Thanks, Andy]

Frys lists WiFi-only Galaxy Tab at $350, now accepting pre-orders originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint dropping Galaxy Tab to $200 on contract starting April 3rd

An early prank this isn’t. Based on our sources (and the pictorial evidence above), Sprint’s fixing to whack a full Benjamin from the current $299.99 asking price on its Samsung Galaxy Tab starting on Sunday, making it one of the more affordable ways to get your hands on a 3G-enabled tablet of any kind — let alone a Froyo-based slate that’s received its fair share of compliments. Granted, the original Tab is aging at this point, and we still aren’t sure we’d be down for selling our cellular soul for two years just to get a spiffy up-front discount, but hey — at least you know the option awaits you. Oh, and if spending $429.99 sounds a lot better than $199.99 in addition to 24 months of obligation, that’ll apparently also be possible.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Continue reading Sprint dropping Galaxy Tab to $200 on contract starting April 3rd

Sprint dropping Galaxy Tab to $200 on contract starting April 3rd originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s CTIA press conference posted online, skinny new Galaxy Tabs shown off (video)

We were there, talking you through the entire thing in our liveblog, but if you want a more personal taste of what Samsung’s CTIA Wireless 2011 keynote was like, the company’s thoughtfully put it up on YouTube for general consumption. It features the introduction of the audacious new Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 models, both ever so slightly thinner than Apple’s iPad 2, with the latter also claiming the title of being “the thinnest and lightest large-screen tablet in the industry.” You can see it above, right alongside the Galaxy S II, which is in itself one of the skinniest smartphones you can hope to buy. Make your way past the break for the full presentation.

Continue reading Samsung’s CTIA press conference posted online, skinny new Galaxy Tabs shown off (video)

Samsung’s CTIA press conference posted online, skinny new Galaxy Tabs shown off (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 get some competitive price tags, starts at $469

Now we’re talking, Samsung! In a surprise move, the company decided to come clean with the pricing of its new Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 this morning, and it’s incredibly competitive. The WiFi version of the 10.1 will be up for grabs on June 8th in the US, and as you can see from that lovely chart above, the 16GB version is set at $499 and the 32GB at $599. Did you really have any doubt that Samsung was going after Apple here? The company is being a bit more vague on the Galaxy Tab 8.9 availability, only promising an early summer arrival at this point, but the WiFi version of that one comes in at a bit less. The 16GB option is $469 and the 32GB $569. You’ll want to check out our hands-on with the two new tablets, but with this pricing now in our bag, we’re certainly getting excited for the summer.

Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 get some competitive price tags, starts at $469 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and new Galaxy Tab 10.1 hands-on: thinner than the iPad 2, dual-core power, TouchWiz 4.0

You know who took the iPad 2 launch pretty seriously? Samsung, that’s who. Just as we had heard, the company’s executives were impressed by Apple’s ability to slim down its tablet and, well, it turns out that it took it as a challenge to come up with some thinner tablets of its own. That’s right, in addition to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 that we have seen repeatedly teased over the last few weeks the company’s announcing a totally revamped Galaxy Tab 10.1, and both slates are incredibly thin yet very well spec’d. On top of that, both will be the first Honeycomb tablets to stray from the pure Android 3.0 experience and add what Samsung’s taken to calling its TouchWiz UX or TouchWiz 4.0. We’ve got all the details and some hands-on impressions waiting below, so hit the break!

Updated: Samsung came clean with the pricing at its press conference this morning. The WiFi 10.1 will hit on June 8th — the 16GB version will cost you $499 and the 32GB $599. The 8.9 is $469 and $569 for 16GB and 32GB, respectively.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and new Galaxy Tab 10.1 hands-on: thinner than the iPad 2, dual-core power, TouchWiz 4.0

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and new Galaxy Tab 10.1 hands-on: thinner than the iPad 2, dual-core power, TouchWiz 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 specs and Honeycomb UI tweaks leak out before its official launch

You didn’t have any doubt that Samsung was going to bring its new Galaxy Tab 8.9 to CTIA, did you? Well, this thing is definitely coming very soon. We snuck onto the show floor this afternoon, and while we didn’t find the actual tablet, there was a serious amount of Galaxy Tab 8.9 signage. We couldn’t get a close look at the placards, but the guys at PocketNow had better luck. Not only does the 8.9-inch display have a 1280×800-resolution, but the tablet itself is said to be incredibly thin — it measures just .33-inches thick and weighs 1.03 pounds. It also looks like the 8.9 will be the first Honeycomb tablet with some noticeable interface customizations — one of the signs showed a new “Live Panel” and a “Mini App” tray. All that certainly makes this one a bit more interesting — we’re assuming we will be hearing all the official details at Samsung’s press conference tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 specs and Honeycomb UI tweaks leak out before its official launch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab get Sprint ID this week, Epic’s Froyo update makes triumphant return

Rumors about this started swirling last week, but Sprint and Samsung have just made it official that the Epic 4G and Galaxy Tab will both be getting firmware updates this week that add Sprint ID, the carrier’s Android skin / theme platform first introduced on the Transform, Optimus S, and Zio last year. For the Epic, the update will also mark the return of Android 2.2 — Froyo had already made a brief official appearance for Epic owners several weeks back, but bug woes led to a quick pull and a temporary return to Eclair. Looks like the updates start rolling out today, with all current owners having access to the updates by this Thursday, the 24th. Follow the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Sprint Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab get Sprint ID this week, Epic’s Froyo update makes triumphant return

Sprint Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab get Sprint ID this week, Epic’s Froyo update makes triumphant return originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab and Transform software updates coming March 21st: Froyo and / or Sprint ID in tow

This one isn’t quite completely official just yet, but a helpful tipster has passed along the screenshot above which quite clearly suggests that some software updates are coming to a trio of Sprint’s Samsung devices on March 21st. That includes a new and hopefully improved over-the-air upgrade to Android 2.2.1 for the Epic 4G, as well as an Android 2.2 update for the Transform, both of which also include a number of other additions like Flash 10.1 on the Epic and Swype on the Transform. Also not left out of the fun is Sprint’s version of the Galaxy Tab, which is getting the Sprint ID update we saw first hand at CES back in January — it’s headed to the Epic and Transform as well.

Samsung Epic 4G, Galaxy Tab and Transform software updates coming March 21st: Froyo and / or Sprint ID in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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