Eager customers can now place their pre-orders for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus on Amazon. The device cost $399 for the 16GB model, and $499 for the 32GB version. Shipping dates have not yet been announced.
Spec-wise, the 7-inch tablet runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb with Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, packs a 1024×600-resolution touchscreen, a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera capable of shooting 720p high-definition video, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. Inside, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus sports a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1G of RAM.
The version now available on Amazon can only connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, but a model capable of connecting to T-Mobile’s 21Mbps “4G” HSPA+ network is reportedly on the way.
Samsung has released a variety of iterations of the Galaxy Tab, with 10.1-inch and 8.9-inch models also available. The 8.9-inch version, which just went on sale on October 2, is one of our favorite tablets of all-time. While the functionality of the 7-inch version is likely the same, the smaller size will likely make a noticeable difference in terms of user experience; one of our favorite things about the 8.9-inch Galaxy Tab is its ideal size.
The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus could compete with Amazon’s recently-unveiled Kindle Fire tablet. While both devices run Android, the Kindle Fire’s OS has been heavily modified by Amazon, which makes the device more of an e-reader than a true tablet – at least out of the box. Samsung’s 7-inch option also has far better specs; the Kindle Fire has no cameras, no Bluetooth, no GPS, etc. The main thing the Kindle Fire does have going for it, in a head-to-head with Samsung’s device, is price: Kindle Fire only costs $199, half that of the least-expensive Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus model. And that, of course, could make all the difference.
