- Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS
- 7-inch Multitouch Screen (1024 x 600)
- 8GB Internal Memory; microSD expansion up to 32GB
- Wireless N Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n); Bluetooth 3.0
- 1GHz Dual-Core Processor; 1GB RAM
So this device just came out this morning, and I hadn't planned on buying it but I was down at my local best buy store and played with it just to see what it was and loved it! Let me say I used to have all apple stuff, apple computer, iphone, ipad, etc. Over the last year my apples have rotted, went bad and needed to be replaced. Instead of paying high dollar for all new apple stuff I went back to a windows PC, an Andorid Galaxy S2 phone, still had the iPad but it was in need of replacement.
So I got to Best Buy they didn't have these out yet but they pulled one out and let me play with it while they set up the are for the demo unit to go. I liked it, very snappy, great screen. The device comes preloaded with ICS on it, it's VERY snappy with zero lag so far.
The screen while not a retina display like the iPad is still clear enough for me. After all I'm not holding this inches from my face. if you do you get a chance to play with 1 of these before you buy go to the movies app on the device and play the life demo to see how clear and crisp the display is.
It quickly synced up with my Google account and I was already able to start downloading apps from the play store within minutes of getting it turned on.
So far this device is excellent. It feels like it's built well, the back is not as fancy as the Galaxy S2 phone however I plan on getting a case for this so the back battery panel to me doesn't matter much.
I'll update this later after I get more time to play with it, so far though for $250 this is a great deal. I also played with the Kindle Fire and the Blackberry playbook both which were available for $199, but I opted to spend the $50 more for the Samsung as I've been impressed with Samsung quality over the years. (Currently my TV's, blu ray players, computer monitor, phone and now tablet are all samsung brand. They make good products in my opinion.)
--UPDATE 8 hours later--
I used the GPS on this earlier and google navigation/maps to get me to the hardware store. Ok I didn't NEED it but I wanted to test it out. I found that you MUST have internet for google maps to give you directions, I had a hotspot in my car so I turned it on and navigation worked perfect. If you don't have wifi you can still use GPS, it does lock on fast however it can't query to get you directions. If you used an offline GPS program like navigon or something that would do the trick, but YES gps is accurate and fast.
I also used the bluetooth on this to stream music from the Tab 2 to my car, quality was excellent.
Apps and stuff, so far every app I have tried is compatible with the exception of one, and I can't remember what that one was so it was one I really didn't use much at all I guess. I have put a few games on to test it, so far so good and still no lag.
Hows the keyboard? It comes with stock ICS keyboard and it works well, if you start typing fast there is a tiny lag between hearing the click of the feedback and seeing the character appear, however all letters make it without any vanishing. I am looking for another keyboard though as spelling isn't built in it appears... I am probably switching to Swiftkey or swype both which appear compatible with the device.
Also, the IR Blaster = awesome! I was going to buy a $100 harmony remote for my entertainment system, well this Galaxy Tab 2 has an IR blaster built right in and the application for it is simple to configure. Less then 3 minutes I had it set to turn my TV on, control my bose sound system and also control my Tivo HD and Blu Ray player. Very slick!
More to come, if you have questions on how this works please leave them in the comments and I'll do my best to answer them quickly. Also, if you find this review helpful please make sure to mark it as such!
--UPDATE--
Morning after, do I regret buying it? Nope, still a fantastic device and I'll tell you a few more things I found out.
1. I use Dropbox on my home computer and put the app on this tablet. I also use a tivo at home and thought about how could I get my shows on my tivo to my computer then to my tablet? Well I use TivoToGo to transfer shows to my computer, then I place them in a drop box folder and they sync automatically to my dropbox account. I then on the tablet have an app (free and paid versions) called "Folder Sync" and I have that set to every hour check my drop box Tivo folder and download any latest tv shows my computer has copied. This means that in the morning when I leave for work my tablet has all my shows from the previous night I didn't get to watch on it so I can for instance watch one or two on my lunch break, without having to have a wifi connection at work!
2. Need to make a phone call? Unfortunately this device doesn't have phone support. However Skype works great with both video calls and audio calls. You can pay for a phone number from skype (it's cheap if you wanted it) and actually treat this like a phone assuming you have wifi wherever you are. I did try google voice app, that will not allow you to make calls and use the tablet as a handset, it instead asks you what phone in your account it should call.
---UPDATE 2/20/2013---
I see a lot of activity on my review, big thanks to everyone that found it helpful and I love the activity. I wanted to provide an update. While I really liked Galaxy Tab 2, I did make the jump a few months back to the Google Nexus 7 and have to say that tablet has taken over as my primary device. The Galaxy Tab 2 and Nexus 7 ARE similar, however I really like the pure google/android experience that the Nexus provides. If you are on the fence, I would recommend going with the Google Nexus over the Galaxy Tab 2 at this point.
Buy Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7-Inch, Wi-Fi) Now
I have a Kindle Fire and do enjoy using it (for the most part) -love the form factor, enjoy the apps that I can get for it and am very pleased with the Kindle eReader app and ability to share books across all our Kindles. But when we were offered an opportunity to check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 a few days early, we jumped at the chance. The Kindle Fire is great at what it does, but its custom Android O/S, non-standard Web browser, limited selection of apps, lack of expandable storage and lack of Bluetooth support leave me cold.
*Browser Issues*
I've experienced multiple issues trying to browse web sites with the Kindle's Silk browser which work fine on the Galaxy Tab 2 and other full-fledged Android devices. Although Flash videos can be played on the Kindle Fire (if you enable Flash in the Silk browser's setting menu, which is OFF by default), Flash-based games on the Web such as Words with Friends and Bejeweled Blitz (both on Facebook) are painfully jittery and sluggish on the Kindle Fire. The native Words with Friends app does work well on the Kindle, for the most part, but not the web browser-based version. But Flash support on mobile devices is spotty at best so this is not the worst flaw in the Kindle. Also, the content management system we use on our web site is able to load pages (articles) on the Fire, but unable to scroll within large text input windows. The same problem does not occur on the Galaxy Tab 2's browser. The Silk browser is able to access many web sites properly, but when it fails, there isn't much you can do since updates to the Silk browser have been few and far between.
*App and content space*
The Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 each come with 8 GB of internal storage on board. Some of this is used for O/S and system files which leaves even less available for apps and media content. The Kindle Fire has no expandable storage, as it is designed to work in "The Cloud." In other words, they expect you to store music and movies on an internet-based cloud storage area for access when you want it. The big caveat here is that the Kindle Fire offers only WiFi access (no 4G support) so if you do not happen to have a WiFi hotspot or home network handy (like, for example, on a long distance car trip), your cloud-based content is completely inaccessible. I filled up the Kindle Fire's internal storage within the first six weeks of ownership. If I want to install more apps or add local content now, I'll have to remove some from the device. These apps and content are still available to download later from the cloud, if I wish to do so, but this really isn't convenient. The Galaxy Tab 2 also lacks 4G support (in its current version) but its standard microSDHC slot allows you to expand the on-board storage up to an additional 32 GB, which is plenty of room to move your movies, music and additional content to be stored locally without requiring access to the internet.
*Bluetooth Support*
When I am taking notes at an event or meeting, there's nothing like a full sized QWERTY keyboard. With the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, you can connect just about any standard Bluetooth keyboard and happily start typing away at full speed. With the Kindle Fire, since it lacks Bluetooth support, you do not have this option. Also, when you want to listen to music, movies or apps on the Fire without bothering those around you, you'll need to plug in a pair of standard headphones (with the jack awkwardly placed on the bottom of the device instead of the top). With the Galaxy Tab 2, not only is the jack placed more logically at the top, but you can also use Bluetooth 3.0 stereo headphones for high quality sound without the wired tether.
*Cameras*
The Kindle Fire lacks an on-board camera while the Galaxy Tab 2 includes both a front and rear-facing camera. Admittedly the camera on the Galaxy Tab can't really compare with a real digital camera (particularly indoors) but having the camera available on the Galaxy does allow you to snap a quick pic when the real camera may have been left at home, or participate in Google+ Hangouts (not an option on the camera-free Kindle).
*Limited App Support*
Amazon's Kindle Fire, like Barnes and Noble's Nook Tablet, is not compatible with the Google Play Store app market without rooting the device (not for beginners). To install apps on the Fire, you have to use the proprietary Amazon app market which has a limited selection of apps. There's no access to cool apps like the Logitech Harmony app, or the Samsung or Panasonic remote control Android apps for their TVs and Blu-ray players. The list of Android apps you can't get for the Fire goes on (and on... and on). And speaking of remote apps, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 comes pre-loaded with the Peel app which uses the Galaxy Tab's integrated IR port (another option not available on the Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet) to control an entire home theater or multimedia system *without* any additional out of pocket expense. It's there; it works; it's great! Also, if you want access to the Amazon app store from the Galaxy tablet, you can do this by downloading and installing the Amazon apk. I've done this and have been able to access my Amazon-purchased apps on the Galaxy tablet.
Overall, I'd say the Kindle Fire is great for people who like to read Kindle books, who are satisfied with a smaller selection of apps, who like streaming movies and TV shows from Amazon Prime (as I do) and who don't need the extra flexibility of a full-fledged Android tablet. But for those who do want those extras Bluetooth, cameras, expandable storage, Android O/S 4.0 the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 provides an excellent upgrade for a minimal amount of additional cash. Highly recommended.
You can read our comprehensive reviews of the Kindle Fire, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and Nook Tablet on Big Picture Big Sound.
2013 update: This review was written in April, 2012 and is based on a comparison to the first generation Kindle Fire which was the only Kindle fire that was available at that time. The Kindle Fire HD does address *some* of the limitations of the Kindle Fire including adding a front camera, mic and Bluetooth headset support but there's still no access to Google Play Store unless you root the device. Also, there is still no extended storage option (e.g., microSD card) on the Fire or Fire HD as there is on the Samsung tablet.
Read Best Reviews of Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7-Inch, Wi-Fi) Here
This is a brand new product from Samsung that breaks the $250 price barrier. There are a lot of tablets at or below this price but they are mostly very low end devices with slow CPUs, poor screens and built for non-US markets. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 makes none of the compromises typical of this price point and provides the same kind of performance you'd expect from the rest of the Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio. It's fast, slick, has a great screen and even has Android 4.03 (Ice Cream Sandwich). I do like the new operating system and adapted to it in minutes. In addition to front & rear cameras there is bluetooth and even an IR blaster so you can use it as a remote for your TV. It only took a minute to set that up and get a program guide downloaded. All the apps on my Gingerbread phone loaded up to the Tab and run fine on the ICS platform. I can't comment on battery life yet as I plugged it for the initial charge and setup and haven't run on battery yet. As far as WiFi reception goes, it picks up all the same signals at the same strength as my laptop so no problem there.
If you've been waiting for a 7" tablet with Android 4 your wait is over.
UPDATE: Now that I've had it for about 10 days I can report that battery life is very good. After being online for several hours the battery still had more than 70% remaining.
Want Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7-Inch, Wi-Fi) Discount?
It was my birthday and my family asked me what I wanted. I decided a new toy would be nice.
My needs are minimal as I'm at my desktop much of each day, but occasionally like to read from my Kindle, surf for deals on Amazon, watch a Netflix movie, listen to music and email. I have accomplished these things with my Android phone, but slowly using 3G and a 4" screen.
For a tablet I wanted a 7" screen, camera w/ video capabilities, responsive operating system, expansion capabilities with a microSD card, and a built in GPS, not dependent upon wifi or 3G. I found all of that in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. Not the fastest OS (Google Nexus 7 will have the 4.1 Jellybean) or the fastest processor or the very best screen resolution, but 'very good' which translated into a good compromise between features and price for me. Not an iPad... but not meant to be one either.
What I like about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2...
1. GPS navigation worked well and was fast to locate satellites, making it a good choice for the person who likes having a GPS, but rarely uses one except to locate somewhere to eat lunch in the city. (Like me!)
2. Has more features than the Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi which I also own and with the free Kindle app still allows me to take my books with me. The viewing experience is the same as both have similar screens in clarity and size.
3. The 3.0MP rear facing camera takes good pictures and video. Not the best I've seen, but certainly as good or better than my LG Optimus Prepaid Android Phone (Virgin Mobile).
4. The weight is substantial you know you're holding it and the build quality is excellent! Buttons (rockers) feel solid and are easy to find.
5.Touchscreen swipes are smooth and transitions move quickly.
6. Wi-fi is easily found and connected.
7. Screen is bright and clear. Adjustments to brightness easily made in 'Settings'.
8. Watching Netflix and Amazon On Demand movies was lag-free and enjoyable. I was a worried about it not being as clear as I would like, but due to the 7" screen size, there was no problem at all. I've seen the iPad display and while it's not that tight, it's very good.
9. Good battery life. If you put it on 'Airplane mode' in settings, you'll get even more life out of your juice!
10. Came with lots of apps installed: Netflix, Gmail, Google, and more, as well as useful widgets for weather and calendar.
11. Charging went quickly and easily with the adapter that allows for USB or AC charging.
12. Web browsing was quick n' easy, as was emailing with this tablet.
13. This tablet has Bluetooth! I have a bluetooth headset that I pair with it: LG Tone HBS-700 Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headset Retail Packaging Black/Orange which also works with my LG Optimus phone. I can use it to do Google Talk calls long distance for free via Gmail's interface. The tablet has a built in microphone on the front and you can use regular headphones for Google Talk, or you can use the one on your Bluetooth.
What I wish was a bit better...
1. I would love it if Samsung was to offer an OS update to 4.1 Jellybean to make this thing fly! 4.0 Android Ice Cream OS is quick and when I received this tablet I immediately went to 'About' and clicked 'Update' receiving the 4.04 update for Ice Cream. The update requires a reboot of your system and you may lose data, so good to do it right out of the box. Made a nice improvement in the tablet's speed after the update!
2. Again, the Nexus 7 will have a faster processor, faster OS and better display 1280x800 pixels, but the 1.2 forward facing camera n' no expansion slot were big issues for me. The Samsung doesn't have those 'fast' components and yes, I wish it did, but then I remember the price point.
3. Not much documentation came with it. Undoubtedly it's either on the device or online, but sometimes you just want to read a good book or have it handy for reference.
4. Internal memory gets eaten up quickly by apps, but multitasking isn't this tablet's strong suit or my expectation.
5. No HDMI or USB ports, but it does have Bluetooth and can act as a remote control with included app via infrared.
6. GPS yes, I put it in the 'like' area too, but truthfully it's more of a slow toy on this tablet than a GPS replacement.
I am pleased with 2 accessories I bought for this tablet: MoKo(TM) 360 Degree Rotating Detachable Cover Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 7-inch Tablet, Black (with Vertical and Horizontal Multi-angle Stand) which fits this tablet perfectly allowing for access to all the ports and protecting it while also allowing horizontal or vertical viewing, and [Ultimate Clear] Ringbo Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 New Release Tablet 7" Screen Protector Cover Film with Warranty which while tricky to apply, also fits perfectly.
I also bought a SanDisk 32GB microSDHC Memory Card (Bulk Package) for it, which inserted easily and was recognized as 28GB of useable space by the tablet. *FYI... it's not uncommon for any storage to be recognized as less than the stated size after installation.
Charging the device out of the box and then updating it immediately made using it the best it could be upon first use. I will be installing an app to do basic clean-up of the memory cache and an antivirus. There are several free options for both.
Being my first tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 doesn't have big shoes to fill in my life like if I was an iPad user. I don't think anyone with an iPad would find this tablet interesting at all!
For those who want portability, with more functionality than the Kindle Fire and a tablet with good speed and expansion, as well as a camera and video taking capabilities this is a very good choice at an affordable price.
RE: Apps
If you want to install the Amazon Appstore on your Samsung Galaxy Tab 2... you have to go to www.amazon.com/appstoreapp and download the app. Your tablet may say 'no' and block it. If so, go into 'Settings', 'Security' and under 'Device Administration' make sure the box for 'Unknown Sources' is check marked. The tablet will caution you that this makes your private info vulnerable, but in reality all it does is open up other another Appstore (other than Samsung's which is installed on the device) for you.
Once you do this you should be able to download and install the Amazon Appstore and use it. That works well for me as I have several apps already that I use on my Android phone and Kindle Fire, which can also be used on this tablet.
I'd suggest adding some of these apps I found useful and/or fun picked up at the Amazon Appstore. Most, if not all, are free.
Remember that every day Amazon offers a new app for free. They are paid apps that for 1 day only, Amazon offers for free download. Sometimes, they are apps valued at $10 the day before, so it's definitely worth checking frequently!
Here's a not so short list of 25 of my favorite apps for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2:
1. Temple Run fun game at the top of the iTunes app charts.
2. App 2 SD Pro to make sure you get the most out of your microSD space.
3. Angry Birds Free nice time waster!
4. Fruit Ninja Free another fun time waster.
5. TextPlus Free Texting + Group Text get a free texting phone number and text via wifi.
6. AVG Free antivirus for your tablet.
7. MyFitnessPal diet and exercise tracker.
8.Cozi Family Organizer works really well and your whole family can use it.
9. E!Online fun to keep up with entertainment news.
10.EasyPrint print from your tablet to wifi enabled printers.
11.EasySudoku
12. ESPN ScoreCenter
13.Gemini App Manager easy, fast way to make sure apps are not soaking up memory.
14. HootSuite love it for Tweets.
15. Old Time Radio Player just fun to listen to the Lone Ranger!
16. OfficeSuite
17.Official Ebay Android App
18. PicShop edit photos.
19. Scanner Radio listen to EMT and Police scanner traffic.
20. SwiftKey 3 makes texting and typing much faster with intuitive type by swype.
21. TuneIn Radio what it says...
22. Star Chart -check out constellations.
23. iHeartRadio like Pandora (also available), create custom radio stations.
24. Antivirus Free or Avast! keep safe while surfing.
25. NBC Nightly News in case you missed it!
UPDATE: 8/29/12
Still really enjoying this tablet, and finding more reasons to recommend it every day. For the speediness of it, size and features, it's really a great buy!
UPDATE: 12/2/12
Disappointing... the Galaxy is dead. Started not holding a charge, then wouldn't turn on, and finally wouldn't charge at all. My use with this tablet has been about once a week for about an hour. Not exactly hard on it, so I'm a bit bummed. I did run an update prior to this happening so I'm not sure if it's a bad update or the hardware. Either way, dead in the water and will be contacting Samsung for warranty repair or replacement.
I have had the original Galaxy Tab 7 for about a year. It love it. 7" is the perfect size to bring along to read a book or watch a movie. It is large enough to be able to pull up web pages (even in "full Site" mode) and actually read them. I have used that old work horse every day that I've owned it.
So Why did I upgrade to this version when I love the original so much? 2 reasons. This one has Android Version 4.0 (I need this for a camera remote control app DSLR Controller) and I liked the idea of a built in remote control for my AV system.
So the verdict? -I love it. It is sleeker than the original. A beautiful bright and vibrant screen. Good Battery life (so far). and very peppy thanks to it's dual core.
Things I love:
Price:----Way to go Samsung. Very affordable for what you get.
Size:-----This thing is perfect for book reading, watching movies on a plane, and just carrying round without it feeling too big.
Screen:---Like I said, this think looks greet for media like movies and pictures.
Build:-----This thing is solid. I have been very impressed with Samsung lately
Remote:---I LOVE the remote on this thing. I quickly set up with me home theater system (TV, Cable Box, Receiver, DVD, etc) The built in app stepped me through the process. and now I can tweak to my heart's content. This is better than my Harmony remote, because I can make updates right from the device without having to hook up to the computer. It also give a live schedule of what is on with single touch access. Better than the guide button on the cable box. Did I mention I love this app??
Android:--Version 4.0 Great tablet OS. Like it much better than iOS. I love apple product, but never bought into the apple ecosystem, so I prefer Android.
Kies:-----A cool way to wirelessly transfer data, pics, files, etc. between your Tab and a computer just using a browser. Very Slick, you will like it.
Things I like:
Camera:---The shooter on this is OK. Plenty of pixels and shoots well in good light. it is OK but not great. Not an issue for me since I never used the camera on my old Tab. There is also not a built in flash. OK with me at this price point.
Things I don't like:
Proprietary cable:-OK, I had to think hard of something I don't like about this. I prefer when micro USB is used for everything from Charging to Data transfer. However, I have a couple cables from my original tab, so again, not a deal breaker for me.
I will update when I've had more time to try this thing out, but so far, I am impressed.
If you do not have a 7" tab, and are looking to get one buy this. you will not be disappointed!
Love that it is very thin, and a matte finish rather than shiny...BUT this finish does skew images slightly. Just me being picky I suppose.
