Defending the Samsung Galaxy Tab
Is that a Samsung Galaxy Tab in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
Enough is enough. The idea for this article has been festering for quite some time. In fact, it was first conceived on November 10th 2010 when technology blog Gizmodo, conducted a review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab entitled, “Samsung Galaxy Tab Review: A Pocketable Train Wreck.” A portion of the aricle goes on to say that, “This thing is just a mess. It’s like a tablet drunkenly hooked up with a phone, and then took the fetus swimming in a Superfund cleanup site.” To Matt Buchanan who wrote the article I say, take it easy. You’re out-of-line on this one. I own a Samsung Galaxy Tab and I love it. The 7″ form factor is perfect and the fact that it weighs half that of Apple’s iPad makes a big difference in the carpal tunnel category. Perhaps Mr. Buchanan you have some type of small complex. I’m not saying where but just perhaps.
A lot of other reviews called the device, “Nothing more than a large Android phone.” Well … a 50″ TV is nothing more than a big 27″ TV. A puffy GoreTex George Constanza like coat is nothing more than a large spring jacket and an iPad is nothing more than a large iPhone. But that’s one you rarely hear about Apples beloved device. It seemed to be the overall reaction when the iPad first debuted but no more.
Even Google, the company behind Android for those who live under a rock, came out and said “The current Android operating system is not meant for tablet devices.” I disagree whole heartedly Mr. Schmidt (did you happen to find a new job by the way). Android 2.2 runs just fine on my Galaxy Tab as do all of the apps in the Market, and despite your protests and warnings I bought one anyway. Honeycomb may or may not come as an update via Samsung, but I’m actually starting to care less and less. Besides knowing Samsung’s history with update rollouts I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Perhaps it will help if I break down what I actually do with the Samsung tablet and why the smaller 7″ screen is better than the Ipad’s 1o”.
- Book reading.
- In the bathroom (good now you won’t ask me to borrow it).
- Watching Video on some websites.
- Honorable mentions – Email, social networking and writing.
Why the Samsung Galaxy Tab shines: Reading books on The Galaxy Tab is a joy. The size feels almost paperback like. The Amazon Kindle, although a great device doesn’t cut it at night when reading in a dark room. If I need to connect a book light to something, I’d feel less ridiculous attaching one to an actual book.
But why isn’t the iPad better? It’s to heavy. Try holding that thing in your hands while you are lying in bed for 30-40 minutes. Unless it’s a book of short stories you’re probably not going to make it very long.
Why the Samsung Galaxy Tab shines: It’s smaller. Again, it’s just more comfortable to sit there holding a device that weighs half of what the iPad weighs. Especially when the only thing holding it up from underneath is … you get the point. And let’s not forget that a lot of men use their bathroom as a masturbation sanctuary and it’s a whole hell of a lot easier to “do your business” when you can keep one hand free. When you’re looking at porn in the confines on your bathroom while your significant other wonders what the hell is taking you so long, do you really need a few extra inches of screen space. Boobs are boobs.
But why isn’t the iPad better? It’s to heavy. Please see the preceding paragraph.
Why the Samsung Galaxy Tab shines: It can do Flash plain and simple. While not all websites require Flash to watch Video and we all wait in anticipation of HTML 5, you don’t have to worry about it with the Tab. OK sure, it slows things down a little bit sometimes, but that’s the price I’m willing to pay in order to have the freedom to visit a Flash based website or watch Flash video if I please. Even the new Motorola Xoom doesn’t come with Flash. Motorola claims spring 2011 but those “coming soon” claims always seem to be shaky.
But why isn’t the iPad better? Because Mr. Jobs can be a dick sometimes and decided that he will decide what type of software runs on a device you paid a lot of money for. Sorry, no Flash FOR YOU! Oh and it’s to heavy.
Why the Samsung Galaxy Tab shines: All three of these things require much of the same activity, typing. In portrait mode, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is the perfect width to type the way many of us have become accustomed to, with our thumbs. In this respect the Galaxy Tab IS like a big phone and that’s a good thing. They keyboard is the perfect width to quickly jot down a note or even a quick blog post. Add in a great keyboard app like Swift Key and typing is a breeze. In landscape mode, just set it down and you have a nice full wide keyboard layout.
But why isn’t the iPad better? It’s to big AND to heavy. The iPad is impossible to type with using strictly your thumbs and in my opinion it’s an odd experience when the device is lying on a flat surface. Hold it in one hand and type with the other: you’ll either drop it in 3 minutes or your arm feels like it’s going to fall off.