Kenya: Local iPad buyers are now spoilt for choice
On the other hand, the stage is set for a spill-over of the tablet wars that have seen the global companies battle for supremacy at many levels.
The new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is equipped with a powerful dual-core 1 GHZ nVidia Tegra 2 chip and ULP GPU.
This pragmatic design by the Android team indicates a processor with enough power for intensive multi-tasking purposes.
The design rivals Apples iPad 2, which has a 1 GHz dual-core Apple A5 chip. The iPad 2 has a 512 MB RAM and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a 1 GB RAM.
Both tablets come in a range of hard disk capacities of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 uses Android 3.1 (honey comb) operating system while the iPad 2 runs on version 4.3 of Apple’s iOS.
The hardware design for both tablets is quite tantalising. The tablets are light, slim and have crystal clear glossy display screens.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 weighs approximately 565 grammes and it is 8.6 mm slim.
The Samsung tablet offers good experience due to its thinner and larger screen, compared with the iPad 2.The display screen for the Galaxy tab is 10.1 inches while the iPad 2 has a 9.7 inch screen. The iPad 2 weighs approximately 607 grammes and it is 8.8mm slim.
The iPad has an in-built lithium polymer battery which can last up to 10 hours of non-stop Web surfing, video watching and any other activity.
The battery life is important, especially considering the fact that tablets are designed for mobile computing activities
So far, the iPad 2 ranks top in this aspect, compared with any other existing tablet. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a battery life of approximately nine hours of continuous use.
Price tag
The price of the new iPad 2 is a bit higher than that of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. This gives the Galaxy Tab 10.1 a price tag advantage over the iPad 2.
At Elite Digital Solutions, the premier Apple reseller in East Africa, the iPad 2 of 16GB costs $750. The 32GB and 64GB retail at $1,100 and $1,200, respectively.
The prices are exclusive of a 16 per cent VAT. Going by the current rate of conversion of a dollar you will find out that the iPad 2 is an expensive gadget and only affordable to a few.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab P1000 retails at Sh49,999 while the Galaxy Tab P7500 10.1 retails at Sh70,000.
Prices might slightly vary from one dealer to another. For those shopping for a tablet, it’s advisable to go for a genuine product from authorised dealers.
Features galore
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is indeed a worthy competitor to not only fellow Android tablets, but also to the iPad 2.
Other than the sleek and robust hardware design, the Galaxy tablet has various features that will keep users happy and satisfied.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes with TouchWiz UX, Adobe Flash player Support, Samsung Hub and high speed Internet access.
The Samsung TouchWiz UX is a recent software upgrade for the gadget and it improves on features like the live panel, mini Apps and clipboard.
The Samsung Hub is enriched with integrated messaging, music hub and a reader’s hub of over 23 million e-books, 2,000 newspapers and 3,000 magazines in 49 languages.
The Galaxy Tab comes with Mobile office that has Power Point, Excel and Word.
As one of Android’s most advanced tablets, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is well designed for multi-tasking, gaming, social networking, video-calling and also office work.
There is a galore of features on the tablet, just like the case for the iPad 2 tablets.
Source: The Daily Nation News
