Gift Guide: Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. iPad

Sigh… Why a sigh? Because it's not mine and I have to send it back. But for the past 2 weeks or so I have been in love! Yes, I love my iPad. But there is just something real special about an Android device with a 7″ screen.

See, I am probably strange because I am still torn (kind of). I love the iOS, but I also love Android. And I cannot decide which I love more. However, (are you ready for this strong statement)?? As stated in Forget the iPad, I'll take the Samsung Galaxy Tab, when it first launched, I do believe that if I was purchasing myself, I would go with the Tab. It is SWEET!  As stated, the screen is 7″. For some this might be a bad thing, for others, it makes it easier to fit it in your favorite purse. But overall, you get more for your $$ with the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

The pluses over the iPad include:

• Rear AND Front facing camera for video conferencing: the iPad has neither.
• miniSD slot: Again, this is missing from the iPad
• Seamless Google integration: Yeah, not *really* a minus, but this scores a huge plus from me. Gmail/Google is taking over the world, and we want them to take us with them.
• Adobe Flash support
• Less shocking to the pocket book: With a contract, it is only $399 versus $629 for the first #g version on iPad
• Notification area: I love being able to take a quick look at the top of the screen to see if there are new emails, text messages, Twitter messages, etc. I have waiting.

Those things alone, may make one decide to get the Tab. But even without the comparison, this is a stellar device. To full the full specs, check out my previous post. I really love Samsung Tab “skin” of the Android OS. Everything is easy to find.

I tested the video conferencing via Qik and while easy to use, it was a bit jumpy. But that could have been my connection.

Things that I love about this variation on the Android 2.2 OS include:

• The task list that pulls down includes quick buttons for turning Wi-Fi, Bluetooh, GPS, and sound off and on. And another unique feature is the Quick Orientation lock feature to keep your Tab from flipping the screen when you don't want  it to.
• Applications arranged by pages, instead of having to scroll way down the screen to find the app that you are looking for.
• Built-in Task Manager, no third party app needed

Pros

• OUTSTANDING battery life
• Beautiful Screen
• Great Android OS Implementation
• Front & rear facing cameras

Cons

• Uhh, that I have to send it back. 🙂

Seriously though, if you know someone considering a tablet pc, took a long serious look at the Galaxy Tab. It is available on ALL US carriers, which means you can find a plan to fit what you need. Or choose the carrier based on what is best in your area.  On Samsung's website, you can use a cool comparison tool to compare the different models on different carriers to see which one works best for you.  The Samsung Galaxy Tab starts at $399 on most carriers with a contract.

It will be interesting to see if Apple steps it up with the rumored new version of the iPad to rival the newer features of the Galaxy Tab.

UPDATE: After taking a quick look at the plans, it seems that you get the best bang for your buck from T-Mobile. The No Contract version from T-Mobile is $599 compared to $649 on ATT. Also, with T-Mobile you get 5gb of Web access + Unlimited T-Mobile HotSpot for only $39.99 which is $15 – $20 less than competitors! The version that I had was on T-Mobile also, and usage was great. I had no signal problems, and the connection was always strong.