Samsung escalates tablet war with Galaxy Tab S

MANILA, Philippines - The tablet is no longer the novel PC form factor that took a decided backseat to its desktop and laptop siblings. With each succeeding tablet rollout, manufacturers are stepping up the technology, profile, and ability of these handheld devices.

Much like the mobile phone (more aptly called smartphones), tablets are now do-all gadgets that meet ever-growing demands of, well, increasingly mobile consumers. The arms race among the industry alpha dogs Samsung and Apple will thus mean nothing but the best products for consumers.

Samsung recently unveiled via a globally streamed event its new Galaxy Tab S, which it claims to “deliver the most advanced mobile display on the market,” while promising a richer and more immersive experience. The new tablet product is also the company’s “thinnest and lightest” to date.

In a release, Samsung Electronics CEO and president of the IT and mobile division JK Shin said, “The tablet is becoming a popular personal viewing device for enjoying content, which makes the quality of the display a critical feature.”

Toward this end, the new tablet banners a WQXGA (2560 x 1600, 16:10) Super AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) screen, which reflects less sunlight for ease of use even under the sun. Samsung further reports that the Galaxy Tablet S delivers 90 percent of Adobe RGB color coverage — meaning it shows more colors than ever — while maintaining 100,000:1 contrast ratio for deeper blacks and brighter whites.

Additionally, an Adaptive Display feature ensures optimal visual experience every time and in all situations. Gamma, saturation, and sharpness are adjusted based on content being viewed, viewing environment, and ambient lighting. Pre-set modes are also available, as well as manual options to suit user preference.

The Super AMOLED technology, which does not require a backlight, additionally brings the benefit of frugal power consumption compared to LCD displays. Screens come in 10.5-inch (465 grams for Wi-Fi-only version) and 8.4-inch (294 grams for Wi-Fi-only version) — both measuring only 6.6 millimeters thick.

The Galaxy Tab S also features a range of premium content and “enhanced productivity features” for greater ease in multitasking.  Samsung partners with content providers such as Marvel and National Geographic to serve up exciting, exclusive material to users.

Samsung also debuts its Papergarden magazine service (“an optimized viewing environment for digital interactive magazines, users will be able to view a wide range of popular magazines with vivid and true-to-life colors”) on this device.

Samsung Philippines category head for tablets Ivan Pua recently demonstrated the product to members of the local media and blogging community, sharing that the new Samsung product “will be the first tablet that will have (a) finger-print scanner. It also has a multi-user mode, so if you want to share it with your wife, husband or kids you can do so. It can have up to three registered fingerprints.”

He added that the tablet showcases a unique privacy mode that allows users to hide content from others who access the tablet.

“It’s the best-in-class tablet,” simply declared Pua. “I think we really are raising the bar in terms of design, specs, and the look. It’s really the best tablet out there right now. I think when this comes out everyone will look for it and go for it.”

The Galaxy Tab S should be available locally in mid-July in 16/32GB + MicroSD (up to 128GB) versions. Users can choose between the 10.5-inch and 8.4-inch sizes in titanium bronze or dazzling white. A range of dedicated, Samsung-branded accessories will also be available — such as a book cover, simple cover, and Bluetooth keyboard.

All told, the tablet war just got a lot more interesting and intense.

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For more information, visit www.samsung.com.