Article by FTG Contributor ghost_117
Tablets and mobile computing seem to be all the rage these days. You can’t see an ad without a mention of using an app for the iPhone, iPad, or Android phones and tablets. Samsung was one of the first to jump on the tablet bandwagon after the introduction of the original iPad and has remained one of the main players in the mobile world. When Android Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0 to the non-Android crowd) finally launched, Samsung went after it with the newest incarnation of the Galaxy Tab. Sporting great tech and an almost vanilla Android experience, Samsung knows how to keep up with Apple. In this review, we will cover the 7 inch Tab rather than the 10.1 inch.
Since the first Galaxy Tab, Samsung has tried to refine and make sure that their product can go toe-to-toe with the iPad. After releasing the Galaxy Tab 10” and the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, everyone seemed to see that Samsung go their act together. Then the Galaxy Tab 2 came along and people realized that they had a winner on their hands. Using a 1 GHz dual core processor, 1 GB of RAM, and either 8 or 16 GB of disk space, the Galaxy Tab 2 has a good armor of technology to rely on. Android just flies with the dual core CPU, making switching between apps and using intensive games a piece of cake. Users can switch seamlessly from Twitter to Facebook, to Angry Birds and Google Chrome without ever really skipping a bit. The LED screen may not be HD-quality, coming in with just a paltry 1024×600 resolution, but that doesn’t stop YouTube HD videos from looking absolutely gorgeous on the tiny screen. Comics also look great on it with the use of apps such as ComiXology or ComicRack if you have scans of your comic collection. The LED screen’s color range really allows for great colorful panels or crisp, clean black and white images.
Media consumption is probably the main reason to use the Galaxy Tab 2. With the pre-installation of Google Play Music and Samsung’s own media streaming apps, movies and music are never far from reach. In the case of Google Play, you can sync your entire music collection from your home computer using the handy Music Manager program. Netflix and YouTube also make videos easily accessible on the go, granted you have a Wi-Fi connection. Which leads to the main gripes people will have- the lack of mobile connections. Samsung has so far only made the Galaxy Tab 2 line Wi-Fi only, even though the system seems set up for being a mobile communications device, with line-in capabilities and a front facing camera. Another gripe found with the tablet is that while it is slim and lightweight, it also tends to heat up quickly if used constantly. If held as if reading a book or comic, your hand will feel the heat right away to the point where it can become uncomfortable.
If you are looking for a cheap, all doing Android tablet, skip the bargain bins and the Kindle Fire. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 is the way to go in terms of affordable mobile tablets.
