Samsung Unveils 10-Inch Galaxy Tab Tablet at Mobile World Congress

BARCELONA -- Samsung kicked off what is likely to be a tablet-heavy Mobile World Congress convention with the release of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer, powered by Google's Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) operating system and offering a 10.1-inch touch screen. Samsung and Vodafone partnered on the device, designed to compete with a slew of devices in the burgeoning tablet market, most notable Apple's wildly successful iPad.

The device also includes an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with Auto Focus and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera which lets users capture experiences with full HD record and play. With the Android browser and Flash 10.1 capability, the tablet also offers dual surround-sound speakers. A 1GHz Dual Core application processor, low power DDR2 memory and 6860mAh battery power the Tab 10.1. The tablet offers an alternative to the company's 7-inch screen Galaxy Tab, launched late last year.

In addition, the Honeycomb operating system is the first Android platform designed with tablet computing specifically in mind. Samsung's original Tab used version 2.2, codenamed FroYo. Honeycomb is designed to support larger screen devices and introduces a slew of new user interface features, including home screen customization, widgets and a redesigned soft keyboard, and supports multicore processors and hardware acceleration for graphics.

"As a leader in the Android-powered tablet market, Samsung is committed to providing a variety of feature-rich, always-on devices," said DJ Lee, Samsung's executive vice president and head of sales and marketing. "The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a valuable addition to our expanding portfolio of smart media devices. Sporting a large 10.1 screen and dual surround-sound speakers, it enables users to enjoy multimedia to the maximum extent without having to compromise mobility."