Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0: Reviewing the Ice Cream Sandwich Tablet

The tablet market is getting pretty crowded now with plenty of competitors trying to carve a niche for themselves. That is not necessarily a bad thing though as it offers us with various options and obviously all the competition means that prices are bound to come down gradually. Samsung are currently offering a wide variety of options when it comes to tablets. You can start from the 7-inch models and move up to the 10.1-inch models and with the latest versions of each Galaxy Tab around, it almost seems like Samsung would do well to change the names around a bit so that we do not have to worry about searching for numbers that follow.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

The latest coming from Samsung though is the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and it is the first of its kind to be out with the new Ice Cream Sandwich OS on the inside. Let us take a look at what it does offer…

Specs and Features:

The key aspect of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is the Ice Cream Sandwich OS that it offers and the fact that it is the first to do so in its class. This obviously makes it an enticing proposition to anyone who wishes to try out the improved OS from Google. Apart from the Android 4.0 update, everything else pretty much seems same as the Galaxy Tab in terms of its external look. On the inside it comes with 1 GHz Dual-Core Processor and 1 GB RAM and offers memory options of 8, 16 and 32GB and of course all the models offer an option of microSD slot that allows you to expand memory up to 32GB.

You have connectivity options in the form of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB options while the 7-inch TFT display sports a 1024x600 resolution. It weighs around 345 g and that means it is not too uncomfortable when it comes to handling and with other apps and features that one has already seen in the Galaxy tab present and enhanced, this offers pretty much what you would expect. There is a 3 Megapixel camera on the rear and a front-facing camera for video calling as well.

Price and Availability:

You can pretty much walk in and buy the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 since it really is not locked to any carrier as Samsung only offer a Wi-Fi version of the model. At least, you will not have to worry about picking carriers and signing contracts and if you are okay with the lack of 3G, this is no issue at all. The $250 price of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is what makes it an attractive option though. And it will be this aggressive pricing from Samsung that will interest and tempt most consumers.

The Brightside:

There is plenty of be happy about the new Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. For starters, it is the price tag that seems just too good to resist. And that should give the likes of Amazon and Kindle Fire a run for their money. The $250 price point is something that might attract consumers who otherwise might not be thinking about owning a tablet, and that is a good thing. The new OS also seems hassle-free and you get access to Google Play app market and Amazon App market and while you only spend $50 more, you seem to get a lot more than the likes of Kindle Fire with this tab.

The connectivity options in the tab are pretty good and you also get loads of decent pre-installed stuff along with the wonderful portability that it offers with its light build and sleek design.

The Dampeners:

Common consensus is that the front-facing camera pretty much sucks and if you are big on video chatting, then you might want to stay clear of this one. But do not really put one of those fancy iPad models or even another high-end tab next to this to compare screen resolution of many other features as you will be thoroughly disappointed. The screen resolution is only passable and the big complaint seems to be that half the memory of an 8GB tablet is filled up by preinstalled apps; many of which you might not be fond of. Audio quality is iffy, but the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is not meant to be an entertainment unit anyway.

The Verdict:

If you are looking for a descent pp that offers loads of fun at the price point that Samsung offers this tab for, then go for it. It offers a lot more than a Kindle Fire for the extra $50 and while we have highlighted the camera, screen and memory deficiencies (though you can use the expandable memory) the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is still a good buy at $250. Do not compare it with the likes of iPad and waste your time though as you need to remember that costs half as much as a new 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad.