So I count myself lucky that I was able to see the new tablet at ISTE in Philadelphia recently alongside other similar devices. I was also able to see one briefly in one of the larger stores in the UK before sales were stopped. It seems you have to be quick these days to catch new technology before a court injunction is put in place!

With all of this in mind, it is actually very hard to ignore the similarities between the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the iPad 2.

 So, all in all it's quite a powerful device and it’s very nicely designed.

Now, I get a lot of criticism for comparing new tablets with the Apple range. That's really because Apple have led the way in the development of tablets and it’s only natural that you would make such comparisons when buying a new tablet device. There are many that come close to the Apple in looks, but the functionality is always lacking. That said, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 comfortably beats any of the tablets from RIM and HP…and is the closest rival yet to Apple

However, in my view, it still falls slightly short of the Apple iPad 2.

As I have seen other commentators say, the weakness of the Galaxy Tap 10.1 is due to the Android Honeycomb operating system that powers the tablet. It seems to have two noticeable problems.

The first is the responsiveness of the operating system. You can demonstrate this quite easily by holding the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in one hand and an iPad 2 in the other. If you rotate both quickly between landscape and portrait, the iPad to reacts immediately, putting the contents of the screen into the new position. As one commentator said, ‘it’s like the contents are being poured smoothly into the new position’. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 takes a moment before it reacts. It's actually quite noticeable.

The second relates to the user interface. Apple iPad 2 users will tell you that you always feel as though you are manipulating the contents directly with your fingers. This makes the operating system seem almost invisible. On the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 the operating system is almost impossible to ignore. Of course, Android fans, or those who don't like the Apple range of products, will tolerate that. But I think casual users might find it off-putting.

The final point that must be made relates to apps. There are still too few apps available for any of the Android platforms. This is still a major weakness when comparing any of these devices to the Apple range of products.

So what will educationalists think of the Galaxy Tab 10.1?

Well, to begin with, obviously, most will compare it to the Apple iPad 2 and, having done so, some will even feel quite comfortable with it. I can see that current classroom tablet evangelists won’t have too much difficulty in using it…but the lack of apps will make things quite restrictive in the short term. There must also be some doubt about the robustness in a busy classroom when compared to the all metal Apple. But you will be able to view Flash sites!

From a systems integration point of view, however, this is a major step forward. The Samsung (as well as other Android platforms tablets) will integrate easily with current PC platforms and other devices across a school…and that’s going to make network managers’ lives a whole lot easier!

Price wise, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is identical to the iPad 2. The entry level model, Wi-Fi only, and with 16 GB of storage, will cost £399. This matches the equivalent iPad. The 16 GB, 3G version starts at £499, also matching the equivalent iPad.

I suppose the acid test is… if you have £399 to spend on a tablet, would you buy this, rather than an Apple? I think some of us now might. But if you are a faithful Apple lover, this just won't do it for you!

My overall view is that with a little bit more work on the operating system and a few more apps being made available, we might just see the makings of a true rival for Apple.

However, despite the inexorable rise of Android, there’s still some way to go yet.

Jack Wills

22^nd August 2011