Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab Specs Features and Pricing Unveiled

Overview of Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab

The Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab was a landmark device when it was announced in September 2010 and released the following October. It was one of the earliest competitors to Apple’s iPad, offering a smaller form factor and a range of features that distinguished it in the burgeoning tablet market. Even though the device is now discontinued, its impact and innovations can still be appreciated, and it remains a notable entry in Samsung’s extensive line of mobile devices.

Design and Build

The Galaxy Tab P1000 boasts dimensions of 190.1 x 120.5 x 12 mm and a weight of 380 grams, making it a relatively lightweight and portable device for its time. The tablet’s design features a 7.0-inch TFT display with a resolution of 600 x 1024 pixels, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. This protection was a significant enhancement, offering durability and resistance against scratches and impacts.

The device was available in Black and Grey, providing a sleek and professional look. The design of the Galaxy Tab was user-friendly, with a mini-SIM slot for cellular connectivity, which was a significant feature for a tablet during its era.

Display

With a 7.0-inch display, the Galaxy Tab P1000 offered users a compact, yet relatively spacious screen for viewing media, browsing the web, and reading documents. The 16:9 aspect ratio and 170 PPI pixel density provided a satisfactory viewing experience, suitable for standard-definition video content. The inclusion of Corning Gorilla Glass minimized damage from everyday handling, a critical factor for maintaining clarity and usability.

Performance and Software

Under the hood, the Galaxy Tab P1000 featured a Hummingbird chipset, with a 1.0 GHz Cortex-A8 processor and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. This hardware configuration supported smooth operation of Android 2.2 (Froyo), which was upgradeable to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), coupled with Samsung's TouchWiz UI. At the time, this was a robust setup that allowed the running of multiple applications, standard multitasking demands, and gaming.

With 512MB of RAM, the Galaxy Tab was not high-end, but it was sufficient for the operating system and applications available at the time. The inclusion of a microSDHC card slot allowed users to expand storage, which was initially available as 16GB or 32GB internal memory variants.

Camera Capabilities

The Galaxy Tab P1000 came equipped with a rear 3.15 MP camera, complete with autofocus and an LED flash. This hardware allowed users to capture basic photos and video at 480p@30fps, which was adequate for simple photography needs. For video calls and selfies, the device had a 1.3 MP front-facing camera, a feature that aided communication in a more visual way.

Battery Life

Powering the P1000 was a non-removable Li-Ion 4000 mAh battery, which provided considerable longevity for tasks typical to tablet use. The battery supported talk time of up to 28 hours on 2G and up to 25.5 hours on 3G networks, a testament to its efficiency at the time.

Connectivity and Networking

The Samsung Galaxy Tab P1000 was designed to work on GSM and HSPA networks, with compatibility for various 2G and 3G bands. With a browsing speed of HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps, it was capable of decent mobile Internet performance for its era.

Additionally, the tablet featured Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot capabilities, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP for wireless audio, and a GPS with A-GPS for accurate navigation. Notably, the device lacked an FM radio, but included a 3.5mm audio jack which allowed for a standard audio output option.

Additional Features

The Galaxy Tab P1000 included sensors such as an accelerometer, gyro, and compass to enhance user interaction and application functionality. These sensors contributed to the tablet’s effectiveness for gaming and various utilities that relied on movement and orientation detection.

With support for HTML and Adobe Flash, the browser offered a comprehensive web browsing experience, important at a time when Flash was still prevalent in web content.

Sound and Audio Quality

The P1000 had stereo speakers that provided reasonable sound quality for media playback and calls. The 3.5mm headphone jack offered an alternative for private listening, an important feature for media consumption on a tablet device. The audio quality tests revealed voice at 66dB, noise at 64dB, and ring at 68dB, showcasing the audio capabilities within expected ranges for devices at the time.

Conclusion

The Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab was indeed a pivotal device in the development of Android tablets. Offering competitive features against the then-dominant iPad, it provided consumers with an affordable, functional, and portable alternative. While technology has vastly advanced since the P1000's release, the device remains a notable step in the evolution of tablets, reflecting a period of rapid innovation and consumer adoption of smart device technology.