The 16GB Galaxy Tab model will set you back £679.99 in Britian or $949.99 from their stateside site. It will be available from Tuesday 12th October.

Whoa there … £679.99 or $949.99, that’s pricey, more pricey than an equivalent 3G + WiFi iPad, even in Europe. $949.99 is more expensive than the US price of the top of the line 64GB 3G + WiFi model. Clearly, this is pre-release pricing and so pinches of salt must accompany, but pre-release pricing is usually somewhere in the ballpark of eventual retail pricing. Obviously network subsidies will offset the price if you take out a data plan, but we question how many will want to shell out monthy for a tablet contract on top of their existing mobile contract. Lets hope that Samsung follow up with a WiFi only model soon.

This makes the expected price for the 10-inch Archos 101 look favourable, even if the device sacrifices 3G capability and isn’t as highly spec’d as the Galaxy Tab. Our feeling is sub $500 is the price point at which Android tablets will sell in bucketloads, even if this only applies to non-3G models.

How much would you expect to pay for your Android tablet? Are you willing to pay the premium for 3G? Would you take out a network contract for an Android Tablet? Is the expected $1k price tag of the Galaxy Tab way off the mark? Let us know.

Samsung will favour Android and it’s own Bada OS over Windows Phone 7 for new development according to the head of marketing at Samsung Mobile, YH Lee. In a Reuters article Lee said “We are Prioritizing our Android platform. Android is very open and flexible, and there is a consumer demand for it.”

Only one new Windows Phone 7 phone is scheduled to come from Samsung this year. “There is still some professional, specialized demand there,” Lee said. As for Symbian; “We are not seeing visible demand” was the marketing head’s comment.

Those comments will no doubt come as something of a blow to Microsoft with Samsung being one of their major partners in the past. Windows Phone 7 is a hugely important piece of software to ensure Microsoft’s future relevancy and they need hardware heavy hitters of the likes of Samsung, HTC, Dell, LG to flood the market with Windows Phone 7 devices

Windows Phone 7 takes the more Apple like stance of ‘we dictate the UI and functionality’ and doesn’t allow manufacturers to stamp their own brand on the phone in the way that Samsung, Sony and HTC have done with Android, which it’s likely Samsung see as disadvantage.

The future of Bada, Samsung’s own smartphone OS, seems uncertain, despite their assurances that it’s still a priority. For now, it’s used on down-level models but as hardware improves your mum’s $95 phone will be more than capable of running Android. Sticking with Bada would miss an economy of scale in standardising on Android, not to mention losing out on the marketing advantage from Android app availability.

On the Android side of the fence Samsung’s confirming their commitment to the Android platform is good news. The success of the Galaxy S show that Samsung are very capable at building devices that people want on the platform and innovative new devices like the Galaxy Tab indicate good things for the future.

We covered the Samsung Galaxy Tab in our previous Android Tablets Roundup, but it went official today at the IFA. No firm pricing and launch date as yet. We’ll have the android news on this and other tablets as soon as it comes in. Here’s a quick reminder of the device and it’s spec.

• Android 2.2
• 7-inch 1024×600 screen
• Weighs 380g
• ARM Cortex A8 1.2 GHz processor and PowerVR SGX540 graphics.
• 16GB of internal storage.
• microSD expension for up to 32GB additional storage
• Front 1.3MP webcam for video calls
• 3.0MOP rear camera
• Full-size and mini USB ports and a full-size SD card slot.
• 3G data / voice
• 802.11n WiFi
• Full HD video playback

So, lets keep this short and sweet as the best way to get a feel for a gadget is with a nice video or four. To that end, here are a few of the best hands on videos straight from the IFA floor, with the last one being Samsung’s official product video. Enjoy.

TechCrunch – The Samsung Galaxy Tab In Action

SlashGear – Samgung Galaxy Tab Hands On

Engadget – Samsung Galaxy Tab Preview

Samsung Official Product Video

The Android tablet deluge continues unabated with Archos announcing 5 new Android tablets. Our recent Android Tablets pre-lanuch roundup covered the hottest yet to be released tablets, and some of these Archos offerings appear to be worthy additions to that group.

Archos have gone for a naming convention that signifies the screen size, and decided to brand them all as ‘tablets’. This is fine, although you might raise some eyebrows telling your friends about your new 2.8-inch 320×240 tablet. The 28 and 32 are really media players by another name, but we can see that the ‘tablet’ badge simplified the marketing drive and make it buzz word compliant.

The flagship 101 10.1-inch tablet is device that stands out from the bunch with 1024×600 screen, fold out stand, phone tethering and 720p video playback. The device weighs a mere 480g and has a thickness of only 12mm. That’s thinner than a certain device by a company named after a fruit. Yes, the 101 is a device we’d like to get to know better.

Android Apps are provided, not via the Android Market, but via Archos’ own AppsLib; a Marketplace for Android Tablets. It remains to be seen if Google will address the issue of Apps for Tablets swiftly or if a third-party provider solutions, like that from Archos, will become the de-facto Tablet Market.

We’ve managed to track down all important release dates and prices for these 5 contenders and the good news is ‘pretty soon and pretty cheap’.

All five models come with Android 2.2, WiFi (b/g/n), usb and g-sensors. All except the 28 have Bluetooth 2.1 EDR

ARCHOS 28 internet tablet
320×240 2.8-inch screen, 800 MHz ARM
Available in September 2010: $99 – 4GB

ARCHOS 32 internet tablet
400×240 3.2-inch screen, 800 MHz ARM, Camcorder capabilities
Available in September 2010: $149 – 8GB

ARCHOS 43 internet tablet
480×85 4.3-inch screen, 1GHz processor
Available in September 2010: $199 – 16GB

ARCHOS 70 internet tablet
800×480 screen 7.0-inch screen,  1GHz processor, phone tethering, mini-HDMI and USB ports.  VGA Webcam
Available in October 2010: $274.99 – 8GB and $349.99 – 250GB (HDD)

ARCHOS 101 internet tablet
1024×600 10.1-inch screen, 1GHz ARM A8, phone tethering, HMDI-output, 720p HD video playback, font webcam.
Available in October 2010: $299 – 8GB and $349.99 – 16GB.

To be honest Archos isn’t a name that has lit up our hearts in the past, and has been known to ship some pretty so-so devices. By getting on the Android band wagon they seem to have stepped up a gear and what we have here is a genuinely interesting line up of devices, especially at the higher end. We look forward to testing some of them out.

[Archos]

So, what device to lust after? Which Android Tablet gives us a warm ‘credit card at the ready’ feeling and which leaves us cold? It’s time for a This Android Life round up of the best Android Tablets that don’t exist in the wild yet, but hopefully soon will.

Toshiba Tablet Folio 100

First up is Toshiba’s offering in the form of the Tablet Folio 100. Toshiba is a name you’d typically associate with laptops but maybe not the mobile space, but that hasn’t stopped them packing a big, 10-inch glossy punch with their planned tablet. The Folio 100 is reported to come with a docking station to enable convenient office based showing off, or maybe use as a second display.

Inside the Folio 100 lurks a healthy 16GB of internal storage for over-zealous app installation, 3G, Bluetooth and 802.11n WiFi. Screen size is 10.2-inch with a resolution of 1024×600 and 10:6 aspect ratio (vs the iPad’s 4:3 1024×768). What really grabs our attention is the dual-core Nvidia Tegra 250 chip, which paves the way for better, more immersive Android gaming and video.

The device also comes with a 1.3MP front webcam for video calls, full-size and mini USB ports and a full-size SD card slot. The rumour mill has it that the Folio 100 could ship as soon as October 2010. Pricing is not yet known.

We Like: Lots .. Graphics capability, Android 2.2, Desk Stand, Large Internal Memory

We Don’t Like: Not so amazing battery life.

(Image Credit: Notebookitalia)

Samsung Galaxy Tab

If buzz generated is anything to go by, the main pre-launch competitor to the Folio 100 is the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This dinkier 7-inch offering is Samsung’s take on the Android Tablet and has been dubbed by sites more prone to exaggeration that this one, as an iPad killer. We think the Toshiba is more deserving of this dubious title, but the Galaxy Tab is still a device that makes us interested.

The Galaxy Tab sports a 7-inch 1024×600 screen, which makes creates an interesting portability vs readability dilema compared to a 10-inch tablet. Under the bonnet sits a ARM Cortex A8 1.2 GHz processor and PowerVR SGX540 graphics.

Memory wise you get a generous 16GB of internal storage. Like the Toshiba Folio 100, the Galaxy Tab comes with a front webcam for video calls (although only QVGA), full-size and mini USB ports and a full-size SD card slot. There is also a seemingly pointless 1.3MP camera on the back, if taking low quality photos with a big glass slab sounds like fun to you. Samsung have a pre-launch teaser vid for you enjoyment if you want a sneak peak.

We Like: Samsung Reliability and Design, Android 2.2, Large Internal Memory

We Don’t Like: Jury’s out on the 7-inch high density screen.

ViewSonic ViewPad 7

We gave the low down on this device from ViewSonic in a previous post. What we have is a nice looking 7-inch Android Tablet running Android 2.2. You get a 3MP rear camera and a VGA font-facing webcam. For your data needs it packs an integrated GSM/3G modem and can be used as a standard Android phone.  It comes with Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS.

Whereas we hoped that ViewSonic had produced a worthy contender to the Galaxy Tab, in reality the reported lacklustre 600MHz ARM processor and 800×480 let the device down. It might sit at the mid-low end of the Android Tablet spectrum, but it just doesn’t make us want to get a pre-order in like the Samsung and Toshiba devices.

We Like: Well engineered style

We Don’t Like: Yesterday’s tech screen and processor for a 7-inch device.

Dell 7 & 10-inch Streak

The 5-inch Dell Streak is an intersting, if confusing, device; sitting somewhere between a very large phone or an under-sized tablet. More interesting to us here at This Android Life is the promised forthcoming 7 and 10-inch models which sit squarely in the Android Tablet side of the fence.

Technical specs are little thin on the ground at the moment, but bearing in mind the healthy spec of the 5-inch Streak we might expect to see a 1024×600 screen and 1GHz+ processor in the 10-inch model.

The seven-inch model is expected “late in 2010″ and the 10-inch model in “early 2011.” If Dell get the 10-inch to market at or around the same time as the Toshiba Folio 100, they could be on to a winner. Dell’s sheer size means they are ideally poised to hammer down prices and make boxes appear on shelves in every out-of-town PC store from here to Australia. The Streak could be a big contender. It’s just a shame the name sucks.

We Like: Dell’s size will ensure prices are low

We Don’t Like: Too early to say, the name?

(Image Credit: Engaget)

Hanspree Unnamed 10-inch Android Tablet

The most recent announcement of this motely bunch of unreleased devices is Hanspree’s as yet unnamed Android Tablet. The tablet is a 10.1-inch affair with a 1024×600 display, 1GHz NVidia Tegra 2 processor and 16GB of built in storage. All good so far and a worthy contender to the Toshiba and Samsung devices. A nice touch is that it looks like the device will be capable of outputting full HD 1080p video via a build in mini-HDMI slot.

The 3,500mAh battery that should be good for up to 8 hours usage. Expected price is around $507 or £399 and shipping could be as soon as Novemeber (we hope so).

Expect more about this one in the coming days.

We Like: Spec ticks all the boxes

We Don’t Like: Too early to say

Asus Eee Pad EP101TC

The inspiringly named EP101TC from Asus isn’t really an Android Tablet, it’s a Windows Embedded tablet that had a change of heart, decided to switch sides and will now ship with Android. Interestingly, when this does land in stores in early 2011 it’s believed that it will come with Android 3.0

Specs are little sketchy at this point, and most relate to the device its Windows Embedded former life. A 10-inch screen and a Nvidia Tegra 2 processor seem sure bets, with rumours of 3G capability. Screen resolution seems unconfirmed, we would imagine 1024×600.

One to watch out for.

We Like: Asus build quality

We Don’t Like: Too early to say

The standard fayre that we’ve come to expect and love from our electonic gadgetry is all present including, WiFi, 3G, GPS, USB and Bluetooth. Screen orientation happens as if by magic with a g-sensor. Interestingly, ViewSonic are pre-loading an eReader app but we would expect that to have a hard time against the Kindle juggernaut. Storage is via MicroSD (up to 32GB) and the device takes a full size SIM.

Slightly disappointedly the processor is reported to be a 600MHz ARM and a screen resolution comes in at 800×480; no bigger than many of today’s Android phone handsets.

ViewSonic’s Derek Wright, European product marketing manager said:

“We are proud to announce another world first at Viewsonic. 3G phone functionality combined with dual cameras gives the ability for use of Android apps to use augmented reality or video calling on the move with the benefit of an excellent 7-inch screen”

ViewSonic will showcasing Viewpad 7 at IFA 2010 in Berlin this week and is due for general availability around October. Pricing is expected to be under £350 ($541) in the UK. No word on US pricing as yet.

The ViewPad 7 looks like an interesting and well engineered device that sits between the 10″ Pads and large screen phones. The question is, will 7 or 10-inch screens be the most convenient for day to day use.

Just over a week ago a leaked version of 2.2 was made available to Motorola Droid X users. The news seems to be bad for those early adopters with Motorola taking a firm stance against the leaked Froyo ROM and not offering an upgrade path to the official OTA update. The guys from Moto said, via their support forum:

“WARNING: Do NOT load the leaked 2.2 upgrade that has been floating around on the Internets. There is currently no upgrade path from that load to the official 2.2 load that will be released by early September. Unless you have some plan to flash your phone back to the current official load, you could be stuck on the leaked version.”

This is in direct contrast to HTC who have, in the past, been pretty helpful and accommodating when it comes to getting non-official ROM rebels out of an update limbo. To us, HTC seem to take the smart approach here. If a build is leaked, it’s ultimately the fault of the manufacturer. A small percentage of users are bound to install it and  locking them out of the update party to ‘teach them a lesson’ wont do any PR favours.

For those Droid X folks that did update to a unofficial 2.2 the fix seems to be a downgrade to 2.1 and an official upgrade. Expect full technical details on an Android forum near you soon. For the rest of us, maybe time to rethink being so click happy on the unofficial stuff.

Social Deck games were downloaded no less than a million times in 2009. Their game portfolio includes Color Connect, Shake & Spell and Pet Hero. The company is based in Toronto and San Francisco and was founded by Anish Acharya and Jeson Patel who came from Amazon and Microsoft respectively.

The move is a really interesting one from Google. It shows that it is serious about pushing forward gaming on Android and will lead by example if it has to. Social Deck is currently an iPhone and Blackberry centric company so it remains to be seen if these titles will no take a back seat to Android development. Buying the company might not be only about Android though. Google have been rumoured to be looking to start their own social or social gaming network and their aquisition of social media company Slide seems to support that.

As yet there’s no info on how much cash the big G plunked down the company, but it received $250k of funding in 2009.

Here’s the quote from the Social Deck home page.

SocialDeck is joining Google!

Big news! We’re super excited to announce that someone found our social games as fun as you have — in this case, that “someone” is Google. SocialDeck has been acquired and we’ve joined the Google team.

We started this company with the goal of connecting friends through social games on all kinds of exciting mobile devices. We’ve been amazed and humbled by all the stories and experiences our customers (you!) have shared with us.

Thank you for all your support and for being part of SocialDeck’s success so far.

Happy Shaking!

– The SocialDeck Team

The graph from Androlib shows a healthy looking curve; the kind that will no doubt make Google deliriously happy. To compare Apples to Androids, it was almost a year ago that the App Store was reporting 85,000 apps.

Of course the real, and unanswered question is how many of these apps have at least a handful of regular users. Beyond a certain point, the growth of apps available becomes irrelevant and app developers are forced to concentrate on quality to make their ToDo list app stand apart from the 58 others. Maybe 100,000 active applications will be the tipping point where app quality becomes driving factor for developers rather than being the first to the party.

Bendroid, the development team behind the hugely popular Mystique series of games, have announced the release of their latest Andriod game, CarWash 3D. Car Wash 3D is a similar concept to the flight control style games where instead of guiding a number of aircraft to land safely, you have to try and guide a number of cars through a car wash without them crashing into either one another or the scenery.

Here’s the description from the official market:

CarWash 3D is the world’s most challenging game created just for you. Touch and guide cars directly into the car wash and avoid being hit! Remember, you need to wash every car, otherwise you are OUT OF BUSINESS!!!

Featuring:

- Incredibly simple, but amazingly engaging.

- Beautiful 3D graphics.

- 3 unique locations.

- More than 10 various vehicles.

- Local and Global highscores.

- WARNING: Insanely addictive gameplay.

As well as announcing the game’s release, Bendroid have also announced that, for the first few weeks, there will be a little competition running: the player with the highest score across the three online leaderboards will win a Verizon DROID.

We’ll take CarWash 3D for a spin and will have a review for you next week.

More details can be found here.