Toshiba, Samsung Roll Out Android Wi-Fi Tablets

By Doug Olenick On Apr 23 2012 - 4:01am

NEW YORK – Toshiba rolled out three new tablets, including the industry’s first 13.3-inch tablet, while Samsung Mobile launched two Galaxy Tab 2 tablets and two Galaxy Player portable media players (PMP).

All are Android-based devices incorporating Wi-Fi but no cellular.

With the launch of its three tablets, Toshiba is retiring the Thrive sub-brand in favor of the Excite sub-brand.

Toshiba is positioning its 13.3-inch Excite 13 as a carry-about home mediaconsumption device that people can easily share, said Young Bae, Toshiba’s product marketing manager.

The Excite 13 ships in June at suggested retails of $649 for the 32GB model and $749 for the 64GB version.

The Excite 13 features Android 4.0, Nvidia Tegra 3 processor with GeForce graphics, 1GB of RAM, 1,600 by 900 LED-backlit display, MicroUSB and MicroHDMI ports, a full-size SD card slot and a four-speaker system with SRS sound.

The Excite 13 weighs 2.2 pounds and is 0.4 inches thick. Battery life is expected to be about 13 hours.

Toshiba also introduced the Excite 10 and Excite 7.7.

The 10.1-inch Excite 10 will come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions with prices of $449, $529 and $649, respectively.

The Excite 10 features an Autobrite LED-backlit display and offers the same CPU, graphics processors, ports and external card slots as the Excite 13 but is 0.35 inches thick and weighs 1.32 pounds.

Toshiba’s Excite 7.7 comes with the same processor and feature set as its larger companions but features a smaller 7.7-inch screen. It will be available in a 16GB version for $499 and 32GB for $579. It has an AMOLED display.

For its part, Samsung Mobile introduced the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and 7.0 tablets and the Galaxy Player 4.2 and 3.6 PMPs.

The Tab 2 10.1 and 7.0 feature 10.1- and 7-inch displays, respectively. The 10.1 will be available for pre-order starting May 4 and will be in stores on May 13 at a suggested $399. The 7.0 is shipping at $249.

“We priced them aggressively in the market to make them as accessible as possible,” said Travis Merrill, Samsung’s marketing director for Galaxy products.

The Tabs ship with Android 4.0, 1GHz dual-core processor, front and rear cameras, MicroSD slot and a builtin IR blaster.

The 10.1 features 16GB of memory, front-facing speakers and HDMI compatibility. The 7.0 comes with 8GB of memory.

Since tablets are frequently used by consumers while watching TV, the new Tabs can also be used as a remote control by using Samsung’s Smart Remote app in conjunction with its IR blaster. They also offer a programming guide.

The Player 4.2 and 3.6 are part of Samsung’s ongoing effort to grab share in the portable, Wi-Fi-enabled music player market now dominated by the Apple iPod Touch.

The $199 Player 4.2 10.1 will be available for pre-order starting May 4 and will be in stores on May 13. The $149 Player 3.6 is already in stores.