Samsung Electronics and Nvidia yesterday announced the successor of the Galaxy Tab, dubbed the Galaxy Tab 10.1, at the World Mobile Congress, underway in Barcelona, Spain. 

 

As it name suggests, the device boasts a 10.1" WXGA (1280 x 800 resolution) TFT LCD display, making it much larger than the current model’s 7" screen. Just like Motorola’s Xoom tablet it will be powered by Nvidia’s powerful Tegra 2 mobile processor and operate on Android 3.0 (also known as Honeycomb).

 

Nvidia’s Tegra 2 chip, featuring a dual-core CPU as well as a GeForce graphics processing unit (GPU), enables faster web browsing and overall better performance. It also allows for better and smoother operations within the Honeycomb OS, as Android 3.0 is the first GPU-accelerated user interface designed for tablets and other larger-screen devices.

 

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 will feature 16 GB or 32 GB internal storage capacity, a rear-facing eight megapixel camera able to capture 1080p HD video, as well as a front-facing two megapixel camera. The bigger (246.2 x 170.4 x 10.9 mm, under 600 g) new tablet also boasts HSPA+ 21Mbps connectivity, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11n, gyroscope, accelerometer and digital compass.

 

“Our first GALAXY Tab successfully defined a new generation of Android tablets,” said Hyungmoon Noh, VP of R&D Strategy Group, at Samsung. “We’ve worked closely with NVIDIA to raise the stakes again. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, with Honeycomb and Tegra 2, provide the optimal entertainment and multimedia experience without compromising mobility Samsung is known for.”

 

“Samsung’s latest tablet with the Tegra 2 mobile super chip and Honeycomb is a great example of what we’ve come to expect from one of the world’s most innovative companies,” said Michael Rayfield, general manager of the Mobile business at Nvidia.

 

The two companies also partnered up to showcase the forthcoming Galaxy S II Android 2.3-powered smartphone.