Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) is now available for purchase in the US. You can grab one from Amazon for $249.99, or you can save a buck by ordering the 7 inch Android tablet from Abe’s of Maine for $249.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0)

The tablet features a 7 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display, a 1 GHz dual core processor, 8GB of storage, and Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich software. It has front and rear cameras,  802.11n WiFi, and Bluetooth 3.0.

Samsung’s new tablet is a little more expensive than the $199 Amazon Kindle Fire or 8GB Barnes & Noble NOOK Tablet. But neither of those tablets features cameras and both come with custom versions of Android based on Google Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

You can hack either the NOOK Tablet or Kindle Fire to run Android 4.0, but you don’t have to void your warranty to run Google’s latest software on the Samsung tablet. It also comes with access to the Google Play Store.

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13 replies on “Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) now available for $250”

  2. this little guy might be a good choice for scholars and students if its build is sturdy enough to be carried all day in a school bag. its affordable and able to run most android productivity apps from the play store with a form factor that fits. For school use sd card support is a big plus as wel as bluetooth to operate a keyboard if needed.

  3. The main selling point for me is the GPS which AFAIK both the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire lack. That’s worth the extra $50 itself.

  4. Much happier with my 7 Plus, and recommended a Kindle Fire for my wife over this. Keep in mind that the CPU in the Tab 2 is not only 200MHz slower, it is also not an Exynos CPU, it is a TI OMAP CPU.

    I’m sure it is a nice device, and it is a lot less expensive than the 7 Plus (though, I managed to get the 32GB Plus for $380) but the Fire + Prime seems to be a killer combo for non-technical users IMHO.

    1.  Hey Fewt, zeo here, I wouldn’t say it’s that clear cut.

      For example, they may both be using the TI OMAP processor but the KF is a more stripped down tablet.  Not that the Tab 2 isn’t a reduced tablet too but it has more of the basics.

      Like the KF has fewer sensors and functions, like nothing but a power button, more limited motion sensors, no BT, only a headphone and USB/Charge port, no Mic, no Cameras, no GPS, half the RAM, and no memory card expansion options.

      So even if the KF wasn’t limited to the much smaller Amazon App Store it would still be unable to run all Android apps in any case.  Though of course it isn’t the only Android tablet with limited app compatibility but those limitations aren’t because of the TI OMAP processor.

      While many of the benefits of Amazon Prime is applicable to any device and not just the Kindle Fire, only a few features are unique to the KF and I would say none of them can’t be lived without, though that depends on the person.

      So any issue of a technical learning curve of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) would have to be balanced against its benefits of having native direct access to Google Play, being able to run a much greater number of apps, possible options of docks like the HDMI out that older Tab got gives it more potential than the Kindle Fire, the microSD slot means up to 32GB more on board storage capacity can be given, and it can be more easily customize.

      While Android 4 is a bit more user friendly than previous releases, and it could arguably take even more technical skill to get or at least technical friends to get Google Play installed on the KF and then figuring out which apps can and which apps can’t be run.

      Though for those who like Amazon services or just a want a ebook reader that only occasionally gets used as a tablet then there’s a stronger argument for the Kindle Fire.

      It all depends on what people really want to use it for and not just how easy it is to use.

      1. Thanks for the reply Zeo, hope you are doing well. 🙂

        She is a big Amazon consumer, and is mostly interested in their prime content which I didn’t think you could get for the other devices. 

        I guess I can check that one out, just to be sure before we buy.  I had checked the Amazon app store, and everything she was interested in like Pulse seemed to be there.

        The RAM was about the same, 8GB w/ 6GB available plus Amazon Cloud storage.  Yeah, you can’t upgrade the internal memory which could be a problem in the future.  I’m not sure if the Tab 2 can USB charge, I know my 7 Plus doesn’t like it at-all.  She also doesn’t seem to care to video chat etc so the cameras don’t really matter.  All things to take into consideration though before pulling the trigger.

        1. Yup, doing okay, thanks…

          On the memory, let’s not confuse the storage space with the RAM.  The Kindle Fire only has 512MB of RAM, the 8GB is the storage capacity.  While the Tab 2 has 1GB of RAM, which should help make up a bit for the CPU performance.

          Though, you could be right on the performance factor.

          Hard to say right now as it’ll be awhile before we can be sure of the Tab 2’s performance, though part of that would depend on the quality of software.

          The Kindle Fire OS is really just a customized version of Android, but also locked down and limited by the hardware.  Since most Android apps are made for Smart Phones, lack of certain features like certain sensors, GPS, and such, along with interconnect-ability or lack thereof for apps, limit what apps will work.

          The approach is a bit like Apple’s iOS with the walled garden experience.

          Otherwise those Amazon Kindle specific apps can be run on any other Android device, while apps like the Kindle Reader are offered on pretty much any device or PC.

          What they offer with the Kindle Fire is some enhancements to those services.  Basically a more premium version of the app and/or services. 

          While the Amazon Instant Video can be used by any device that supports Flash, or you can look up and follow the tutorial for installing the Kindle Fire app onto a regular Android tablet to access it much like the regular Android Youtube app.

          Though this won’t be the only budget tablet coming out.  It’ll just be a couple of months before we see others, including the Asus/Google Nexus Tablet.

          However, with the KF becoming even cheaper and possibly coming out with new models soon then it may become hard to wait.

          1. Sorry, I glossed over that you had said RAM. *DOH* 🙂

            You are certainly right, but the ease of use of the Fire may be the deciding factor.

          2.  True enough, at least we’re talking about a pretty low price range regardless.

            It was only a couple of years ago we’ve would have paid close to $400 for just the regular Kindle E-Ink eReader 😛

            Though, your wife could always just try it out, Amazon usually has a 30 day return policy.  Think you’ll just have to cover shipping if returned.  So see if it’s too limited or not for her…

  5. The cool thing about this tablet is you can install the Kindle app and the Nook app on it, without having to root it.

  6.  This device has cost reductions vs the prior model, the Galaty Tab 7 Plus. 
    – only 8 GB internal storage (16 GB or 32 GB on Tab 7 Plus)
    – no rear camera LED flash
    – plastic case (metal on the Tab 7 Plus)
    – dual core CPU is 200 MHz slower (this difference can be noticed on demanding apps)
    – build quality seems cheap

    To its credit, this model has a good implementation of Android 4.0 ICS (the 7 Plus has Honeycomb, for now).

    Reviews are mixed on whether the reduced quality is worth the price drop.

    Hopefully this product’s intro will also drop the price of refurbed Tab 7 Plus units.

    Regardless, this looks like a winner for Samsung.

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