Samsung isn’t just adding its TouchWiz software to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet — the company is also rolling out a line of accessories for the device. Samsung introduced the new accessories at an event in New York City today. Some, such as the keyboard dock, we’ve already seen. But there are a few new goodies as well.
First up, Samsung will offer optional accessories that allow you to connect an SD card or USB device to the tablet. While some competitors’ devices such as the Toshiba Thrive have full-sized SD card slots and USB ports built into the tablet, the Galaxy Tab does not.
So if you want to copy photos from a camera or plug in a keyboard or mouse you’re going to need one of these dongles, priced at around $20 to $30.
There’s also a $40 HDMI adapter. Like the USB and SD card adapters, this plugs into the docking port at the bottom of the tablet. It allows you to stream HD video and audio from the Tab to a television or monitor.
For $50 you can pick up a Multimedia Dock… which isn’t really all that useful unless you also purchase the HDMI adapter. That’s because the dock has a 3.5mm headphone hack, but that’s about it. If you want to send video to an external display you’ll have to connect the HDMI adapter, which brings the total price for this accessory pack to $90.
In addition to the keyboard dock, Samsung offers a premium case with a Bluetooth keyboard. The advantages to this solution are that you get a little more protection for your tablet and you can adjust the screen angle — the keyboard dock isn’t adjustable at all. On the other hand, the keyboard dock runs $70, while the keyboard/case will cost you $150.
There’s also a premium hard cover case for $60 or a less expensive $30 leather slip cover.
Finally, Samsung is offering a capacitive stylus for $20 that allows you to draw or make handwritten notes on the display without using your pudgy fingertip.
Wait, doesn’t the Galaxy Tab already have a headphone jack? What does the $50 “Multimedia Dock” do that a $3 document holder doesn’t?
Take $47 out of your wallet.
Fair enough. Never thought I’d see as cynical an assortment of accessories as when I stupidly bought an Archos 5 jukebox, but Samsung has risen to the task.
It probably wouldn’t bug me if they didn’t call it a multimedia dock. The Google Nexus One dock really just has a headphone jack too, but it’s just called a dock, not a multimedia dock. It also costs less than $50.
Thise adapters are sweet.  They mostly eliminate the disadvantages that the Galaxy tabs had when compared to some of its competitors.
I wonder if the not yet released Galaxy Players will work with these adapters as well.
Well you mention specifically, the Tab 10.1. Does this mean the adapter doesn’t work with the 7″ tab?
The port is the same on both tablets, but I haven’t seen confirmation yet that these will work on the Tab 7 or any upcoming devices.