Just a couple months ago, Geek.com took a look at how Samsung’s refreshed Galaxy Tab 2 stacked up against the Kindle Fire. The short version: quite well, offering comparable power and performance while adding cameras, Android 4.0 ICS, and access to all the apps available in the Google Play marketplace.
One key wildcard was its price. Without getting close to that Kindle Fire‘s $199 price tag, the 7-inch Galaxy Tab 2 may not have stood a chance. Samsung was clearly aware that they needed to be aggressive, and they’ve now announced it will sell for just $249.
That extra $50 gets you quite a few nice bonuses. The Galaxy Tab 2 offers a serviceable 3MP rear camera and VGA front camera for video calling. It’s also not limited to the 8GB of built-in storage it ships with as the Kindle Fire is, since Samsung has provided a microSD expansion slot.
The Galaxy Tab 2 also packs a full 1GB of RAM, weighs 70 grams less than the Kindle Fire, and offers an IR transmitter that allows the tablet to be used as a remote with Samsung’s smart TVs. The most important difference, of course, may be the fact that users will have access to Google Play. Amazon’s Appstore does offer plenty of good apps and games now, but it can’t compete with the sheer number available in Google’s shop.
Samsung’s decision to price the Galaxy Tab 2 could also have something to do with the impending Google/Asus tablet, which has been rumored to be launching at the near-unbelievable price of $150. Nothing official has been announced, of course — not even the existence of the Nexus tablet.
More at The Verge
