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Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 4G; this little Android tablet frames sweet spot between usability and portability. While Apple’s iPhone is a one-size-fits-all solution to ensure flexibility, Android tablets in all shapes and sizes. Because while I suspect that 7-inch form factor would be the perfect mobile companion, but I was underwhelmed by the original Galaxy Tab and the Acer A100. In both cases, I felt there were better things around the corner. We could use a corner with the petite Samsung 4G Galaxy Tab 8.9 years old has become.

As the name suggests, SGT 8.9 4G sports a 8.9-inch screen. They are the victims almost an inch on the iPad, but as they say, it’s not how many inches you have, but what you do with them. The SGT 8.9 4G does not feel like a compromise, and certainly do not feel cramped as the 7-inch Android tablets. It is elegant and functional – only 8.6 mm thick and weighing only 458 g tipping As such, it sits very comfortably in the hand. Position of the volume and power buttons at the top of the tray makes it easy to use, less cumbersome than the Motorola Xoom II.

The name suggests, including SGT 8.9 4G customers claim to fame – Access to Telstra LTE mobile broadband networks. It is the first tablet on the boards of the Australian Telstra has 1800 MHz LTE networks iPad 3 supports only work on 700 and 2100 MHz LTE. There were many complaints about the fact that the Australian iPad not 3-owners, no love, LTE, but not the new iPad DC-HSDPA support too shabby to get. I do not want too much detail LTE performance in time that I covered in detail last week. However, I would say that an impressive 55 Mbps download SGT 4G 8.9 clocked, but were not consistent.

Australians will be $ 720 16 GB model directly to the Wi-Fi/4G too, making it only marginally more expensive than a comparable $ 679 iPad 3 model. There must also be a 32GB model for $ 840. The tablet is an exclusive Telstra and you also get from Telstra on a plan of $ 49 p / m with 1 GB of data. Remember this is a quadband tablet and it only supports 850/2100 MHz 3G network, so you are not a good result if you slip in a non-Telstra SIM.

It is unfortunate that Samsung has no Wi-Fi model only in Australia to offer, because if you could get to about $ 500 I would be a serious competitor iPad thinking. Samsung offers Wi-Fi only 8.9-inch models in the U.S. for $ US469, so you would probably get one delivered for less than $ AU550. You can also use local importers such as Mobi-city.

The SGT 8.9 4G is a pleasure to hold, but it is also a pleasure to use thanks to the sharp 1280×800 LCD PLS. LCD vs AMOLED a matter of personal taste, but AMOLED colors are a bit too saturated for my taste and I find it difficult to bluish tint in white (although some are better than others) to ignore. You’ll get used to it after a while, I probably notice more because I spend most of their time staring at LCD iGadgets.

Like my preference for 4G 8.9 LCD screen means that I am SGT. It is sharper than the iPhone 2, but lower than that of the retina display on the third new iPad It also provides a good viewing angle, good contrast and the whites white embossed with outdoor glare. What is disappointing is that there are no signs of micro-HDMI, mini-USB and Micro SD slot. You can use different adapters for their own 30-pin connector from Samsung (which of course drives the price), but the lack of micro-SD, you are stuck with the integrated memory limit.

Losing the plug feels like you throw in some of the major strengths of the Android iPhone, but I think the price to pay for such a slim design.

On the inside of the tablet packs a 1.5 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core performance with 1 GB RAM, which generally seem equal to the task, even though the browser may feel a bit slow at times. It is, if it is worth noting that the ships 4G 8.9 to 3.2 instead of 4.0 Honeycomb Ice Cream Sandwich is SGT. An ICS update from Samsung later this year and it solves this problem.

Some Android fans are furious about the fact that they do not come with ICS tablet. I understand their frustration, but I can not see it as a deal-breaker, because there is an update on the road. Android diehards tablet is to root and just install their own taste ICS, so they should not fear that they will not come out of the box with ICS.

Android Honeycomb with beginners and enough for now, is a much better user experience than Android 2 at the beginning of the tablets did. They also enjoy the selection of Samsung and Telstra bloatware, uh, I mean, a little extra. Sony combines music, Reader, and social hubs, while Telstra adds music, games, TV and the ability to subscribe to the Mobile Foxtel.

iPad a smart pill, but the weakness is Apple’s one-size-fits-all approach. It is this weakness that Samsung used with great 4G Galaxy Tab 8.9. LTE is the icing on the cake, and should this tablet on Android tablet list for customers who have a lot of time trying to get on the road.

See larger image Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 4G (Personal Computers) List Price: $529.99 USD New From: $399.99 In Stock Used from: $208.00 In Stock