Samsung confirmed Friday that another in its line of tablet computers, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, will sell for $399.99 starting Nov. 13 at many U.S. retailers.
The 16GB tablet, with a 7-inch screen, focuses on home entertainment, with its Peel Smart Remote TV application that allows users to tap on the screen to quickly find and watch TV shows on any manufacturer's TV or home entertainment system, Samsung said in a statement Friday.
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The device's built-in infrared allows users to control a home theater and TV setup. No other hardware or cables are required to control TV functions, Samsung said. The Peel remote app controls any home entertainment system regardless of manufacturer.
In addition to controlling any DVD, TV, set-top box, or Blu-ray player, the 7.0 Plus will also connect users to Facebook and Twitter to share information about what is being watched. Peel's vision is "eliminating the barriers between you and your favorite shows," said Greg Lindley, chief experience officer for Peel.
The device runs on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and Android "Honeycomb," also known as Android 3.2. It is 0.39 inch thick and weighs 12.1 ounces.
Samsung has a full line of tablets with either Wi-Fi-only or both cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity. According to Samsung's website, the Plus device features both cellular (HSPA+21 and EDGE/GPRS) and Wi-Fi capabilities. Samsung didn't say which U.S. wireless carriers will support the cellular service.
The original Galaxy Tab, announced in September 2010, ran Android 2.2 and upgraded to version 2.3, starting in May of 2011. It also had a 7-inch touchscreen, but was slightly heavier and had only a 1GHz processor.
Sales of the Plus will be nationwide on Nov. 13 at Best Buy, Amazon, Tiger Direct, Fry's, and other outlets, with pre-orders beginning Oct. 23, Samsung said.
Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed. His email address is mhamblen@computerworld.com.
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This story, "Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to ship Nov. 13 for $400" was originally published by Computerworld.