Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 13, 1969 |
| Headquarters | Suwon , South Korea |
| Products | Smartphones, tablets, televisions, semiconductors |
| Website | www |
Template:Infobox information appliance
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 is a tablet computer powered by the Android platform, developed and produced by Samsung Electronics. It was unveiled on March 22, 2011, during the Samsung Unpacked event held at the CTIA wireless conference in Orlando.[1] This device belongs to the Samsung Galaxy Tab lineup and is equipped with an 8.9-inch display alongside a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor clocked at 1 GHz.
History
Alongside the launch of the redesigned, slimmer Galaxy Tab 10.1 model at the Samsung Unpacked event during the CTIA Wireless convention in March 2011, Samsung introduced the new Galaxy Tab 8.9 variant. This model shares a similar form factor, design, and specifications with the larger version, differing primarily in its screen size.[2] The Galaxy Tab 8.9 officially became available on October 2, 2011.
Software
The Galaxy Tab 8.9 operates on Android 3.1 Honeycomb and incorporates a customized TouchWiz interface.
Update
In August 2012, Samsung released the Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Galaxy Tab 8.9 as well as the Galaxy Tab 10.1, making it available to users in Italy, the UK, and the United States.
Samsung initiated an over-the-air rollout of the refreshed TouchWiz UX interface,[3] which includes:
- L!ve Panels: A collection of customizable widgets and panels that enhance Honeycomb by providing additional content such as weather updates and calendar features. These elements can be resized according to a grid layout.[4]
- Mini Apps Tray: A supplementary dock bar designed to offer quick access to frequently used applications.
- Social Hub: A unified messaging platform that consolidates social interactions by merging inboxes and timelines from services such as Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, among others, organizing them into "Feeds" for updates and "Messages" for communications.
- Reader's Hub: An e-book marketplace enabling users to download digital books onto the Galaxy Tab. Samsung states it provides access to approximately two million books, 2,000 newspapers in 49 languages, and 2,300 magazines across 22 languages; this service is limited to the US market.
- Media Hub: A video on demand platform available exclusively in the United States.
- Music Hub: A music streaming service accessible in the US and Australia.
Hardware
Equipped with a dual-core processor running at 1 GHz and supported by 1 GB of RAM, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 also features a three-axis InvenSense MPU-3050 gyroscope.[5][6]
Consistent with other Honeycomb tablets, physical buttons are minimized; typical Android buttons such as Home, Menu, Back, and Search are integrated into the notification and menu bars. The device only includes physical controls for Power, Volume Up, and Volume Down.
The Galaxy Tab 8.9 incorporates stereo speakers positioned on either side of the device, while its counterpart, the 10.1 model, places speakers along the bottom edge.[7]
Charging and data transfer utilize Samsung’s proprietary PDMI-like connector interface on this tablet. Additionally, a detachable keyboard dock is available for the 8.9 model via a separate slot; this dock is also compatible with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 without requiring a connector.
All variants come equipped with a front-facing camera of 2 MP and a rear camera of 3 MP, reflecting a reduction in size compared to previous versions.
Connectivity options include support for 4G networks as well as dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n antennas capable of operating on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies.
In June 2011, Samsung introduced a USB host adapter that connects through the tablet's 30-pin dock port, enabling compatibility with USB peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and flash drives.[8]
Reviews
The product received varied feedback upon release. According to CNET, it "delivers the complete Android Honeycomb tablet experience enhanced by Samsung's practical customizations within a compact frame. The 8.9-inch tablet avoids the awkward size gap found in 7-inch tablets (including the original Tab) and is sufficiently large to display Web pages and documents at life-size scale."
Apple patent lawsuit
Samsung's Galaxy Tab has been targeted by Apple in multiple patent and design infringement legal actions. Apple has also filed similar intellectual property claims against other companies such as Motorola Mobility (MMI) and HTC.
These allegations led to injunctions that halted the Galaxy Tab's sales in Australia, causing the cancellation of its launch there. Samsung voluntarily refrained from selling the tablet in Australia pending legal outcomes, resulting in no official availability, though a grey import market persists. The core of Apple's complaint involves infringement of input gestures like pinching, which Apple asserts violate their patents.
On 10 August 2011, a German court issued a preliminary injunction banning the sale of the Galaxy Tab 8.9 across the European Union, except for the Netherlands where separate proceedings were ongoing. Samsung faced accusations of infringing ten distinct Apple patents related to data transmission and wireless communication technology; however, the injunction was primarily based on an alleged violation of one of Apple's registered community design rights connected to the iPad 2. Following this decision, customs authorities throughout the EU seized incoming shipments of the device, effectively restricting its entry into major European markets, and online retailer Amazon.co.uk removed it from their listings. Samsung stated it had not been formally notified about Apple's request to halt sales. In response, Samsung filed counterclaims both domestically in South Korea and internationally in Japan, the United States, and Germany.
An investigation reported by Dutch magazine Webwereld revealed discrepancies in evidence submitted by Apple to the German court. The images presented depicted a Galaxy Tab with dimensions closer to Apple's device than accurate and showed signs of digital alteration such as removal of the Samsung logo. Furthermore, Apple's submission contrasted Samsung’s application drawer interface with the iPad's home screen layout, potentially misleading comparisons of user interfaces.
By 16 August, part of the injunction was lifted on grounds that the court might lack jurisdiction to enforce a Europe-wide ban; thus, restrictions would apply only within Germany. Subsequently, on 9 September, a German court upheld the ban on Galaxy Tab sales within Germany due to design infringement claims—a ruling Samsung planned to appeal. This decision impacted only Germany and did not prevent continued sales there; it was described as having minimal practical effect on Samsung.
In Australia, Federal Court Justice Anabelle Bennett granted Apple an injunction on 12 October preventing Samsung from selling its Galaxy Tab series, including the then-upcoming 8.9 model, until the dispute was resolved or another court order was issued. Despite this, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 became accessible through online marketplaces and auction platforms. On 30 November, however, the Federal Court overturned this injunction.
Following this reversal on 3 December 2011, Samsung Electronics was authorized to market its newest Galaxy tablets in Australia, including the Galaxy Tab 8.9. The ongoing legal conflict between Apple and Samsung spans approximately twenty lawsuits across nine countries such as the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Sales prohibition
On June 26, 2012, District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, approved Apple's motion for a preliminary injunction that prohibited the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Tab series within the United States. This restriction was conditional upon Apple posting a $2.6 million bond to cover potential damages Samsung might incur if the injunction was subsequently deemed unjustified. The restriction on sales was eventually revoked on October 1, 2012.
See also
- Comparison of tablet computers
- Acer Iconia
- Asus Eee
- Google Nexus 7
- Motorola Xyboard
- T-Mobile G-Slate
References
- ↑ Samsung Mobile "Galaxy Tab Press Release", Samsung Mobile Press, 13 February 2011, accessed 6 April 2011.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Cha, Bonnie "Samsung TouchWiz UX for tablets hands-on", "ZDNET", 23 March 2011, accessed 12 April 2011.
- ↑ "Explanation and Examination of TouchWiz UX aka TouchWiz 4.0", "GalaxyTabs.com", 23 March 2011, accessed 12 April 2011.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ "Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 hands-on", "Engadget", 23 March 2011, accessed 12 April 2011.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).