Samsung has made a habit recently of taking a new technology and distilling it down to its sleekest, lightest and most powerful form - witness the wonder that is the Galaxy S2 smartphone - but the company has outdone itself with the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Although it shares the same processor as a number of current tablets, it's lighter and thinner than any other 10in tablet, and lasts for over ten hours playing video.
The smart design, with rounded edges and a soft, two-tone finish on the case, reminded us a lot of HTC's Desire smartphone. It's clean and minimal, with only power and volume controls and a headphone socket arranged along the top edge of the case. Android 3.1 incorporates the main Android controls - Home, Back, Menu and Search - into the operating system, so there aren't even any buttons on the fascia.
Android 3.1's multiple home screens are customisable with widgets and shortcuts, and Samsung's added an extra row of apps that can be accessed from the taskbar from within any app. As usual Samsung has replaced many of Android standard apps, such as the clock and Gallery, with inferior copies, and its icons and widgets are more garish than the standard fare. The beauty of Android lies in the variety and choice of apps in the market, however, so these are easily replaced. With a choice of a model with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage, there should be plenty of room for new apps; however, be aware that there's no memory card slot for adding more storage later.
Samsung has opted for its own IPS technology, called Super PLS, to power the 1,280x800 screen, and it's incredibly bright and sharp, with excellent viewing angles. The glossy finish on the screen makes it hard to read in bright sunlight, however, and without an oleophobic coating the screen picks up smudges easily. It's ideal for watching HD video content, where the high resolution and pixel density make the most of the footage, and the two small side speakers put out a clear sound with a good surround effect. They aren't amazingly loud, but they're more than adequate for watching a movie on your own.