Galaxy Tab reaches ATT for 650

AT&T today became the last major US carrier to launch the Samsung Galaxy Tab (link active soon). The Android tablet will share the same seven-inch screen, 1GHz processor, dual cameras and built-in Flash support, although it will follow an iPad-style 3G activation model. Users can sign up for and start 3G service on the device itself and pay only for either 250MB or 2GB of data in a given month when needed.

Most of the software is the same we tried in our hands-on, although AT&T users will have free access to the carrier's Wi-Fi hotspots. The carrier is likely to have banned non-Market apps under claims of security concerns.

AT&T's version is notably the most expensive of the major carriers and costs $650 off-contract, or $50 more than those at Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and US Cellular. The company partly makes up for the premium by giving users a $50 credit to Samsung's Media Hub for renting movies. Stores should have the tablet November 21.

The difference may be attributable to the 3G plans, which at other carriers require signing up for recurring service where AT&T lets users start and stop at any point. It regardless prices the Galaxy Tab $20 above the larger and now months-old iPad.

By Electronista Staff