MANILA, Philippines – There is a new kid in the mobile communications block and already, it is shaking things up.
Welcome to the age of the tablet computer, or simply, the tablet. A cross between laptops and smartphones, tablets are portable personal computers in one compact casing, controllable and programmable through their wide touch screens.
It all started with the huge success of Apple’s iPad which was launched in April this year. Apple sold 300,000 iPads in its first week and by yearend the number of iPad users is expected to hit over seven million. With other manufacturers joining the fray, tablets are bound to become even more visible in homes, schools, offices, coffee shops and malls.
Here in the Philippines, Smart Communications Inc. is adding momentum to the tablet wave by introducing the Samsung Galaxy Tab this month.
This seven-inch tablet not only works as a portable computer, but also functions as a mobile phone. The Galaxy Tab is creating its own buzz — recent reports say Samsung has sold more than 600,000 of its tablets worldwide in its first month.
By bundling the Galaxy Tab with unlimited data plans, Smart is the first operator in the country to offer a tablet that is fully supported by an extensive mobile network and data services.
“As an introductory package, we are offering it free at Unlimited Data Plan 2000, inclusive of free voice call minutes and SMS,” said Danilo Mojica, head of Smart’s wireless consumer division.
“You can get that great offer only at our 12 Thrills of Christmas series of events this holiday season, with the next one happening from Dec. 3 to 5 at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell,” he added.
Under the regular offer, the Galaxy Tab comes free with the Unlimited Data Plan 3000 and up. Other Unlimited Data Plan options include Plans 1500 and 2000 (cash-out required to get the Galaxy Tab).
With these plans, Galaxy Tab users can connect to the Internet with Smart’s “nationwidest” signal, with or without a Wi-Fi signal.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is a compact Android-based tablet computer and mobile phone that can be customized with downloadable applications. It comes with two cameras, one at the back for taking three-megapixel photos and one in front for video calling.
It is slim and lightweight at 385 grams yet it is packed with features such as a browser with flash support, integrated e-mail, IM and calendar accounts, Full HD video player and recorder, music player, e-reader, and ThinkFree for document viewing and editing where users can access and do basic editing of Windows Office documents like Word and PowerPoint. And because it has USB connectivity, transferring of files to the device is simple and fast.
“Devices like the Galaxy Tab highlight the fundamental shift now taking place in the mobile phone business,” said Smart spokesman Ramon Isberto.
“Before, our handsets were basically telephones that can call and text, including some which can also access the Internet. The Galaxy Tab and the various smartphones now entering the market have a very different DNA. These aren’t just phones, they are actually handy computers specifically designed to work with the Internet in a mobile context. By the way, you can also use these to call people,” he added.
Tablets can be easily programmed to handle a wide range of different services by downloading small packets of software called applications, or “apps.”
Apps enable the tablet user to access data from the Internet in small bites, which make it particularly suited for mobile use. The Galaxy Tab runs on Android version 2.2 and will thus be able to access the Android apps store, which now offers more than 125,000 applications.
“The tablet will further reinforce the shift to data-centric services that require much more bandwidth than voice calls and SMS. Anticipating that, PLDT and Smart have continued to invest heavily in its data infrastructure,” Isberto said.
In 2010, the PLDT Group’s capital expenditures are expected to reach over P26 billion. A similar amount of capex has been budgeted for next year.