Good morning from Samsung’s CTIA 2011 Mobile Unpacked event. The company has not been shy about throwing its “78910″ event tagline around, so we think we know what we’re getting ourselves into. We’re expecting to see a new, 8.9-inch, Galaxy Tab tablet officially welcomed into the Samsung portfolio. We’re also hoping to get a U.S. release date for the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which was announced last month at Mobile World Congress. Will there be any surprises? A new 7-inch Galaxy Tab? Galaxy S II Mini? Hit the jump to follow our live coverage.
10:50AM:Alright, we're in our seats. The event should begin in roughly 10 minutes. We'll be back with updates then!
11:00AM:Lights are down, here we go.
11:02AM:Kim Titus is on stage
11:03AM:"Today, we invite you to this event to gain insight into Samsung's Tab life."
11:04AM:JK Shin, is now onstage. "I was here just a month ago at Mobile World Congress, in that time Samsung has created some surprises to show you today."
11:05AM:"According to consumer research, people expect different experience for different screen sizes. Today, we will introduce two new tablets into our Tab family. They will delivery the best experience and satisfy consumers of every lifestyle."
11:06AM:"Now I invite you to sit-back and enjoy our unpacked event, and prepare to be surprised."
11:06AM:Mr. Shin has left the stage. Kim Titus is back and has introduces Omar Kahn.
11:07AM:
11:08AM:"Samsung is striving to releasing products that are successors to the Galaxy Tab"family. We consider what fits consumers and business users the best? What is the best size? We're about delivering products that fit out consumers unique needs."
11:09AM:
11:10AM:We're seeing a video narrative about why certain users love their Galaxy Tab.
11:13AM:We're back. Omar Khan: "With the Galaxy Tab 10.1, we went back to the drawing board to create the thinnest and lightest tablet. So without further ado, the new and improved Galaxy Tab 10.1"
11:13AM:"The improved tablet is as thin as the Galaxy S II smartphone."
11:15AM:Specs: 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, HSPA+ with LTE models on the forizon. 8.6 millimeters thick. Thinnest in market. 595 grams, lightest 10-inch tablet in market. Added an easy-grip material to the back. High definition PLS display. 6800mAh battery for 10 hours of use.
11:16AM:"We will full support 4G connectivity."
11:16AM:"TouchWiz 4.0 UX is designed specifically for Android 3.0."
11:18AM:We will be announcing more about TouchWiz 4.0 soon, so stay tuned.
11:19AM:Nick DiCarlo is now on stage.
11:20AM:Nick is talking Video Hub: DLNA support, Flash 10.2, Music tracks, 1080p video playback, all integrated.
11:21AM:"The Galaxy Tabs are ready for business. They will be the most enterprise friendly tablets on the market."
11:22AM:Hardware-based encryption, Cisco AnyConnect support, QuickOffice pre-installed.
11:24AM:Samsung has a few accessories, including the Samsung Stick, a Bluetooth microphone that can be carried in a pocket like a pen. A sound dock with powered subwoofer.
11:24AM:Nick is taking a seat, Omar is back up for "more surprises."
11:25AM:"We wanted to design a tablet for consumers looking for a little bit more mobility. So now, we're introducing the Galaxy Tab 8.9."
11:26AM:"All the functionality of the Tab 10.1 with more mobility."
11:27AM:Specs: 8.6mm, 470grams, same display, dual-core processor, 6000mAh battery with 10 hour life.
11:28AM:"With Samsung it's all about choice. For me, I pick the 10.1 because I like watching my favorite movies and TV shows on the go. But we don't believe in the one-size fits all."
11:29AM:Pricing and availability of Tab 10.1: Wi-Fi 16GB and 32GB versions for $499 and $599 respectively.
11:29AM:Pricing and availability of Tab 8.9: Wi-Fi 16GB and 32GB versions for $469 and $569 respectively.
11:30AM:Release dates: Early summer for 8.9, June 6th for 10.1.
11:31AM:Wi-Fi only 16GB 8.9 Tab will retail for $469 and 32Gb will retail for $569.
11:32AM:Hmmm, we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way:
11:33AM:Wi-Fi only 16GB 8.9 Tab will retail for 469 dollars and 32Gb will retail for 569 dollars.
11:33AM:Wi-Fi only 16GB 10.1 Tab will retail for 499 dollars and 32Gb will retail for 599 dollars.
11:34AM:That's it folks, Sammy just wrapped up. That was fast quick and dirty! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for our hands-on posts. Thanks for reading!
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