The 16GB tablet, with a 7-in. screen, focuses on home entertainment, with its Peel Smart Remote TV application that allows users to tap on the screen to quickly find and watch TV shows on any manufacturer's TV or home entertainment system, Samsung said in a statement Friday.
Built-in infrared in the device allows users to control a home theater and TV setup. No other hardware or cables are required to control TV functions, Samsung said. The Peel remote app controls any home entertainment system regardless of manufacturer.
In addition to controlling any DVD, TV, set-top box, or Blu-Ray player, the 7.0 Plus will also connect users to and to share information about what is being watched. Peel's vision is "eliminating the barriers between you and your favorite shows," said Greg Lindley, chief experience officer for Peel.
The device runs a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and Honeycomb, also known as Android 3.2. It is .39-inches thick and weighs 12.1 ounces.
Samsung has a full line of tablets with either Wi-Fi-only or both cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity. According to Samsung's Web site, the Plus device features both cellular (HSPA+21 and EDGE/GPRS) and Wi-Fi capabilities. Samsung didn't say which U.S. wireless carriers will support the cellular service.
The original , announced in September 2010, ran Android 2.2 and upgraded to version 2.3, starting in May of 2011. It also had a 7-in. touchscreen, but was slightly heavier and had only a 1 GHz processor.
Sales of the Plus will be nationwide on Nov. 13 at Best Buy, Amazon, Tiger Direct, Fry's and other outlets, with pre-orders beginning Oct. 23, Samsung said.
The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at or subscribe to . His e-mail address is .
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