You can still get Galaxy Tab 10.1 early, but hurry
I just called the Best Buy Union Square, which is selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 nine days before the official launch. There are still 10.1s in stock, but one sales associated said to "hurry." The New York store started selling the tablet a few hours ago. If you live in NYC and can't wait, don't hesitate.
I called and spoke to two different sales associates. Neither would give an exact number of Tabs received for sale, but both indicated a fairly large number -- at least in the hundreds, based on indirect answers to my questions.
"There was a five-hour line," said one sales associate, referring to when she saw people lining up (6 a.m. ET).
Samsung announced the "limited quantity" sale of Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi models. You're a lucky sod, if an Android fan and living in the New York metro area. If you got a Tab 10.1 today, and would like to review it for Betanews, please contact me right away: joe at betanews dot com. I'll be doing my own review. I received the 16GB Wi-Fi model yesterday. My initial reaction is negative, and I'll explain why in my first impressions review coming as early as today.
Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in February, putting the tablet through kind of a makeover after Apple announced iPad 2. Meanwhile, Google made a graceful pullback with Android 3 "Honeycomb," claiming in late March that it wasn't ready, even though the mobile operating had already shipped on the Motorola XOOM. Galaxy Tab 10.1 will ship with Android 3.1, which Google says is ready for the masses.
Tab 10.1 specs: 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1280 x 800 resolution; 1GHz dual-core processor; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage; 3-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and 2-megapixel front-facing camera; 720p video recording; 1080p video placback (at 30 frames per second); WiFi N; Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR; accelerometer; ambient light sensor; digital compass; gyroscope; and Android 3.1 "Honeycomb."
By comparison, iPad packs: 9.7-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1024 x 768 resolution; 1GHz dual-core processor; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage; rear-facing and front-facing cameras (Apple won't reveal megapixels); 720p video recording; 720p video playback; WiFi N; Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR; accelerometer; ambient light sensor; digital compass; gyroscope; and iOS 4.3.
A correction: Samsung's most-recent press material about the Galaxy Tab 10.1 says there is a MicroSD slot. I included the slot in previous configuration information. I couldn't find MicroSD slot on my tablet.
Besides the NYC sale, retailers started taking preorders today. The 16GB model is $499.99 and 32GB Tab is $599.99.