IFA 2014: Samsung Introduces Galaxy Tab Active

by Serban Andreea · Published September 4, 2014 · Updated September 4, 2014

Samsung has made its biggest announcements yesterday, but the IFA Berlin Event still offers the best opportunity to reveal new devices and handsets. This morning, the Korean Manufacturer managed to sneak in another device, the Galaxy Tab Active, a ruggedized 8-inch tablet that is waterproof, and it is aimed primarily for enterprise users.

Touting a rugged design completed with the IP67 certification, Samsung’s new tablet is water and dust resistant. Besides this, the tablet displays an anti-shock casing that can easily tolerate a 1.2-meter drop, as well as extreme temperatures. The Active tablet also comes with a robust C-Pen stylus.

Out of the box, the Galaxy Tab Active runs Google’s Android 4.4 KitKat mobile operating system, which is completed with Samsung’s Knox Security software. It seems like Samsung has provided the tablet with enterprise-focused features such as barcode scanner and Hancell Office Suite.

Under the hard and resistant coating, the 8” WXGA (1280 x 800) TFT LCD is powered by a 1.2 GHz Quad-Core processor and 1.5 GB of RAM memory. The internal storage is quite modest, with 16 GB, but with the possibility for a microSD extension. The camera feature will present a 3.1 MP auto focus for the rear camera with flash included, and 1.2 MP for the front-facing camera.

Now, regarding the connectivity aspect, Galaxy Tab Active has a USB 2.0 High Speed port, BT 4.0 BLE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Near Field Communication, GPS and GLONASS. It is worth mentioning the fact that Samsung’s new tablet gives users access to the accelerometer sensor and a light sensor.

Samsung also notes the fact that the 4,450 mAh removable battery makes the tablet last about 10 hours, and the C-Pen support is included as well. As far as the weight is concerned, we can say that the tablet is rather light. It has only 393 g for 126.2 x 213.1 x 9.75 mm in size.

Other than mentioning the quad-core processor, Samsung did not clarify exactly what kind of processor the new tablet sports. Judging by the 1.5 RAM memory, the handset is clearly a mid-range device.

Allegedly, Samsung says it worked closely with a range of Fortune 500 firms, which advisory group workshop helped them gather information regarding the tablets’ design and capability. There is no word about pricing or availability, but we might expect it later this year.