Samsung launches new Galaxy tablets

Samsung is expanding its line of Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Note tablets with new Pro models focused on multitasking and productivity, The Verge reported.


The new Galaxy TabPro will be available in three sizes — 8.4-inch, 10.1-inch, and 12.2-inch — while the Galaxy NotePro will only be available in the 12.2-inch size. All four tablets have 2560 x 1600 pixel displays, Android 4.4 KitKat, Wi-Fi and LTE options, and 8-megapixel rear cameras as well as 2-megapixel front cameras.


Samsung's goal with the new tablets is to better straddle the gap between a normal tablet and a laptop computer. The Galaxy NotePro and 12.2-inch Galaxy TabPro feature new four-pane multiwindow multitasking, while all of the tablets offer multiple layered pop-up windows for multitasking. The panes in the multiwindow system can be resized freely, and it's possible to open two instances of the same app at once to compare them side by side.


The new tablets feature Samsung's new home screen layout called Magazine UX. The layout offers tiles of apps and information that users can customize and configure. Three preset pages are offered by default, though users can customize up to five pages with apps and news widgets.


The whole system feels very similar to the LiveTile system in Windows 8.1 and is a bit more approachable for new users than the typical home screen. Ironically, the power users that Samsung is targeting with the Pro tablets will likely find the Magazine UX too constricting and limiting.