Hands on with Samsung's Galaxy Tab Tablet

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Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablet is an interesting piece of hardware crippled by the fact it mostly runs blown-out smartphone applications.

Thursday morning at the IFA show here in Berlin, I attended a Samsung press conference and watched one of the company's executives brandish its new Galaxy S tablet. It was intriguing. But I had a much better time that evening at the Showstoppers press event, where I was able to spend some time exploring the Tab for myself.
The Galaxy Tab I tried clearly wasn't a done deal: Its touch-screen froze for several minutes then began to work again, and its browser didn't seem to want to load anything except Google. It's too early to come to any firm conclusions, but I did discover aspects I liked (the basic form factor, some of the software) and problem areas (other software).
I didn't really understand how the Galaxy Tab's 7-inch screen really compares to the iPad's 9.7-inch one until I saw them both in one place at one time. The Tab is half the size of the iPad -- more like a mass-market paperback book than a magazine. (It looked a tad chunky to me, but that was an optical illusion -- the thicknesses of the two gadgets are close to identical. Samsung uses the real estate on the edge for two SIM slots and one for MicroSD cards.)
Galaxy Tab and iPad
The Tab's compact size and trim weight (13.8 ounces vs. the iPad's pound and a half) make it a device you're much more likely to hold with one hand in Kindle-esque fashion. In theory, at least, it should be easier to use than the iPad when you're on the go. (The promotional video Samsung showed us involved busy young professionals running around town with their Tabs.)
The tablet's screen looked nice: The resolution is lower than that of the iPad (1024-by-600 vs. 1024-by-768) but the dots per inch are higher. Except for the period when the touchscreen didn't work at all, it was quite fluid -- the tablet may not have felt quite as snappy as an iPad, but it was certainly sufficiently zippy.
How's its keyboard? I've learned that it's dangerous to come to any firm conclusions based on a brief test at a trade show, but it seems to be reasonably good. The Tab is too small for the pseudo-touch typing that the iPad permits, but the keyboard layout is similar, and the keys are big enough that you can tap them without having to aim your fingers too precisely. And if you hold the Tab in portrait orientation, you can thumb-type without too much trouble, as if the Tab were a giant BlackBerry.
Galaxy Tab Keyboard Landscape
Galaxy Tab Landscape Keyboard
As seen on the Galaxy Tab, Android 2.2 Froyo looks pretty darn familiar. There's lots that Samsung has either left unchanged or tweaked only slightly, including the desktop, the sliding tray of apps, the widgets, the status bar along the top, and the alerts you can drag down with your finger.
Galaxy Tab desktop
But the company has also redone several applications to make better use of the Tab's much-bigger-than-a-smartphone screen, including the calendar, the very iPad-like e-mail, and the music app.
Galaxy Tab Calendar
Galaxy Tab E-Mail
Galaxy Tab Music App
For e-reading, Samsung has licensed three different apps: PressDisplay for news, Kobo for e-books, and Zinio for magazines.
Galaxy Tab E-Reader
Zinio shows why the Tab's smallish screen isn't a good fit for every tablet purpose: The app is all about presenting magazines in their original form, but the Tab's display is so small that I couldn't read the text on pages shown in their entirety. And when I zoomed in, text was alarmingly grainy. (Zinio works much better on an iPad, where it's possible to read without zooming in and out.)
Galaxy Tab Reader
The Android Market app store is onboard the Tab: I downloaded and installed one piece of software (TIME's app). It ran as expected but didn't take advantage of the Tab's large screen-it looked like what it is, which is a stretched-out smartphone app rather than a tablet app.
Which brings me back to my biggest concern about the Galaxy Tab: It's an interesting piece of hardware, but it can't live up to its potential if it mostly runs blown-out smartphone applications. It wants programs that make use of its resolution and which incorporate interface elements which wouldn't make sense on a smartphone.
At Apple's Wednesday event, Steve Jobs said that there are now 25,000 iPad apps-ones that are tailored to the tablet. The best of them, such as Flipboard, are some of the most inventive software ever written. Even if the Galaxy Tab is a hit, it seems unlikely that it'll get vast quantities of applications built for it alone. It's going to take multiple popular Android tablets before third-party Android tablet apps have a shot at being even vaguely competitive with the iPad.
I hope that the Tab has lots of company before too long. For now, it looks like a decent first start...

22.11 by TRIMBIL · 0

Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. the iPad: Compare For Yourself

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The Android vs. Apple battle has officially made its way into the world of tablets.
Samsung took the wraps off its new Samsung Galaxy Tab Android tablet on Thursday. The Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch slate built to complete with the current tablet king, Apple's thus-far-unchallenged iPad.
Sure, there have been a couple other Android tablets on the market already (see Streak, Dell), but the Galaxy Tab is the first that truly qualifies as a contender.
*According to manufacturers' estimatesSo how exactly does Samsung's Galaxy Tab differ from the iPad? Check out this comparison chart for a side-by-side glimpse at the two devices' specs and see for yourself. (Click image to zoom.)
In a nutshell, the Galaxy Tab is smaller and lighter (though rumors suggest a couple of larger editions will debut before the year's end). It has the same speed processor but twice the RAM. Like the iPad, the Galaxy Tab comes with different options for internal storage. It also, however, supports up to 32GB of expandable storage; Apple's device is limited to the internal space only.
The Galaxy Tab has two cameras -- a rear-facing 3.2-megapixel camera and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chatting -- while the current models of the iPad have none. Samsung claims up to 7 hours of video playback for the Galaxy Tab; Apple says its iPad can last up to 10 hours.
In terms of software, the Galaxy Tab's Android 2.2 operating system gives the device a number of selling points Apple's iPad can't claim, including full-featured multitasking, support for Adobe Flash, and unrestricted access to applications (Apple is notorious for censoring all sorts of material -- ranging from political satire to swimsuit-clad women -- and also for banning apps that provide functions such as free tethering and customization of the operating system).
Samsung's Galaxy Tab is set to launch in Europe within the next few weeks, then in the U.S. shortly thereafter. Pricing and carrier information for the States is not yet available, though rumors suggest the Galaxy Tab could end up on Verizon.
JR Raphael is a PCWorld contributing editor and the author of the Android Power blog. You can find him on Facebook, on Twitter, or at eSarcasm, his geek-humor getaway.

22.11 by TRIMBIL · 0

Meet the Galaxy Tab

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Samsung debuted the Galaxy Tab on Thursday, a portable tablet computer that just might be the first significant challenger to Apple's iPad. The Galaxy Tab features a 7-inch multitouch display, rear- and front-facing cameras, 1Ghz processor, 1080p high-definition video playback, maximum 64GB storage and Android OS 2.2. The new tablet device will also come with 3G, Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity. Samsung says the Galaxy Tab is only the beginning of the company's foray into touch-based tablet devices.

Let's take a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

7-inch Display

The Samsung Galaxy Tab features a 7-inch WSVGA TFT-LCD color display with 1024-by-600 pixel resolution. The device is capable of 1080p HD video playback for all kinds of video formats including XviD, MPEG4 and h.264. The Galaxy Tab is also the first DivX-certified tablet, which means you can play and store DivX video on the Galaxy Tab with no need to convert files to another format.

You can also use the Galaxy Tab to connect to other DivX-certified devices, such as HDTVs, to display copy-protected content, according to DivX Inc. The Galaxy Tab is compatible with DivX paid content from providers such as Roxio CinemaNow and The Warner Bros. Shop.

Android OS 2.2

The Galaxy Tab is based on Google's Android 2.2 (froyo) mobile operating system including support for Adobe Flash 10.1. Samsung has included Exchange Active Sync Support, along with a social hub that brings together your SMS, IM, calendar and e-mail. Calendar support includes Facebook events, Google Calendar and Outlook. Supported Google services include Google Maps, Latitude, Places (Google's not Facebook's) and navigation.

Samsung has also thrown its TouchWiz overlay onto the Galaxy Tab, an interface that has garnered mixed reviews for being attractive but sluggish. Other UI tweaks include the Swype text input technology and the Layar augmented reality browser. The Galaxy Tab includes access to the Android Market as well as Samsung's own application store.

Slim profile

The Galaxy Tab offers a very slim 0.47-inch profile, which is just slightly thinner than the iPad's 0.50-inch figure. Samsung's new tablet measures 7.48 inches wide and 4.74 inches tall, and weighs in at 0.84 pounds. But there's a lot of power packed into this small package. The Galaxy Tab features an A8 Cortex 1.0GHz processor with the PowerVR SGX540 3D graphics processor.

The Tab comes in 16GB and 32GB sizes, and both models feature a microSD expansion slot capable of supporting an extra 32GB of storage space. Samsung claims the Galaxy Tab's battery provides 7 hours of video playback.

The Galaxy Tab features a 30-pin dock connector on the bottom of the device; a volume rocker, power button, and microSD and SIM card slots on the right side. However, it's not clear if the U.S. version will include a SIM slot as rumors suggest the device may be headed to Verizon's CDMA network.

3-Megapixel Camera

The new Galaxy Tab features a 3-megapixel rear-facing autofocus camera with an LED flash for low-light environments. Samsung hasn't indicated whether the rear camera includes zoom capabilities. The camera captures still images and video with 720-by-480 pixel resolution at 30 frames per second.

Samsung says you can use the Tab to "edit, upload and share" photos and videos, but it's not clear if that means you will be able to do onboard image editing as you can with the iPhone 4 and newly announced iPod Touch.

1.3 Megapixel front-facing camera

The front of the device includes a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat capability over 3G and Wi-Fi. It's not clear if Samsung's Galaxy Tab video chat will let you switch between the rear and front cameras, but the hardware capability is certainly there.

Availability

The Galaxy Tab will be available in Europe within the next two weeks, and Samsung promises a U.S. launch in the coming months. Rumors suggest the 3G-capable Galaxy Tab will launch on Verizon. Samsung has yet to announce pricing or whether there will be a Wi-Fi only version of the Galaxy Tab.

22.11 by TRIMBIL · 0

Samsung Galaxy Tab Headed to AT&T, Report Says

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Samsung is reportedly launching the Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablet in the U.S. on Thursday, and a new report says the device is headed to AT&T. Expectations are high for the Android-based Galaxy Tab, introduced during the IFA Berlin trade show in September, as it is considered to be the first significant challenger to Apple's iPad.

Courtesy of Engadget.Previous rumors said the Galaxy Tab was headed to Verizon after a screenshot surfaced allegedly showing Samsung's tablet listed in Verizon's inventory system. But now Engadget has topped the inventory screenshot with a leaked photo that appears to show the AT&T logo on the back covering of the Galaxy Tab. The gadget blog also says the Galaxy Tab will launch on AT&T before the end of the year.

AT&T vs. Verizon

When Samsung debuted the Galaxy Tab at IFA Berlin, the device featured SIM card slots suggesting that it would work on a GSM network. AT&T and T-Mobile are the only GSM carriers in the United States, while Verizon and Sprint offer CDMA networks. The advantage of using a GSM network is that it's often easier to switch between carriers and use your device overseas simply by swapping out the network SIM cards.

But that advantage may not make a difference if AT&T offers the Galaxy Tab as a carrier-locked device similar to the iPhone. There may also be concerns about AT&T's network capabilities for the Galaxy Tab considering the numerous reports about poor data service with Apple devices and recent data breaches on the iPad.

A Verizon-based Galaxy Tab, meanwhile, may have better 3G coverage and data speeds. But it would most definitely be locked to Verizon's network by virtue of being a CDMA device.

If the Tab comes to Verizon, there would also be considerations about what kind of access the Tab would have to third-party applications. When Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab, it said the device would have access to Android's Marketplace as well as a Samsung-branded app store.

But if the Galaxy Tab moves to Verizon, the device may offer only Verizon's own V CAST apps store by default. Verizon first announced plans for its V CAST apps store in July of last year following the success of retail apps outlets offered by device makers including Apple, Google, Research in Motion and Nokia.

At the time, Verizon said users would still be able to access apps stores such as Android's Market as well as V CAST. Competing app stores, however, would not be pre-loaded onto Verizon devices, Ryan Hughes, VP Partner Management for Verizon, told GigaOm. Instead, users would have to download an Android Market application to buy apps outside of V CAST. Verizon recently started accepting submissions for third-party Android applications to V CAST. The store currently offers only BlackBerry apps after launching late last year.

Galaxy Tab users on Verizon may also be stuck with a carrier-specific version of Skype that must be used over 3G instead of Wi-Fi. Skype Mobile on Verizon can only make Skype-to-Skype or international calls. All calls to U.S.-based phone numbers are rerouted to Verizon's voice network. You also can't use Skype Mobile on Verizon to accept incoming calls from mobile or landline phones.

AT&T, Verizon or both?

Right now, it's not clear whether Verizon or AT&T will get the Galaxy Tab. It's also possible that Samsung will launch its new tablet device on multiple carriers in the U.S. The strange thing, however, is that Samsung doesn't appear to be offering a Wi-Fi only version of the Galaxy Tab as Apple has done with the iPad. So avoiding carriers altogether with the Galaxy Tab may not be possible.

About the Galaxy Tab

Samsung's Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch tablet device with a 1.0GHz processor running Android OS 2.2 (froyo). The Galaxy Tab features a 1024-by-600 pixel resolution display, 1080p high-definition video playback and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. The tablet also has a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera with video and still capture and LED flash. Storage options include 16GB or 32GB models, plus a microSD card slot for an extra 32GB of storage for a maximum 64GB of storage. Samsung is expected to announce pricing, launch dates and carrier information on Thursday.

Manufacturers are expected to unleash a slew of tablet devices in the coming months following Apple's launched of the iPad earlier this year. Apple recently reported it had sold 3.27 million iPads between April and June.

22.10 by TRIMBIL · 0

Samsung's Galaxy Tab (T-Mobile Version): Elegant, Promising Android Tablet

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab ($399 with a two-year contract on T-Mobile as of November 11, 2010) is the first Android tablet that has what it takes to challenge Apple's dominant iPad. Available from five domestic wireless carriers--AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon--the Galaxy Tab's hardware is similar across providers. The big differences lie in service pricing, whether the carrier takes advantage of the Tab's mobile-hotspot capability, and whether the device has a SIM-card slot (CDMA-based Sprint and Verizon units lack this feature). Overall, you can expect the Tab models to be similar in use, with minor differences in which apps are installed from the get-go.
As for pricing, T-Mobile has set its rates in a way that makes its Galaxy Tab stand out from the crowd in several noteworthy ways. For one thing, you can use the mobile-hotspot feature (also known as Wi-Fi sharing) at no additional charge under both monthly and prepaid mobile broadband plans; in contrast, Sprint charges $30 extra per month for the feature. Also, the device supports HSPA 7.2 and can benefit from T-Mobile's HSPA+ network in the markets that have the service.
Judging from my extended use of the Tab, it's clear that Samsung has succeed in delivering the smoothest implementation of Android on a tablet to date--and it has done so on a smoothly designed piece of hardware that's a far cry from the generic slabs that have cropped up from Asia. What's also clear is that, while the Galaxy Tab is a fine 1.0 product, the tablet has room to grow.

Hardware: The Specs

Inside, the Galaxy Tab has Samsung's 1GHz Hummingbird Application processor, two SIM slots, a 3G radio for data connections, and Wi-Fi and DLNA support. The Tab runs Android 2.2, supports Adobe Flash 10.1 and Microsoft's PlayReady DRM, and features a tablet-optimized version of TouchWiz 3.0, the interface found on Samsung's Galaxy S smartphones. (More on the interface later.)
With gentle curves and smooth finishes, the Galaxy Tab exudes a basic elegance. It takes design cues from the Galaxy S phones, and it's certainly more stylish and less clunky than the aforementioned off-brand Android tablets we've seen pop up across the Web. The back panel of the T-Mobile Galaxy Tab is shiny black plastic; it's there where you'll find the only outward T-Mobile branding on the device. The sides are matte black, while the front panel is glossy black, with a row of four touch-sensitive buttons along the bottom of the screen, just as on the Galaxy S smartphones.
The first thing that jumps out about the Galaxy Tab is its manageable size. The Tab measures 7.5 by 4.7 inches and stands at a half-inch thick. That depth is the same as Apple's iPad; admittedly, though, in this comparison the latter benefits from rounding conventions, as the iPad measures 13.4mm to the Tab's 13mm.
The dimensions and weight allow you to hold the Tab and type on it with your thumbs at the same time, using two hands or even one hand. Users with smaller hands will have to stretch to type one-handed; for larger hands, the arrangement is no problem. I found the keyboard very usable and responsive--a far cry better than many Android on-screen keyboards I've tried, and definitely more manageable for holding in two hands and efficiently thumb-typing.
Two things held back my speed and accuracy, though. First, the keyboard lacks stock Android 2.x's pop-up letters, as found on iOS; their absence hindered accuracy. Second, I found that the screen's sensitivity made it easy to activate keyboard buttons accidentally (something that also proved to be a big issue with the capacitive touch menu buttons when I held the device in landscape orientation).
Not surprisingly, the front face is all screen. With a 7-inch display and a weight of 0.8 pound, the Galaxy Tab is small enough to fit into some tight spaces (such as a roomy pocket), light enough to hold with one hand, and large enough to provide satisfying viewing. I found the Tab particularly comfy to hold in one hand, unlike the Apple iPad, which at 1.5 pounds is just too heavy to grasp with a single hand for any length of time. That said, as time wore on and I read a tome on the Amazon Kindle app, I realized that in an era of half-pound e-readers, I couldn't see myself holding the Tab for lengthy reading sessions of 30 minutes or more.
The wide, Super VGA, 1024-by-600-pixel TFT display appeared bright, with pop-out, borderline oversaturated colors at the default settings. It had a pleasing angle of view; I could tilt and share the screen without altering the display.
In use, however, I found that it didn't handle the glare of sunlight particularly well. (It also clearly shows fingerprints--lots of fingerprints.) The screen was slightly more viewable in daylight than the higher-resolution iPad, but it's for use in a pinch only. To say it's better than the iPad outdoors is a stretch--I could make out the time, but not how to adjust the time. In the end, I'd recommend neither product if your routine will take you outside, or into rooms that always have serious glare.
In contrast, the Galaxy Tab looked gorgeous in ambient and darkened lighting. Yes, I noticed some pixelation in Android games. And I noticed the dots that make up the letters--but I see that on the iPad, too, and the effect is worse there because of the iPad's lower pixel density. My observations come as someone whose eyes have been spoiled by the resolution on the iPhone 4.

More Specs

The Galaxy Tab has two cameras--a rear-facing 3.2-megapixel camera and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera--and a camcorder for video chat. The back-facing camera provides passable quality, but none of the pictures I took with it particularly impressed me, either indoors with the flash or outdoors in natural light. I found the device surprisingly easy to use as a camera, though: The big viewfinder (otherwise known as the screen) was a kick, but no way are you going to be subtle when taking a photo with the Galaxy Tab.
It's worth noting that the Tab has a number of camera controls in its software, but the differences in the modes I tried were subtle at best. I also thought that images had a slightly bluish cast.
Physically, the device has very little else on it aside from volume-up and -down controls and a power button. It has 2GB of memory, and one MicroSD slot for expanding up to 32GB. To use the camera, you must have a card in place.
The Tab has a proprietary charging port, a negative in that it requires you to have Samsung's charger on hand. The device charges very slowly over its included AC power adapter; if you plug the Tab into a computer's USB port, it will power up at an even pokier rate on the trickle charge. One thing I did like: When powered off and charging, the device shows the percentage of the battery charge.
The 4000-mAh battery provides 7 hours of video playback, according to Samsung. In my tests I found that the battery could last me through a weekend of casual use--which I'll define as video watching and Web surfing over Wi-Fi and 3G, taking a few snaps, and reading a book--for a few hours a day, and still have juice left over.

All About the Software

You can expect to see software become the differentiator on tablets--and the Galaxy Tab is a good example. The various carriers are offering different software builds on this device.
All Galaxy Tab models have Samsung's TouchWiz 3.0 Android overlay. I like how TouchWiz adds pop to Android's otherwise-indistinct icons, making the screen feel more like Apple's iOS than stock Android.
From there, the customizations will vary among the carriers. The T-Mobile version has five home screens preconfigured (you can add or subtract from there in the settings). It has a slew of preinstalled apps, too, including Amazon Kindle for Android, Slacker Radio, a task manager, and a demo version of Gameloft's Asphalt 5 HD (available only via the T-Mobile Galaxy Tab).
Like the Galaxy S phones, the Tab has Swype for potentially faster typing; Samsung's Social Hub for aggregating your messages across e-mail, text, and social networks; Facebook; Qik Video Chat (which you can use over T-Mobile's HSPA service); Think Office (for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF files); and Samsung Media Hub for accessing television shows and movies for download and rental.
Samsung has optimized some core Android apps, redesigning the memo functions, e-mail, file-management system, calendar, contacts, music player, video player, and messaging apps (yes, text messaging works via the data plan; T-Mobile includes unlimited SMS/MMS with its monthly mobile broadband plans) to take full advantage of the extra screen real estate.
E-mail, for example, presents a dual-pane view in landscape mode that shows both the open message and your various inboxes. Samsung has slightly tweaked the Android Desktop, too: A sliding tray of icons (browser, apps, e-mail, and the like) runs along the bottom of the display, while widgets occupy the middle expanse of the screen and an enhanced status bar runs along the top. Above that is the Android-standard notifications bar, which you can drag down with your finger as on any Android device. The ability to pinch to view all of your multiple home screens--a great shortcut feature not available on the phone series--is available here, too.
The Tab carries the Google-certified logo, and has the Android Market on board. Samsung says the 80,000-plus apps in the Android Market will work on the device, although only a small number of those are actually optimized for the Tab's roomy screen size and resolution. Of the apps I downloaded that weren't optimized for a large screen, all but one (a game) appeared centered in the screen at 800-by-400-pixel resolution.
Going back to the Media Hub for a moment, the app is designed so that you can share an account among up to five Galaxy devices, although at this time you can't start watching something on one device and then return to the same spot and resume viewing on another. That capability is in place for e-reader software such as Amazon's Kindle apps; if Samsung can establish something comparable for Media Hub, that could give it a competitive advantage over Apple's iTunes.
At launch, however, Media Hub is no iTunes. Not by a long shot--the selection is thin, and the navigation and presentation feel crude. In theory, with a greater selection of TV and movie options, better design, and integration with other Samsung connected devices, such as the company's HDTVs or Blu-ray players, I can see Media Hub becoming an asset to Samsung's Galaxy products. Today, it's just another app icon that will likely go untouched.
My frustrations with the Galaxy Tab lie partly with what it lacks--a USB port, a non-proprietary connector, a better keyboard--and partly with Google's Android operating system itself, an OS that is not intended for use on tablets just yet. Frankly, Android does better than I expected on a 7-inch tablet, but the OS's nuances and quirks, such as its heavy reliance on the back button to get out of menus, feel more annoying on a larger screen.
After extensive use, I believe that the Samsung Galaxy Tab lives up to its promise as the most credible Android tablet to date. Though it isn't perfect, it is a strong first-gen device. It isn't for everyone: The high cost without a monthly contract ($600) underscores that. Nevertheless, if you're planning to get a mobile broadband data device, the Galaxy Tab's potential as a mobile hotspot makes it more attractive than some of its competitors.

22.01 by TRIMBIL · 0

LED Cinema Display

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• 
  

Introducing the new 27-inch LED Cinema Display.

• Tech Specs

A 27-inch widescreen display with LED backlight technology. Stunning is an understatement.

A bigger display for your biggest ideas.

Connect your Mac with Mini DisplayPort to the LED Cinema Display for a panoramic viewing experience unlike any other. You get a huge 27-inch glossy widescreen display with a cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio and an astonishing 2560-by-1440 resolution. With 60 percent more pixels than the 24-inch LED Cinema Display, the 27-inch LED Cinema Display gives you even more room for all your windows and applications.

LED backlighting. One bright idea.

Full brightness with no waiting. That’s the big advantage of LED backlight technology. Unlike most displays that take time to warm up before they reach maximum brightness, an LED-backlit display is instantly on and uniformly bright. LED backlighting also gives you greater control over screen brightness. So you can tune the LED Cinema Display to suit the ambient light in even the dimmest room.

Stunning from every angle.

The LED Cinema Display looks great from any seat in the house, thanks to a premium display technology called in-plane switching (IPS). IPS gives you a bright picture with excellent color consistency — even if you’re viewing the display from the side.

49 watts of stereo sound.

The LED Cinema Display gives you more than video — it gives you audio, too. The built-in 49-watt speaker system includes an integrated subwoofer that delivers immersive, full-range sound for music, movies, and games.

Built-in iSight and microphone.

With the built-in iSight camera and microphone, you can connect your Mac desktop or notebook — open or closed — and have video chats or take pictures using Photo Booth.¹

Ambient light sensor.

The new ambient light sensor intelligently adjusts the brightness of the LED Cinema Display to your room environment. This gives you the perfect brightness for any situation while using the least amount of energy necessary.

Smooth-motion hinge.

Tilt the LED Cinema Display to get the viewing angle that’s best for your work environment. With its smooth-motion hinge, adjustment is effortless. Choose an angle anywhere from -5 to 25 degrees.

One cable that replaces three. Ready, set, go.

Works with every new Mac.

You can connect your LED Cinema Display to any of the current lineup of Mac notebooks and desktop computers: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Pro. That’s because the LED Cinema Display uses the ultracompact Mini DisplayPort connector. While other display connectors have you lining up pins or fumbling with screws, the Mini DisplayPort connector is easy in, easy out. And because it carries both video and audio, there’s one less cable to worry about.

MagSafe connector.

The LED Cinema Display includes a MagSafe connector that powers and charges your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air. The connector sits on your desk, ready and waiting. No need to unwind the cord to the power adapter that came with your notebook. Leave it exactly where it is, in your bag.

Three USB 2.0 ports.

On the back of the display, you’ll find three self-powered USB ports. You enable them — along with the built-in iSight camera, microphone, and speakers — the moment you plug the USB connector into your Mac with Mini DisplayPort. Connect a printer, camera, iPod, iPhone, whatever you like. And they can stay connected — charging your iPod or iPhone — even if you grab your notebook and go or shut down for the night.

Environmental Status Report

The LED Cinema Display is designed with the following features to reduce its environmental impact:

• Arsenic-free display glass
• Mercury-free
• BFR-free
• PVC-free
• Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure

The LED Cinema Display is the most environmentally friendly display Apple has ever created.

Free of harmful toxins.

One thing that makes the LED Cinema Display so remarkable is what it lacks. Namely, environmentally harmful mercury. And like the latest iPod, iPhone, and Mac computers, the glass used in the display is arsenic-free. Even the cables and components are BFR- and PVC-free.

Highly recyclable.

Because of its glass and aluminum construction, the LED Cinema Display is highly recyclable. So when you eventually part with it, it can be remade into something new.

Energy efficient.

The LED Cinema Display is designed to be energy efficient right out of the box. It uses mercury-free, energy-efficient LED backlight technology and an ambient light sensor that dims automatically to save energy and provide more comfortable viewing in less brightly lit rooms. It also features a highly efficient power supply to minimize the power wasted when bringing electricity from the wall for the display and to charge your Mac notebook.

EPEAT Gold and ENERGY STAR 5.0 qualification.

The LED Cinema Display meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR 5.0 qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.0 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the display’s typical annual power consumption. In addition, it has earned EPEAT Gold status for its responsible manufacture, energy efficiency, and recyclability.²

21.10 by TRIMBIL · 0

LED cinema display - technical specification

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Display

27-inch (diagonal viewable image size) thin film transistor (TFT) active-matrix liquid crystal display with in-plane switching (IPS).

• Supported resolutions: 2560 by 1440 pixels, 1920 by 1080 pixels, 1280 by 720 pixels
• Colors (maximum): 16.7 million
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Viewing angle: 178° horizontal; 178° vertical
• Brightness (typical): 375 cd/m²
• Contrast ratio (typical): 1000:1
• Response time (typical): 12 ms

Audio and video

• Camera and microphone:
  Built-in iSight with microphone
• Speakers: Built-in 2.1
  speaker system (49 watts maximum)
• Mini DisplayPort connector with audio support

Limited warranty and service

Your Apple display comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty. To extend your service and support to three full years, you may register one display in the AppleCare Protection Plan when you purchase the display at the same time as a Mac Pro, MacBook Pro, or Mac mini. To cover an individual display or second display, purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan for Apple Display. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-authorized technicians using genuine Apple parts.

What’s in the box

• LED Cinema Display
• AC power cord
• Printed documentation

Size and weight

Height:

19.35 inches (49.1 cm)

Width:

25.7 inches (65 cm)

Depth (with stand):

8.15 inches (20.7 cm)

Weight:

23.5 pounds (10.7 kg)

System Requirements

Mac with Mini DisplayPort connector
Mac OS X v10.6.4 or later

Environmental Status Report

The LED Cinema Display is designed with the following features to reduce its environmental impact:

• Arsenic-free display glass
• Mercury-free
• BFR-free
• PVC-free
• Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure
• Meets ENERGY STAR 5.0 requirements
• Rated EPEAT Gold*

Peripherals and cables

• Three self-powered USB 2.0 ports
• Kensington security slot
• One cable with three connectors: Mini DisplayPort with audio support, universal MagSafe (up to 85W), USB 2.0
• AC power cord

Electrical and operating requirements

• Input voltage: 100V to 240V AC; 50-60Hz
• Maximum power: 250W (LED Cinema Display while charging MacBook Pro)
• Energy saver mode: 1W or less

Environmental requirements

• Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F
  (10° to 35° C)
• Storage temperature: –4° to 116° F
  (–20° to 47° C)
• Operating humidity: 20% to 80%
  noncondensing
• Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet

21.06 by TRIMBIL · 0