by Jason Salas

Guam - DOCOMO Pacific is now carrying the long-awaited Samsung Galaxy Tab, the latest in a line of Android-based tablet PCs. The Tab features a 1GHz Cortex-A8 processor with 512MB of RAM, which screams when handling multitasking in Android 2.2. It has a 7" capacitive touchscreen with ultra-durable Gorilla Glass so you need not worry about scratches or dings.

The videocamera shoots full 720p HD video and images at 2048-x-1536 pixels that are nothing short of breathtaking. It's an effective platform for gaming, watching videos (streaming or locally), or running realtime augmented reality apps, or using Flash-based applications. Networking is easily configured with a couple of taps, and there's also rich videocalling by way of the Galaxy Tab's front-facing camera.

While it is about 20% smaller than the iPad, the Tab's dimensions make it the perfect e-reader for Kindle titles and a comfortable appliance for rapid data entry. And its portability ensures it fits snugly in most shirt pockets or any pair of cargo pants.

Samsung's enhancements to the Android OS via its TouchWiz UI are the best of any third-party manufacturer. Copy-and-pasting text is a snap, and the handy task manager makes controlling memory and applications at the granular level incredible and convinient.

But the Galaxy Tab isn't without its shortcomings, notably in a lack of a micro-USB port, the camera only being 3MP, the inability for the user to remove the battery, and the glaring omission of the power key being so exposed you'll inadvertently power down the unit by bumping into it. It also is surprisingly a tad heavy for its size (especially given the extremely lightweight nature of Samsung's line of Android smartphones).

But those minor inconveniences aside, you'll fall in love with the Tab at first sight. It's the perfect companion for business, personal communication or play; whether you're out on the road or just away from your desktop. The Galaxy Tab is available now at DOCOMO Pacific for $599 with a two-year voice/data contract, $799 for a one-year voice/data contract, or $899 without a contract.

This makes a fantastic present to be discovered underneath the tree, so Merry Christmas...and enjoy!