There has been quite a bit of news in recent weeks about the Samsung Galaxy tablet, set for release in Europe next week, probable release in Australia in November, and confirmed release in the United States on November 1^st via partnerships with AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon. If you’ve read the blog recently, you’ll know I’ve been following the development the Galaxy closely because there is quite a bit of momentum building in the industry and this is one of the big “buzz” devices as a potential iPad competitor.

The release date is well timed with the iPad’s next iteration likely at least 6 months away and RIM’s PlayBook slated for next spring. To top it off, the Galaxy has been making inroads on a number of categories in regards to its potential enterprise use. I’ve made no secret of my opinion of the iPad and its usefulness for businesses – there just are not many ways it truly stands up to daily computing, especially not as a desktop replacement.

So, in the Galaxy Tab we’re seeing talk about how effective this device could end up being. While it has a slightly smaller screen than the iPad at 7 inches, users will find a 1GHz Cortext A8 Processor, 512 MB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in storage (with a Micro SD slot for expansion) and two cameras (one of them front facing and already touting support for Fring or Qik) under the hood.

Unlike the upcoming RIM tablet which will run on a brand new operating system being developed by recent RIM acquisition QNX Software Systems, the Galaxy sports Android 2.2, providing it with the second largest App store on the market and ample opportunity for expansion. It’s especially nice because they’re shipping the Galaxy with the newest version of Android – one of the easiest to use tablet interfaces yet. The only major issue I see here is that the Android Marketplace has not been vetted for tablets yet. Most apps are built for the small resolution of smart phones. In time this will be remedied, but for early adopters, things won’t look too pretty. Real business users may find that Windows is still a far more diverse operating system in terms of the software it supports (hence the Tega V2 supporting both Windows and Android).

Of course, as I and most readers out there will agree, easy to use is only a small part of the puzzle. What does the Galaxy do for enterprise users? Already, we know that Android is a more enterprise friendly OS. It allows more freedom in how apps are developed and supports Flash technology in web pages – two very big plusses for business users.

A statement released today further supports the Galaxy as a more enterprise minded device. Citrix, known for its Receiver software, has announced a partnership with Samsung to offer their software on the Galaxy tablets and smartphones, allowing users to access their virtual desktop as well as a number of other powerful business apps such as databases, all with cloud storage so internal space isn’t eaten up (and to ensure security of the device should it be lost).

Combined with recent partnerships with Sybase, Blackboard Mobile Learn and Epocrates Rx, Samsung is trying hard to incorporate as many business tools into their new tablet platform as possible. With the device still a little ways off and public opinion very much up in the air about long term tablet viability, I’m very interested to see how Samsung’s varying approach to tablet computing will hold up.

The real point of all this is that the market seems to be coming to terms with the future of the tablet PC – a viable, mobile option for on the go computing. That means better support from major firms, more enterprise apps and a variety of connectivity options. There’s still a lot to be done but honestly, with this many new tablets on the horizon, I’m feeling very excited about the future of tablet computing.

TEGA v2 on Kerri Anne Show in Australia

A few weeks ago, Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying iPad sales were cannibalizing PC notebook sales by as much as 50%. I thought it seemed high, and as ARN reported earlier this week, analysts are in disagreement about those very numbers.

As it turns out, NPD data analysis has shown those numbers to be slightly lower – in the mid-teens to as much as 25% range. But, regardless of where the numbers fall, that’s still a hefty chunk of consumers suggesting they don’t need a new netbook or notebook PC – that an iPad, as limiting as the device can be, is the perfect alternative for mid-level browsing and email.

It got me to thinking about where we’re at in the evolution of tablet PCs. I’ve been in this industry for almost a decade back when manufacturers were geeking out about their first wave of Windows based tablets. Tablets of that era were often clunky and heavy, but I fell in love with them immediately and have been a passionate advocate of the platform ever since.

So, it’s hard to step back and look at these trends without intense scrutiny, especially when you consider I’ve had the luxury of owning almost every new device on the market. The truth, which makes perfect sense when you look at those numbers more carefully, is that people are not necessarily replacing notebook PCs with tablets, and they’re definitely not supplanting their power computing with an iPad.

What we’re really seeing is a world where most people own more than one computer – the big powerful machine at home for heavy duty work, the smart phone for on-the-go transactions, and the in-between machine for getting work done at the airport or web surfing on the train. And the iPad is filling that final hole for a lot of early adopters.

Building on Momentum

I’ve made no bones about my impression of the iPad. This thing just can’t get the job done in a business environment. ARN also called my attention to a recent Technology Business Research survey showing 32% of iPad owners using the device as a PC replacement and 44% of them using the device as their number one computing device (by raw hours). When I see these numbers, I get warm fuzzy feelings inside, because I know it means big things are coming for tablets in general, not just iPads.

As you all know, Android has been making quite a stir on the tablet scene in the last few months. Since the first Android tablet hit the market in 2009 (before the iPad I might add), analysts have been wondering what the breakthrough device would be. Smartphones had the Motorola Droid – what will bring Android tablets into the mainstream discussion alongside the iPad?

Some people think Samsung is on the right track with their Galaxy line. Others are looking for big things out of PC manufacturers. Personally, I think it will be a combination of devices, perhaps like the TEGA v2 which will support dual-boot Android/Windows. After all, that’s what has made Android the fastest growing phone OS on the planet, quickly gaining on the iPhone. Apple has their iOS on two phones. Google has theirs on dozens. People can transition between multiple devices, all while using their Google Services accounts to keep track of Apps, data, and everything else that you need when backing up a phone.

And now we have people going gaga for tablets. They’re going for tablets because they’re cool, intuitive and lightweight and they make a great in-between device for someone who needs more power than a smart phone but doesn’t want to lug around a PC.

Apple did something good here – they got the Tablet into the mainstream. It took more than 10 years to do it, but now we’re seeing people switching over at record pace, and just like they did for the smartphone, I see Android devices squeaking in to offer something more powerful, diverse and generally useful than Apple – business users keep your eyes open because it won’t be long before Android tablets litter classrooms, boardrooms, and living rooms everywhere.