Samsung Galaxy Tab launches with HTML5 and Flash

Samsung has announced the Galaxy Tab, its first tablet computer, which is due to be released in the UK and Europe in mid-September and around the world in October.

The Galaxy Tab was unveiled on Thursday (2 September) at IFA, the consumer electronics fair in Berlin, and is powered by the Android Operating System 2.2, also known as Froyo.

The device is also the first tablet to support both HTML5 and Adobe Flash - a feature that the Apple iPad, one of its main competitors, does not.

Features include a 7in screen, a built-in 3MP camera and a full HD-video player and recorder. The tablet weighs 380g and comes with either 16GB or 32GB of built-in storage plus a MicroSD slot that can add another 32GB.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and has a playback battery life of seven hours.

"This is not just another tablet. We call it a Smart Media device," said Thomas Richter, Samsung's head of product portfolio. He confirmed that Samsung is expecting to launch several more Tab models next year.

Samsung has yet to announce pricing details, saying that these will be determined by the operators. Vodafone is the first network operator to confirm it will be offering the Galaxy Tab.