Word has been leaked that Samsung has another tablet in the works, dubbed ‘Gloria’. It’s unknown whether the Gloria (why the name ‘Gloria’ was chosen is also unclear) will be a member of the popular Galaxy S family of smartphones and tabs. We do know, however, that the device will sport a 10″ screen and a full slideout Qwerty keyboard.
The Gloria is expected to run Windows 7 tab OS, which definitely makes one think this tab might not fit in with the rest of the popular Galaxy S line (which sports Android). ‘Gloria’ may not be the name of the tablet itself, but rather the title of a new brand of Samsung mobile units.
Samsung is no stranger to the whole QWERTY-on-a-Windows-tablet concept, as it was instrumental in Microsoft’s UMPC project, putting out the first tab – the Samsung Q1 – as well as a subsequent version with a QWERTY thumb-board flanking the touchscreen, the Samsung Q1U. According to an artist mockup of the device by Slashgear, the Gloria’s keyboard would be similar aesthetically (and physically) to the Galaxy S Epic smartphone’s keyboard.
It appears disingenuous that the keyboard would be intended for use while physically holding up the tablet, since the width of a a 10-inch slate is going to make it pretty unsuitable for thumb-typing. The artist’s rendering of the Samsung Gloria also states that Samsung will be having its custom UI overlay on top of Windows 7’s tab OS.
Samsung’s marketing team better know how to communicate to a market that only knows iPads, because selling a tab with the exact same screen size, an unheard-of OS and a virtually unusable keyboard seems pretty difficult. Fortunately, the Gloria tab’s specs and design are pure speculation right now, and Samsung’s launch target is March or April of 2011.
Looking for more tablet news? You’ll want to check out Lenovo’s LePad and Prototype Motorola Tablet
via Blogeee
