AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon to sell Samsung's iPad rival

Samsung announced Friday that US wireless carriers AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless will sell the South Korean company's new Galaxy tablet computer, its rival to Apple's iPad.

Samsung said the Galaxy Tab, which was unveiled at the IFA electronics trade fair in Berlin, Germany, in early September, would be available in the United States in the "coming months" but did not provide pricing details.

Announcing that the four major US wireless carriers would offer the Galaxy Tab, Samsung stressed the touchscreen device's differences with the iPad, which has been a hot seller for Apple since it hit stores in April.

Samsung noted that the Galaxy has front- and rear-facing video cameras, allowing for video chat, and runs the popular Flash video software from Adobe.

The iPad does not have cameras and Apple has banned Flash from the iPad.

"With support for Flash Player 10.1, the Galaxy Tab delivers an enhanced content experience when compared to other tablets currently available in the US," Samsung said in a statement.

The Galaxy has a seven-inch (17.8-centimeter) touchscreen, smaller than the iPad's 9.7 inches, weighs 0.8 pounds (380 grams), almost half the iPad's 1.5 pounds, and is powered by Google's Android operating system.

"The Samsung Galaxy Tab is designed for people who want a premium mobile entertainment experience on the go, but don't want to be weighed down by a bulky device," Samsung said.

The Galaxy Tab is one of a number of tablet computers coming to market in a bid to challenge the iPad.

US computer maker Dell offers the "Dell Streak," an Android-powered device with a five-inch screen, and Japan's Toshiba unveiled its "Folio 100" at the IFA in Berlin.

South Korea's LG Electronics has promised to release a tablet computer using Android before December, while US computer giant Hewlett-Packard is pinning its hopes on its Slate.

Glenn Lurie, president of AT&T's emerging devices, welcomed the arrival of the Galaxy Tab.

"We're looking forward to expanding our computing device portfolio and giving our AT&T customers more great choices with this innovative device," Lurie said.

AT&T is the exclusive provider of 3G cellular service in the United States for Apple's iPhone and iPad.

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