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Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition to Come With Bundled Keyboard and USB Adapter

If you’re in the market to get a get a good price on a marginal tablet and a limited functionality dock them I have deal for you.

Engadget has turned up a photo showing a new the new Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition. According to their source this bundle is due to hit best Buy store shelves next Friday. It’s going to be priced at the current retail for the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 ($249), and its' going to come with a keyboard and some type of USB adapter.

All we have to go on right now is the photo, so it’s not clear what the specs will be for the dock or the adapter. But I did a little digging and I’m pretty sure that this is the dock that will be in the bundle. It’s a pretty basic piece of hardware, and about all it can do (besides work as a keyboard) is charge the tablet. It has no card slots or ports other than a single headphone jack, and thanks to the location of the tablet’s docking port the dock can only hold the tablet in portrait, not landscape mode.

I don’t think it’s worth the current $50 retail price, but then again I don’t think much of the tablet either. I haven’t reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 myself but I did take an afternoon back when it launched and read all the reviews. It was a rather unimpressive basic tablet, and nowadays it would come up short against the Nexus 7.

I’m also pretty sure that this is the USB adapter. All it does is add a single USB host port to the tablet, and in doing so it blocks the tablets docking port.

And this is the point where the bundle becomes a crappy deal. I don’t think you can use the USB adapter while you’re using the keyboard.  It’s not clear yet, but one detail I can confirm is that you cannot charge the tablet while using the adapter. That really cuts into the value of adding both items to a bundle, doesn’t it?

I’ll admit, I first looked at this as a possible mobile alternative to a netbook. But I think this is a pretty crappy bundle. It takes a so-so tablet and adds accessories which you can’t use at the same time. That’s just not worth it.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0  Specs

  • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
  • 1GHz dual-core TI CPU
  • 7″ (1024 x 600) screen
  • capacitive touchscreen
  • 8GB Flash storage
  • microSD slot
  • Cameras 3MP (rear), VGA (front)
  • Wifi, Bluetooth
  • 4Ah battery
  • Size 7.6 x 4.8 x 0.41 inches
  • Weight 12.2 ounces

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Comments


Mike Cane August 9, 2012 um 2:04 pm

You’re being too crabby about this. That’s a good deal vs Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet. Sammy is probably doing this to dump all the extra stuff they have before the iPad Mini hits and wipes out their 7″ tablet sales. You could buy a hell of a lot worse for US$249.

Mike Cane August 9, 2012 um 2:05 pm

Also, if that box is correct, that’s a WHITE edition. It’s only been in that gunny grey color.


Jim T. August 10, 2012 um 3:27 am

Considering that this tablet’s current retail price without the keyboard is currently $249, the keyboard is essentially free. How is that a bad deal? From all accounts I’ve read the Tab 2 7.0 is a respectable piece of hardware, and has features the Nexus lacks. Now you can get it with a free keyboard. I’d buy one myself if I hadn’t just bought an Acer A200 10.1″ for just $20 more.

Nate Hoffelder August 10, 2012 um 8:07 am

First, I’m betting that they drop the price of the regular model.

But more importantly, I’m annoyed that the 2 accessories cannot work together. I’m also annoyed by how limited they are. What’s the point of haing a keyboard dock if all it has is the keyboard? Docks are supposed pull out all the ports so you can have accessories plugged in to them. If I cannot attach a mouse, plug in a USB stick, and insert a microSD card I don’t see the point.

Oh, and why does this student bundle have a KB but no mouse? That would seem to be an oversight, IMO.


cookie August 10, 2012 um 7:12 pm

They need an hdmi adapter to throw in as well, although then they may need to call something other than a student edition.


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