The Apple iPad has certainly garnered its fair share of attention, especially since it currently has a virtual monopoly on the tablet market. That is very much about to change, since there are several other tablet devices being released by other manufacturers. For instance, BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion is set to launch its Playbook device early next year.

Even before that, though, we will be seeing the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is a slightly smaller tablet device compared to the iPad, since the Samsung has a more portable seven-inch display. It also runs on the increasingly popular Google Android platform, opening up all sorts of accessibility to Google products, as well as new apps from Android Market. Just as iPhone apps were converted to the larger screen of the iPad, the same will presumably happen with many apps for the Galaxy Tab.

Some other standout features on the Samsung device include integrated 3G connectivity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, a Cortex A8 1.0GHz application processor, and a large 4,000 mAh battery good for more than seven hours of movie viewing time. The Galaxy Tab includes SWYPE input for ease of text entry, front and rear-facing cameras, lots of multimedia support, and the Media Hub.

The expectation is that the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be released in November with availability coming through many of the major wireless carriers in Canada and the United States. You will be able to enjoy a subsidized price on the device should you choose to sign a service contract with one of these providers.