New Samsung tablet thinner than iPad 2, priced similarly

Back when Apple announced its razor thin iPad 2, some Samsung execs felt they needed to go back to the drawing board with their new tablet.

Looks like they came up with something pretty special.

The company plans to release a 10.1 inch version and an 8.9. Both measure .33 inches thick, slightly thinner than the .34 inch iPad2. The comapny also said both models are lighter than iPad 2: the 10.1 weighs 1.31 pounds and the 8.9 just 1.03.

Pricing is also aggressive.

A WiFi 10.1 model arrives June 8. The 16 gig version will match iPad 2 at $499 and the 32 gig is $599. The 8.9 inch model will cost $469 and $569 for 16 or 32 gigs.

The WiFi 10.1 will hit on June 8th -- the 16GB version will cost you $499 and the 32GB $599. The 8.9 is $469 and $569 for 16GB and 32GB, respectively.

Both models are packed with features: 3 megapixel camera with LED flash on the back; 2 meg shooter on the front for video chat; 1 gig dual-core processors and battery life good for up to 10 hours of video playback.

The Samsung tablets will use the Android Honeycomb operating system that is in the Motorola Xoom and its own TouchWhiz system overtop of that.

Does this whet your appetite or are you sticking with Xoom or iPad 2?

WSJ: new "thinner, lighter" iPad in production, coming to Verizon & AT&T

The Wall Street Journal reports that iPad 2 is in production now and will be thinner and lighter than the current model.

Sources tell the WSJ that the new iPad will have at least one camera for videoconferencing and will be available for Verizon and AT&T but not Sprint or T-Mobile (which may not bode well for a new iPhone to appear on T-Mobile or Sprint, either).

Since the first iPad was released last April, nearly 15 million have been sold. In Apple's December quarter, the tablet accounted for $4.6 billion in sales. Analysts believe Apple could sell between 25 and 35 million iPads in 2011 when the new device debuts this spring.