Korean Tablets Debut Ahead of iPad Launch

Korean companies aren’t waiting for Apple’s iPad launch to debut tablets aimed at people who want the mobility of smart phones but with touch-screens that don’t cramp their fingers.

Korea’s first tablet PC was introduced Monday by Korea Telecom. Identity Tab runs Google’s Android operating system and features a 7-inch LCD display, a 1-GHz CPU and 8 GB of storage. It comes with a three-megapixel camera and can broadcast multimedia content. It connects through WiFi rather than a cellular network but has the microphone to take advantage of emerging internet phone services. It is made by Seoul-based gadget maker Enspert.

Korean giant Samsung Electronic will debut its Galaxy Tab at the Berlin IFA consumer electronics trade show opening Friday. It will be distributed in Korea through SK Telecom later in September. LG Electronics will also release its Android tablet before year’s end. TG Sambo is developing a similar device, reported Chosun Ilbo.

Korean consumers have already shown their receptivity to the tablet format, snapping up 800,000 e-book readers and portable media players each year.