The 16GB Tab 8.9 is priced at $469 and 32GB Tab 8.9 is priced at $569. Note: Prices for with similar capacities are only about $30 more than their Tab 8.9 counterparts.

The , alongside the Galaxy Tab 10.1 at the CTIA show in Orlando. It was originally expected to ship in summer 2011.

The Tab 8.9 is only the second tablet to ship at that screen size. What we have already seen is this size----showed that 8.9 inches could actually be a dark-horse sweet spot for a display. It makes a nice compromise between the larger screens of tablets like the Apple iPad 2 and the Tab 10.1 and the more compact 7-inch models, such as Acer's Iconia Tab A100.

The Galaxy Tab 8.9 may have a smaller display than the Tab 10.1, but it matches its 10.1-inch sibling in one respect: It measures just 0.34 inches deep.

In my testing, I found the G-Slate to have pleasing proportions in my hand. It is large enough to enjoy the view and get plenty of words on screen, but small enough to be unobtrusive. Its competitor, the G-Slate, was bulky and felt every bit of its 1.39 pounds. That issue shouldn't be a problem with the Tab 8.9, which weighs just 0.99 pounds; that's 0.25 of a pound less than its sibling, the Galaxy Tab 10.1.