Telcos discount Galaxy Tab

Late on Thursday local Android blog Ausdroid - which has been correct in its reports of a number of other Android handset launches on Australian shores - reported Telstra would launch the Xoom and Atrix in mid-May, alongside a slew of other handsets from manufacturers like Samsung and Sony Ericsson, some of which are already known about.

Telstra, Optus and Vodafone as well sell 3G connectivity options for Apple's iPad tablet, even though they don't sell the device directly. Should the contingency arise, both Telstra and Optus sell their own self-branded tablets, manufactured respectively by Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE.

Internationally, the Galaxy Tab and the Motorola Xoom, alongside HTC's Flyer tablet and Technology in Motion's PlayBook device have attracted a high degree of interest, as they are seen as the chief competitors to Apple's iPad, which has achieved strong sales figures internationally and currently dominates the Australian market for tablets.