This morning, Verizon announced that Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 has been infused with LTE, and that the mobile data-fied cheap-slate will be available on August 17th for a rather appealing $350. The Tab 2 may not be our favorite 7" Android tablet anymore (hey, who can blame us?), but when Eric reviewed it back in April, he found it to be a highly capable little device. And that's surprising, because he hates things with stupid names.

Yes, those bottom two actually are the only other images provided.

As usual, Verizon does require that, in addition to the $350 you'll be dropping on the device, that you add it to your Verizon account (or create one) with a data plan for at least one month. After that, you're free to cancel the plan and reactivate it only when you need it. You're paying $100 above the standard Tab 2 7.0's MSRP for this go-anywhere privilege, which isn't too hefty considering the often absurd markup on data-enabled Android tablets.

It appears that Samsung has also ramped up the internals of Verizon's version of the Tab 2, with the clock speed of the processor now listed as 1.2GHz, compared to 1GHz in the original. This is likely the result of a change from the original Tab 2's TI OMAP 4430 chipset to the OMAP 4460, which has already successfully been combined with LTE in devices like the Verizon Galaxy Nexus.

Funnily enough, Verizon still actually sells the original Galaxy Tab with a 3G data connection online. Its price? $399. Might want to do something about that, Big Red.

Condensed Press Release:

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS – Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announce the latest addition to the Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio, the Samsung Galaxy Tab® 2 (7.0), available beginning August 17 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com. Powered by Verizon Wireless 4G LTE, Galaxy Tab 2 customers will have access to 4G LTE in 337 markets and counting, covering nearly 75 percent of the United States population.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) features power and portability with its 4G LTE connectivity and 7-inch display making mobile entertainment easy. The Galaxy Tab 2 runs Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, and comes loaded with multimedia-rich apps like Netflix and Samsung’s Media Hub for watching movies and TV shows while on the go or on the couch. Customers can also take advantage of the compact design and use the Amazon Kindle app to keep their favorite books with them at all times. The Peel Smart Remote app turns the Tab 2 into a universal remote, helping customers easily find their favorite shows and eliminates the need for multiple remote controls.

The Tab 2 is also a SAFE™ (Samsung Approved For Enterprise) device featuring on-device AES-256 bit encryption, enhanced support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync® and support for industry-leading Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions. Additionally, the Galaxy Tab 2 can maximize productivity with the Polaris® Office application to easily create and edit documents. The app is optimized for tablets and has support for various file types like Microsoft® Word, Excel®, PowerPoint®, Adobe® PDF, Zip files and more.

Additional features:

  • 4G LTE – customers can expect fast download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G Mobile Broadband coverage area
  • Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich – support for Google Mobile™ Services including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™, Google Maps™ and access to more than 600,000 apps available to download from Google™ Play Store

· 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera and VGA front-facing camera for video chat

· 1.2 GHz dual-core application processor

· Bluetooth® 4.0 technology

· Multiple video file formats supported, including DivX and XviD support

· Wi-Fi® Connectivity (802.11 b/g/n)

· 8GB internal memory with support for up to 64 GB microSD™ card

...

Price and availability:

  • The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.comstarting Aug. 17 for $349.99
  • New customers can subscribe to a Share Everything plan for data devices starting at $40 for 4 GB of sharable data. Existing customers who already have a Share Everything plan can add the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) to their account for $10 monthly access. For additional information on Share Everything customers can visit www.verizonwireless.com/shareeverything.
  • For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.