Without Apple's ecosystem, Android tablet makers have to play a spec game. And Samsung, the world's second-leading tablet maker, just raised the spec bar again with the new Samsung Galaxy 7.7, with a 7.67-(to be technical)-inch Super AMOLED screen.

That description represents two firsts. A 7.7-inch screen (let's just round that off) is a new size in the search for the perfect size compromise between being able to fit in your pocket (the advantage of a 7-inch tab) and a big screen area for movie, photos, games, etc. And this is the first tab with a Super AMOLED screen, heretofore found only on the Samsung's smartphones.

Not only should this Galaxy fit in a jacket pocket, but it weighs just 12 ounces, nearly half that of iPad.

The new Galaxy is filled with glittering tech specs: a 1.4 GHz processor, HSPA+21 4G connectivity (although no carrier has been announced), a 5100 mAh 10-hour-for-video-playback battery, Android 3.2 with a compatibility zoom feature so apps not designed for Honeycomb don't look distorted, 1080p video playback, and will be available (when it's available - Samsung didn't say when and they didn't say how much) with 8, 16, 32 or 64 GB plus an SD card slot.

On the less tech impressive side, the 7.7 has just a 3 MP rear camera (but with a flash), but 2 MP up-front.

And it can be used as a phone, although I'm still not sure holding it to your ear won't make you look ridiculous.

Posted hands-on at IFA in Berlin.