In what could be a sign of continued investor confidence despite the slackening resource boom, Australia opens today to the public the very first retail concept store of Samsung in the country, and along with it, the much anticipated Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet computer.

The 16GB wifi model of the new tablet will be offloaded to excited consumers starting 8am for $589 a piece. Quite a pricey tag compared to those sold overseas, according to www.gizmodo.com.au. The new Note, positioned as a fully-fledged tablet that includes the staple Samsung S Pen seen with the first iteration of the device, can actually be bought for $189 less in the US. Even with additional sales tax and shipping fee, the Note to be sold in Australia is still a premium, the gadget online portal said.

Located at 450 George Street opposite Sydney's Town Hall Station, the one-story store aims to give the Sydney market an "experience store" that focuses on showcasing and selling Samsung's smart internet-connected devices, including phones, tablet computers, laptops and TVs.

"We wanted a prime location with street frontage, where's there's about 4000 shoppers a day," Samsung Australia's Tyler McGee said.

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet computer will likewise be sold in JB HiFi and Harvey Norman stores at the end of the week.

The 16GB 3G version will follow suit in the coming weeks, but Samsung declined to reveal its price.

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet computer has a 10.1 inch screen, double the size of its predecessor. It also includes a new multiscreen feature that allows two different applications to run simultaneously side by side.

"The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet computer offers little aside from the S Pen to wholeheartedly recommend it over other tablets," according to www.techworld.com.au.