Samsung used this week’s CTIA event in Orlando, FL to highlight its forthcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet, which is coming to the U.S. on June 8. The tablet will be available in Wi-Fi trim in 16GB and 32GB versions for $499 and $599 – much like Apple’s Wi-Fi only iPad and the forthcoming RIM BlackBerry PlayBook.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]The Galaxy Tab 10.1 sports a 10.1-inch touch-sensitive display. Under the hood is a 1GHz dual-core microprocessor running Google’s Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” operating system – the same OS that powers Motorola’s iPad contender, the Xoom. The Honeycomb OS is paired to Samsung’s “Touchwiz 4.0” interface. There’s a 3 megapixel (MP) rear camera and a 2 MP front camera. Samsung estimates battery life at up to 10 hours per charge – similar to Apple’s claims for the iPad 2.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 comes pre-loaded with Android apps including Gmail, Google Talk and more, works with YouTube. It also supports Adobe Flash 10.2.

Samsung vaunts the thinness and lightness of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which measures 8.6 mm thick (compared to the iPad’s 8.8 mm), weighing 595 grams (compared to Apple’s 601 grams). That’s 1.31 pounds for the Tab 10.1, 1.33 pounds for the iPad 2.

Samsung also took the wraps off a smaller Galaxy Tab 8.9, which is expected to be released in “early summer.” That model fits in between the original 7-inch Tab, offered late in 2010, and the 10.1 inch model. It measures the same thickness as its big brother, though it’s lighter (470 g, or about 1.04 pounds).