<!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px} -->Well, we knew this was coming. For better or worse, Samsung's just invited members of the press to the "official unveiling" of the Galaxy Tab 10.1's "major software update." It seems like a rather small thing to hold an in-person event for but there's good reason for it — starting at 1:00pm EST on August 3rd, reps at the Samsung Experience store in NYC will be actually side-loading the updates for Tab 10.1 buyers. Yep, you can just march into The Experience (as us tech writers like to call it), wait five to ten minutes for the update to install, and walk out with the new software.

Oh, and about that software. According to the colorful invite, the new build will include the TouchWiz UX with Samsung's Live Panel, Mini Apps, and Media Hub additions. There will be third-party software as well, including Amazon's Kindle and Cloud Player as well as the new Honeycomb-optimized Words with Friends app. Those who don't wish to lose all their previous settings and content will have to wait for the over-the-air update which will be available "soon." We're obviously planning to head uptown on August 3rd with our Tab 10.1 review unit, so prepare for impressions.

Update: Samsung PR has confirmed that the sideloaded update will only be available in NYC on August 3rd – those in other cities, states, and countries will have to wait for the OTA.