The Consumer Electronics Show 2011 (CES) is perhaps the best place to introduce your brand new products, especially when it comes to tech and gadgets. Velocity Cruz, a company that has already launched a couple of Android devices before, is one firm that wisely showed up in order to launch and promote its latest and greatest Android tablets lineup, which comprises of three different models: the 7-inch Cruz Tablet L37 that packs a 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, along with 4GB of storage, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, dual webcams In the back and in the front, a bunch of brightly colored buttons on the left edge, and a a microHDMI output port. Up next, we have the Cruz Tablet P38 that boasts pretty much the same specs, only with a slightly higher screen resolution – a 1024 x 768. and finally, the flagship version, Cruz Tablet L510, that features a 10.1-inch 1366 x 768 display, paired with a 1GHz dual-core processor and NVIDIA’s Tegra 250 chipset for the graphics. All three versions are expected to arrive in different markets, sometime this year, preloaded with Amazon’s Kindle app and Google’s android OS platform running on board. Hit the jump for full PR.

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Wel…well…well, what do we have in here? Guess it’s Google’s future android 3.0 platform (Honeycomb) that Mountain View has specifically designed to compliment and match tablets UI. To put it in different words, the 3.0 version is “Entirely for Tablet” – and boy! it looks great! But instead of crafting words, just checkout Google’s video to get a better impression.

Update: Looks like Google has just issued an early build of its upcoming Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system. So if any of you Android Developers just so happen to log on, make sure to check out the platform’s uncompleted SDK version including the APIs. Video preview after the break.

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Remember Acer’s mysterious 10.1-inch android-tablet which we’ve already seen in New York City back in November, last year? Well, there it is, live and kickin’ in NVIDIA’s booth at CES 2011, rising up again – this time with a brand new name – Acer Iconia Tab A500. Generally speaking, this is Acer’s first serious attempt to take on the iPad, and it’s a worthy one, no doubt. With “10 point multitouch” screen, Nvidia Tegra 2 chip, a built-in gyroscope and hopefully, Google’s android Gingerbread running inside, you can’t go wrong, can you? Especially when it’s going to take advantage of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network. As for the UI, we’re looking at “Acer UI 4.5″ that the company has skinned atop the the Android OS, while other specs include a bunch of embedded ports such as HDMI out, a full-sized USB plus a micro-USB one, a dock connector on the bottom, and 1080p along with 3D gaming support. Still no price or availability dates to share at the moment, but ’till then, Engadget has the hands-on video that you can find along with the Full PR, after the break.

Update1: Acer has just confirmed the UK pricing for its forthcoming Iconia Tab A500 tablets lineup and it’s pretty much within the iPad range: The WiFi-only flavors (Windows 7 or Android OS) will run you for £449 each, while the 3G-enabled W500 version will set you back for £529 when it officially gets out in the UK on April 8th. Still no word about the A500 pricing numbers.

Update2: And looks like the US official price is going to be more competitive than we originally thought, or in other words, the 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) Android Honeycomb tablet which boasts a 1GB of RAM along with a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 250 and dual cameras on the back (5MP) and up front (2MP), will set you back for only $450 on Best Buy retail stores while shipping starts on April 24. Let the competition begin!

Update3: It seems that Acer’s new Iconia Tab A500 is finally listed for sale on Best Buy. Apparently, this is the WiFi-only version of Acer’s brand new tablet and it will set you back for $450. In exchange you’re getting all the good specs we’ve already mentioned, including a Tegra 2 chip, paired with a 10.1-inch display, 16GB of storage, USB 2.0 hub and 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity.

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Asus just kicked out two new 10.1-inch tablets, powered by Nvidia Tegra 2 for the graphics and a pair of QWERTY sliding keyboard mods that miraculously  turn them into light and portable laptops. Sort of. But you have to admit it’s still convenient to type on physical keys rather than the virtual alternative. Basically, there are two models that fall within this category: The Eee Pad Slider (to the left) that boasts a IPS, 1280 x 800 resolution touchscreen with some sort of mechanism that looks exactly like a slider mobile phone (where the screen slides in and out), and the Eee Pad Transformer which probably got its inspiration from Lenovo’s U1 Hybrid laptop – and that means a detached screen which you can reattach to the typing base at your own will. And while the slider weights only 2.2 pounds and packs up to 1 GB of memory along with 16/32GB of storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, optional 3G connectivity, HDMI out, mini USB, a 1.2mp front facing camera plus a 5mp one (with LED flash on the back) and a MicroSD card slot, the Transformer on the other hand, boasts pretty much the same, only with one extra USB hub, a card reader and battery pack that is claimed to deliver up to 16 hours of work. And best of all, both devices will arrive preloaded with Google’s android 3.0 platform, which you might also know as Google’s Honeycomb. As for prices, Asus says that you’ll have to shell out between $500 to $800 for the Slider and about $400 and $700 for the Transformer flavor. availability is rumored for early Q2. Full specs after the break.

Update1: We’ve added a couple of  hands-on videos, courtesy of JkkMobile. Check ‘em out after the break.

Update2: We now hear rumblings that Asus’ latest and greatest hybrid model, known as the Transformer, is going to live in the UK around May or June for £379 ($595), while the base unit will cost you a £100 ($155) more. As for the Slider version – which seems even more attractive IMHO – word on the street is that we’re looking at a July / August release with a whopping £429 ($675) price tag.

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We’ve all seen the teaser ads and now, the much anticipated Eee Slate EP121 tablet from Asus is finally here. The 12.1-inch wonder that comes with a very impressive 1280 x 800 IPS display and said to include a Wacom digitizer support, will be offered by the Taiwanese giant with a Windows 7 OS on board. Yes, a Microsoft Windows platform for a change. Specs wise, we’re looking at one of the most powerful tablets ever manufactured, with Intel’s Core i5-470UM processor, paired with up to 4GB of RAM, and a 64GB SSD. WOW! in case you’re wondering, the stylus pen which Asus has also included can serve you better when it comes to freehand sketching or simply for taking notes. Wanna make a video conference or pump your HD videos on your flat screen TV? No problem at all. The EP121 comes fully equipped with a front facing camera and a single HDMI port. Sounds great, isn’t it? Absolutely yes, but not if you are broke. To put it into numbers, it’ll actually start at $1,000 for the basic unit, with availability in stores set for later this month. Full specs after the break.

Update: Asus is currently offering via Amazon a pre-order deal for its upcoming Eee Slate EP121, that will save you some green on a future purchase. The 12.1-incher, that was recently introduced, has just arrived to amazon’s online store, and for a limited time is being offered for only $999. We all want it badly, aren’t we?

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So, Lenovo is officially back to this netbooks/tablets game after freezing its high-end U1 Hybrid project for a while in order to do some serious thinking. And as we’ve said, they are back again, appear ready and able to kick some real ass with what’s now being called the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid with LePad tablet. So what has changed, you’re asking? The new skin version is now powered by Google’s Android 2.2 version (called LeOS) instead of the sluggish Linux Skylight platform. Additionally, you’ll be getting even more powerful processors inside, as the U1 base unit is now equipped with a 1.2GHz Intel Core i5-540UM (optional i7) and the LePad tablet boasts a 1.3GHz Snapdragon flavor. Design wise, the netbook station now has a nice and more efficient chiclet keyboard within, along with a dimpled trackpad at the bottom and an overall sense of high and lavish style. Other than that, we’re glad to see substantial improvements in the LePad screen as well. The 10.1-incher is much more responsive than its sluggish and resistive predecessor, and seems to have a 1280 x 800 capacitive multitouch panel on board. Switching between Windows (base unit) to Android (tablet) is as simple as docking and undocking the LePad unit from its U1 platform. The process for itself often seems super fast when it comes to disconnecting between the two devices, while a bit slower the other way around. As for pricing and availability, the LePad is coming at ya (in case you live in China) sometime this quarter with a base price of $520, while the full package, including both the tablet and the U1 unit will run you for a whopping $1300. Expensive! Regretfully, there’s no further info about US availability at the moment, but you can take a look at. Engadget’s Joanna Stern hands-on video or read the full PR after the break.

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The more we’re getting closer to CES 2011, the more we’re going to hear about new products that join the world’s biggest tech celebration. AOC’s 8-inch Breeze is just the latest in that series. The new tablet, which was recently unveiled by one of the largest LED / LCD monitor manufacturers, runs an obsolete Android 2.1 platform within, along with an 800 x 600 screen resolution, and a slew of physical keys, up right, on top of the screen bezel. In addition, there’s a Rockchip chipset inside, paired with 4GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, a battery pack that is claimed to deliver up to 12 hours of audio or 6 hours of video, WiFi connectivity, an internal speaker, and a single USB 2.0 port. More information should be forthcoming in the next few days, while shipping is due later this month and price is only few cents sub $200. Full PR after the break.

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Shocking! Toshiba has just announced yet another NVIDIA Tegra 2 tablet and oddly, it ain’t the 10-inch Folio slab we’ve all seen before. Details are scarce at the moment but we do know that the package includes a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 display, with an integrated accelerometer, Adaptive Display technology (whatever that means), dual webcams (5mp at the back plus 2mp up front), Google’s Honecomb Android 2.4 platform and myriad types of ports , such as full sized USB and HDMI hubs, a mini-USB socket, and an SD card slot. Obviously, we’re very excited about it, and hopefully we should expect to see a working version in the coming days or so. There’s another image at the other side of the post.

Update1: Quick measures update: The slate is said to weigh about 1.7lb and will feature a 0.6-inches body.

Update2: PCMag’s Lance Ulanoff was lucky enough to take a closer look at one of Toshiba’s unnamed working units at the CES show in Vegas and you can watch his quick “first-look” video right after the break.

Update3: And looks like Tosh has finally started rolling out its latest and greatest Android 3.0 tablets lineup, now available for a purchase over at Newegg‘s online store and known as ANT. Apparently, there are three Honeycomb tablets in stock: ANT-100 ($449.99), ANT-102 ($499.99) and ANT-104 ($579.99). Each one of them boast that 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) touchscreen on top, along with NVIDIA Tegra 2 chip, and either 8/16/32GB of storage at your choice. Cool!

[via Engadget]

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CES 2011 is only couple of days ahead and that’s probably the best time to attract a few headlines and announce the release of new products. Actually, there are plenty of them, but we’ll save you the fuss this time, and let concentrate on this cool 8-inch Vizio Via Tablet that has recently been announced. This nice and slick Android device, which seems to be Vizio’s first attempt to push a compact, well designed, tablet into world’s most overcrowded market, is claimed to have a “high resolution” display, along with three speakers, WiFi connectivity, a front facing camera and HDMI port. The manufacturing company also plans to include inside the Via Plus internet service, which means you’ll be getting yourself plenty of interesting goodies such as Netflix, Twitter, Facebook, Android market access, and Vizio On Demand movie feature, preloaded on board. Neat! Stay tuned.

Update1: Vizio has officially confirmed the details that recently appeared across the interwebs, regarding its upcoming plans to launch an 8-inch Via tablet. The company, that seems to be trying to bring its Android slab up to par with Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, has just issued a PR update that indicates the presence of  WiFi N connectivity within the slate, along with GPS, MicroSD slot, HDMI output and a pair of webcams, one at the back, and another up front. Additionally, we’re looking at 2GB of embedded storage along with a built-in accelerometer and 1,024 x 768-pixel capacitive touch panel on top. Regretfully, there’s no cellular service included, but on the long run, that surely won’t affect our excitement over this device.

Update2: We’ve just added a quick hands-on video, courtesy of Cnet. Check it out after the break.

[via Wall Street Journal]

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There is definitely a lot of momentum behind Android tablets these days, and Onkyo is one company seeking to take advantage of the burgeoning blitz. From what we know, their latest revelation, TA117 series, which has no price tag or availability details to share at this point, comprises of two models, namely TA117C3 and TA117C1, that will pack a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 display, NVIDIA’s Tegra 250 chip, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, HDMI output, two USB 2.0 ports, and microSD card slot. And while the C1 is claimed to pack 512MB of RAM along with 8GB of storage, its sibling, the C3 flavor, features 1GB of memory, paired with 16GB of NAND, on board. Android Froyo is the dominant OS platform in both versions, but word on the street is that we’re likely to see a Windows 7 support. Stay tuned for even more.

[via Akihabara News]

CES 2011 is just around the corner, and companies are starting to throw some chum in the proverbial waters. In a new one-and-a-half-minute video that recently showed up across the pond, Asus is teasing us with its most anticipated 12-inch Windows 7-based tablet, which according to officials, is set to take off  in exactly eleven days, at the most famous electronic show around the world. We’re still not sure whether this is the EP121 tablet we’ve already seen earlier this year, or something completely new that the Taiwanese have been working on, behind the scenes, for a couple of months or even more. One way or another, the pictures below clearly indicate that Asus’ next ”Eee Slate” device will be packing a Core i5 Intel processor, along with an HDMI output, usb port, an integrated webcam, SD card reader and a Microsoft office package that the laptops-giant is planning to preload on board. And this is just a teaser, remember? Make sure to checkout the footage half past the break.

Update1: Asus has launched a new teaser for their upcoming Android tablets, the Eee Pad and Eee Slate, with what appears to be a USB 3.0 port, etched into the chassis, along with some sort of a portrait oriented slide-out keyboard panel, accompanied by a batch of Android buttons, stamped onto its top. Nothing official yet, but it definitely looks like the real thing, this time. Image after the break.

Update2: And…we have another teaser from Asus. This time we’re talking about time couple of images featuring the company’s upcoming tablets lineup, pictured in all its glory. The first device in that series appears to be the EP121 that presumably boasts some sort of a stylus pen along with a wireless keyboard support. Up next, is the EP102 with that fancy keyboard, attached into a sliding touchscreen, and then we have the EP101 which looks quite similar, only as a netbook form factor. And last but not least, the EP71 -that seems to be a basic fundamental of any media player. Wanna see them? hit the jump and check ‘em out.

[via YouTube]

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It’s been quite a while since we’ve last heard anything special from Viliv, but with CES 2011 just around the corner in early January, it is rumored to be triple launching a new line of Android/Windows tablets of its own. And while we’re still unfamiliar with pricing or in-depth specs, the header of the following picture, pretty much says it all. In other words, the company will be showing off a couple of Android-based tablets, the X7 and X10, sized at 7-inch and 10.2-inch, respectively, while the third link in that series, the x70, is named by Viliv as the “most slim and light Windows 7 tablet in the world” – Now that’s a one hell of a kick, isn’t it? Regretfully, there’s nothing further to be said at the moment, so stay tuned for a lot  lot more.

[vis jkkmobile]

OH! What’s this? Looks like someone has finally managed to put his hands on Acer’s 10.1-inch Android Froyo tablet a lot earlier than expected. While details are still scarce, it appears that the 1GHz dual-core processor machine, which boasts a 1280×800 screen resolution and runs 1080p files stutter free, is having some sort of a new gyro UI that can barely handle preloaded apps for switching between photos, or jumping from one e-reader stuff to another. That said, you’ll have to bare in mind it’s still in a beta stage and that the real thing (which presumably packs Honeycomb OS inside) is likely to run much much better. Hit the jump to watch the three videos.

[via Engadget Chinese ]

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With CES 2011 just a couple of weeks away, Motorola is one company that seems to be generating quiet a lot of publicity. Especially when it comes to the company’s future line of tablet machines, which Motorola defines, in a recent video teaser, as the “next chapter in tablet evolution.” Yes, that’s exactly what it’s saying, along with some other interesting stuff such as: good graphics in a portable slate, high durability / flexibility, and high-resolution screen with muli-lingual support. In addition to that, the firm that has brought to the world the BlackBerry phone, is now finding itself head-to-head against some big opponents like Apple or Samsung, and judging by the video, doesn’t appear to be afraid. As a matter of fact, it’s actually mocking them by naming the iPad as a “giant iPhone” or by stating that in practice, the Galaxy Tab runs an Android OS  ”for a phone” rather than a suited platform for a tablet device. OH! And this lovely bee that you see at the end…Well, you just never know, there might be an Honeycomb in there, somewhere.

[YouTube]

Creative is finally acknowledging publicly the burgeoning trend of reasonably cheap Android 2.x tablets. Although the company is best known for its wide variety of audio players, it was only a matter of time before a commercial launch of such a device (a tablet) would eventually happen – and the sonner, was probably the better! As of this week, the Koreans are finally offering their very own Android 2.1 slate, known as the ZiiO, with a 7-inch 800×400 touchscreen display on top of the lid and a LABS ZMS-08 HD processor, along with 8/16GB of storage, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and a 1.3 megapixels camera, up front. Did we mention cheap? In that case, you should know that the 8GB version is priced at only $249.99, while its bigger brother, the 16GB flavor will cost just $20 more. Will it be a hit or miss for retailers this holiday shopping season? Only time will tell.

[Creative]

Samsung’s latest and greatest Galaxy Tab has already been on the market for about three months now, and the company is reporting that the 7-inch Android 2.2 tablet has crossed the one million mark in sales, and still counting. Impressive, isn’t it? Well, not if you’re a rich guy/gal and accessories freak, who can afford a lavish Galaxy tablet that would cost around $1000 (instead of the $649.99 you’d pay for a regular version) and include a very expensive leather case, along with a high-end Bluetooth headset. Yes, that’s pretty much the only things you’d get for the extra cash you’re paying here – no hardware tweaks or fancy diamonds etched cross in 14K white gold, just a regular slate with a bunch of “payload” stuff bundled. Word on the street has it that Samsung plans a very limited domestic release in the next coming days, however, if you’re one of us, ordinary people who depends on their savings to purchase it, mind you there are plenty of cheaper alternatives that are just as delicious as this one.

[TestFreaks]

Still on the hunt for a decent Android 2.2 bargain? Make sure to check out Amazon’s latest eLocity A7 deal, that only recently been released to the pond, according to official sources. The 7-inch 800 x 480 tablet, which was already available for a pre-order over the past three months, and is about ready to finally start shipping throughout the US of A, will cost you only $399 – a very good price for a slate with such specs, including NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 silicon chip, a 1.3 megapixels camera, WiFi, SD card slot, HDMI output, and an Android Froyo platform on board. Don’t wait too long, if you’re keen to buy one before the holidays, something tells us they’re about to really take off. Full PR is down the road.

[Amazon]

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The Blackberry Playbook tablet has been pretty elusive so far. But thanks to RIM’s David Neale, who recently gave a talk at Rogers TabLife TO conference, we finally got a huge piece of the pie, and suffice it to say we’re pretty impressed. The 10.1-inch prototype device which was unveiled on stage in a very thorough 17 minute walkthrough video features RIM Playbook’s impeccable HD video playback capabilities, along with the smooth and very responsive multy-touch UI and the fact that this powerful dual-core device will indeed support 4G connectivity. Already curious? Hit the jump to watch the video.

Update: Word on the street is that Motorola’s 10-inch Honeycomb tablet will presumably include a 1GHz Tegra 2 T20 chip, along with a 1280 x 800 multitouch screen, 512MB of RAM, an integrated gyroscope and 32GB of storage. Ports wise, there’s an HDMI out paired with a microSD card slot, a micro USB hub, a 3.5mm headphone jack and some sort of a proprietary output, for a possible future dock. Stay tuned, there’s plenty more to come.

[via Electronista]

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And it looks like Archos lived up to its promise. The French corp has just released a new firmware update for its latest and greatest Internet Tablets lineup which features several models including the Archos 23, 32, 43, 70, and 101. One of the most notable features in this update is the most anticipated Android 2.2.1 platform that Archos has generously provided along with some other interior improvements in battery life, performance, user interface and external GPS adapters support. So if that’s what you’re into, go ahead and grab it, free of charge, at the company’s website or simply hit the Archos link couple of steps below.

[Archos]

At this point it’s really hard to tell which is more accurate to describe Sharp’s new Galapagos lineup:  an e-reader, a tablet or maybe just an oversized phone (without a 3G connection, of course). One way or another, it’s going to cost us way too much – and to be even more specific, ¥39,800 ($475) and ¥54,800 ($655), for each of the two following versions that the Japanese corp is offering us – a 5.5-inch 1024 x 600 slate and a 10.8-inch 1366 x 800 tablet. And while we cannot be sure exactly what to expect or when we might actually see them out, this year or in the next one, there’s something inside us that tells us the story, which in Sharp’s case is, that we probably won’t see them live on our side of the pond.

Update1: Save the date: Friday, December 10 is when the Galapagos series will be officially released for trendy and most fashionable Japs.

Update2: According to a Mainichi Daily News report, Sharp is planning a big and techy refresh for its upcoming US Galapagos lineup. And when we say “refresh” we mean that the company is said to to include a few things that you probably won’t be able to find inside the Japanese models, such as 3G connectivity, global EPUB content format, and even a proprietary e-book store. Official release date is scheduled for early 2011, but chances are that we’ll find out about it next week at the CES show.

[Sharp]