What else can you say about those entry-level tablets rather than they are cheap. Well, they don’t cost that much. Right, but what else? Most of them come with a non-capacitive display, sport very limited storage, and are made (in most cases) from simple materials. But yet again, the most important thing that matters in this context is the pricing, and for that, we are witnessing a huge wave of low-end slates, hitting the US market these days. One of them, which has recently showed up at Best Buy for merely $170, is Pandigital’s 7-inch SuperNova Android device that packs an 800×600 screen resolution, along with 4GB of storage, an 800MHz processor, a front and rear facing cameras, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connectivity, microSD card slot, and a micro HDMI port. It features (apparently) a direct access to Barnes and Noble bookstore application and runs an Android 2.3 platform on board. Sounds neat for a 170 bucks gadget, isn’t it?

Update: Looks like Pandigital just pushed out two more Android tablets, Planet and Star, both packing a seven-inch touchscreen display, while Star is powered by a 800×480 screen resolution, and Planet on the other hand, sports 800×600 pixels in size. Other than that, both slates run an A9 Cortex processor, paired with 2GB of storage and Android 2.2 Froyo running on top. As for price and availability, the Star is planed for shipping around mid-August, for $159, while the Planet will set you back for $189, and is available for order today and in stores. Hit the jump to read the full PR.

[via AndroidCommunity]

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Oh, looky-looky what we’ve got in here – A $99 Android tablet? Now that’s cheap. And more importantly, comes with fairly reasonable parts inside, including a seven-inch (800×480) resistive touchscreen LCD, 4GB of internal flash memory, WiFi, 720p HD playback support, AppsLib store accessibility (instead of Google’s Android Market) and Android Froyo running on board. There’s no word yet on when, exactly, we’re going to see this Archos Arnova 7 available in stores, but hey, you’ve got to give it to the French, for giving a fight and reducing the cost of their tablets.

[Arnova]

It looks like Creative is about to push out a firmware update for the latest Ziio tablet that launched in the last couple of months, with Google’s Android 2.1 OS already preloaded on board. And while we highly recommend getting a new Android tablet with Honeycomb platform installed, the 7-incher on the other hand will have an Android Froyo upgrade, coming this Friday, and another one for the 10-inch model in the next few weeks or, so. The new update looks like it will be bringing greater language compatibility, as well as new passcode options, a text-to-speech engine and external storage app installation support. And if you don’t have any plans to switch to the current Android 3.0 operating system anytime soon, you can get this update either from Creative’s website or the ZiiO Space portal, once it’s finally released.

[Creative]

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We were so fed up with the fact that we couldn’t have a descent flash player running on the Motorola Xoom, out of the box. Thankfully, the company (in partnership with Adobe) now has announced a new release update that will fix this well known issue, once and for all. Starting on March 18th, Adobe/Motorola will officially begin rolling out their latest OTA software upgrade, which supposedly includes required enhancements to support the upcoming Adobe Flash 10.2 player and many other things more. Huzzah!

Update1: Apparently, the OTA will hit XOOM tablets earlier than expected, and is likely to support Android’s most recent platforms, such as Android 2.2 Froyo, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a beta version for Android 3.0.1 Honeycomb, which will soon enjoy the benefits of a smooth Android browser rendering engine that significantly improves the efficiency of data between images, H.264 playback, HTML coding, and GIF animation control.

Update2: There seems to be a manual OTA upgrade for the Motorola XOOM which can be downloaded directly from Verizon’s system update platform. The update is classed as version 3.0.1. An unofficial leaked update is now available for download here.

Update3: Meanwhile, before you rush and get your updates installed, feel free to hit the jump and take a look at the videos below. Full PR is also there for a read.

[Adobe]

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It certainly took Samsung long enough to come up with the idea of a WiFi only Galaxy Tab. However, if  the following flyer may be trusted, then we should very quickly be seeing a 7-inch Tab sans 3G connectivity, going live in the near/distant future. When exactly, you’re asking? In the first week of April. How much? Only 399 US Dollars – A Benjamin cheaper than Apple’s 16GB iPad 2 flavor. Will it work for Samsung this time? Probably, and that’s because most manufacturers are motivated by the increasing competition on the tablet market to come up with more affordable high-end tablets. And let’s say it loud and clear: $399 is a much more attractive price for the average tablet user. Let the competition begin!

Update: And looks like Sammy has just confirmed a wifi-only Galaxy Tab version, priced at $349.99 in exchange for a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, 32GB of internal storage, SD slot, dual cameras, Android 2.2 with Flash 10.1 support – due out April 10 and not a single day before. Hit the jump to read the  details.

[via Droid-Life]

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It’s been couple of month since Taiwanese corp Viewsonic has officially announced their latest Android 1.6 / Windows 7 dual-booting ViewPad 10 in America, and today it’s finally available and ready for shipping. Of course, as ever, you’ll need to pay for the 10.1 inch, 1.66GHz Atom CPU tablet with hard cash before it actually departs your way, but frankly speaking, the prices aren’t dirt-cheap enough to justify an immediate acquisition. As a matter of fact, they have some pretty high pricing rates, despite the mediocre line of innards specs (e.g 2GB of RAM, Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera). In terms of numbers we are looking at $599 for the 16GB SSD version which comes preloaded with Windows Home 7 Premium OS, or $679 for the 32GB drive, which packs inside the Windows 7 Professional flavor. Is it worth getting one over an iPad 2?  Overall I would get one, but it needs to come down in price dramatically. Demo video and full PR after the break.

Update: If by chance you happen to be a proud owner of the 10-inch dual-boot ViewPad device, there is a new update, coming up to the Android 1.6 tablet – Yes, you’ve heard that right boys and girls, the tablet’s getting an Android 2.2 (Froyo) upgrade. However, if you’re still on the hunt for one, you can either choose between the $599 Windows 7 Home Premium and 16GB slate or the $679 Win 7 Professional flavor (32GB) instead.

[Viewsonic]

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NEC has officially unveiled LifeTouch Note, a new 7-inch netbook device, based on Google’s android 2.2 platform on board. The Note, which boasts a 800 x 480 resistive touchscreen with a 2 megapixels webcam on front, offers a powerful Tegra 2 chipset, along with up to 8GB of memory, optional 3G connectivity, WiFi, GPS navigation feature, SD card reader and an SDHC slot. We still don’t know when exactly this new NEC Froyo netbook will be out in Japan. However, we do know that it would go for ¥45,000 (about $540) or somewhere around. Hit the jump to watch the video demo.

[via Akihabara News]

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In the inevitable storm of Android tablets set to rain down on us this coming year, one thing’s for sure: it won’t be easy for smaller manufacturers to distinguish themselves apart. Not to mention creating a buzz. But that doesn’t mean we won’t see them, right? Right. Korean Enspert, for instance, is a good way to illustrate our thoughts, because most people have probably never heard of them before, and yet thankfully, it didn’t stop them from launching an Android tablet of their own. And if you’re still reading, here’s what the company’s 7-inch Identity Tab E301 slate (yep, that’s the full name) is going to boast: Generally speaking, we’re looking at a $350 tablet with 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen resolution, alongside a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal flash storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a mini USB hub, and HDMI port. In addition to that, there’s a 4100mAH battery pack preloaded inside, a microSD, optional 3G-enabled version, and last but not least, dual webcams – a 5 megapixel unit on the back, and another at 1.3 megapixel, up front. In a first move, the Asian corp says it has already started selling its latest and greatest merchandise locally, while US invasion is expected to take place in cooperation with a major wireless carrier during a back-to-school launch, in the coming months or so. And while you’re waiting, make sure you check out the quick hands-on preview along with the full PR announcement, half past the break.

Update: There seems to be one or more than one Identity Tab models out there, as it would appear on a recent pre-order page that has recently emerged at  Dynamism‘s online store. The other version, Identity Tab E201U, which will run on Google’s Android Froyo platform (with both Gmail and Android Market preloaded inside), boasts that same 7-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen display on top, along with a 1GHz Hummingbird processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, PowerVR SGX540 for the graphics and one single SD card slot. Ship date pushed back to February 1st while pre-order price tag is standing at $349. Full specs after the break.

[via liliputing]

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Of course we’ve already seen Dell tease us all with its upcoming 7-inch Android tablet, back in September. But today we finally get a chance to see a real unit of Dell’s production model, this time with a few more details, worth knowing, attached and the oh-so-not-surprising “Streak 7″ moniker. And while availability or pricing are still particularly vague – excluding the rumors that indicate a release “in the coming weeks” – other specifications include an Android 2.2 platform (and potentially upgrade to 3.0?), paired with a Gorilla Glass-protected touchscreen, 16GB of storage, a 1.3MP front-facing camera (plus 5mp on the back) and a powerful 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor to improve your overall graphics and let you watch high-res content on board. Full PR plus Dell’s commercial video right after the break.

Update1: Are you curious about the inner part of the hottest Dell Streak 7? Make sure to check out the disassembling video right after the break.

Update2: And yet another quick hands-on video that you can watch after the break. This time in one piece

Update3: T-Mobile will be offering the 7-inch, Android Froyo slate, powered by 4G capabilities and equipped with NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 graphics, starting February 2nd, for $199.99 on a two-year contract (including a $50 mail-in rebate), or just $450 off contract.

Update4: And looks like Dell’s WiFi-only Streak 7 tablet officially goes live in the UK, with prices starting at £299 (about $485), and specs that include pretty much the same lineup (3G capabilities aside): a 7-inch (800 x 480) touchscreen, paired with a Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, 16GB of storage, a rear 5 megapixel camera, and another one at 1.3 megapixel up front. Regretfully, there’s “only” Android 2.2 running on board, but hopefully a Honeycomb update will be available for this device, somewhere before the Fall.

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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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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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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]

Rumor has it that Samsung is planning to showcase a new Galaxy Player at CES 2011, early next month. The player, which purportedly boasts a 4-inch Super Clear LCD display with 800 x 480 screen resolution, is said to run a Google android 2.2 platform, together with Samsung’s most efficient TouchWiz layer, right on top. Additionally, it’s also been reported to pack a 1GHz processor, along with a 1200mAh removable battery, WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth 3.0, 8GB, 16GB or 32GB storage capacities and a rear 3.2 mexapixels camera plus another one (VGA), conveniently located up front. Software-wise, we’re looking at SoundAlive audio enhancement technology which Samsung has wisely embedded inside along with GPS navigation capabilities, HD video playback and T-DMB support. Unfortunately, there’s still no official announcement about price, full specs and release date from Samsung, but you can be sure we’ll be on-hand to bring you all the details as soon as they come out. The only question that left: Can Apple maintain the iPod’s relevance? The only answer we can come up with is: Only time will tell.

Update: And looks like Samsung’s 3.2-inch Galaxy Player has just made it into the pre-orders section at Amazon UK with a January 7th shipping date, full Android Market access, and two capacity flavors to choose from: 8GB that will run you for £150 (about $235), and 16GB that costs only £30 more (or about $280).

[via Samsung Hub]

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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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]

OH! What’s this? Looks like Acer is finally joining the Android tablets party, with two different types of capacitive touchscreens in stock. The first in that group is the 7-inch tablet which according to Acer’s official PR (after the break) will be packing a native 1280×800 screen resolution on top of a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm processor, integrated WiFi, 3G connectivity and DNLA technology support. Not sure whether it will house the Android 2.2 OS or Google’s next Honeycomb platform on board. Still, we have plenty of time until we get to see this one-hot -slate officially coming out and shipping throughout the world (April 2011?). Next in that series is the 10.1-inch tablet which boasts that same impacable 1280×800 screen resolution, with a ten-point multitouch board (wow). Other than that, it is also said to include an integrated Gyroscope companion, along that same 1GHz dual-core processor, an HDMI output which is capable of delivering up to 1080p substance, and a 5 megapixels camera that will help you conducting high-res video conference calls. There are no prices to share at the moment, but we hope to get them for you as soon as we can.

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It’s been susptected and rumored, but now it’s offical. As of today, Dell is finally offering through its US online store a number of unlocked Streak devices, preloaded with Android 2.2 OS and different types of hard drive storage forms. There’s a 16GB Carbon Black version, now being offered unlocked for $579.99, or the same device only with 32GB of internal memory that will run you in exchange for $678.99 – and not a single extra dime. We’re still unsure exactly whether the cards themselves are locked to AT&T SIM only, or perhaps come fully compatibile with most other 3G networks. One way or another, it sure feels good having Google’s latest Android Froyo tossed inside, and for this matter, there are many different reasons that will backup this assertion: Whether it’s the pinch-to-zoom attraction, the 3G hotspot creation, a USB tethering usability or Adobe’s Flash playback support. And it’s all happening on a 5 -inch pocketable device, remember?

For those of you who already purchased an unlocked version of Streak, you should check with your 5-inch slate immediately, as word on the street claims that Dell has finally started rolling out the Android Froyo update that you’ve all been waiting for. You may or may not find it available for a download right away but you’ll have to believe us, it’s there, so be patient. As for people who bought the locked version, make sure you check out again next month. In addition to that, the coming update will also include Dell’s new Stage UI layer, which I hope you’ll find useful in getting on top of Google’s Android 2.2 update. And finally, according to a StreakSmart report, unlocked Streak devices are said to arrive to the US, preloaded with Froyo OS platform, in the next month or so. Please stay tuned.

Japanese electronic giant Toshiba has purportedly started rolling out its latest and greatest Folio 100 tablet across Europe, according to official PR announcement, delivered after the break. Toshiba had promised it would roll out the Android Froyo slate in the continent before the end of the year, and seems to be sticking to its promise. The 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen device which will retail for €399 for WiFi only version or up to €529 for the 3G-enabled one (available Q1 2011), comes fully equipped with NVIDIA’s new ARM SOC chipset, along with 16GB of internal storage, mini-HDMI output, USB hub, SD card reader, 1.3 megapixel webcam and Bluetooth version 2.1. Battery wise, you’re looking at a seven hours package and we certainly hope to see this bad boy going live in the US somewhere around holidays time.

Update: Looks like Toshiba has just issued a new firmware update (v2.2.5.0053) in order to improve screen tap respond issues, audio / video processing and pinch-to-zoom capabilities. For more coverage hit the following link.

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As previously mentioned, Archos has slowly started to roll out its most recent Android tablets/PMPs series with new devices coming out every day, with different form factors but a similar operating system – Android Froyo that is. And while most Archos products to date have carried resistive touchscreens on board, its latest and greatest, Archos 70 tablet, is reportedly packing a 7-inch (800 x 480) capacitive display which hopefully will give you a better and a lot more friendly multitouch experience results. This $279 package offers a powerful 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, along with an OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics accelerator, a front-facing VGA camera, 8GB of flash storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth connectivity, and microSDHC card slot. Regretfully, there’s no access to Android Market, but the French company is likely to hook you up with the AppLib store – an Android app scene of its own.

[Archos]