Category Archives: General

General, Mobile, Phones

Apple Unveils Faster, Stronger iPhone 5S and Cheaper, Colorful iPhone 5C

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Apple’s Tim Cook took the stage today at the company’s media event in Cupertino to officially introduce the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, Apple’s next generation of mobile devices. As most rumors already suggested, the iphone 5S, which is considered as Apple’s new flagship machine, looks exactly the same as the previous model, AKA the iPhone 5; rear aluminum build and a front glass panel, surrounded by a metal stripe around the sides.

Clearly, the new 5S is Apple’s fastest handset yet, and it runs a super powerful A7 chip under the lid. It’s the first and probably the only smartphone in the world to ship with a 64-bit configuration in the form of the new A7 processor, with a “desktop-class architecture” housing 1 billion transistors, which are twice the amount you’ll find on an A6 chip. This brings the A7 chip performance to more than double the speed of an “old” iphone 5. As for the graphics, Apple has announced a new support for the OpenGL ES 3.0 standard like the new Nexus 7. But that’s not all, ladies and gents, because there seems to be a secondary chip, that Apple is tossing in alongside the A7 processor, and it’s called the M7. This one, is more of a “motion processor” and it will help measure motion stuff like the accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope. In addition, it’ll improve support in a few apps within the health and fitness fields.

One of the most important questions the media had to deal with was how big is the screen on the Apple iPhone 5S/5C smartphones? Today, we’ve finally got the answer, the new Apple iPhones come with a 1136 x 640 pixel 4-inch Retina display, which is about the same as we had as with the iPhone 5 model. In other words, DISAPPOINTMENT. We truly expected from Apple to offer a larger screen alternative. But I guess it won’t happen until probably the next iphone generation, number 6, I presume.

As mentioned, the outside box doesn’t bear any notable changes from the older version, except one significant update in the form of a revolutionary fingerprint sensor that Apple has placed under the home button. Yes, you’re getting a fingerprint sensor that is likely to boost your mobile security BIG time, and will ultimately replace all those user ID passwords. NEAT. The button itself is said to be made from a laser-cut sapphire crystal materials, which are basically unscratchable. And while rumors were spot on, this fingerprint reader – The TouchID – that Apple has managed to attach underneath the iphone home button is nothing but amazing. The technology behind it can literally read  your fingerprint at “an entirely new level” if you will. Touch ID Sensor is about 170 microns thin, and senses 500 ppi resolution. Generally speaking, it can scan all of your “sub-epidermal skin layers.” Touch the button and DANG, your phone’s unlocked.

Another cool thing that Apple has added, is the upgraded camera. The company has improved the current rear 8MP camera from the iPhone 5 with a new f/2.2 aperture. The new camera technology features a backside illumination, and will apparently endorse about 15 percent larger active sensor area. Other than that, we’re also looking at a new flash at the back of the phone (with two LEDs attached), and a cool shooting option with an auto image stabilization mode. The front facing webcam is at 1.2MP, while the rear one was specifically designed to capture 720p HD video at a very high speed, at 120FPS. It basically means that you can easily take slow-motion videos out of your phone. Last but not least, you will now be able to shoot at burst mode & up to 10 frames per second. Which is crazy if you come to think about it.

In addition to that, the iPhone 5S will also include support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G LTE network. As far as storage goes, the 5S model will ship with your choice of either 16/32/64 GB of storage — No 128 GB flavor for you at this point. Bummer.

The phone will arrive in Silver, Gold, and a new Space Gray colors. Is anyone surprised?

The second device that Apple has officially unveiled today is the iPhone 5C which the good guys over at Cupertino are aiming for the low-mid mobile market. The cool thing about this model is the variety of colors that you can choose from (Blue, White, Pink, Yellow, and Green), and the fact that it’s light and made from a cheap plastic flavor. Apple says that It’s made of a hard-coated polycarbonate material, if you really want to know. It also features a 4-inch Retina display with the same 8-megapixel rear camera and the regular support for LTE bands, dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity, and Bluetooth 4.0. The chip inside is an A6 processor, same as the iPhone 5.

Both devices will run Apple’s latest and greatest iOS 7 out of the box. The platform, which Apple has completely built from the scratch around the 64-bit technology, in a new “flat” design, is due out September 18th. Supported devices include the iPhone 4 or later, iPad 2 or later, iPad mini or fifth-generation iPod touch.

As for prices and availability, the two new iphones will officially go on pre-order at Apple’s online store September 13th, with both devices to start shipping on September 20th in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK. The most significant thing here is that it would probably be the first time that China is getting in the first phase of the iPhone’s release. This is huge for a company like Apple who’s been making efforts to penetrate the Chinese market for quite some time now.

The iPhone 5S will offer a range of 16 GB to 64 GB models and will be priced as follows:

  • 16 GB: $199 (with a 2-year contract), or $649 off-contract.
  • 32 GB: $299 (with a 2-year contract)
  • 64 GB: $399 (with a 2-year contract)

The iPhone 5C will offer 16 GB/32 GB capacities and will be priced as follows:

  • 16 GB: $99 (with a 2-year contract), or $549  off-contract.
  • 32 GB: $199 (with a 2-year contract)

Apple will also offer dyed leather cases for $39 each, and a set of rubber skin cases for the iPhone 5C, priced at merely$29 apiece.

Finally, Apple to discontinue the iphone 5, while the 4S version remains as a free model in a 2 year contract.

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IFA, tablets

Sony Vaio Tap 11 is The “World’s Thinnest Windows 8 Tablet PC”

Sony products always seem to be on the high side, with simple and elegant design, but also with a very high price tag. The Vaio Tap 11, which was recently announced by the Japanese corp at the IFA 2013 tradeshow, is no exception. In fact it’s fully loaded with many of impressive new features. The 1,920 x 1,080 IPS screen on this slate is beautiful. It measures 11.6 inches diagonally and is extremely clear and bright. Additionally, It will also include an N-Trig digitizer to enable more expressive forms of pen-touch input.

The new Tap 11, which is claimed to be the “world’s thinnest tablet PC” is obviously trying to take on Microsoft’s flagship Surface Pro. It’s only 9.9mm thick, and like the Surface, boasts a fully retractable kickstand behind, for portrait or landscape propping. The Windows 8 tablet turns on fast and aims to combine PC power and tablet portability in one single slab. The Vaio Tap 11 runs on Intel’s new Haswell CPU, with your choice of Core i3, i5 or i7 processors. In addition, it packs 4GB of RAM and a range of 128GB to 512GB SSD storage configuration. As far as battery goes, Sony says it will offer up to 6 hours of battery life and can be charged in a reasonable time. There’s also NFC on board, which supports one-touch pairing with Sony’s range of machines.

Apart from all that, the Tap 11 is also equipped with a full USB 3.0 port, a micro-HDMI input to connect LED TVs and some other HDMI-capable devices, a built-in IR remote, microSD card slot, dual stereo speakers, and a front 2 megapixels shooter plus an 8 megapixels rear-facing camera, tucked with Sony’s own Exmor-RS sensor. Software wise, you’ll have pre-loaded inside a nice batch of Adobe Creative Cloud programs.

Along with the Vaio Tap 11, Sony is offering a slim & detachable wireless keyboard that can also be used as a nice protective cover, in particular when you charge the battery. There’s also a touchpad built into the chiclet keys, and it can be turned off at the switch on the keyboard.

Both price and availability are to be determined, so you’ll have to wait a while if you want it.

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Video courtesy of pocketnowvideo

General, Mobile

Confirmed: Apple iPhone Event is Set For Sept 10

After a long time rumors about a possible event, Apple has finally sent invitations for a press conference to be held September 10, 2013, at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern, at the Cupertino Headquarters, to announce details about the upcoming line of flagship iphone devices, and probably some other very interesting stuff, such as the iOS 7 and more. By “more” we hope to get an official release date for Apple’s latest and greatest OS X 10.9, also dubbed Mavericks, and a refresh to the Retina display iPads or the Retina MacBook Pros. 

Apple’s invitations usually include some hints as to what the event will be about, and this year the tagline, which appears at the bottom of some sort of an abstract colorful polka dot background, is saying — “this should brighten everyone’s day” — the event, that is, of course. As for the colorful dots, that could probably confirm early leaks about a possible release of some bright multi-colored iPhone 5C casing, but hell, we’d certainly want to see a gold iPhone variant as well.  

Another theory suggests that the colorful dots and the style of the fonts (above) were designed in the spirit of the new iOS 7 (a flat design). We can’t be too sure about it, but let’s give out our chance and hope for the best.

IFA, tablets

Acer Launches 10.1-inch Iconia A3 Android Jelly Bean Tablet

Acer has added a new tablet to its burgeoning Android portfolio, introducing a 10.1-inch model, dubbed Iconia A3, to complement its existing 7.9-inch Iconia A1. The new slate, which is expected to go on sale in Europe, Middle East, and Africa early October, will be available in both WiFi and 3G configurations, while the starting price set at €249. The A3 will be housing a 1,280 x 800 resolution screen, touting a WXGA IPS panel, along with a 5MP rear-facing camera, and a quad-core 1.2GHz Cortex A7 processor onboard. The 10.1-incher will also include a Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for the OS, a virtualized 5.1 channel surround system, and either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage at your choice. US release is yet to be announced.

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Acer Launches a Touch More Entertainment with 10.1″ Android Tablet
@ IFA 2013

Update: Iconia A1 and Iconia B1 with a touch more colour

Editors’ Summary:

• Immersive, cinematic sound experience with Dolby Digital and ergonomic speaker placement
• Smooth media performance with quad-core processor
• Vivid, consistent visuals on 10.1″ LED-backlit display with IPS¹ technology

BERLIN, Sept. 2, 2013 – Acer will unveil at IFA 2013 the new Acer Iconia A3, a 10.1-inch tablet was designed to offer a touch more entertainment, multimedia, gaming and web experiences. Movie and music lovers will find in the Iconia A3 their perfectly balanced couch mate with immersive sound, wide viewing angles and quad-core performance to further enhance their entertainment and enjoyment.
The Acer Iconia A3 was introduced alongside other product updates, including the Acer Iconia A1 and B1 with additional colour options. The full-featured single-handed use 7.9-inch tablet is now available in a touch of white, smoky grey and ivory gold. The Iconia B1 7-inch tablet, targeted at first time users or tablet newbies, is now also available in a touch of oceanic blue and vermilion red.

A touch comfier

Designed for rich multimedia entertainment, the Iconia A3 comes with Dolby® Digital Plus™ creating a virtualized 5.1 channel surround experience over headphones, reduced background noise and dialogue volume boost resulting in clear dialogues and consistent volume levels, without sways across content and apps. To top this off, the Iconia A3 boasts an ergonomic placement of the speakers on both sides creating a virtual sound box for stereo sound effects.

The 10.1″ WXGA display (1,280 x 800) with IPS technology offers crisp and accurate colours from wide viewing angles for a better visual experience whether users are lounging on the sofa, lying on the bed or sharing the view with a loved one. The 16:10 aspect ratio of the Inconia A3 is ideally suited to watch video content and playing games in landscape mode. Complete with a built-in micro HDMI port, users can connect the tablet to an external display to share and enjoy movies and videos on a bigger screen. The Acer Iconia A3 keeps consumers connected to Wi-Fi networks or built-in 3G mobile data connection. Plus, the integrated Bluetooth 4.0 lets consumers quickly connect the tablet to a variety of other devices, such as headsets and printers.

A touch smarter

Powered with a quad-core 1.2GHz cortex A7 processor, the Iconia A3 delivers smooth 9 hours of video playback, better mobile gaming, as well as fluid and fast navigation through apps and websites.
Acer IntelliSpin expands the tablet’s screen image rotation feature, so that even when lying flat, the screen image will rotate to match the tablet’s orientation when turned.

Acer’s Touch WakeApp provides users with fast access to their favourite apps straight from sleep mode. A great feature if the tablet is shared by different users, the multi-user support featured by Android 4.2 allows customers to create up to eight separate and customisable user spaces on a single device.

To maximise user fun, the 5MP back camera can take snapshots at full video resolution while recording a video. It can also snap immersive 360° pictures and wide angle shots. Available as 16GB or 32GB version with the option to expand via microSD, the Iconia A3 is the ideal home entertainment companion for people who like sharing and consuming multimedia content.

A touch purer

A smooth profile with rounded edges make it easy to grab the tablet with one hand. The minimalist design is accentuated by the silver profile that sets off the white of the back cover and complements the current design of Acer’s Android tablet family. With a slim profile at just 10.15 mm and a weight of less than 600 grams, the Iconia A3 is easy to carry along and check anything in a flash whenever needed.

Pricing and Availability

The Iconia A3 (WiFi) version will be available in Europe, Middle East and Africa early October with a suggested a starting price of €249.

The Iconia A3 (3G) version will be available in Europe, Middle East and Africa early November with a starting price of €299.

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IFA, tablets

LG Unveils The G Pad 8.3 Android Jelly Bean Tablet, Set to Take on The iPad Mini

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LG has officially introduced the G Pad 8.3 to the world, which is the latest addition to the company’s Android family of devices. The new slate, which sports an eight-inch screen with full-HD (1920 x 1200 WUXGA) display, is likely to compete with the likes of Apple’s iPad Mini and Google’s Nexus 7, both of which have been around for quite some time and have sold in very high numbers. The new gadget that will make its debut at the IFA event this week, includes a massive 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor under the lid, as well as 2GB of RAM, a 4,600mAh battery, dual camera at 5MP on the rear and 1.3MP on the front, about 16GB of internal storage and Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 running on top. The 8.33m thick device is said to weigh 338 grams, which is about as the same as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8.0. In addition it’ll boast the usual Wifi/Bluetooth connectivity, alongside the company’s QPair and QSlide software enhancement onboard. At this point in time there is no pricing information to share with you, however it will be available worldwide, in black or white, some time in Q4.

Update: The G Pad will be available to buy in retail from November 3 for as little as $350.

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LG TAKES ON GLOBAL TABLET MARKET WITH ‘LG G PAD 8.3’

New Tablet to Debut at IFA 2013, Worldwide Rollout to Follow

SEOUL, Sep. 1, 2013 – LG Electronics (LG) today announced the LG G Pad 8.3 tablet, the latest addition to its G Series lineup of premium mobile devices. The all-new LG G Pad 8.3 boasts the first Full HD display on an 8-inch class tablet, a unique user-experience and wide range of connectivity features. Set to officially debut next week at the IFA 2013 trade show in Berlin, the LG G Pad 8.3 builds on the recent launch of the LG G2 superphone, reinforcing LG’s commitment to leadership in advanced mobile devices through its premium G Series products.

“Complementing our G Series smartphones, the introduction of the LG G Pad 8.3 further strengthens LG’s premium lineup consisting of our most cutting-edge devices,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “Our G Pad is just another example of LG delivering devices with the unique selling points consumers around the world will appreciate.”

Pocket-Sized Portability with Powerful Battery
Despite its large display, the LG G Pad 8.3 features a slim and sleek form factor that is comfortable enough to hold in one hand. Such compact portability is based on LG’s learning from consumers regarding the optimum size of a tablet. While maintaining its portability, the LG G Pad 8.3 squeezes in a powerful 4600mAh battery for long-lasting usage time but is still as light as a newspaper at just 338g.

First Full HD Display Tablet in 8-inch Class
Incorporating a key attribute of other premium G Series devices including the G Pro and G2 smartphones, the LG G Pad 8.3 is the first 8-inch class tablet to offer a Full HD display. The G Pad is equipped with a 1920 x 1200 WUXGA (Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array) display capable of delivering picture quality with even higher resolution than a standard Full HD display. In addition, the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 Processor with 1.7GHz Quad-Core CPU enhances the viewing experience with powerful performance as users will be able to enjoy Full HD content without any compromise.

True Convergence Experience with QPair
The LG G Pad 8.3 meets the demanding requirements of the convergence age by improving connectivity between multiple devices. With the unique QPair app, every call and message received on a smartphone will appear on the G Pad for a true convergence experience. Users can then send simple replies through the LG G Pad 8.3. QPair also allows the G Pad to easily connect to other manufacturers’ smartphone and tablets (Jelly Bean OS recommended). Notes created on the G Pad’s QMemo can be seamlessly saved into users’ smartphones and shared from either device.

User Experience Maximized for a Tablet
The LG G Pad 8.3 offers practical features that provide real-life benefits, such as enhanced multitasking. Thanks to its 8.3-inch Full HD Display, user experience (UX) features unique to the LG G Pad 8.3 are maximized for the large screen:

1. Slide Aside enables seamless multitasking by simply “sliding” currently open apps off to the side using a three-finger swipe
2. QSlide controls up to three different apps in one window with no interruption, especially convenient on a large screen
3. KnockON turns the device on and off by tapping the display twice

The LG G Pad 8.3 will be rolled out globally in key markets including North America, Europe and Asia as well as other regions starting in the fourth quarter of 2013. Prices will be announced at launch time.

Key Specifications:
– Processor: 1.7GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 Processor
– Display: 8.3-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels / 273 ppi)
– Memory: 16GB eMMC
– RAM: 2GB LPDDR2
– Camera: Rear 5.0MP / Front 1.3MP
– Battery: 4,600mAh
– Operating System: Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2
– Size: 216.8 x 126.5 x 8.3mm
– Weight: 338g
– Colors: Black / White

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General, Mobile, Phones

Alleged iPhone 5C Cases Start Showing Up Online

Apple is gearing up for one of those major events, where it’ll officially announce the iPhone 5S and the iphone 5C, on September 10 or so. While rumors continue to circulate about the possibility of two different iphone machines, the 5S which is the company’s heir to the throne, and the 5C that is expected to emerge as Apple’s “low-end” offering, alleged soft cases for the iPhone 5C are beginning to appear online these days, and they may provide us with some clues about the overall design and the size of each dimension. 

One such online store we’ve stumbled across, that is offering Apple’s new cases is Deal Extreme, which has just started to sell the goods. Looking at the picture they posted (above), we see the same pattern and exact shade of colors as we have already seen before. But the specs are new for the most part. A quick glance at the ultra-thin protective back case, for instance (that is about the closest we get to the actual dimensions of the real phone), will teach us that it will measure in at 4.96 in x 2.36 in x 0.35 (12.6 cm x 6.0 cm x 0.9 cm), exactly the same as in the previous releases. In other words, NO size change, in case you were speculating on the topic. Perhaps a tad thicker, as some other cases suggest, but we expect the overall layout and design to remain pretty much the same.

We’ll keep you updated as more information comes in.

General

Panasonic Lumix TZ40 18.1MP Super Zoom Digital Camera Boasts GPS, WiFi, and NFC Pairing Mode

It’s a challenge to try to keep up with all the latest technology and gadgets that come on the market these days. There’s just plenty of them out there, but when it comes to digital cameras, brand is of utmost importance. In that regard, it will be safe to say that Panasonic is hands-down, one of the top photography brands. The company is well known for making cameras that have plenty of features and great eye-caching goodness, without hurting your pockets. 

The new Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ40 (known as the DMC-ZS30 Stateside) is one of their latest offering in the digital camera range, that is considered to be professional, but still budget-friendly, for the most part. This compact super-zoom camera features a powerful 20x optical zoom with a 24 mm wide angle lens from LEICA, which gives incredible magnification. The 3-inch LCD touchscreen on the back, comes equipped with a resolution of 920,000-dot pixels, and the camera includes the new 18.1MP high-sensitivity Live MOS sensor under the hood, capable of capturing more details than before. In addition, the TZ40 sports supremely quick continuous shooting, at 10fps with autofocus, and you can also shoot stunning 1080p Full HD videos at 50fps to 640 x 480 VGA quality at 25fps (either with AVCHD or MP4 formats). 

The Lumix  TZ40 compact digital camera weighs only 198g and is housed in silver, white or black enclosure, at your choice. There’s also a 3D mode option in this nice little shooter, and some other neat features such as built in GPS, Panoramic capture mode, integrated WiFi connectivity, and NFC (Near Field Communication) technology for easy pairing with other gadgets, such as tablets or top-notch smartphones. 

Other notable specs in this beautiful aluminium casing camera include up to 40x of Intelligent Digital Zoom, alongside Hybrid Optical Image Stabilization feature, and a wide range of full auto exposure modes, including Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and full manual control. 

It is priced at £329.99 / $399.99, but you now get a chance to win this superb camera, by simply following the simple steps right here on this page; however it’s for those in the UK who are over the 18 years old. 

 

General, Video

Panasonic HC-V520 Video Camera Features a Massive Intelligent 80x Zoom, With Wi-fi and NFC Capabilities

Panasonic_HC_V520_Camcorder

Videos have already become a vital part of our everyday life, as taking a footage is now a whole lot easier thanks to the popularity and innovation of intelligence mobile devices, like the iPhone for example. While shooting a video with your smartphone is comfortable, the quality is not as good as it is with a dedicated HD camcorder. And if you really don’t want to spend a ton of money on a camera but still like to get excellent results, the Panasonic HC-V520 has plenty of amenities and very cool things to offer.

This small and powerful Full-HD device, has a 1/5.8in CMOS under the hood, and a 2.51 megapixels sensor based on a backside illuminated technology. There’s also a sharp and bright 3-inch screen that enables intuitive fingertip touch-operation, and the optical zoom is supplemented by an 80x Intelligent Zoom. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

As mentioned, there are plenty of features in this camera which is best suited for video, at which it works great (1080/50p AVCHD 2.0 format), but also as a very high quality 10 megapixels still camera. In addition to that, there’s the ability to add filter effects to your vids (such as Miniature Effect, 8mm Movie, Silent Movie and Time Lapse Recording) to further enhance your creativity, and the camera includes a 2D to 3D conversion function as well.

Want more? Not a problem! The HC-V520 is also equipped with WiFi and NFC connectivity that allows users to transfer pictures and videos wirelessly to mobile devices or computers. Moreover, the camera can be controlled remotely and can stream video to your smartphone or tablet via mobile networks and wireless internet connections.

All these goodies for only £396 or $346. 

Here’s what you get:

WiFi camera makes a great remote-photography/video streaming tool. The new range of Panasonic camcorders come with Wi-Fi interface enabled, which allows live streaming, and the option for images and videos to be wirelessly transferred. Here’s how it works:

Computers, Events, Mobile

Apple Unveils iOS 7, OS X Mavericks and New MacBook Air at WWDC 2013

5 Comments

Apple-wwdc13-event

Apple’s annual event for WWDC 2013 has finally come to an end. In a nutshell: no new Apple iphone or iPad. So what did we end up getting? Some rumors have indicated that we would see Apple laptop hardware updates this week, while other rumors pointed to a whole new software design. At the end of the day, I guess it was probably a good mix of both. From the hardware part, Apple has announced a refresh of its MacBook Air & Macbook Pro devices, and software wise, the guys over at Cupertino launched a new OS X (10.9) and the most anticipated iOS 7, which Tim Cook referred to as the “biggest change to iOS since the iPhone.”

But first, as usual they started with some numbers:

•  Apple says that under 5 years, users have downloaded from the App Store about 50b times.

•  There are now 900,000 apps in the App Store, of which 375,000 are for the iPad.

•  Over 600 million iOS devices sold.

•  800 billion iMessages sent.

•  240 million Game Center users.

Apple-Mackbook-Air-Haswell

Macbook Air & OS X Update

Apple just announced the next generation of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air products, with claims that the power consumption will be reduced for both machines (they call it the “all day battery life”). The new MacBook Air is distinctively similar to the previous model, but if you’re going to take a closer look you’ll find the new “Haswell” 4th-gen processors from Intel. In addition, the new line is said to offer a faster 802.11 ac Wifi connectivity, alongside Intel HD Graphics 5000, which is supposed to provide graphics performance that is 40 percent faster. Apple claims 9 hours of battery life for the 11-inch model, while the 13-inch MacBook Air now provides up to 12 hours of continuous work. They’re both available starting today, with the 11-inch Air going at $999 for the 128GB base model, and $1,199 for the 256GB version. The larger 13-inch Air will be priced at $1,099 for the 128GB entry model, and $1,299 for double the size (256GB).

Apple unveils its latest operating system, the OS X “Mavericks.” First thing you’ll notice, is that the company is replacing its traditional practice of calling Mac operating systems after cats. Instead, it is going after an undersea rock in California that apparently creates big waves. Symbolic, isn’t it? Anyway, the new operating system is said to extend battery life to the most, reduce boot-up time, and enhanced multiple display support (with the ability to tweak elements between screens). Furthermore, the Mavericks features a range of improvements and new features aimed at both users and developers alike. That includes the “finder tabs” addition, which will organize different finder windows into one, documents tagging, new iBooks and Maps app integration, a new version of Safari browser, including a whole new bookmark bar, a redesigned calendar, improved notifications, and a powerful iCloud keychain feature, an encrypted 256-bit AES functionality for password and private info management.

apple-itunes-radio

 iTunes Radio

Music streaming services are growing big these days. Google has recently unveiled its Google Play Music and the market is packed with some major streaming players such as Rdio, Spotify and Pandora. Today, Apple is joining that group with recent announcement of its iTunes Radio music platform, which was described by the A-team as “a new way to discover music.” At present, there is no need to pay any fee for this, but the free radio service supported by ads. You can either listen to the channels the service offers from various sources (e.g Twitter trending songs, integrated stations, your personal music collection), or simply create your private iTunes Radio station at your choice. You can also modify existing stations to your own taste by choosing the ‘Play more like this’ or ‘Don’t play music like this’ sections. The service is expected to launch in the U.S first and then expand globally, sometime in the future.

Apple-iOS-7

iOS7

And now we’re finally getting to the highlight of the show: Apple has revealed a completely new iOS 7 software, featuring a all-new design with a modern “Flat” approach. It has a much smoother look, and considered by the Cupertino-based company as “the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone.”

With so many new options and  features installed, I think that iOS7 was definitely worth the wait. It has a nice clean form, some pretty colorful icons and a very friendly interface on top. What else can we find in there?

Control Center – An Android-like area where you can manage and adjust some of the most important settings on your phone. (Wi-Fi, brightness, volume, etc.). To get in there, you simply need to swipe the screen down from the upper area on your mobile device, and voila!

Airdrop – This is an OS X feature that Apple has finally imported to its mobile devices. What it basically does is to enable mobile users that have smartphones, tablets or laptops to send files or pictures to anyone around them in real time. Unfortunately, it only supports iPhone 5, fourth generation iPad, iPad mini, and fourth-gen iPod touch.

Multitasking – The multitasking app cards were a major feature of Palm’s WebOS platform. This is probably the best way to switch between the apps, monitor them and determine which ones are being used the most. With the card interface, you get a clear view of your content instead of multiple tiers of very tiny icons.

Siri – As you all probably know, Siri is a personal assistant built into the iphone. In iOS 7 Siri gets a whole new look and a new refreshing voice. From now on, you’ll be able to adjust your settings with Siri, conduct search queries from Bing and Wikipedia, and dictate your map navigation and messages, thanks to the in-car iOS support (Apple is said to bring iOS dashboard to Honda, Mercedes, Nissan, Chevy, Kia, Volvo, Acura and others).

Camera and Photos – There’s a new stuff going on in the Camera app and the Photos section. For a start, they both look very good now, with the latest and greatest iOS Seven. Users can now create Shared Photostreams  in a two-way collaborative system, while the new Photo app is now capable of intelligently organize and present your entire digital albums, by automatically clustering them into “Moments” or collections (chronologically). With the new Camera app, you can easily swipe between various modes such as video, still, or “square” (for Instagram shots), and even spice them up with a wide range of integrated filters.

Safari – Apple’s good ‘ol browser is getting a fresh new look in iOS7. The interface is much bigger than what we have known in previous versions, and there’s a new tabbed view (which is kinda similar to Chrome for Android), along with a vertical cover-flow carousel browser. The search field has been upgraded as well, to a unified search menu, and you are also getting access to the iCloud keychain password management control.

New App Store – The App Store segment is also getting a new design in your phone. In that regard, the apps will now start updating themselves automatically in the background, and you’ll be able to search for apps, based on rates, popularity and your personal preferences and location.

Activation Loc – Basically, if your iphone gets stolen and the thief tries to turn the Find My iPhone off, then he or she will not be able to reactivate it again, without including  your personal iCloud password.

Release Date

iOS 7 coming to developers TODAY, and for the rest of the world, sometime in the fall. The platform will support the following devices: iPhone 4 and later, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini, and iPod Touch 4th gen.

[youtube id=”H7KXr3tKGDg”]

 

[Apple]

Computex, tablets

MSI Unveils The Primo 81, a 7.85-inch iPad Mini-Like Tablet

MSI-Primo-81-android-tablet

Computex 2013 is definitely a place for global exhibitors to make new product announcements. And that includes MSI which today introduced their latest entry to the mid-range tablet space, in the form of a 7.85-inch slab, dubbed the Primo 81. At this point, I’m sure you all think that it looks exactly like the iPad Mini, and there’s certainly a lot of similarities in appearance between the two, but the primary difference is that the Mini runs an iOS software, while the Primo will receive an Android Jelly Bean soul. That being said, both tablets feature the same 1,024 x 768 capacitive IPS display, made by LG, with similar version of the 1GB RAM stick, and almost identical finish and size in dimensions. But the CPU is slightly different from each other. While the Mini comes with a Dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9 chip inside (Apple A5), the Primo provides a fairly cheap and powerful upgrade — It has the quad-core Allwinner A315 processor. We also know there will be a 16GB capacity version for the MSI model, but can’t be sure about any other storage forms. Unfortunately, there’s still no word about pricing or availability but we’ll keep you posted as we find out more.

[via YugaTech]

General, Mobile

How To Clear Your iOS App Cache and Get a Lot of Free Extra Storage

apple-apps

Somewhere along the way people started complaining about the lack of available storage on their handsets. To help in that regard, here’s a tip for iOS users who are interested in solving this particular problem:

You all probably noticed the fact that many apps taking up big GB space from your personal iPhone / iPad storage (you can find out how much space they actually take by opening the Settings and clicking General > Usage and finding the app in the Storage section). The main reason for this, is because they are using some sort of a cache mechanism to optimize and improve their day to day performance. Unfortunately, you can’t control it that much, but the phone automatically resets the storage space of an app every week or so, anyway. However, if the app storage total capacity has grown beyond a reasonable range (or activity), you can either delete and re-install it back, OR you can clear the cache by simply using free third-party apps such as iFunbox. Choosing this path, you’ll have to hook up your iDevice either to your laptop or desktop machines, then pick up the app you want to clear the cache for, go to “Library” and delete the “Cache” folder section or the files that it used to house and store. That’s it, the cache is clean and the size of the app is back to normal again.

Update: You do not need to have a jailbroken iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, for that matter.

General

Instagram Launches New ‘Photos of You’ Tagging Feature

instagram_photos_of_you

I have heard this question quite a lot lately — “If you can tag people on Facebook, why can’t you do that on Instagram?” It actually makes plenty of sense, doesn’t it? Well, it all depends on who you ask. But thankfully, they finally just added this cool new feature into their latest and greatest mobile phone version (v 3.5). It took more than a year though (after Facebook acquired the popular photo-sharing platform). Still, we are always continually looking for any new and interesting updates, and this one, which you can now download both for iOS and Android apps, is definitely a top priority. Why, you are asking? Because it adds an option that will let you tag friends, brands or any other people for this matter, into your day-to-day digital photos. In addition, there’s a new Photos of You tab, added to a user profile page, where you can see all photos on Instagram that you’re tagged in. Clearly you can preview tags before they get to be published and shared, but there’s a way to make it happen automatically, as well. Finally, the company has posted a new video that explains some simple facts about this latest neat update.

[vimeo id=”65246801″]

[Instagram]

General, Mobile

Facebook Introduces Home For Android, Focus on People Not Apps

facebook-home-cover-feed-1

At Menlo Park, California — Facebook announces a family of apps for Android mobile phones (such as HTC One X, HTC One X+, Samsung GALAXY S III and Samsung GALAXY Note II), called ‘Home.’ The founder and CEO of the popular social network, Mark Zuckerberg, said the company’s goal is to “turn your Android phone into a great social device.” Let’s make it clear, Facebook is NOT building a phone or an operating system, the company is offering a new experience for your mobile devices, where it will focus on people rather than apps.

So how does this all work? First, you have to download the Home app from the Google Play store (available on April 12). Then, you simply glance at your home screen, the place that Facebook defines as a social  “Cover Feed,” and get the latest posts and important updates from the people you care about most. In addition, the Home will send your device different type of notification messages such as calls, events, images, and Facebook status updates.

facebook-home-launcher

Another feature that Facebook has added is the App Launcher, and it’s basically as it sounds, a place where you can find all your favorite Android apps. Only one single swipe from the central home screen itself, and you’re good to go with just about any app you’d like.

Another add-on that Facebook is presenting today, is the“Chat Heads”, a simple and fun development to communicate with friends via Facebook Messages and SMS messages in a more personalized way. This new feature will let you keep chatting no matter what you are doing at the moment, by tapping one of your friend’s Facebook profile pictures, and writing whatever you want to say, inside the pop-up window that will automatically open. Of course it also supports group messaging capabilities, and if you want to to receive a message from one of your colleagues, you either click on the preview message, presented with their photo, or alternatively, swipe away (in case you’re busy) to close immediately all conversations.

HTC-First-Android-Mobile-Phone

Facebook is going to carry out its new plans with a little help from the good friends over at AT&T and HTC. The latter, has just unveiled the HTC First, a 4.3-inch 720p mobile device that boasts a 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera / 1.6MP front-facing shooter, along with an LTE mobile network support. The First is set to be available exclusively on AT&T for $99.99, starting April 12 (The company is accepting pre-orders today). The phone will be offered in four different colors and is said to be running with Facebook Home already pre-loaded. 

Update: Facebook rolled out a new update to its iOS app, pushing Home’s most favorite feature, the Chatheads, to your iPhone and iPad devices. To get it, you’ll need to download Facebook version 6.0 from the Apple App Store, and doing so will let you see what your Facebook friends are up to, get notes when friends are sharing comments and likes within your posts, text and chat with Chatheads UI experience all over your screen board. Download link is here [iTunes].

[youtube id=”Lep_DSmSRwE”]

[Facebook]

General, Internet

Facebook Releases a Whole New News Feed Design

Facebook-newsfeed

Facebook is known for the frequent changes it makes to its News feed layout and page functionality. Readers may recall that it was only back in September 2011 when the California-based company announced an entirely new kind of UI profile, and not so long ago, released a new breed of search graph engine. Today, the social media giant is launching yet another new design, to shake and stir up their outmoded News-Feed layout. And while you won’t be seeing this beautiful update immediately (Facebook says it will carefully roll things out within the following weeks), there’s definitely a lot to expect.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg said that “the stories around you deserve to be displayed with more than just text,” thus the change in concept, which is now consisted of Bigger Images (and videos), Multiple Feeds, and Mobile Consistency – One hell of a change. The new design, has taken into account mobile devices as well as desktop and tablet machines, adding a new side-vertical navbar, with some extra empty space around. Photo albums will also receive a cosmetic facelift, in a way that will justify their dominance along the News Feed, with practically almost 50% of the entire visible content.

From now on, users will be able to subscribe to different type of feeds in their news layout, whether they decide to choose music, games, photos, or even friends. Each story will be more vibrant and colorful than before, and the order will be sorted to your own personal preference, chronologically.

Be sure to check out your Facebook account and let us know if you are one of the lucky users to receive the first “early access preview.”

[Facebook]

General

Top 5 Security Technology Devices of 2012

1 Comment

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Home security has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Until recently, alarm systems were a luxury that most homeowners were unable to afford. Nowadays, top-of-the-line monitored security systems are cheaper, more dependable and available to the masses. As technology continues to change, the security industry continues to change with it. This progress has paved the way for tons of cutting-edge gizmos and gadgets. Listed below are five of the best:

USB Flash Drive Spy Camera

Your flash drive can now double as a hidden camera. The USB flash drive spy camera records video in 720×840 resolution, snaps 5-megapixel still images and records up to 90 minutes of video on a single battery charge. Oh yeah, and also does what any other flash drive would do – store and transfer computer files. The device has 4GB of built-in memory and is compatible on Windows ME or newer or running Mac’s OS X.

Spy Ear Amplifier

Have you ever wanted to listen in on a conversation in the next room? The spy ear amplifier allows you to do just that. The tiny device, which works in either ear, lets you hear a whisper from up to 100 feet away. It comes with built-in volume control, a decibel limiter and a recharger kit.

iStun Smartphone Stun Gun

The iStun may look like your typical iPhone, but it packs a much bigger punch. While you won’t be able to use the iStun to play Angry Birds, this device can be used to deliver 3.8 million volts of stopping power to an a surprised assailant. It also has a built-in LED flashlight, a rechargeable battery and a safety switch to help prevent accidental discharge. Remember, you should always use the iStun with caution.

ADT Pulse

ADT Pulse allows you to monitor your home remotely using your smartphone. Using top-of-the-line home automation technology, you can use your phone to arm your home security system, lock your doors, watch real-time video and more – from just about anywhere.  You can learn more about ADT Pulse here.

Dummy Surveillance Camera

In many instances, the mere appearance of security can scare off a potential burglar. That’s why it’s no surprise that dummy surveillance cameras are in vogue. There are a number of dummy surveillance camera models, and some even include flashing infrared LEDs and “real” surveillance motion to further enhance their authentic appearance. The best part about these devices: the price. You can find some imitation surveillance cameras for as little as $6 in some online marketplaces.

 

Image Credit: Photos.com

General

Toshiba Announces 10.1-Inch REGZA Tablet AT501

Toshiba-REGZA-Tablet-AT501

Toshiba has just announced a new joiner to its burgeoning Android tablet family, the REGZA Tablet AT501, which supposed to replace the previous AT500 model. The new device has the latest version of Google Android, under the hood, alongside a 1.3GHz Tegra 3 chip and 1GB of RAM. The screen measures 10.1 inches diagonally, but the pixel rate is only at 1,280 x 800 IPS. Famous for its TV line, Toshiba has also added to this slab, a nice feature that will enable you to use it as a cool companion to the popular REGZA series, at no time. And while battery is said to deliver up to 10 hours of continuous work, the camera on the back is a bit disappointing, at 3-megapixel only. But that’s what you get for the price of  40,000 yen, or $425, right?

[Toshiba]

General, Operating Systems, software

Apple Rolls Out iOS 6.0.1

Apple has just released iOS 6.0.1 which can be now downloaded from iTunes or over-the-air. The latest update doesn’t seem to bring much of a change, besides some minor bug fixes that will make your iphone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) more stable when connected to WiFi networks, and fix the iphone 5’s OTA installation problem that so many people seem to suffer from. In addition, Apple’s recent upgrade is said to improve the behavior of the Camera flash inside your phone, as well as fix those pesky horizontal lines that may be displayed across your keyboard. Get it now, or read the full log after the break.

Update: Apparently, iPhone 5 users will have to install a special iOS updater app before they can add the new software update. 

 

iOS 6.0.1 Log

  • Fixes a bug that prevents iPhone 5 from installing software updates wirelessly over the air
  • Fixes a bug where horizontal lines may be displayed across the keyboard
  • Fixes an issue that could cause camera flash to not go off
  • Improves reliability of iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) when connected to encrypted WPA2 Wi-Fi networks
  • Resolves an issue that prevents iPhone from using the cellular network in some instances
  • Consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match
  • Fixes a Passcode Lock bug which sometimes allowed access to Passbook pass details from lock screen
  • Fixes a bug affecting Exchange meetings
IFA, tablets

Asus Vivo Tab and Vivo Tab RT Windows 8 Tablets Officially Announced

1 Comment

Asus has already showed off its latest flagship Windows 8 tablets, ASUS Tablet 810 and the ASUS Tablet 600, at a press conference back in Computex, but today the show floor at IFA 2012 opens to the vast crowd, with the Taiwanese corp unveiling the Vivo Tab and the Vivo Tab RT, which remain identical to those 600 and 810 models that we’ve seen, only this time with a different moniker.

For those who missed out on the spec details for the Vivo Tab (previously known as the Tablet 810), this high-end device runs an Intel Atom CPU with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, while the IPS screen is 11.6 inches with 1,366 x 768 resolution, 10-point multitouch capabilities, along with a Wacom digitizer input support. The 1.5 pound tablet sports two cameras on board, an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash on the back, and a 2-megapixel unit up front. We’re also expecting an NFC chip inside, as well.

As for the Vivo Tab RT (previously known as the Tablet 600), the IPS screen is a bit smaller in here, at 10.1-inches with a 1,366 x 768 resolution. There are 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. The new tablet uses a Tegra 3 processor, alongside a 12-core GPU, two cameras, and that same NFC technology running under the hood.

The bonus is that you’re also getting the optional keyboard dock and trackpad, that has become very popular lately. It is a full-fledged island-style keyboard which adds two additional USB ports to the main frame, and another lithium ion battery for near double usage time of work.

Both prices and availability dates are yet to be determined, but you can find more details in the full PR that’s sitting after the break.

Update: ASUS VivoTab RT tablet will be available on October 26th, with prices to start at $599 for the 32GB model (including the keyboard), and $699 for a 64GB version plus the docking station.

 

ASUS Announces the Incredible Vivo Tab and Vivo Tab RT tablets at IFA

Two new tablets with a dual-purpose design that combines a high-resolution multi-touch display and a detachable QWERTY keyboard dock for a great Microsoft® Windows 8 experience.

IFA, Berlin, Germany, (August 29, 2012) – ASUS, a global leader in the new digital era, today announces two incredible new tablets intended to run Windows 8. First unveiled at Computex in June, the ASUS Vivo Tab and ASUS Vivo Tab RT (formerly known as the ASUS Tablet 810 and ASUS Tablet 600 respectively) open up a new world of mobile possibilities and transform expectations about what tablets can do.

Meet Vivo
With a name taken from the Latin verb “to live”, Vivo is designed as a constant companion that blends the familiar elegance of ASUS tablet design with Microsoft Corporations’ new touch-enabled Windows 8 operating system.

Vivo has a dual-purpose design that combines a high-resolution multi-touch Super IPS+ display with a detachable QWERTY keyboard dock to provide a great Windows 8 experience. ASUS TruVivid technology with Corning® Fit Glass gives improved colour clarity and superior scratch resistance, while the keyboard not only transforms Vivo into a convenient clamshell ultraportable, but also provides a secondary battery for prolonged mains-free use.
With an 11.6″ screen backed by high-precision Wacom digitiser stylus technology, the Vivo Tab is designed with productivity in mind, while the ultra-light Vivo Tab RT is ideally suited to entertainment on the go. Get more done, enjoy new experiences and connect with others in exciting new ways – Vivo makes it all possible.

ASUS Vivo Tab

The ASUS Vivo Tab features the Next Generation Intel® Atom™ processor and has 2GB RAM with 64GB eMMC (embedded multimedia card) user storage. An incredible Windows 8 experience makes it a smart choice for professional and personal use. With support for 1024-level Wacom digitizer for precise work and navigation, ASUS Vivo Tab maximizes productivity and provides the best input experience.

Key to the Vivo Tab’s recipe for Windows 8 is the supplied mobile dock. This instantly transforms the tablet into a compact clamshell ultraportable, complete with full QWERTY keyboard, trackpad, two USB ports and second battery for extended use away from the mains.

The 11.6″ display with a 1366 x 768 resolution uses Super IPS+ technology to deliver superior visual clarity both indoors and out, and its 10-point multi-touch is complemented by Wacom digitiser stylus technology for high-precision stylus input and a more natural writing experience.

Despite its compact dimensions and ultra-thin 8.7mm and 675g profile, the Vivo Tab still delivers superlative sound quality, thanks to the same SonicMaster technology used on ASUS’ award-winning notebooks. High-quality photographs can also be captured with the 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash, along with a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chats. The Vivo Tab also features a built-in NFC sensor, enabling the device to easily sync with other NFC-enabled devices.

ASUS Vivo Tab RT

The ASUS Vivo Tab RT has a slim and light profile that’s 8.3mm thin and 520g light. It features the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor and 12-core GPU for outstanding mobile graphics performance, along with 2GB RAM and 32GB eMMC user storage. Supplied with Windows RT, tablet users with entertainment in mind will find a great partner in the Vivo Tab RT.
The Vivo Tab RT also has the same innovative Transformer design as the Vivo Tab and is supplied with its own mobile dock that provides a QWERTY keyboard, track pad, USB port and built-in battery.

Windows 8 apps, games and movies will look incredible on the Vivo Tab RT’s 10.1″ display with 1366 x 768 resolution and Super IPS+ technology, while ASUS SonicMaster technology ensures top-quality audio. The Vivo Tab RT has the same high-quality front and rear cameras as the Vivo Tab too, making it an excellent all-round multimedia performer. It also features a built-in NFC sensor, enabling the device to easily sync with other NFC-enabled devices.

General, Mobile

8 Instagram Web Services That Can Help You Manage and Organize Your Photos

2 Comments

Instagram, the most popular photo-sharing service these days, has officially hit 80 million users who have uploaded more than 4 billion photos, since its launch  in October 2010. Acquired by Facebook for a staggering $1 billion, the San Francisco-based startup behind  the popular mobile photo application, was initially built for iPhone, and got extended to Android users in April of 2012.

Regardless of their popularity, If there’s one thing missing from Instagram, is a simple and intuitive web-based user interface. And while the company appears to be committed to find a decent solution for the average user, more and more third-party companies are jumping on the Instagram bandwagon.

To remedy this problem, we have gathered a list of eight Instagram web services to help you manage, sort, organize, and share your digital images, as the photo space heat up. Check it out after the break.

 

Continue reading 8 Instagram Web Services That Can Help You Manage and Organize Your Photos →

Computex, tablets

Lenovo Shows Off a 10.1-inch Windows 8 ThinkPad Tablet

1 Comment

Another day, another Windows 8 tablet demo over at Computex 2012. This time a Lenovo Thinkpad prototype, spotted around the Intel booth, running a full-fledged Win 8 software behind the lid, and said to include a 10.1-inch 1366 x 768 screen, sitting on top of a 9.7mm black sturdy body that packs two cameras (8MP rear, 2MP front), a docking connector, a volume rocker, and a micro-HDMI port. At this point in time, we are looking at one of the very early-stage devices out there, and the final product might look just a little different – And that’s probably why most specs are scarce right now. As far as CPU goes, it’s mainly some sort of an Intel Clover Trail processor, while the battery is rumored to deliver around 10 hours of continuous and reliable performance to each and every charge. And make no mistake, this is a Windows 8 slate and not an Android 4.0 device – It is a bit confusing and does take time to get used to, we know. The overall look seems to be more thought out and reserved, you get a typical Thinkpad design around the slab, with a softy scratches-free plate covering the upper hood. But as we’ve mentioned it’s still early days, so please keep a look out for more details and info.

[youtube id=”wj9U0yvAOho”]

Video by netbooknews

Photo by CNET

Computex, tablets

ASUS Introduces Tablets 600 and 810 with Tegra 3 and Windows 8

1 Comment

Alright, I get it, the hybrid tablets trend is my personal bet on what will become the next big thing in portable computing. We have already seen the Asus Transformer lineup making a splash all over the world in the past few months, Acer has just released its very own Iconia hybrid tablets series, and the Taiwanese corp, Asus, is coming back again this term to launch the forthcoming new iteration, with Windows 8 on board. The new lineup includes two refreshing flavors, the Transformer Tablet 810 and the Transformer Tablet 600, both running Microsoft’s latest and greatest software under the hood, while the 600 is an ARM-based model with Windows RT for the OS, and the 810 packs a stronger Intel processor with full Windows 8 pre-loaded  inside.

The first tablet in that group, the Transformer Tablet 600, comes out of the box with a quad-core Tegra 3 chip, tucked with a 10.1-inch 600-nit 1366×768 Super IPS+ panel, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. There’s a micro HDMI port around the chassis, and a microSD card slot for extended storage. In addition, you will find  an eight-megapixel camera plus LED flash on the back, a two-megapixel camera up front for video conferencing, WiFi  b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, eCompass and NFC support.

The second, the Transformer Tablet 810, uses the same Super IPS+ 1366 x 768 touchscreen, with a bigger 11.6-inch display on top. Other than that, we’re looking at a 64GB Windows 8 device, boasting Intel’s Medfield CPU (Atom’s next gen), along with 2GB of RAM and a Wacom digitizer pen support. The rest of the specs are pretty much similar to the 600 version (i.e WiFi, Blouetooth, cameras and GPS).

 

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Videos by netbooknews

Image by notebookitalia

ASUS Presents a Complete Solution for the Ubiquitous Cloud Computing Era
Chairman Jonney Shih unveils ASUS Open Cloud Computing, integrating software, services and the ultimate ASUS transformation devices into one seamless platform

Taipei, Taiwan (4 June, 2012) – At ASUS’ pre-Computex press event “Incredible Innovation Endless Possibilities”, Chairman Jonney Shih unveiled the company’s total solution for the ubiquitous cloud computing era, ASUS Open Cloud Computing (A.O.C.C.).

“At ASUS we have been incubating for the arrival of this exciting era for several years. We believe that an open and balanced architecture can provide the best, ultimate solution for the new ubiquitous cloud computing era,” said Mr. Shih as he introduced A.O.C.C. and unveiled an entire line of incredibly innovative products including ASUS TAICHI, Transformer AiO, Transformer Book, Designo MX monitors and RT-AC66U router which took transformation into a whole new level.

ASUS TAICHI
The ASUS TAICHI is a slim and stylish ultraportable with an astonishing double-sided LED-backlit IPS/FHD display. With a touch screen on the outside of the lid, the TAICHI opens up a whole host of new mobile possibilities as it plays the role of both notebook and tablet. With the lid open, it’s just like any other notebook computer, but with the lid closed the TAICHI instantly becomes a multi-touch tablet computer with stylus support. Better still, the two screens are completely independent of each other and can be used simultaneously for a host of innovative new applications. Available in both 11.6″ and 13.3″ screen sizes, the TAICHI is as light and thin as the ASUS ZENBOOK™ and delivers uncompromised mobile performance, with 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors, fast SSD storage and dual band 802.11n Wi-Fi.

ASUS Transformer AiO
Part tablet, part All-in-One PC, the Transformer AiO is an innovative device that can seamlessly switch between both, and features dual operating systems to give users the option of switching between Windows and Android to suit their needs. Engineered to work with Windows 8, the Transformer AiO features an extended 18.4″ 10-point multi-touch LED-backlit display which can be easily removed from its base station to become a wireless display for the AiO PC, extending the range of the PC and allowing users to continue with their work anywhere in the home. The display can also be converted into an Android-based tablet for the home with the press of a button.

ASUS Transformer Book
The ASUS Transformer Book is the world’s first convertible notebook – allowing users to instantly switch between a notebook and a tablet by simply detaching the screen. It is aimed at users who prefer the portability of a multi-touch tablet computer for leisure, but still want access to a more traditional Windows-based notebook for productivity use. Thanks to 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors and discrete graphics, along with SSD and HDD storage, 4GB DDR3 dual-channel RAM and USB 3.0, the Transformer Book delivers performance that rivals other notebooks on the market. It also features ASUS SonicMaster technology to deliver crystal-clear sound with deep rich bass through its integrated speakers.

ASUS Tablet 810 (Windows 8) ASUS Tablet 600 (Windows RT)
The ASUS Tablet 810 (Windows 8) features the Next Generation Intel® Atom™ processor and 2GB of RAM with a 64GB eMMC for user storage. The 11.6″ display with 1366 x 768 resolution uses Super IPS+ technology to deliver superior visual clarity both indoors and out, while its 10-point multi-touch is complemented by Wacom digitizer stylus support.

The ASUS Tablet 600 (Windows RT) utilizes the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor and 12-core GPU for outstanding mobile graphics performance; it also has 2GB RAM and a 32GB eMMC for user storage. The 600’s 10.1″ display with 1366 x 768 resolution features Super IPS+ technology for excellent readability both indoors and out.

Key to both the 810 and 600, however, is the supplied mobile dock that instantly transforms the tablets into compact clamshell ultraportables, complete with full QWERTY keyboards, a trackpad, additional USB expansion and a second battery for extended usage away from the power socket. Both tablets also include ASUS SonicMaster technology for supreme audio and built-in NFC sensors for easy syncing with other NFC-enabled devices.

ASUS Designo MX279H and MX239H monitors
ASUS’ displays are industry leaders when it comes to vibrant colors and elegant design. With their attractive looks and bezel-free matte IPS panels with LED-backlighting, ultra-wide 178° viewing angles and outstanding color reproduction, the new Designo 27″ MX279H and 23″ MX239H displays ensure customer happiness with their slim and stylish design which exudes beauty. Dual HDMI inputs provide flexible connectivity options, while ASUS SonicMaster technology, co-developed with Bang & Olufsen ICEpower® audio delivers incredible audio fidelity.

ASUS RT-AC66U router
The ASUS RT-AC66U router integrates dual-band Gigabit wireless with fifth generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology, also known as 5G WiFi, which enables speeds up to three times faster than existing 802.11n. As one of the first routers to achieve this, it tops Gigabit wireless requirements with a combined 2.4GHz/5GHz bandwidth of 1.75Gbps. This massive data rate makes it an excellent high speed router for demanding online applications, coupled with exclusive ASUS AiRadar signal amplification and shaping technology. Easy ASUSWRT setup, multiple SSIDs, and IPv6 support further enhance networking, while strong USB-based capabilities turn the RT-AC66U into a 3G, FTP, DLNA, and printer server for genuine multi-role functionality.

Computex, tablets

Acer Announces 11.6-inch Iconia W700 and 10.1-inch W510 Windows 8 Tablets

3 Comments

At Computex 2012, Acer has just unveiled a new line of Windows 8 tablets under its Iconia family, the Iconia W700 and Iconia W510. In general, it feels like we’re at the early beginning of a very exciting time for Microsoft and Windows 8 tablets, and Acer’s recent introduction was quite a fine start.

The first model that we’re going to see from Acer in the coming months is the sturdy 11.6-inch W700, which has a 1920 x 1080 full HD screen display on top, with up to 10 fingers support. In addition, it offers three USB 3.0 ports, along with up to 8 hours of battery life and an integrated Dolby Home Theater audio system that lets you share your music directly with others. Other than that, the W700 comes with a dedicated keyboard and a proprietary cradle attachment solution that enables quick and easy mounting at 70 degrees for landscape, or 20 degrees of viewing mode. The brand new tablet is also equipped with a built-in Thunderbolt video/storage connection, paired with a micro HDMI, two speaker grills on the back, headphone and power jacks around the chassis and of course, a set of volume controls. A rear five-megapixel autofocus camera is also included in this fancy schmancy package, tucked with the usual VGA shooter that sits on the front.

Up next, is the Iconia W510 which sports a 10.1-inch IPS touchscreen, crammed with a bunch of stereo speakers on both sides, and a slew of integrated ports, such as microSD, micro-USB, HDMI and a SIM card slot. There’s also a detachable apple-like keyboard dock goodness included in the bundle, that can stretch your tablet’s battery life up to 18 hours of continuous work. But it’s not just the extended battery at stake, the dock houses a full-size USB 2.0 port, paired with a proprietary connector, etched into the left side of the object.

Regretfully, there are no further details as to devices specifications, price, or availability, so stay tuned or hop the break to see the full breakdown.

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Videos by netbooknews.com

 

Acer Presents Windows 8® Tablets

Featuring multipurpose viewing on Full HD touchscreens

TAIPEI, TAIWAN (June 4, 2012) – Acer presents two of its newest Windows® 8 tablets at Computex Taipei. The ICONIA W510 evolves the computing experience with three different modes of touchscreen operation, while the ICONIA W700 is the best-performing Windows 8 tablet with the added versatility of a cradle. Both designed to set new standards in ergonomics and user-friendliness.

The most unique part of the W510 tablet is the tri-mode, allowing users to touch, type and view. Aside from the conventional tablet mode, it can be used in productivity mode. A detachable keyboard dock can be connected to the tablet for optimal typing as well as extending the battery life up to 18 hours. Rotating the tablet 295 degrees allows it to be used in presentation mode, which is excellent for watching a video, browsing a webpage or viewing a PowerPoint presentation.

In addition, the W510 has Always On, Always Connect technology, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen, providing a wider viewing angle with more vibrant, consistent and accurate colors. It is an everyday tablet with convertible functions, smartly designed for modern day explorers whose primary needs are freedom of usage for slate, keyboard and hands-free touch.

Acer’s W700 comes with a multipurpose cradle that allows for several viewing options. When using it in landscape, it can be tilted up to 70 degrees for better viewing, or 20 degrees for convenient touch. Furthermore, it can be used vertically like a portrait for easy browsing and reading. The W700 also has three USB 3.0 ports for expansion.

The W700 is equipped with an 11.6-inch Full HD touchscreen as well as Dolby® Home Theater® for multimedia pleasure; it is set to become the optimum-performance Windows 8 tablet for modern day explorers on-the-go, at home or in the office.

Events, tablets

Apple’s New iPad Officially Announced, Retina Display, A5X Chip, 5MP camera, LTE 4G. Goes Live March 16th

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Apple’s third iPad series (known as the The New iPad) has officially debuted, and it is very impressive. For a start, Cupertino’s third-gen iDevice looks something similar to its predecessor, the iPad 2; measures in almost the same and weighs in at 1.4lbs. As for the 9.7-inch high-def display rumor, that one has been kicking around for nearly a year, and turned out to be TRUE. The new iPad variant will have a 2048-by-1536 screen resolution Retina display with a staggering amount of 3.1 million pixels on top.

Furthermore, The 9.4mm thick tablet device (ipad 2 is only 8.8mm) has a more powerful processor, a quad-core chip called the A5X (which according to Apple is four times faster than Nvidia’s Tegra 3). It will come with 3G and WiFi only models, boasting 16/32/64GB of internal storage capacities, that will be selling around the world for the same striking prices – 16GB $499, 32GB $599, 64GB $699 (+$130 for the 3G equivalent) – starting March 16 (Pre-orders start today in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia). Connectivity wise, the HD version will come equipped with LTE 4G networking that will substantially boost your internet usage, while the bluetooth specs retain the same values, along with WiFi,  native 3.1Mbps EV-DO / 7.2Mbps HSPA and new 21Mbps HSPA+, 42Mbps DC-HSDPA and 73Mbps LTE support.

As far as software goes, we’re looking at iOS 5.1 that will support a Japanese version of Siri. This one is said to be available today. Apple has also introduced to the world a new batch of apps, compatible with The new iPad most stunning display. Among them you’ll find out the Infinity Blade: Dungeons, SketchBook, and SkyGamblers. There’s also a new edition of the popular iPhoto, now available for both iPad and iPhone machines for $4.99 (Garage Band, iMovie and iWork updates are also available).

In addition, Apple has integrated a new iSight camera, sporting ‎5 megapixels sensor, backside illumination, 5-element lens, and 1080 video recording capture. The new iPad delivers the same 10 hours of battery life, and 4G work time is 9 hours.

Finally, iPad 2 prices will be slashed by roughly $100, respectively.

Full PR after the break

Update1: We’ve just added a quick hands-on video, so check it out after the break.

Update2: Hit the jump to watch The new iPad TV Ad and a quick hands-on review.

Update3: Apple reports that it has sold more than 3 million New iPads in the tablet’s first three days on the market; A “record weekend” for Tim Cook and the Cupertino fellows. To give you an idea of the business situation, two years ago, the company has managed to sell 3M pieces of its first-gen ipad device after 80 days in the market, and now it has reached exactly the same numbers in the first weekend ALONE. That’s crazy!

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 videoד courtesy of engadget and The Verge

 

Apple Launches New iPad


New iPad Features Retina Display, A5X Chip, 5 Megapixel iSight Camera & Ultrafast 4G LTE
SAN FRANCISCO―March 7, 2012―Apple® today introduced the new iPad®, the third generation of its category defining mobile device, featuring a stunning new Retina™ display, Apple’s new A5X chip with quad-core graphics and a 5 megapixel iSight® camera with advanced optics for capturing amazing photos and 1080p HD video. iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G connects to fast networks worldwide, including AT&T’s and Verizon’s 4G LTE networks, and still delivers the same all-day 10 hour battery life* while remaining amazingly thin and light. Beginning today, iPad 2 will be offered at an even more affordable price starting at just $399.

“The new iPad redefines the category Apple created less than two years ago, delivering the most amazing experience people have ever had with technology,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The new iPad now has the highest resolution display ever seen on a mobile device with 3.1 million pixels, delivering razor sharp text and unbelievable detail in photos and videos.”

The new iPad’s Retina display delivers four times the number of pixels of iPad 2, so dense that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels when held at a normal distance, making web pages, text, images and video look incredibly sharp and realistic. The 3.1 million pixels in the Retina display are more than one million more pixels than an HD TV, and with 44 percent increased color saturation the new iPad displays colors that are unbelievably richer, deeper and more vivid. Movies are now capable of playing at full 1080p HD-resolution, delivering an incomparable viewing experience on a mobile device.

The powerful new A5X chip with quad-core graphics was specifically designed by Apple to deliver a fast, responsive user experience while supporting the incredible Retina display. With double the graphics performance of the A5 chip, the A5X provides a superb balance between performance and power efficiency so users can enjoy all the benefits of the stunning new display while experiencing a smooth Multi-Touch™ interface, immersive gameplay, incredible visual depth and all-day battery life that iPad is known for delivering.

The 5 megapixel iSight camera features advanced optics for taking stunning pictures and recording full HD video. Backside illumination allows you to take great photos in low-light conditions and a new video image stabilization feature removes the bumps and shakes typically seen when filming with a hand-held device. Images can be enjoyed on the large Retina display, then edited, enhanced and easily shared with friends and family using the built-in Photos app on iPad.

iPad Wi-Fi + 4G with built-in next generation 4G LTE has the most comprehensive support for fast networks worldwide including HSPA+ and DC-HSDPA, and now both CDMA and GSM iPad users have the ability to easily roam internationally. The world-ready iPad delivers blazing download and upload speeds so web pages load incredibly quickly and email with large attachments can be sent and received easily. Personal Hotspot can be used to share the fast network connection on your iPad with up to 5 other devices using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB**.

With iOS 5.1, the latest update to the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, the new iPad has a number of new features and enhancements including: a redesigned Camera app with video stabilization technology; the ability to delete photos from Photo Stream; support for dictation in English, French, German and Japanese; and Personal Hotspot. iOS 5.1 also works seamlessly with iCloud®, a breakthrough set of free cloud services including iTunes® in the Cloud, Photo Stream and Documents in the Cloud, that works seamlessly with your iPhone®, iPad, iPod touch®, Mac® or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content and push it to your devices. When content changes on one of your devices, your other devices are updated automatically.

The new iPad also supports dictation, another amazing way to get things done just using your voice. Instead of typing, tap the microphone icon on the keyboard, then say what you want to say and the new iPad listens. Tap done, and iPad converts your words into text. You can use dictation to write messages, take notes, search the web and more. Dictation also works with third-party apps, so you can update your Facebook status, tweet, or write Instagram captions.

Apple also introduced the iPhoto® app, along with major updates to iMovie® and GarageBand®, completing its suite of iLife® apps for iOS. iLife and the iWork® apps, Pages®, Keynote® and Numbers®, have all been updated to take advantage of the new iPad Retina display. iPhoto includes breakthrough Multi-Touch features so you can use simple gestures to sort through hundreds of photos and find your best shots, enhance and retouch your images using fingertip brushes and share stunning photo journals with iCloud. iMovie now gives you the ability to create amazing Hollywood-style trailers as you record HD video, and GarageBand introduces Jam Session, an innovative and fun new feature that allows a group of friends to wirelessly connect to play instruments and record music together live on their iOS devices.

iPad runs almost all of the over 585,000 apps available on the App Store™, including more than 200,000 native iPad apps, from a wide range of categories, including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The iTunes Store® puts the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store at your fingertips with a catalog of over 20 million songs, over 90,000 TV episodes and over 15,000 movies. The new iBooks® 2 app for iPad lets users experience an entirely new kind of ebook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. iBooks created with Apple’s new iBooks Author offer gorgeous, fullscreen ebooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, unrivaled navigation and much more.

Pricing & Availability
The new iPad Wi-Fi models will be available in black or white on Friday, March 16 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad Wi-Fi + 4G for either AT&T or Verizon will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPad will also be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Switzerland, UK and the US Virgin Islands on Friday, March 16. Customers can begin pre-ordering their new iPad today, and the incredible iPad 2 is now offered at a more affordable price of $399 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and just $529 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model.

iOS 5.1 and iTunes 10.6 are available today as free software updates. iPhoto, iMovie 1.3 and GarageBand 1.2 are available today for $4.99 (US) each from the App Store (www.itunes.com/appstore). Keynote 1.6, Pages 1.6 and Numbers 1.6 are available today for $9.99 (US) each from the App Store. Updates are available for free to existing customers. By the end of March iPad will be available in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.

**Personal Hotspot requires supporting data plan. Customers should check with their carrier for availability.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

Events, tablets

Apple iPad 3 Event Officially Confirmed For March 7 in San Francisco

Many rumors have been floating around about the new upcoming iPad 3, but now it’s being confirmed – Apple’s next big media event is going to take place on Wednesday, March 7th, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, and as you can see from the invitation screenshot below, the star of the show is likely the highly anticipated third-gen ipad tablet. Word on the street is that we’re going to get a quad-core iPad 3 device, paired with 2048 x 1536 HD display and 4G LTE radio, but there’s still one week left to determine all this. So hold your breath and be patient!

General

Huawei’s 7-Inch MediaPad Tablet Gets Official AT&T Launch

Huawei has officially announced a partnership with AT&T to distribute their latest and greatest 7-inch MediaPad tablet across the States. The tablet, which boasts a a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, along with a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, an HDMI output and six hours of battery work, is said to support AT&T’s 4G HSPA+ network starting today, for those who are part of the carrier enterprise’s bundle. And while basic versions do carry a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera alongside a 5-megapixel on the back, OS wise, it won’t be loaded with an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on board. Instead you’ll be getting the Android 3.2 Honeycomb platform, with a future ICS update coming, hopefully, in couple of months, or so. Hit the following link for the full PR announcement.

[via PRNewswire]

CES, Mobile, Phones

Why New Breed of 4G Smartphones Emerges at ICES

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A new breed of smartphones has emerged at the ICES (International Consumer Electronics Show) recently. In this giant gadget manufacturer meet that was portrayed as an amazing event as per the live reports from the event, a race of smartphones made a mark. This was an event where a lot of gadgets were on display, produced by different manufacturers all round the globe. The gadgets that were put on display in the event ranged everything from the head mounted headphones to a variety of amazing phones and computers.

But the same event also carried some bad and frustrating news for the customers of Sprint and AT&T who established a cutting edge for 4G smartphones in the previous year. So, the real problem vests with the fact that this phone will soon be outdated. When it came to tapping into the all new and faster fourth generation networks, Sprint Nextel and AT&T Mobility were the first two companies to have unveiled some of the first league of smartphones.

This new class of smartphones that emerged at the ICES may be an attempt to stand against its potential contemporaries. Over the time, launching 4G network from Sprint is continuously being talked about. And the talks had been doing rounds since the successful launch of the previous one, way back in 2008. This followed the launch of its premier phone, HTC’s Evo 4G in the preceding year. In the meanwhile, it was AT&T that begun adding the short, impressive yet a powerful word “4G” to almost all its smartphones names recently.

But the progress does not take a backseat here! AT&T and Sprint, two of the largest U.S. cellular carriers are actually working hard to get another 4G system on the front. LTE (Long Term Evolution) will be an additional thing to the two mobile carrier giants. This was made available so that it can compete with the wireless version of Verizon that was launched almost a year back.

If T-Mobile USA is to be believed then it has 4G that stands quite similar to the old 4G service of AT&T but the talks about the plans for the 4G LTE deployment is still pending. It’s unclear how AT&T and Sprint will be able to explain to their customers more on the investments they have made in order to have one of the most talked about technology. This seems unclear also because both AT&T and Sprint have earlier exhausted the usage of 4G in marketing.

Last year, it was at the CES where Verizon hosted two high profile news conferences and also went into operating huge sales promotion booth so that the official launch of its 4G network receives promotion too. On the contrary, things this year appeared different since it was visible how the company managed to keep a low profile at the most talked about event.

AT&T announced eight of the new LTE products at CES that included the smartphones and tablets. Now the first LTE based windows phone better known as Lumia 900 is expected to arrive in March. Before the announcement of the break-up of T-mobile, the first ever 4G LTE phones for AT&T already hit the stores in November, last year.

Sprint at the CES announced three new and amazing gadgets that included Samsung phones, a portable wireless hotspot and Galaxy Nexus that is a product of Samsung & Google partnership. It’s expected that Sprint’s new 4G LTE network will surpass its older versions with the elimination of slower 4G network too.

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This is a guest post by Emily Steves, who is associated with various internet security related companies as their freelance and staff writer. She has been linked with some of the best web media companies and offers various ways for internet solutions. She excels in writing articles related to internet security, internet plans, comcast deals, etc. 

General

LG Optimus Pad LTE Tablet Officially Announced

It’s been less than a year since LG launched their 8.9-inch Optimus Pad, locally, regionally and globally, and today the South Korean corp continues to celebrate with a fresh batch of Optimus Pad LTE tablets, due to arrive in the months to come. And while screen size is very similar to the one you can find in the previous model, the operating system running inside is an Android 3.2 (hopefully with a future Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade) and the processor, which apparently looks a bit stronger, is a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm. Other than that, we’re looking at a 1280 x 768 IPS display paired with an HDMI output, an SD card slot, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera and an 8 megapixel on the back,  a 6,800mAh battery, 32GB of storage and last but not least, DLNA support. Full PR after the break.

 

LG TO INTRODUCE ITS FIRST LTE TABLET

Expanding LTE Leadership into Tablets to
Meet the Needs of Consumers’ Faster Lifestyles

SEOUL, Jan. 18, 2012 – LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled its first LTE-capable tablet, the Optimus Pad LTE. Initially launching in Korea, LG has equipped the tablet with both LTE technology and True HD IPS display, the two features that have helped LG differentiate its latest smartphone, Optimus LTE, from the competition.

“With tablets generating five times more traffic than the average smartphone, it’s not a huge jump to assume that tablet users need and want faster connectivity,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. “The combination of LG’s LTE technology with the tablet form factor is a clear advantage for consumers who use a tablet as their primary consumption device when on the move.”

Boasting the best-in-class in the tablets, LG Optimus Pad LTE provides the ultimate user environment to enjoy HD multimedia with a 1280 x 720 True HD IPS display and 8 megapixel camera for shooting high definition video. The Optimus Pad LTE is also the world’s first tablet to support an SD memory card expandable to 32GB, recognizing the importance multimedia would play for owners of this device.

Along with these features, the Optimus Pad LTE offers easy-to-use controls and functions such as the Smart Movie Editor for editing pictures and videos more easily. Moreover, Web Duet allows for e-mailing, messaging and SNS sharing with search functions, and On-Screen Phone (OSP) ensures compatibility with LG smartphones.

LG Optimus Pad LTE is extremely portable and aesthetically pleasing, weighing in at a svelte 479g and only 9.34mm thin. Equipped with a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor running Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS, LG’s newest tablet guarantees superior performance. It also supports High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA).

Key Specifications:
Operating System: Android 3.2 Honeycomb
Memory: User 32GB (Micro SD up to 32GB)
Size: 245 x 151.4 x 9.34 mm
Weight: 497 g
Display: 8.9-inch IPS True HD Display
Resolution: 1280 x 768
Camera: 8MP (Rear) / 2MP (Front)
Processor: Qualcomm 1.5GHz Dual-Core / Dual Channel Processor
Battery: 6,800mAh
Others: HDMI, DLNA

General

Steve Jobs Apple Co-Founder Dies at The Age Of 56

1 Comment

Today, the world mourns the loss of a true visionary and a tech legend. Steve Jobs passes away at the age of 56, only few weeks after stepping down from Apple’s CEO position, leaving 317 Apple patents listed under his name and an amazing cultural experience we will all remember for the rest of our lives. Here are some of the tributes from those who knew him:

President Obama:

Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.

By building one of the planet’s most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity.  By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun.  And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last.  Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.

The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve’s wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.

Apple CEO, Tim Cook:

Team,

I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today.

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply email [email protected].

No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.

 

Please hit the break to read even more tributes, along with Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address video that would truly inspire and motivate one and all.


[Apple]

Continue reading Steve Jobs Apple Co-Founder Dies at The Age Of 56 →

IFA, Media Players, Music

Sony Android Walkman Makes Official Debut at IFA 2011 (Update: Now Official as Sony Walkman Z)

What we’ve got here is a new Sony Walkman Mobile Entertainment device running Android Gingerbread platform on board. Say that again? A new Sony Walkman? Sounds like a post from mid 2009, but apparently it’s truth. The Japanese corp has just announced at IFA 2011 a new 4.3-inch LCD toucscreen device, carrying the good old Walkman brand, and sporting an HDMI output, along with a bluetooth connectivity, a micro USB hub and Sony’s exclusive S-Master MX software suite which is supposed to improved your very favorite music when traveling on-the-go. Regretfully, there’s still no word about price or availability, but you can be sure you’ll hear more about it, in the coming future or so.

Update: Turns out this all new Android Walkman series from Sony is more fascinating than we had expected. According to the company’s official PR announcement, the  4.3-inch WVGA player (dubbed Sony Walkman Z) which runs an Android Gingerbread platform under the hood, is also said to sport a 1GHz Tegra 2 chipset, paired with 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connectivity, an HDMI output, 16, 32 or 64GB of storage capacities, red/black or black/blue flavors, and battery that delivers up to 20 hours of audio playback and 5 hours of video. And while price details are still vague at the moment, the Japanese are saying that the new Z PMP will probably go live in Japan on December 10th and not one day before. Wow!

 

[via techcrunch]

Continue reading Sony Android Walkman Makes Official Debut at IFA 2011 (Update: Now Official as Sony Walkman Z) →

General

HP TouchPad Release Rumored For June

There are a lot of juicy TouchPad rumors floating around these days and the latest one, at least according to PreCentral, suggests that HP’s most expected 9.7-inch WebOS 3.0 tablet will probably go live Stateside somewhere this June, with prices in the range of $499 for the 16GB model and $599 for the 32GB flavor. While there’s still no official confirmation from anyone in Palo Alto, those prices do look pretty reasonable for us. Wait, does anyone else think this has nothing to do with Apple’s iPad prices?

 

[via PreCentral]

General, tablets

Motorola Xoom Confirmed for Europe in Q2

Motorola Xoom has already gone official Stateside (WiFi only version), back at CES 2011 in early January, and moments ago the company has officially confirmed a Q2 European release of its 10.1-inch Honeycomb wonder – both in WiFi and WiFi plus 3G flavors. Prices still remain undisclosed to the public, despite those early whispers from Best Buy and co. Full PR after the break.

Update: Nope, you still can’t buy the new Motorola Xoom on Best Buy (or other retailers) yet, but you can download the company’s Honecomb tablet manual guide – all parts of it -64 pages that will teach you how to handle the upcoming device, and how to navigate through the Android 3.0 platform. The guys at Droid Live have somehow managed to obtain it, and you can have it right away from the following link below.

Download: XOOM_Manual.pdf

Continue reading Motorola Xoom Confirmed for Europe in Q2 →

General

Onkyo Tablets Roadmap Unveiled, Teasing Fans With What To Expect

Onkyo may soon be releasing a new line of Android and Windows tablets if a recently roadmap slide is to be taken seriously. The documents, which were officially introduced by the Japanese corp, show three Windows 7 SlatePC tablets, the TW317A5, TW217A5, and TW117A4, which are all going to include an Oak Trail upgrade sometime around June, while their 10-inch siblings – which supposedly carry an Android platform on board –  the Android SlatePad TA117C1 and TA117C3 due later this year, along with a third batch, listing a 7-inch display and an ARM Cortex chip under the lid. Prices are yet to be determined.

[via Netbooknews]

CES, netbooks, tablets

Lenovo LePad Tablet and IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Officially Out Again with Android 2.2

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.

Continue reading Lenovo LePad Tablet and IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Officially Out Again with Android 2.2 →

CES, tablets

Motorola Releases a ‘Tablet Evolution’ Teaser, Moments Before CES 2011

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]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quI2I8wLPdc[/youtube]

[YouTube]

General

Onkyo Rolls Out a 3G Windows 7 Tablet In Japan

A couple of months ago we reported that Onkyo is planning to release a new line of windows 7 tablets. Well, today the news finally became official, and as previously reported, the Japanese corp will be launching in-house PC slates, sometime during the week. The first model we get to see in that fancy group, the TW317A7, is likely to feature an 11.6-inch (1366×768) touchscreen, paired with a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 32GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel camera, two USB 2.0 hubs, stereo speakers, and KDDI 3G connectivity on board. Software wise, Onkyo has tossed its latest ExTOUCH platform to help you out with the multi-touch experience, which frankly, isn’t that good when it comes to Windows 7 platforms. And with no price attached, it doesn’t bode well for those who are looking forward to it, but things could change on a moment’s notice, so please stay tuned.

[via Akihabaranews]

General, tablets

Disgo Tablet 6000 Breaks Cover, Runs Android 2.1 On a 7-Inch Touchscreen

Something tells me it’s going to be one hell of an awesome year for Android-powered tablets. Well, I hope so, I really do. The good thing is that there are so many well known options out there, including Apple’s iPad, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, Blackberry’s Playbook and the latest newcomer, Dell’s 7-inch Android Froyo slate – Impressive, Isn’t it? Absolutely YES. But, at the same time, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that there are also some cheaper versions out there which boast that same nice looking frame, and in most cases come fully equipped with the best technology available in market. One of them is the Disgo 6000 that packs a 7-inch WVGA touchscreen display on top and runs an Android 2.1 platform under the lid. It’s super slick and measures only 14.6mm thick. There are two miniUSB ports attached along with WiFi b/g/n, a miniHDMI connection, 256MB of RAM, a microSD slot, a pair of integrated 0.5W speakers and last but not least, 2GB of internal storage, firmly placed on the middle of the board. As far as software goes, there’s no Android Market access. Instead, you’ll get the optional SlideMe version, already preloaded with a wowBook eReader, a Skyfire browser and a built-in YouTube viewer. Prices are listed at £179.99 ($285), while shipping and handling due to the end of this month.

[disgo]

General

Apple iOS 4.0.2 For iPhone and 3.2.2 For iPad Officially Out

Apple has just released iOS 4.0.2 for the iPhone and 3.2.2 for the iPad, both available for a download via iTunes, right away. So what’s the difference, you may ask?  Nothing much, besides the fact the new version will close the PDF exploit that JailbreakMe app was technically using to hack your phones. So don’t upgrade to this one if you’re using it, eh?

[Apple]

Computex, News, tablets

ASUS 10-inch EPad Tablet Surfaces in Computex 2010

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Asus is really getting us confused. It wasn’t so long ago when we wrote a post, reporting about the new EEE tablets lineup the company is expected to launch shortly, with new models like 12-inch Eee Pad EP121 and the 10-inch Eee Pad EP101TC. So far so good, right? Wrong! Because the guys at jkkmobile have just spotted (in Computex 2010) yet another model which suspiciously looks pretty similar to the EP101TC, this time carrying an “EPad” title written on a placard, up front. Now, whether it’s the same tablet or not, this “new” revelation houses a 10-inch capacitive display, running Windows 7 for the OS and probably, just probably NVIDIA Tegra 2 under the coat. The CPU is clearly from Intel, however we can’t be sure what other internal parts this bad boy will boast. For the meantime, make sure you check out the hands-on video after the jump.

Continue reading ASUS 10-inch EPad Tablet Surfaces in Computex 2010 →

Events, News, tablets

Kno Dual-Screen Tablet Breaks Cover at D8

It’s not the first time we get to see a slick and not so slimy dual-screen device emerging from the shadows, MSI has already released one a few months back and Microsoft is also rumored to have at least one on the prep – but today, boys and girls, it’s all about Kno and its neat dual 14.1-inch capacitive screens tablet (1440 x 900 screen resolution), that is said to be powered by a Linux operating system, running sort of a Webkit UI on top. In general, this 5.5 pounds giant comes equipped with e-book reader capabilities, and packs a 7 hours battery, along 16GB of storage and a Tegra 2 chip for the graphics (impressive!). It’s suppose to target worldwide students with passion to gadgets and technology and expected to be priced “under $1000” range. Availability, is yet to be determined, though. Vids and PR after the break.

[via engadget]

Continue reading Kno Dual-Screen Tablet Breaks Cover at D8 →

Computex, News, tablets

LG UX10 tablet Makes First Appearance at Computex 2010

Details scarce at the moment, but this is definitely an exciting time to join the tablets parade, and LG is one of the many companies that currently seek to do so. Need a proof? Check out its latest LG UX10, which undoubtedly belong to this burgeoning category, with that 10.1-inch LED capacitive touchscreen (not very responsive at the moment), featuring an Intel Atom Z530 processor under the lid, tucked with 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, an SD card slot, a micro-HDMI output, 1.3mp camera and Windows 7 Home Premium for the OS – yes, it runs a Microsoft platform inside. Price and availability are yet to be determined, but a short hands-on video is right after the break.

[via engadget]

Continue reading LG UX10 tablet Makes First Appearance at Computex 2010 →

General, News, software

Here’s what Steve Jobs Really thinks About Flash

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Steve Jobs has just posted a defying letter on Apple’s website, where he explicitly explains the reasons why his company has eventually decided to ditch Flash and not to support it on Cupertino devices, such as  iPad, iPhone and the iPod Touch. In general, what Steve Jobs says in here is that the use of Adobe’s most favorable Flash platform is considered in his point of view obsolete and literally belongs to the past. In his words “Flash was created during the PC era – for PCs and mice.” and more about that from Jobs: “the mobile era is about low power devices, touch interfaces and open web standards – all areas where Flash falls short.”

But that’s just the bottom of the line of Steve Jobs thoughts. If you break them down to very small pieces, they might fall through the grid of pure rational argumentation. In a nutshell, the father of the iPhone claims that Flash technology is not open. In other words, Adobe’s Flash products, even if widely available, are still controlled by Adobe itself and not by any other entities – meaning, Flash is a closed system. As for the lack of “full web” experience allegations in Apple products, says Jobs that the new web is adjusting itself to Apple’s latest standards and for that matter big websites like Youtube, Netflix, Facebook et al already supporting the cause. As for “Reliability, security and performance” Steve thinks that Flash is the main reason for Mac crash and argues that Adobe has never been able to provide good Flash plug-in/add-on for Apple mobile phones. Steve Jobs also refers to the problem of fast battery drain and the pesky multi-tasking issues that Flash can actually cause.

And then there’s “the most important reason” why Apple has given up on Flash. Apparently, Apple doesn’t want letting “a third party layer of software come between the platform and the developer ultimately results in sub-standard apps and hinders the enhancement and progress of the platform”, or in our words, Apple wants to give more freedom and direct access to its unrelenting developers, and willing to do so over Adobe’s personal expenses. So there you go guys, a thorough and sincere letter, containing  Steve Jobs thoughts. Jump straight after the break, read it, and then decide which side to support.

Continue reading Here’s what Steve Jobs Really thinks About Flash →

Computers, General, Mobile, News

HP To Acquire Palm For 1.2 Billion Dollars

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Hewlett-Packard has just announced that it would buy Palm for a staggering price of $1.2 billion dollars, roughly about $5.70 per share of common stock. The merge and acquisition, which are planned to close by July 31, can give the Palo Alto computer giant a great opportunity to get a bigger slice from the hot and trendy smartphones market, valued at $100bn alone and with annual rapid growth of 20% . HP executive vice president Todd Bradley said that “Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices” and also added that “Between smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks, there are a lot of opportunities here.” And he’s right, just think about the endless potential  possibilities of having Palm’s stunning WebOS integrated in HP’s future multi-touch devices, whether these are mobile phones, tablets or other portable machines – it’s HUGE and HP, in our opinion, has clearly taken a few significant steps in the right direction, especially now when strident voices, complaining about a sluggish HP Slate performance, start floating around – WebOS can definitely improve speed reaction dramatically –  and someone at the HP headquarters has probably figured this one pretty well. Brian Humphries, HP’s Senior Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development quoted saying “our intent is to double down on WebOS”. That’s very important, considering the months of speculations where Palm was desperately looking for a buyer. And given the fact that HP is getting over 1500 patents that Palm currently owns (that probably has considerable value as well, isn’t it?), along with a very good team of young talented engineers and one relentless chairman and CEO, Jon Rubinstein, who is expected to remain with the company another few years long, this very complex deal that few months back, could easily have seemed impossible, can all of a sudden turn into a nice and promising bargain. PR announcement after the break.

Update: Digitimes says that HP Taiwan VP, Monty Wong has officially confirmed a webOS tablet to go live somewhere around October of this year. Stay tuned for more to come.

Continue reading HP To Acquire Palm For 1.2 Billion Dollars →

Events, Mobile

Apple Annual WWDC Event To Take Place In San Francisco on June 7th

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Apple has just announced the official dates for 2010 “Worldwide Developers Conference“, which will kick off on June 7th at the Moscone West conference hall in San Francisco, CA. Those of you willing to pay $1600 for a ticket will get the chance to hear Steve Jobs et al talking about various issues, including iPad development tools and methods, the use of “HTML5 Local Data Storage”, a possible new OS X announcement, gaming integrations, OS 4 implementations and hopefully…HOPEFULLY what we all have been waiting for – Apple’s next-gen iPhone 4G revelation. Full PR after the break.

[Apple]

Continue reading Apple Annual WWDC Event To Take Place In San Francisco on June 7th →

General, Internet, software

Twitter ‘Anywhere’ Platform Goes Live

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Twitter has just launched its latest Anywhere platform which lets developers start developing their own Twitter apps and install them on their websites right away. First introduced at SXSWi, by Twitter’s founder @EV, the new package provides embedding tools and new integration methods, delivered by Twitter itself, that aims to increase its massively growing traffic with more engagement and more users to take part in the service, sign-in, connect, and share their feeds. It’s literally paralleled to Facebook connect, if you still try to figure out what it means – the more you connect, the more active you are the more buzz created and more publishers are getting happy out of this thing.

You get four features in Twitter’s Anywhere package: Hovercards, Connect, Sign-In, and the Tweetbox, with no special need to open new accounts or sign for a different service – simply use your very own Twitter username and password to log. This way, you will help Twitter to increase interaction between websites and tweet messages in a way that eventually would make the service even stronger.

Twitter says that popular websites such as AdAge, Amazon, Bing, Citysearch, Digg, Disqus, eBay, Foursquare, Gawker, Google, Gowalla, The Guardian, The Huffington Post, Hunch, Mashable, Meebo, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Salesforce.com, WSJ.com, Yahoo!, and YouTube have already pledged to the new service and about to install its tools onboard.

We’ve already installed the HoverCards feature into our website. Just move your mouse over the following names and see how it works (feel free to follow as well): @niron, @EV, @Scobleizer, @Biz, @Anywhere.

Events, Mobile, News, Operating Systems, Phones

iPhone OS 4 Announced, Adds Multitasking, In Apps Ads, Folders, and More To The iPhone

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The iPhone OS 4.0 event we’ve all been anxiously awaiting, just ended with Apple delivering some striking news to the world. But before getting to those shocking news we just heard, here’s some other details that might be worth considering: As of today Apple sold about 450,000 iPads throughout the States (along 50M iPhone devices), while users have downloaded about 600,000 books and over 3.5 million apps, thus far. The iPhone OS 4 which suppose to get official release this summer, is said to provide more than 1500 new APIs for developers, who can now actually download the fourth SDK Beta package from the iPhone Dev Center, and start shaping their magical crafts.

Moving the focus point over the main buffet, it’s all about the multitasking (Finally!). Yes, you’ve heard that right folks, Apple’s OS 4 is said to include multitasking (…and I’ll repeat myself again: ‘multitasking’). Of course it will work if you have an iPhone 3GS in your bag. Earlier devices, according to Jobs, amongst you’ll find “The iPhone 3G and iPod touch 2nd generation will run “many things”, but they will not get multitasking”.  In that note, Apple says it’d actually provide seven multitasking services including: background audio streaming like Pandora playing music all day long without the need to be stopped, Voice over IP apps like Skype taking calls even when you browse, background GPS and location apps, push and local notifications, task completion like Flickr image uploaded i background, and last but not least, fast app switching – all to be safely activated without the worry of battery draining.

Next in line is the new form of Folders, which aims to organize, and make sense out of the dispersed field of applications. With iPhone OS 4, users are said to be able to drag and drop apps onto one another to create folders, that from now on can hold up to 2160 apps instead of 180 apps you used to see over 11 pages.

Cupertino is also pushing forward today the Unified Inbox function, which gathers multiple email accounts (like MobileMe, Yahoo, Gmail, etc) into one single box, and thus eliminates the need to jump from one window to another. Apple has also enabled in this session the possibility of getting third-party email attachments straight into your phones – Yay, attachments are on!

iBooks gets to the iPhone OS 4 as well, with Apple taking advantage of recent iPad e-book galore.

Gaming Center. Another big news, especially for the gamer geeks between us. With Apple, building a social iPhone gaming network, which basically allows you to challenge your friends, compare achievements, leaderboards, match making  and more. In other words, it’s like the Xbox Live, but for the iPhones.

iAds. Suddenly everything that starts with the letter “i” is an Apple related product, eh? But seriously now, it was Steve Jobs who was quoted saying that free apps “Developers need to find a way to start making their money”… so far so good, but how? Apparently, Apple will sell interactive in-apps mobile ads, that everyone can create, not only ad agencies but also iPhone app developers that will split revenues with Apple (60/40) in exchange for selling and hosting their ads. Apple is said to use HTML 5 format to create those ads – interesting!

More coming up  features to include: Home screen wallpaper installation, Bluetooth keyboard support, 5x digital zoom, Spell check like in iPads, Playlist creation, Map overlays, Video playback and capture, and more.

So this is it guys, it’s huge and in some parts very surprising. A short multi-tasking OS 4 hands-on video is just after the break and you can also watch the full iPhone OS 4 keynote event on video on Apple’s website right here.

Update: Full PR announcement after the break.

Continue reading iPhone OS 4 Announced, Adds Multitasking, In Apps Ads, Folders, and More To The iPhone →

Events, Mobile

Apple iPhone OS 4 Event Will Take Place On April 8

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Thought the iPad is the only thing you’re going to hear from Apple about in next couple of weeks? Think twice, because the restless company from Cupertino California has just announced it will hold an iPhone OS 4 event for developers on April 8th (10AM PT), where it will presumably unveil a “sneak peek of the next generation of iPhone OS software” – huzzah! Looks like someone wants to prove something to the world, if this event takes place so close to Apple’s iPad launch, isn’t it?

Computers, General, News

Apple Says Over 300,000 iPads Sold On Launch Day (Update: 1,000,000 In First Month)

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Whether you do agree with Steve Jobs saying his new tablet machine – The iPad – is “magical” and “revolutionary” or whether you don’t, one thing’s for sure, you can’t argue with numbers – and the numbers, according to Apple itself, are pretty impressive. Apparently, over 300,000 iPads were sold in the US on launch day alone, on April 3rd that is, including both retail sales (Best Buy and Apple Stores)  and pre-ordered deliveries to customers across the States – that’s 30,000 more, compared to iPhone’s 270,000 pieces that Cupertino sold (in first 30 hours). In addition, Apple says that iPad users already downloaded over a million apps from its App Store and over 250,000 e-books were downloaded as well from Apple’s iBook store during first day of launch – that’s an average of…”more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad”, says Jobs himself. Can they hold up with those numbers? Time would tell.

Meanwhile, make sure you check out our long list of Free Cool iPad Games.

Update: Now we learn that Apple has sold one million ipads over the past 28 days of existence, with 1.5 million ebooks already been downloaded, joining the 12 million apps that users have snagged. Full PR after the break.

apple-ipad-tablet-images

Continue reading Apple Says Over 300,000 iPads Sold On Launch Day (Update: 1,000,000 In First Month) →

General

The iPad Has Been Jailbroken One Day After Debut

Well, what do you know guys, it’s been like what – one day since Apple has officially launched the iPad in the US? And while many tech users already complained this new Apple tablet comes too closed, too restricted for them to buy, someone called MuscleNerd, who apparently belongs to the almighty freedom defenders, iPhone Dev-Team, decided to prove different – in other words, he’s managed to hack  Steve Jobs’ dearest toy and film the entire process on a video. How did he do that? By creating a root-access on the iPad, thanks to a port of Comex’s ‘Spirit’ iPhone OS 3.1.3 jailbreak that exploits a bug which will hopefully allow us to install on Cupertino’s slate anything we’d literally like. Checkout the video after the break.

[via iHackintosh]

Continue reading The iPad Has Been Jailbroken One Day After Debut →

CeBit, Computers, News

Hanvon BC10C and BA10E TouchPad Tablets Abruptly Emerge at CeBIT

3 Comments

Details scarce at this point, but a company called Hanvon just rolled out two impressive tablet machines, BC10C and BA10E, both under the suspiciously familiar brand – ‘TouchPad’ (you hear that Apple?!?). And while these two share this nice 10.1-inch capacitive multitouch display and Windows 7 Home Premium on top, there are some slight differences between them that worth to be mentioned and note. Starting with the BA10E model, it runs a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor inside, paired with 1GB of RAM, 120GB hard drive, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 1.3mp camera and a mediocre Intel GMA 500 graphics card. Mind you that specs clearly indicate a Windows XP system while in demo itself the tablet was operating under a touch-friendly Windows 7 OS. The second, BC10C has a 1.3GHz Intel Celeron ULV743 CPU, tucked with 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, WiFi, Bluetooth, and 2mp camera –  which make it more strong. The company says that prices should be somewhere between 500 – 600 Euros, but we still don’t have any confirmation about release dates or any official pre-orders call. Hands-on video after the break.

Update1: The the BC10C launches in China March 25th, for $877, but ’till then, Jkkmobile has just released their Hanvon’s hands-on video, and they seemed very impressed with the results, so check it out as well, after the break.

Update2: We’ve just added another hands-on video from Jkkmobile, this time a lot more intrusive and comprehensive than previous. Hit the jump to watch it now.

Update3: According to jkkmobile, Hanvon’s TouchPad B10 release has been rescheduled again, this time towards the end of May, if you’re a Chinese buyer, and somewhere around June for the rest of the Western world. Prices remain with no change though, standing at $877.

[via engadget]

Continue reading Hanvon BC10C and BA10E TouchPad Tablets Abruptly Emerge at CeBIT →