Category Archives: News

Computers, News

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3s Sneaks Into The Thin and Light Netbooks World

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We’ve already seen Lenovos’s new S10-3 netbooks lineup pass through the CES show in Vegas, back in January, but we’ve only just now been treated to the first proper piece of info about the company’s S10-3S device, which apparently includes the usual peek under the hood, but a whole new thin-and-light outfit from the outside. And while most usual S10-3 versions are measured at 1-inch thick, this one, on the other hand, is only .6-inches thin over 2.4 lbs. What’s more, the new version also offers Intel’s Atom N450 / N470 processors, 1GB of RAM, storage capacities ranged from 160GB and up to 320GB at your choice – and those interested, can now get the basic specs for $379 and not a penny more. Hit up the break below to get the Full PR read.

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3s Sneaks Into The Thin and Light Netbooks World →

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 →

Computers, News, Video

ICD’s 11.2-inch Gemini Tablet Breaks Cover, With Nvidia Tegra 2 and Android OS Onboard

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ICD is no stranger to the growing interest in modern tablets technology at all. In fact, the company has already shown us some of its most unique and attractive Android-powered nifty slates, it has launched over the past three months, and boy they look good, aren’t they? Back then, no one seemed to care that much. Today, on the other hand, when multiple players (especially the big ones) such as Apple and HP, have taken the wraps off their own handy-dandy tablet machines, it’s a whole new world out there, and ICD seems to understand that pretty well, otherwise it wouldn’t have thought of launching yet another one, would it? And its latest revelation, also known as the Gemini, is definitely a game changer in this boiling sphere, with 11.2-inch 1366 x 768 capacitive touchscreen on top and some very impressive line of components seating under the lid – amongst you’ll find a 2 mp front-facing webcam along a 5 mp autofocusing slit on the back, FM radio, SD card reader, GPS, 802.11 b/g/ n WiFi connection, Bluetooth, HDMI, MicroUSB port, dual stereo speakers, a 40Wh removable battery and last but not least, Nvidia Tegra 2 SOC  – here that iPad, JooJoo, HP Slate et all? Still no word about pricing or shipping dates, but we’re all over the place to bring the latest updates. Meanwhile, you can check out the specs and comparison sheet, right after the break.

[via Slashgear]

Continue reading ICD’s 11.2-inch Gemini Tablet Breaks Cover, With Nvidia Tegra 2 and Android OS Onboard →

Computers, News

Pasen MID5 Android Machine Makes It Out

Pasen has been known for years for its average line of PMP products, but now, as it looks, the company has finally managed to somehow move on the  right direction with its latest and hopefully greatest MID5 android tablet – is that a tablet? Anyway, this 5-inch MID/Slate Android device boasts a 800 x 480 LTPS LCD display, along WiFi, micro SDHC slot, USB hub, Rockchip RK2808 processor, a built-in speaker and HDMI output, supporting 720p H.264 video files, as well as other common formats like AVI, MOV, DIVX, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, VCD, DVD, RM, or RMVB and audio codecs such as MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, or OGG. Battery wise, you get to play up to 10 hours of music tracks or about 4.5 hours of video playback, so wouldn’t you want one, after all?

[Pasen]

Computers, News

HP Slate Details Leaked, Packs Atom Z530 CPU, Two Cameras, SDHC Expansion, USB and SIM Card Slots

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There you go fellow geeks – see, it didn’t take long for all those juicy HP slate details to come out…eventually. This miraculous internal memo, you see down here, apparently explains it all – if true! – and it does look reliable, isn’t it? If so, then what we’ve got here is a head-to-head confrontation between two tech giants, HP from one side and Apple on the other. From Cupertino’s side, it’s the iPad contender, which according to this document that handed over to engadget, appears to threat HP in few different points: 1) screen resolution that stands at 1024×768, compared to the 1024×600 pixels you suppose to find on HP’s coming slate. 2) WiFi connection speed which shows faster 802.11 n-draft component inside the iPad while only “g” standard on the slate. 3) Battery wise, the iPad claims to deliver (and confirmed) up to 10 hours of working time, while HP slate is said to produce up to 5 hours of use. 4) iPad Starting price stands at $499 for the 16GB model, while HP’s handy-dandy counter slate, starts at $549, but with 32GB of storage inside.

That been said, the chart itself unveils not only potential weaknesses, but also some very significant advantages in favor of HP’s future device, amongst you’ll find: A) Stylus Pen support.  B) A 1.6GHz clock speed on Intel’s Atom Z530 processor, compared to Apple’s 1GHz A4 CPU “only”. C) Graphics accelerator with 1080P video support against Apple’s undisclosed chipset. D) The existence of an SDHC slot, which comes VERY handy when looking for an easy way to throw your photos in. The iPad, on the other hand, doesn’t have one at all. E) A USB 2.0 port available on Palo Alto’s machine, but absent from the iPad F) Two cameras (VGA on front and 3MP at the back) which let you either take pictures/videos(?) with the Slate, or even better, conduct Skype chats on-the-go. Needless to say, NO cameras on the iPad G) HP’s Dock connector crams USB and HDMI out while Apple’s dock has nothing but a power cord.

Other than that, bare in mind the Apple tablet comes with a 9.7-inch multi-touch display, against HP’s 8.9-inch multi-touch Slate (both to include accelerometers). As for Software, the iPad runs iPhone OS 3.2 while HP’s Slate comprises a Windows 7 platform. And last but not least, Apple iPad’s 64GB version seems a lot more costier than HP’s same size rival – $699 against $599, respectively.

So there you go guys, this is it, HP versus Apple, iPad versus Slate – one has already been released and is doing pretty well, while another, based on rumors, apparently has two more months to go. So stay tuned ladies and gentleman, because the battle of the titans has started!

Update: Looks like the guys at Conecti.ca were lucky enough to have their hands on HP’s soon-to-be-launched slate prototype, and they don’t really seem to point out good points at this stage, rather than saying that “The official verdict is meh” – whatever that means. Apparently, the fact that HP was trying to import a netbook UI into a portable slate device wasn’t doing good to the speed of the platform and the way it works. The first impression they had was that it’s too “slow and annoying.” Still, the HDMI dock attached to the slate made positive impressions. Real images after the break.

Continue reading HP Slate Details Leaked, Packs Atom Z530 CPU, Two Cameras, SDHC Expansion, USB and SIM Card Slots →

Computers, News, Video

HP Teases With New Slate Video, Has All The Things The iPad Lacks

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Tablet wars are getting hot these days, as you may noticed, with Apple gets to be the first to launch its new sleeky iPad device in the US, only two days ago, and HP that now teases us with the rumored 7-inch Windows 7-slate, that reappears in yet another mysterious video clip – this time showing myriad of components you won’t find in Steve Jobs’ dearest portable mate. And if you’re not a tech savvy or an early adopter, mind you these parts we’re talking about include a fancy schmancy USB hub, paired with an SD card expansion slot, some sort of cradle or installation dock to put your lavish device on, and most importantly: integrated webcam that would let you easily conduct multiple Skype talks. Still no official price or availability details to share at this point, but check this out boys and girls – if you plan watching the 30 second video after the break, look closely, because you’ll find a very suspicious USB cable plugged into HP’s slate, which ostentatiously runs Apple iTunes app in the background, and may (just may) indicate a potential for iPhone/ iPod Touch sync support (conspiracy blurbs).

[HP]

Continue reading HP Teases With New Slate Video, Has All The Things The iPad Lacks →

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) →

Computers, Internet, News

Apple Reveals Its ‘iPad-Ready’ Websites List

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The iPad is scheduled to go live in less than 24 hours now, and there seems to be an enormous excitement  across the blogsphere pond – everyone is looking forward to Saturday morning fete. Apple’s week is definitely going to be busy and long queues will start stretching along the streets – it’s going to be fun, no doubt. But the iPad, which most people would probably define as an internet surfing board, lacks Flash and that’s completely rigid, especially for the sake of web video support . Still, Apple has just released a descent list of various popular websites which are said to include latest web standard components such as HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript that suppose to fully support the iPad internet experience. Among those sites you’ll find CNN, Reuters, New York Times, Vimeo, Time, Major League Baseball, The White House, Virgin America, Sports Illustrated, Flickr, People Magazine and TED. Happy Surfing!

[Apple]

Computers, News

Fujitsu To Tighten The Lines With The New LifeBook MH330 Netbook

It’s been a while since we’ve last seen a new fujitsu netbook coming our way, but it seems the company has done a lot of thinking lately which eventually produced a sexy slim-and-light netbook lineup it can definitely be proud of. And the latest culprit in this recent roundup session is the 2.4 pounds LifeBook MH330 machine that boasts a wide 10.1-inch WSVGA display, paired with some common up-to-date specs, including an Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, one tiny memory card reader, Bluetooth v2.1 enabled and a 802.11b/g/n WiFi connection. Still no word about Stateside prices or availability, but for those of us lucky enough to travel throughout Asia, it would probably be easy to nab one for somewhere around the 500 bucks.

[Fujitsu]

Computers, News

ASUS Eee PC 1001PX Is Where Carbon-Fiber and Netbooks Come Together

At first glance, the latest Asus Eee PC 1001PX is just the typical Pine Trail netbook machine you all should be expecting, with this wide glossy 10.1-inch display, powered by Intel’s Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, 9 hours of  battery life and Windows 7 Starter edition to handle things around – this ain’t new, we’ve already seen it before, right?  That been said, a closer look at this thin-n-slim Seashell formed laptop  device would likely change your minds. Why, you’re asking? It’s that stunning carbon-fiber coat that tops the cover lid, all the way down, granting the 1001PX a nice premium look, rather than a fingerprints magnet hood that would ridiculously cost ‘ya only $299 (or $20 less in case you’re more into the old fashioned XP style).

[ASUS]

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Zune HD 64 Sprouts Out In The Wild (Update: Confirmed)

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Well, look what do we have here, a 64GB Zune HD player, sneaking out on Microsoft’s Zune official website just like that, out of the blue, boasting twice the size of an ordinary 32 gigs version and maybe with some other interesting treats hidden under the lid. Regretfully, it’d be hard to tell right now since most details are slim or missing. So meanwhile, ’till it gets tangible, you can hit the bottom link  and hope for juicy info like price and availability to show up as soon as possible.

Update1: The new 64GB Zune HD is now confirmed and due out on April 12th for $349.99 and myriad of colors including Platinum, Black, Blue, Red, Green, Purple and Magenta, while both 16GB and 32GB versions to get a price reduction, that will set prices at $199.99 and $269.99, respectively. Press release after the break.

Update2: Apparently, it’s now available for your orders, at $349.99, as predicted, but won’t include the v4.5 firmware update preloaded, so you’ll have to upgrade on your own.

[Zune]

Continue reading Zune HD 64 Sprouts Out In The Wild (Update: Confirmed) →

Applications, Computers, News, software

iPad App Store Screenshots Unveiled

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Feel you’re running out of patient to get your new lavish iPad device? Already searching for content to fill it with? In that case, prepare to spend big bucks on this track, because according to these Apple iPad App Store screenshots that recently emerged, they won’t come cheap. In fact, only 8 applications out of the leaked images are free, while others will cost from few greenish dollars and up to $49.99(!) when it comes to OmniGraffle – at least there’s more functionality there, and apparently those apps would likely fetch a lot more money for developers rather than iPhone’s apps. One more detailed image after the break, to serve your appetite.

Update1: Checkout the cool video after the break and watch the iPad App Store browsing experience for yourselves.

Update2: Now it’s official, iPad apps cost a lot more than iPhone and iPod touch apps. In fact, for some of them you’ll have to pay more than double in order to enjoy the experience of a larger screen – but that wouldn’t probably stop Apple’s fanboys from getting one – would it? According to the good guys at The Consumerist who dug up this issue thoroughly, the price differences between equivalent applications on both devices is ridiculously bigger when you come to get’em for your soon-to-be-available Apple tablet compared to the ones you’d get for the cellphone machine. How big, you’re asking? $4.99 Flight Control HD vs. $0.99 Flight Control or $2.99 Flick Fishing HD against $0.99 Flick Fishing, etc. Overall, you’d have to pay $53 for iPad apps compared to JUST $27 on an iPhone or iPod Touch for the same list exactly. Checkout the comparing table right after the break.

Update3: And looks like the iPad apps are finally live at the Apple app store [iTunes Link], with 1,000 of them, already available for download/purchase, and many others which are yet to come. Prepare to open your wallets, it ain’t gonna be cheap, you know.

[via App Annie]

Continue reading iPad App Store Screenshots Unveiled →

Media Players, Mobile, News, Phones, software

Untethered Jailbreak For iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch and iPad Devices Is Possible

Word on the street is that Geohot, the guy that makes Apple challenges look like kids game, has finally managed to jailbreak Cupertino’s latest iPhone and iPod Touch versions. In other words, new machines such as iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 2G/3G and even iPad slates, are now said to be available for a jailbreaked, based on a software hack he’s about to release, and without the need of tethering. In his blog, Geohot says:

“The jailbreak is all software based, and is as simple to use as blackra1n. It is completely untethered, works on all current tethered models(ipt2, 3gs, ipt3), and will probably work on iPad too.”

And considering his record, it would be hard not to believe. See the video for yourselves, after the break

[Geohot]

Continue reading Untethered Jailbreak For iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch and iPad Devices Is Possible →

Mobile, News, Phones

Apple To Start Selling Unlocked iPhones In the US

Big news for all of you Apple fanboys out there, as we now get to hear across the blogsphere that Apple is finally about to offer unlocked iphones – yes, you’ve heard that right, free, open, no contract attached – you name it. The list of iPhone devices that people will be able to pick up immediately and pay-to-go includes the $499 3G model, $599 16GB 3GS or $699 32GB 3GS, at your choice, courtesy of Mountain View, California and the latest greatest Nexus One (competition, you know). Stay tuned for more to come.

Update1: The guys at Gizmodo have managed to get the official internal doc that confirms the rumors. Check it out after the break.

Update2: Reports are very confusing. Apparently, there wasn’t enough reason to party at this point and the bottom line is that iPhone devices are still locked to AT&T when you buy them in the US. Bummer!

[via 9 to 5 Mac]

Continue reading Apple To Start Selling Unlocked iPhones In the US →

Computers, News

Neofonie WePad Android Slate Announced

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Not sure if anyone has already made a movie called “The Slate Attack”, but reality, on the other hand, proves that every day. The latest contender within this realm is Neofonie’s Android-based WePad, which apparently boasts netbook specs inside and 11.6-inch HD compatible (1366 x 768) touchscreen from the outside. And to be more specific, for a nondisclosure price you’d get yourself a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, paired with two USB ports, a built-in webcam, UMTS modem, a flash card reader, Intel’s GMA 3150 graphics accelerator, and up to 6 hours of battery support. Besides that, If we’d take Neofonie words seriously, then mind you there’s a WePad app store on the prep, that will join the already exists Google Android Market place when this slate comes out officially somewhere this fall.

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

[via Liliputing]

Continue reading Neofonie WePad Android Slate Announced →

Computers, News

HP’s Slate Rumored To Be Launched In June at €400 Powered By Intel’s Atom Chipset

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If  Spanish Clipset‘s words should be taken at face value, HP’s most anticipated 7-inch slate wonder may finally get the official announcement  we’ve all been waiting for somewhere this June, while retail presence should start “before September” . That said, we should all proceed with caution when it comes to rumors, Right? Nevertheless, it is said to include Intel’s Atom processor inside, along several USB ports (you hear that Apple?), a card reader slot extension, a built-in back-mounted webcam and even…a flash support – all priced VERY competitively, at €400 (or $545) – but this remains to be officially determined in the following months. Stay tuned. One more image after the break.

[Clipset via Engadget]

Continue reading HP’s Slate Rumored To Be Launched In June at €400 Powered By Intel’s Atom Chipset →

Computers, News

Samsung N150, N210 and N510 Atom N450 Netbooks Announced In Israel

We’ve already had a chance to get a glimpse of Samsung’s new Pine Trail lineup couple months ago, but today it finally gets official in Israel with three netbooks on the stake, as the first one, the N150 which suppose to target the mid-end market, includes an HD compatible 10.1-inch LED display along  Intel’s Atom N450 processor, 6-cell battery that can deliver up to 8.5 hours of working life, AnyPC technology which ensures faster network connection  and myriad of colorful lids coated with a special protective layer that resists scratches and fingerprint smudges. Next model is the N210 which seems to have that same 10.1-inch LED display inside, paired with a battery, claimed to work up to 12 hours(!) in one single charge, 802.11 b/g/n wireless connection, PC To PC app that ease file sharing between laptops, and that special crystal cover on top in order to protect from scratches and finger marks. And last but not least, the most powerful one out of the three, the N510 (we’ve mentioned in two occasions) which boasts that same protective crystal layer, but also packs a wide 11.6-inch LED HD display, power by Nvidia ION graphics accelerator under the hood, tucked with dual 3W SRS 3D speakers, 3 x USB 2.0 ports with one that can charge different gadgets directly, a nice chiclet keyboard, only 1.46 kg weight and battery that would drain out after 7 hours of continuous work. Prices and availability haven;t been disclosed.

Computers, News

ASUS Eee PC 1005PR Joins The Pack With Broadcom Crystal HD Onboard

Eee PC netbooks – if you think you’ve seen them all – think again, because right now, the way it looks we’re back to the “hard-to-follow” position, where new models with very similar names come out to the pond twice a day. A few weeks ago, it was Asus’ new lineup, including versions like 1016P, 1018P and 1015p that showed up in the wild, and now it’s the newly made Eee PC 1005PR that just got released and suppose to replace the four months old 1005PE device. What’s new, you’re asking? While shape and feel are pretty much the same, Graphics wise, it’s a whole new story with that 10.1-inch 1366×768 HD compatible display stuffed inside, powered by Broadcom’s Crystal HD accelerator that can easily run your high-def files. The rest of the specs is nothing to be shout off, but definitely descent: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450, 1GB of RAM, and 320GB hard drive. Price and availability are yet to be determined. Stay tuned.

Update1: And looks like ASUS’ Eee PC 1005PR is now up for pre-order at Amazon (with all the good stuff included) for $399.99 only, which makes this HD compatible netbook pretty attractive for acquisition, in its 10-inch category. Ship dates haven’t been disclosed yet.

Update2: Apparently, the Eee PC Seashell 1005PR is now fully available for shipping, anywhere around the world, with that same $400 price tag and staggering 11 hours battery life. Get it now if you care for longevity and the HD vibes.

[via EeePC.it]

Computers, News

HP Slate Shows Up In Adobe Flash Demo and A Marketing Teaser

It’s been over two months since we last saw the HP Slate in action, popping out at CES and making first appearance, courtesy of Mr. Microsoft himself, Steve Ballmer. Back then, it was just a preliminary introduction, but today you get to see the big picture, as shown in a short teaser the company has launched at its own Youtube channel (which admittedly made us super excited) and in Adobe’s walkthrough demo that literally  introduces the flash capabilities (the iPad would probably miss) and how efficient they are to our personal working environment, through HP’s future tablet that regretfully, lacks pricing or shipping dates, as of today. Hit the break to catch the action.

[hpcomputers]

Continue reading HP Slate Shows Up In Adobe Flash Demo and A Marketing Teaser →

Computers, News

Samsung’s Go N315 Netbook To Get a Pine Trail Flavor

Samsung has already managed to catch our attention a year ago when first released its slick and lavish netbooks lineup, known as the Go series. But things, as you may know, change pretty fast these days and technology that appeared to be new and updated back then is no longer relevant. And going into the nitty gritty things, last year it was the Atom N270 that has shined and today it’s the Pine Trail flavor (AKA: Atom N450) that rise, and Samsung wise, we have the Go N315 machine that was recently released with no surprise. Price is at $429 which makes it a bit expensive if you want us to categorize, but still packs the latest specs and components we expected it would comprise. That includes the Atom N450 CPU, 1GB of RAM, Windows 7 Starter and Intel’s GMA 1350 graphics, that plays HD videos smooth at any size.

[via Netbooked]

Computers, News

Apple’s iPad To Make Official Debut On April 3rd (Update: Now Available For Pre-Order)

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Now it’s official, the tablet everyone’s been waiting for is due out on April 3rd with Apple to start taking non-3G iPad pre-orders a week from now, on March 12th. The official announcement, which was fully added after the break, states that slate fanboys from countries like Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK will get the option to shell out their cash and buy one (3G or non-3G model) at the same exact US date of release, in the first week of the fourth month, with prices starting at $499 for a 16GB WiFi enabled iPad, and up to $829 if you’re out for the 64GB with WiFi and 3G flavors. Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs says: “We’re excited for customers to get their hands on this magical and revolutionary product and connect with their apps and content in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before”, and we say “Bring it on baby!”

Update1: It’s here! Apple’s latest and greatest tablet, AKA iPad, is now available for pre-order. Shipping date is due to April 3, as mentioned, and customers will be limited up to 2 devices each. Happy raid!

Update2: First stock of Apple’s iPad devices is SOLD OUT! and it’s not that we’re surprised, but just in case you wanted to get one and missed the train, then April 12th, a little over a week, is your next chance to jump to your close station.

Update3: Don’t color us surprise here fellows, we weren’t falling out of our chairs when first heard the iSuppli team, who thoroughly broke down the 16GB iPad components into pieces, decisively claiming a grand total of $259.60 net worth – almost half the price charged by Apple in stores (which stands at $499). Now, it wouldn’t be fair to go and look at things this way, without including R&D plus overhead expenses, would it? In any case, we still think that people should know exactly what they’re paying for, either it’s a $95 screen, or $26.80 for the 1GHz A4 processor.

Continue reading Apple’s iPad To Make Official Debut On April 3rd (Update: Now Available For Pre-Order) →

Computers, News

Sony Vaio M Netbook Series Pops Up In The Wild

Well, this one came out of the blue with no official announcement, but a fairly reasonable cause. It’s Sony’s latest M series netbook which suppose to replace the Vaio W series with more updated specs but pretty much the same feel and looks. From what we know so far (and there’s not much to say), It would boast a 10.1 1024×600 16:10 LED display, jammed with a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM, 250GB hard drive, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, a built-in webcam and Intel’s new GMA 3150 graphics accelerator. As of today, there’s still no word about price or availability, but hey – we promise to deliver, once they get to our hands.

Update1: Netbooknews says it would run for $349 euros either in Black or Silver flavors. In addition, it suppose to include Windows 7 Starter and a 6 cell battery pack onboard.

Update2: The Vaio M is all set for a European April launch, with UK prices starting at £300 (around $455) for basic specs, mentioned above.

Update3: Did we say set and ready? It’s now official, the Vaio M that is. Similar specs and same prices as noted before.

[via Sony Insider]

Computers, News

Averatec N1200 Pine Trail Netbook Announced

Averatec is straightening up the lines and specs with their new 10-inch netbook, known as N1200 and equipped with Intel’s latest Atom N450 processor, along a Windows XP or Windows 7 Starter edition at your choice packed in a slim and sleek 2.2lbs light design. For a starting price of $330 and a “this month” debut you’ll also get yourself a 160GB hard drive together with up to 2GB of RAM a built-in 1.3mp webcam, LED LCD display at 1024×600 screen resolution, 802.11n Wi-Fi connection and 3 cell battery pack with 6 cell version, marked as optional. PR blurbs after the jump.

Continue reading Averatec N1200 Pine Trail Netbook Announced →

CeBit, Computers, News

Hanvon BC10C and BA10E TouchPad Tablets Abruptly Emerge at CeBIT

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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 →

CeBit, Computers, News

ASUS Eee PC 1201PN Gets Nvidia’s ION 2 and Atom N450 Treatment

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Asus has already proved it can go hand-to-hand with tech pace and bring up-to-date laptops that match the latest criteria one by one. And that is probably the reason the company has just released the Eee PC 1201PN, a Pine Trail netbook powered by Nvidia’s ION 2 graphics that suppose to replace the 6 months old 1201N which had the same looks, only with ION’s first chipset edition and a previous Atom N330 CPU version. The new one, which was spotted at the Taiwanese booth in CeBIT, packs a 12.1-inch 1366×768 LED display, along that Atom N450 Pine Trail processor, and NVIDIA’s Ion 2 for the graphics tone. Other than that, the 1201PN offers basic specs like 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connection, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and 6 cell battery with working hours “TBD”. Stay tuned for more to come, meanwhile checkout Joanna’s hands-on video after the break.

Update: And looks like the 12.1-inch ASUS Eee PC 1201PN, powered by ION 2 chipset, is now available on Amazon for a starting price of $484, which seems pretty impressive if we take into consideration that really amazing lineup, which includes a Intel Atom N450 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 201M for the graphics.

[via engadget]

Continue reading ASUS Eee PC 1201PN Gets Nvidia’s ION 2 and Atom N450 Treatment →

Computers, News

Asus Preps a Whole New 1018P, 1016P and 1015P Eee PC Netbooks Lineup

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Haven’t heard from Asus lately? Fret not, because the Taiwanese giant is rumored to go out with a new netbooks lineup at the CeBIT show, next week in Hanover, Germany and we’re here to tell the plot. Apparently there are three 10.1-inch mini laptops included in Asus coming release, as two of them, 1016P and 1018P are aimed to target the highly competitive business world with a premium aluminum chassis and battery that works up to 14 hours long, while the latter, 1018p boasts a slim 0.7-inch body, an integrated fingerprint reader and the next-gen USB 3.0 slot (!). The third model, 1015p, that suppose to refresh Asus’ 1005pE version, is claimed to be inspired by Macbooks mode with a nice chiclet keyboard, a matte display and a bigger trackpad floor. We’ll find out more on that next week at the show.

Update: We’re told that the 1018p version will also offer Intel N455 and N475 processors inside and that Bluetooth 2.1+EDR is also included while Bluetooth 3.0 is optional. Checkout the quick video preview after the break.

[via Slashgear]

Continue reading Asus Preps a Whole New 1018P, 1016P and 1015P Eee PC Netbooks Lineup →

Computers, Internet, Mobile, News

Orange Israel To Sell Acer Mini PC As Part Of Its Internet Bundle

Orange Israel has just started offering a new Internet package that includes a Smart Box wireless router, together with a 2.5Mb internet connection fixed for 36 months and…an Acer Mini PC that comes with Intel’s E5300 processor, paired with 2GB DDR3 RAM, 320GB hard drive, Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Intel GMA X4500 graphics, a Super Multi Dual Layer DVD and wide range of ports like 4 x USB hubs, eSata, VGA output, DVI plus HDMI adapter. The system runs Microsoft Windows 7 Premium preloaded inside and is now offered on Orange’s website for 3,564NIS (36 x 99). In addition, you get wireless keyboard and mouse as part of the deal which suppose to last ’till March 31st.

CeBit, CES, Computers, News

LG Takes The Wraps Off X140 and X200 Atom N450 Netbooks

The Pine Trail procession seems to go even further, with LG to join the marchers by uncovering two Atom N450 netbooks, X140 and X200, both to run Windows 7 Starter onboard. The X140 is claimed to include basic specs like 1GB of RAM, a 10.1 1024×600 display, a 160GB hard drive, WiFi, Bluetooth, optional 3G modem and a 6 cell battery, while the more advanced version, X200 will presumably house a more updated components such as Intel’s GMA 3150 graphics, 2GB RAM, a 250GB hard drive, Bluetooth, 802.11n Wi-Fi and a 10.1-inch display, this time with 1366 x 768 HD resolution support. Availability and prices are still undetermined, but suppose to surface at the CeBIT show, next week.

Update: We’ve added a CES 2010 X200 hands-on video, courtesy of NetbookNews. Check it out after the break.

[via Electronista]

Continue reading LG Takes The Wraps Off X140 and X200 Atom N450 Netbooks →

Computers, News

iiView’s Vpad Makes It Out To a Growing Tablets Market

If any of you happens to have spare $500 in his pocket, iPad is not the only slab you can get – look, it’s not that we’re trying to pull you off the idea of buying Apple’s new star, it’s just there are other tablets in the market that want to conquer your hearts. One of them, is iiView’s 10.2-inch Vpad that boasts familiar specs such as Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive and Windows 7 Starter Edition onboard. And while this version costs only $499, a 3G-compatible device with 2GB of RAM and 320GB hard drive will run for $200 more. Still no info about availability.

Update: Looks like iiView has wisely decided to upgrade specs inside its coming slate (AKA: M1Touch) which suppose to run for $500, starting this June, with a 1.66GHz Atom N450 processor, paired with 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, one USB hub, 4-in-1 card reader and integrated webcam, stuffed on top of a 10.1 inch capacitive multitouch display. Basically, we’re not fond of desktop OS platforms running on portable tablets, even though the M1Touch do have one  – Windows 7 Home Premium.

[via Notebooks.com]

Computers, News

Asus Eee PC T101MT Netbook With Swivel-Touchscreen Unveiled

It’s been a while since we’ve last seen a tablet netbook from Asus, but thanks to the FCC division we’re finally getting a chance to see their new and latest swivel-enabled ultra-portable mate, the Eee PC T101MT, which crams a 10.1-inch 1024 x 768 resistive multitouch display along with 160GB or 320GB capacities at your choice, 1.6GHz Atom N450 CPU, Windows 7, up to 2GB of RAM, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 connection, 0.3 mp webcam and a battery that can deliver up to 6.5 hours of work time. Ports list includes a VGA output, SD/SDHC/SDXC card reader, three USB hubs and Ethernet jack, tucked into black or white body flavors. Still no world about price or availability but be sure we’re here to update as soon as they come. Meanwhile, hit the jump to see some video tutorials.

Update1: We’ve added yet another hands-on video to ease your decisions whether to get Asus’ latest greatest Eee PC T101MT Tablet or just move forward to some other versions available in the market. To recall, it’s a resistive screen which seems to have pretentious becoming a capacitive one (video courtesy of Netbooked).

Update2: And just in case you were looking for the real-deal and had some hopes to catch up with a retail version demo, that would ease your decisions whether buying one or not, checkout the second video in the pile (courtesy of Netbooklive.net), and see this quick preview mode.

Update3: Asus now says the T101MT is set to go live in Europe in April 2010, priced at €499 (about $660), while a US debut is rumored to take place next month as well with prices standing at $499 for the same exact specs.

Update4: And…ASUS’ 10-inch Eee PC T101MT is now shipping throughout the US. You can get yours, online via B&H, or Amazon.

[Eee PC.it]

Continue reading Asus Eee PC T101MT Netbook With Swivel-Touchscreen Unveiled →

Computers, News, Video

Acer Aspire One 532G Introduced, First Netbook To Accommodate Nvidia Ion 2 Graphics

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This one has definitely caught us by surprise, but this time we’re more than willing to accept it and many others in that same sphere. The event is the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, the brand, Acer and the product is Aspire One 532G (not to be confused with the 532h although they share the same design), which happens to be world’s first netbook to pack a discrete Nvidia Ion 2 graphics accelerator, which comes paired with a switchable (and less powerful) Intel GMA 3150 GPU which clearly indicates that Acer will most probably be using Nvidia’s new auto switching technology, AKA Optimus, in its coming ultra-portable series. Under the lid it appears to have an up-to-date lineup, including a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 Pine Trail processor, along with 2GB of RAM, a whopping 320GB hard drive, an HDMI output and a 10-inch HD display – impressive, isn’t it? In any case it is due to go out in March for a non disclosure price. Hands on video and PR blurbs right after the break.

Update1: And looks like Acer kept its promise and despite top-notch specs, prices remain competitive. How much? 379 euros for European heroes and we’re guessing $379 Stateside. Stay tuned.

Update2: Looks like Acer’s 10-inch 532G netbook device, the one that suppose to include Nvidia ION II inside, is no longer in plans (at least for now) due to technical issues with NVIDIA and Acer drivers. Bummer! But we’re still waiting…

[via Netbooknews.de]

Continue reading Acer Aspire One 532G Introduced, First Netbook To Accommodate Nvidia Ion 2 Graphics →

Games, Mobile, News, Phones, Video

iPhone 3GS VS Nexus One, Who Has The Best Video 3D Rates?

Are you eager to replace your old crappy mobile device with a brand new multi-touch compatible smartphone? If you do, and already considered buying either Apple’s iPhone 3GS or Google’s Nexus one, then get this – according to a 3D frame rate video test initiated by the guys at Distinctive Developments, it appears that Cupertino’s iPhone device achieved better results than Mountain View’s latest mobile hit. The test, which included a series of finger pinching gestures, has indicated that iPhone 3GS received an average of 30 frame rates per second, while Nexus one has managed to get only 20-21 rates for that same video segment. The reason for that gap between the two is due to the lack of use of Neon floating-point optimization in the Nexus One. You can see it for yourself right after the break, in hope that someone in Google would take things into consideration and make the essential changes.

Update: It was brought to our attention that Nexus One supports a 800 x 480 screen resolution which is bigger than iPhone’s 480×320. However, in their test DD guys actually changed the Nexus One viewport size to match the iPhone’s 480×320, and by doing that they received a frame-rate improvement from 30fps to 40fps. Still, with 8 characters on screen there was no difference; with the frame-rate remaining the same at 21fps.

[via phonesreview]

Continue reading iPhone 3GS VS Nexus One, Who Has The Best Video 3D Rates? →

Computers, News, Operating Systems

Samsung To Release a 10-Inch Chrome OS Netbook Soon

Remember this daring Google Chrome OS that got official only three months ago? Well, according to Australia’s Channel News, quoting Samsung’s IT manager, Phil Newton, things finally start moving forward in the right direction and we’re likely to see  Mountain View’s snappy platform installed on Samsung netbooks in the near future. Although there’s nothing concrete at the moment, the manager confirmed that his company plans to roll out a new N210 ultra-portable series, packing a 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor with 64GB of flash storage, 2GB of RAM, WiFi, built-in 3G, a solid 12 hour battery life and a 10.1-inch screen display on top. Prices and dates are yet to be determined, so stay tuned.

[via engadget]

Mobile, News, Phones

Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series Announced, Due Out This Holidays Season

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It’s hot at the Mobile World Congress 2010, in Barcelona, as Microsoft officially unveils its latest and probably biggest Windows Phone 7 series, a new and pretentious Windows Mobile rendition, identical to all carriers and future device brands, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon architecture onboard, handling smoothly the featured (unsized) capacitive touchscreens, built into those dev demo prototype phones. Basically, it’s a a whole new mobile system Redmond has literally built from the scratch and tweaked to be used on mobile machines in a way that you’ve never seen before. True, it would likely take time to get used to the 7 series, but its harmonic look and feel is surprisingly refreshing and conveniently flows. Yes, if you had this “deja vu” feeling of a Zune HD interface control, you’re probably not alone, but Microsoft has taken it few steps forward and created more in-depth platform with many new features like Xbox Live integration, social networking interaction, myriad of apps and widgets installed. “Every Windows series phone will be a Zune”, that’s what we’ve been told, and synchronizing your handheld  music with PC computers is claimed to be very easy and simple to work.

The home screen itself includes dynamic vertical tiles, with customizable shortcut links to variant apps, contacts and other in-house modes, designed in a way you can flip them down from head to toe, but also pan left and right to sub-directories and other hidden rows. It boasts that same big and bold Zune HD  text style, which relatively changes and gets magnified the moment you slide the screen and start to scroll. And navigating between the menus makes you realize that Microsoft completely revamped the OS code, making it concentrate in four major segments: People, Games, Pictures, Music plus Video hub homes. Each hub is an independent unit that’s responsible for different tasks, where you can watch and share your personal stuff (images/videos) via hub or cloud,when it comes to ‘pictures’ window, or in other case connect with friends and get updates from family/other contacts through social media services in the ‘People’ spot and the most fascinating thing – play Xbox LIVE games, create avatars, and profiles, at the ‘Games’ area zone – Cool. At the end of the day it’s a new platform that suppose to serve our next-gen phones, so naturally it would also include a non-supportive Adobe flash Internet Exploder browser and Outlook email app to handle mails on the go. Oh, and don’t forget, there’s a dialing phone somewhere inside.

Hardware wise, Microsoft mobile phones will include 3 buttons each: Start, Search and Back, while capacitive displays will have 4-points multi-touch compatibility, with flipping, panning and pinch to zoom gestures support. As mentioned, Microsoft has partnered with Qualcomm, which means we’re likely to see Arm Snapdragon chipset, tossed inside the bowel.

Microsoft as you may know, teamed up with worldwide carriers like AT&T, Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange, SFR, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telstra, T-Mobile USA, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, while manufacturers partnerships include Dell, Garmin-Asus, HTC, HP, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Qualcomm.

It would probably take time to realize whether Windows 7 series is a game changer or not, but we’re glad to see that Microsoft is finally raising the mobile OS bar and placing it in a whole new and distinguished level that would likely make many people across this realm start scratching their heads and rearrange their thoughts. When will this crazy and exciting software go out and hit the roads? I guess you’ll have to be patient here and wait ’till it gets to the market somewhere around the end of the year, right next to holidays madness season days.

Update: We’ve added the full hands-on walkthrough video, right after the break. A bit long but definitely worth a try.

Continue reading Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Series Announced, Due Out This Holidays Season →

Computers, News, Operating Systems

Compaq Airlife 100 With 10.1-Inch Touchscreen and Android OS Platform Introduced

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We’ve already seen a glimpse of Compaq’s latest and greatest Airlife 100 netbook machine, last month at Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, but now it finally seems to get official with all the pride and glory involved. Within, you’ll find a nice 10.1-inch touchscreen display, which stunningly works in collaboration with the Android OS, preloaded inside the box. And to make things even better, under this tiny smartbook  lid you’ll find a strong Snapdragon chip, paired with Intel’s latest Atom processor, 16GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G connection mode – offered in partnership with Telefonica for an undetermined price as a subsidized mobile broadband deal, in Europe, Latin America and hopefully some other places across the world. Stay tuned.

Update1: Battery wise, this bad boy will boast a powerful package, which suppose to provide 12-hour of continuous work or up to 10 days in standby.

Update2: The good guys at Engadget have managed to catch up with HP for a video tour of this intriguing Snapdragon powered netbook. Check it out after the break.

Update3: Not much happened since we first met HP’s Android-powered Airlife 100 netbook, back at the MWC conference in Barcelona. That said, it seems the 10-incher netbook has now turned official on HP’s website, packed with a non-capacitive touchscreen, which hides underneath a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor along WiFi, 3G connectivity, 512MB of RAM, and 16GB of flash. We’re still waiting for price and availability details to finally show up.

Update4: Looks like the Android-powered Compaq Airlife 100 will be exclusively available through Telefonica Movistar this coming May with base price of 229 euros for the mini laptop itself, and another 48 euros for a monthly internet package. Expensive?

Continue reading Compaq Airlife 100 With 10.1-Inch Touchscreen and Android OS Platform Introduced →

Applications, Communication, Internet, Mobile, News

Google Buzz Gets More Updates And Improvements, Reaching Over 9 Million Posts and Comments

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Only two days after turning the Buzz official within Gmail accounts, Google seems to roll out more tweaks and improvements, based on feedbacks and user requests, sent directly or to its help desk account. First and foremost, Google has closed security breach where people could actually see lists of friends and followers which automatically appeared on new Google Pages that people initially created to post their Buzz feeds. Those lists created based on interaction with people you email and chat with the most, could literally expose to the world details no one wanted to unveil. There for, from now on the first time you create a post or comment in Buzz, you will be asked to initiate a limited public profile with minimal info released outside. In addition, you can easily choose whether to turn on publicly the lists of people you follow or that follow you back and which of these species can appear publicly on your profile or not. Furthermore, Google adds the ability to block followers or unfollow them with a simple click of a button. Stay tuned.

Update1: Google says that since launched, tens of millions of people have checked Buzz out, creating over 9 million posts and comments, overwhelmingly added to the growing 200+ posts per minute, initiated from mobile phones around the world.

Update2: So you’re already involved with the Buzz, posting your stuff and following others, but you’re not exactly familiar with all those tricks and tweaks the service offers and wonder where you could have learned them all in a matter of minutes. For that reason specifically, we’ve added a Google Buzz cheat sheet where you can find all the keys and shortcuts that would make it easier for you to use the Buzz. Check it out after the break.

Update3: Google has wisely decided to remove the Buzz auto-follow model in which you automatically follow the people you email and chat with most, whenever initiate a new Google profile page. Instead of this auto-suggest model you will be taken into a welcome page, where you will be reviewing the people in your lists that you’re interested outing to the public and others, you prefer keeping them hidden (third image after the break). In addition, your Buzz will not connect with your Google Reader and Picasa shared items automatically, so your “Unlisted” albums or “Protected” reading sources won’t be revealed, unless you decide to. And last but not least, Google has confirmed it will soon add a Buzz tab to the Gmail account that would create a clear distinction between your day-to-day mailing content and your Googlr Buzz feeds (fourth image). Stay tuned.

[Google]

Continue reading Google Buzz Gets More Updates And Improvements, Reaching Over 9 Million Posts and Comments →

Computers, News

Asus ‘Killer Product’ Eee Pad Is Rumored To Go Out In June

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It’s not that we were thinking Asus would give up creating a tablet of its own, thus when the company’s CEO, Jonney Shih, speaks about a “killer product” due to go out in June, this is where our wild imagination begins to work extra hours and starts wondering about possible outcomes. Although it’s claimed to be yet “another Apple” (the iPad is scheduled to debut next month), it is said to support open source code and to include ARM hardware and Google software within. Pegatron, a separate division of Asus apparently received the manufacturing responsibility for this enigmatic tablet (Eee Pad?), and if we’d try to be just a little speculative here, it would probably boast Nvidia’s Tegra 2 for the graphics and run Android for the OS, under $500 price tag. Stay tuned.

Update: More Eee Pad rumors coming out, ahead of release, this time from Asus’s chairman Jonney Shih who has officially confirmed a duo set of Taiwanese tablets, coming out somewhere this year, one with a Windows OS on top and the other running Google’s android/Chrome platform. No further info at this point, but stick around for more details to come.

Applications, Communication, Internet, Mobile, News

Google Buzz Announced, Turns Your Web Mail Socialized And Your Mobile Device Localized

Google officially released the Buzz. What is it, you’re asking? It’s Mountain View’s new platform that integrates into your Gmail account and turns it into a social community center (sort of), where you can share things like updates, photos, videos and a lot more with people you email and chat with the most. Additionally, the Buzz allows you to start interacting with those people and make in-mail conversations about anything you’d like in a simple and attractive way. The purpose, according to Bradley Horowitz, Google’s vice president for product management, is to simplify things and help people …”to find signal in the noise”. The target, in our humble opinion, is to launch a successful email product that would make people stick around all day long, and by that, create their own personal streaming platform that would eventually attract potential web users to follow their buzz and turn their voice even louder. Is it a war declaration against popular services like Twitter and Facebook? Time would tell. Google’s buzz  integrates with existing social networks and people can easily add their Flickr, Picasa, Twitter, Yahoo or Facebook accounts, and even Google Reader feeds, into the Buzz while creating  a new social networking interface/aggregator that would gather both mailing usage and media streaming in one accessible place. So, direct war? not sure, but challenging Facebook’s social media domination? definitely yes.

Basically, no special setup is needed and Gmail users should expect seeing the Buzz in their mail accounts immediately, or later on this week, as Google rolls out its new platform across the web, at these very moments . Once receiving it you will automatically start seeing lists of people, who you have emailed on Gmail, added to your Buzz. At that point you can start sharing with them whatever you want, including pictures, messages, videos, articles, news feeds and more, either publicly or in private. It’s a dual direction platform, so in that case you will see their updates as well, but also a few “Recommended Buzz” from friends of your friends, adjusted to your personal feedback.

As for mobile phones, Google also announced mobile integration for Buzz with dedicated apps and maps and an updated homepage you can log into at google.com/buzz. Buzz for mobile makes your sharing a lot easier than expected, it ” brings location to the forefront and makes it easy to have conversations about places”. To start, just type buzz.google.com in your mobile browser address line and begin posting buzz from your phone. You can tag your location or use the suggested tag if correct and later on, search all the public buzz created by your friends or nearby strangers around you in any given location you’ve personally tagged. This way you get yourself a personal location and recommendation platform, based on people’s most basic and common opinions, carried by their smartphones. As mentioned, you can use Google Maps and create public buzz directly from the layer, and attach photos into it from your mobile phone. You can create Textual Buzz shortcuts which appear as a small conversation bubble that everyone can see and read, or go even cooler by creating Voice Buzz shortcuts which let you post buzz without typing a word – Neat! Hit the break to watch the videos.

Update1: Looks like Google Maps 4.0 with Buzz support now available in the Android Market for those who own Android-based smartphones like G1, Droid or Nexus One. Feel free to download it right away and share the Buzz with your friends!

Continue reading Google Buzz Announced, Turns Your Web Mail Socialized And Your Mobile Device Localized →

Computers, News

Dell Mini 10 Gets a WiMAX Update, Needs To Pass FCC First

As it looks, Dell’s Mini 10 netbooks are about to receive a major update, once they get through the FCC certification process, a matter of week or two. And while most specs apparently remain pretty much the same, connection on the other hand turns to be a lot more faster with bigger coverage compared to predecessors’ range. That, results from Round Rock’s new WiMAX adapter, Intel WiFi-Link 6250, that was stuffed inside the tiny portable laptops and aims to make a change. Other than that, for a $299 starting price you buy yourself that same good 10.1-inch display, tucked with a Pine Trail Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM, 250GB hard-drive, a 6-cell battery and an optional Broadcom Crystal HD graphics card. Availability is unknown at the moment, but probably will go live when clearance is finally granted.

[via Liliputing]

Computers, News

iTablet Gets Released In The UK, Packs Everything The iPad Doesn’t Have

Now that Apple’s iPad has finally turned official and gone into mass production, it seems just a matter of time until new tablet machines would rise and shine in geeks world and closely watched in months to come. And one UK company that didn’t wait long (’till Apple’s newcomer goes live)  and recently taken wraps off its latest greatest pride, the iTablet, is X2 Computing that offers a 10.2-inch widescreen TFT or 12.1-inch widescreen XGA – both touchscreens at 1024 x 768 resolution – due to start shipping with Windows or Linux OS in April 2010, for an undetermined price. Basically, these iTablets pack most things we wanted to see in Cupertino’s iPad but couldn’t find, like three USB ports, optional HDMI output, 1.3-megapixel webcam, multi-tasking and out-of-the-box integrated flash support. Besides that you suppose to see other included specs like Intel’s 1.6GHz processor, paired with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G connection, white, grey, pink, blue, red, yellow or black flavors and up to 250GB of storage onboard. Stay tuned for more.

Update: Word on the street says that both versions are sized at 35mm thick, which explains the big storage capacity offered, but sounds bulky, in our opinion. This way or another we’ll have to wait and see.

[via Pocket Lint]

Computers, News

ExoPC Atom N270 Tablet Makes it Out With Windows 7 Onboard

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How much are you willing to pay for a brand new tablet, $400, $500, maybe $600 or seven hundred? In apple’s iPad case it may sound reasonable, but when it comes to ExoPC, a small company from France, we have our doubts. The last, as we hear, has recently gone official with an 8.9-inch Atom N270 CPU, paired with 2GB of RAM , 32GB of solid state drive, Windows 7 Premium (which means full browser support with flash) and slick rounded design (iPad anyone?). It also includes a multitouch display on top, 1.3MP webcam in front, wifi, Bluetooth, Ethernet 10/100, VGA output and 3 x USB ports – is that a netbook or what? Well, not if you count battery time – “only” four hours of work. Right now it’s available in prototype mode for a whopping $780 and non-multitouch screen, but prices will presumably drop down to $599 when this thing comes out sometime this March.

Update1: And just in case you were wondering what exactly happens inside the ExoPC bowels, hit the break and get a taste. You will find that Intel Atom N270 CPU, tucked with a 945 Express chipset, a Ene memory card controller and an open Mini PCI-Express slot. OH, and there’s also a big fan as you can see, to cool things around.

Update2: The guys at engadget were lucky enough to get a video of the ExoPC in action and from their initial impressions it seems to be responsive despite the “low-pressure” resistive touchscreen. Other than that, it looks pretty bulky in our humble opinion, but hey, it’s up to you to decide whether to shell $599 for this one or get Apple’s iPad for $100 less. Hit the break to see the video.

Update3: Looks like ExoPC has decided to wait just a few more months before going out with its most attractive 8.9-inch tablet. The purpose of this postpone is specs improvement, in order to match current components standards.

“With [CiaraTech’s] help we are improving the specs: better processor, graphics, better battery life, thinner, better screen and touch panel. We should hit FCC soon. As we have more time we are adding more features in the ExoPC UI Layer (ex. an app / media store).”

Update4: Turns out the ExoPC will not be available before September 7th of this year. In addition, the company plans to replace the old N270 processor with a new one, probably Intel’s Atom N450, along with a Broadcom Crystal HD accelerator, to improve 1080p video support. Stay tuned.

Update5: It seems the ExoPC final name will be the “Slate” and rumors claim it will be offered in four different flavors including 32GB WiFi, 32GB WiFi or 3G / GPS, and 64GB WiFi or + 3G / GPS. Check out the second hands-on video we’ve added after the break.

[via slashgear]

Continue reading ExoPC Atom N270 Tablet Makes it Out With Windows 7 Onboard →

Computers, News

Archos 7 Android Tablet Breaks Cover

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We’ve already seen Archos 5 Android-based mid surfacing up roughly four months ago and today, when tablets market appears to be on fire, it’s time for the Archos 7 to show up, isn’t it? Call it MID or Tablet, it really doesn’t matter, the screen is a 7-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen and the operating system is basically powered by Android. So far we know about the 8GB version which boasts a built in webcam, SD card slot, mic and wifi support – set to launch in March for £ 149.99. Other models will probably get released later on, hopefully with more storage included. Stay tuned for more.

[via slashgear]

Computers, News

Sungworld 7-inch Android MID Boasts a Touchscreen, Craves To Be An iPad

Well, not that we think it would match the iPad by any chance, but those on a hunt for the simple stylish 7-inch touchscreen MID, may find it appropriate. It’s Chinese, comes from Sungworld, packs an ARM926 processor and comes with 2GB of storage, two USB ports and an HDMI output (you hear that Apple?). The body is made of silver and edges are quite rounded. Oh, and it will be available in pink, blue, green, purple or black, but that won’t probably change your mind, now that the iPad is out, will it?

[via I4U]

Computers, Internet, News, Video

Apple iPad Tablet Officially Live Starting at $499

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[tweetmeme]

It’s been a wild day with big news and one single product – The iPad. Yes guys, Apple’s tablet is officially out, no more rumors, no speculations, no overpriced ($999) guesses or foolish mockups, this time it’s for real, and it would cost only $499 (16GB), $599 (32GB) or $699 (64GB), courtesy of Cupertino. As is, it looks very sexy, only 0.5-inches thin and 1.5 pounds of weight. Display is almost ten inches wide, and to be more accurate, 9.7-inches. Screen resolution is basically like every usual netbook, 1024X768, but the screen itself, as you may have guessed, supports a capacitive multitouch usability, the kind you’d find in an iPhone. It has 802.11n wifi, Bluetooth, and in some models even a 3G cellular connectivity, that will run in AT&T and around the world for a monthly fee og either $14.99 (250MB data) or $29.99 (unlimited package). Steve jobs says they are all UNLOCKED and that the processor inside is powered by Apple’s custom designed A4 chipset (which is speculated to be an Arm Cortex 9 processor). Battery wise, Stevo claims a 10 hours of work and almost a month in standby mode, while UI is basically similar to the iPhone, only revamped to support browsing, emails, photos, video (including Youtube), music, games and ebooks on a larger scale.

Yes, Apple thinks that netbooks are slow and made of low quality, and that’s why they came up with a tablet, which frankly is an hybrid creation of the company’s iPhone and Mac in one single device. Naturally, it comes with a built-in accelerometer, the kind that lets you play top-notch shooting and high speed racing games, joystick free, and GPS system if you were asking, is also part of the deal, so navigation, satellite images and street view topography are now available on the go. Like any light and sophisticated machine, you can send emails, engage your contacts, surf the net and sync music with iTunes – and this is the time to mention it has a USB connector for that mission and other collaborative tasks you can think of. But the iPad, is not just for internet and multimedia consuming, it’s also for book reading, like Yahoo’s Kindle, only with colors. But that’s not all, because Apple like Apple developed an iBook app this purpose, and to make things profitable, there is an online store – just for books – starting today! So there you have it, an all-in-one media device with music, videos, almost 150k optional apps, personal office manager, ebook reader and almost endless usage possibilities. On the down side, it doesn’t have a camera inside and we haven’t seen any HDMI output to pump your vids. The bezel is too wide, there’s no flash supported and last but not least, no multitasking – NO MULTITASKING. Instead you can work on sheets, tables and charts, through iWork, that was tweaked by Apple’s teams to fit the iPad. Want it? this ain’t come free – $9.99.

Update1: There are also some optional accessories to buy, like a standalone dock or one that comes with a keyboard, a camera connection kit, or an iPad case. Checkout the Apple store for more on that.

Update2: The iPad supports wide range of codecs including H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.

Update3: Here are the overall prices:

  • 16GB with WiFi: $499
  • 32GB with WiFi: $599
  • 64GB with WiFi: $699
  • 16GB with WiFi & 3G: $629
  • 32GB with WiFi & 3G: $729
  • 64GB with WiFi & 3G: $829

Update4: Apple have partnered with five major publishers, including Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, MacMillan and Hachett Book Group, to bring into your iPad color or B/W  content.

Update5: Apple PR announcement plus images plus video added after the break.

[Apple]

Continue reading Apple iPad Tablet Officially Live Starting at $499 →

CES, Computers, News

FIC Atom N450 SVE00 Netbook Introduced

CES 2010 is over, but that as a fact doesn’t mean release frequency of Pineview-based netbooks has necessarily slowed down. On the contrary, it  probably grown even more lately. And one that already made its way out, with no a price tag mentioned, is FIC’s Atom N450 SVE00, a 10.1-inch netbook which sports Windows 7 OS, running Intel’s latest 1.66GHz Atom CPU, together with 1GB of RAM, either 500GB HDD or 32GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth, HSDPA connectivity, and last but not least, WiMax support. Impressive lineup, isn’t it?

fic-sve00-netbook

[via Akihabara News]

Computers, News

DigitalRise's New X9 Tablet Joins The Hot And Trendy Slate Parade

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Looks like we have a new joiner at the soon-to-be-crowded tablets arena. This time, it’s the X9 from DigitalRise China, which offers a 10.2-inch multitouch display (tablet,you know) along a decent lineup within, that includes an Atom N270 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 1.3mp webcam, a 160GB hard drive, 3G connectivity, WiFi, GPS and the latest-greatest Windows 7 OS. It’s already up for pre-orders, in case you have an import or distribution company, but be sure you’ll be the first to know when it gets available for individuals. This way or another, it would cost you a whopping $780 at the moment, so hold your breath for couple weeks more.

Update: And if you need some live footage in order to make decisions and buy one, hit the break for a full video review.

digitalrise-x9-tablet

[PMP Today]

Continue reading DigitalRise's New X9 Tablet Joins The Hot And Trendy Slate Parade →

CES, Computers, News

MSI Dualscreen Netbook Gets Demoed On Video

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It’s up to you to decide how to call MSI’s new dual-screen device, whether it’s a netbook, a smartbook, an E-Reader, a tablet, a MID, a courier, you name it, it’s your call – but one thing’s for sure – you want it and so do we! It’s still a prototype and no one can really tell when or where it would get a “Go”. It packs dual 10-inch displays (one on each side), both include capacitive multitouch screens, with pretty fast respond. There’s no official name for this one at the moment, but it runs a Windows 7 Home Premium platform with all the pomp and innards involved, like a virtual keyboard control, an ebook reader, 1.86 GHz Atom Z540 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB SSD storage and finally, two USB ports. You will hear about it a lot more, but until then, hit the break and watch the show. 

msi-dual-screen-tablet

[via pocket-lint]

Continue reading MSI Dualscreen Netbook Gets Demoed On Video →

CES, Computers, News

Compal's 7-inch Android Tablet Prototype Gets a First Introduction, Boasts Tegra 2 Chipset Inside

Care for one more tablet device? the kind that packs a 7-inch touchscreen and runs an Android 2.0 platform inside? in that case Compal would like to have a word with you. The reason, if you haven’t heard, is the company’s new Tegra-powered tablet, that recently introduced at the CES show in Vegas (by Nvidia) and looked like it has no problems playing any 1080p files, “stutter-free”. At this early stage, it would be hard to figure how much will it cost or when will it start shipping, but till then, bare in mind it packs a WiFi connectivity, along SIM card slot and microSD expansion, tucked with a non-friendly resistive touchscreen and an HDMI port to pump vids out.  More on that, later.

compal-android-tablet

[via Gizmodo]

CES, Computers, News

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Crams a Laptop and a Tablet in One Small Device

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Lenovo has really given a thought lately to what bring us geeks out and make us extremely excited whenever approaching new gadgets. And clearly, the company has spent a lot of time and budgets when it first came up with the idea of creating a product that combines a laptop and a tablet under one single hood. Well, the product is now officially out and youm can call it IdeaPad U1 Hybrid. It looks both innovative and stylish at the same time, and packs a 11.6-inch laptop with a detachable multitouch display that turns the screen into a nice portable tablet, running Lenovo’s proprietary Skylight Linux platform and powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, paired with a 16GB SSD and that nice looking multitouch slate. The entire pack, including the tablet and the laptop together, weighs only 3.8 pound and boasts a CULV Intel Core 2 Duo processor , lining up with a chicklet-style keyboard, a 128GB SSD, a big integrated touchpad and Windows 7 Premium preloaded onboard. Price wise, it would cost you $999 from the moments it gets released, somewhere in June. Vids and PR right after the break.

Lenovo-ideapad-u1-hybrid

[via engadget]

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Crams a Laptop and a Tablet in One Small Device →

CES, Computers, Internet, News

Dell's Slate Makes First Appearance at CES With Android 2.0, 3G And Wireless Connectivity (Update: Mini 5)

Nothing much to share at this point, but Dell has revealed a new slate/tablet device at its keynote speech at CES in Vegas. Designed like a business smartphone, and some would say it is one considering the SIM slot it boasts, the new Reddish device  includes an Android platform preloaded inside, and a 5-inch touchscreen on top. There’s also an integrated 5MP camera at the back and three clickable buttons on the right – Home, Back and (maybe) apps. Furthermore, up the hill, it houses three additional buttons which looks like ON/OFF, camera and volume support. We’ve also spotted a built-in mic and Bluetooth, but that’s all we have for now.

Update1: engadget guys were lucky to sit around the table with Dell’s representative who was kind enough to give a quick tour and show them Dell’s new mysterious slate in a snap. From first impression we’re guessing it’s an Android 1.6 platform that runs inside, but quiet positive there’s a nice numpad add-on included in the keyboard and a tiny face camera right on front. We’re not sure whether it’d be called Mini 5 or codename Streak, but color us impressed from the way it performed. Vid and thumbs, after the break.

Update2: Turns out it’s a 5-inch mid, boasting 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen,along integrated WiFi and 3G WWAN connectivity. It runs Android 2.0 (Eclair) instead of that 1.6 flavor and seems to endure a dual-LED flash 5mp camera behind and a 1,300mAh battery within. We’ve added another video after the break, courtesy of Slashgear and some Vietnamese chaps.

Update3: The Tinhte team has taken Dell’s Android-based Mini 5 slate/mid to a teardown session, and guess what they’ve found under the hood – a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, two microSD slots, integrated SIM card with 3G radio and a 1,530mAh battery, stronger than expected. Dissecting video after the break.

Update4: TechCrunch guys have managed to catch up with Michael Dell himself somewhere outside Davos conference halls, and look what he got, a “Mini 5” slate, in his words, which suppose to go live “in “a couple of months” with an Android based platform, 3G connectivity, 5MP camera and other good stuff. Dell refused to disclose any details about price or chipset.Checkout the third video after the break.

Update5: Dell says its latest Mini 5 will not run an Android 1.6 platform, but “something newer”, which we can’t confirm yet. In any case, it’s going to be refreshing and upgradable.

Update6: Apparently, the Mini 5 has a docking station which suppose to include HDMI output and a USB port. Check it out in T3 Greek Edition’s video after the break.

Update7: Looks like there’s plenty of stuff ahead. According to Neeraj Choubey, Dell’s tablet division GM, the Mini 5 is part of “a family of tablets” that will “scale up to a variety of sizes.” Some, are claimed to include “inexpensive data plans” in the bundle, some just Android powered.

Update8: Apart from the 5-inch 800 x 480 WVGA touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera, and the 30-pin docking connector, it seems that Dell will offer the Mini 5 (or Streak, depends who you ask) in wide range of premium colors. Hit the break to see your options.

Update9: Michael Dell says his 5-inch Streak “…will be available starting next month, first with our partner 02 Telefonica in Europe, then later this summer with our pretty good partner here in the United States, AT&T.” You hear that. Next month!

500x_dellslate4

Continue reading Dell's Slate Makes First Appearance at CES With Android 2.0, 3G And Wireless Connectivity (Update: Mini 5) →