Tag Archives: Android

netbooks

NEC is Taking The Wraps Off a New Android Netbook, The LifeTouch Note

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

[via Akihabara News]

Continue reading NEC is Taking The Wraps Off a New Android Netbook, The LifeTouch Note →

tablets

Dell’s 2011 Tablets Slide Unveiled

2 Comments

Considering the fact that we’ve already seen a couple of leaked Dell roadmap slides in 2010, doesn’t mean we’re not interested to see a few slides more; on the contrary, we’d love to get ’em if you have any, in particular those planned for 2013, 2014, and on and on. As for 2011/2012, the Androidcentral guys have somehow managed to obtain Dell’s tablets forecast, and it’s here presented to you with much enthusiasm and galore. According to the roadmap we’re seeing, Dell’s Streak 10 is only few days away from launching, as far as the Q1 “storyline” goes, while in Q2 we should expect the Dell Gallo tablet, with a Honeycomb flavor attached, and a Streak 7 update somewhere in the late July. Staying in that Q2 framework for a moment, we’re also looking at Dell’s 10-inch Windows 7 slate, planned under the codename Rosemount and scheduled for June, with a 1366 x 768 pixels resolution display that supports HD 720p video transmission. Jumping forward to Q4 and Q1 of 2012, there’s a number of entries worthy of a mention, including the Honeycomb-powered Dell Sterling device (due out in late October), the Dell Opus One and Dell Silver Oak, both are due to go on sale in 2012 running Android Honeycomb platform within, and last but not least, the Dell Peju that makes a grand entrance with Windows 8 on board.

So there you have it, fellow readers; It’s definitely going to be an interesting year for the tablets form factor, at least as far as Dell is concerned.

tablets

HTC Flyer 7-inch Android 2.4 Tablet With 1.5GHz CPU Debuts

2 Comments

Today at MWC in Barcelona, HTC officially announced the Flyer, an Android-based tablet with a 7-inch 1024 x 600 pixel resolution capacitive touchscreen display and a 1.5GHz single-core processor on board. Titles aside, the Flyer will reportedly ship in Q2 2011 with an Android 2.4 platform (AKA: Gingerbread), alongside a 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and another one, at 5 megapixels, attached to the back. Moreover, the good looking aluminum unibody tablet offers inbuilt Wifi connectivity, paired with a 4000mAh battery pack, Bluetooth 3.0, a microSD card reader, HDMI out, a micro USB hub and DLNA support. No prices available at the moment, but the Full PR is somewhere down the road.

Update1: Also, make sure to stop by and check out the two “first-look” Flyer tablet videos we’ve just added after the break.

Update2: Not sure I like this all “pressure sensitive” thing, It feels a bit dubious. That said, the Flyer does seem to include a stylus pen for taking onscreen notes, or playing back audio recordings from the time a note was written.

Update3: What’s this? Looks like Amazon.de has just listed HTC’s latest and greatest Flyer tablet at €669, which means a little more than 700 US Dollars. Expensive, isn’t it?

Update4: And just in case you were wondering, HTC’s WiFi-only Flyer tablet is set to be released Stateside somewhere “this spring”. And while prices remain vague at the moment, the 7-incher is said to run exclusively via Best Buy’s nationwide retail stores, while others may join the selling later on.

Update5: HTC has just posted a Flyer demo video that seems to demonstrate the level of qualities the tablet has to offer. Check it out after the break (3rd video).

Update6: HTC confirms Flyer tablet will get Honeycomb sometime this year or so. Hopefully. According to the company’s Twitter account it “will be offering a Honeycomb upgrade when it’s made available.” A bit vague, especially when it comes to launching dates, but still good enough to give us all a ray of hope.

Update7: And looks like the HTC Flyer has finally made it into the UK market with pre-order prices starting at a whopping £600 (about $985) at Carphone Warehouse. This amount will grant you a 7-inch tablet device, powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm CPU, 32GB of storage, 3G connectivity and Android Gingerbread running on top. Did someone say expensive?

Update8: And if you’re looking for more reasonable prices, US retailer Best Buy is said to begin selling the Flyer on April 24th with a $499 starting price and all the good things we’ve already talked about, running on board. Regretfully, It’ll ship with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), but we’re told an Honeycomb upgrade is something we should all look for.

Continue reading HTC Flyer 7-inch Android 2.4 Tablet With 1.5GHz CPU Debuts →

tablets

LG Optimus Pad Becomes Official

1 Comment

Looks like it didn’t take LG that long to make its newly born 8.9-inch Android 3.0 tablet, AKA: Optimus Pad (or T-Mobile’s G-Slate) official – and it all happened today, at the MWC 2011 event in Barcelona, Spain. The Optimus Pad, which boasts a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor along with a 1280 x 768 screen resolution and a special 3D camera array on the back, is LG’s first real foray into the tablet market place and frankly, dear fellows, it’s doing quite a nice job, isn’t it? Availability wise, the South Korean giant says that the Honeycomb-powered slate will go live worldwide somewhere around March, while prices are yet to be determined.

Update: Engadget has the hands-on video, from Spain, which can be found right after the break.

Continue reading LG Optimus Pad Becomes Official →

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 →

tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab II Breaks Cover at The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (Update: Now Official)

2 Comments

It wasn’t so long ago that Samsung launched its new 7-inch iPad killer, also known as the Galaxy Tab. And although we haven’t had much time to play with it, as much as we wanted, the Android-powered device has definitely won us over. But as you all probably know, good things with technological advances move forward at light speed, and so does Samsung, that seems ready and set to roll out a Galaxy Tab successor at the MWC 2011 event, which kicks out today. Well, that’s what the rumor says, and so does the following picture that features Sammy’s second-gen tablet (Galaxy Tab II), running an Android 3.0 Honeycomb platform, along with a 10.1-inch display, at 1280 x 800 resolution, 16/32GB of internal storage, and a 1GHz processor attached on board. Word on the street has it that it’d also include an 8 megapixel camera with HD video capabilities, but there’s no official confirmation yet either way. Please stay tune as we gather more information about Samsung’s upcoming tablet.

Update1: It looks like the rumors that were flying around about a new Galaxy Tab II device have finally been confirmed, as multiple media outlets are reporting that Samsung has officially unveiled its latest and greatest 10.1-inch Android Honeycomb tablet, namely Galaxy Tab 10.1 (and not Galaxy Tab II as we first thought), with a 3.5mm jack, a SIM card slot, an inbuilt gyro plus accelerometer, 16GB or 32GB of storage, a front-facing 2 megapixel webcam alongside a rear 8 megapixel camera, boasting a LED flash and 1080p capturing capabilities, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a pair of stereo speakers and a powerful dual-core Tegra 2 processor on board. Pricing details are to be released closer to the market launch, which according to Samsung, is set to take place in Asia and Europe somewhere this March.  Full PR and specs chart are right after the jump.

Update2: We’ve just added a quick hands on video of Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab 10.1, courtesy of the phonedog YouTube page. Check it out after the break.

Update3: If any of you have been waiting for Samsung’s second-gen Galaxy Tab pricing or availability details to show up, it seems like Vodafone has just got the news for you and the Tab II will be hitting Vodafone Portugal sometime this March for €699, while the Spanish branch will offer the new Samsung tablet for €349 on-contract sometime this spring.

Update4: We’ve just added a great and thorough Galaxy Tab walk-through video. Check it out after the break.

[via Samsung Hub]

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab II Breaks Cover at The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (Update: Now Official) →

tablets

Motorola Xoom Hits Best Buy on February 24th For $800, Says New Ad

3 Comments

Oh! What’s this? Looks like Best Buy is done trying to hide the one secret (actually two) that Motorola’s been keeping from us for quite a while. And when we say ‘secret’ we’re actually referring to price and availability, the two missing parts in the Motorola Xoom Android Honeycomb tablet, which were recently detailed in Best Buy’s new ad – black on yellow. So, $799 for a 10-inch android 3.0 tablet, that’s pretty expensive, isn’t it? Not to mention there’s a WiFi “lock-down” which binds to a 1 month of 3G mobile broadband data at Verizon ($20 per month for a 1GB package or $80 for the 10GB flavor). That’s one major flaw! and someone from the big M needs to intervene. As a matter of fact, there’s plenty of time to fix that crap – We are now less than two weeks, away from the official roll out, which takes place on Thursday, February 24th. C’mon guys, let’s have a little tablets competition around, shall we?

Update1: Motorola just launched the Xoom portal. Let the game begin!

Update2: Reuters is citing Motorola’s CEO, Sanjay Jha, who has just confirmed a $799 price tag  for the 32GB Honeycomb tablet, also known as the Xoom (WiFi+3G). While a WiFi-only version will run for merely $600, which is roughly equal to 32GB iPad. Is anyone surprised?

Update3: The Motorola Xoom is finally up for pre order at Best Buy, titled as “the world’s first tablet to run Android 3.0” platform on board. And the Feb. 24th release date and integrated front-facing camera for video calling makes this a perfect Valentine’s gift, don’t you think? Well, depends if you’re willing to spend $800 on your partners in exchange for a 3G-enabled 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet and some LOVE.

Update4: According to Verizon‘s web page, the Motorola Xoom that we’ are all expecting to see out on Feb 24th, won;t have flash support on launch. What? Yes, that’s exactly what the small caption down left says: “Adobe Flash expected Spring 2011.” BUMMER!!!

Update5: Motorola has just confirmed the release of its 10.1-inch Xoom sans Adobe Flash support:

“Motorola XOOM will include full support for Adobe® Flash® Player® for accessing the rich video and animations of the web, to be available after launch.”

[via Engadget]

Applications, tablets

Dell Streak 7 Has a Secret Phone Feature

Is Dell hiding secrets from us? Well, one can pretty much assume that if the 5-inch Streak comes with integrated 3G phone capabilities, its bigger sibling, the Streak 7, most definitely has them too – but regretfully it doesn’t. Not exactly. According to the good guys at Streak Smart, Dell’s new 7-inch Android Froyo tablet does seem to have this hidden phone application transplanted under the lid, only that no one has been willing to share it with us, at least until now. True, it doesn’t really work the other direction. In other words, there’s not much to do with it right now, and calls just won’t go through or get connected. Still, it’s really something to hope for, right? Well, can’t wait till it finally happens (and be sure it would). Until then, make sure you hit the jump and watch the video.

 

[via Streak Smart]

Continue reading Dell Streak 7 Has a Secret Phone Feature →

tablets

Google’s Android Honeycomb OS and Android Market Website Officially Announced

Looking back on early January 2011, we catch a glimpse of an awesome experience of the Android 3.0 video teasers. Looking forward to what’s ahead of this year let us capture a vision of the great Honeycomb OS which will inevitably make Android the dominant Smartphone and Tablet platform of the future. The rapid ascent of Android has prompted Google to go ahead and announce the official release of its latest creation, made by Palm’s former UI designer, Matias Duarte, and best known as the Android Honeycomb – Google’s answer to many of tablet -based OS out there. And while there wasn’t much news about it, it is still worth watching – especially for those that widgets, finger gestures, or 3D rendering matters spark their interest. The one thing however, that caught most people’s eyes was Google’s Android Market which has finally turned official, as a web client, and gone live couple of hours ago with a very neat and simple Market catalog to browse (more than 50,000 apps inside) with both free and paid Android applications preloaded on board. Move forward after the break to catch up with Google’s full event.

Continue reading Google’s Android Honeycomb OS and Android Market Website Officially Announced →

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]

tablets

LG G-Slate With Dual Back Cameras (3D) Gets Detailed

1 Comment

LG is finally entering the Android tablet market in the US with the upcoming release of its latest and greatest 8.9-inch Android 3.0 G-Slate, which is based off of Google’s most anticipated Honeycomb platform, and consists of many high-end components including a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 32GB of internal flash storage, built-in gyroscope and accelerometer elements, WiFi, 3G HSPA+ network (over T-Mobile’s 4G infrastructure), adaptive lighting integration and HDMI out for 1080p video support. Definitely sounds good, but wait ’till you hear this – The front and rear cameras is essentially what distinguishes LG’s future tablet from other similar devices available in the market today and is a big bonus for someone shooting quite a lot of video conference chats or high quality images, instead. In short, The LG tablet will be one of the first to market with a stereoscopic rear-facing video cameras, capable of 3D 1080p capture, while there’s one on the back (overall there are two rear cameras) featuring a 5 megapixel camera plus LED flash capabilities, and another at 2 megapixel, which the Korean corp has placed up front. A US release is set for March of this year with solid price and date details to be announced very shortly. Hit the jump for the full PR read along with another image reflecting the back.

Update: We’ve just added a quick LG the Optimus Pad video, featuring the 8.9-incher running with Google’s Android Honeycomb platform on board.

Continue reading LG G-Slate With Dual Back Cameras (3D) Gets Detailed →

tablets

Is That HTC’s Next Android 2.3 Flyer Tablet?

1 Comment

Well, according to several reliable Amobil sources it probably is, and most importantly, designed to include a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 chip along with a 7-inch, 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal flash storage, dual webcams (1.3MP on the back and a 5MP up front), HDMI output, 3G connectivity and DLNA support. And while there’s no official confirmation yet, nor any info about price or availability, the general feeling upon this upcoming/speculated device is pretty positive overall, and that we’re only few months away from seeing it out on the market, running Google’s Android 2.3 OS under the hood and preloaded with HTC’s Sense UI platform on board. In addition, there are other rumors about a larger, faster 10-inch LTE slate hitting the streets in the second half of the year, but that just seems too early to report.

tablets

Panasonic’s Android-Powered Viera Tablets Series Announced

1 Comment

Panasonic is about to join the overcrowded group of international tablet doers, and tinge everything with something of its own color. The Japanese Corp, that recently held a press conference at CES 2011, has officially announced a new line of three Android Froyo tablets, equipped with either 4, 7, or 10-inch displays on top of the slate, and similar hardware specs under the hood. The company, that is well known for its unmatched expertise in the field of screening technology, is said to put its latest and greatest Viera Connect software solution in all three models, which means a seamless connectivity between tablet content and your big flat TV screen. In addition to that, Panasonic has also added a very convenient home theater remote controlling feature within, so that you won’t miss the many fun and entertaining events that take place around the globe. And while price and availability details are still missing, full PR is just after the break.

Continue reading Panasonic’s Android-Powered Viera Tablets Series Announced →

tablets

Dell Streak 7 Finally Gets Official, With Dual-Core Tegra 2 and Android Froyo On Board

3 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

Continue reading Dell Streak 7 Finally Gets Official, With Dual-Core Tegra 2 and Android Froyo On Board →

tablets

Fujitsu’s Unnamed Windows 7 Slate To Include Intel Oak Trail CPU Inside (Update: Stylistic Q550)

1 Comment

Fujitsu is no stranger to the world of portable devices. As a matter of fact, the company has already released a few of them during the last few months. The latest one, which doesn’t have an official title yet, is said to arrive with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, powered by a Windows 7 platform along with Intel’s new Oak Trail Atom Z670 processor that is capable in providing low battery consumption for a long period of use. Besides that, the 1.5 pound tablet boasts 2GB of RAM, removal battery pack and a pair of VGA webcams, one on each side. Software wise, the device sports a new breed of layer that Fujitsu skinned atop of the Windows 7 OS, but that’s probably the only thing that the company was willing to share at the moment and frankly, we need to know more before committing our limited financial resources. In any case, availability is expected for Q2 of this year, so stay tuned for plenty more to come.

Update: Now that Fujitsu’s 10-inch mystery tablet is finally making its way out to the market, we’re glad to learn that the Windows 7-powered device was finally given a name – and is now known as the Stylistic Q550. And while we’re still unfamiliar with price and availability details, other specs include this aforementioned Oak Trail processor, along with smartcard slot, front and rear cameras, 32GB / 64GB SSD storage at your choice, USB hub, optional 3G connectivity and fingerprint reader for security log. Hit the break for a quick introduction video.

Continue reading Fujitsu’s Unnamed Windows 7 Slate To Include Intel Oak Trail CPU Inside (Update: Stylistic Q550) →

tablets

WiFi-only Samsung Galaxy Tab Coming Stateside in Q1

Samsung has some very good news for those of you who can’t afford themselves spending over $600 on a very expensive tablet, or simply could not conceive of the idea of signing up a 2 years contract with a mobile carrier. As per a plan that the Koreans are currently working on, Samsung will soon have its very own 3G-free Galaxy Tab machine, that will carry 16GB of storage on board, along with up to 32GB of expendable microSD slot. And while Sammy is vouching for a Q1 release in the US, pricing details are still unknown. But be sure it’s going to be a lot more cheaper. Press release after the break.

Continue reading WiFi-only Samsung Galaxy Tab Coming Stateside in Q1 →

tablets

Motorola Xoom Android 3.0 Tablet Gets Official at CES 2011

1 Comment

If you think you’ve seen it all, then you need to check out Motorola Xoom that has recently been unveiled at the company’s stand at CES 2011 and surely looks quite promising. The 10.1-inch tablet that runs Google’s most anticipated Android 3.0 platform (Honeycomb) inside its bowels, along with a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 chip for extended graphics use, and a high-resolution screen (1280 x 800) for 720p video quality, is likely to go live somewhere around Q1, while 4G connectivity will hopefully become available in Q2 of this year. Other then that it is yet another tablet with 32GB of storage, integrated WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a 5 megapixel HD video camera at the back plus a front-facing camera, up front. Pricing details are yet to be determined, but there’s couple of videos and PR blurbs just after the break.

Update1: Motorola’s Latin America GM, Maurizio Angelone, has just confirmed the upcoming release of a WiFi-only Xoom tablet. According to Infobae, the company’s most hyped Android 3.0 device, that is claimed to include a built-in barometer alongside  an accelerometer, magnetometer, ambient light sensor and gyroscope, will first arrive in April of this year, which is almost a month earlier than Motorola’s 3G-enabled Xoom edition. Still no word about prices though.

Update2: Android Central has managed to obtain an inside document that lists Motorola’s flagship Android Honeycomb device (AKA: Xoom) along with some other cool products, at $800 bucks. Are you willing to pay that much for an Android tablet?

Update3: And latest news say that the Motorola Xoom (powered by an Android 3.0 platform) is finally set for official US release on February 17th, priced at $699.99. Stay tuned.

Continue reading Motorola Xoom Android 3.0 Tablet Gets Official at CES 2011 →

tablets

Velocity Micro Busts Out Cruz Tablet L37, P38 and L510 Android Tablets at CES 2011

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

Continue reading Velocity Micro Busts Out Cruz Tablet L37, P38 and L510 Android Tablets at CES 2011 →

Operating Systems, tablets

Google’s Android 3.0 For Tablets Gets Demoed on Video

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

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

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPUGNCIozp0[/youtube]

Continue reading Google’s Android 3.0 For Tablets Gets Demoed on Video →

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 →

tablets

AOC Breeze Tablet Boasts 8-inch Display and Android 2.1 Platform

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

Continue reading AOC Breeze Tablet Boasts 8-inch Display and Android 2.1 Platform →

tablets

Toshiba Honeycomb Tegra 2 Tablet Announced (Update: AKA ANT)

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

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

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

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

[via Engadget]

Continue reading Toshiba Honeycomb Tegra 2 Tablet Announced (Update: AKA ANT) →

tablets

Vizio 8-Inch Via Tablet Introduced, Only Days Ahead of CES

2 Comments

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

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

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

[via Wall Street Journal]

Continue reading Vizio 8-Inch Via Tablet Introduced, Only Days Ahead of CES →

Audio, Media Players, Operating Systems

Cowon D3 Plenue Is The New Android PMP On The Block

Say hi to the new Cowon D3 Plenue: At first sight, it looks like a basic mobile phone, same size, same shape, same overall appearance. But beneath the 3.7-inch, 800 x 480 AMOLED face lies an Android 2.1 PMP with 32GB of storage, SD card expansion, a built-in accelerometer and a T-DMB tuner. And if it wasn’t already cool enough, it also comes with an HDMI output, WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth 3.0 support. Sadly, we’re still not sure whether it is going to include an Android Market access at this stage – though we’re surely going to see some sort of applications on board – but one thing’s for sure, you can definitely expect to hear more about it in the coming months, weeks or perhaps in early January, at the 2011 CES show. Stay tuned.

Update: Amazon has just now listed a pre-order page for Cowon’s latest and greatest Android D3 Plenue player, priced at $370 and set on an undetermined release date. Is it just us that think this is way too much for a player, at this point?

[Cowon]

tablets

Onkyo To Launch a Pair of 10.1-inch Android Tablets with NVIDIA’s Tegra 250 Inside

1 Comment

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

[via Akihabara News]

Audio, Media Players

Samsung to Officially Announce a 4-inch Galaxy Player at CES 2011

1 Comment

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

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

[via Samsung Hub]

tablets

Asus “Eee Slate” EP121 Video Teaser Highlights Windows 7, 12-Inch Display and HD support

1 Comment

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

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

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

[via YouTube]

Continue reading Asus “Eee Slate” EP121 Video Teaser Highlights Windows 7, 12-Inch Display and HD support →

tablets

Viliv to Roll Out Two Android-based and One Windows 7-based Tablets at CES 2011

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

[vis jkkmobile]

tablets

Acer’s Android Tablet Gets Demoed on Video

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

[via Engadget Chinese ]

Continue reading Acer’s Android Tablet Gets Demoed on Video →

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]

tablets

Creative’s Android 2.1 ZiiO Tablet Officially Goes Live

1 Comment

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

[Creative]

Mobile, Phones

Google’s Nexus S Smartphone Becomes Official, Comes Out December 16th

Google has just finally, officially announced the release of the Nexus S (from Samsung), Mountain View’s next flagship smartphone that was built according to commonly accepted 2010 standards and designed to replace the company’s first-gen HTC Nexus One. So what makes it so exciting, you’re asking? Well, there’s a stunning 4-inch WVGA “contour display” inside, paired with a 5 megapixel camera, 16GB of internal storage, NFC (Near Field Communications), 512MB of RAM, a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, and a triband HSPA with AWS support. Besides that, for $199 with a two-year contract or $529 unlocked, you get yourself a three-axis gyroscope, together with a single USB 2.0 port, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a GPS integration, and Google’s latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform, already preloaded onboard – Nice! So how do you get one? Starting December 16th, the Nexus S will be available for a purchase (via T-mobile and Best Buy) by anyone who wishes to have it, either online or at one of the local retail stores. Full PR and a pair of videos right after the break.

Update: Looks like Best buy is gearing up to start selling Google’s magical smartphone, the Nexus S, throughout its US retail stores, starting this Thursday, 8AM sharp. Basically, you won’t be able to secure yourself a device (or two) in advance, which means you’ll have to think about the possibility of queuing up for a long long time – and be sure we’re gonna see long ones this time (just a hunch).

tablets

Archos Internet Tablets Finally Get Android 2.2 Firmware Update

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

[Archos]

tablets

Acer Reveals 7-inch and 10.1-inch Android Tablets In New York

2 Comments

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

 

Continue reading Acer Reveals 7-inch and 10.1-inch Android Tablets In New York →

tablets

Dell Now Selling Unlocked Streak Devices In the US With Android Froyo On Board

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

tablets

Velocity Micro’s Android Cruz Tablet Is Finally Ready For a Shipping

Just as promised, the 7-inch Velocity Cruz is finally out and ready for the masses. And while you shouldn’t expect too much, performance wise, from a $299 slate, still it will cost you a whole lot cheaper getting it, rather than any other similar device – and from our perspective, it could easily be a good value over price. After all, don’t forget that you’re getting a very responsive capacitive display in here, instead of those sluggish and not so friendly resistive touchscreen ones. Regretfully, you’ll have to settle with an Android 2.0 version, with no direct access to Google’s Android Market inside (there’s a Cruz Market which seems pretty limited compared to well established online hubs). Yet, the slate itself does offer 512MB of RAM, 12GB of storage, WiFi, stereo speakers, 10 hours of battery and a mini-USB port, to take on a ride. And if that wasn’t enough you can check out the video, right after the jump.

[Velocity Micro]

Continue reading Velocity Micro’s Android Cruz Tablet Is Finally Ready For a Shipping →

Operating Systems, tablets

Dell Streaks Finally Gets The Android 2.2 Update

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


tablets

Sylvania To Roll Out a 7-inch Android Tablet For $180

Looking for a low-rate Android tablet bargain? Make sure to check out Sylvania’s 7-inch Android 2.1 device, now being offered on Kmart for a mere $179.99. Pretty reasonable price for something that boasts a 7-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen (probably resistive), along with 512MB of RAM, 2GB of Flash memory, WiFi, front-facing webcam and a bunch of desirable ports (such as mini-USB, microSD slot and HDMI out), isn’t it? Not to mention the six-hour battery that is also included inside the package. But that probably won’t change anything for you, knowing that you won’t get any access to Google’s Android Market, eh? Well, we’re just assuming in here, so there’s still a glimpse of hope.

News, tablets

Toshiba’s 10-Inch Folio 100 Tablet Now Available Around Europe

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

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

Continue reading Toshiba’s 10-Inch Folio 100 Tablet Now Available Around Europe →

tablets

LG Pad Spotted On a Roadmap Slide, Claimed To Run Android Honeycomb and Dual-Core Tegra 2 Chipset

While it is still elusive and might be harder to track down compared to any other tablet on the prep these days, LG’s Optimus Pad is now widely reported to go live in the first quarter of 2011, running a dual-core Tegra 2 chipset inside, along with Android’s next-gen version, Honeycomb, for the OS. According to the company’s roadmap slide, this 8.9-inch device, described by a senior official as a “tablet PC-version”, is likely to be a “superior” machine (whatever that means) with what they call “thinner and lighter” measures. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until next year to see if this “whole thing” is for real or just another PR blurbs.

[MK News]

tablets

Archos 70 Internet Tablet Officially Live For $279

1 Comment

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

[Archos]

tablets

Creative Announces a 7 and 10 Inch Ziio Android Tablets

Oh look who decided to join the Android tablets bandwagon, none other than Creative. About time guys, but what’s with those sluggish resistive displays? Why aren’t we going capacitive, eh? Alright, enough with those self-proclaimed mumblings – let’s dive into the details, shall we? From the few published info, we know that there are two Ziio tablets: One at 7-inch (480 x 800) and the second with a 10-inch (1024 x 768) display – Both are running Android 2.1 platform, both are packing a ZiiLabs ZMS-08 processor, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and microSD slot. Not due out until December of 2010, the first model (7-inch) will run you for €229 (8GB) or €259 (16GB) while the second, the 10-incher, is priced at €289 (8GB) or €319 (16GB) and not a single penny more.

[Creative (1), Creative (2)]

Media Players

Creative’s Android-powered Zen Touch 2 PMP Officially Out

What do you think the new trend in media players? For those of you who answered “Android OS“…you were right. First it was Archos who wisely added Google’s burgeoning platform into its latest PMP series, and now it’s Creative’s turn to do exactly the same. The new model on stake is the Android 2.1-based Zen Touch 2 player which packs a 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen on top along with WiFi, Bluetooth, an accelerometer module and inbuilt speaker under the lid. In addition, there’s also a 2 megapixels camera, an FM radio, GPS, digital compass, and microSD slot. Storage wise, you get to choose between 8GB and 16GB capacities while the smallest one runs for £149.99 and the bigger edition is priced only £10 more. Let’s go Android! let’s go.

[Creative]

tablets

Archos 43 Slate Now Available For $250

1 Comment

It’s been two months already since Archos officially announced a new package of products, comprised of Android-powered tablets and personal media players, and today is the day that we finally get to see some of them going live across the US market. As a matter of fact, it’s the new Archos 43 PMP that we speak about (The Archos 32 version continues to be available), which for those who are still unfamiliar with it, runs an Android 2.2 platform and packs a 4.3-inch touchscreen along a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, rear 720p camera, 16GB of storage, an HDMI output and expandable microSD slot. Sure, it also boasts a WiFi connectivity on board, but to get a chance to play with it, you’ll have to wire transfer $249.99 and not a single dime extra from your pocket.

[Archos]

tablets

Viewsonic Rolls Out New 7 and 10 Inch Viewpad Tablets Stateside

1 Comment

Viewsonic has made a bold move to dethrone Apple’s iPad in the US market. The Taiwanese company announced late yesterday it would launch two new Viewpad tablets – that will maintain the Viewsonic logo – sometime between November of this year and the first quarter of 2011. And while first model in that new series, the Viewsonic 7, is claimed to run the Android 2.2 platform, preloaded with Google apps and full access to Google’s Market, the second, Viewsonic 10, will boast Microsoft’s Windows 7 Home Premium OS along with a 1.66GHz Atom processor, 16GB SSD, and 1GB of RAM on board. The latter has a 10-inch capacitive display and is expected to retail for $629 while the smaller one, which runs for $479, will likely house a 7-inch touchscreen, paired with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, dual cameras (rear and front), and 3G connectivity support. It’s going to be a long, hot winter for the tablet computer market. At the meantime, make sure you checkout the Full PR right after the break.

Update1: Oh look, isn’t it the new ViewPad 7 tablet? YES. And looks like it’s already up on sale at Amazon.com, priced a little more than we’ve expected – $599(!). Is that for real or another one of those ‘let the early adopters pay the price and then we’ll make it cheaper?’

Update2: We’re not so sure whether you’ll like it or not but here’s the deal: ViewSonic is now offering you a trade program – send in your old laptop or netbook and get up to £125 cash back when buying a new ViewPad tablet. What do you say?

Update3: Fellow US gadgeters, check this out: Office Depot’s retail stores are now offering Viewsonic’s 10-inch (1024 x 600) Android 2.2 G Tablet for $399 only. Remember, it’s a Tegra 2 device that can easily pump out 1080p videos on your tele. So make sure you check out the full PR after the break or the local store next to your house.

 

Continue reading Viewsonic Rolls Out New 7 and 10 Inch Viewpad Tablets Stateside →

tablets

Advent’s 10-Inch Android Vega Tablet Introduced

Frankly speaking, we don’t even know if any of you is going to buy a non-branded tablet, do you? Nevertheless, we’re still very committed to bring them up into public view and give them a stage they would not normally have the chance to play. For instance, have a look at Advent’s most recently-announced Tegra-powered Vega tablet. I mean seriously, with a 10-inch (1024 x 600) capacitive display on top, paired with an HDMI output, WiFi, SD card reader, 512MB of RAM, 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra chipset, 1.3MP camera and Android 2.2 platform, running about 6.5 hours on average  – How wrong can you get? Not to mention it would cost only £249 (under $400) and will surely pump your high-def videos on your tele, stutter free. Where can I get one, you’re probably asking? Well…giant electronic retailer, Dixons is already offering this wild Android beast for sale on its UK stores, while the rest of us ordinary plebeians (from other continents) will have to settle for the hands-on videos right after the break.

Update1: Regretfully, the 10-inch Vega won’t have access to Google’s Android Market at the moment (maybe on January when Android 3 will go live). Instead, you’ll get the Archos AppsLib store, which offers around 5000 apps at any given moment.

Update2: It seems like there may be an Android Market solution after all. Thanks to the good guys over at MoDaCo, a tweaked ROM v1.04, which was specially designed and built for the 10-inch tablet, is now available to download in the source link  above, promising the same functionality but with most Google features inside, including voice search, GTalk, Gmail, Google maps and a full unrestricted Android Market access. Huzzah!

[via Android Community]

Continue reading Advent’s 10-Inch Android Vega Tablet Introduced →

tablets

ZTE Introduces The 7-inch ZTE Light Android Tablet

We’ve already seen the guys at ZTE trying to innovate their way around the MID section, and now it seem as if they’re trying hard for something that looks good and that specifically designed for the Android tablet low-mid department. With a bright 7-inch touchscreen and a Google Android 2.1 platform running under its rounded lid, the ZTE Light is definitely an eye catcher. And while we’re still unfamiliar with pricing, the Light which is rumored to be out pretty soon, has  some pretty darn good features to be proud of. For instance, it boasts an integrated GPS system along with a card reader, WiFi, 3G connectivity and battery pack delivering up to 10 hours of work. Stateside release is doubtful at the moment but you can read the Full PR announcement half past the break.

Continue reading ZTE Introduces The 7-inch ZTE Light Android Tablet →

netbooks

Acer Aspire One Happy Dual-Booting Netbook Makes a Debut

It seems that Acer is keeping up with its latest trends in exterior designs better than others. And the newest artifact to join the company’s most stylish and flashy laptop exhibition is the 10-incher Aspire Happy “eco-friendly” netbook. Available in Lime Green, Lavender Purple, Candy Pink and Hawaii Blue flavors, this dual booting system which offers both Windows 7 and Android 2.1 platforms preloaded on board, is now being marketed in Europe with Atom N450 processor, GMA 3150 GPU, 250GB hard drive, WiFi, Bluetooth, 2GB of RAM and a six cell battery for £249.99 ($397) and not a single dime or penny more. Hit the jump to read the full PR.

Continue reading Acer Aspire One Happy Dual-Booting Netbook Makes a Debut →

Applications, software, tablets

Archos 32 Tablet gets Android Market Hack

1 Comment

It was just a matter of time before somebody would pick up the gauntlet and put an Android Market access into the Archos 32 (and maybe some other devices) platform. Nothing official in here yet, but looks like one of Archosfans forum members has finally managed to hack the Android system, and tweak one of its files, the gApps4Archos.apk, in a way that should let you all free and direct access to Google’s app and Marketplace store. Mind you, it requires the latest 1.0.70 firmware installed, and the good news – it actually works!

[via Liliputing]

News, tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab To Cost $399 on Contract (Update: Verizon and Sprint Plans added)

Samsung has been very elusive and secretive about its pricing plans for the Galaxy Tab, but if the following T-Mobile slide should be proven to be real, then we’re looking at a $399 done deal tablet. Of course, you’ll have to sign-up for a new 2-year contract with the US carrier in order to get into a subsidized package, otherwise it would cost you a whopping $649.99 and would probably hurt your “already-empty” pockets.

Update1: US carrier Verizon has just announced that it will begin selling the new Samsung Android Galaxy Tab for $599.99, starting November 11th. Of course, if you want “data plans” then get ready to pay more – about $20 per month for 1GB – but for those who are using standard WiFi connection, a “few hundred bucks” looks like an insane amount of money one should be paying for. Checkout the full PR release half past the break.

Update2: All right, folks, it looks like we’ve got ourselves a competition here, with a third US carrier, Sprint, to officially confirm its Samsung’s Galaxy Tab availability dates and prices, which for some “strange” reason look suspiciously similar to T-Mobile’s offer . The meaning is that Sprint is planning to charge $399 for the 7-inch Android Froyo tablet, along with a two-year compulsory contract (comprised from either a 2GB of data plan for $29.99 and a 5GB for $59.99) or $599.99 for take-and-go buyers, starting November 14th.

Update3: On the same note, rumor has it that Best Buy is going to sell a “WiFi-only” Galaxy Tab (no obligation) for $499.99 along with a black 3G model (Verizon) and a silver 3G model (Sprint) – both require either a 2 years contract or month-to-month plans.

Update4: T-Mobile just updated that the selling of the new Samsung Galaxy Tab will officially start on November 10th with prices at $399.99 on a two years contract, or $599.99 for those who’d like to buy and go. Full PR after the break.

[via TmoNews]

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab To Cost $399 on Contract (Update: Verizon and Sprint Plans added) →