Tag Archives: HDMI

tablets

Asus’s New Tablets Lineup ‘Transformer Pads’ Announced; Includes The TF Pad Infinity & TF Pad 300

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You didn’t really think that you could go a day at MWC Barcelona without a new announcement from Asus, did you?  Well, in case you missed that one from earlier this morning, the Taiwanese corp has just announced a rebranding of their well known Android tablets series to ‘Transformer Pads,’ and that it will launch two new tablet models, including the TF Pad Infinity and the TF Pad 300. While both versions look alike, the TF Pad Infinity is a powerful, high-end tablet, fashioned by Asus for 2012, while the TF Pad 300 is more of a cheaper low budget type. Both are said to be better than the 2 months old Transformer Prime tablet, in case you were wondering.

Alright, let’s dive into the nitty gritty stuff: The Transformer Pad Infinity will offer a dual-core Qualcomm MSM 8960 Snapdragon S4 CPU under the lid (Tegra 3 chip is optional, but only with the Wi-Fi model), paired with a breathtaking 10.1-inch, 1920 x 1200, Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass 2 display, 1GB of RAM, your choice of 16/32/64GB of storage, optional LTE radio, 8 megapixels camera on the back plus 2 megapixels imager on the front. The 8.5mm thick device will come out at the earliest Q2, preloaded with Ice Cream Sandwich platform out of the box.

The TF Pad 300 on the other hand, is expected to include “just” a quad-core Tegra 3 SoC, along with a standard 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 IPS display, optional LTE radio, an HDMI out, Ice Cream Sandwich for the OS, a microSD card expansion and 16GB of internal storage, at most. The battery life is claimed to be around 10 hours of  continuous use on a single charge, while the back of the slate is mostly made of quality plastic, to be available in vibrant colors like blue, white and red.

No word on price or availability at the moment, but both machines are likely to go live with optional keyboard cradles. Meanwhile, you can hop along and read the full PR after the jump.

 

ASUS PadFone and upcoming Transformer Pad Lineup unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2012
ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih introduces the latest ASUS mobile devices and discusses his vision of ubiquitous cloud computing

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain (27 February, 2012) – At today’s “Incredibly Mobile Endless Possibilities” ASUS press event, Chairman Jonney Shih unveiled the revolutionary PadFone and upcoming Transformer Pad lineup. “The time has finally arrived when every screen in your lives could transcend into a portal with real time access into your digital world,” said Mr. Shih as he introduced the ASUS PadFone which transforms into a three-in-one combination of a smartphone, a tablet and a notebook when accessorized with the PadFone Station and PadFone Station Dock.

The ASUS PadFone is an incredible 4.3″ smartphone featuring a Super AMOLEDqHD display, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual core processor and an ultra-sharp 8-megapixel digital camera with Fuji image processor all wrapped in an exquisite design that is optimized for Google’s Android 4.0 operating system. When placed inside the optional PadFone Station, it transforms into a 10.1″ tablet with 5 times the battery capacity. The PadFone offers unmatched versatility via ASUS’ proprietary Dynamic Display technology which allows seamless transition between the PadFone and PadFone Station display screens. In addition, the PadFone Station offers an optional keyboard dock that essentially turns the PadFone into an ultraportable computing device. The PadFone also comes with the option of a PadFone Stylus Headset which is a Bluetooth stylus pen that transforms into a headset for picking up calls easily.

ASUS is redefining the future of mobile computing devices and is excited to announce the new and innovative ASUS Transformer Pad lineup. Offering three distinct models to fit the unique needs of mobile media consumers, ASUS believes in providing consumers with choices. The ASUS Transformer Pad lineup includes the ASUS Transformer Pad Prime and upcoming ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity series and ASUS Transformer Pad 300 series.

The Transformer Pad Infinity Series is poised to be the go-to tablet for HD mobile entertainment as it features an impressive 1920×1200 Full HD Super IPS+ display and ASUS SonicMaster technology. The 4G LTE* model comes armed with the powerful Qualcomm MSM 8960 Snapdragon S4 Krait Dual-core 1.5Gh processor and is capable of download and upload speeds of up to 100Mbps and 50Mbps respectively. The WiFi model features the NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor for incredible application and gaming performance. The Transformer Pad Infinity has a 2MP front camera for HD video conferencing along with an 8MP rear camera with a large F2.2 aperture, 5-element lens and LED flash for stunning high quality images or HD video capture.

The Transformer Pad 300 Series makes for an ideal mobile web surfing and gaming platform with its NVIDIA® Tegra® 3 quad-core processor and high quality 10.1″ 1280×800 IPS display with either 4G LTE* or WiFi options. It features a 1.2MP front camera for video conferencing and an 8MP rear camera with a large F2.2 aperture, 5-element lens allows for high quality images along with HD video recording. The Transformer Pad 300 Series has battery life of up to 10 hours*, and that is extended up to 15 hours* with the optional keyboard dock.

tablets

Coby To Introduce Five Ice Cream Sandwich Tablets in Q1 2012

It wasn’t so long ago when Ainol announced that they will be debuting a new Android 4.0 tablet pretty soon. And as you can see in the subject, it was just the beginning of good things to come. And when we say “things” then how about 5 new Ice Cream Sandwich tablets from Coby? Well, that’s exactly what the company says in a recent PR document – Five tablets, based on Google’s latest and greatest platform, to be available in early 2012. Now on to the nitty gritty stuff, all tablets will reportedly include 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 1GB of RAM, WiFi, HDMI output, up to 32GB of storage and a whole new arsenal of capacitive touchscreen displays, range between 7-inch (MID7042) and 10-inch (MID1042) at most. Additional information will be granted at CES 2012, but in the meantime you can checkout the official press release right after the break.


Lifestyle CE Leader to Be Among the First to Market with Extensive Lineup of Powerful Ice Cream Sandwich-Operated Capacitive Touch Units – Q1 2012

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Dec. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Coby Electronics Corporation, the CE leader with products designed to fit every lifestyle, today announced it will ring in the New Year with the exciting launch of its all-new, highly-anticipated collection of Android™ 4.0 OS – “Ice Cream Sandwich” – Internet tablets. Among the first to market with one of the largest lineups of Ice Cream Sandwich-operated tablets, Coby will debut five standout introductory models, giving consumers a wide variety of unique styles and sizes to choose from – all at incredible prices – starting Q1 2012. The brand-new Coby Android 4.0 OS tablet collection will be unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show, Booth #12027, in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 10-13, 2012.

“Coby is thrilled to announce our premiere range of feature-packed Android 4.0-powered Internet tablets that will put the world in consumers’ hands as never before,” said Jodi Sally, Vice President of Marketing, Coby Electronics. “We also are proud to be among the first companies to make available a wide range of the newest, Ice Cream Sandwich-operated units, helping to further underscore our commitment to meeting the demands of a broad base of consumers with innovative products in the hottest CE categories.”

Following on the success of Coby’s current top-selling Internet tablets, the exciting Android 4.0 assortment will include the 7″ MID7042, 8″ MID8042 (4:3 aspect ratio), 9″ MID9042, 9.7″ MID9742 (4:3 aspect ratio), and 10″ MID1042. With lightning-fast access to thousands of apps and wireless web browsing, the upcoming units all will feature 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU and offer capacitive multi-touch screens, up to 1GB of RAM, expandable memory up to 32GB, Wi-Fi and HDMI 1080p output. Overall, Coby has stream-lined its features to address the core applications including: browsing the web, playing games, email and viewing one’s favorite media.

tablets

Viewsonic Launches The ViewPad 7e Android Tablet at $200

As it looks now, the $200 tablets market is about to get even more crowded, with electronics giant Viewsonic stepping in to take on Amazon’s Kindle Fire, putting out the ViewPad 7e Android tablet. You may already have noticed the price ($200), for which you have every right to not expect a tablet with plenty to shout about. Surprisingly, however, the Viewpad 7e does come with enough stuff to keep you satisfied. For instance, there’s a 1GHz ARM A8 processor inside, paired with a “RiteTouch” 7-inch capacitive display, 4GB of storage, dual cameras, HDMI out, Google’s Android 2.3 for the OS, and a microSD card slot. There are also a variety of pre-loaded apps on the handset such as Kindle, Twitter and TuneIn Radio, as well as full access to Amazon’s Appstore for further content and direct downloads. In addition, we’re told that this special offer may be redeemed by the end of the month, which, frankly, makes this trinket considerably better. Hit the break to read the full PR.

 

 

[ViewSonic]

Continue reading Viewsonic Launches The ViewPad 7e Android Tablet at $200 →

tablets

Pandigital’s Nova Android Tablet Now On Sale at Best Buy For $170

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

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

 

[via AndroidCommunity]

Continue reading Pandigital’s Nova Android Tablet Now On Sale at Best Buy For $170 →

tablets

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

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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 →

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]

Media Players, Music

Cowon To Release a 4.8-inch 3D PMP Device In South Korea

Do you think that wearing 3D Glasses to watch TV is silly? Well, how about ditching the discomfort of wearing over-sized plastic 3D shades but watching the third dimension over a 4.8-inch media player, eh? No, we’re not kidding. Want more proof? make sure to check out Cowon’s latest 3D PMP revelation – the world’s first official device ever to support non-glasses 3D visualizer in portable players. 3D on-the-go, can you believe it? Of course you gonna get an HDMI output with it, and up to 64GB to store your high-def videos, but most importantly (at least for some of you), it has WiFi within, and its battery can deliver up to 10 hours of continuous video playback. Sweet!  Interested? You may want to start saving the pennies for this high-end number; we’re adamant it won’t be cheap. In fact, it’s gonna cost you (when it gets out in south Korea on December 10th) KRW499,000 (around $430) for the 32GB flavor or KRW589,000 (around $510) for the 64GB version.

[Cowon]

tablets

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

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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 →

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 →

General, tablets

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

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

[disgo]

News, tablets

HP Slate Prototype Running Windows 7 OS Spotted In The Wild

It’s not that we haven’t seen it before, it just seems to be on the rebound and perhaps in a more tangible shot. And whether it’s the real upcoming Windows 7-powered  8.9-inch HP slate or not, it still boasts a very responsive touchscreen display and a smooth flash support. Hardware appears to remain pretty much the same and a detailed hands-on video is just behind the bottom spot.

Upgrade: Looks like x313xkillax, the guy who made the first hands-on preview (attached after the break) is back with yet another video (this time even more detailed) that is comprehensively displaying the alleged HP slate. Basically, according to his second video, we’re looking at a 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z540 tablet which boasts an 8.9-inch WSVGA touchscreen along with a Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video accelerator, 2GB DDR2 RAM, 60GB of storage, SD card reader, 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth, two different webcams (3mp rear and 1.3mp up front) and a 2-Cell 30WHr Lithium-ion battery pack. As mentioned, Windows 7 Home Premium is running the entire operation on board and the tablet itself features a nice docking station and while browsing, even a pinch-to-zoom support. Hit the jump to see the action.

[via Gizmodo]

Continue reading HP Slate Prototype Running Windows 7 OS Spotted In The Wild →

News, tablets

Hannspree Rolls Out a 10.1-Inch Android 2.2 Tablet With Tegra 2 Chipset

Hannspree is no stranger for us at this website, but frankly it’s not as popular as other established companies you may well know. Nevertheless, you might still find it interesting, especially with that new 10.1-inch multi-touch tablet which the company has recently shown. Basically, for the €399 (about $505) that Hannspree is asking for, you’ll buy yourself a nice and lavish Android 2.2 device, packing a 1,024 x 600 capacitive display with 16GB of internal storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, a built-in accelerometer, HDMI output and one USB host. The 3,500mAh battery is said to deliver up to 8 hours of high-def video playback when this thing comes out somewhere around the end of this year, we’re told.

[via Tblt.de]

Continue reading Hannspree Rolls Out a 10.1-Inch Android 2.2 Tablet With Tegra 2 Chipset →

News, tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab Finally Gets The Official Video Teaser

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It may still be intangible for most of us at the moment (until September 2), but the way it looks it seems that Samsung’s future Galaxy Tab has finally made its first official video debut. And while giving us a quick teaser for what we can expect seeing in the coming future – considering the short screen time – it would be just unwise for us to jump into conclusions. That been said, and from the few we’ve managed to catch, it sure looks like the the neat features included: a 7-inch display, running an Android 2.2 platform with an integrated e-reader, video calling capabilities, GPS navigation system, HD video playback and full internet surfing support, are definitely worth the wait and expectations. Hit the break to see the teaser.

Update1: Looks like Samsung’s lavish Android-based Galaxy Tab has just made its second video appearance – this time unofficially. What’s inside, you ask? Android 2.2 for the OS, along a 7-inch 16:10 ratio display, a front-facing camera, WCDMA 3G connectivity, a DMB tuner, SDHC memory slot, video calling capabilities and finally, slick and very responsive user interface platform. Check it out after the break.

Update2: And to keep the entire tablet’s accessories lineup in position, Samsung has just announced a new official collection, specifically designed for its 7-inch  Galaxy Tab. Among them you’ll find a “table charging station” with both HDMI and audio ports at  €54 ($70), a keyboard cradle at €82 ($105), and naturally, a nice leather case with a stand arrangement for €41 ($53). Stay tuned for more exciting news to come. New image after the break.

Update3: According to the FCC Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Tab (AKA: SHW-M180S) is likely to include dual-band 2.4GHz capabilities along with GSM 1900 radio frequencies (supported by AT&T) and a 5.8GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi connectivity – pretty impressive Sami.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab Finally Gets The Official Video Teaser →

News, tablets

Toshiba’s Rumored Smart Pad Device Makes The Unofficial Apperance

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We have known for quite some time now that Japanese electronics giant Toshiba is working towards a brand new tablet device – And now, it seems like the good guys at Notebook Italia have apparently managed somehow to get some detailed footage of the company’s alleged technology wonder. Basically, there’s nothing much to report at this point besides the fact it packs both USB and HDMI ports, paired with a memory card reader slot to their right, and a 3.5mm headphone jack to their left. In addition, there are four touch buttons up front the black slick display, implying the whole thing will probably run a Google Android platform inside. More about that at this year’s IFA event which takes place a week and a half from now.

Update1: Rumor has it that Toshiba’s brand new Smart Pad tablet is going to officially be called Folio 100. Other than that, the 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) Android2.2 device is said to include 16GB of internal memory along SD and MMC card readers, 3G WWAN, Bluetooth, and 802.11b/g/n WiFi connections, a 1.3 megapixel camera, a 7 hours battery pack, HDMI / USB 2.0 connectors and last but not least, NVIDIA Tegra 2 to smoothly handle  your 1080p graphics. Look under the hood and you are likely to find an Opera mobile browser, paired with variant office apps, e-book reader capabilities and Flash 10.1 support. Stay tuned for more updates next week, when IFA kicks off.

Update2: Rumors has been officially confirmed, Toshiba’s new tablet device is now called Folio 100. The 10.1-incher does run an Android 2.1 OS and comes with 16GB of storage along with a front-facing a 1.3 megapixel camera, capacitive multitouch display and a bunch of etched touch buttons placed on the right side of the bezel on top.

News, tablets

ezGear SurfBoard 700 Hops on the Android Tablets Bandwagon

Tablets, tablets, tablets…that’s probably what you’ve all been hearing about in the past six month, haven’t you? If so, ezGear – a US based company – personally wants you to hear about their brand new Android-power tablet as well. From what we know, their latest revelation, Surfboard 700, which has no price tag or availability details to share at this point, will pack a RockChip’s RK2818 chipset, together with a 7-inch WVGA touchscreen, WiFi, 2MP camera, an HDMI output, a microSD card slot, USB 2.0 hub and dual stereo speakers onboard. And while inner Android OS version is yet to be determined (either Android 1.6 or hopefully Froyo 2.2), the battery pack that comes along with the slate, is claimed to deliver up to 20hrs of music playback or 9hrs of video- pretty cool, isn;t it? Now c’mon ezGear, give us a good price to satisfy our not-so-deep pockets, and we’re sold.

Update: Apparently, ezGear will start shipping somewhere around September of this year.

[ezGear]

That’s probably what you’ve been hearing about
Audio, Media Players, Video

Onda VX560 Touchscreen PMP Introduced, Bares Noble Aspirations To Be a Tablet

It’s been a while since we’ve last heard from Onda, but it seems like the Chinese brand has now managed to return to business, this time on a new shape and form embodied in a 7-inch slate/PMP device, known as the VX560, and might (just might) remind you of quite another tablet machine on another world entirely. But it’s not. In fact, it’s just a natural evolution of the product, that now boasts a 800 x 480 touchscreen display, stuffed with an ebook reader (supporting PDF, PDB, and CHM files), and outputs 1080p videos via HDMI, along some other common formats such as H.264-MKV, AVI, MOV, MPG, and FLV. Still no word about price or availability for our Western audience across the globe, but looks like Eastern chaps will get their chance to add one to the cart in the not too distant future.

[viaIMP3]

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

LG’s 11.6-Inch X300 Netbook Shows Off Slimline Figure

Let’s face it guys, it’s not just the specs we’re after when buying a new netbook/laptop to ourselves these days, it’s about the looks and feeling that matters and in that case, the slimmer the merrier. You know it, LG seems to know it and the new X300 that was recently introduced, proves it well – it’s very thin, only 0.68-inch thick and merely 2.2 pounds weight to be accurate. The keyboard is a chiclet one, again very solid and bouncy, and the trackpad itself has no real clickable keys on it, but duo haptic capacitive keys instead, which makes it more interesting to use. In a bold move LG has placed all connections – amongst you’ll find HDMI out, 2xUSB ports, SD card reader and power – behind the chassis, so you’ll have to bend forward to hook things up. Components wise, we’re satisfied as well, with LG tossing inside a 2GHz Atom Z550 CPU along 11.6-inch 1366×769 display, 64GB or 128GB SSD capacities to pick from, WiFi, Bluetooth and optional 3G connectivity at your choice. Regretfully, prices and availability haven’t been disclosed, but one more image and a quick hands-on video are just after the break.

Continue reading LG’s 11.6-Inch X300 Netbook Shows Off Slimline Figure →

CeBit, Computers, News

Hanvon BC10C and BA10E TouchPad Tablets Abruptly Emerge at CeBIT

3 Comments

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

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

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

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

[via engadget]

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

CeBit, Computers, Media Players

Mio Moov V780 MID Breaks Cover Ahead Of CeBIT

Top-notch navigating systems with 3D maps and live traffic reports are probably some of the things that come to your minds when hearing the name Mio. And while GPS systems have turned to be part of our day-to-day usage, one can argue it would just be enough to satisfy today’s self indulgent clients. I mean, lets be series for a moment, don’t you want the all-in-one package instead of carrying so many gadgets around? Well, someone in MIO has already figured that out, otherwise we’d probably seen yet another nav box hitting our headlines, no? And getting into details, we speak about the company’s latest Moov V780 MID – Entertaining machine that has recently popped out with a 7-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen and should officially see first lights at CeBIT 2010. It has a strong 600MHz processor tucked with an HDMI output, DVB-T digital TV support, a built-in WiFi and optional WiMAX connection. Furthermore, it’s claimed to include the new Mio Spirit navigation software, but OS wise, you won’t be seeing anything but Windows CE running inside, not to mention an Android 2.0. Price and availability are still to be unveiled, hopefully this coming week, at the Hannover show.

Update: The good guys at jkkmobile have managed to put their hands on MIO’s new V780 MID while at CeBIT, and we’re lucky to have their video up and ready to be watched, right after the break. As you can see, the V780 will presumably offer an optional cradle where users will be able to place the V780 in and do their stuff with a real QUERTY keyboard attached – something we have seen in Lenovo’s U1 Hybrid machine, remember?

[Mio]

Continue reading Mio Moov V780 MID Breaks Cover Ahead Of CeBIT →

Audio, Media Players, Video

Philips’ GoGear Muse PMP Sprouts Out With Touchscreen and HDMI Output

It looks like the good guys at Philips have finally decided to invigorate their relatively known GoGear lineup with contemporary specs and a chic design. For this matter, the company has just rolled out the Muse, a 3.2-inch touchscreen PMP which boasts either 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB sizes at your choice, covered by a slim metal brushed chassis, etched with a single rocker button, down the lane. The player, that will hopefully go out somewhere this year, priced within the range of $155 – $185, is claimed to include a built-in FM tuner, a microSD slot (supporting up to 32GB cards), and a 720p HDMI output. It suppose to support most common audio formats through the open sourced Songbird player, instead of Windows Media Player (interesting!), and said to be capable of importing song lists from services like iTunes, Last.fm and 7digital. Stay tuned.

[via Pocket-lint]

Computers, News, Video

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

1 Comment

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 →

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]

Audio, Media Players, Video

RAmos’ New T13FHD And T17FHD Touchscreen PMPs To Support Full HD Content

Chinese company RAMos has launch a new PMP lineup which includes the T17FHD and T13FHD models, both to handle 1080p videos adequately. Make no mistake, these are not MIDs or tablets, just media players with a built-in HDMI port and touchscreen display on top. Starting with the T13FHD, made of zinc alloy magnesium, you get  a 4.3-inch display along a USB host, TV output and a headphone jack, positioned to the left, while the second, T17FHD, literally sports the same screen size with 800 × 480 resolution, but also packs 16GB of flash storage, a microSD card slot, ebook reader compatibility and wide range of formats support, including H.264, MPEG1/2/4 decoding, MKV, RMVB, AVI, MOV, MPG, MPEG, DAT, MOV, MP4, MP3、WMA、WAV、RM、OGG、and JPG、BMP、PNG、GIF image files. No word about price or availability at this point.

[via imp3]

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]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Digital Cube i-Station T9 Announced, Supports HD Files And WiFi Connection

Digital Cube is one of those companies that still believe in media players, that’s for sure. And despite the growing popularity of tablet/slate machines, we hear a lot about lately, it just rolled out yet another audio-video device, i-Station T9, and seems quiet ready to turn it live in the coming months. With no price or shipping dates available, the new bud sports a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 LCD screen, and actually handles any common codec files you can think of (like DivX, XviD, H.264, WMV, and MKV), including high-def formats. It boasts an HDMI output and packs both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, for third-party usage. Battery life is claimed to deliver up to 20 hours of music playback or half the time while watching videos, and that probably applies on all four colors offered.

Digital-cube-istation-t9

[via iMP3]

Audio, Media Players, Video

LG XF2 Art Cinema Player Can Handle 1080P On Your HDTV

Korean giant LG is ready and set to release a new hard-drive based media player, with a 500GB storage, somewhere around April of this year. It’s called XF2 Art Cinema, able to pump 1080p vids and 5.1 audio, whenever connected through the integrated HDMI out, and once there, display movie subtitles at any given LCD platform. You can play MPEG 1/2/4, h.264, Xvid, DivX, FLAC, WMA, AC3, WMA, PCM, ADPCM, LPCM, AC3 (5.1ch) and MPEG-1 layer 1/2/3, FLAC, MPEG-2 Layer 1/2, AAC and more, but the highlight is that you can actually take it with you wherever you go. Make sure you have 270,000 won (about $240) to shell out this one.

lg-xf2-media-player

[via Akihabara News]

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]

Audio, Media Players, Video

iToos M6HD PMP Supports HD Videos For a Small Amount Of Bread

Think of getting a new media player? The kind that would both play your HD content and give your bank manager a reason to smile? iToos M6HD might be the right solution, as the Chinese PMP breaks into the market moments before 2009 ends, with a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 TFT display and an HDMI output that will pump your 1080i videos on your LCD TV. It houses 4GB of internal storage with an SD card expansion, it has an FM radio tuner, but boasts a wide range of codecs support (including H.264 and MKV). And for the best part, it would cost ya only $58.50 (kind of).

[via Akihabara News]

Music

MyRacer's Run Of The Mill Lisse H10 Makes It Out In South Korea

We’re not so sure you had that new MyRacer PMP included in this year’s holidays list, but just in case you’re still in a hunt for last moment gifts, Korean’s Lisse H10 officially gone live, with a crisp 5-inch 1,280 x 720 display and a set of ordinary specs, amongst you can find 16GB of storage, FM tuner, an HDMI output, microSD slot expansion, built-in mic and wide range of formats support, like MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, OGG, and FLAC audio files, or AVI (Xvid / DivX), WMV,ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MPG, MP4, VOB, SMI video files, or JPEG, BMP, and GIF images. Regretfully,both price and release date are still missing, so you might consider buying it for the next holidays season.

myracer-lisse-h10

[via Move Player]

MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, OGG, FLAC, APE, AVI (Xvid / DivX), WMV,
ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MPG, MP4, VOB, SMI, JPEG, BMP, GIF, TXT 등의 파일이 재생되고 HDMI 출력, microSD 인식, FM트랜스미터, 음성녹음 등의 기능을 지원합니다. ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MPG, MP4, VOB, SMI, JPEG, BMP, GIF, TXT
Audio, Media Players, Video

RAmos' 5-inch T11TE Joins The Growing HD PMP Lineup, But Makes No Difference

Chinese corp RAmos seems to be releasing HD players on a monthly bases – our feeling only – and those of you who’ve been thinking it would slow down a bit, should think again, as the company rolls out yet another one, the T11TE, priced at $177.45 and houses a 5-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen, paired with microSD slot expansion, 16GB of flash storage, dual 3.5mm jacks(?) and of course, a 1080P HDMI output, to pump high-def videos on your tele – although it runs other common formats such as DAT, MPG, MPEG,VOB, MP4, MOV, AVI, DVD Video, ASF, WMV, MKV, TS, RM,and RMVB. Other than that, this half-inch thick PMP will record voices, thanks to its built-in mic or help you share your music around, with those integrated stereo speakers it boasts. No word whether it would make its way Stateside or not, surely it won’t keep that “new player” title for long.

Update: Checkout the video we’ve added after the break.

ramos-t11te-pmp

[via PMP Today]

Continue reading RAmos' 5-inch T11TE Joins The Growing HD PMP Lineup, But Makes No Difference →

Computers, News

Litl 12.1-Inch Webbook Announced, Little Netbook For a Big Price

2 Comments

Think there are too many portable machines out there? Make a room for one brand more – this time from Litl – a Boston-based company, recently unleashed the Webbook “web computer” netbook, that looks somehow different and priced above the average. It comes with a 12.1-inch 1280×800 display, uniquely featuring an upside down flipped patented-pending hinge comprised with an integrated scrolling wheel, right on top (the blue button). In addition, for a whopping $699, you get a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, paired with 1GB of RAM, 802.11b/g WiFi connection, USB 2.0 ports and HDMI output, pumping 720p from your family video shots. Storage capacity ridiculously stands at 2GB(!) only, but the platform for itself  – specially designed by Litl – is exclusive, and mainly shaped to serve as a web-optimized OS, with Flickr, Facebook, and Weather Channel widgets, perfectly displayed on the front. A tiny remote control is also included, as long as you pay $19 more, which bring us to our price rates index, that eloquently gives the Webbook a one big EXPENSIVE score.

Update: We’ve added a nice hands-on video from CES 2010, featuring Litl 12.1-inch Webbook in action. It looks great and works pretty well as a secondary device, targeted for multimedia or Web content users, but it won;t make you coffee in the morning, although it might wake you up with this cool animated alarm clock inside. Check it out after the break (courtesy of engadget)

litl-easel-webbook

[Via Netbook News]

Continue reading Litl 12.1-Inch Webbook Announced, Little Netbook For a Big Price →

Audio, Internet, Media Players, Video

SmartQ To Release The V5 MID, A Touchscreen Device Supporting 1080P

Care for a less expensive media player, the kind that looks good and serves your high-def videos exactly the way you want? Checkout SmartQ’s latest V5 MID, with no price tag or availability dates attached, but a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 touchscreen that pumps your HD files to 1080p, through an HDMI hub, built inside. Other than that, you get a strong 600MHz ARM11 processor along with 256MB of DDR2 RAM, 2GB of internal storage, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, SD expansion for bigger capacities use, and a nice slick rectangle design. Well, on second thought, it wouldn’t be that cheap if getting one involves acquiring a flight ticket to Asia – but that’s for you to decide.

Update: Looks like SmartQ’s V5 MID is finally up and available across the pond. For merely $180 you will get yourself that 4.3-inch display, hiding a 600MHz ARM11 processor underneath, paired with 256MB of RAM, HDMI output, Android, Ubuntu, and Windows CE 6.0 all preloaded inside – which makes it even more attractive.

smartq-v5-mid

[via imp3]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Cube H600HDMI PMP Announced, 5-Inch Display IN, WiFi Connectivity OUT

Chinese company Cube already tossed some HD-compatible media players into the pile. This time it’s no different from others, but design wise, a lot more attractive. Today’s new boy on stake is the H600HDMI, which practically boasts a 5-inch 800 x 480 display on top, with a batch of refreshing specs underneath. Sized only 6.99mm thick, this skinny PMP device can literally handle any viable format you’ve ever tackled with, including 720p/1080i video files via the HDMI hub, along with RMVB, RM, AVI, FLV, MKV, DAT, WMV, MPG, MP4, MOV, PMP, VOB, H.264 (HP) and H.26, while audio range supports MP3, WMA, WAV, APE, FLAC and OGG. Regretfully, there’s no WiFi inside to surf the web, but a USB host, an FM tuner, an eBook reader, and 8GB of storage are all bundled onboard, as price goes somewhere around $73, which are approximately 499 yuan in local currency.

Cube-H600HDMI-PMP

[Via akihabaranews]

General

HP Mini 311 ION-based Netbook Hits The Online Shelves

2 Comments

While most Nvidia ion-based netbooks are scheduled to go live at the end of this year, HP seems to be the one to take matters into its own hands and be the first to hit the scene with a graphics-boosted netbook device. The model we’re talking about is the Mini 311, which recently showed up on HP’s online shop with an HD compatible 11.6-inch (1,366 x 768) display, Atom N270 processor, an integrated 802.11b/g wireless LAN, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and built-in VGA and HDMI ports for external image use. Microsoft’s Windows XP stuffed inside to handle this powerful system, while a near-full-size (92%) keyboard, three USB hubs and Altec Lansing speakers are all part of the deal. Starting price looks pretty attractive, at $399, but any add-on will set you back an extra cash. Thus, an Atom N280, Bluetooth and 802.11n will charge you $25 each, while white flavors are listed for another $20 and 3G WWAN connection is set for $125 more. Nevertheless, we still think it’s a good bargain, especially when it runs a 720p flash video flawlessly. See for yourself after the break.

Update1: It’s not that we needed any further proof to make us believe that HP’s Mini 311 netbook is capable handling advanced high-def media files better than others, but just in case, here are some facts – risen from LaptopMag’s benchmark tests – to maintain our claims: on the PCMark 05, the 311 has scored 1,917 points, that’s 500 points above the average, while the PCMark 06 review has given the 311 a 1,386 score, which is  1,200 on top of the ordinary and just about the same score as a MacBook Air. Very impressive, isn’t it?

Update2: If you have any plans on getting one, the guys at MyHPMini discovered interesting details from HP’s service manual. In general, the 311 will soon be out in different Windows 7  versions, including Windows 7 Starter, Basic, Premium, and Professional flavors. Additionally, you’ll also get a chance to upgrade your netbook and stuff inside cool specs like:

  • NVIDIA ION, the FULL platform, only with Windows 7
  • 1GB RAM (plus 1GB on-board ram), total 2GB
  • 2GB RAM (plus the 1GB on-board), total 3GB
  • 80GB Solid-State-Drive (SSD)
  • 250GB Hard Drive, 5400rpm, only with Windows 7
  • 320GB Hard Drive, 5400rpm, only with Windows 7

Now that’s what we’re looking for.

hp-mini-311-netbook

[HP]

Continue reading HP Mini 311 ION-based Netbook Hits The Online Shelves →

Audio, Media Players, Video

Teclast's T56 PMP Will Pump Your Videos To 1080P Full-HD (Update: Android-based T58 Version Is On The Prep)

Details scarce on specs, Chinese corp Teclast has recently rolled out a new PMP device, which technically sports 5 inches of 800 x 600 screen resolution, on one side, but in practice can output any video file to 1080P, from the other – that, of course, cannot be achieved without the built-in HDMI socket the player boasts. Out of the box, the T56 seems to offer the usual integrated voice recorder, paired with an FM tuner radio support, a USB host, and a card reader slot , all stuffed into a nice solid metal case. Other than that, the company impressively added a  GPS navigating system, to ease your way out wherever you are. Storage capacities haven’t been disclosed , while price and availability are yet to be determined, so stick around to get’em out.

Update: Now it’s said there’s a T58 version on the prep, which presumably includes the Android OS inside, that suppose to run under a dual-core ARM9 RISC processor, with an RK2808 chipset, WiFi, GPS, 1280 x 720 touchscreen, 720p support and common formats compatibility. Still no word on price or availability, but a teasing image is right after the break.

telcast-t56-pmp

[via iMP3]

Continue reading Teclast's T56 PMP Will Pump Your Videos To 1080P Full-HD (Update: Android-based T58 Version Is On The Prep) →

Audio, Media Players, Video

Archos Android-Based Internet Tablet Spotted In Black, Coming With 160/500GB Capacities Onboard (Update: Now Official)

3 Comments

So, what do we have in here? It’s Archos, hitting the online scene again, this time with a brand new Android-based Internet Tablet device, which apparently gets exactly the same looks and specs its 5-inch Archos 5 predecessor packs, only this one unsurprisingly runs a Google Android trendy OS – all over the place – while design wise, it gets darker than ever with a whole black body color, covering both the media tablet itself and its optional $130 DVR docking station. Other than that, it seems that Archos’ new kid on the block just grew up bigger, and now being offered with storage capacities starting at 160GB HDD priced at $320 or a whopping 500GB HDD for merely $420. However, in case you’re into the SSD flavor, you can choose either going with the 16GB SSD version that is listed at B&H for $294 or the 32GB SSD option that will run you back for $370. Stay tuned for even more. Meanwhile, hit the jump to see the rest.

Update1: Apparently, the Android-based Archos 5 Internet Tablet just turned official and is now available with prices ranged from $259 – $430 (depends on storage configuration). Other than that, it seems the French have taken the vanilla Android OS and managed to hover it on top of Archos’ own Linux platform. Surprisingly, the combination of both systems works pretty smooth and flawless, then we may have expected. Additionally, Archos also included some neat third-party apps, like ThinkFree Mobile for document editing, Internet browser for net surfing, and some cool navigation features that suppose to take advantage of the full-fledged GPS system inside and help you find your way with local maps, voice over guidance and even 3D landmarks. And while the new Archos 5 doesn’t seems to have any mobile phone pretensions, it still packs some very advanced specs that make it such a fun and usable device for users. You get a 4.8-inch 800 x 480 resistive screen, which responds pretty well but not as fast as a multi-touch display. You can also find a 802.11n WiFi connectivity, paired with 800MHz OMAP3440 processor, storage drives which can go up to 500GB capacity, and an optional docking cradle that lets you record your favorite shows into the Archos unit or watch your 720P video files whenever connected to an  LCD TV through the HDMI port. Press release is right after the break, along with three walk-through videos.

Update2: Looks like Amazon has finally listed the Archos 5 “Internet Tablet” device on its online store, running for either $390 (160GB) or $370 (32GB)at your choice (and pocket size).

Update3: Radio Shack seems to have a cheaper version of Archos 5’s Android-based tablet – just $249.99 –  in case those $390 bills are too heavy for you to carry. Besides those 8GB of storage, that the new version packs, you get all the good things its bigger brother has, only with 1/20 of the capacity, but that for itself shouldn’t bother anyone who uses Archos’ device mainly for emails and internet.

archos-android-internet-tablet-side

[via Archos]

Continue reading Archos Android-Based Internet Tablet Spotted In Black, Coming With 160/500GB Capacities Onboard (Update: Now Official) →

Computers, IFA, News

Toshiba's 7-inch JournE Multimedia Tablet Unveiled

While Apple’s rumored tablet Mac is still on the prep and Arrington’s Crunchpad PC tablet doesn’t take off yet, it’s the Japanese giant Toshiba which steps up these days and catches the big tech headlines, around its latest impressive 7-inch tablet unit, that was first introduced at the IFA trading show in Berlin, yesterday morning. Naturally, like all tablet devices, Toshiba’s JournE multimedia machine is no different, with its sharp and wide touchscreen display, that packs underneath an SD slot expansion that seats right next to 1GB of internal storage (poor), an ARM4 processor, a 802.11b/g WiFi antenna, a 3.5mm headphone jack and even an HDMI connecting port which up-scales 1080p high-def movies with the  bundled dock station you get. Still in a prototype stage, the 14mm thick frame can easily handle all common codecs files available in the market, such as H.264, DivX, and WMV, but will also run some of the most popular online multimedia services like Flickr, Youtube, Picasa, Facebook and others. However, if that’s not enough, Microsoft’s Windows CE 6.0 Pro that runs the entire operation inside, is also provided with many of the OS goodies, including Explorer browser, MSN Messenger, internal video player and many more. Additionally, for those who prefer the non-finger usage, a stylus pen will be added as well, when this thing goes out to the market, somewhere in Q4 this year. And if 250 Euros is too much for you to shell out right now, then hit the break and watch the video.

Update: Apparently Toshiba’s JournE Multimedia tablet is claimed to include VoIP and ebook apps that will be available for downloading via a future app store, which the company planes to open. Additionally, Toshiba’s mysterious online store is also reported to be offering featured music albums and wide range of movie hits – all priced competitively. Stay tuned for more to come.

toshiba-journe-tablet

[via engadget]

Continue reading Toshiba's 7-inch JournE Multimedia Tablet Unveiled →

Computers, Mobile, News

Nokia's First 3G Booklet Netbook Introduced, Comes With GPS, HDMI And SIM Slot Expansion

We’re already used to names like Asus, Toshiba, LG, Lenovo, Samsung and MSI when speaking about netbooks, but hey, look who’s here – it’s Nokia – who tries to make its first steps within this arena, by distinguishing itself from others with a brand new booklet device that packs some very cool specs, including the usual Atom processor, paired with an SD card reader and integrated Bluetooth connection, but also with some unique and advanced features like built-in A-GPS (works with OVI Maps), 3G/HSPA broadband, SIM card slot, an HDMI output, n module WiFi connectivity and 10.1-inch high-def resolution display, to run your entire video depository, sharply. Surprisingly, the 2.75 pounds (1.25 kg) ultra-portable aluminum chassis is claimed to deliver up to 12 hours of battery usage (impressive!), while colors wise, it has Black, White and Turquoise flavors to offer. Unfortunately, there’s no word on price or availability at this early stage, but we promise to update as soon as any relevant info pops out. Until then, hit the break and watch the videos.

Update1: Looks like Nokia’s new Booklet machine will boast a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530, paired with a 120GB hard drive and integrated 3G connectivity. Price wise, it will set you back for somewhere around $799, but these are just rumors.

Update2: More details about Nokia’s Booklet 3G netbook device start surfacing up above the ground and shedding more light on this cool and expensive Finnish wonder. Apparently, Nokia’s new mini-laptop device is claimed to be shipped with that 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor we’ve been talking about earlier, while battery’s longevity was also confirmed – 12 hours working time, with Windows 7 running the entire operation and SIM card slot, added as well, to handle all 3G communication. Other than that, you get to choose from black, ice (white) and azure (blue) colors, all measured at 0.78-inches thick frame that includes 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 120GB hard drive, a 10.1-inch LCD (1,280 x 720 resolution), integrated GPS navigating system paired with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, WiFi, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, an SD card reader, three USB 2.0 ports and even an HDMI connection. Release dates are yet to be determined, but with staggering price that stand at €570 ($810), seems like no one will actually be waiting for it outside.

Update3: Nokia’s Italian online store has it now, up for pre-order, but the price is even higher than expected, as the 3G Booklet netbook is listed there for €699 ($1,021 USD), which apparently includes VAT and some other increment. Too bad, and ridiculous if we may add.

Update4: We’re not sure either it’s Greece or some other languages, but the new unboxing video, which can be found right after the break, is definitely one of the first ones that shows Nokia’s new 3G Booklet machine live.

Update5: According to Nokia itself, the Booklet 3G is about to hit O2 Germany in two different flavors, as first one, O2 MyHandy package, is being offered with a one time fee of €249 and a monthly tariff of €20 over the next 24 months, while the second,  O2 wireless deal is €25 a month, including the service price, two years sharp. Not exactly the best bargain around.

Update6: We’re getting there. AT&T is one carrier that will offer Nokia’s highly-priced 3G Booklet for “just” $299 with a 2-year contract and a $60 monthly fee. Someone’s getting affordable, eh?

[Nokia]

Continue reading Nokia's First 3G Booklet Netbook Introduced, Comes With GPS, HDMI And SIM Slot Expansion →

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Zune HD Coming Out On September 15th, Already Available For Pre-Order

With so many rumors and speculations floating around, it’s time to organize the latest details we know about the coming release of the Zune HD. Apparently, according to a Gizmodo tipster, the official debut is now scheduled to September 15th (one week past September 8th). In addition, both Zune HD 16GB and 32GB models are already available for a pre-order in Amazon and Newegg, priced at $219.99 and $289.99, respectively (requires a $25 deposit).  From what we know, the player itself will be equipped with a tiny impressive on-screen keyboard that brings up a nice small arch graphic whenever you tap a letter, to distinguish it from its neighbors (See image after the break). Other than that, the internet browser is claimed to be an Opera one, but we can’t be 100% sure, yet. Meanwhile, until things get more clear (and there’s not much time left), checkout the latest hands-on video from CrunchGear, or the Grand Tour video (courtesy of Tech Flash Videos), featuring Brian Seitz of Microsoft’s Zune team demonstrates the Zune HD. Hit the jump, to read the updates.

zune-hd-colors

Continue reading Zune HD Coming Out On September 15th, Already Available For Pre-Order →

Computers, Computex, News

Pagatron's Vivid Netbook Bluntly Shows Up With Tegra Acceleration And Internet Friendly Shortcut Keys

Apparently, more Tegra machines start showing up across the pond, equipped with strong accelerating chips and ultra high-def video support, fluently running 1080p media files through HDMI ports, built inside . One of those honored guests that recently spotted in Computex is Pegatron’s ARM-based Vivid netbook, which sports NVIDIA’s desirable Tegra chipset, along with integrated stereo speakers, matte-finish display, an  HDMI port, SD card reader and two USB slots to match the list. The Vivid also runs full FireFox browser and boasts friendly-internet shortcut keys on top of its keyboard for Yahoo!, Google, MSN, and Skype. Regretfully, there’s no word about price or availability as of this moment, but netbooknews has taken a short video of the pink edition, so head up after the cut and watch it.

pegatron-vivid-netbook

[via Liliputing]

Continue reading Pagatron's Vivid Netbook Bluntly Shows Up With Tegra Acceleration And Internet Friendly Shortcut Keys →

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Zune HD Officially Announced, Going Live This Fall

After so many rumors and speculations floating around, Microsoft has finally announced the Zune HD, which suppose to make its first appearance somewhere this fall, competing head-to-head with Apple’s popular iPod Touch player. Regretfully, there’s nothing much to share in terms of specs or features, but from the very few fragments we’ve managed to collect, you briefly can figure out it’ll probably pack a 3.3-inch 480 x 272 OLED capacitive touchscreen, together with a built-in HD Radio receiver, 720P HD output (via dock station), integrated WiFi connection and accelerometer sensors for landscape usability. Additionally, you might find a designated Explorer browser for internet surfing purposes and hopefully, a mashup interface with Xbox / Xbox Live gaming consoles. Still, no pricing or capacity details to write about, although one should expect either 16GB or 32GB flavors inside, but this way or another those rumored images earlier published, make no place for mistakes – Zune HD is live and kicking. Full press release after the break.

Update1: The guys at Gizmodo have managed to put their hands on the freakishly new Zune HD while hanging around D7’s conference hall. First images indicate an incredibly thin-and-light design, combined with a stunning 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, basic Zune UI, adjusted to the touch navigation mode and rounded edges, build with a big “Home” button placed at the bottom lefte.  Hit the jump to watch the video or their link for even more images.

Update2: Zune Insider has officially confirmed that Zune HD will be running NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset inside, which means – full high-def video compatibility in the palm of your hand. Still no word about final release dates, but we’re following.

Update3: Rumors around claim the new Zune HD will be priced somewhere betweem $249 and $280 for the 16GB version, while a 64GB modelis on the prep for a late release. Stay tuned.

Update4: Both BestBuy and Amazon have just listed up the Zune HD on their inventory system , priced at $220 for the 16GB model, and $290 for the 32GB version, coming on September 8th. It’s less than a month to go, so stay tuned.

zune-hd

Continue reading Zune HD Officially Announced, Going Live This Fall →

Computers, News

Lenovo IdeaPad S12 Is World's First Netbook To Include Nvidia Ion Chipset For Less Than $500

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Great news from Lenovo, as the company officially announces the new IdeaPad S12, which is considered to be world’s first Nvidia Ion-powered netbook device and one of the only to join this category with an impressive 12-inch display, that easily can handle HD content and high-end gaming maneuvers , thanks to the staggering 1280×800 screen resolution, we barely can find among Atom-based machines, nowadays. With a next month scheduled release, our true excitement goes to the Ion chipset platform, that crams both Intel’s Atom 1.6 GHz processor and Nvidia 9400m graphics set in one tiny mote that flawlessly accelerates 1080p video decoding tasks and smoothly plays Blu-Ray high-def technology scenes without statering reactions. Other goodies you’d get for a starting price of $449, include a full-sized keyboard, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 4-in-1 card reader, VGA/HDMI outputs, WiFi, Bluetooth, three USB 2.0 sockets, ExpressCard slot expansion, 3-cell battery (6-cell optional) and 160/250/320GB HDD capacities to choose from – all operated by Microsoft’s Windows XP OS flavor. To learn more, checkout the full release after the break.

Update1: Hit the jump to watch LaptopMag video preview.

Update2: Checkout the videos from Notebooks.com after the break.

Update3: Looks like Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is finally up and available for purchase, starting at $499 for the base mode, which packs Intel’s 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU with 1GB of DDR2 memory VGA / HDMI outputs and all the good specs noted above, but even more important, it has Nvidia’s ION chipset that runs 1080p video playback smoothly. Hit the link to get yours.

Update4: It seems Lenovo is now offering the IdeaPAd S12 with a VIA Nano ULV 2250 processor and VIA Chrome9 HC3 graphics, optional to the usual Atom/GMA 950 configuration, with a starting price of $450 and 6-cell battery included.

Update5: Save the date,  Nvidia ION-based Lenovo S12 is finally out. The day is Thursday October 22nd, the place is Japan. The specs include a 12-inch 1280 x 800 display, 2GB of RAM, 250GB HDD, an HDMI port and multicard slot expansion. The price, ¥68,800 (about $755). What do we think? Too expensive at this point, but things will change on Western shores.

Update6: Now it’s official, the IdeaPad S12 is finally up on Lenovo’s online shop, listed in different configurations, as the Windows 7 edition runs for $599 and packs a 12.1-inch 1,280 x 800 display, along with a 1.6GHz N270 processor, a 250GB hard drive, a 256MB Nvidia Ion chipset, WiFi, Bluetooth, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 6-cell battery, and that Windows 7 Home Premium edition, pre-installed inside.

lenovo-s12-netbook

[Lenovo]

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad S12 Is World's First Netbook To Include Nvidia Ion Chipset For Less Than $500 →

Audio, Media Players, News, Video

Microsoft Preps a New Zune HD For The Summer (Update:Probably September)

According to a tipster, Microsoft will presumably release a new Zune player with HD capabilities, somewhere this year. Naturally, we have no other details, nor any specs of the new device itself, but if this info is correct, and it sure looks reliable, the Zune 4th Generation should be available with a wide and sharp touchscreen, supporting high-def video and some other features, which you can find in the iPod Touch players. Stay tuned for more to come.

Update1: More uncertain specs show up across the cyber world, revealing a 16:9 AMOLED display with multi-touch usability (capacitive), joining the mini-HDMI output and the HD Radio feature, both bundled inside, along with a full HTML browser, to wirelessly surf the web. And while we have no special ability to determine “details accuracy”, you should take our word when we say it’ll be offered either in 16GB or 32GB capacities. However, In case you look for even more speculative rumors, Zune fanboys will also tell you the new HD device might support 3D XBox games, thanks to the integrated NVidia chipset, which we really hope to see included. Other than that, a worldwide release is said to take place somewhere around September, so stay tuned for real things to come.

Update2: May 12th 2009 – According to ZDNet, the next Zune / Windows Mobile device (AKA: Chassis 1) will feature a whole bunch of top-notch specs, including a 3.5-inch multi-touch display along with ARM v6+ processor, 1GB of RAM, OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics hardware, 3 megapixel camera, GPS navigation system, WiFi / Bluetooth connections, built in accelerometer and even Nvidia’s Tegra platform, integrated with TI’s OMAP 3  and “Qualcomm 8k” chipsets, to handle those strong requirements. Of course, these are just rumors, and we can’t take them that serious, although we do hold an opinion that Chassis 1 will be strong enough to match market demands.

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading Microsoft Preps a New Zune HD For The Summer (Update:Probably September) →

Computers, News

Asus To Launch The Eee Box B208 With Windows Vista And HD Capabilities

While we were taking the wraps off the Eee Box 206 last week, Asus was already prepping its next release,  which has been confirmed as the Eee Box B208, coming with a 1.6GHz dual-core Atom 330 processor, along with 1GB of RAM, a memory card reader, WiFi b/g/n connection, ATI Radeon HD 4350 graphics card, a bundled remote control and HDMI output, to let you watch any HD content on your LCD TV. Different from previous versions, the new B208 will house Windows Vista in each of the optional storage capacities, starting from 160GB inside the basic package and up to 320GB at the top. Other than that, you get an integrated battery, to be used as a UPS device in case of a power outage and the already known Eee Cinema software to handle your multimedia files. Unfortunately, there are no available details about price or availability, but be sure we’ll share this info as soon as it lands in.

Update1: This is weird, but Asus has just removed the B208 from its website, after a very short appearance, and we have no idea why or when this new nettop machine is about to make a comeback. Until then, you’ll have to settle with the aforementioned specs that we’ve managed to pull out while it was up. In any case, no pricing details to share at this point but we promise to update soon.

Update2: Latest reports indicate the Eee Box B208 might show up again, this time on the European side of the world, somewhere around June – fingers crossed.

[via Liliputing]

Computers, News

Asus Eee Box 206 Officially Goes Live With HDMI Connection

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Looks like Asus Eee Box 206 finally makes a debut, after been spotted back in December 2008 together with the Eee Box 204 version. The new 206 Eee Box model can easily distinguish itself from previous devices with the HDMI port at the back and the AMD ATI Radeon HD 3450 graphics card inside that give more video power to the users, along with the other components that include a DVI output, 1.6GHz  Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, WiFi/Bluetooth connections and a bundled remote control, which lets you handle everything from the sofa. To get this new machine, powered by Windows XP and Eee Cinema media software, you will have to separate yourself from £310 ($438), so make a choice, it’s either Black or White [Another image after the break].

Update: According to the guys at Register Hardware who’ve managed to put their hands on ASUS’ Eee Box B206, it seems this little creature encountered major difficulties while handling high-def content, even when playing 720P videos – which makes it mainly usable for internet surfing, and some other casual tasks like office management or image browsing. And with poor Benchmark scores achieved, looks like your dream of 1080p machine, sitting next to your brand new LCD screen, is about to vanish.

[via Register Hardware]

Continue reading Asus Eee Box 206 Officially Goes Live With HDMI Connection →

Computers, News

Asus Rolls Out Eee Box 204 And 206 To Handle HD Content

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Following the release of the Eee Box 202, Asus has decided to go far beyond, offering two new models, including the Eee Box B204 and B206, which pack the same specs, like Windows XP Home, 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD storage, and 802.11n WiFi, only with additional HDMI socket that improves the 1080p handling and plays high-def content without stuttering. There’s also Bluetooth connectivity and a built-in battery on the B204 version, so you will be able to continue using it in case there’s an electric crash at your vicinity. Still, no price or availability details.

Update1: turns out Asus has launched another model – a Celeron-based Eee Box B203, boasting Intel C220 processor, 160GB storage capacity and up to 2GB RAM.

Update2: more new details available in here.

[Asus]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Aigo's Formula One PMP Edition Introduced, Packs 720p Output

Aigo introduces the new Patriot MP5-MK3510 PMP, also known as the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP5 media player, coming up with an unknown price tag, but with a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 display, an FM tuner, an eBook reader, a microSD slot and a battery that can deliver 4 hours of video or 10 hours of audio. In spite of a wide codecs support, including MP3, WMA, FLAC, APE, RM, RMVB, AVI, FLV, DAT, MPG, MPEG, JPG, BMP, GIF, and TXT, the most intriguing part is the 720p output, that provides high-def content to the mediocre screen. Regretfully, no word on availability, in case you’re a racing avid.

[Via PMP Today]

Audio, Media Players, Video

Sarotech Introduces The New DVP-260X Portable Multi-media Player With Up To 320GB Storage Capacity

4 Comments

Korean’s Sarotech announces the release of the DVP-260X, a new portable media player, coming up with a 2.5-inch display and two giant storage capacities, including 160GB ($278) or 320GB ($328). In addition, the new 260X features an FM tuner, a photo viewer, an e-book reader, and PAL/NTSC compatibility. It supports many formats, including AAC, WAV, AC3, MP3, OGG, WMA audio formats with 5.1channels out, and H.264, MKV with up to 1080p over HDMI, concerning video. Regretfully, it will be available for Korean market only, in black or white flavors and we already start feeling a bit jealous.

[via Aving]