Tag Archives: IceCreamSandwich

tablets

8-Inch Dual Core Archos 80 Cobalt Tablet Announced

You didn’t honestly think that a company like Archos would sit aside and let the big moguls (e.g Google, Amazon, apple) play the game all by themselves, did you? Good, because the French tablet maker has just announced a new addition to its Elements line, dubbed the Archos 80 Cobalt. Right from the beginning  one can sense that this tablet has an 8-inch capacitive display on top, crammed with 1024 x 768 pixels and 1080p video playback support. Other than that I couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. There’s a dual-core 1.6GHz processor under the lid, tucked with a quad core GPU, Ice Cream Sandwich for the OS, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage (Expandable via micro SDHC Slot up to 64 GB). If you’re into it, there’s also a 3.5mm jack for your headphones/speakers and a Micro USB slave 2.0 port, alongside a rear 2-megapixel webcam and a 0.3 shooter on the front. Again, there’s no pricing or availability yet, but if Archos wants to win, it will have a lot to do to catch up with the competition.

[Archos]

tablets

Barnes & Noble Announces Nook HD and Nook HD+ Android Tablets

Hot on the heels of Amazon announcing plans to release the 8.9-Inch Kindle Fire HD, popular book retailer Barnes and Noble have just revealed their latest line of Android Ice Cream Nook tablets, the NOOK HD and NOOK HD+. This isn’t the first time the company has jumped the line with a NOOK. The last time was about a year ago, when Amazon officially announced its 7-inch Kindle Fire and B&N has replied with a slate of its own. Today, we are pretty much back in the same place for similar reasons.

And so without further ado, let’s dive into the nitty gritty details. The first in this family of tablets is the 7-inch  Nook HD. Weighing around 11.1 oz (319 grams), this nice gadget is available in Snow or Smoke colors and has a high-def 1440 x 900 screen resolution (243 ppi) for both 8GB and 16GB capacities which will run you $199 and $229, respectively. In addition, it boasts a 1.3GHz Dual-Core TI OMAP4470 processor under the hood, and likely to include 1GB of RAM, a tweaked version of Ice Cream Sandwich, and a microSD slot providing additional capability of memory storage expansion.

The second in that series, and the better model between the two, is the NOOK HD+ that sports many of the same specs, only slightly bigger and stronger, to improve its performance. The screen in here is a 9-inch Full HD display, with 1920×1280 resolution (256 ppi), and the CPU was upgraded from 1.3GHz to 1.5GHz dual-core processor. And while RAM remains the same at 1GB, the tablet offers 16GB of internal storage to start with ($269), and up to 32GB ($299) for the larger version. There’s also a micro USB port, and HDMI out function via an adapter.

Both devices are set to start shipping in late October, with B&N to give NOOK users easy access to its video-on-demand service, that houses many HD movies and TV shows for streaming and download. 

Hands-on video after the break.

[youtube id=”v_2_Q5PSFdU”]

Video courtesy of The Verge.

[BARNES & NOBLE (PDF)]

 

tablets

Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 and IdeaTab S2110 Android 4.0 Tablets Officially Announced

Lenovo has officially taken the wraps of their latest Android tablets, unveiling the IdeaTab A2107 and IdeaTab S2110 at IFA in Berlin, Germany. And while availability dates are still particularly vague, prices should range somewhere between $200 to $500.

Specs for the IdeaTab A2107 include a 7-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen (same size as the Nexus 7 and the  Kindle Fire), alongside a 1GHz dual-core MTK Cortex A9 CPU, either WiFi-only models or 3G+WiFi configuration, with storage capacities range between 4GB to 16GB at most. There’s also a Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity under the hood, as well as an FM radio, a Micro-USB, an SD card expansion and WCDMA plus GSM network support.

Up next is the IdeaTab S2110, a  10.1-inch Ice Cream Sandwich device, running a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm chip inside, tucked with a 1280 x 800 IPS display that can feature up to 10-finger multi-touch support. This machine is basically a hybrid between a tablet and a laptop, that were technically combined together by an optional keyboard dock, which naturally helps you out with the typing, extends your battery life with additional 10 hours, and sports a full-size SD card slot. The tablet itself comes with a choice of 16GB or 32GB flavors, while the camera shooters are at 5-megapixel on the back and a a dual 1.3-megapixel up front. Out of the box, you also get micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports.

 

tablets

Sony Xperia Tablet S Now Official, Tegra 3 and ICS Onboard

They say that every rumor has some truth to it, and the one that was talking about a new Sony slate, has also succeeded to live up to its claims. In other words, those leaked slides were spot on to the inch, as the Japanese corp officially announces the Xperia S tablet – A very powerful Tegra 3 quad-core device, with up to 64GB of internal storage, 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth 3.0, a gyroscope, accelerometer, a full-size SD card slot, HDMI out, and a Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform for the OS. In that regard, the company promised that a Jelly Bean update will be made available as soon as possible.

While Sony managed to preserve most of the Tablet S exterior design, the internal parts, however, were greatly enhanced. The storage capacity substantially increased, the chip, as mentioned earlier, was upgraded from Nvidia Tegra 2 to the latest and greatest Tegra 3, battery is now at 6,000mAh, or somewhere around 10 working hours. But the wonderful TruBlack Bravia screen, that was first shown at IFA last year, remained untouched at 9.4-inches with 1,280 x 800 resolution.

Sony has always been a leading TV brand, and as such the new Xperia S can also be used as a universal remote control when watching TV, with programmable shortcut keys (up to 6 macros) and an integrated IR emitter.

The tablet comes with preloaded apps like Watch Now, which lets you watch live TV and share your thoughts with other online users (either via Facebook or Twitter), get recommendations, or any other related info. There’s also a “Guest Mode” feature that enables apps control or surfing limitations. All in all, a good privacy keeper, we’d say. And, of course, some multitasking capabilities were tossed in, alongside Sony’s multimedia apps, the Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited, where you can browse and purchase some digital content.

The Xperia Tablet S launches September 7, in three different Wi-Fi only flavors: 16GB ($399.99), 32GB ($499.99) and 64GB ($599.00).

You may also buy yourself a wide range of handy accessories for the Xperia Tablet S, including a cover plus keyboard ($99.99), docking stand ($99.99), simple stand ($24.99), carrying cover ($50.99 – $79.99), charging cradle ($39.99) and speaker dock ($129.99, available in November).

Official video plus a quick hands-on footage:

[youtube id=”9mkhSQtanAE”]

[youtube id=”40HHnAR3EMk”]

Second video, courtesy of TechRadar  

tablets

Samsung’s 10.1-Inch Galaxy Note To Go Live in August

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Oh! What do we have in here? No, this isn’t the Microsoft Courier, in case you were wondering. As a matter of fact, we didn’t really expect it to be released, at all. But because the overall look closely resembles the Redmond version, we thought it was definitely worth a mention. So what the heck is it? Well, It’s Korean, has a 1.4 GHz Exynos quad-core processor, a very handy stylus pen, and it’s called… (drums) the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1; which, as the name might indicate, features a 10.1-inch display on top. Other than that, we’re looking at a 3G-enabled tablet, packing a 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi connectivity, 2GB of RAM, Android Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) for the OS, and LTE wireless network support. It also has a rear 5MP shooter, and a 1.9MP front-facing camera, Bluetooth 4.0, a USB 2.0 hub and either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage, at your choice. But what makes the new Galaxy Note device so special is the S Pen and the “multiscreen” feature which make everything run so nice and smoothly, thanks to the use of  Wacom’s built-in digitizer technology that comes to hand, out of the box. At this point, while we’re still waiting on official pricing, Samsung is planning to hold a US launch event that will take place on August 15th. Until then, you can peep the video and full PR after the break. 

Update: Quad-core Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet will be officially available on August 16, for $499 (16GB) or $549 (32GB). Please be sure to checkout the hands-on video after the break.

[youtube id=”qbgBxr4H59A”]

 

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 10.1 AVAILABLE GLOBALLY IN AUGUST

Samsung inspires a culture of active content creation, productivity and learning

London UK, August 6 2012 – Samsung today announced the launch of the Galaxy Note 10.1, an extension of the Galaxy Note category. The Galaxy Note 10.1 offers the functionality and precision of a pen and paper on a 10.1-inch large display, which will enable people to amplify their creativity, productivity, and learning ability.

Providing an intuitive experience and armed with a 1.4 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB RAM for enhanced performance, the Galaxy Note 10.1 is designed to simplify the process of capturing ideas, accessing information and multi-tasking, making each easier and faster and allowing people to express their ideas in an efficient way.

Simon Stanford, Vice President, UK & IRE Telecommunications & Networks Division, Samsung UK and Ireland said: “Following the success of the very first Galaxy Note which we launched at the end of last year, we’re delighted that our UK customers will now be able to experience the evolution of this device for themselves. The Galaxy Note 10.1 is a product we are very excited about and will offer our customers a new way to use and experience a tablet device. As well as being able to consume content such as videos, photos, document and the Internet, the Galaxy Note 10.1 also gives them the power to produce, create and customise that same content – something they won’t get from any other product on the market.”

The Galaxy Note 10.1 incorporates key intuitive features and capabilities such as side-by-side multitasking. This is thanks to its ‘Multiscreen’ on a 10.1-inch large screen; unique S Pen with a variety of S Note templates and productive tools (Shape Match and Formula Match); Learning Hub* for accessing educational curricula and Adobe’s premium creative application Photoshop® Touch.

True Multi-Tasking with Multiscreen feature

With the Galaxy Note 10.1’s Multiscreen feature, it’s possible to use two different applications side-by-side simultaneously. So Web pages and videos can be viewed, or applications launched using one half of the screen, at the same time as the other half is used for writing or sketching ideas with the S Pen. What’s more, customers can capture and crop images, and paste them onto the other screen to make personal notes. The Multiscreen feature allows people to be more productive and efficient whilst also enjoying multimedia content. Galaxy Note 10.1 brings a new culture of creation through the owner’s own notes, and enables an entirely new experience to improve productivity and enjoyment.

S Pen & S Note for Personalised and Organised Note-taking

Featuring its advanced 6.5mm S Pen, the Galaxy Note 10.1 is optimised for the creation of personalised and expressive content in the most natural and intuitive way. The S Pen’s feel and functionality are specifically designed for an optimal experience on the 10.1-inch screen. The S Pen is embedded directly in the device and, when removed, automatically launches specially optimised applications, including S Note, S Planner, Crayon physics, Adobe® Photoshop® Touch, and Polaris Office.

Alternatively, people can easily set their preferred application to be launched instantly. For example, S Note can be launched instantly when the S Pen is taken out from the device. Owners can also tap the screen twice while pressing the S Pen button for quick S Note access via the S Note-dedicated widget, which can be easily moved anywhere on the display, never hindering or obstructing creativity or productivity.

The S Note is a unique tool that enables notes and sketches to be combined with other digital content in ready-to-use templates. The Shape Match and Formula Match features help correct and digitise geometric shapes and solve numeric formulas hand-written with the S Pen. The S Note is also integrated with knowledge search engines so that content can be searched for and information obtained, and then easily drag and dropped onto S Notes without having to switch between screens. Exclusively pre-loaded on Galaxy Note 10.1, the Adobe® Photoshop® Touch application means owners can professionally edit photos with the ease and precision of the S Pen.

Active Learning Experience
The Galaxy Note 10.1 is an ideal learning tool that allows students to take notes directly on an eTextbook whilst in lectures, or research the Web at the same time as writing an essay. Samsung’s Learning Hub service is optimised for Galaxy Note 10.1 allowing owners to access extensive multimedia educational content whatever their age. This content includes eTextbooks, video lectures, interactive coaching and much more, and can be shared with multiple Samsung devices. Furthermore, Learning Hub comes with a learning management system providing schedule management and performance and achievement management tools so students of any age can learn at their own pace.

Superior Hardware Performance
Galaxy Note 10.1 is designed with advanced hardware technology, including a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of internal RAM. Seamless multi-tasking, high-standard graphics, and blazing-fast performance without any lag are essential features of the device. The Galaxy Note 10.1 also includes a 5- megapixel main camera and a 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera.

Several other features have been added to the Galaxy Note 10.1, including Smart Stay, which tracks the owner’s eye to ensure that the screen is always on while being looked at; and Pop Up Play, which allows a video to be watched anywhere on the screen while simultaneously running other tasks. With AllShare® Play, content can be shared with a large group in real-time by connecting the Galaxy Note 10.1 to Samsung HD TVs, mobile tablets, laptops, and other consumer electronic devices on the same network. With AllShare Group Cast, people can also share and collaborate on documents, presentations, or images without loading the files separately.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 comes in three connectivity options: WiFi-only and WiFi-and-3G HSPA-Plus connectivity, which are both available at launch, and WiFi-and-LTE which will be available later this year.

tablets

Huawei’s Ice Cream Sandwich MediaPad 7 Lite Tablet Introduced

The Android tablet scene is changing quickly, and flush with new arrivals. Is it going to stop anytime soon? Likely not. We’ve recently seen Google’s Nexus 7 making a splash around the globe and today, Chinese group Huawei is said to be launching their very own seven inch version, also known as the MediaPad 7 Lite. As you may have guessed, it packs a standard 7-inch 1280 x 800 touchscreen atop the center stack, and likely to run an Ice Cream Sandwich platform under the lid. There will be a WiFi and 3G connectivity inside, as well as a sleek -black metal unibody and a rear camera of unknown resolution. At this point, we are still waiting to hear on pricing and availability in Asia, and if you’ll see the Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) update, or not. So stay tuned folks.

[Huawei]

Media Players, Music

Sony Launches New Line of Walkman Products

Today, when tablets have become very popular, and mp3 players are considered “meh” it is rare to see a company at such high-profile as Sony announce plans to launch a new range of small media devices, that people barely notice anymore. But that will not deter a company like Sony in pursuing business opportunities, right? Well, as a matter of fact, it has just rolled out a few different types of new music players; among them you’ll find the Walkman F800 and the E470/570 series. And while the F group is more of an upscale, high-end look, the E series is an entry-level set at the top of the line.

So what do really get and for how much? The Walkman F800, Sony’s new flagship player, is said to run Google’s Android 4.0 platform out of the box, along with a 3.5-inch display, WiFi / Bluetooth connectivity, fairly reasonable 4.5 hours of video playback, and storage capacities of 8GB/16GB/32GB at your choice, with a European launch expected in the next coming months, and prices vary, starting at about £210 ($280).

The E series, on the other hand, is expected to be a lot cheaper than the F. The noise-cancelling feature in the Walkman E570 lineup is one of the most noticeable things you’ll find in this upcoming iteration , and it’s expected to pack a 2-inch LCD screen, as well. Another model in that series, the Walkman E470, is likely to sell for around £80 (or $80), in a wide variety of colors and a battery life of up to 36 hours for music playback . The new versions will also have an optional dock that can charge ’em up and increase their volume level.

Lastly, there’s the Walkman S770BT model, for those who like to stream music over their bluetooth wireless speakers.

Full PR after the break.

 

Latest Walkman® MP3 players from Sony with Android™, Bluetooth® and digital noise cancelling

Walkman® F800 Series: Web-enabled with Android™, 8.9cm/3.5″ multi-touch LCD and S-Master MX Digital Amplifier
Walkman® S770BT Series: Wireless listening with bundled Bluetooth® headphones
Walkman® E570 Series: Brilliantly clear sound with digital noise cancelling
Walkman® E470 Series: Vibrant colours and 36 hours battery life1

Walkman NWZ-E470

Experience your perfect summer soundtrack, with the new range of Walkman® MP3 audio and video players from Sony.

Whatever your tastes, you’ll be satisfied by legendary Walkman® sound quality. Clear Audio technologies by Sony assure richly-detailed sound, with deep, powerful bass, crystalline highs and reduced leakage between stereo channels. Walkman® even restores those subtle high frequency details that get lost when you’re listening to heavily-compressed digital music files.

This summer’s line-up of MP3 audio and video players by Sony includes the sleekest, slimmest Walkman® models ever. Just 7mm thin, the new S770BT and E570/470 Series take up little space when they’re slipped into a pocket or bag. With up to 36 hours play time1 from a single charge, there’s plenty of stamina to keep you entertained on long journeys. And if you’re looking for a supreme listening experience, Walkman® F800 Series brings you an exciting world of ultra-detailed hi-fi sound, Wi-Fi connectivity and apps.

All new Walkman® models are compatible with Music Unlimited from Sony Entertainment Network, allowing easy access to the millions of music tracks on offer2. As part of a simple monthly subscription, Music Unlimited lets you transfer your favourite personalised playlists and ad-free radio channels to Walkman®, so you can enjoy a world of music discovery even when offline.

It’s easy to load up your existing media collection, too. Walkman® supports drag-and-drop transfer of music, photos, videos, podcasts and playlists from iTunes (non-DRM content only) or Windows® Explorer.

Walkman® F800 Series
Walkman F series
Treat yourself to an extreme on-the-go entertainment experience. Powered by AndroidTM 4.0 (“Ice Cream Sandwich”), the web-enabled Walkman® F800 Series lets you enjoy a generous range of pre-installed apps, from email to maps and media gallery. Connect wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth® and download more from an ever-growing choice on Google PlayTM. Interacting with your media collection, apps and games is a pleasure, thanks to the large, highly-responsive 8.9cm/3.5″ multi-touch screen, plus plenty of processing power for smooth, speedy responses.

You’ll enjoy crisp highs and full, thumping bass powered by S-Master MX Digital Amplifier and five Clear Audio technologies. You can even share your sounds out loud via the built-in xLOUD® speaker system that cuts distortion and unpleasant clipping for clearer listening.

Walkman® S770BT Series
S 770
Supplied with colour-matched in-ear Bluetooth® headphones, Walkman® S770BT Series lets you enjoy your favourite sounds without a tangle of wires. Even when your Walkman® is in a pocket or bag, it’s easy to make fumble-free volume adjustments or skip tracks with handy controls on the headphone cord – while Walkman® stays safely hidden.

At home or on the move, Walkman® S770BT Series can also stream high-quality sound to other Bluetooth® compatible devices3, like speaker docks, home audio systems or your car audio system.

Walkman® E570 Series
Walkman NWZ-E570
Immerse yourself in a world of pure, uninterrupted music when you’re commuting into college or just relaxing at home. Walkman® E570 Series can reduce background sound levels by 98%4, thanks to its unique combination of built-in digital noise cancelling technology, and the high-quality noise cancelling headphones that come supplied.

Walkman® E470 Series

Walkman NWZ-E470

Enjoy a perfect introduction to the world of crisp Walkman® sound and powerful bass with slim, colourful Walkman® E470 Series. It’s packed with fun features like Karaoke mode and synchronised lyrics display to help you get the party started. New to Walkman®, there’s even a choice of entertaining games to enjoy on the bright, detailed 5.1cm/2″ LCD screen while you listen.

Also available, Walkman® E473K includes a portable speaker dock with eye-grabbing new styling that’s great for sharing your sounds out loud, whether you’re indoors or relaxing in the garden with friends. Powered by the MP3 player’s internal battery, the dock delivers punchy sound with rich bass while being small and light enough to carry with you anywhere.

Walkman NWZ-E473K

The new Walkman® range of MP3 audio and video players from Sony is available in Europe from 18th July 2012.

tablets

High-end Asus Transformer Pad TF700 Coming to The U.S in July

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Asus is gearing up to break into U.S high-end tablet market with the whole new 10-inch Transformer Pad TF700, which was announced last February in Barcelona, at  the Mobile World Congress. Known as the Transformer Pad Infinity, the new TF700 is of all-Gorilla Glass construction on top, housing a 1920 x 1200 IPS display under the hood, and rocking 600 nits of brightness, at max. In addition, you will find 1GB of DDR3 RAM inside, paired with a quad-core Tegra 3 SoC, and in the 4G case, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. As for operating system, the TF700 ships preloaded with Android 4.0, the latest portable OS from Google. Moving forward, there’s also a built-in Bluetooth 3.0 for speedy wireless connectivity, and a pair of cameras, including an 8MP f/2.2 rear facing camera capable of 1080p video recording, and a 2MP secondary camera up front for video chat.

Word is it’s due to be released Stateside July 16th, and will cost about $499 for the 32GB model and $599 for the 64GB flavor. While the docking cradle will set you back $149. But if you already have any previous version, we’d recommend you keep it, they’re very compatible with each other.

[youtube id=”s7YvXgHe5UY”]

tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab Devices to Get Ice Cream Sandwich Update in July

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Samsung Galaxy Tab’s new range of tablets to get an Ice Cream Sandwich update this coming July. According to a SamMobile report, Google’s latest and greatest Android 4.0 OS will show up early next month and lucky Tab owners who happen to have either Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9, Tab 7.7 or Tab 7.0 will get the firmware upgrade the moment it is released, while most other devices will be getting it in August. Hit the break for the full list of which Android tablets are getting the upcoming update.

  • GT-P6210 Galaxy Tab Plus 7.0 WIFI
  • GT-P6200 Galaxy Tab Plus 7.0 WIFI + 3G
  • GT-P6810 Galaxy Tab 7.7 WIFI
  • GT-P6800 Galaxy Tab 7.7 WIFI + 3G
  • GT-P7310 Galaxy Tab 8.9 WIFI
  • GT-P7300 Galaxy Tab 8.9 WIFI + 3G
  • GT-P7510 Galaxy Tab 10.1 WIFI
  • GT-P7500 Galaxy Tab 10.1 WIFI + 3G

 

[via SamMobile]

tablets

Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 To Make Official Stateside Debut In June

Lenovo has already made the leap into the Ice Cream Sandwich Android tablets market by launching the 9.7-inch IdeaTab S2109 slate couple of months ago, and now it appears the Chinese corp is making moves Stateside, offering the 8.9mm slab with 1024 x 768 IPS panel, dual-core, 1GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor, four speakers, micro USB/HDMI extensions for only $349 through Lenovo’s online hub and Office Depot’s retail division. Let’s see if the price is attractive enough, as it is a really tempting light.

[Lenovo]

Computers, Hardware

Android 4.0 MK802 PC on a Stick Can Fit in Your Pocket

Size isn’t everything when it comes to portable computers. On the contrary, the smaller the merrier. In the past decade, we have all seen technology shrink down dramatically, from room sized computers to pocket sized devices. One such product is the all-new MK802, a Chinese-made computer-on-a-stick that crams inside a 1.5-GHz Allwinner A10 CPU, alongside 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. The 7-ounce magic runs the latest and greatest Android 4.0 OS on board, while ports include HDMI, two USB 2.0 (Full and Mini) and a microSD card slot. This tiny little thing will also offer 802.11 b/g WiFi connectivity out-of-the-box and a full 1080p HD native resolution support. It is already offered online by Aliexpress for exactly $74 and dealextreme for $78 and will ship for FREE to most regions around the world. Nice, isn’t it?

[via Netbooknews]

Mobile, Phones

Samsung Galaxy S III Now Official

2 Comments

Samsung has finally put the rumors to rest by announcing its next iteration mobile phone, the Galaxy S III. In a splashy London event, the South Korean giant revealed that the next-gen Galaxy handset will feature its new 1.4GHz Exynos 4 Quad processor, alongside a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED touchscreen display, with 1280 x 720 pixels on top. There’s 1GB of RAM under the lid, paired with a front-facing 1.9-megapixel camera and an 8-megapixel rear shooter. The 8.6mm soft plastic device which weighs 133g, is the latest and greatest in mobile technology. It is said to boast eye tracking support (by all means) and top notch capabilities, such as the “Smart Stay” feature that knows whether we are looking at the screen or not, a very sophisticated Siri-like voice recognition, missed calls/messages technology that lets you auto dial when you pickup the phone, S Beam technology that ease the way you share photos and videos with some other Galaxy S III machines (simply attach them back-to-back with each other), and last but not least,  a social media friendly platform that features “The fastest and easiest way to share with friends in just ONE touch.”

Connectivity wise, the S3 has ’em all: Whether it’s 40MHz 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and  GPS with GLONASS reception. As far as software goes, it will be rolling out with Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich platform (AKA: Android 4.0), crammed with Samsung’s very own TouchWiz “Inspired by nature” UI running on top. In terms of radios, you will be getting the  HSPA+ flavor, but the 4G LTE magic will be out as well, both in North america and Japan (but not in Europe).

At first, you will get to choose storage capacities that range between 16 to 32GB, while the 64 gigs will follow later on. In addition you can either pick up the Pebble Blue color, or go all the way with the Marble White hue. There’s a very large 2,100mAh battery inside and a microSD slot expansion to double your storage, if needed. The Samsung Galaxy 3 will go live starting May 29, while US customers should be able to nab one somewhere around June.

Full PR after the break, along with the first Galaxy S III TV Commercial and a full video of the keynote event.

Update1: Looks like the most powerful Android smartphone to date, Samsung S3, is now officially available in 28 countries, including Germany and the UK. US launch is yet to be determined, but Sammy’s executives already been quoted saying their latest and greatest mobile device will go live worldwide “within a month.”

Update2: Samsung has just announced that the Galaxy S III will officially hit all five U.S carriers, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and US Cellular,  in the early days of June, with prices to be around $199 on contract.

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Samsung Introduces the GALAXY S III, the Smartphone

Designed for Humans and Inspired by Nature

Effortlessly smart and intuitively simple,

Samsung GALAXY S III reveals a new concept of smartphone

London, UK-May 3, 2012-Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced today the third generation GALAXY S, the GALAXY S III. Designed for humans and inspired by nature, the GALAXY S III is a smartphone that recognizes your voice, understands your intention, and lets you share a moment instantly and easily.

This sleek and innovative smartphone has the enhanced intelligence to make everyday life easier. With Samsung GALAXY S III, you can view the content like never before on the device’s 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display. An 8MP camera and a 1.9MP front camera offer users a variety of intelligent camera features and face recognition related options that ensure all moments are captured easily and instantly. Samsung GALAXY S III is powered by Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, with greatly enhanced usability and practicality to make life easier. Packed with intuitive technology, the GALAXY S III delivers a uniquely personalized mobile experience that refuses to be compromised.

“With the GALAXY S III, Samsung has maximized the consumer benefits by integrating superior hardware with enhanced smartphone usability,” said JK Shin, President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung. “Designed to be both effortlessly smart and intuitively simple, the GALAXY S III has been created with our human needs and capabilities in mind. What makes me most proud is that it enables one of the most seamless, natural and human-centric mobile experiences, opening up a new horizon that allows you to live a life extraordinary.”

Introducing Natural Interaction

The GALAXY S III enhances the interaction experience between the device and user. Smart enough to detect your face, voice and motions, the GALAXY S III adapts to the individual user to provide a more convenient and natural experience. With the innovative ‘Smart stay’ feature, the GALAXY S III recognizes how you are using your phone – reading an e-book or browsing the web for instance – by having the front camera identify your eyes; the phone maintains a bright display for continued viewing pleasure.

The GALAXY S III features ‘S Voice,’ the advanced natural language user interface, to listen and respond to your words. In addition to allowing information search and basic device-user communication, S Voice presents powerful functions in regards to device control and commands. When your phone alarm goes off but you need a little extra rest, just tell the GALAXY S III “snooze.” You can also use S Voice to play your favorite songs, turn the volume up or down, send text messages and emails, organize your schedules, or automatically launch the camera and capture a photo.

In addition to recognizing your face and voice, the GALAXY S III understands your motions to offer maximized usability. If you are messaging someone but decide to call them instead, simply lift your phone to your ear and ‘Direct call’ will dial their number. With ‘Smart alert,’ the GALAXY S III will also save you from trouble by catching any missed messages or calls; your phone will vibrate to notify missed statuses when picked up after being idle.

Easy and Instant Sharing
The Samsung GALAXY S III is more than a personal device that can be enjoyed by one user – it wants you to share and experience smartphone benefits with family and friends, regardless of where you are. With the new ‘S Beam,’ the GALAXY S III expands upon Android™ Beam™, allowing a 1GB movie file to be shared within three minutes and a 10MB music file within two seconds by simply touching another GALAXY S III phone, even without a Wi-Fi or cellular signal. The ‘Buddy photo share’ function also allows photos to be easily and simultaneously shared with all your friends pictured in an image directly from the camera or the photo gallery.

With ‘AllShare Cast’, users can wirelessly connect their GALAXY S III to their television to immediately transfer smartphone content onto a larger display. ‘AllShare Play’ can be also used to instantly share any forms of files between GALAXY S III and your tablet, PC, and televisions regardless of the distance between the devices. Under AllShare Play is also the ‘Group Cast’ feature that allows you to share your screen among multiple friends on the same Wi-Fi network; you can make comments and draw changes at the same time with your co-workers, witnessing real-time sharing on your individual device.
Human-centric Design with Uncompromised Performance

The GALAXY S III not only presents features with enhanced usability, but also provides an ergonomic and comfortable experience through its human-centric design. Its comfortable grip, gentle curves, and organic form deliver a rich human-centric feel and design. Inspired by nature, its design concept is the flow and movement of nature. The elements of wind, water and light are all evoked in the physical construct of the GALAXY S III. In its essence, the minimal organic design identity is reflected in the smooth and non-linear lines of the device. Available in Pebble Blue and Marble White at launch, Samsung will introduce a variety of additional color options.

 

With a 4.8″ HD Super AMOLED display, the GALAXY S III offers a large and vivid viewing experience. Samsung Mobile’s heritage Super AMOLED display even enhances to HD and 16:9 wider viewing angles. To ensure faster content sharing and connectivity, the GALAXY S III offers Wi-Fi Channel Bonding which doubles the Wi-Fi bandwidth.

 

The GALAXY S III also sports a range of additional features that boost performance and the overall user experience in entirely new ways. It introduces ‘Pop up play,’ a feature that allows you to play a video anywhere on your screen while simultaneously running other tasks, eliminating the need to close and restart videos when checking new emails or surfing the Web. Its 8MP camera features a zero-lag shutter speed that lets you capture moving objects easily without delay – the image you see is the picture you take. With the ‘Burst shot’ function that instantly captures twenty continuous shots, and the ‘Best photo’ feature that selects the best of eight photographs for you, the GALAXY S III ensures users a more enhanced and memorable camera experience. HD video can be recorded even with the 1.9MP front-facing camera, which you can use to capture a video of yourself. Improved backside illumination further helps to eliminate blur in photos that result from shaking, even under low lights.

 

Mobile payment is also accessible with the device through advanced Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The gaming experience is enhanced through ‘Game Hub,’ providing access to numerous social games, while Video Hub brings users high quality TV and movies. Furthermore, Samsung Music Hub will offer a personal music streaming service. Game Hub, Video Hub and Music Hub will be introduced in select countries initially and soon rolled out to global markets.

 

The Samsung GALAXY S III will be available from the end of May in Europe before rolling out to other markets globally.

 

For multimedia content and more detailed information, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com.

 

 

Note to Editors:

 

Samsung GALAXY S III Product Specifications

 

 

Network

2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz

4G (Dependent on market)

Display

4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED (1280×720) display

OS

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

Camera

Main(Rear): 8 Mega pixel Auto Focus camera with Flash & Zero Shutter Lag, BSI

Sub (Front): 1.9 Mega pixel camera, HD recording @30fps with Zero Shutter Lag, BSI

Video

Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, DivX3.11, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark

Recording & Playback: Full HD (1080p)

Audio

Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AC-3, apt-X

Additional

Features

S Beam, Buddy photo share, Share shot

AllShare Play, AllShare Cast

Smart stay, Social tag, Group tag, Face zoom, Face slide show

Direct call, Smart alert, Tap to top, Camera quick access

Pop up play

S Voice

Burst shot & Best photo, Recording snapshot, HDR

Google™ Mobile Services

Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Latitude

Google Play Store, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies

Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk,

Google Places, Google Navigation, Google Downloads

Connectivity

WiFi a/b/g/n, WiFi HT40

GPS/GLONASS

NFC

Bluetooth® 4.0(LE)

Sensor

Accelerometer, RGB light, Digital compass, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer

Memory

16/ 32GB User memory (64GB available soon) + microSD slot (up to 64GB)

Dimension

136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, 133g

Battery

2,100 mAh

* Specifications above may differ on the LTE version.

* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

 

* Android, Google, Android Beam, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Latitude, Google Play Store, Google Play Books, Google Play Movies, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Places, Google Navigation, Google Downloads are trademarks of Google Inc.

tablets

Toshiba Launches Excite 10, 13 and 7.7 Android Ice Cream Sandwich Tablets

We’ve already heard a few details about Toshiba’s upcoming Excite tablets lineup (both in January and March of this year) but it is only now that the new series has been officially confirmed. Generally speaking, there are three new Excite flavors included: The 7.7-inch, the 10-inch, and the 13-inch (!). And while the Japanese Corp. hasn’t really made a big splash in their previous attempts to enter the market – Mainly for launching bulky, cheap looking, plasticy models – This time, though, it’s going to be different. Why? It’ll be different because this time Tosh is rolling out remarkably thin bunch of slates, powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the OS, 1GB of RAM, and NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 quad-core chipset.

The largest and most interesting slab out of the three versions being offered, is naturally the 13.3-inch Excite 13 tablet. A very courageous attempt by the Japs to go against the odds and toss in a massive device, bigger than anything that had been built so far in this very crowded category. Under the lid, you’ll find a 1600 x 900 pixel backlit LED display, made of Gorilla Glass materials, alongside a 13-hours battery, a full-sized SD slot expansion and duo cameras on the back (5MP) and up front (2MP). This one measures approx 10mm thick and weigh 2.2lbs in total. It will go on sale starting June 10, for $650 (32GB) and $750 (64GB).

The mid-size version is the Excite 10, which surprisingly features a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 display, paired with an 8.9mm chassis, similar camera aspects and the same full-sized SD card slot. this one will be equipped with a 10-hours battery and said to go live May 6th, priced at $500 for 16GB, $530 for 32GB, or $650 for the 64GB.

The smallest candidate, the Excite 7.7, packs a brilliant AMOLED screen display sized at the 7-inch range. It is certainly very thin and measures only 7.6mm thick and weigh JUST 0.84lbs. Nonetheless, it sports 1280×800 screen resolution, a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, and a micro-SD slot expansion. Toshiba officials say it will hit the shelves June 10th as well, with prices starting at $500 for the 16GB handset and $580 for the 32GB option.

 

TOSHIBA SET TO EXCITE THE TABLET MARKET WITH NEW 10-, 13- AND 7.7-INCH TABLETS
Toshiba Introduces Three New Android-powered Tablets, Giving Consumers More Choice
IRVINE, Calif. – Apr. 10, 2012 – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the expansion of its Excite™ family of Android™-powered tablets with three new display sizes – 13.3-inch, 10.1-inch and 7.7-inch. The new Excite tablets boast thin-and-light designs, brilliant displays, quad-core performance as well as a full range of essential ports and smart features.

“One size does not fit all, so we are carefully considering how and where people are using tablets and designing form factors to best suit various needs,” said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. “With amazingly thin and light designs, our new Excite family of tablets continues to incorporate what consumers have come to love about Toshiba tablets: essential ports for a more complete tablet computing experience plus durability that ensures they can go the distance.”

Powered to Perform, Built to Last and Designed to Excite
The three new tablets – Excite 10, Excite 13 and Excite 7.7 – feature elegant and sturdy aluminum shells and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass displays, making them not only stylish, but also durable. Powered by Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, which builds on the things people love most about Android – the tablets offer a simplified UI, easy multitasking, customizable home screens, resizable widgets and a full suite of familiar Google™ mobile services applications – as well as powerful new ways of communicating and sharing.
From scrolling and swiping the web, to the fast action of the latest games, the Excite tablets’ all-new NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 processorsi deliver amazing multitasking, web, gaming and video. This innovative mobile processor features the world’s only 4-PLUS-1™ mobile quad-core CPU, providing users outstanding performance for even the most demanding applications. Apps run faster, games are played at console-quality, HD video is smoother, plus it features a unique 5th battery-saver core to handle everyday apps – extending battery lifeii.

Each tablet is equipped with a 5-megapixel camera on the back, along with a 2-megapixel front-facing shooter for convenient photography, video capture and chat. The tablets also include stereo speakers with exclusive sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS® Labs, as well as Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® connectivity.

Excite 10: Smart, Speedy, Durable
An all-around tablet designed for home and away, the Excite 10 tablet delivers an exceptional visual experience, featuring a bright, high definition 10.1-inch diagonal AutoBrite™ LED Backlit display with 1280×800 resolution and 10-finger multi-touch support, making it an ideal choice for web browsing, reading, games and apps. Measuring just 0.35 inches thin and weighing just 1.32 poundsiii, the Excite 10 tablet is extremely portable and delivers up to 10 hours of battery lifeiv and seven days of stand-by.

Delivering more performance than previous generation tablets, the Excite 10 tablet is powered by a quad-core NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 processorv with GeForce graphicsvi and 1GB of RAMvii, opening up new possibilities for everyday multi-purpose use and next generation mobile games. Built to do more than the average tablet, users can enjoy easy syncing and sharing between all of their favorite devices, with a selection of built-in ports, including Micro USB, Micro HDMI® and a full-size SD card slot.

Excite 13: More Screen for More of Everything
Delivering more screen real estate than any other tablet on the market, the Excite 13 tablet offers a big, bright, higher resolution display, while delivering more room for everything else – from sharing photos and web browsing to playing games and watching movies with a group. Ideally suited for the home, from growing families to empty nesters, the Excite 13 tablet is only 0.4 inches thin and weighs 2.2 poundsviii, so it is still easy to carry.

With a 13.3-inch diagonal AutoBrite™ LED Backlit display with 10-finger touch support, the tablet boasts a cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio and 1600×900 native resolution, perfect for watching HD movies and videos. A four-speaker sound system with exclusive sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS Labs delivers amazing audio and an included tablet stand makes it easy to prop up on a table, kitchen countertop or coffee table to share videos with friends and family.

Not only great for movies, the Excite 13 tablet can power through the latest games and multitask with ease. Powered by the quad-core NVIDIA Tegra™ 3 mobile processorix with GeForce graphicsx and 1GB of memoryxi, the large display tablet offers smooth, console-quality gaming plus the performance for high definition entertainment. Extremely power efficient, the Excite 13 tablet is targeted to deliver up to 13 hours of battery lifexii and seven days of stand-by. The Excite 13 tablet includes Micro USB, Micro HDMI® ports and a full-size SD card slot for syncing and sharing content.

Excite 7.7: A Brilliant AMOLED Display
Toshiba’s first tablet to feature an AMOLED display, the Excite 7.7 tablet is ideal for consumers on the go and is perfect for the mobile gamer and movie lover alike. The tablet’s brilliant 7.7-inch diagonal display brings games, movies, books and photos to life like never before with rich colors, deep contrast and amazing sharpness. Extremely thin at just 0.3 inches and light at only 13.4 ounces, Excite 7.7 fits easily into a bag or jacket.

Exceptionally powerful and able to tackle the latest games and HD content, the Excite 7.7 tablet is powered by a quad-core NVIDIA® Tegra™ 3 processor with GeForce graphicsxiii and 1GB of memoryxiv. The tablet includes a Micro USB port and a Micro SD card slot for syncing and sharing content.

The Convenience of Android and Exclusive Toshiba Apps
The new Excite tablets include a full suite of familiar Google™ Mobile Service applications, including Google Play™, YouTube™, Gmail™ and Google Maps™. Additionally, the tablets come pre-loaded with a useful mix of Toshiba software and third-party applications, including TOSHIBA Book Place, which offers more than 3 million e-books, the TOSHIBA Media Player that supports content sharing, TOSHIBA File Manager, as well as Netflix™ and Zinio™, the ultimate app for magazine lovers and more.

Pricing and Availability
The Excite 10 tablet will be available for purchase on May 6, 2012 for $449.99 MSRPxv for the 16GB model, $529.99 MSRPxvi for the 32GB model and $649.99 MSRPxvii for the 64GB model.

The Excite 7.7 tablet will be available for purchase on June 10, 2012 for $499.99 MSRPxviii for the 16GB model and $579.99 MSRPxix for the 32GB model.

The Excite 13 tablet will be available for purchase on June 10, 2012 for $649.99 MSRPxx for the 32GB model and $749.99 MSRPxxi for the 64GB model.

These tablets will be available at major retailers, e-tailers and direct from Toshiba at ToshibaDirect.com.

Image Gallery: http://bit.ly/excitetablets.
Connect with Toshiba on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ToshibaUSA, on Twitter at twitter.com/ToshibaUSA and on YouTube at youtube.com/ToshibaUS.

tablets

Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 Quietly Introduced With Ice Cream Sandwich On Board

1 Comment

Lenovo has finally jumped on the Ice Cream Sandwich bandwagon. That’s right folks, the Chinese Corp. just quietly unveiled (on YouTube ) a 9.7-inch tablet, and claims it will launch with an Android 4.0 OS on board. And while price and availability are yet to be determined, the 8.9mm-thick device, called IdeaTab S2109, is said to be including some sort of a TI OMAP chipset, alongside a 1024 x 768 IPS screen display, a microSD memory card expansion, microUSB plus micro-HDMI ports, quad speakers on the back and a 1.3 megapixels shooter up front. Right now, there are no capacity details to share, but the battery life would approximately last up to 10 hours of work. So without further ado, hit the jump and watch the video.

[youtube id=”__5DlnyEsy4″]

[via SlashGear]

tablets

Motorola Xoom WiFi Finally Gets The Android 4.0.4 Update

If by chance you happen to be a proud owner of the 10.1-inch Xoom Wifi tablet, there is a new update coming your way, so you can start getting excited about that – It’s the long awaited Android 4.0.4 version. According to the good guys over at Droid-Life, Motorola users are likely to get the Ice Cream Sandwich software just about now, over-the-air, with a few improvements including a quicker screen rotation, immediately lock-the-screen feature, a better camera and some other minor changes and bug fixes. If preferred, you may choose the manual path by simply going to Settings > About tablet > System update, and make the magic happen. Happy updates!

 

[via Droid-Life]

tablets

Acer Iconia Tab A510 Officially Coming Stateside with Tegra 3 and Android 4.0 On Board

1 Comment

The Acer Iconia Tab A510 was out and about at CES 2012, back in January, but it’s only today that we’re getting an official announcement from the Taiwanese corp. The 10.1-inch Android 4.0 tablet that is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 3 processor, was specifically designed to replace the company’s Iconia A500 variant, and compete with top-notch tablets already available in the market. As of now, the A510 is up and available for pre-order in the US and Canada, in black or white flavors, starting at $450. Inside, you’ll find the most recent specifications, including that 1280 x 800 screen resolution, paired with a quad-core chip, 1GB of RAM, microSD slot expansion, 32GB of storage, a 5 megapixel shooter on the back plus another one at 1 megapixel up front. The battery inside is claimed to provide up to 12 hours of continuous work, and the new tablet device will feature the Olympic Games logo engraved at the center of the rear coat. As we’ve already mentioned, it will launch with an Ice Cream Sandwich OS out of the box, but meanwhile until something else happens, you can hop past the jump to read the official word from Acer.

Update: It looks like the Iconia Tab A510 has finally gotten its hooks into Internet sales. The 10.1-inch Ice Cream Sandwich slate is now apparently available for purchasing at Acer’s US online store, and will set you back about $450.

 

Acer Iconia Tab A510 Tablet Delivers Quad Core Performance for High-End Entertainment and Productivity

Editor’s Summary:
* Acer first tablet with Quad Core Tegra 3 Processor
* Provides long battery life of up to 12 hours for video playback
* Pre-installed productivity solution: mobile office suite Polaris™ 3.5 and wireless printing app
* New tablet is first Acer Olympic Games Edition, exclusive design features Olympic rings
* Pre-sale starts now at $449.99 for 32GB Iconia Tab A510 in U.S. and Canada

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 22, 2012 – Acer America today debuts its first quad-core tablet in North America, the Acer Iconia Tab A510 with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor. It is designed to deliver outstanding performance and a visually rich experience for mobile game playing and entertainment such as enjoying video and lifestyle apps.

In addition, the new 10.1-inch tablet Acer Iconia Tab A510 goes beyond what most people expect of their tablets to enable heightened productivity. The new tablet comes with the full suite of Polaris™ Office 3.5, which is compatible with Microsoft Office and allows reading and editing of various document formats for mobile access to important information. The new Acer tablet also includes Acer Print, so customers have a convenient and seamless way to print wirelessly from their tablet.

The first rate tablet experience is heightened with Android™ 4.0 OS (Ice Cream Sandwich) which features a more intuitive interface and improved overall performance for faster browsing, better multitasking, as well as enhanced app and folder management.

“The new Acer Iconia Tab A510 will exceed the expectations of customers who are ready to embrace using their tablets for more fun, entertainment and a first-rate mobile gaming experience,” said Paul Tayar, director of product marketing for connected devices, Acer America. “Our second-generation Acer A510 builds on the success of its award-winning predecessor with notable improvements in performance, responsiveness and ease-of use, elevating it to the status of ultimate mobile companion. Plus, the tablet will really surprise people with its comprehensive suite of productivity apps that will enable them to remain productive and connected on-the-go.”

Ultimate Performance with NVIDIA Tegra™ 3 Quad Core Processor, Extended Battery Life
The Acer Iconia Tab A510 provides blazing speed and responsiveness powered by the NVIDIA Tegra™ 3 Mobile Processor and high-performance 12-Core GeForce NVIDIA GPU. This processor provides a unique Super 4-PLUS-1™ Quad Core CPU design with a fifth Battery Saver Core that allows up to four cores to be dedicated to demanding tasks such as watching video and playing the next generation of graphics-intense mobile games.

These four cores provide up to 2.6 times the performance and up to three times the graphics performance compared to previous generation processors, making the tablet incredibly responsive with life-like and crisp visuals for mobile entertainment and console-quality gaming on-the-go. The processor also provides up to four times faster web-browsing, smooth navigation, and hardware-accelerated support for Adobe Flash 11, which comes pre-installed on the tablet.

When the tablet takes on everyday tasks, the fifth Battery Saver Core becomes engaged in place of the other four cores, ultimately using less power and improving battery life. The 9800mAh battery, one of the highest capacity models in the industry, further improves battery life, so customers can enjoy their tablet for up to 12 hours(1) of video playback.

Productivity Suite, Printing, Make A510 Tablet a Mobile Workstation
The Acer A510 tablet is packed with a full suite of productivity apps optimized for use on a tablet that will give any road warrior a much needed boost. The anchor of the suite is Polaris™ Office 3.5, which provides customers a premium way to read and edit various popular documents while providing enhanced integration with other tablet apps. It also features Evernote, the easy-to-use personal assistant that keeps customers organized by allowing them to capture and save web pages, photos, ideas and documents and then store them to the cloud for access from other devices.

With Acer Print, customers can print wirelessly from the convenience of their Acer tablet, unlike some tablets that require confusing or costly apps that don’t support a wide range of printers. Acer Print is compatible with 87 percent of brand name printers on the current market. In addition to supporting a variety of printing formats (doc, pic and browsers), Acer Print also shows the exact print layout on the screen, no matter if it’s a spreadsheet for work or coupons for grocery shopping.

Additionally, the Acer A510 can be taken to a meeting to deliver a presentation; it supports HDMI to VGA for quick connection to projector.

Thrilling Extras for Entertainment, Connectivity
The Acer Iconia Tab A510 highlights lifelike and compelling 720p visuals thanks to the gorgeous 10.1-inch WXGA (1280×800 resolution) HD display. The Acer A510’s 16:10 aspect ratio and wide 85-degree viewing angle ensure an optimal viewing experience that is further improved by Dolby™ Mobile 3 audio. Plus, the display is a 10-point touch capacitive screen, so it delivers a remarkable degree of accuracy and responsiveness.

In addition, customers can share video stored on Acer Iconia Tab A510 with other devices via the tablet’s built-in micro HDMI port. Blu-ray™ quality 1080p video in 30fps can be streamed from the tablet to an external display. Plus, the micro USB 2.0 port enables quick content transfers to and from the tablet. Plus, the new tablet has been enhanced with the ability to conveniently charge it from its USB 2.0 port via another USB 2.0 device.

The Acer A510 is packed with features customers want in a tablet. Its 1GB of RAM(2) contributes to its fast mobile performance. The new tablet comes with an integrated 32GB of flash storage(2) for ample storage of photos, music and videos. The Acer A510 also has a Micro-SD card reader that supports up to 32GB Micro-SD cards(2) that can access additional digital content.

The Acer Iconia Tab A510 keeps consumers connected to Wi-Fi networks with reliable Acer 802.11a/b/g/n wireless technology. Plus, the integrated Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (enhanced data rate) allows consumers to connect the tablet to a variety of other devices, such as headsets and printers.

The 1MP fixed-focused front-facing camera has an improved zoom, making it ideal for video conferencing. The 5MP rear-facing camera is auto-focusing, and provides the ability to take snapshots while recording HD video. Video clips and photos can be enhanced on the fly, stored and searched for based on various tags, and conveniently stored on Google+™.

The Acer Iconia Tab A510 is ready for hours of entertainment with popular pre-loaded apps such as Kindle™ for reading and Netflix™ for instant movie enjoyment. Google™ Music allows customers to create and enjoy their own personal playlists on their tablet. The preloaded Tegra Zone Android™ app brings customers direction to the best Android™ games that are optimized for NVIDIA Tegra powered tablets.

Intuitive Experience with Android™ 4.0 and Acer Ring, clear.fi
The Acer Iconia Tab A510 runs on Android™ 4.0 OS to deliver faster browsing, enhanced app and folder management options, more intuitive navigation, and a more polished design with enhanced holographic effects. Customers can easily customize their Acer tablet and will enjoy improved integration with Gmail™ email and calendar functions as well as improved multitasking and switching between tasks.

The Iconia Tab A510 features the unique interactive Acer Ring interface that can be customized to launch favorite apps, programs and websites. The Acer Ring one-touch button is always at the bottom of the display, so customers are always only a single touch away from what they care about most. It also features Screenshot, which can be used in any app to capture images of a web site, high score on a game, map and even a still from a video call.

Acer clear.fi is installed on the Acer Iconia Tab A510 to connect with any other DLNA-compliant device to quickly and easily share digital media. Clear.fi automatically connects all Acer devices on a network (smartphones, notebooks, desktops, HD media plays and storage devices) and gathers and organizes media files by type (video, music, photos, pre-recorded TV).

Olympic Edition Highlights Sleek, Usable Design
The Acer Iconia Tab A510 is a special Olympic Games Tablet Edition of the Acer Iconia Tab line. It features the Acer and Olympic logos on the chassis to celebrate the company’s sponsorship of the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games. The new tablet was designed with on-the-go usability in mind. The chassis’ soft-touch finish is comfortable to hold and buttons such as volume and screen lock are well-placed. It easily fits in a purse, briefcase or book bag, as it measures only 10.2(w) x 6.9(d) x 0.43(h) inches and weighs just over 24 ounces.

Available in U.S. and Canada Starting at $449.99
The new Acer Iconia Tab A510 is available for pre-sale starting today at national electronics retailers in the United States and Canada at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $449.99 USD and CAD. The premiere models are the Acer A510-10s32 (silver) and Acer A510-10k32 (black).

Customers can purchase the sleek protective case to protect the Acer A510 tablet. The snug-fitting design prevents slipping on surfaces and props it up for improved access for game-playing and typing. It also allows convenient access to the connectors and ports. It is available through Acer at a price of $39.99.

tablets

Samsung Officially Announces Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) Tablet

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Samsung has already announced 7- inch Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) tablet early this month, and now, at MWC Barcelona, the South Korean corp officially unveils the 10.1-inch flavor, dubbed Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1). The bigger version, which goes on sale this coming March (for an undetermined price), is said to include a higher 10.1-inch screen resolution (1280 x 800), 1Ghz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, an early build of Ice Cream Sandwich along with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, optional 21Mbps HSPA+ connectivity, a long life 7,000 mAh battery, dual cameras (3-megapixel back, VGA front), and either 16GB or 32GB of storage capacities, available at your choice (with microSD slot expansion rocking on board). There’s a long list of specs after the break, along with the company’s full PR announcement.

Update: We’ve just added a quick hands-on video, courtesy of gsmarena, after the jump.

[youtube id=”Reena6Aiihw”]

 

Samsung’s new GALAXY Tab 2 series offers optimal multimedia experiences in life

February 26, 2012

Samsung introduces its first line-up of tablets for 2012 with the launch of the GALAXY Tab 2 series, expanding the choice of tablets to customers. The GALAXY Tab 2 series includes a 7″ version and a 10.1″ version. Starting from UK, the GALAXY Tab 2 series will be launched in global market from March.

The GALAXY Tab 2 series is available in 3G and WiFi versions, as well as in 7″ and 10.1″ variants. Light and portable, the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) is the ideal personal on-the-go device; while the larger GALAXY Tab 2 (10.1) is well-suited for home and family use.

The GALAXY Tab 2 series is exhibited at Samsung stand (Hall 8), Mobile World Congress 2012. For multimedia content and more detailed information, please visitwww.samsungmobilepress.com.

Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) Product Specifications

Network
HSPA＋ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100
Processor
1 GHz Dual-Core Processor
Display
7″ WSVGA(1024×600) PLS TFT
OS
Android 4.0(Ice Cream Sandwich)
Camera
Main(Rear): 3 Megapixel Camera
Sub(Front): VGA for Video Call
Video
Codec: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, VC-1, DivX, WMV7, WMV8, WMV9, VP8
Format: 3GP, ASF, AVI, MP4, WMV, FLV, MKV, WebM
Playback/ Recording: Full HD@30fps, HD@30fps
Audio
Codec: MP3, AAC, AC-3, AMR, FLAC, MID, WMA, WAV, OGG
Music Player with SoundAlive
3.5mm Ear Jack
Value-added Features
Samsung TouchWiz/ Samsung L!ve Panel
Samsung Apps
Samsung Hub＊
– Readers Hub/ Music Hub/ Game Hub/ Video Hub
Samsung Hub Widget＊
– Music Hub/ Game Hub/ Video Hub
Samsung S Suggest＊ (App recommendation service)
Samsung ChatON mobile communication service
Samsung AllShare Play＊
Samsung Kies / Samsung Kies air
GoogleTM Mobile Services
– Android Market™, Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Maps™,
Syncing with Google Calendar™, Google Search, Google ＋
Polaris document editor
A-GPS, Glonass
Connectivity
Bluetooth technology v 3.0
USB 2.0 Host
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct
Sensor
Accelerometer, Digital compass, Light
Proximity(＊ Available on 3G version only)
Memory
8/16/32GB User memory ＋ 1GB (RAM)
microSD (up to 32GB)
Dimension
193.7 x 122.4 x 10.5 mm, 345g
Battery
Standard battery, Li-ion 4,000mAh
＊ Availability and launching time of the services may differ by region.
＊ All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Samsung GALAXY Tab 2 (10.1) Product Specifications

Network
HSPA＋ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100
Processor
1 GHz Dual-Core Processor
Display
10.1″ WXGA(1280×800) PLS TFT
OS
Android 4.0(Ice Cream Sandwich)
Camera
Main(Rear): 3 Megapixel Camera
Sub(Front): VGA for Video Call
Video
Codec: MPEG4, H.264. H.263, VC-1, DivX, WMV7, WMV8, WMV9, VP8
Format: 3GP, ASF, AVI, MP4, WMV, FLV, MKV, WebM
Playback/ Recording: Full HD@30fps, HD@30fps
Audio
Codec: MP3, AAC, AC-3, AMR, FLAC, MID, WMA, WAV, OGG
Music Player with SoundAlive

3.5mm Ear Jack
Value-added Features
Samsung TouchWiz / Samsung L!ve Panel
Samsung Apps
Samsung Hub
– Readers Hub/ Music Hub/ Game Hub/ Video Hub
Samsung Hub Widget＊
– Music Hub/ Game Hub/ Video Hub
Samsung S Suggest＊ (App recommendation service)
Samsung ChatON mobile communication servicea
Samsung AllShare Play
Samsung Kies / Samsung Kies air
GoogleTM Mobile Services
– Android Market™, Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Maps™,
Syncing with Google Calendar™, Google Search, Google ＋
Polaris document editor
A-GPS, Glonass
Connectivity
Bluetooth technology v 3.0
USB 2.0 Host
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct
Sensor
Accelerometer, Digital compass, Light
Memory
16/32GB User memory ＋ 1GB (RAM)
microSD (up to 32GB)
Dimension
256.6 x 175.3 x 9.7 mm , 588g
Battery
Standard battery, Li-ion 7,000 mAh

tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) Officially Breaks Cover With Ice Cream Sandwich Running On Board

2 Comments

Well it’s not just a rumor anymore! Samsung has officially announced the release of the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), a contemporary version to Sammy’s latest and greatest Galaxy Tab Plus edition, that will probably go live sometime this March, with Android 4.0 operating inside alongside a 1024 x 600 LCD, 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, and your choice of Wi-Fi or always-on 3G connectivity out of the box. Furthermore, the 10.5mm tablet will pack a  3-megapixel rear-facing camera, paired with a typical 1.3-megapixel flavor on the front. There’s also a 4,000 mAh battery under the lid, an optional HSPA+ connectivity (in case you’re interested), and a DLNA support to wrap it all up. Prices are yet to be determined, but full PR release and the video announcement can be found, after the jump.

[youtube id=”0IVwzPw-mt4″]

video by dotekmánie

 [via Sammyhub]

Samsung’s new GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) offers optimal multimedia experiences in life

February 13, 2012

Samsung expands the GALAXY Tab range with GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) powered by the AndroidTM 4.0 and a 1GHz dual core processor

Prague, February 13, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today introduced its first line-up of tablets for 2012 with the launch of the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0), expanding the choice of tablets to customers. Light and portable, the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) is the ideal personal on-the-go device, available in 3G and WiFi versions. Starting from UK, the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) will be launched in global market from March.

“Two years ago, Samsung GALAXY Tab began to offer customers more possibilities on the go. Since then, Samsung has actively enhanced our tablet line-up with several tablets in different sizes,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “The new GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) will provide people with delighted multimedia experience and allow efficient communication.”

Samsung’s first Android 4.0 Tablet

Samsung’s first Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)-powered tablet offers a variety of new and improved Android OS features. An upgraded Android Market enables access to more than 400,000 applications which can be enjoyed across phones or tablets. Furthermore, a more intuitive user interface includes the ability to swipe-control applications as well as a wholly redesigned app gallery for easier sharing of content. The new OS’s vastly faster performance and response times across multiple applications is further enhanced by HSPA＋ 21Mbps or WiFi connectivity.

Additionally, Android 4.0 includes a selection of embedded Google applications that enables users to quickly launch sites and applications that they use frequently; meanwhile, the innovative Face Unlock feature unlocks the tablet through unique facial recognition software.

A complete experience with enriched multimedia content

The GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) offers users easy multimedia access, playback and sharing experiences with Samsung Hub services. Samsung’s Music Hub provides a full music store solution with access to over 17 million tracks. Additionally, the Readers Hub provides the user with access to over 2.3 million e-books, 3,500 magazines and over 2,000 newspapers in 51 languages, while the Game Hub instantly connects users to the latest game titles. Samsung is also introducing the Video Hub, which offers over 1,000 film titles for purchase or rent, and provides reviews, trailers and recommendations for easier content selection using the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0).

Complementing the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0)’s multimedia offering is Samsung’s upgraded Touchwiz user interface that features Hub widgets for one-step access to users’ content in Hubs; the device also presents S Suggest, a new service offering recommendations of apps suited to users’ tastes directly on a home screen.

The GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0)’s superb multimedia experience is further boosted by Samsung’s AllShare Play, a new content-sharing service available for the first time on any Samsung mobile device. AllShare Play allows users to play or live-stream their multimedia content on their GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) from PCs, other Samsung smart devices as well as third-party web storages. Users can also easily transfer content to other devices or directly to web services.

Better Communication Capabilities

Connecting socially has never been easier with GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0)’s built-in powerful communication capabilities.With the voice call capability, the GALAXY Tab 2 (7.0) can be used just as easily as a phone, affording users the handy convenience of a second device in case they misplace their primary phone. It also lets users to spontaneously arrange multi-party video calls via Google＋ hangouts, as well as engage in group chats or micro-communities to collectively chat or share content. In addition, ChatON, Samsung’s cross-platform communication service, connects all phone users of any platform into a single community. ChatON uses phone numbers instead of ID and passwords, and provides easy instant messaging and group chatting in various formats-images, video, voice, contacts-to make messaging simple and intuitive.

Operating Systems, tablets

HP TouchPads Get Ice Cream Sandwich Thanks To a CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 0 Release

If you’re one of those very lucky guys, who have managed to put their hands on HP’s “not available anymore”  Touchpad devices, you need to pay close attention to possible opportunities arising from an early Alpha 0 build of CyanogenMod 9 that lets you run your own edition of Ice Cream Sandwich instead of the pre-loaded WebOS platform available on board. Of course you can have a triple boot tablet constructed from webOS, CM7 and CM9 all together, but that’s not really recommended. However, toying with the idea of bringing this new Android 4.0 into the Touchpad, definitely is (even though you may run into some minor issues when it comes to the camera, video acceleration and Android Market access). To learn more, please visit the RootzWiki link below, or click the jump to watch the video.

[youtube id=”u8imU7nzLG4″]

[via RootzWiki]

tablets

ViewSonic Announces Three New Low Budget Android Tablets

1 Comment

At CES 2012, ViewSonic is announcing three new Android tablets for low-mid U.S markets. The first, known as the ViewSonic E70, runs the latest and greatest Ice Cream Sandwich platform on board, along with a 7-inch WVGA touchscreen on top of the slate and a 1GHz CPU, 4GB of internal storage, WiFi, micro-HDMI out, a front-facing camera, optional 3G connectivity, and micro-SD slot under the lid. This one will be ready for shipping somewhere towards the end of March for ONLY $169, which makes it very competitive price-wise, with the additional upgrades. The second, the ViewPad 10e, will go on sale by the end of the month for $299, and reportedly sports a 10-inch IPS display, paired with a robust 9.1mm chassis, a 1Ghz Cortex A8 CPU and either Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich for the OS, to be determined later, after the show. And last but not least, is the 10-inch (1280×800) ViewSonic ViewPad 10pi, that houses a 1.5GHz Intel Oak Trail z670 chip, powered by dual-boot of Android 2.3 and Windows 7 OS. Now, frankly speaking, we’re not a huge fans of those two different platforms, running together under one slugish roof. It’s slow, very choppy and not a good user-friendly / user experience we, the gadget lovers, are striving for while we’re watching a video or surfing the net. That said, we leave it to your discretion, as long as you’re willing to pay $849 for it. Check out the videos after the jump.

[youtube id=”QzMpdN9UqqU”]

[youtube id=”Tdxlqy-2JPI”]

[youtube id=”EKEi3EDb23A”]

[videos courtesy of phonearena.com]

tablets

Ainovo Makes It Out With a $79 Novo7 Paladin Ice Cream Sandwich Tablet

You really can’t expect much in a tablet that is so cheap. That, however, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy yourself one, especially if you are struggling to end the month with a positive cash flow. for those who would settle for the second best or just the average tablet device, we would highly recommend getting this brand new $79 Ice Cream Sandwich slate from Ainovo, also known as the Novo7 Paladin tablet. And while we’ve already seen some NOVO7 creatures running an Android 4.0 OS  inside their guts, this one, now available in China, runs a bit cheaper at around $79 or so. In addition to the lower rates, we’re looking at a 7-inch 800 x 480 multitouch display, packed with a MIPS-based 1GHz single core processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage,  a GC860 GPU, a 3.5mm jack and miniUSB/microSD ports. Unfortunately $79 probably won’t actually buy you GPS or integrated cameras, but it doesn’t really matter for us, is it? Anyway, make sure to check out the video after the break.

[youtube id=”jW0c8chJ5wE”]

tablets

Toshiba’s New Excite X10 Claims To Be World’s Thinnest Android Tablet

3 Comments

Toshiba has officially announced a new sleek 10.1-inch tablet which sports a 1280 x 800  Gorilla Glass IPS touchscreen and said to be the world’s thinnest tablet in the market, to date, with a .3-inch thick and only 1.2-pound in weight. The new slate that goes by the name “Excite X10” is planned to include  a 1.2GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor under the lid, along with 1GB of RAM, Android 3.2 for the Os (ready for an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade), WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a microUSB, microHDMI, GPS support and microSD card slot. The way it looks, there are two cameras, one 5 megapixel camera in the back of the tablet, and a 1.3 megapixel camera in the front. Your choices among the Excite offerings are the 16GB that will run $529.99 while the 32GB version will retail for $599. Full PR and video, courtesy of Notebooks.com,  just after the break.

[youtube id=”0NDO2dCTNGU”]

 

TOSHIBA UNVEILS PLANS TO BRING THE WORLD’S THINNEST 10-INCH TABLET TO THE US MARKET
Excite X10 Tablet Paves the Way for Premium Tablet Design by Achieving Ultra-thin and Light Form, While Maintaining Essential Ports and Features
LAS VEGAS – Consumer Electronics Show 2012 – Jan. 9, 2012 – Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today revealed plans to introduce the ExciteTM X10 tablet, the world’s thinnest 10-inch tablet, to the U.S. market. Measuring in at just 0.3 inches (7.7mm) thin and weighing just 1.18 pounds (535g)1, this next- gen tablet offers a premium design with essential ports and features needed for a more complete experience. The Excite X10 tablet will be available in the U.S. starting in the first quarter of 2012.

A More Premium Design
Ultra-thin, ultra-light and ultra-powerful, the Excite X10 features a high-resolution 10.1-inch diagonal AutoBriteTM display2, offering an ideal canvas for browsing and entertainment. Designed for durability and style, the device also features a high-quality magnesium alloy surface and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass display with an anti-smudge coating for greater resiliency.

“Excite X10 pushes the boundaries of what a thin and light tablet is capable of, delivering elegant styling without sacrificing features or durability,” said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division.

All the Essentials on Board
To connect with other devices, the Excite X10 tablet comes with all essential interfaces and ports onboard, including micro-USB and HDMI ® ports, a micro-SD slot to share content and files with other devices, plus Wi-Fi ® and Bluetooth ® connectivity. The micro HDMI port allows users to extend HD content from their tablet screen to a large screen HDTV. Front and back HD cameras provide convenient photo capture, plus 1080p video recording and conferencing. Stereo speakers enhanced with exclusive deliver superior entertainment capabilities.

“We see the tablet as a key device in a connected home ecosystem, so delivering not just a thin and light design, but one that also incorporates built-in ports, is a step toward making the connected home a reality,” added Pinto.

Smart Multicore Performance with Long Battery Life
Powered by the Texas Instruments OMAPTM4430 mobile processor3, the Excite X10 delivers smart multicore processing power without draining battery life. The multicore design features two ARM CortexTM A9 cores plus dual-channel memory for greater speed and efficiency, offering smooth web browsing and multi-tasking plus high definition video and entertainment.

To connect with other devices, the Excite X10 tablet comes with all essential interfaces and
ports onboard, including micro-USB and HDMI® ports, a micro-SD slot to share content and files with other devices, plus Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® connectivity. The micro HDMI port allows
users to extend HD content from their tablet screen to a large screen HDTV. Front and back
HD cameras provide convenient photo capture, plus 1080p video recording and conferencing. Stereo speakers enhanced with exclusive deliver superior entertainment capabilities.

Powered by the Latest Android Technology
The Excite X10 tablet is powered by the latest Android platform technology. Also included is a full suite of familiar Google Mobile Service applications, including the Android Market, YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, Music, Videos, plus select third-party applications including Netflix.

Specifications
— Latest Android technology
— 10.1-inch diagonal LED Backlit widescreen Corning Gorilla Glass display with IPS
technology and 10-finger multi-touch support
— 1280 x 800 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio
— Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 processor; 1.2GHz with 1GB LPDDR2 RAM
— 16GB and 32GB configurations4
— 2 megapixel front-facing camera
— 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash
— Micro USB, Micro HDMI ports
— Micro SD card slot
— Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
— Gyroscope, Accelerometer, GPS, eCompass and Ambient Light Sensor
— Stereo speakers with sound enhancements by Toshiba and SRS® Labs
— Built-in 25 watt-hour rechargeable lithium ion battery
— 10.1″ (W) x 6.9″ (D) x 0.3″ (H)  1.18 pounds (535g)

Pricing and Availability
The Excite X10 tablet will be available in mid-Q1 2012 for a starting price of $529.99 MSRP5 for the 16GB model and $599.99 MSRP for the 32GB model at major U.S. retailers, e-tailers and ToshibaDirect.com.

tablets

Acer To Launch Iconia Tab A200 In North America For $330

Acer has just confirmed that it’ll be releasing Iconia Tab A200 Stateside, on January 15th, for merely $330. The 10-inch Android Honeycomb tablet which runs NVIDIA’s dual-core Tegra 2 SoC inside, along with a 1280 x 800 display, 8GB of internal storage (16GB version is $20 more), a 2MP front-facing camera and a built-in microSD card slot, is said to include a battery with up to eight hours of work time, and a full-sized USB 2.0 port, to shift your files from one place to another. In addition, we hear that Acer is said to be working on an Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) update that will go live somewhere around mid-February of 2012, but ’till then you can click the jump to read even more about it.

[youtube id=”dPBM1ePZhPU”]

Acer Expands Popular Tablet Lineup with Iconia Tab A200, A Full-Featured HD Tablet at an Attractive $329 Price

SAN JOSE, Calif., January 5, 2012 – Acer America today announced availability of the Iconia™ Tab A200, the latest addition to Acer’s line of full-featured Android tablets. The new 10.1-inch Iconia Tab A200 is a portable activity hub for gaming, e-books, movies, music, photography, social networking and more. Offered at the attractive price of $329.99, the Iconia Tab A200 will be available to U.S. customers on January 15.

The new Acer Iconia Tab A200 tablet enables customers to interact with and enjoy technology in ways that are both truly natural and exciting. Loaded with the latest edition of Android™ Honeycomb™ 3.2 operating system, the Iconia Tab A200 is user-friendly and extremely interactive with resizable app widgets and fun features the whole family can enjoy. The Iconia Tab A200 also comes with a free upgrade to Android 4.0 (known as Ice Cream Sandwich), which will be available in mid-February.

“The Acer Iconia Tab family of tablets is an excellent example of Acer’s ability to deliver high-performance, full-function mobile devices at unbeatable values,” said Eric Ackerson, senior product marketing manager for Acer America. “Acer brings the Iconia Tab A200 to consumers at an affordable price, without making sacrifices on key tablet features such as expansion, connectivity to other devices, HD displays and cameras.”

High-Quality Performance for Hours of Fun
Sleek and easy to hold, the Iconia Tab A200 weighs 1.5 pounds. The tablet is wrapped in a slim, titanium gray-colored casing, with an eye-catching patterned back side, which is soft to the touch. On the front, the A200 showcases a beautiful HD multi-touch display featuring crystal-clear 1280 x 800 resolution for an outstanding viewing experience.

Made especially for multimedia enjoyment, the Iconia Tab A200 packs hardware and apps for loads of fun. The tablet provides an enhanced level of performance with its NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2 dual-core mobile processor and integrated GeForce™ GPU that allows users to enjoy HD gaming, 1080p video, Flash-based applications, faster browsing and multitasking.

Gamers of all ages will enjoy the preloaded Tegra Zone Android app, which allows users to search and download the best Android games that are optimized for NVIDIA Tegra powered tablets. The Iconia Tab A200’s fast gaming experience is also supported by a six-axis motion sensing gyroscope, essential for high-precision gaming so actions and animations are more correctly performed.

Users can enjoy up to eight hours of cable-free battery life , providing endless hours to surf the web, watch movies, play games and read e-books, far from the nearest electrical outlet. The Iconia Tab A200 comes pre-loaded with apps like Kindle for countless reading selections and Netflix for instant delivery of movie and entertainment titles. One tap on the Android Market allows users access to thousands of downloadable apps.

Packed with Practical and Fun Features
Offering superior expansion and connectivity, the Iconia Tab A200 has a full-size USB 2.0 port for hooking up other devices and a MicroSD slot and micro-USB port for passing data. A two megapixel front-facing web camera enables face-to-face chats or quick snaps for still photos. For an enhanced social networking experience, the Iconia Tab A200 includes Acer SocialJogger, which consolidates Facebook, Twitter and more into one spot.

The Iconia Tab A200 improves multitasking with the unique interactive Acer Ring interface, allowing users to customize their tablet experience by putting their most commonly used applications into one easy spot. Users can launch the ring by tapping the double circle located in the system bar, opening a series of key apps, settings, bookmarks or contextual menu options. The tablet also features Screenshot, which quickly captures web images, articles, Google Maps and even smiling faces from video calls. Screenshot can be used in any app for maximum convenience.

Acer clear.fi is installed on the Acer Iconia Tab A200 to connect with any other DLNA-compliant device to quickly and easily share digital medai. Clear.fi automatically connects all Acer devices on a network (smartphones, notebooks, desktops, HD media plays and storage devices) and gathers and organizes media files by type (video, music, photos, pre-recorded TV).

Affordable Pricing Starting at only $329.99
The Acer Iconia Tab A200 will be available in the U.S. on January 15 at national retail stores. The Acer Iconia Tab A200-10g16u with 16GB of memory has a manufactuerer’s suggested retail price of $349.99, while the Acer Iconia Tab A200-10g08u with 8GB of memory has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $329.99.

Operating Systems, Phones, tablets

Is Ice Cream Sandwich an Apple iOS Threat?

Google’s newest Android operating system version has had experts and users alike sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting impatiently for the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) to be delivered on mobile devices with all the bells and whistles of the ice cream truck. Users have delayed purchasing new mobile phones and tablets until the new operating confection was available. After all the headlines and the anticipation, does Android 4.0.- finally beat Apple’s iOS?

In some areas and functions, the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” In other facets, it’s, well, “not yet.” While Ice Cream Sandwich does make user control of apps easier, animation less jerky and the interface more user-friendly, it can’t yet claim the fame of toppling iOS yet. But it’s getting there, and it’s our opinion that Apple should be getting very, very worried.

Improvements

First, the good news: Many of the Gingerbread snafus, glitches and hang-ups are gone. Smoother operations are the norm with Ice Cream Sandwich. However, there still are a few that we’ll outline below.

The separated, dedicated Function keys permanently resting at the bottom of the screen are tremendous time savers. You want to return Home? Press the key. Want to head back one screen? Press that key. Want terrific apps management? Press that dedicated key. Forget a screen full of icons that you can’t see when surfing or texting or writing a note: The dedicated function keys are offset and separated from the used screen area. They’re always there – unless you deliberately use a full screen operation.

The user interface is a major improvement from Gingerbread (2.3) to Honeycomb (3.0) to Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0). Logical organisation is the key phrase. While there is still a learning curve for new Android users, learning to navigate the device is much simpler and shorter than ever. It’s not quite as intuitive and familiar as Win 7 or as easy as iOS, but it’s a major step up from Android 2.2 Froyo, Android 2.3 Gingerbread or Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

Quirks and Glitches

Alas, while apps are much more easily managed in ICS, many apps don’t work with ICS: The apps are made for Gingerbread; many won’t even download onto an ICS-driven device. Overall, Android apps are much fewer in number than Apple apps, and with the ICS compatibility issue, the Android number just dropped even farther.

The touch controls for apps might be nicer, but the touch controls still have a minute lag that is absent in Apple iOS. It’s better than it used to be, but the lag is still there. Because of that barely noticeable but noticeable delay, Ice Cream Sandwich can seem rather sleepy at times.

Future Possibilities

Android developers are extremely responsive to glitch reports, so much so that Ice Cream Sandwich has moved from the 4.0 original version to 4.0.3 in just a few weeks. It won’t be long at all before Android OS is a true, heads-on competitor with Apple iOS.

tablets

Ainol Announces the NOVO7, World’s First Android 4 Tablet

2 Comments

Ainol is a well known Chinese player, active in the low-budget tablets market. Frankly speaking, it has never been much of an interest for us, but today it definitely is, as the company announces the world’s first Android 4.0 tablet, or in its most friendly name: Novo7. The 7-inch capacitive touchscreen device which is supposedly based on Ingenic JZ4770 mobile applications processor and powered by a 1GHz XBurst CPU, runs Google’s latest and greatest Ice Cream Sandwich for the OS, and features a Vivante GC860 GPU clocked at 444MHz, along with a VGA front-facing camera plus a rear 2MP, microSD slot expansion (up to 32GB), USB 2.0, an HDMI output, WiFi, built-in G-senor and a battery that can deliver in one single charge 25 hours of video, or about 6-8 hours of continuous video playback work. The price, if you insist on asking, stands at $99 or just above the one hundred mark including shipping. Wouldn’t you get one, now that we’ve told you that? Anyway, while thinking about it hop on in for the full update and a quick video after the break.

 [Ainovo]

Continue reading Ainol Announces the NOVO7, World’s First Android 4 Tablet →

tablets

Lenovo To Introduce LePad S2005, S2007 and LePad S2010 Android Honeycomb Tablets

Chinese corp Lenovo introduces three new Android Honeycomb tablets, LePad S2005, LePad S2007 and the LePad S2010. At this point without price or confirmation of release dates. And while the 5-inch S2005 will reportedly pack an 800 x 480 LTPS display, paired with  a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, WiFi, HDMI out, Android 2.3.5 for the OS, and dual cameras with a 5-megapixel flavor on its back (capable of capturing 1080p) and a 1.3-megapixel webcam on the front, its bigger siblings will presumably boast Qualcomm’s dual-core 1.5GHz chip, along with 1GB RAM, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera plus 8 megapixels on the back, dual-mode 3G connection, WiFi, 1280 x 800 IPS display and Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, planned for the foreseeable future, or so. In addition, there are few indications that the latter two not only differ in screen sizes, but also their batteries, as the 7-inch S2007 device features a 3780mAh battery, while the 10.1-inch S2010 is said to include the 7560mAh version which holds for sufficiently long times. More to come.

Update: More on that. we here that the S2 10 model is likely to have Android 4.0 running on board, along with that 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB LPDDR2 RAM, SSD with up to 64GB of storage, HDMI Micro output, and 1.3 megapixel camera up front, while the rear is at 5 megapixel, instead of an 8MP we presumed it would have. Besides that, Lenovo is going to offer a keyboard dock that boasts an integrated  multitouch trackpad, additional 9 hours battery station, an SDHC card reader and duo USB 2.0 ports. Hit the jump to watch the video.

 

[via Engadget]

Continue reading Lenovo To Introduce LePad S2005, S2007 and LePad S2010 Android Honeycomb Tablets →

tablets

Lenovo is Preparing To Launch a 10.1-inch Ice Cream Sandwich Tablet With Tegra 3 Processor (Update: Lenovo IdeaTab K2)

Rumor has it that Lenovo is planning to release a 10.1-inch Ice Cream Sandwich tablet with a 1.6GHz Tegra 3 chipset inside, by the end of the year. According to a tipster to engadget, the nameless Lenovo device which boasts a brush metal cover on its back, will presumably include NVIDIA’s latest and greatest quad-core Tegra 3 T33 “Kal-El” SoC, paired with 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a full sized USB port, a fingerprint scanner, a rear facing camera of some undetermined description and Google’s top-notch Android platform running on board. Other than that, we have no real details as far as measures, pricing or availability, so stay tuned to learn even more.

Update: New details emerging from the CES show are clearing up the speculations around Lenovo’s upcoming Android 4.0 tablet, the IdeaTab K2, which is rumored to include a high-def 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display, along with a pair of surround technology speakers, and either 1.6GHz or 1.7GHz speed clock CPUs at your choice. To learn more, simply click the jump and watch the hands-on video.

Continue reading Lenovo is Preparing To Launch a 10.1-inch Ice Cream Sandwich Tablet With Tegra 3 Processor (Update: Lenovo IdeaTab K2) →

tablets

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime Goes Live in Early December With a Quad-Core Tegra 3 Processor On Board

1 Comment

Asus is upgrading its Eee Pad Transformer Android tablet lineup, launching the Transformer Prime, a 10.1-inch Super IPS plus slate with the first Nvidia quad-core Tegra 3 CPU running on board. This powerful device, which packs the latest and greatest technology available on market at the moment, comes with a stunning 1280 x 800 10-inch IPS screen that claims for 178-degree viewing angles and Gorilla Glass cover on top. In addition, it has an 8.3mm-thick body that houses 1GB of RAM, a GPS navigation module, SonicMaster audio system, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the OS (update), and a 1.2 MP front-facing camera, paired with an 8MP lens, sitting on its back. The rear one can auto-focus at f/2.4, and is powered by a back-illuminated CMOS sensor that allows you to capture up to 1080p video frames. In terms of ports, you’ll find inside a mini-HDMI output, 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD slot, while the battery will deliver up to 12 hours in one single charge, and storage wise, you get to choose between the 32GB version that is about to retail this coming December for $499, or the 64 gigs that will set you back for $599. Finally, there’s an optional mobile keyboard dock, but you’ll obviously need to splurge $149 more. Naturally, it will ease your typing efforts and speed up your projects on-the-go. You will find an integrated USB 2.0 port built into it, and a full-sized SD card slot. It’s a Tegra 3 machine and we’re looking forward to testing it ourselves, furthermore. Until then, you can hit the jump and read the full PR blurbs, or so.

Update1: Checkout the Eee Pad Transformer Prime in action, running Shadowgun at buttery smooth speeds. Hit the break to watch the video.

Update2: Well, looks like the Eee Pad Transformer Prime is finally coming out Stateside, and already available for your pre-orders in places like Amazon, B&H Photo, Tiger Direct and Best Buy. That’s $500 for the 32GB version and $600 for the 64 gigster, remember?

Update3: We’ve just added a quick Ice Cream Sandwitch demo video running on the Eee Pad Transformer Prime. Check it out after the break.

Update4: Looks like most Transformer Prime users are going to be very pleased with the latest news on the pipeline, as Asus officially announces an imminent release of the Ice Cream Sandwich update which is better known as the Android 4.0. It should start showing up all over the world whithin the next couple of hours, so stay tuned and get your brand new tablets ready.

 

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