Andy Pad update – 7″ Android 2.3 tablet to cost £129

The Andy Pad big reveal countdown has gone out of the window, with the maker issuing a whole heap of new information about the forthcoming Android tablet over on its web site way ahead of schedule.

The most critical fact we now have is the price, with the Andy Pad set to launch at an RRP of £129. Internally, the tablet will run the popular A8 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, with Android 2.3 confirmed as the OS. All good thus far.

No word on the critical screen technology hot potato, though. But if Kogan can squeeze a capacitive display into its super-cheap tablet, hopefully Andy Pad can too.
source: Eurodroid

Verizon video shows an unknown tablet; could it be the Xoom 2?

The guys over at Droid-Life spotted a VZW ad starring a mysterious new Honeycomb tablet, which to our ninja-trained eyes looks to exhibit many of the design elements of Motorola's Xoom. It could, of course, be just about anything, given that Verizon yanked the video almost as soon as the above screengrab was lifted, but the rear of this 10(ish)-inch tablet looks very much like a Xoom designed to be used in portrait orientation. We know Moto has a Xoom 2 cooking in the oven and it's not unreasonable to surmise that Verizon is putting together the finishing touches on a promo campaign for it.
source: 2DayBlog.com

That leaked Verizon Android tablet may be the Motorola Xoom 4G

Yesterday we brought you news that an upcoming Android-powered tablet for Verizon was inadvertently leaked by the carrier itself through an ad video. Back then, we had no idea what tablet that was, or even if it was going to be an actual shipping product. It may, after all, have been just a mock-up used for that particular commercial. Sure, Verizon taking the video down did fuel some speculation that it was indeed a real device, but that's all we had yesterday.

Today is a new day, and it brings some new stuff. First off, the video is now available again, and Verizon will probably not take it down again. Here it is:

Second, earlier today Android Central got word that the tablet you see in the image below (and throughout the video above) is in fact the Motorola Xoom 4G. But what is the Xoom 4G? Well, as its name implies, it's a Xoom with built-in 4G LTE for Verizon. Built in from the start, that is, since the original Xoom will also be upgraded to 4G LTE at some point.

Apparently Verizon isn't yet sure that it will launch the Xoom 4G, and the tablet is still in the testing phase. Other than the connectivity, this tablet is said to contain only minor tweaks compared to its older brother. It may be slimmer and lighter (since that's the trend), and if we're lucky may even come with a microSD card slot.
source: Unwired View

Vizio's 8-inch Android tablet will be available at Walmart in six weeks

Back in January, among many other tablet-related announcements, we also first heard about Vizio's plans to enter the (now quite crowded) Android tablet market. Since then, we've seen its tablet pop up at the FCC, and a rumored entry price point has been floating around the interwebs – $349.

And that (the price) may just turn out to be one of Vizio's main selling points for its tablet. The Vizio tablet will also come with an 8-inch touchscreen, a size that hasn't been tried yet in the Android world. We're used to 10.1-inch tablets, even 8.9-inch or 7-inch offerings, but an eight-incher will be something new.

Vizio's tablet will even act as a remote control for your Vizio TV, should you have one of those. All in all it seems to be an interesting player in the tablet space. We're just hoping Vizio finally decides to officially unveil its specs, price, and release date.

But speaking of the latter, a leak from Walmart now points us towards the 26th week of this year as when the Vizio tablet will become available at the well known retailer. That's in six weeks from now. Whether they will turn out to be six long weeks or six short weeks I guess depends on how badly you want a Vizio Android tablet. Or any Android tablet for $349, for that matter.
source: Unwired View

Mysterious Honeycomb tablet spotted in leaked Verizon ad

A mysterious new Android tablet has been accidentally leaked online, according to the folks at Droid-Life. They stumbled upon a new Verizon advert on YouTube (which has since been made private) showing off a tablet that isn't the Motorola Xoom or the new Galaxy Tab 10.1. The tablet is said to be running Android because of its Honeycomb lock screen and opening homescreen, and it said to resemble the Motorola Xoom due to its identical speaker. But it has a different camera and it lacks the “M” logo on the back of the tablet.

Since the video has been made private, we'll never know what it is, so all we can do is just guess. For all we know, it could have been just a random tablet used as a placeholder and it doesn't exist, but hey - we can always dream right? What do you think the tablet is?
source: Ubergizmo

Nextbook Premium 7 from E FUN

A tablet a day keeps the doctor away – or does it keep boredom away? That's what the Nextbook Premium 7 from E FUN is all about, where this 7″ capacitive touch-screen Android-powered computer will feature Flash 10.1 support, coupled with Wi-Fi connectivity, an e-reader functionality, Kobo app, SlideME application manager, and the new OfficeSuite Viewer and ASTRO File Manager.

You won't find Android 3.0 Honeycomb here, so there really isn't any optimized Android tablet experience, but will instead be powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread. On the bright side, at least the Nextbook Premium 7 can be upgraded in the future thanks to Over The Air (OTA) capabilities. Other hardware specifications include a 1GHz processor, 4GB of built-in flash memory, a SD memory card slot for expansion purposes, a G-sensor and integrated speakers.

With Wi-Fi connectivity, you can use the Nextbook Premium 7 to send emails, browse the Internet, watch YouTube videos, and listen to MP3 files amongst others. For $299.99, this is a mid-range model in the world of tablet,s and we do hope to see Android 3.0 Honeycomb released for it in due time for a better user experience. You can pick up the Nextbook Premium 7 from June 19th onwards.
source: Ubergizmo

India's oft delayed $35 tablet finally ready to ship

India's Sakshat tablet began life as a $10 laptop dream for students in India way back in early 2009 and, in the years since, has had more than its fair share of delays and difficulties. But, after repeatedly dashing hopes and destroying dreams it appears the $35 tablet is just about ready for take-off. The Times of India is reporting the first batch of this still slightly mysterious machine will be shipped out at the end of the month to the Indian Institute of Technology for 2,200 rupees apiece — a rather high above the goal price at around $50, though government plans to subsidize the devices should cut the cost in half.
source: 2DayBlog.com

O2 UK Will Not Be Bringing In The Blackberry Playbook

Those living in the UK and who are on the O2 network will be disappointed to know that the carrier will not be bringing in the Blackberry Playbook and that they ”will not be selling the device.” To quote their reasoning behind this move, ”unfortunately there are some issues with the end to end customer experience.” There was no specific reasoning behind this other than what was said above but we're guessing that the lack of native apps found (or not found) in the Blackberry Playbook may be one of the reasons.

RIM has been known for their Blackberry devices which came with certain native applications that made it so popular, namely email, calenders and contacts and of course how could we forget, BBM. Surprisingly the Blackberry Playbook did not come with these and instead users of the Playbook had to rely on the Blackberry Bridge app which basically required the user to own a Blackberry device, which would then “mirror” email, calenders and contacts on the Playbook.

If you've read our review of the Blackberry Playbook, you will know that apart from the lack of native apps, the device is otherwise a pretty solid piece of hardware and performs beautifully. We're hoping that in the future, updates to the Playbook will bring about native apps and features that made RIM so famous to begin with. Until then it looks like O2 users in the UK will not be able to get their hands on the device.
source: Ubergizmo

4G Blackberry Playbook delayed until fall

Although the Wi-Fi only version of the Blackberry Playbook has been out for a few months now, we have yet to see a 4G version hit the market. The 4G Blackberry Playbook was expected to be released at some point this summer, but that is not the case according to RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis.

Lazaridis revealed today that the 4G version of the Blackberry Playbook will not be available until this fall despite previous statements made by the company. We found out when Lazaridis mentioned how excited he was that the 4G Playbooks would be arriving this fall.

RIM had initially planned on released releasing three 4G versions this summer: a LTE version for Verizon, a WiMax version for Sprint, and an HSPA+ model for AT&T. RIM also mentioned that the BlackBerry Bold 9900x9930 would be delayed until the fall as well. We will keep you updated on the status of the 4G Playbook.
source: Unwired View

The first Sony Android tablet (S1 or S2) will be available in Europe before the end of September

Sony's first Android-powered tablet may hit the stores in Europe at the end of September, if a private note sent from Sony's marketing group and seen by Engadget is to be believed. The note did not mention a name for the tablet, and said pre-orders would start in August.

Clearly, that unnamed tablet will be either Sony's S1 or S2. Both of these devices were pre-announced (Sony didn't give any actual specs save for the screen sizes) in April with a projected release time frame of “this fall” – so that fits. Since then, we've seen both the S1 and the S2 pass through the FCC, but that's about the extent of info we have had on them so far.

What remains to be seen is which tablet Sony chooses to launch first. Will it be the S1 with its curved back design? Or the S2 with its dual-touchscreens? Maybe Sony will launch both tablets at the same time, or very close to each other. The truth is we just don't know at this point. What we do know however is that, at some point in September, if you're in Europe, you may just be able to buy a nice Sony Android tablet. In the UK, it will be at first sold by Sony directly, as well as department store John Lewis and a third still-unconfirmed retailer. After the famed ‘holiday season' passes, the tablet will become available elsewhere too.
source: Unwired View

Maxis Opens Registration for BlackBerry PlayBook Launch Details

Are you excited about the BlackBerry Playbook or are you more than excited? Maxis just announced that they will be introducing the much anticipated BlackBerry PlayBook tablet from RIM in the coming weeks. No exact dates have been given yet, but register yourself at their website at www.maxis.com.my anytime from today and keep yourself up to date and be the first to have the latest launch details. The PlayBook will be available exclusively to Maxis customers. Pricing and rate plans will be announced closer to the launch date.

What are you waiting for? Register now and be the first to receive news from Maxis. More information about the PlayBook right here.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 now available

Samsung's latest attempt to dethrone the iPad 2, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, is now available for purchase nationwide. A few lucky customers were able to get their hands on the tablet a week early at the Best Buy Union Square Store in New York City, but now the tablet is available to the public.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs on Google's latest version of its tablet OS, Honeycomb 3.1, as well as Samsung's TouchWiz UX. This device also spots a 10.1-inch WXGA display, a 7,000 mAh battery for up to 9 hours of continuous usage per charge, and a 3 megapixel camera in the rear along with a 2 megapixel camera in the front for video chatting. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the thinnest tablet available on the market at 8.6 millimeters and is also pretty light at 1.25 pounds.
source: Unwired View

WiFi Motorola XOOM Gets Google Videos App for Movie Streaming

When Google’s new movie rentals and accompanying app were announced at this year’s I/O developers conference, the Motorola XOOM was announced as one of the first Android devices to receive streaming of rentals from the Android Market. The Google Videos (formerly Movies) app came to carrier-branded XOOM tablets along with the Android 3.1 update, but the same OS upgrade did not enable the app on WiFi-only versions of the slate. Motorola confirmed that the omission was intentional. Today that changes, as the app has been updated to include support of the WiFi XOOM.

The app still won’t work with rooted XOOMs, and unlikely ever will. If you don’t fall into that category, head over to the Android Market link below to grab Google Videos for your tablet now.
source: Android Phone

O2 UK refuses to sell BlackBerry PlayBook because of “issues with customer experience”

Today the BlackBerry PlayBook, RIM's first tablet, has become widely available in the UK, from retailers and mobile network operators alike. One company, however, chose not to take part in the launch.

O2 UK decided not to sell the PlayBook, at least not for the foreseeable future. The reason it cites has to do with “some issues with the end to end customer experience”. These words have been used in a note from the operator to those subscribers that expressed their interest in the PlayBook in the past. Apparently, O2 continues to work with RIM on fixing those issues, and the operator may release other tablets to come out of the Canadian manufacturer in the future. In fact, it may even launch the PlayBook itself at some (probably distant) point in the future.

This isn't the first time when O2 decided not to take part in a nationwide launch of a new shiny gadget, of course. As recently as two months ago, the operator didn't launch the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Android smartphone at the same time as everyone else, and the reasoning back then was very similar to what we're hearing now regarding the PlayBook – it had to do with subpar user experience and last minute bugs.

So either O2 is the only major UK operator that actually cares about its users' experiences with the devices it sells, or it's perhaps become a little bit too strict for its own good. Time will tell.
source: Unwired View

India's $35 Tablet to See Light of Day, Units Ready to Ship

The story of the $35 Android tablet planned to be released under government subsidy has had its share of controversy and frustration. After problems arose with the vendor chosen to produce the tablets, hopes that the Sakshat tablet (yes, that's its real name) would ever see a release dimmed. Still, the Indian government promised a mid-2011 release and it looks like they will meet their goal. The first batch of tablets is prepped for shipping at the end of the month, and will be priced at 2,200 rupees (about $50) before the government subsidy kicks in. Taken into account, the price should drop right down to the $35 goal.
source: Android Phone

Verizon Ad Flashes Mystery Honeycomb Tablet

A curious ad from Verizon hit YouTube earlier today featuring a mysterious Honeycomb tablet that we can't seem to place. The ad has since been removed, but DroidLife managed to capture a screen shot of slate that doesn't match up visually with any current Android 3.0 device we are familiar with. Speculation is running wild with proposals ranging from the next Motorola XOOM to HTC's upcoming Honeycomb tablet, with the possibility remaining that this is simply a mock-up device used as a generic tablet for the sake of the advert.

The fact that Verizon has since made the video private suggests that there is something to be covered up here, we just don't know exactly what it may be. From the looks of it Verizon might be scoring another Honeycomb tablet soon.
source: Android Phone

OtterBox Defender Series now protects your Motorola Xoom tablet

OtterBox, the company known for its high-quality, high-protection mobile device cases has just announced the release of a new addition to its Defender Series lineup. This time it's for Motorola's Honeycomb tablet, the Xoom. Featuring the same multi-layer design that OtterBox uses for all of its other cases, the Defender Series for Motorola Xoom is built to keep your tablet safe, snug, and functional at the same time.

The Defender Series for Motorola Xoom is made up of an inner layer (hi-impact polycorbonate shell with memory foam), a removable polycarbonate screen shield for protecting the case and functioning as a stand, and silicone plugs that keep all the ports of the Xoom free from dirt.

Judging by OtterBox's previous cases and their many years in this industry, you can't really go wrong with the Defender Series if keeping your tablet in pristine condition is a priority. The OtterBox Defender Series for Motorola Xoom is available now and will set you back $89.95.
source: Ubergizmo

Upcoming Android Honeycomb tablet for Verizon leaks

Earlier today, Verizon inadvertently leaked an upcoming Android-powered tablet. The carrier uploaded a video starring the yet-unannounced device, and it certainly looks like someone over at Big Red gave the go ahead for that upload sooner than he or she should have.

The video has in the meantime been set to private, which of course fuels the speculation even more. In spite of Verizon's quick move to take the video out of the public eye, Droid-Life managed to capture a screenshot of the tablet in the video.

At first, some thought that this wasn't perhaps meant to showcase an actual product, being more of a reference design that Verizon used in an ad in order to speak about Verizon tablets in general, and not a particular model. But then why take the video down?

That action in itself seems to be proof enough that a new tablet running Android Honeycomb is headed to Verizon. Of course, that's probably true even without the video. I'm quite sure that Verizon will get a new Honeycomb tablet at some point.
source: Unwired View

Adapter Adds USB Port to Galaxy Tab 10.1

Samsung's new Galaxy Tab Adapter adds a USB port to your ten-inch tablet. Just like Apple's camera connection kit, it hooks into the 30-pin connector and provides a USB port. Unlike Apple's connector, it will let you hook up pretty much any kind of USB device, including but not limited to “keyboards, mice, thumb drives,” according to Samsung's blurb.

Mice? Yup. The pitch continues “Insert a USB mouse or keyboard to improve enterprise efficiency at the office or at home.” I did a little digging and it turns out that if you hook up a mouse to the Tab (via USB or Bluetooth), a mouse pointer will appear on the screen.

This could actually prove pretty handy. Whenever I use my iPad along with a Bluetooth keyboard, it's jarring to have to reach up and touch the screen for editing. While I know that Apple will never, ever add a mouse pointer to iOS, I can appreciate that the feature would be useful on occasion.

The dongle is designed only for the Tab 10.1. The seven-inch Tab already has its own USB port, so you don't need this anyway. $20.

Galaxy Tab Adapter USB

Panasonic Drops ‘Toughbook' Android Tablet, Which Doesn't Break

Attention all butterfingered geeks: Panasonic announced on Thursday an Android tablet made especially for you.

Dubbed the Toughbook tablet, Panasonic's Android slate caters to those prone to excess dropping, be it electronics or otherwise. The Toughbook joins the company's line of durable, impact-resistant devices.

Panasonic's Toughbook product line has been around since 1993, touting a device portfolio comprised mostly of notebooks and slate-shaped PCs. The rugged devices come encased in high-impact plastics normally reserved for items that expect to take a beating, like car bumpers and bicycle helmets.

As 2011 has seen countless Android tablet debuts, manufacturers must fight to differentiate. Motorola's Xoom tablet launched in February as the flagship device for Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). HTC's Flyer tablet recently dropped, with the company heavily hyping the accompanying stylus pen to make the tablet unique. The Toughbook has a better chance of standing out in the crowded field, however, as the heavy-duty construction may appeal to the roughnecked crowd. Think: geologists in the field, or perhaps an emergency room doc.

Like Samsung's recent Galaxy Tab revamp, the Toughbook comes with a 10.1-inch screen. The display differs from many existing Android tablets, however; Instead of a glossy TFT screen, the Toughbook tablet features a matte-finished XGA display, which the company claims is easier to read in outdoor, high-brightness settings.

Although further details are scant at the moment, we know the Toughbook will come with a stylus (like the Flyer), as well as optional 3G and 4G versions. We aren't sure what version of the Android operating system the tablet will run, but press photos suggest it isn't Honeycomb.

Mum's the word on pricing, but you should expect to see the Toughbook tablet come Christmas time. Rest assured we eagerly await getting our hands on one for demolition testing.
source: Gadget Lab

1.2 GHz dual-core Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 coming this autumn?

A rumor of a new droid tablet from Samsung - a Galaxy Tab 7 - has popped up. Supposedly a successor to the original Galaxy Tab, the new model will be based on Galaxy S II hardware except the screen.

Take this with a grain of salt, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 should pack an 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB RAM (Exynos chipset), a 7" WSVGA IPS LCD screen, 16GB built-in memory expandable by microSD cards. There will be a USB host connectivity via the proprietary Galaxy Tab connector (and maybe HDMI out too?).

These specs read just like the Galaxy S II specs - which makes sense considering that the original Galaxy Tab had specs equivalent to the original Galaxy S. That would give the Galaxy Tab 7 a faster CPU than its bigger siblings (the Tab 8.9 and Tab 10.1 run on 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 chipsets).

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 will supposedly run Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread with TouchWiz 4.0 (no Honeycomb initially) and it will be able to make voice and video calls and send SMS, just like the Tab 8.9 (which does run Honeycomb). The reason for picking Gingerbread over Honeycomb could be that Samsung already have the software optimized for the platform from their work on the Galaxy S II.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 will be announced in the autumn (according to the rumor anyway). The original Tab was announced at the IFA event in September - and there's this year's IFA coming up in September. If the Galaxy Tab 7 is real, this seems the most likely date for its official announcement.

Source

BlackBerry PlayBook is now on UK sale, a Selfridges first

If you're looking for the BlackBerry PlayBook, RIM's first attempt to take a piece of the tablet market pie, then hop along to posh old Selfridges down in London's Oxford Street.

The tablet is now available at the department store ahead of a nationwide launch tomorrow, at £399 for a 16GB model, £479 for a 32GB version and £559 for a stonking 64GB of storage. It'll be available at most popular retailers.

Previously RIM announced that the PlayBook will be available in the UK and 15 other international markets around the world, with the tablet already available for some time in the US. It is handily specced, with a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1080p HD video recording capabilities, together with an all-new QNX operating system.

But it has fallen victim to some fairly middling reviews, with big competition in the Android Samsung Galaxy Tab and the iPad 2. Apple still exerts dominance over the burgeoning tablet market, although rivals like the PlayBook have some additional features, like the ability to run Adobe Flash.

What could be important for the future success of the PlayBook is an announcement by RIM that Android apps will soon be compatible with the tablet and available in the BlackBerry App world.

Although BlackBerry is still a really big name in the business world, firms realise that mobile devices can often live and die by the quality of their apps.
source: Unwired View

Toshiba Tablet with Android 3.1 Honeycomb launching in Canada in August

Toshiba has officially announced that its very first Android 3.1 Honyecomb tablet would be available in Canada starting August.

Now, this tablet is the Thrive that we've seen several times before, but Toshiba Canada doesn't call it like that. It simply refers to it as the Toshiba Tablet. Maybe it plans to re-brand it for the Canadian market, who knows?

Anyway. The tablet - the Toshiba Tablet - features a 10.1 inch screen with 1280 x 800 pixels, "Adaptive Display and Resolution+ video enhancement technologies" for image sharpness and clarity, Wi-Fi, GPS, HDMI, stereo speakers with SRS Labs sound enhancement, 5MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, and a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor.

The tablet's prices will be as follows:

Canadian customers will be able to buy the Toshiba Tablet from various retailers, including Best Buy, Future Shop, Walmart and Staples. A series of optional accessories will be available for the tablet, including an HDMI multimedia dock, and a Portfolio 360 case that “features a patent-pending rotating design that enables users to position the tablet at multiple viewing angles in both landscape and portrait modes without removing the tablet from the case.”
source: Unwired View

Kogan Agora 7 Android tablet in action – for £120

It looks like there could soon be a new ultra-affordable Android tablet KING back in town, in the shape of the Kogan Agora 7. It's a 7″ Android tablet, with a 1GHz processor, running Android 2.3.

The big news is… a capacitive screen and a direct-from-the-maker retail price of £120. This could decimate everything else if Kogan does manage to get it out for that price in reasonable numbers.

The £120 price comes from the description beneath the video, uploaded by Kogan itself, plus it's listed for the same cost – and even a little less if you pre-order now – over on the Kogan web store…

…with a July 8 launch date attached to the arrival of the next batch of stock. The initial run was first announced this back in April and there are a few reviews out there of this batch of tablets. None overly complementary, but then for £120…
source: Eurodroid

Upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 may run Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, not Honeycomb

Samsung has a new naming scheme for tablets this year. Understandably, the Samsung Galaxy Tab (the original Android tablet which came out last year) was called that because the Korean manufacturer did not have any other tablets in its portfolio. But now, with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Galaxy Tab 8.9 announced, it was time to shake things up a bit.

Oh, and launch a successor to the original Galaxy Tab. That's apparently just what Samsung plans to do in the near future, according to HDBlog.it. And that tablet will be called, predictably, the Galaxy Tab 7. Okay, enough about the name, which was almost obvious anyway.

What about features? Well, it looks like the Galaxy Tab 7 will be just a giant Samsung Galaxy S II, just like the original Galaxy Tab was basically a bigger version of the original Galaxy S. We'll get to the innards of the tablet in a moment, but for now let's let something sink in: it will run Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread.

Yes, Samsung plans to release a new tablet, in 2011 no less, running a version of Android designed for phones. Sure, Samsung is, in this regard, following in its own footsteps (think Galaxy Tab), but perhaps it really shouldn't have. The Galaxy Tab wasn't overly criticized for its choice of OS version because, frankly, there was nothing that Samsung could have done about that, except maybe not launch a tablet then at all. Google hadn't finished Honeycomb when Samsung launched its first tablet, so that was understandable.

But now? Now a tablet-optimized version of Android is out, and has been for a while. By the time the Galaxy Tab 7 actually hits the streets, Honeycomb will probably be at version 3.2 or so, with many bugs fixed and stability improved. So what is Samsung thinking? Who knows. Let's just hope all this turns out to be false.

Samsung is apparently even going to make a big fuss of the Galaxy Tab 7′s phone features (which it will be able to have because it will run an OS version designed for phones). Because the first thing someone buying a tablet would want to do with it is place a phone call.

Spec-wise, the “giant Galaxy S II” image comes to mind. The tablet is said to have a 1.2 GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor, 1 GB of RAM, 2 GB of ROM, 16 GB of internal storage space, microSD card support, a proprietary connector with USB host capability, a 7-inch WSVGA touchscreen (just like the original Galaxy Tab), an IPS panel, and it will have TouchWiz 4 on board, which is described as being “halfway between Honeycomb and the Galaxy S II's TouchWiz”. So supposedly a more tablet-optimized TouchWiz to make up for the OS version there, a la HTC's Flyer with its tabletized Sense UI.

The new Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 will be released this fall (or autumn, if you're not in the US). We're still hoping that Samsung will have a last-minute change of heart and launch it with Honeycomb on board. Or wait for Ice Cream Sandwich to arrive. We'll see.
source: Unwired View

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9 priced in Europe

At least one of Samsung's two ultra-thin Android Honeycomb tablets (Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9) won't be delayed after all.

The Swedish branch of Samsung has just announced (see this press release) that the Tab 10.1 would be available in Sweden starting June 29, running Android 3.1 and being offered by Telia, the country's largest mobile carrier.

Other Swedish retailers will sell the Galaxy Tab 10.1 starting August.

The prices for the 10 inch tablet will be as follows:

In September, Swedish customers will be able to buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, too, for 5,000 SEK (Wi-Fi + 3G), or 4,300 SEK (Wi-Fi only).
source: Unwired View

Future HP TouchPad names revealed?

HP doesn't seem to be wasting time trying to get its new webOS onto the mobile market. HP already has the HP Veer available on AT&T and the TouchPad is slated for a July 1st release, but we have just found some new info on a possible future TouchPad.

HP has just applied for trademark protection on six names that all include the word TouchPad. Here are the six names: TouchPadFlex, TouchPadPro, TouchPadTwin, TouchPadGeo, TouchPad7, and the TouchPadGo. These names are all pretty enticing and are all possibilities.

It wouldn't surprise me if HP followed up with a 7-inch TouchPad with a lower price tag, or a model with a keyboard built in. Although just because HP filed these trademark applications doesn't mean they will actually make a tablet with any of these names, but we will keep you updated on any future tablet plans by HP.
source: Unwired View

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 dated for European release – from June 29

Samsung's pair of forthcoming Android tablets look like hitting the market at the end of this month, in some parts of Europe at least, with Samsung Finland and Sweden announcing that both tablets will launch there on June 29.

The Samsung Android 3.1 tablets will be exclusive on local network Telia to begin with. Unlocked versions will follow in August (10.1) and September (8.9), with prices ranging from €499 for the cheapest wi-fi only 8.9 model up to €699 for the 3G version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Both rather better value for money than the launch price of the original Galaxy Tab, which is a sensible move. Link via Samsung Hub.

Lenovo to launch IdeaPad and ThinkPad Android Honeycomb tablets this summer

Lenovo apparently has big plans in the tablet space. It, of course, is just the latest in a long list of computer makers to see the appeal of the tablet market. All three of the top three computer makers (HP, Dell, and Acer) already sell tablets. So here's the fourth largest PC maker following suit.

Lenovo will launch not one, but two 10-inch tablets running Android Honeycomb very soon. The first one will be branded IdeaPad and will be sold to consumers worldwide starting in July. Yes, it seems like in just a few weeks you'll be able to buy a brand new Lenovo IdeaPad Android tablet.

Lenovo will release the second, business-focused tablet a bit later, probably in August. This tablet will be branded ThinkPad, bringing an iconic brand from the PC space into the tablet market. It will be interesting to see how die-hard ThinkPad fans will react to their beloved brand being applied to a tablet, where it will lose some of the key features people love about ThinkPad-branded gear (such as the keyboard).

Both 10-inch Lenovo tablets will cost between $450 and $900, depending on configuration. The ThinkPad tablet will come with a capacitive stylus to facilitate signature capture.

Lenovo's plans don't stop there though. It will launch a tablet running Windows later this year. This will also be a 10-inch device. At some later point (it's unclear if this year or not), Lenovo even plans to introduce 7-inch tablets “for certain uses”.

Lenovo President and Chief Operating Officer Rory Read said that “some of the early-generation Android devices were a little ahead of their time, and what we're doing here is making sure [our tablets] are strong. We only have one opportunity to make that first good impression”. That sounds about right, and fits in nicely with what Mr. Read had to say back in October of last year, when we first heard that Lenovo was going to launch a Honeycomb tablet.

Read expects tablets to make up around 15% of the computer market in the next three years or so, and thinks that “netbooks are pretty much over”.

What remains to be seen is how much Lenovo will be able to differentiate its tablets in an increasingly crowded space filled with lookalike Android offerings. Thankfully though, it looks like we won't have to wait long to find out.

As for smartphones, the US won't see a Lenovo handset for at least 12-18 months, with the company focusing on its home market in China, then planning to expand to other emerging markets after it has gained enough scale.
source: Unwired View

Huawei MediaPad to run on Android Honeycomb

After releasing the sneak peek video of the MediaPad last week, Huawei has launched an official Facebook page listing some details about the upcoming tablet. While they don't reveal the complete specs of the device on the page, they do drop an additional clue about the tablet. According to the screenshot of the tablet available on the site, it will be running on Android Honeycomb, judging by the familiar looking interface, with the Android menu at the bottom of the screen as well.

And what we know from the previously video is that the tablet should be about 7″ in size. Not much else is known about the device. At this time of writing, it'll be 6 days, 3 hours and 35 minutes until the device is revealed. Stay tuned for more details.
source: Ubergizmo

Samsung Galaxy Tab spreads wings into premium seats of American Airlines

Delta may be the first around with 200 iPads at their JFK terminal to entertain some folks waiting to board, but before the year is out American Airlines will be switching out 6,000 in-flight entertainment systems to brand new Samsung 10.1-inch Galaxy Tabs.

Samsung will be customizing the Honeycomb slates with flight related “features” including AA's streaming service mentioned last month, and possibly even adding “expanded memory” for the devices — no word on how, though.

Panasonic's console has some competition it seems. It's notable that these will only be available in “premium cabins” on a handful of long-distance routes, and unless you're flying in a 767-200, WiFi access — a separate purchase, by the way — may not be available.
source: 2DayBlog.com

ZTE Light Plus Android 2.3 tablet to cost “less than €250″

Another Android tablet from ZTE has been revealed in Europe, with the ZTE Light Plus getting a similar “hands on” treatment to the one the ZTE Light Pro received last week. The Light Plus is a more advanced model internally, coming with Android 2.3.3 onboard and a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor.

The 7″ screen runs at a slightly disappointing resolution of 800×480, but it is capacitive and…

…according to French site GPS and Co, ZTE says the Light Plus will arrive for an unsubsidised price of under €250 – which is about £220 at today's exchange rates. Not bad, but odd that even the mighty ZTE can't undercut the Advent Vega when it comes to making a capacitive tablet.

Link via Unwired View.

Samsung Galaxy Tabs used to create Smart Schools in Korea

While schools in America have decided to adopt the iPad for educational purposes, on the other side of the world, in South Korea, they prefer to use the Samsung Galaxy Tab Android tablet instead. Samsung and Daegu high school have agreed to create a “Smart School” by using Samsung's Android tablets in the classroom, for sharing educational content. Specialized classrooms will be created according to subjects or SCAS (a system where students migrate to a particular classroom depending to their learning abilities).

The Galaxy Tabs will be preloaded with apps and a specially optimized UI with RFID functions that provide teachers with convenient tools for managing students. Teachers will also be able to use the tablets to communicate with kids and their parents - making sending report cards less of a hassle than it used to be. Not to mention, kids won't be able to forget to bring their cards home - if they're digital. Teachers can just mail them to parents as well.

It's nice seeing technology used to help out in the education system. Perhaps in the future, paper books will be completely replaced, making the classroom green as well as modern. I wish I had tablets to play around with when I was back in school. Times really have changed!
source: Ubergizmo

Toshiba Thrive pre-order now live, starts at $430 and ends up in your hands in mid-July

Finally Toshiba's Honeycomb tablet gets a proper date, and a price! Toshiba is marking June 13th with pre-order availability of its Thrive Android (3.1!) tablet, a device whose life aspiration and name happen to coincide perfectly. This 10-inch Tegra 2 portable has the usual 1280 x 800 resolution, dual cameras (5-Megapixel on the back, 2-Megapixel up front), a gigabyte of RAM, and a 23WHr battery, but it also brings nice expandability with full-size HDMI, USB 2.0 and SD card slots. The Easy Grip back covers can be swapped — which, yes, means you can also replace the battery — though you'll have to splash out $20 for any non-black hues. The 8GB Thrive costs $430, followed by the 16GB unit at $480 and the 32GB option at $580. You can order yours directly from Toshiba or at Amazon, Best Buy or Office Direct, with deliveries slated for mid-July.
source: 2DayBlog.com

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer 2 to run on Windows 8

ASUS's tablet hybrid computer, the Eee Pad Transformer has been doing pretty well in terms of sales, and according to reports online, a sequel is already in the works. According to the folks at Notebook Italia, who managed to speak with ASUS at Computex this year - the sequel to the Eee Pad Transformer will be running on an ARM processor with the Windows 8 operating system.

The tablet is also expected to be thinner, more powerful, and possibly lighter. With Windows 8′s tablet UI overlaid regular Windows, it feels like the perfect operating system designed specifically for the tablet/laptop hybrid - after all it can make use of both UIs just as well. But with the tablet running on Ubuntu as well, who knows what the open source community will come up with for the tablet as well. It's not hard to imagine a tablet UI being created for the Linux operating system and being used on the Eee Pad.
source: Ubergizmo

Samsung Galaxy Tab to Serve as “Smart Tutorial” in Public Schools

Samsung and Daegu high school agreed today to create “Smart School” by using Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablets. Galaxy Tab will support a range of educational purposes including wireless sharing on educational content and specialized classrooms according to subjects or SCAS (a system where students migrate to a particular classroom based on individual learning levels).

A “comprehensive student's management system” for the SCAS features optimized UI for 7″ tab and RFID functions provide teachers with much convenient tools for managing students.

Moreover, interactive communications can be realized between teachers and parents via the tablet PC so distant chat and sending a report card is possible without hassle.
source: Akihabara News

Lenovo planning “worldwide” Android tablet launch this summer

According to comments made by Lenovo boss Rory Read, the Chinese hardware maker is about to make a big splash in the tablet scene this summer with the release of two 10″ Android tablets. Both machines will run the 3.X Honeycomb version of Android, while one will be pitched at consumers while the other will be for business users.

They'll go on sale in July and August, respectively, and Lenovo claims both will launch “worldwide”. There are no images of either tablet as yet, so we'll use a picture of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. They all look the same, right? Especially when they don't even have buttons:

Lenovo has previously confused us a little with its odd LePad docking tablet and various LePhone hardware iterations running Android. Neither have made it out over here, though, due to being too ridiculous to make it through customs.

Read the full report over on the WSJ.

HP looks into wireless payments on mobile devices

HP is currently working on mobile devices that are said to assist consumers in making wireless purchases, at least according to a couple of folks who are familiar with the computer manufacturer's plans. It seems that HP is mulling over the production of handsets as well as tablets that are based on near field communication (NFC) technology, where it enables one to pay for items and receive coupons and loyalty points through the simple action of tapping the gadgets on posters and grocery store cash registers. The sources preferred to remain anonymous because the plans were not made public, unlike Bill Gates who let it sleep that Zuckerberg is about to tie the knot with his fiancee, Priscilla Chan.

The first of such NFC devices might just roll out before 2012 knocks on the door, and it would be interesting to see whether the incorporation of such energy into their range of devices might just help boost HP's rank up in this particular market.
source: Ubergizmo

Toshiba Thrive pre-order goes live

Toshiba has kept to their word, by kicking off today with the pre-order of their very own Thrive tablet device that is powered by the latest Android 3.1 Honeycomb device – definitely something worth looking into, especially since many other tablet manufacturers out there do release tablets that are running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread or Android 3.0 Honeycomb, with future plans of updating the software to the latest version down the road. Back to the Thrive – we are quite confident that the pre-order figures will be encouraging, especially since this 10″ device at 1,280 x 800 resolution will sport the Tegra 2 chipset, a couple of cameras (2-megapixel in front with 5-megapixels at th eback), 1GB RAM, HDMI support, USB 2.0 connectivity, an SD memory card slot, swappable Easy Grip back covers, and a 23WHr battery that ought to last the distance without missing a beat.

Oh yeah, the swappable Easy Grip back covers we mentioned? That also means you can replace the battery when the time to do so arrives. Non-black hues will cost $20 more, where the 8GB Thrive is going for $430 while double the amount of storage space and you have to fork out $480. As for the 32GB model, that will weigh in at $580.

Expect the Thrive to arrive at your doorstep in July.
source: Ubergizmo

HP TouchPad to Debut in United States; Europe, Canada, and Asia Soon to Follow

HP has announced that the WiFi-only version of HP TouchPad will become available in the United States via AT&T beginning July 1. The first webOS tablet will also be available in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and Germany a few days later and in Canada in mid-July. Meanwhile, the rest of Europe, as well as Australia and Asia, will have to wait until later in the year to have their own TouchPad.

The HP TouchPad features advanced multitasking abilities, Web access, stereo speakers with Beats Audio technology, as well as integated access to HP Synergy and HP Touch to Share. Optional accessories include the Touchstone charging dock, TouchPad Wireless Keyboard, and TouchPad Case.

The tablet will be sold through authorized retailers and resellers, including Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, Walmart, Sam's Club, OfficeMax, and Amazon.com among others. It costs $499.99 for the 16GB model and $599.99 for the 32 GB version.
source: Gadget.com

Acer Iconia Tab A501 for AT&T arrives at the FCC

March saw the announcement of the Acer Iconia Tab A501 from AT&T, which is actually the 3G-enabled model of the Acer A500 tablet. Needless to say, Acer is not going to skimp on the operating system, ushering out the latest Android 3.0 Honeycomb version (hopefully with Android 3.1 to come in the near future). Well, the Iconia Tab A501 has already gone through the motions over at the FCC, where it will support AT&T's GSM 850 and 1900 bands, in addition to WCDMA II and V bands. So far, FCC test reports have pointed towards support for HSUPA and HSDPA protocols also, but there was no beep about HSPA+.

AT&T is working on a roadmap to roll out the A501 sometime in the second quarter of this year, so we should be able to see the A501 in a couple of weeks' time unless Acer screws up their delivery calendar. There is no word on pricing yet as at press time.
source: Ubergizmo

American Airlines to provide Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 as in-flight entertainment

While we have most airlines opting to use the iPad as in-flight entertainment, we have one airline that has chosen not to succumb to the trend, by offering a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 instead. American Airlines has just announced a deal with Samsung that will place its 10.1″ tablet into the hands of passengers who are flying Premium Class on the airline.

The tablets will be customized for the airline's in-flight entertainment needs, including the addition of expanded memory because the tablet won't be streaming anything from the cloud - despite you flying above the clouds in the plane.

This is great for Samsung, as users will get to experience the tablet firsthand and increased exposure for the tablet means a larger potential market. Of course, they'll have to customize the UI enough so that users won't have a hard time using the tablet, if not they will be turned off by the device, doing the opposite of what Samsung hopes it would.
source: Ubergizmo

(Deal Alert) Acer Iconia Tab A500 Now $380 as eBay's Daily Deal

Mystery Deal Monday is in full swing over at eBay, and one of the not-so-mysterious specials sees the Acer Iconia Tab A500 knocked down in price to $379.99 at eBay and $389.99 at Amazon. The Honeycomb tablet already provided a cheap alternative for those looking to pick up an Android tablet, and with this deal it might be hard to pass up.
source: Android Phone

Android Tablets Come to First Class Fliers

Samsung's 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab tablet runs Android 3.0 Honeycomb and has a 1280 x 800 resolution display. Photo: Charlie Sorrel

Attention all frequent flyers: got the cash for first class? Those of you who do will soon get much more than a little extra legroom and some free drinks.

On Monday, Samsung and American Airlines announced they will provide Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 10.1 to travelers in seated in premium cabins for a select number of transcontinental and international flights.

“American is the first North American airline to offer a branded tablet on-board its aircraft," says Virasb Vahidi, American Airline's chief commercial officer in a release.

Current on-board entertainment devices will get the boot for 6,000 Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices on select flights between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco, as well as between Boston and Los Angeles. International flights to South America and Europe will also receive the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices. The tablets will begin replacing the current in-flight entertainment system later this year.

If you haven't traveled in a while, a number of airlines include touchscreen seat-back displays from which you can purchase film or TV offerings or even inflight games.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 is thinner and lighter than the iPad 2, measuring 8.6mm thick and weighing in at 595 grams. The original 7-inch Galaxy Tab debuted in November and sold over one million in units in its first two months.

American Airlines seems to be leading the way in embracing the tablet revolution. The airlines already offers in-flight movie streams to iPad users via Wi-Fi. But it's not alone: earlier this year Alaska Airlines adopted the iPad for inflight manuals.

Hopefully other airlines will begin catching on to the trend. There's only so many times I can see Country Strong on cross-country flights.
source: Gadget Lab

American Airlines Purchases 6,000 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Tablets for Use as In-Flight Entertainment

If you are flying American Airlines, soon you will be able to enjoy the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 as part of premium class in-flight entertainment. The airline has struck a deal with Samsung to deploy 6,000 Tab 10.1 units to their fleet of aircraft servicing several domestic and international routes. The Tab 10.1 will replace the current in-flight entertainment device on flights traveling between JFK and Los Angeles, JFK and San Francisco, Miami and Los Angeles. International flights to Europe and South America will also take off the the Galaxy Tab on board. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 (though you have no reason not to be), you have to admit that’s one heck of an upgrade over traditional in-flight entertainment.
source: Android Phone

Sprint to Tweak Tablet Data Plans for HTC EVO View 4G Launch

The HTC EVO View 4G is nearing launch, and it looks like Sprint wants to update their tablet data plans to welcome the 7-inch slate to the family. Pricing for plans includes 1GB at $20 per month, 3GB for $45, and 5GB for $60. A 10GB plan is $90 per month. Interesting enough, the pricing covers 3G data only. Below 3GB of data won’t net you any 4G action, but with a plan priced at $45 per month or more unlimited 4G data is included. Sprint is also selling the plans at discounted “bundled” prices for existing Sprint customers with current smartphone data plans. Not quite shared data, but at least they’re cutting multi-device users a break.

The plans should kick in around the launch of the View 4G, though an exact date isn’t known.
source: Android Phone

HP TouchPad released

With the TouchPad's July 1st release date quickly approaching, it only makes sense for HP to release some demo videos to show off some of the cool new features WebOS looks to bring to the tablet market. HP shows off four key features of webOS: Synergy, Just Type, Multitasking, and Notifications.

WebOS looks just as smooth as iOS and Honeycomb, but it lacks the developer support to have an app store as big as Apple's App Store or Google's Android Marketplace. The TouchPad starts at $499 for the 16GB model, the same price as the iPad 2. I personally think it would've been a good strategy to try an undercut the iPad 2 price to make it a more viable choice to consumers since its app store can't compare to Apple's. Either way I'm excited for the TouchPad to bring a new OS to the tablet market.
source: Unwired View

British Andy Pad Android tablet will be "less than £200"

The maker of the Andy Pad tablet doesn't seem keen on sticking to its own announcement countdown, as it's been dripping a few facts about the unannounced machine out via Twitter today.

The Andy Pad will cost less than £200, which is great, plus it will run “the latest Google open source operating system” – a phrase which could be taken to mean either Android 3.1 for tablets or possibly the 2.3 mobile build. We'll go for 3.1. Benefit of the doubt and all that.

And here's the announcement from Andy's team in a little more detail. It's basically the above but only in ten times as many words:

Andy Pad manufacturers have confirmed that their upcoming tablet will indeed be lower than the £200 rumours.

The manufacturers of the upcoming Android tablet: Andy Pad, have Today announced details of the retail price, following a stream of speculation on social media site; Twitter.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the price” said Andy Pad Business Development Executive George Eastmead “but we’re willing to confirm at this stage that on release, the Andy Pad will market for less than £200”.

No further details have been announced as of yet, although Andy Pad have confirmed that the tablet will feature full 1080p HDMI out, a mini SD card reader & micro USB connectivity.

When pressed about the pad’s unique selling points, George added:

“The Andy Pad is primarily aimed at the younger generation. There are so many poor quality tablets out there that don’t fulfil the job they set out to achieve. what we’re doing with the Andy Pad is providing a tablet computer that can run the 3D games and output HD video at a competitive price.”

The release of this price point signals the company’s intent to provide an affordable tablet which caters to a broad section of the market.

Mr Eastmead’s comment was: “With a high quality spec, we’re expecting the Andy Pad to be both popular with tablet veterans and those newcomers who have been waiting for this chance to dive into the world of mobile computing”.

Andy Pad (andypad.co.uk) is the brain child of Mattressman MD Andrew Kerry. The company has been recognised as one of the fastest growing in the UK and recently gained national exposure via sponsorship of the ITV2 Show ‘Peter Andre, The Next Chapter’.
source: Eurodroid

Cocoon Grid-It Sleeves for Tablets

Cocoon has brought their Grid-It organizational system to tablet sleeves. There is a 7″ Grid-It Wrap that fits Samsung Galaxy Tab, Nook, Nook Color, Kindle WiFi/3G, Sony Daily Edition, and most 7″ tablets. There's also a Grid-It Wrap for iPads. The Grid-It Wrap is a neoprene sleeve that protects your device as you carry it around. Unlike most neoprene sleeves, these incorporate the Cocoon Grid-It system so you can also carry around chargers, MP3 players, headphones, cell phones, and other things. The Grid-It has a board inside for stiffness and a series of elastic bands on the front to hold your smaller items. The tablet fits into the neoprene pouch behind the Grid-It; put the screen facing the back of the Grid-It for extra protection. The 7″ Grid-It (shown) is $24.99; the iPad Grid-It is $29.99.
source: The Gadgeteer

Firefox tablet UI unveiled

Mozilla is preparing yet another version of Firefox – a derivate of Firefox Mobile that will be offered for Android tablets. Called “Fennecomb”, the browser is currently receiving finishing touches and may be unveiled around July 1. Fennecomb receives an interface that has little in common with the Mobile or the desktop version of Firefox. It uses a one-line menu bar to save space and squeezes the home button, navigation buttons, the location bar a bookmark button as well as the Android button menu button in the bar. There is also a tab button, which opens a dropdown menu when clicked and enables the user to access open tabs or open a new tab. It appears that Mozilla is also designing a new home screen that is very reminiscent of the tile-based Windows 8 home screen. Mozilla is clearly trying to figure out how a browser could work on a tablet much better than current browsers do, but I am not sure if it is such a great idea to introduce a third, completely different interface. Perhaps there is a better way to create a brand identity and enable more obvious interaction between the tablet, smartphone and desktop browser?
source: 2DayBlog.com