Viewsonic ViewPad 7e hands-on

The ViewSonic ViewPad 7e isn't exactly what we'd call a barn burner. The 1GHz Samsung chip inside is enough for some basic web browsing and light app duty, but even the ViewSonic reps we spoke to referred to it as an "e-reader on steroids," positioning it more as a competitor to the Nook Color than the iPad. In our brief hands-on, the little tablet ran Gingerbread capably enough that we weren't drumming our fingers on the table, but the 7-inch, 800 x 600 screen was not always particularly responsive - it took three swipes to unlock the first time. Despite it's noticeable bulk (you can see it resting besides a Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the gallery below) it was surprisingly light in the hand. Of course, it saves precious ounces by going with an all plastic build, but it hardly feels cheap or shoddy (though, the buttons area bit stiff). On the left-hand edge you'll find a microSD slot for adding to the 4GB of integrated storage, while along the top is the AC plug, a mini USB port and mini HMDI for pumping out 1080p video. As we've mentioned before this budget slate is available to pre-order now for $200.
source:Engadget

Samsung GALAXY Tab 8.9 now available for pre-order starting at $469.99

While Samsung's tablets continue to run into Apple-shaped walls abroad, the South Korea-based electronics giant's latest Android tablet is now available for pre-order at Best Buy here in the U.S. Announced at CTIA back in March, the GALAXY Tab 8.9 is positioned between Samsung's 7-inch tablet and its flagship 10.1-inch slate, the GALAXY Tab 10.1. It runs Android 3.1 Honeycomb and includes 1GB of memory along with either 16GB or 32GB of storage, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and an 8.9-inch WXGA display. Both Tab 8.9 models are now available for pre-order on Best Buy's website, and pricing lines up with the previously announced $469.99 (16GB) and $569.99 (32GB) price points. No launch date is provided on the Best Buy website.
source:Boy Genius Report

must-have product 2011 HP TouchPad?

Research firm Canalys recently sent a note to its clients that suggested HP might have better luck spinning off its PC business if it revived its webOS-powered TouchPad tablet. Canalys said the TouchPad could boost the value of HP's computer division by as much as twofold, given the recent popularity of the tablet at its lower $99 price point. “The TouchPad was overpriced at launch and did not sell,” Canalys said in a note Thursday. “This led HP to draw a premature conclusion that the product category had failed.” Of course, the “hype” surrounding HP's tablet likely had little to do with the tablet itself. Instead, a retail rush resulted from a fire sale and the media's coverage of that sale. Read on for more.

Canalys suggested that the new-found popularity of the TouchPad could propel it to be the second most popular tablet in the United States with a 10% market share. “The TouchPad has become the ‘must-have' technology product of 2011,” Canalys said. The firm seems to be neglecting the fact that all of this interest in HP's TouchPad stemmed from the slate's rock-bottom price, however, which is impossible to sustain. HP noted previously that selling its TouchPad inventory off at $99 a pop will cost the company $100 million.

“Perhaps no other technology vendor, apart from Apple, has ever created such hype for a technology product,” Canalys continued. “HP has established a lead in the race to be the number two behind Apple in the pad business but the window of opportunity will begin to close if delays occur.”

HP has suggested that it may resurrect its TouchPad business and said in early September that it was building one last batch of the tablets.
source:Boy Genius Report

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 up for pre-order at Best Buy

While we can't be sure if the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 will be making its way to the states, the next best thing would probably be the long awaited Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9. The good news is that the tablet is up for pre-order from Best Buy for $469.99 for the 16GB model.

Unfortunately this will not be the LTE model, so instead for $469.99, you will be getting the WiFi only model. Of course you could wait and see which carrier has plans to bring in the LTE model of the Galaxy Tab 8.9, but if you're fine with a WiFi only model, the tablet does come with some pretty decent specs that ought to keep you entertained for hours on end.

It will be sporting an 8.9" display with a resolution of 1280×800 and will run on a 1.5GHz dual-core processor. Measuring in at a mere 8.6mm thick, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 will also come loaded up with Android Honeycomb 3.2.

Alternatively if you think that 16GB won't be enough for you, there is also a 32GB model available for a whopping $569.99.
source:Ubergizmo

ARCHOS 80 G9 8GB tablet available next week

The ARCHOS G9 tablets were unveiled a couple of months ago as tablets with massive hard drives at low prices, something that a lot of people have been looking forward to. Well, for those you who have been waiting patiently, the wait is almost over. ARCHOS has announced that the first of its new G9 tablets will be going on sale starting next week, on September 20th.

While it has the lowest internal storage in the G9 lineup, it has the lowest prices as well. The ARCHOS G9 8GB tablet will feature a 1GHz dual-core OMAP 4 processor and 8GB of internal storage, along with an 8″ display. It will carry Android 3.2 Honeycomb and a recommended retail price of $299. The higher end G9 tablets with the larger hard drives will be arriving in October instead.
source:Ubergizmo

Panasonic Toughbook Android Tablet Revealed

Panasonic has revealed its rugged Android tablet. It is a sturdy-looking 10.1″ tablet that looks like it can take punishing shocks on every corner, without being knocked out. Panasonic pitches it as a “business tablet”, so it comes with 3G/4G and IT management features, including hardware-level features that could mean “encryption”. It also has handwriting recognition and does not need a stylus, which has been a hallmark of business tablet for so long.In technical terms, this Toughbook Android tablet has a 10.1″ (1024×768) display which is optimized for outdoor use on a sunny day. It has two cameras (back/front), although there are no official specifications on those. Inside, Panasonic is using what they describe as a 3G/4G optional module but we don't know if it's 4G LTE or HSPA+ (more information about 4G networks). It also comes with a GPS.

Despite being relatively thick, this tablet does not come with a lot of ports: just a dock connector. That said, it's understandable to some extent, as having more ports could also mean more potential entry points for dirt, water etc… Finally, Panasonic says that its battery life can last for a full-shift, which would imply 8hrs, but this is definitely not clear, so wait for independent reviews. [Panasonic official link]
source:Ubergizmo

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 now up for pre-order at Best Buy, priced from $469.99

Almost six full months after it was announced, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 still isn't available to buy anywhere. But it does now feel like there's some progress being made towards this tablet's release. In the US of A, Best Buy has started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy Tab 10.1′s smaller sibling.

Unfortunately the retailer doesn't list any prospective launch date, so it's still anyone's guess if we'll see this tablet in stores and in consumers' hands this year or not. By the way things are going, we expect Samsung to announce its successor before the ‘original' 8.9 tablet has started shipping. Oh wait, that already happened.

Anyway, Best Buy wasn't all unhelpful, for it did give us the first semi-official pricing information for the Galaxy Tab 8.9. So, the 16 GB version is set to retail for $469.99, and the 32 GB tablet will set you back $569.99. These are both Wi-Fi-only devices, and there's no word on when (or if) a 3G-enabled variant of the 8.9 will hit the USA.

If 10-inch tablets are just a bit too big for you, then you're probably very anxious for the Galaxy Tab 8.9 to launch already. So you should probably go ahead and head over to Best Buy to pre-order one. Even if, truth be told, you may not have it in your possession in the near future. We'll keep you posted.
source:Unwired View

Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 receives a minor software update

If you have one of Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 units, here's some good news. Samsung and the carrier are busy pushing out a minor (yet not unimportant) software update to your device.

The new software is version I905.EH04 and updating is obviously recommended. It's always good to run the latest software, and if you've encountered one of the bugs that the update fixes then you should be pretty satisfied.

So what's new? Many bug fixes and performance enhancements, that's what. Data connectivity is now better, an alert will pop up the first time you attempt to use data whilst roaming, Reply/Reply All is fixed in Exchange email accounts, Exchange syncing is fixed too, the apostrophe character now displays as it should in Exchange emails, and updating an Exchange password will now automatically update the security settings. Additionally, the tablet can now be detected by Macs, and SIM ID info is now displayed in ‘About tablet', as well as the IMEI number.

The update comes over-the-air, and that means your tablet should notify you when it's ready to download and install. If you're impatient though, you may try manually checking for the update by heading into the software update section in Settings. Full update instructions are available in this PDF.
source:Unwired View

ViewSonic ViewPad 7x coming to the US this October

Did the ViewSonic ViewPad 7x capture your attention when it was unveiled at Computex earlier this year? If the ViewPad 7x was a tablet you wouldn't mind getting your hands on, the good news is that if you're living in the US, the tablet is expected to be released this October.

Unfortunately no specific date was mentioned, only a general time frame, but considering how it will be October in a few weeks, we don't think that the wait should be too long, right? The tablet is also said to retail for $379, which seems like shouldn't be breaking any banks. Interested in seeing what $379 will net you?

The ViewSonic ViewPad 7x will be running on a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor under the hood, with a 7x1024×600 resolution display, a 5MP rear-facing camera, a 2MP front-facing camera and it will come loaded up with Android's Honeycomb 3.2.
source:Ubergizmo

Verizon preps update for LTE Galaxy Tab 10.1, promises 'enhanced data'

Did you splash out extra on the LTE version of Verizon's Galaxy Tab 10.1 only to suffer the indescribable horrors of an unstable 4G connection? Then listen up: an OTA update including "enhanced data connectivity" is in the works that could be just the fix you need. It also promises a bevy of smaller improvements, including making the device recognizable to your Mac, zapping some EAS email bugs and adding data roaming alerts. There's unfortunately no sign of the TouchWiz upgrade that has already graced the WiFi version, and no Honeycomb 3.2 either, but if everything happened all at once there'd be nothing left to live for.
source:Engadget