Google Nexus tablet could be coming within 6 months

Google's chairman told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that the company will be releasing a “high quality” tablet within six months and continue the “brutal competition” with Apple in the mobile communications market. Schmidt also commented on Apple's Siri, mentioning that Google has the technology to do something similar, and hinted that the company will have such a product in the future.

With Motorola on board, Google should have the capability to deliver its vision of a capable tablet, which has been rumored to be in the works for well over a year. Apple is expected to release its iPad 3 early next year with a major update for its display as well as software integration with an also speculated Apple HDTV. Google will have to follow Apple in hardware specs as well as software experience that will have to include a significant improvement of Google TV.

In Corriere della Sera, Schmidt also commented on Google X and its most critical area of research, the self-driving car. According to Schmidt, that car will not be available for years or even a decade due to regulatory hurdles. Initially, that car may be released as a driver-assistance system that informs the driver what it intends to do.

Acer Iconia Tab A500 gets two software updates, new Android Market and speedier UI

The Acer Iconia Tab A500 is currently in the process of receiving not one, but two different software updates. Sadly, none of them contain Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but they do come with some neat stuff.

First of all, you'll get the absolute latest version of the Android Market (3.4.4). Then there are also many UI fixes and improvements which make operating the tablet simply faster. The speeding up can also be seen in the keyboard.

It's unclear at the moment if either of these updates (7.014.01, and 7.014.02, respectively) breaks root, so in case your Iconia Tab does have root, perhaps you should hold off on installing the updates until you can be sure you'll be able to get root access back.

Asus gets sued by Hasbro over the Transformer Prime's name

Wishing for another lawsuit to pop up in the mobile world? It's your lucky day! This time, Asus has been sued. Thankfully though, not by Apple, and not for patent infringement.

The company suing is Hasbro, which you may have heard of because it makes toys (and licenses truckloads of well known game brands to companies such as EA, but also apparently is into digital entertainment). Hasbro, of course, is the parent of the famous Transformers series (and movie franchise). Furthermore, the protagonist of both the animated series as well as the film series is called Optimus Prime.

It is then quite easy to figure out that Hasbro's beef is with the recently-announced Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet's name.

If you're wondering why Hasbro hasn't sued over the original Transformer, perhaps that would have been easily overthrown by Asus – after all, it is a common word. But Transformer and Prime, in the same brand? That must have been too much for Hasbro.

That said, it's really unlikely that anyone would confuse a toy with a tablet, even one that transforms into a netbook if you want it to. On the other hand, Asus did use some of the brand recognition already established by the toys (and franchises) to drive interest for its new tablet.

So this will be an interesting one. What will prevail? The differing fields in which the companies operate, or the (uncanny) similarity between the brands? We'll just have to wait and see.

Oh, and it looks like Hasbro has a pending trademark for “Transformers Prime”, a 2010 animated series. Uncanny indeed.

Ainol Novo7 Paladin tablet retails for $120

A couple of weeks ago we reported about the MIPS tablet that would retail for $99 and carried a shipping cost of $66, now it looks like we won't have to pay that much anymore. According to the listings on PandaWill and Merimobiles, the Ainol Novo7 Paladin tablet can be yours for just $119.99 - inclusive of free shipping. Now we're not sure if it's just for the holiday season or it's going to be permanent, but what we do know is that it's a lot cheaper than many other tablets available on the market right now, and it's going to be running the latest version of Android: Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Ainol Novo7 Paladin tablet features a 1GHz JZ4770 Xburst MIPS processor, a Vivante GC860 graphics processor, a 7″ 800 x 480 display, 8GB of internal storage, Android Ice Cream Sandwich, Android Market, mini USB port, and WiFi. If you're looking for a basic, bare-bones Android tablet for your basic daily needs for a low price, you can consider picking one up.

Archos 70b Tablet Runs Android 3.2 OS, To Debut In January!

Picture in focus: Archos 70b Internet Tablet. It's the company's first Android Honeycomb-based tablet and it's available for an incredibly low price of $199.99 — just on par with Amazon's blazing hot Kindle Fire.

But, the two have their differences which stretch much beyond the cosmetic appearance. The Archos 70b Android tablet is faster and powerful than Kindle Fire. In contrast, it has more features than the Fire, yet it will be selling for just about the price of the latter : $199.

Scheduled for a January release next year, the Archos 70b features a 7" display with capacitive multi-touch support, the tablet-optimized Android Honeycomb 3.2 OS, access to thousands of apps from Android Market unlike the Fire, and much more.

Under the hood, the tablet is home to about 8GB of internal storage with support for up to 32GB of expandable memory using a microSD card — something that's painfully missing in Kindle Fire, but there's a different view to that issue, anyway.

Other interesting features include a 1.2GHz processor, access to plethora of apps and services, and a HDMI out port for connecting the tablet to a HDTV for multiplied fun.

Here's a quick list at its features:

• An affordable price starting at $199 for 8GB
• Smoother multi-tasking and faster web experience thanks to the upgraded RAM
• Brighter colors with a high resolution capacitive screen
• Android 3.2 Honeycomb, the Android version designed for a tablet
• Access to a full array of apps with the Android Market and its 250,000 apps such as news, eMagazines, eBooks, social media, games and more
• A full multimedia experience with upgraded multimedia ARCHOS apps for video and music
• HDMI output, giving users full access to their Android experience on their TV including all the pre-loaded apps, video playback, 3D games, photos and all the Android Market apps

Expect the tablet to be display at CES 2012. We will keep you posted as more details surface. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, you may want to click here to know more.

NOOK Tablet downgraded and auto update blocked

Earlier today we reported about how to prevent your Kindle Fire from receiving automatic updates so you can keep root, and it looks like the Kindle Fire isn't the only tablet that requires such a workaround. Remember the NOOK Tablet update that blocked sideloading and removed root as well? It turns out that people don't want that as well, and thanks to the folks over at The Ebook Reader and XDA developers, they've managed to beat it.

First, you've got to download a recovery file for the NOOK Tablet which you can easily use to downgrade the Android tablet back to version 1.4.0. Next, you'll need root access, but it basically involves editing the devicemanager.db file on the tablet to disable automatic updates. Once you've done it, you're pretty much set and won't have to worry about dealing with automatic updates from Barnes & Noble ever again.

Triangle tablet from The Office might end up in your hands

Truth is stranger than fiction at times, but fiction does inspire the present to create something for the future as well. Case in point, the triangle-shaped tablet that was spotted on NBC's “The Office” proved to be a rather interesting device in the show, and it certainly got tongues wagging after that episode. While ordinary folk talked about it, Eric Calisto decided that action is louder than words, so he has set out to make an attempt to build one instead. In an e-mail interview, Calisto mentioned, "Tablets are interesting to me. I enjoy building things, and I love 'The Office.' Why not combine the three?"

Having said that, Calisto decided to leverage the power of Kickstarter, launching a project so that those who believe in him and his idea will be able to generate the necessary funds to develop said triangular tablet. He needs approximately $25,000 to churn out a limited nnumber of tablets, but do you think this kind of form factor is going to actually sell? It really is an unorthodox form factor, and good luck trying to program games and apps on such a display.

Hasbro sues Asus over Transformer Prime tablet

Hasbro sued Asus over the name of its Transformer Prime tablet last week, in a federal district court. The toymaker is no doubt worried that the name could be confused with that of its Transformers franchise, not to mention Optimus Prime, the lead protagonist of the animation and film series… though we're not quite sure how a robot that transforms into a semi-truck could be confused with a tablet and detachable keyboard. Who knows, maybe dad may accidentally buy the wrong Christmas present for little Pete.

Perhaps Hasbro is worried that tablet buyers might see it as a licensed product. Hasbro has already sent out a generic statement about its willingness to “aggressively protect its brands”. According to court filings, Hasbro's attempting to seal the actual complaint, but we can also see that the company's pursuing a preliminary injunction against Asus as we speak. The court has given Asus 21 days to respond to the complaint.

According to the filing, Hasbro's citing trademarks 2455261, 3689720, 3468487, 76690677 and 85008156. Notably, the last one is a pending trademark for “Transformers Prime,” its 2010 animated series. Hasbro would hold that particular trademark for toys, board games, and animated shows.

Galaxy Tab 8.9 gets a taste of homemade Ice Cream Sandwich

So we know that Google's latest and greatest OS is headed to the Galaxy Tab 8.9 at some undefined point in 2012. But Samsung's promise of a future update just isn't enough to sate the appetites of a certain enterprising subset of Android users. With their hunger for Ice Cream Sandwich guiding their hands, a trio of XDA members decided to whip up a homebrew version of 4.03 for their Sammy tabs. While the bootable builds, of which there are now three, are far from complete, an update over on the site's dedicated forum notes that Bluetooth, GPS, hardware acceleration and the accelerometer are now functioning, with efforts continuing to enable WiFi. If you were hoping to sample a slice of these early ROMs, you're out of luck - the group's decided to refrain from offering downloads until the ports are complete. Think you can hold out for the unofficial goods?

Galaxy Tab 8.9 unofficial Ice Cream Sandwich ROM on the way

Samsung has previously confirmed that Ice Cream Sandwich will be arriving on its Galaxy Tab 8.9 tablets sometime in 2012. However it looks like the hardworking folks over at XDA-developers might just beat the Korean manufacturer to the punch: a group of developers have managed to successfully port Android 4.03 over to the 8.9″ Galaxy Tab.

While the update is not ready for public consumption yet (the developers want to make sure that everything is functional before releasing it), they have released a video demonstration showing the tablet booting up with Ice Cream Sandwich. No word on when they will be finishing work on the ROM, but you can stay tuned to the XDA-developers thread to keep track of their progress.

Ainovo's bargain Novo 7 ICS tablet ready to tickle US pockets?

Remember that curious $100, ICS-touting, Novo 7 tablet we saw back at the beginning of the month? Until now, the Ainovo (aka Ainol) branded device was a bit of a gambler's punt, with some Chinese sites charging a suspicion-arousing $60 shipping fee. Now, however, the odds are looking slightly better, with some US-centric retailers listing the 1GHz MIPS-based XBurst CPU slate as available for pre-order. With Gingerbread and Honeycomb versions still out there, you'll want to keep your eyes peeled and check exactly what you're getting. But, if you still really want some of the seven inch Android 4.0 budget-slab goodness (albeit for $19 more than initially thought),

Amazon Kindle Fire 6.2.1 update rolls out

In the earlier days, hardware rarely received firmware updates that improve its performance or fixes some bugs, but as time progressed, software and firmware updates have become so commonplace, nay, often mandatory, to prolong the lifespan of a particular device and make it all the more appealing to the masses. Amazon's hot selling Kindle Fire is now on the receiving end of the 6.2.1 udpate, and depending on which side of the fence you are sitting on, it really is a mixed bag. While the Amazon Kindle Fire 6.2.1 update will remove root privileges, it might just cause issues for those who have already rooted their tablets. As for the others who have not done anything to their Kindle Fire and keep the stock Amazon software, this update will see an improvement in performance.

Some of the features of this update include removal of books, apps and other content from the carousel of recently used items on the home screen, while the scrolling process is made all the smoother. You can also now issue a password to turn on the Wi-Fi connection – handy for those who have tech-savvy kids and use this to surf the Internet when parents are not around. This update will be released automatically to Kindle Fire owners, and can be downloaded manually as well if you so desire.

Archos 70b tablet runs under $200

Archos lays claim that their Archos 70b tablet is the first Android 3.2 Honeycomb-powered device in the market that does not surpass the $200 mark – anyone out there care to dispute this particular statement? Basically, if the Archos 70b sounds familiar to you, that is because this is an enhanced version of the Archos 70 IT Gen 8, sporting an upgraded capacitive touch screen display as well as a beefier 1.2GHz processor to get the job done. It is ideal to surf the Internet, not to mention doubling up as your portable media player of choice. Even the RAM has doubled to hit 512MB, while the display sports a higher resolution count at 1,024 x 600 pixels.

Other hardware specifications include a 3D graphics accelerator, Wi-Fi connectivity, HDMI output to enjoy high definition videos over a compatible display, and a microSD memory card slot for expansion purposes. You will not be able to find the Archos 70b under your Christmas tree this year, considering how this will hit the stores from January next year onwards at $199 a pop.

Acer Iconia Tab A200 priced at $470 (in Russia)

The Iconia Tab A200 was officially announced at the beginning of this month, and, although Acer said the tablet had started shipping in select markets, we haven't heard anything regarding its price.

Well, according to Mobile-review, the A200 (16GB version) will cost 14,990 rubles in Russia when it arrives there in February 2012.

That's about $470 in US dollars, so probably Acer will want to match the price of the Asus Transformer Prime ($499) when it launches its new tablet in North America.

NOOK Tablet latest firmware update disables sideloading

The version 1.4.1 update for NOOK Tablets has started rolling out, but it looks like it comes with some unwanted features. According to reports online from XDA-developers and the B&N community, the update disables the tablet's ability to sideload apps and removes root access. And just like the Kindle Fire, this update is automatically downloaded and applied onto the NOOK Tablet without warning - just as long as you're connected to WiFi.

Quite a puzzling move if you ask me, since B&N's NOOK Tablets were supposed to be cheap alternatives to the pricier Android tablets on the market - locking them down isn't going to make sideloading/root customers very happy. However one thing to note is that all apps that have been sideloaded previously still work after the update, so it's safe to load your tablet with all the apps you need before you get the update.

RenBen tablet from China features dual-SIM capabilities

If there's one thing you've got to love about all these obscure tech companies in China is that they don't play according to the rules. The results are devices that are rather innovative in design, although we're not sure how marketable they are, and one such device is a tablet by a Shenzhen based company, RenBen.

It's essentially a tablet with phone calling capabilities, putting it up there with other "hybrids" that seem to combine devices like smartphones with a tablet-sized body. The tablet will feature a 7" touchscreen with a 800×480 display resolution. It is powered by an MTK 6573 processor clocked at 650MHz along with dual-cameras, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth with Android's Gingerbread on board.

It will also feature dual-SIM capabilities, so essentially you could load it up with one SIM card with a calling plan, and the other SIM card purely for data usage. A rather interesting idea, no? Unfortunately pricing is unknown and we're guessing that it's unlikely that this tablet by RenBen will make its way outside of China.

Firefox 9 for Android receives a new tablet-friendly UI

So Mozilla's Firefox 9 was unofficially released a day earlier, and for fans of Firefox and just can't get enough of it on their computers, the good news is that Firefox 9 has also been released for Android for both smartphones and tablets.

For those who have been using Firefox on their Android smartphones all this while, you may or may not notice any changes aesthetically, although based on what Mozilla has advertised, you should noticed speedier start-up speeds. Tablet users on the other hand, if you have been avoiding Firefox all this while or have yet to give it a go, perhaps now's as good a time as any to load it up on your tablets.

Firefox 9 for Android tables has seen a UI update and now sports a tablet-friendly interface that some may find better than their default Android browser. This includes full-screen portrait browsing, tab optimization and it sports a new action bar with quick access buttons. For more information on the latest Firefox build for Android, the release notes can be found at Mozilla's website while the update can be downloaded from the Android Market.

Amazon issues Kindle Fire update to address user complain

 

Amazon on Wednesday began rolling out an update for its Kindle Fire tablet that is expected to address a number of user complaints. Software version 6.2.1 should “enhance fluidity and performance" and "improve touch navigation responsiveness.” The patch will also enable users to customize the order in which applications appear in the Kindle Fire UI carousel and enable additional security features, such as the ability to create a password lock for Wi-Fi access. Amazon says the free patch will be delivered over the air via Wi-Fi to the Kindle Fire, and the company advises that users make sure their devices are fully charged before initiating the update.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 rolls through the FCC packing Verizon-friendly LTE

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 7.7 is certainly no stranger to the good people at the FCC, as both WiFi and HSPA+ versions have already run the Commission's gauntlet of radiation tests. The third time's the charm for Verizon customers, however, because a new model dubbed SCH-i815 has made its way to the FCC bearing CDMA and LTE radios built to surf Big Red's network. So, it looks like the Galaxy Tab 7.7 will be making its way to American store shelves sometime soon. The question is, did Sammy have to beef up the Tab's profile to cram in the LTE gear like its Nexus cousin?

Sony Tablet S update lets you play with PS3 controllers, but you'll need a cable adapter

We've got some good news for gamers that were willing to plunge into the PlayStation-certified world of Sony's tablets. The latest update to the company's divisive Tablet S will let you connect your PS3 controllers with those 32-bit games of yesteryear. The update is available now in Sony's homeland of Japan and the company is also rewarding its tablet faithful with a free download; an Ape Escape-themed mini-game collection. It's not all good news, however. The clamshelled Tablet P doesn't get the controller hook-up and you'll need to buy an additional USB adapter cable to connect a controller to the monoscreened Tablet S. However, an odd thing is that you'll only need to the cable to initially pair the controller with the tablet. After that, you're free to wirelessly play away.

Amazon currently selling over 1 million Kindles each week

Amazon's Kindle line was expected to be a popular option for holiday shoppers and the retailer confirmed as much on Thursday. Straying from its normally tight-lipped stance with regard to sharing sales volumes, Amazon announced that its Kindle Fire tablet and Kindle eReaders have sold more than 1 million combined units for three consecutive weeks. ”Kindle Fire is the most successful product we've ever launched - it's the bestselling product across all of Amazon for 11 straight weeks, we've already sold millions of units, and we're building millions more to meet the high demand,” VP of Amazon's Kindle business Dave Limp said in a statement. “In fact, demand is accelerating - Kindle Fire sales increased week over week for each of the past three weeks. People are buying Kindle Fire because it's a simple, fully-integrated service that makes it easy to do the things they love - watch movies, read books and magazines, listen to music, download apps, play games, and surf the web.” Limp added that the Kindle family of eBook readers are close behind Kindle Fire on the Amazon.com bestseller list. The company's full press release follows below.

Customers Purchasing Kindles at Rate of More Than 1 Million Per Week for Third Straight Week

Kindle Fire continues to lead the way as the #1 bestselling, most gifted, and most wished for product across all of Amazon.com since its introduction 11 weeks ago

Kindle Fire sales increase week over week for each of the past three holiday shopping weeks

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec. 15, 2011– (NASDAQ: AMZN) - Amazon.com today announced that Kindle devices remain the hottest products this holiday season - for the third week in a row, customers are purchasing well over 1 million Kindle devices per week, and Kindle Fire remains the #1 bestselling, most gifted, and most wished for product across the millions of items available on Amazon.com since its introduction 11 weeks ago. To learn more about the all-new Kindle family - the $79 Kindle, $99 Kindle Touch, $149 Kindle Touch 3G and the $199 Kindle Fire - visitwww.amazon.com/kindle.

"Kindle Fire is the most successful product we've ever launched - it's the bestselling product across all of Amazon for 11 straight weeks, we've already sold millions of units, and we're building millions more to meet the high demand. In fact, demand is accelerating - Kindle Fire sales increased week over week for each of the past three weeks. People are buying Kindle Fire because it's a simple, fully-integrated service that makes it easy to do the things they love - watch movies, read books and magazines, listen to music, download apps, play games, and surf the web," said Dave Limp, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. "Our family of Kindle e-ink readers are close behind Kindle Fire on the Amazon.com bestseller list. Customers continue to report preferring their Kindle e-reader for long-form reading, and in fact we've seen many customers buy two Kindles - both a Kindle Fire and a Kindle or Kindle Touch - this holiday season."

Kindle Fire offers more than 19 million movies, TV shows, songs, books, magazines, apps and games - such as Netflix, Hulu, Pandora and Angry Birds - as well as free storage of Amazon digital content in the Amazon Cloud, Whispersync for books and movies, a 14.6 ounce design that's easy to hold with one hand, a vibrant, color touch screen, a powerful dual-core processor and Amazon Silk - Amazon's new revolutionary web browser that accelerates the power of the mobile device by using the computing speed and power of the Amazon Web Services cloud - all for only $199.

The $79 latest generation Kindle is for readers around the world who want the lightest, most compact Kindle at an incredible price. Kindle is now small and light enough - at less than 6 ounces - to fit easily in your pocket and carry with you everywhere, yet it still features the same 6-inch, most advanced electronic ink display that reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight.

Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G feature an easy-to-use touch screen that makes it easier than ever to turn pages, search, shop, and take notes - still with all the benefits of the most advanced electronic ink display. Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G are also lighter, smaller, offer audio capabilities, such as text-to-speech and deep integration for audiobooks, extra-long battery life and hold thousands of books. Kindle Touch 3G offers the unparalleled added convenience of free 3G. Kindle's free 3G connection means you never have to hunt for or pay for a Wi-Fi hotspot - you simply download and read books anytime, anywhere in over 100 countries around the world. Amazon pays for the 3G connection so there's no monthly fee or annual contract. Both Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G include X-ray - a new feature invented by Amazon that lets customers explore the "bones of the book."

With an Amazon Prime membership, all of the new Kindles offer access to the new Kindle Owners' Lending Library and Prime Instant Video. With theKindle Owners Lending Library, Kindle owners can now choose from thousands of books to borrow for free - including over 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers - as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates. No other e-reader or e-bookstore offers such a service. With Prime Instant Video, Kindle Fire owners can access nearly 13,000 movies and TV shows available to stream at no additional cost.

Customers can order the new Kindle family today: the $79 Kindle at www.amazon.com/kindle, Kindle Touch for $99 atwww.amazon.com/kindletouch, Kindle Touch 3G for $149 at www.amazon.com/kindletouch3G and Kindle Fire for $199 atwww.amazon.com/kindlefire.

Pre-alpha MIUI ROM released for the HP TouchPad

Driven by HP's $99 fire sale of their webOS-based ToucHpad tablets, many hackers and developers have been busy attempting to port over a variety of Android flavors onto the device, most notably CyanogenMod 7. However if CM7 isn't your thing, the team behind MIUI have been making some progress with their own version of Android for the TouchPad.

So far the team has managed to get the MIUI custom ROM up to a pre-alpha stage, but even then it's rather impressive as to the features and functions that they've managed to get up and running so far. These includes features and functions such as audio, touch input, WiFi, and Bluetooth. However some of the functions and features not available or not working include the lack of an on-screen menu for home, back or menu functions.

Thanks to Brad Linder at Liliputing, here are some workarounds to the bugs we listed above.

If you'd like to go the MIUI ROM on the HP TouchPad a go, head on down to RootzWiki for the download links and instructions. Once again this is done at your own risk, so proceed only if you know what you're doing!

Sony Tablet S update lets you play with PS3 controllers, cable adapter required

We've got some good news for gamers that were willing to plunge into the PlayStation-certified world of Sony's tablets. The latest update to the company's divisive Tablet S will let you connect your PS3 controllers with those 32-bit games of yesteryear. The update is available now in Sony's homeland of Japan and the company is also rewarding its tablet faithful with a free download; an Ape Escape-themed mini-game collection. It's not all good news, however. The clamshelled Tablet P doesn't get the controller hook-up and you'll need to buy an additional USB adapter cable to connect a controller to the monoscreened Tablet S.

Amazon Kindles burn up the sales charts

Or so we are led to believe, as Amazon has more or less rolled out the actual figure of how many Kindles the company has moved overall. Their most recent announcement says, "for the third week in a row, customers are purchasing well over 1 million Kindle devices per week." I guess that gives away not too much, and yet just enough for us to figure out that it sells around 4 million Kindles each month if the momentum keeps up. Of course, bear in mind that the 1 million figure does not mean it is just the Kindle Fire alone, as it encompasses of the entire Kindle family, including a dedicated e-book reader like the Kindle Touch.

Amazon did say that the Kindle Fire is the most popular item on Amazon ever since it rolled out nearly 3 months ago, citing that "Kindle Fire sales increased week over week for each of the past three weeks." Do you think the momentum behind overall Kindle sales will continue throughout the holiday season, or will it peter off in a couple of weeks' time?