Asus: Ice Cream Sandwich coming to Eee Pad Transformer in February

Eagerly awaiting that sweet Ice Cream Sandwich update for your original Eee Pad Transformer? Keep waiting. Asus recently told Android Police that the classic Transforming tablet wouldn't be getting its ICS update until early February. The statement came shortly after a mix up on Asus' Singapore Facebook page that mistakenly claimed the update was arriving this week. Bummer? For sure, but at least you'll get to practice the gadget lover's most valued virtue: patience.

ASUS begins to roll out GPS fix for Transformer Prime tablet

ASUS released an over-the-air update for the Eee Pad Transformer Prime on Thursday. The update will boost the GPS version to 6.9.13 and improve the tablet's faulty signal according to user accounts. Since its release, the Prime has been plagued with numerous bugs that recently forced the company to issue refunds and extended warranties to dissatisfied customers in the United Kingdom. Numerous users at XDA-Developers have reported improved GPS connectivity without the need to connect to Wi-Fi, however there are a few individuals who are still unable to lock onto a signal. ASUS has not yet released an official change log for the update.

UK: Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi now just �249.99

The Motorola Xoom has seen its fair share of price cuts in the UK over the past few months, especially in its Wi-Fi-only incarnation. And those were anything but unexpected, considering the pretty steep pricing it launched with (£499.99). It was quite obvious that it wouldn't do very good with that price, so we've seen it go down to £394.95, £329.99, and, most recently, even £299.99. But that wasn't the last of the reductions, apparently. At the moment, Carphone Warehouse is offering the Wi-Fi-only Xoom for just £249.99, and at that price this is starting to have ‘bargain' written all over it. After all it's still very capable hardware, and it's approaching the price range of ‘budget' Android tablets which usually come with all sorts of compromises with regard to performance.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be just $399.99 at Staples Canada from tomorrow

Looks like tomorrow will be a big day in Canada if you're interested in price cuts applied to mobile devices. Following in the footsteps of Best Buy, which will offer the 32 GB iPhone 4S and the BlackBerry Bold 9900 cheaper starting tomorrow, Staples has something up its sleeve as well. From tomorrow, January 20, you'll be able to purchase a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for just $399.99. This is the Wi-Fi-only model we're talking about of course. The new pricing will make the tablet $100 cheaper than what it's been selling for ever since it was released in Canada in August. And at $399.99, it's certainly a more enticing device we'd say. In fact we'd argue that it should have launched with that price, in which case it would have been a lot better selling. Anyway, this is one of the top-end Android tablets from last year, so don't expect the price to continue falling dramatically. If you've been saving up for a tablet and $499.99 seemed too expensive, perhaps the moment to finally buy one is about to come (tomorrow, remember).

How To: Getting Personal Documents on Your Kindle

I love my Kindle, and I love the Amazon ecosystem for the purchase and reading of novels but did you know that  you can extend  the functionality of your Kindle way beyond that? The Kindles supports more than just Amazon's .AZW book format (basically a .MOBI with Digital Rights Management-DRM).  From the web site the Kindle supports:  Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion. So maps, pictures, articles and other useful stuff can be loaded onto your Kindle. Amazon promotes this and gives you up to 5GB for storage of personal documents. Anything archived here can be downloaded to supported devices or applications just like your Amazon books. When I'm travelling I like to keep copies of important documents like itineraries,travel insurance documents and medical documents on my Kindle.  That way they're always with me and won't get crumpled, lost or wet . This is a short article to quickly cover the most common ways of getting your own documents onto your Amazon Kindle (note: I am not going to discuss DRM) Please click on any of the pictures to enlarge the screenshots. Direct File System By plugging your Kindle into your PC or Mac, you can get access to the Kindle as an additional drive. This way you can just drag and drop supported files onto your Kindle. Documents can be placed directly into the root of the document directory or can put into subdirectories. Similarly, audio files can be manually placed into the music directory or audible books into the audible directory.  Note that putting them into sub-directories does not put them into collections. Useful if you've got you Kindle handy and just want the native file put onto your Kindle or if you have multiple documents to transfer. Just as a side point in the example above you'll see two files with the same name but a different extension.  The .AZW is the ebook itself and the .MBP is your “progress” file for that ebook. Advantages: No Wifi required Fast transfer Disadvantages: Need PC/Mac and micro-USB cable and Kindle No conversion available Not archived in your Amazon Personal Documents storage Personal Documents  Kindle Email Amazon supplies you with two email address that allow you to send documents to your Kindle. @kindle.com – your personal document will be received via either wifi or 3g. Sending via 3g on the Whispernet is chargeable, so you need to be careful how you connect by default. @free.kindle.com – will only send via wifi. Even if the 3g is your default connection it's only the next time you connect via wifi  that the document will be downloaded (for free). Where this is additionally useful is if you have multiple users and devices on a single account. In my example above I can send a personal document to one, two or all three of the Kindles attached to my account just by adding their email address. For security you nominate what email addresses are allowed to send documents to your Kindle addresses otherwise I'm sure by now Kindle spam would be a reality If you send a document and put “Convert” in the subject line of the email, then Amazon will attempt to convert from your format to AZW format.  By converting to .AZW, you can then manipulate like a normal book: change font size and typeface, spacing, style, etc. The accuracy of the converstion depends on format and layout of the source document. You will receive an email when your document is ready for delivery and also a notification on your Kindle when the document is available. Advantages: Does not require Kindle Can be initiated from multiple platforms as long as you have an email client Can be sent to individual user for multiple user accounts Can do conversions to .azw Archived in your Amazon Personal Documents Storage Can retrieve over 3g Disadvantages: Author becomes email address. Can incur Whispernet charges inadvertently Document must be less than 50MB Email must have less than 25 documents Email must go to less than 15 recipients Amazon recently released their Send to Kindle app for PC.  Once installed, you then have two ways of sending documents to your Kindle.  You can either right click on a document in Windows Explorer and choose Send to Kindle, or you can use the Print function in almost any Windows application to convert your source to a PDF. You can choose whether to send it via Wifi or Whispernet. You can select whether to archive your document or not. Again receiving a document may incur a 3g Whispernet fee. Advantages: Does not require Kindle You can rename the title and author Any source can be converted to PDF via Print option You get the option to archive in your Amazon Documents Archive Can retrieve over 3g Currently only available to PC (Mac is coming) No ability to convert your source document No conversion (except to PDF) Can incur Whispernet charges inadvertently Document must be less than 50MB Email must go to less than 15 recipients Calibre is more than just a means to be able to send documents to your Kindle, it's a complete e-book manager.  I'm not going to review the full functionality of Calibre here as that's a subject by itself.  Calibre can be used to convert from pretty much any e-book format to another.  If you click on the picture above you'll see that I've got two documents in my library.  By plugging your Kindle in, you can see that the green tick next to “Locked On” means that that document is already on my Kindle.  By highlighting a document and hitting “Send to Kindle” you can transfer documents from your library to your Kindle.  If you have a lot of documents you can easily see what is and isn't already loaded on your Kindle. Advantages: Fully featured ebook/document management (and more) Support for Windows, OSX, Linux and a portable (thumbdrive) version Multiple conversion options You can rename/modify any information about the document Disadvantages: Not archived in your Amazon personal documents Need PC/Mac, micro-USB cable and Kindle Single incidence public shareable storage Access via wifi and 3g Not archived in you Amazon personal documents. Requires a Dropbox/Box account So there's multiple ways to get personal documents onto your Kindle, each with it's own advantages and disadvantages both in terms of procedure, operation and complexity.  One of the big differentiators is if you need the document to be saved into Amazon's Personal Document storage either for sharing, archiving or for on/off-line access. Personally I use a mixture of all the methods mentioned above depending on my circumstances of what sort of document I need to send, what source format it's in, what destination format I want it in, where I am and what sort of  ”resources” are available to me. One other thing to keep in mind is that if you don't have a security code on your Kindle then if you lose it or it's stolen then anyone can access your personal documents so be careful what you do put on

LG unveils Optimus Pad LTE tablet

LG on Wednesday officially announced its Optimus Pad LTE tablet. The device is equipped with an 8.9-inch True HD IPS display that offers a sharp 1280 x 720-pixel resolution, an 8-megapixel camera, an SD card slot expandable to 32GB, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chats, HDMI-out and a 6,8000 mAh battery. It's powered by a dual-core Qualcomm processor clocked at 1.5GHz and runs Android 3.2 (Honeycomb), although there is no word if it will be upgraded to the newer Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. The Optimus Pad LTE will first make its debut in South Korea but, as was the case with the Optimus LTE, we wouldn't be surprised to see a U.S. model in the future. Pricing and an exact launch date have not been announced but we expect to hear more during Mobile World Congress next month. LG's full press release follows after the break. LG TO INTRODUCE ITS FIRST LTE TABLET (SEOUL–Korea Newswire) January 18, 2012 — LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled its first LTE-capable tablet, the Optimus Pad LTE. Initially launching in Korea, LG has equipped the tablet with both LTE technology and True HD IPS display, the two features that have helped LG differentiate its latest smartphone, Optimus LTE, from the competition. "With tablets generating five times more traffic than the average smartphone, it's not a huge jump to assume that tablet users need and want faster connectivity," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. "The combination of LG's LTE technology with the tablet form factor is a clear advantage for consumers who use a tablet as their primary consumption device when on the move." Boasting the best-in-class in the tablets, LG Optimus Pad LTE provides the ultimate user environment to enjoy HD multimedia with a 1280 x 720 True HD IPS display and 8 megapixel camera for shooting high definition video. The Optimus Pad LTE is also the world's first tablet to support an SD memory card expandable to 32GB, recognizing the importance multimedia would play for owners of this device. Along with these features, the Optimus Pad LTE offers easy-to-use controls and functions such as the Smart Movie Editor for editing pictures and videos more easily. Moreover, Web Duet allows for e-mailing, messaging and SNS sharing with search functions, and On-Screen Phone (OSP) ensures compatibility with LG smartphones. LG Optimus Pad LTE is extremely portable and aesthetically pleasing, weighing in at a svelte 479g and only 9.34mm thin. Equipped with a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor running Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS, LG's newest tablet guarantees superior performance. It also supports High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). Key Specifications: Operating System: Android 3.2 Honeycomb Memory: User 32GB (Micro SD up to 32GB) Size: 245 x 151.4 x 9.34 mm Weight: 497 g Display: 8.9-inch IPS True HD Display Resolution: 1280 x 768 Camera: 8MP (Rear) / 2MP (Front) Processor: Qualcomm 1.5GHz Dual-Core / Dual Channel Processor Battery: 6,800mAh Others: HDMI, DLNA

LG announces Optimus Pad LTE, forgets to include Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

First seen at the beginning of December, the LG Optimus Pad LTE tablet has been official announced in South Korea this morning. The tablet is thinner and lighter than the original Optimus Pad, measuring 245 x 151.4 x 9.34 mm, and weighing 497 grams. It will be launched with Android 3.2 Honeycomb on board, and LG said nothing about a possible update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - which I find weird for a tablet that's coming out in 2012. Apart from LTE connectivity, the new Optimus Pad features an 8.9 inch IPS display with 1280 x 768 pixels, Wi-Fi, DLNA, 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, HDMI, Smart Movie Editor, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, and a 6,800 mAh battery. The Optimus Pad LTE is the first tablet to support SD cards of up to 32GB. The LG Optimus Pad LTE will be initially available in South Korea. There's no word on when exactly, and neither for what price.

Motorola Xoom Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update starts rolling out

The Android 4.0 update for the Motorola Xoom has started rolling out already. It looks like the first to get it are Wi-Fi-only Xooms in the USA. That makes sense, since the US-sold Xooms are ‘Google Experience Devices', whereas Xooms sold elsewhere aren't (then again, the first tablet to receive this update was the Asus Transformer Prime and that isn't a Google Experience Device). The update is about 81 MB in size and will bring your Xoom up to Android build version IML77. The update shall arrive over-the-air, and as such your tablet will notify you when it becomes available. As always with these things, the rollout may be staggered, meaning that it may take a few days (at least) for the update to reach your particular unit. Even more than that, we're guessing, if you're outside the US and/or you have a Xoom with mobile data connectivity (since in that case your carrier probably has to accept the update as well). Still, it's on its way starting today, and that can only be good news. By the way, Settings > About tablet > System updates is your friend in case you're feeling lucky.

Toshiba waterproof tablet is wirelessly powered

At the recently concluded CES 2012, Toshiba paraded a fair number of new gadgets in addition to prototypes – and one of them is this waterproof tablet which can also be powered sans wires. It resided inside an aquarium most of the time on the showfloor, to show to the world just how its internal hardware is dammed up against any leaks. Toshiba came about this tablet by prototyping one based on its “Regza Tablet” that comes with a 10.1″ LCD display. According to Toshiba, “We prototyped it for displaying our technologies. We are not planning to commercialize it at this point.” In order to send power wirelessly, Toshiba used the magnetic resonance method that has a relatively long range of transmission. With the distance between the prototyped tablet computer and a power-transmitting device measuring several centimeters, this allows the tablet to remain juiced while swimming with the proverbial sharks. There was no disclosure on the efficiency of the power transmission, although the efficiency level is not high.

UK Asus Transformer Prime models is free of Wi-Fi bug

If you happen to pick up an Asus Transformer Prime in the UK, then you can be sure that your particular unit has no Wi-Fi bug to worry about, although those of us living in the US and have a Transformer Prime to call our own are not exempt. Asus UK recently released a statement, saying, “As part of our unwavering commitment to our customers, we wish to allay some recent concerns regarding the Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201. After extensive checks we can confirm that no units have been supplied to the UK with a known WiFi issue. Any customers experiencing WiFi issues specifically are advised to contact our support hotline on tel. 0870 1208 340.” Of course, if you happen to pick up a Transformer Prime TF201 and are not happy with the performance of the GPS module, there is still a window of opportunity for you to return the unit at your point of purchase in order to claim a full refund as per standard consumer rights that are applicable in the UK. If you prefer to hold on to your unit instead, here is a little bit of news that might just uplift your spirits in the middle of a work week – an extension will be granted to the standard ASUS warranty from 12 to 18 months. [Press Release]

HP TouchPad receives extremely Alpha CyanogenMod 9 build

While seeing CyanogenMod 7 on the HP TouchPad is pretty great already, what would be even greater would be seeing Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich-based CyanogenMod 9 on the HP TouchPad instead. If that's what you've been looking forward to ever since you picked up at $99 HP TouchPad during its fire sale, well you're in luck as XDA forum member dalingrin has released an extremely Alpha build of CyanogenMod 9 AOSP-built ROM for the HP TouchPad tablet. The ROM appears to be usable, but given how it's considered to be an extremely Alpha build, there are quite a ton of features that do not work just yet which includes hardware video (which prevents Netflix or HD YouTube videos from playing), the camera, and audio just to name a few. However if you just cannot resist CyanogenMod 9 on your HP TouchPad, you will be able to find the download at RootzWiki along with additional information on what works and what does. Alternatively there's a thread going on at the XDA forums where users are discussing their experiences with the Alpha build of CyanogenMod 9 for the HP TouchPad.

Fujitsu M532 tablet revealed in video, has Ice Cream Sandwich in store

Now here is a tablet from Fujitsu – the Fujitsu M532, which is surprising to stumble upon simply because Fujitsu is not exactly well known for its prowess in the tablet department to date. It seems that the Fujitsu M532 has a statement of intent to make, considering how it comes with a Tegra 3 chipset within, with word that it will hit the market this May (no idea if that is the Japanese market or otherwise). Apart from the NVIDIA Tegra 3 chipset, the M532 will also come with a display that packs in 1280 x 800 pixels, 16GB of internal memory, a 3-megapixel camera in front and an 8-megapixel shooter at the rear. Word on the street has it that this will carry a €499 price tag, although that has yet to be finalized. We do look forward to it arrive with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Verizon drops price of Motorola DROID RAZR to $199.99

Verizon announced on Tuesday that the Motorola DROID RAZR, which originally launched a few months back for $299.99, is now available for $199.99 with a new two-year contract. The DROID RAZR is equipped with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, support for Verizon's 4G LTE network, 16GB of storage, an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p HD video and more. The slim smartphone will also become available in new white or purple color options on January 23rd. Verizon's full press release follows after the break. DROID RAZR™ By Motorola Now Available For $199.99 Online On The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network  Customer Inquiries The DROID RAZR™ by Motorola in Black is now available online atwww.verizonwireless.com for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. Equipped with 16 GB on-board memory, the DROID RAZR is 7.1 mm thin, made with KEVLAR® fiber for strength and Corning® Gorilla® Glass for scratch resistance. DROID RAZR customers can expect to rip through the Web at blazing speeds with a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor and Verizon Wireless 4G LTE. Verizon Wireless leads the way in 4G with the fastest and most reliable 4G network in the United States, covering more than 200 million people in 190 markets. Additional features: Powered by Android™ 2.3.5 Gingerbread, upgradable to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video capture and image stabilization technology for crisp and clear videos Front-facing HD camera for video chat over 4G LTE, 3G or Wi-Fi 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot capable - customers can share 4G LTE speed with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices Remote wipe, pin lock and government-grade encryption for email, calendar and contacts, as well as voice and video chat conferencing 16 GB on-board memory microSD™ card slot with support for up to 32 GB memory card The DROID RAZR in White and Purple will be also available for $199.99 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online atwww.verizonwireless.com on Jan. 23. Customers that purchase a DROID RAZR will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

LG Optimus Pad LTE announced

Today LG announced the launch of its first LTE-capable tablet, the Optimus Pad LTE. The tablet features LTE connectivity, an 8.9″ True HD (1280 x 720) IPS display, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front facing camera, a Qualcomm 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 3.2 Honeycomb, 32GB of internal storage, microSD card slot (up to 32GB), HDMI output, DLNA, and a 6,800mAh battery. No word on whether the tablet will be receiving Ice Cream Sandwich, but the tablet will be initially launched in South Korea before it makes its way to the rest of the world. The True HD display and LTE connectivity will definitely draw a lot of people, but the lack of Ice Cream Sandwich might turn off folks who don't want to wait for an upgrade for the tablet.

Kindle Fire update 6.2.2 released

Users who haven't rooted and blocked software updates on their Kindle Fire tablets will probably realize a new update being pushed out by Amazon today. According to reports online, the Android tablet is now receiving an update that brings the tablet up to version 6.2.2. The update is touted to be a minor one, with the only noticeable difference being the ability to go into full screen mode when using the Silk web browser. And in case you were wondering - yes, it breaks root. However, if you use BurritoRoot to root the device, the utility has already been updated to support the latest version of the Kindle Fire. For those of you who aren't bothered about it can proceed with the update without any worry. And if you haven't received the notification, you can head over to Amazon's website to grab the update.

Asus Transformer Prime experiences Ice Cream Sandwich failure for some

While the majority of Asus Transformer Prime owners would probably have been pleased with the Ice Cream Sandwich update on their respective tablets (which was also demonstrated recently), there is a small group of Transformer Prime owners who are left far more frustrated than before. It seems that several owners have already filed complaints that their tablets display a serial number error, whereby this acts as a doorstop that prevents the update from installing – at least according to the flurry of activity that is happening on the XDA Developers forum. Asus is already aware of the situation and are working on a fix which should be out soon. According to Asus' technical marketing manager Gary Key, the tablet is unable to automatically or manually update to the latest firmware, hence this particular problem. If you are one of the affected, then you can always make a backup of all your data, perform an factory reset and ensure the Transformer Prime remains active with a Wi-Fi connection for up to a quarter of an hour for it to synchronize with Asus' servers. Should the update fail to start automatically after that, keep your fingers crossed that a manual update would work. If all else fails, then just send Key a private message on the forum along with the serial numbers of your tablet, and he personally gives his assurance that something will be done. Now is that dedication or what?

Windows 8 tablet minimum requirements revealed

Microsoft has previously mentioned that Windows 8 will have no problem running on computers that can already run the Windows 7 operating system but it looks like the company wants to be a bit stricter when it comes to tablets. Just like its tight control over the specifications of Windows Phone smartphones, Windows 8 tablets are going to have special requirements. According to reports online, Windows 8 tablets will need to have the following features: Storage of at least 10GB free space after the out-of-box experience completes, UEFI firmware, WLAN and Bluetooth 4.0 + LE, Direct3D 10 graphics with WDDM 1.2 driver, a screen resolution of 1366 x 768, touch support for at least 5 points, a 720p capable camera, ambient light sensor (1-30k lux capable with a dynamic range of 5-60k), magnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, USB 2.0 (one controller and exposed port) and speakers. Other features include NFC support, and five hardware buttons (power, rotation lock, Windows key and volume up/down). Fortunately for those of you who want to build your own computers, it's not going to be a problem, as these requirements are only for tablets - to ensure a consistent Windows 8 experience across all devices even though they may be from different OEMs. What do you think of the Windows 8 tablet requirements? Should they be higher or should they be up to the manufacturers?

RIM reportedly prepping two new PlayBook tablets for 2012

Research In Motion is reportedly working on two new BlackBerry PlayBook tablets that are currently scheduled for release in 2012. BlackBerry watcher N4BB claims that while RIM had initially scrapped plans to produce a larger PlayBook tablet, the vendor now plans to release both a 10-inch and a new 7-inch tablet this year. RIM's new 7-inch model will feature embedded 3G connectivity when it launches in April according to the report, and the 10-inch BlackBerry tablet will reportedly include support for 4G LTE networks when it launches in December. The site also reiterates that RIM currently only has one BlackBerry 10 smartphone slated for 2012, which BGR exclusively reported earlier this month, and it states that at least two more low-end BlackBerry Curve models will launch this year as well.

RedPad tablet for the Red Army

China, the world's most populous country, will soon be getting their very own Android-powered tablet known as the RedPad. How apt, considering the main color of China's flag is one that can set off a bull on a fiery run. When you dig deeper into the system specifications, it might make you think twice – as the RedPad itself costs around $1,580 after conversion, although if you happen to buy in bulk, it will retail for just $1,124. Sporting 16GB of storage space, the RedPad would be nearly twice as expensive as that of the Apple iPad, or you can roughly purchase a couple of mid-range Android tablets with that kind of money. Will patriotism trump common sense when it comes to the tablet's purchase in China? At least it will be accompanied by a fancy leather case which has been embossed in gold alongside the product's name, in addition to a bunch of pre-installed apps which could actually help China's numerous officials get around their working day easier (while playing Angry Birds to stave away boredom, I guess). Other hardware specifications include a 9.7″ touchscreen display at 1024 x 768 resolution, a Tegra 2 processor, 1GB RAM, and 16GB of internal memory, all running on Android 3.2 Honeycomb.

Transformer Prime 3G nothing more than a rumor says ASUS

While the Transformer Prime has been getting pretty good reviews all around, it has one noticeable disadvantage when compared to other premium tablets on the market today: it is a WiFi-only device. While this may not be a problem to most people, there is quite a large number of people who need 3G on their tablets as well. But for those of you who have been hoping and waiting for ASUS to announce a 3G version of the tablet, you're out of luck.

According to a report from Focus Taiwan, ASUS has cleared up the rumors about a 3G version of the tablet arriving. The company announced that it had no such plan to launch a 3G version of the Transformer Prime, at least not according to its current roadmap. The company could always change its mind in the future, but for now you're better off looking for a 3rd party 3G solution (WiFi tethering on your smartphone or a MiFi hotspot) as opposed to waiting for the 3G Transformer Prime to arrive. Anybody disappointed by this news?

Ainovo Novo7 Paladin Tablet

While new tablet PC's seem to be flooding the market, the competition is still wide open with the Apple iPad tablet as the device to beat. New tablets are now trying to do it by offering better features, upgraded software and better pricing. One of the most attractive models ever to come out having all three elements in mind is the Ainovo Novo7 Paladin Tablet. The Ainovo Novo7 Paladin may not exactly ring any bells when it is first mentioned. After all, it does not have the attraction that more popular brands have. But what it does have may actually be attractive to those who might have the fortune of ever hearing about this new tablet. The Ainovo Novo7 Paladin is a tablet that runs on the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. It comes with a 1GHz Ingenic JZ4770 Chip that uses MIPS with its low power and high integration features. It also comes with a GC860 GPU core with 3D rendering capabilities. It also comes with a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display, WiFi connectivity and supports 1080P Full HD as well as compatibility with several video and audio formats. But what may be an attractive feature of this tablet may not just be with the features that it offers. The Ainovo Novo7 Paladin is expected to cost around US$89. This tablet is currently available in China but may be seeing its way into the US market any time soon.

Report: “Wintel” Tablets to be More Expensive than iPad

Microsoft will be unveiling its Intel-powered tablets by the latter half of the year and by the looks of it, the company will not put itself down to overcome the popularity of the iPad (and the upcoming iPad 3). In a report from DigiTimes, neither Intel nor Microsoft are willing to cut prices of its tablets to help both manufacturers. Intel provides the Clover Trail-based Atom chips, while Microsoft arms the tablets with Windows 8 OS. The report adds that these Acer-made devices are expected to cost at least $599, a full Benjamin higher than the most basic iPad 2 model, and could go up to $899 for the most premium model. Sources to the site also comment that since these “Wintel” tablets are not expected to be introduced before the unveiling of Windows 8 roughly in the second half of the year, this gives a window of opportunity for both Apple and Android tablet manufacturers to dish out their own devices beforehand. Apart from the iPad 3, other tablets expected to arrive in 2012 include a set of quad-core, Android 4.0 tablets from Asus, Lenovo, and possibly Samsung.

Dell Streak 7 receives Ice Cream Sandwich ROM

Dell might have stopped selling the Streak 7 in the US, but that does not mean there is no more life in this particular tablet. No sir, a community of unofficial developers have come together to conjure a beta build of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, where they borrowed several elements from the Cyanogenmod team. There is a giant disclaimer over here just in case you think that your Streak 7 deserves a resuscitation in case anything goes awry, making sure that this is not for the faint hearted, but for seasoned veterans instead. We do know that this beta build will see Wi-Fi connectivity working on your Streak 7 after installation, including most of the Google apps, audio playback, touchscreen display, rotation sensors, the ability to capture a screenshot, not to mention the capacitive buttons working just fine, alongside USB mount capability an external storage. There are still lag issues involved, and the camera fails to launch, not to mention being unable to take advantage of the built-in Bluetooth connection. And yes, GPS will not function as well, in addition to 3G/4G/GSM radio, so Wi-Fi's all you got at the moment.

Asus Transformer Android 4.0 ICS update 'in the process of being approved by Google'

Asus may have two new Android tablets - the Transformer Prime and the Transformer Prime TF700T with its 1920 x 1200 display - but there are still many users who own the older Transformer model. Last week, we told you that the old Transformer would be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich "by early February." Now Asus North America has unveiled on Facebook that the update is "in the process of being approved by Google," and "once that is done we will be able to push it out to you guys." So, with a bit of luck, we may see ICS on the original Transformer before the end of January. As for the Transformer Prime, Ice Cream Sandwich updates for it have already begun, while the Transformer Prime TF700T will run ICS from day one.

Archos G9 tablet gets update, bug fixes

There is nothing quite like a new operating system and software update for your device to weed out all of those niggling bugs which plagued the overall user experience. Archos has introduced the latest version 3.2.79 update for its Android 3.2 Honeycomb-powered tablets, including the Archos G9, that will solve a wide variety of bugs and glitches, including the "Keep Screen On" option that has been added to the browser options, in addition to other under-the-hood items such as fixes to hard drive power suspension issues. Archos has a full list of tweaks that you might want to check out if you happen to be toting the Archos G9 tablet around, but here are several which are the more notable ones. Your video playback experience would be improved where the MPEG2 format is concerned, while you will no longer experience the Archos widget getting stuck on the sandglass, with the File Manager giving the go-ahead for one to copy a file from Network. As for the display, the backlight now turns on at wakeup from suspend, and for folks who do experience a user interface freeze during animations should find this to be a thing of the past. You will be able to retrieve the update here, where it also applies to the smaller 80 and the full 10″ 101 versions of the tablet.

IdeaTab S2 10-inch Tablet, an Ice Cream Sandwich from Lenovo!

Lenovo said that its IdeaTab S2 10 tablet is available immediately in China. But in America and united Kingdom, it will come at later date. The S2 is thinner than its predecessor at just 1x3 -inch, and it weighs only 1.1lbs or less than 0.5kg, that's so light! Powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8960 dual core CPU, the IdeaTab S2 runs the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich which make it perfect to stay on the edge. Are you in the mood to wait for the IdeaPad S2? If you're in hurry, you don't have to. You can find other Android 4.0 tablets at Amazon.com

Nook Tablet bootloader bypassed, Android 4.0 takes its first steps onto the platform

No points for calling this one, but it looks like Android 4.0 is well on its way to the Nook Tablet — in a decidedly unofficial manner, of course. Just a few days after the tablet's bootloader was bypassed, developer Brandon Bennet (aka Nemith) has now apparently managed to get an early version of the Android 4.0-based CyanogenMod 9 up and running on the device, although you'll still have to wait a bit longer for something that's actually useable. What's more, some other developers have also managed to get the tablet to boot from a microSD card, and there's been some progress with Ubuntu on the tablet as well. Hit the links below for all the details and the latest from the xda-developers forum.

Asus says there's no 3G Transformer Prime

A couple of weeks ago, various websites have reported that Asus would want to launch a 3G version of its Transformer Prime Android tablet. But this doesn't seem to be true. According to FocusTaiwan, today Asus stated that “no such product exists on its current roadmap.” However, the company expects to introduce 3G versions of future high-end devices included in the Transformer series. It's not clear yet if the new Transformer Prime TF700T (which has a 1920 x 1200 pixels display and a 2MP front-facing camera) will have a 3G version or not. We'll probably find out more on this closer to the TF700T's launch date - sometime in the second quarter of the year.   The original Asus Transfomer Prime (pictured above) was launched at the end of 2011 running Android Hoenycomb. Since then, updates to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for it have already started to be rolled-out. Asus hopes to sell up to 6 million Android tablets this year.

Windows 8 tablets could be priced right out of contention

Tablets were the talk of the Consumer Electronics Show this year, but not the same way they were last year. In 2011 we saw more than 100 slates unveiled, the lion's share of which were powered bu Android, and companies pushed hard to compete with Apple's iPad. This year, barely any Android tablets were shown off at the show, but a number of companies had nameless prototypes on hand that were intended to show us what Windows 8 will be capable of once it hits the market. Unfortunately, according to a new report, the fantastic “Wintel” tablets we saw on display at this year's show may end up with price tags that could deter most consumers and hurt Windows 8 tablets' chances right out of the gate. Read on for more. Citing anonymous sources from within notebook PC vendors, DigiTimes on Monday reported that Windows and Intel are unwilling to adjust costs to suppliers for their respective software and Clover Trail hardware. The result, according to the report, may be tablets priced in the $599 to $899 range. While this pricing would fall somewhat in line with Apple's iPad, consumers have shown no interest in most rival tablets priced so high. On one hand, pricing in the $599 to $899 range for a convertible touchscreen notebook running a full blown copy of Windows 8 would be an absolute steal. Up to $900 for a light-duty Windows 8 tablet, however, may not have the impact Microsoft is hoping for. DigiTimes notes that vendors may end up cutting costs by moving away from Intel and opting instead for ARM-based chipsets from other vendors including Qualcomm, NVIDIA and Texas Instruments.

Samsung plans tweaked Galaxy Tab 7.0N to skirt Apple patent complaints

Samsung is reportedly planning to launch a tweaked version of its Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus tablet in Germany. The Galaxy Tab 7.0N will likely offer many of the same features of the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus but with design changes that could help it avoid litigation from Apple. Apple and Samsung have been butting heads in courtrooms around the globe and Apple last year successfully banned Samsung's local subsidiaries from selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1. As a result, Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab 10.1N, which has also been the subject of ongoing patent litigation. The Galaxy Tab 7.0N is expected to cost about $770 without carrier subsidies.

All white Samsung Galaxy Tabs emerge in Vietnam

Samsung has released white versions of several of the company's mobile devices lately. While the back of the various devices would be white, the front bezel around the screen typically remained black - that is, until now.  It would appear that Samsung has been working on a white bezel to integrate into the company's future milky-colored devices;  a white Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus have emerged in Vietnam and feature truly all white design. The specs of the Tab 10.1 and Tab 7.0 Plus remain unchanged, reports claim. No pricing or availability details have been announced.

All-white Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus spotted in Vietnam, may be launching soon

It looks like both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus are about to get a new paint job. White, to be precise. And yes, we do know that in some territories you've been able to buy these tablets in white for quite a while now. But this is all-white we're talking about. See, up until now the white versions of the tablets have retained the black front fascia, with only the back side being clad in white. But that may change in the future. A Galaxy Tab 10.1 and a Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus with the front bezel in white as well have just been spotted in Vietnam. Here they are: Definitely… whiter than the currently selling models. For fans of the color, that's great news. Unfortunately though, we don't know exactly when these will be in stores just yet. But that info should be leaked (or officially announced) soon, and we'll let you know when that happens.

Motorola Xoom drips with Ice Cream Sandwich update

It seems that the Motorola Xoom tablet has started to receive the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich updates since yesterday, where Motorola did tease the update beforehand via e-mail to lucky Xoom owners, “Thanks for your patience as we've waited for this project to begin. Because we are dealing with a Google Experience Device (GED) we have less insight to timing than we would usually have. However, I'm happy to announce that we will start the update this evening. Because it was delayed a few days, we will also have additional time to test; we will let it run through the weekend.” At point of publishing, it seems as though a few thousand select Xoom Wi-Fi owners will be on the receiving end of the update as part of an initial and private test. Assuming there are no grouses or complaints, Motorola intends to roll out Ice Cream Sandwich to the masses from late Thursday onwards, all the way through to the weekend (and beyond, perhaps?). Are you one of the select few hand-picked by Motorola to enjoy Ice Cream Sandwich for your Xoom Wi-Fi?

The Mystery of Panasonic's “Skype Tablet”

Panasonic teased attendees of CES 2012 with a device they call a “Skype tablet.” The silver-colored device features a 7-inch LCD screen, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a webcam at the front, and an SD card slot at the back. Unfortunately, this tablet was pulled out of the Panasonic booth–out of nowhere and for undisclosed reasons–before the public could get their hands on it. The booth's staff are not even helpful when asked about this mystery device. But anyway, you can check out more photos about it at the source link. We will provide you with updates about this so-called Skype tablet once it becomes available.

ICS-Powered Ainovo Novo7 Paladin Available for United States

Whenever you hear about a tablet that costs lower than $100, one thing comes to mind: fire sale. So it comes as a surprise to the people who attended the CES 2012 to see an Ice Cream Sandwich-powered tablet that is intended to sell at just $79. China-based MIPS introduces its Ainovo Novo7 Paladin budget tablet. It is currently available in its home land, but if you want it shipped to the United States, it might cost you more due to shipping and handling fees. MIPS assures the consuming public, however, that the added price would be around the industry standard. It may not be the slimmest tablet in the market, but it has decent specs for a $79 tablet. The device features a 7-inch screen with 800 x 480 resolution, an core MIPS-made single-core 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, Android 4.0, 8GB of storage, a headphone jack, miniUSB port, volume buttons, and a microSD card slot for expandable memory. It also comes with three buttons on top of it: power, back, and menu. But since the Ainovo Novo7 Paladin is a sub-100 tablet, expect some features to be absent. Cameras or GPS are no show on this tablet, for instance. If you want a camera, however, you can shell out $20 more for a $99 Novo7 basic.

Original Asus Eee Pad Transformer will get its Android 4.0 update by early February

If you have the original Asus Eee Pad Transformer tablet, you're probably envious at those who have the newer Transformer Prime in their possession, since that gadget has already received an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. But you shouldn't be upset, for Asus hasn't forgotten about its first Android tablet. And the original Transformer will get the update too, “by early February”. That's what Asus told Android Police. The update will go out in Taiwan and the US first, meaning that if you're elsewhere in the world you may need to wait some more after that. However, Asus Singapore recently said, on Facebook, that the update would start rolling out around the end of January. So best case scenario – end of January, worst case – beginning of February. Again, that's probably only valid in Taiwan, the US, and Singapore, but we can't imagine the update taking longer than a few weeks to reach the rest of the world.

Asus Transformer Prime getting Ice Cream Sandwich by early February

Do you happen to own an Asus Transformer Prime tablet? Also known as TF101 if you are into model numbers and the like, Asus did promise the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update to Transformer Prime owners last week, touting that it will roll out shortly after the one for the Prime, so that means any time after today (January 12th). Since Ice Cream Sandwich for the Prime was introduced earlier, followed by Asus Singapore's Facebook posting that went “Hi Gabriele Gab, are you referrring to TF101? If so, it will be getting the update as well tomorrow. Thanks.” (emphasis mine). I suppose someone at Asus made a boo-boo, since it was subsequently retracted, and as you can see, the Asus US representative had to do some firefighting by letting all and sundry know the real situation. While the ICS update for the original Transformer TF101 will roll out by early February, it will happen in the US and Taiwan first before the rest of the world.