Kouziro crafts wired-only, 21.5-inch Android 4.0 mega tablet

We're wondering if Kouziro saw the ASUS Transformer AIO and developed a little Freudian envy. That would certainly help explain the company's FT103 tablet, which at 21.5 inches is one of the biggest devices running Android 4.0 without veering into full-size TV territory. If you're having sudden flashbacks to the Toshiba Excite 13 and dreading the thought of lugging around all 11 pounds of this slab, you'll breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Kouziro doesn't make any pretenses surrounding portability: there's no battery, and a kickstand keeps it upright on a desk rather than crushing your lap. The lackluster 1GHz TI OMAP 4428 processor and 8GB of storage certainly won't do much to draw attention, though. All the same, the HDMI input and 1080p screen resolution could make it a very clever secondary display for another device, and the extra-extra-extra-large size lets it stuff in two full USB ports and Ethernet along with the usual front camera and mobile expansion. The late July release in Japan and the ¥34,800 ($437) price aren't outlandish for what's in the box — just brace yourself for psychoanalysis from friends and family after taking the FT103 home.

Le Pan II receives Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich update at long last

 
Earlier this year at CES 2012, the world was introduced to yet another Android-powered tablet (which frankly, has flooded the market by the dozens, making it rather tough to pick out one that is very different from the rest) in the form of the Le Pan II. Half a year ago, it ran on Android 3.2 Honeycomb which was a tablet-centric version of Android, and we are pleased to announce that from July 15th onwards, the Le Pan II is on the receiving end of the Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system update.

This operating system update will introduce recent tabs when you press the home button, making life far easier whenever you are working on the tablet itself. Not only that, users will be able to benefit from the NFC feature thanks to the inclusion of Android Beam, letting you share content wirelessly with other compatible devices. In addition, we ought to be able to see an improved battery life, better and more stable Wi-Fi connectivity, better processing performance, and the ability to adjust the usage of RAM automatically while freeing up additional internal memory space. Your camera on the Le Pan II should also work in a faster and smoother manner.

There are also whispers that this holiday season, we could be looking at a third generation Le Pan tablet with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in tow. Time will reveal all rumors, so let us sit out on this one and wait.

Hyundai reportedly launching three Android tablets in Russia this year

It seems that Lamborghini isn't the only car manufacturer interested in expanding its business to mobile devices. According to a Russian blog, Hyundai will be launching three tablets running Ice Cream Sandwich this year in Russia. Interesting isn't it? One of the three is a 7-inch Kindle-like tablet dubbed as Hyundai HT-7B. This tablet will reportedly sport a 1024x600 display and a 1 GHz Samsung CPU. Other purported features of the tablet include a 1 GB RAM, Wi-Fi and GPS support, a 2-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 3-megapixel camera, 8 GB built-in storage, and a 4000 mAh battery.

Another tablet is the Hyundai HT-9B. This 9.7-inch tablet will feature a 1024x768 IPS display, a 1.2 GHz Cortex A8 CPU, and a Mali-400 GPU. Other features will include a 1 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, 2-megapixel rear and 3-megapixel front cameras, GPS/ Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth support, USB 2.0, HDMI and a 5600 mAh battery. Last but not the least is the 10.1-inch Hyundai HT-10B. This large tablet, also running Ice Cream Sandwich, will be powered by a 1.2 GHz Cortex A8 CPU and Mali-400 GPU. Notable specs will include a 1 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, 2-megapixel rear and 3-megapixel front cameras, built-in 3G, GPS/ Wi-Fi/ Bluetooth support, USB 2.0, HDMI, and a 5600 mAh battery.

More proof of a Nexus tablet launching at Google I/O this month emerges

 
You've probably heard about the rumor mill surrounding the Nexus tablet and its rumored launching at the Google I/O later this month. Well, if you've been waiting for an update, the Taiwanese publication that is DigiTimes is reporting that the said tablet will be unveiled at the Google I/O annual developer conference in San Francisco. The Google I/O will commence on the 27th of June and will end on the 29th. Sources reportedly told Digitimes that the 7-inch Nexus tablet PC will start shipping in June and is estimated to be available in the retail stores in July, with the device's total shipments expected to reach at least three million units in the second half of the year.

Furthermore, the publication added that the initial price of the device is expected to be around the 199-dollar mark. “Due to its low price, the 7-inch Nexus tablet PC only supports a Wi-Fi connection and does not feature a back-side webcam, but will equip with a front-side webcam for video conference,” DigiTimes wrote. It's important to note that we are merely citing reports from unknown sources. Until we can prove its veracity, it's best to keep our fingers crossed.

Tablets and smartphones are turning handheld gaming devices into a niche

A new study from ABI Research found that Sony and Nintendo are struggling against the rise of smartphones and tablets in gaming. The two companies are expected to ship more than 38 million handheld gaming devices in 2013, a number significantly lower than the previous peak of 47 million units in 2008. Shipments after 2013 are expected to continue to decline, and the firm says handheld gaming devices will only survive as a niche, while smartphone and tablet sales continue to increase. "Mobile devices will compete with dedicated handheld gaming devices, but select consumer segments like core gamers and those individuals who do not want or have a smartphone or tablet will still provide some demand,” senior ABI analyst Michael Inouye said. “The addition of mobile gaming is not necessarily a zero sum situation; in fact, many feel there is plenty of room in the gaming market for both portable and mobile gaming." Read on for ABI Research's press release.

Handheld Gaming Devices in Downward Spiral to Niche Status Thanks to Tablets and Mobile Devices

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - June 7, 2012

​ Over 38 million handheld gaming devices from Sony and Nintendo are expected to ship in 2013 -a maximum that is significantly lower than the previous peak of 47 million units in 2008. Unit shipments following 2013 are expected to decline slightly, but dedicated handheld gaming devices are a sustainable niche, with forecasts relatively flat through 2017. Smartphone and tablet use for gaming continues to expand, making the mobile gaming market an increasingly important companion to dedicated handheld gaming.

Senior analyst Michael Inouye comments, "Mobile devices will compete with dedicated handheld gaming devices, but select consumer segments like core gamers and those individuals who do not want or have a smartphone or tablet will still provide some demand. The addition of mobile gaming is not necessarily a zero sum situation; in fact, many feel there is plenty of room in the gaming market for both portable and mobile gaming."

Following an initially strong 1Q 2011 launch, Nintendo's 3DS experienced a far weaker second quarter, prompting the company to dramatically lower the price of the handheld (from ~$249 to ~$170). The lower price, with additional titles, spurred sales to over 15 million through the 2011 calendar year. In late 2011, Sony launched the Vita in Japan with a wider launch in February 2012 to decent sales, although the price might prove an issue for Sony as well, despite significantly more robust hardware.

Inouye adds, "The mobile and tablet markets have increased consumers' price sensitivity. First party developers and key game franchises will be vital cogs for the industry in the future, since hardware alone is not going to cut it given the shorter upgrade cycles for mobile devices." Recent announcements at E3 from Nintendo and Microsoft, coupled with past mobile-centric initiatives by Sony, make clear that mobile experiences will be integrated into "dedicated" gaming experiences (both console and portable).

HBO GO now available for Amazon Kindle Fire

HBO on Wednesday announced that its popular video streaming app HBO GO has launched for the Amazon Kindle Fire. Available immediately as a free download for Amazon's tablet in the Amazon Appstore, HBO GO allows HBO subscribers with service through certain cable providers to stream HBO content such as Game of Thrones, True Blood, The Sopranos and a variety of movies to their mobile devices. "We are thrilled to offer HBO GO to the growing community of millions of Kindle Fire owners," said Aaron Rubenson, director of the Amazon Appstore. "The HBO GO app will offer instant access to HBO's incredible lineup of shows. Kindle Fire owners already download and use apps and games frequently on their devices, and we expect that only to increase with the addition of HBO GO and all of its popular content." HBO's full press release follows below.

HBO GO® LAUNCHES ON AMAZON'S KINDLE FIRE 

More Than 1,400 HBO® Titles Available for Streaming Via HBO GO App,

Downloadable From the Amazon Appstore for Android

New York, N.Y., June 6, 2012 - HBO GO, the wildly popular streaming service from HBO, is launching on Amazon's Kindle Fire, beginning today.  Available via the Amazon Appstore for Android, HBO GO consumers will be able to instantly access more than 1,400 titles, including every episode of every season of the best HBO shows. HBO GO is available at no additional cost to HBO customers who subscribe through a participating television provider.

HBO subscribers can use the HBO GO for Kindle Fire for on-the-go viewing of current critically acclaimed and award-winning series like Game of Thrones

"We are thrilled to offer HBO GO to the growing community of millions of Kindle Fire owners," said Aaron Rubenson, Director of the Amazon Appstore. "The HBO GO app will offer instant access to HBO's incredible lineup of shows.  Kindle Fire owners already download and use apps and games frequently on their devices, and we expect that only to increase with the addition of HBO GO and all of its popular content."

The best-selling Kindle Fire is the most successful product launch ever on Amazon.com and already a major platform for content providers and app developers to reach millions of people who love entertainment, whether its books, movies, music, apps or games. Kindle Fire offers customers a fully-integrated service with instant access to over 20 million movies, TV shows, magazines, newspapers, books, songs, apps and games. And, all of your Amazon content is always backed up and stored for free in the Amazon Cloud. Kindle Fire is available for $199 at www.amazon.com/kindlefire.

Subscribers can also personalize HBO GO through a custom "Watchlist" that keeps track of bookmarked content for later viewing and the "Series Pass

Tactus' morphing smartphone and tablet display hands-on

Tactus Technology, a small start-up out of Fremont, CA, made a big splash at this year's Society for Information Display (SID) conference. The company, which came to Boston, MA toting a single product, showcased an early prototype of its morphing touchscreen display. The screen, which looks and acts like all other smartphone and tablet displays, has a very special and unique feature: it can dynamically create and remove tactile keys on demand. Tactus utilizes a specially designed window that sits directly on top of a display's touch sensor - which we're told can be fitted to almost any touchscreen - that has specially designed channels. A "proprietary oil" is, at the behest of the underlying operating system, forced in and out of these channels to raise the display surface and create a tactile interface for the end-user. It's a concept that, much to the delight of ardent smartphone and tablet keyboard lovers, can provide a physical input experience without sacrificing screen real estate. Have a look at our hands-on gallery then saunter past the break to see this tactile touchscreen in action and read our impressions. The buttons created by Tactus' screen have a very distinct feeling and resistance. The small plateaus that protrude from the screen almost look wet and, when pressed, require a fair amount of pressure to push all the way down to the touchscreen. Although you can push the buttons flush, it's not necessary to register input; just tapping the screen (as with all non-resistive panels) will register your choice. As you may be able to see from several of our photos, the screen does seem to add some thickness to the display panel. While the added size is irrelevant, it does seem to add a certain finish or sheen to the screen that we're not used to seeing; it almost looks like a mash-up of matte and glossy. The device we got to fondle was a 7-inch Android tablet, although - as we mentioned above and can see in the company's promotional video - the technology can be shoehorned onto a variety of display form-factors. We're not exactly sure how useful (if at all) raised keys would be on a smartphone-sized QWERTY, but it is something Tactus says is completely possible. Tactus' screen is truly impressive, but its main draw - at this early prototype stage - is its newness. Refinements will definitely have to be made before OEMs are clamoring for this window, but we, along with SID's organizers (who gave the company a "best of show" nod) agree: this is a great launchpad for a technology with a fair amount of promise.

Google tablet spotted in the wild?

 
We do know that there are whispers of a new Google Nexus tablet in the pipeline, where previous reports point towards a June release in addition to having NVIDIA's Tegra 3 chipset powering it, but so far we have yet to see the device in action – unlike the alleged backplate of the iPhone 5 earlier this morning. Well, all of that is set to change right now, where PhoneArena claims to have received the first images of the alleged Google tablet, where it does seem to point towards a glossy white front (can you say fingerprint magnet here) alongside a two-tone back cover, complete with Asus branding emblazoned across the back of the device.

There are a couple of cameras located as well, in addition to an earpiece which is located at the top of the device, so some might think that this has something similar to the Galaxy Note by Samsung. So far, the best guesstimates on the Google tablet's hardware specifications include a 7″ display and 1GB RAM. In all probability, do expect to see the latest version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich running on it.

Apple continues to dominate tablet market, Kindle Fire demand fizzles

ABI Research on Monday revealed the results of a its latest study concerning the global tablet market, which grew a whopping 185% year-over-year. The research firm found that Apple's iPad continued to dominate the market, and after an explosive debut quarter, demand for Amazon's Kindle Fire has begun to slow. Manufacturers shipped more than 18 million tablets in the first quarter of 2012, with Apple accounting for 11.8 million devices, or nearly 65% of the market. Shipments of Amazon's Kindle Fire “fizzled” allowing Samsung to ship the most Android tablets, although it still only managed to move 1.1 million units. “A pattern similar to smartphones is also occurring in tablets," said Jeff Orr, ABI Research group director of consumer research. "Apple and Samsung have demonstrated staying power while other tablet vendors ebb and flow like the tide." The research firm found that only two manufacturers saw shipments increase in the first quarter over the same period a year earlier: Research In Motion, which saw shipments of its PlayBook tablet grow 233%, and Lenovo. ABI's press release follows below.

iPad Remains Dominant in 1Q'2012 While Kindle Fire Fizzles

NEW YORK – June 4, 2012

​ The media tablet market shipped 18.2 million devices in 1Q'2012, which represents a 185% YoY gain and a -33% sequential loss in shipments. Apple's 11.8 million iPad shipments were spurred by the launch of a third-generation lineup and price reduction on iPad 2 models, while Samsung's 1.1 million shipments returned the vendor to the number two spot after Amazon's Kindle Fire shipments fizzled entering 2012.

"A pattern similar to smartphones is also occurring in tablets," says Jeff Orr, group director, consumer research. "Apple and Samsung have demonstrated staying power while other tablet vendors ebb and flow like the tide." Only two leading branded tablet OEMs - RIM (233%) and Lenovo (107%) - bucked the downward first quarter shipment trends, while Taiwan's ASUS remained flat sequentially from 4Q'2011. Several vendors, including Dell, HP, and LG are currently retooling tablet portfolios for mid-year launches of Android 4.0 along with the much anticipated Windows 8 slates debuting later in 2012.

Apple continued to lead the market with nearly 65% of worldwide units and surpassed 67 million cumulative shipments in its first eight quarters of availability. iPad can't claim the highest mobile broadband (3G/4G) attach rate for media tablets, though Apple retains its title of shipping the most 3G-enabled tablets by outpacing the number two competitor by a factor of eight. "The majority of iPad buyers continue to be satisfied with Wi-Fi wireless coverage," adds Orr. The leading model shipments and the ongoing challenges mobile operators face in convincing iPad owners to even try the mobile broadband connectivity once are expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

POV announces ProTab 2 Android 4.0 tablet for $400

Sometimes a decent tablet does not necessarily have to come from one of the major manufacturers, and based on the spec sheet of European manufacturer POV's ProTab 2, this might be one of them. Featuring a 9.7" IPS display with a resolution of 1024×768, the ProTab 2 will sport a 1.2GHz Cortex A8 CPU with a Mali-400 GPU under its hood. It will also come with 1GB of DDR3 RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot that will support memory expansion of up to an additional 32GB. Other specs of the tablet include dual cameras, a 2MP rear-facing camera and a 0.3MP front-facing camera, a mini USB port, a mini HDMI port, and both Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity options. Best of all it will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich preinstalled, a welcome feature by Android users who'd rather not sit around waiting for an update to arrive. While it does boast some decent low-mid ranged specs, unfortunately its price is on the high side at €393 (~$400) and will be available in the European market.