10-inch
Latest
Hands-on with Panasonic's 10-inch Toughpad tablet
Well, Panasonic's presser here at CES just ended, and we just got done getting handsy with the company's Toughpad tablet. As we reported back in November when it was first announced, it's a 10-inch Android tablet running Honeycomb that's built to absorb abuse (as illustrated when Panasonic's Shiro Kitajima dropped one on stage today). We didn't get to spend a ton of time with the Toughpad, but we did lay our hands on it long enough to form some quick impressions. Using the tablet is much like any other Android slate, except there are a few distinct differences. First off, its 1,024 x 768 capacitive screen sports a matte finish instead of the glossy panels found on most every other tablet. It's a decent display with excellent viewing angles, but colors are a bit washed out when compared to iPads and Galaxy Tabs. While we love that the matte screen eliminates glare, it wasn't quite as responsive to swipes as we'd like, as gestures were met with a slight, almost imperceptible delay. The tablet was also a chore to hold with one hand for more than a few minutes -- a MIL-spec slate that's light in weight just isn't in the cards. The buttons at the bottom are clear plastic and clicky, but their recessed nature and short throw aren't the most finger-friendly we've found. Now, we just need to get a Toughpad we can put though our gadget grinder and see just how much abuse it can take. Ben Drawbaugh contributed to this report.
Vizio reveals an image of its new 10-inch tablet... and not much else (update: there's more)
Vizio's already made headlines at this year's CES with its new line of laptop and desktop computers, but the company isn't done surprising us. From the looks of things, Vizio has decided to give its 8-inch tablet a big brother. Dubbed the VTAB 3010 according to the company's website, all we know is that it's sporting a 10-inch screen and that it's "coming soon" -- we've a sneaking suspicion that means by the end of the week. Update: Well, it looks like Vizio's got even bigger plans for CES than we thought. Further digging on its website shows a new Blu-ray player with Google TV, a universal remote, soundbar and router will be debuting this week as well. Check the second source for more. Update: Check out our Vizio hands-on here
Toshiba AT200 tablet coming to the US as the Excite X10, starting at $530 for 16GB
When Toshiba said its skinny AT200 tablet wouldn't be available until January, anyone with a casual interest in gadgets could have guessed that meant a splashy CES launch was in order. Sure enough, everyone's favorite trade show has rolled around, and the company is finally ready to talk pricing and availability, four months after it first announced the thing. As we've suspected for some time now, it'll go on sale in the US under the name "Excite" (Excite X10, to be exact), starting at $530 for the 16GB model, with a $600 32GB flavor also available. To recap, this is supposed to be the premium slate the Thrive wasn't, with a 1280 x 800 Gorilla Glass display, 178-degree viewing angles, TI OMAP 4430 chip, an anti-smudge coating and a 7.7mm-thick chassis, making it the thinnest 10-inch tablet on the market. It'll also ship with Android 3.2, though Toshiba says it's ICS-ready. And don't let that serious metal exterior fool you: for all its gravitas, the 1.2-pound tab is lighter than it looks. (We should know: we got hands-on ages ago.) So is a super slim design enough to make this Tegra 2 slate worth choosing over the Tegra 3-packing Transformer Prime which starts at $500 with 32GB of storage? To be honest, we suspect not, given that the Prime isn't much thicker and is also due for an upgrade to ICS. And besides, who knows what other Android tablets will surface at CES this week?
Acer Iconia Tab A200 arriving January 15 for $330, Ice Cream Sandwich coming mid-February
After slipping not-so-quietly through the FCC, we knew it was only a matter of time before Acer's Iconia Tab A200 arrived here in the US of A. Well, we just got word it'll go on sale January 15th starting at $330 -- not too shabby for a 10-inch tablet on the brink of an Ice Cream Sandwich update. According to Acer, the tablet is shipping with Honeycomb (version 3.2, to be exact), but should be getting that ICS upgrade in mid-February, about a month after it goes on sale. To be clear, that $330 price gets you 8GB of storage; the 16GB version will set you back an extra twenty bucks. Either way, it has a microSD slot for expansion, NVIDIA's dual-core Tegra 2 SoC, a modest 2MP front-facing camera, a 1280 x 800 display and a battery rated for up to eight hours of runtime. If all that sounds rather ho-hum, remember that this is still one of the only tablets with a full-sized USB 2.0 port for moving files on and off the device.
Fusion Garage's website goes dark -- has it bitten the dust? (update: it's back?)
Perhaps it's the comeback that wasn't meant to be -- Fusion Garage has apparently silenced its radios for over a week on Twitter, and more than a month on Facebook. Potentially worse, its website is now unreachable, displaying only a "Database connection error." Although its Grid10 tablet was set for a delayed October 1st release, some folks over at The JooJoo Forum and on Fusion Garage's Facebook page are reporting that they've yet to receive their tabs, weeks after placing orders. We've fielded more than a few concerned tips saying the same, and sadly, that's just the tip of this iceberg, as there's also been mention of slow correspondence from the company, with wishy-washy responses about what's going on. One forum poster mentions eventually hearing back from its public relations agency -- this after contacting FG for order details -- with an indication that a refund is on the way. We've reached out for an official comment but received nothing but silence. That said, we're hearing we aren't the only ones having a hard time getting in contact with Fusion Garage's executives, leaving us with a sinking suspicion that there will be no third go 'round for the house that Chandra built. Ordered a Grid10 yourself, or still waiting on your free JooJoo replacement? Let us know about your experience in the comments below. Update: We have a comment from Fusion Garage's PR agency: Unfortunately, none of our efforts have resulted in any communication from the company to the customers. Given all of this, we don't have any other choice but to cease working with FG effective tomorrow. Update 9:50AM ET (12/18): Thanks to Josh in the comments who has noticed that Fusion Garage's website is live again, albeit barely breathing. It's devoid of anything other than scattered pictures and text, and notably, its "Store" is all but unreachable. Rest assured, we'll let you know if we hear any new developments from the parties involved. Update 10:57PM ET (12/18): Fusion Garage's store is back up, but orders aren't exactly open. Clicking through to any given product's page shows the message "We are running out of stock. Thank you." [Thanks, Liam] [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Dell cuts Mini netbooks for non-business customers, ruins Christmas for laptop lovers
If you needed a good, valid reason to Hulk Out today, this might be it. Dell, which recently retired its Streak 5 and Streak 7 tablets, is apparently axing its Mini line of netbooks as well. According to the MyDellMini forums, conducting a search for a laptop with a 10-inch display on the Dell Shop will yield no results, while a search for specific models brings up a variety of messages confirming the world's loss. Fortunately, the full-sized notebooks appear to be in abundant supply, and the search engine will happily suggest one of Dell's 14-inch laptops for $469 and up. Because, you know, a 14-inch machine will totally serve the same purpose as a 10-inch one.
White Droid RAZR, Xyboard 10.1 and 8.2 tablets to hit Verizon stores this month
Verizon has confirmed that it will begin selling a "flashy new white" version of the Droid RAZR just in time to make an appearance under the tree, with a pair of Xboard tablets shipping this month as well. The Xyboard (Xoom 2) will be available in five flavors -- the 10.1-incher will come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities for $530, $630 and $730, respectively, while the 8.2-inch model will ship with 16GB of storage for $430, or 32 gigs for $530. All models require a two-year customer agreement, and include a stylus in the box. And Verizon will help soften the damage if you opt for a complete Droid makeover -- customers who pick up both a $300 RAZR and one of five Honeycomb Xboards will be eligible for a $100 discount when buying the phone with a two-year contract. Thinking about picking up an ICS-ready Droid? Jump past the break for the full feature rundown from VZW.
Verizon lights one candle for LTE, confirms Xyboard Droid tablet name, December launch
Today marks one full year after Verizon first flipped the switch on LTE, with 365 days of 4G speeds for customers in 39 markets. By the end of next week, Big Red will light up a few more cities, bringing the total number to 190, with access available to more than 200 million Americans. Buried below the PR cake, however, is an even juicer tidbit -- two "hot new Xyboard Droid tablets from Motorola coming out this month." And what might those be? Well, if this weekend's accessory leak is any indication, the Xoom 2 is headed to VZW -- before the year is out. And we're not surprised to see the Galaxy Nexus getting some love as well, though you'll have to make due with a "coming soon" release commitment for at least a short while longer. Jump past the break for the PR.
Droid Xyboard accessories arrive at Verizon, can't hide from Mr. Blurrycam
If you've had any doubts regarding the likelihood Motorola Mobility's Xoom 2 LTE tablets arriving at Verizon under the Droid Xyboard moniker, Mr. Blurrycam would like you to have a gander at the picture above. Following the 8.2 and 10.1-inch variants being handled by CNET last week, and soon after caught passing through the FCC, a trio of snapshots have now been posted over at Droid-Life of what's said to be some the device's optional accessories. Among the lot, you'll find a Smart Cover-esque Protective Portfolio for the 8.2-incher, two versions of an HD dock, and lastly, set screen films for the 10.1-inch version. While there's still no definitive word on price or availability, it certainly appears like a formal reveal of the slates will be zooming in imminently. Hit the source link below for all the details.
Verizon purportedly readying new LTE tablets, Xyboard gets namedropped
Are there two Droid tablets on Verizon's horizon? It certainly seems like it, now that CNET has outed the Motorola Mobility Droid Xyboard. According to the news outlet, Verizon is gearing up to release two different versions of the 4G LTE-equipped tablet -- an eight-inch model and a ten-incher, both slated for launch later this month. Motorola declined to provide details on the devices, and Verizon stopped short of spilling the beans on pricing and availability, though it did provide the following statement: "As we've previously mentioned, we're planning to bring several new LTE devices to market including two tablets. We haven't made any official announcements in the U.S. but we look forward to sharing more details soon." CNET, meanwhile, apparently managed to get its hands on the two slates (pictured above), reporting that both carry a 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and a five-megapixel camera, along with a 1.3 megapixel front-facing shooter. They're also coated in Corning Gorilla Glass and CNET, in the absence of quantitative specs, reports that both are "thinner than a AAA battery and lighter than a paperback book." The stylus-equipped ten-inch version is reportedly geared toward the enterprise market, whereas its little brother is described as more media-friendly, presumably with the consumer market in mind. That's about all we know at this point, though be sure to check out CNET's coverage below for more images and insight.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime review
Is there any tablet that's hotter than the Transformer Prime right now? (Please, don't say the Kindle Fire.) For weeks we geeks, early adopters and people who love their tech toys have been awaiting this, and none too patiently. Make no mistake: this will be one of the slickest products we test this year and it isn't just because the original Transformer had such an inventive design. The Prime is the first device packing NVIDIA's hot-off-the-presses Tegra 3 SoC, making it the world's first quad-core tablet. This comes with promises of longer-than-ever runtime and blazing performance (five times faster than Tegra 2, to be exact), all wrapped in a package measuring just 8.3mm (0.33 inches) thick -- even skinnier than the iPad 2 or Galaxy Tab 10.1. Throw in specs like a Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass display, eight megapixel rear camera and a confirmed ICS update in the pipe and even we seen-it-all Engadget editors were drooling. All of which means we dropped just everything when a 32GB Prime showed up on our doorstep earlier this week, and soon enough, you'll have your chance to nab one too. ASUS announced today that the WiFi-only models will be available through online sellers the week of December 19th, and in retail the week after. (No word yet on 3G versions for the US just yet.) It'll start at $499 for the 32GB model -- not bad considering five hundred bucks is the going rate for a high-end tablet with 16GB of storage. From there you can get a 64GB number for $599, while that signature keyboard dock will set you back a further $149. Worth it? Read on to find out. %Gallery-140706%
Acer Iconia Tab A200 leaves the FCC larger than expected
The consensus was that the Iconia Tab A200 would be the intermediate device 'twixt the 7-inch A100 and 10-inch A500 -- not so if the ruler-wavers at the FCC are doing their job properly. The schematic above shows a diagonal measurement of 29.6cm, around 11.65-inches. Given Acer's love of a thick bezel, it's safe to assume this will carry a 10-inch (or thereabouts) display. Now that it's been passed fit for human consumption (as much as you can with WiFi and Bluetooth, anyway), we should be hearing a lot more soon --including whether it'll be running Ice Cream Sandwich or disappointing us with yet more Honeycomb.
Panasonic Toughpad A1 and B1: the tablets you can drop and pick back up again
Panasonic's bringing its Tough ways to the tablet front, unveiling two new Honeycomb slates that could be the most durable consumer entries to that field we've yet seen. First up is the 10-inch A1, running with a 1.2GHz dual-core Marvell processor backed by 16GB of integrated storage and further expansion courtesy of microSD. That display packs 1,024 x 768 pixels in a 4:3 form-factor that is said to be anti-glare and stylus-ready, the whole package clocking in at a very healthy 2.13 pounds. Remember, this is an evolution of the Tough series: it'll have more to love -- including LTE or WiMAX connectivity and 10 hours of life from a user-replaceable battery. There's also a 7-inch B1, which we know a little less about at this point, but both are MIL-STD-810G rated to survive drops, dust and water. You know, the sorts of things that most tablet owners buy expensive cases to protect from. But, a starting MSRP of $1,299 for the A1 might make your budget keeper recoil at least a little bit, though the presumably somewhat cheaper B1 is still lacking a price. Both will quite literally drop in 2012, so watch those feet. %Gallery-138727% %Gallery-138729%
Archos 101 G9 tablet goes on sale, 8GB version now $370
After popping up at IFA, and teasing us with the whole 'pre-sale' thing, the Archos 101 G9 is finally ready to empty your wallet. We've only seen it on the company's store so far, where the base model's available now bearing a $370 price tag, with no sign of the 250GB variant yet. For your cash you get Android 3.2, a 1.0GHz dual core processor, and even HDMI out for those times when the 10.1 inch screen just isn't big enough. Still not sure if the Archos slab's for you? Try checking out our hands-on to see if this slate with the French flair is worth your hard earned cash, and head on down to the source link if the answer is oui. [Thanks to OneLove]
Grid10 review
TabCo reveals itself as Fusion Garage Fusion Garage's Chandra Rathakrishnan Windows 8 for tablets hands-on preview (video) Second chances aren't always easy to come by, and when Fusion Garage disappeared off the map following the unabashed failure of the JooJoo tablet, we certainly didn't expect those doors would be opening again. But open they did, swinging wide as the company treated itself to a product launch of the sort usually reserved for big-named companies with big-named devices. This time it's the Grid10 tablet, a $299, 16GB, 10.1-inch slate that plays nice with Android while simultaneously thumbing its nose at the OS Google built, instead relying on the completely custom-built GridOS. This new challenger can run Android apps despite not actually running Android itself, purporting to give users another, better choice of armament in these tablet wars. Is it truly better, or is it just different? The answer is waiting for you just after the break. %Gallery-134822%
ZTE Smart Tab 10 makes its way through FCC with Vodafone branding
Just three days ago, the ZTE Smart Tab 7 strolled through the FCC, flashing a Google-branded tramp stamp, and now its older sibling, the Smart Tab 10, is following suit. The probable 10-incher isn't revealing a whole lot, but it does have the same Bluetooth, WiFi and 3G logos riding on its lower back. It's also sporting what looks to be a back-facing camera in the upper-right corner, just like little sis. What's more, this filing lists the tablet as the Vodafone Smart Tab 10, which further confirms our suspicions that this and the Smart Tab 7 are the same Honeycomb tablets announced by the carrier at IFA. Those slates are said to share a 1280 x 800 pixel screen, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and a dual-core 1.2GHz processor -- and, of course, a thing for lower back tattoos.
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet review
Lenovo adds ThinkPad X1 to laptop comparison guide, outs IPS screen, USB 3.0, and optional SSD Turkish company builds 65-inch Android 'tablet' with Honeycomb, 1080p support (video) Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet gets probed by the FCC, will play nicely with all the networks When Lenovo announced a pair of Android tablets this summer, we didn't even pretend it was the IdeaPad K1 we were most jazzed about. Sure, it was exciting to see Lenovo enter the Android tablet market on any terms, but it was the ThinkPad Tablet that set our curious minds rolling. There was the design, for one -- an obvious homage to those black, red-nubbed laptops with the same name. It has personality, one that's inextricably tied to Lenovo's laptop know-how. It offers a full-sized USB port, an SD slot, 1080p output, a 3G SIM and a slew of accessories that includes a dock, pen and keyboard folio case. It's the kind of tablet we don't review all that often: one that might actually make for some painless productivity on the road. As you can imagine, we've been waiting months to learn more, and if your tweets, comments and emails are any indication, so have you. Well, wait no more, friends. We've been spending almost a week with one and have oh-so much to say. So what are you waiting for? Meet us past the break, won't you? %Gallery-134930%
ASUS Eee Pad Slider arriving at month's end, starting at $475 (video)
It's been more than eight months since the ASUS Eee Pad Slider was born at CES and since then, we've seen listings online and heard endless promises that it's coming "soon." Today, though, at a media event here in New York City, we managed a prolonged hands-on with the thing -- along with assurance that it'll hit the US before month's end. According to an ASUS rep, it'll ship with Android 3.2 and start at $475 for the 16GB model (roughly as leaked) with the beefier 32GB number fetching an extra hundred bucks. That means we'll be putting it through its paces soon enough, but in the meantime, head past the break for some early impressions. %Gallery-133805%
Novero's Solana is a Cedar-Trail Inspiron Duo from the future (video)
Have a look at what we found lurking deep within IDF's technical showcase: the Novero Solana. Contrary to what its name might imply, it's not a fancy European shaver, but actually a thinner, more rectangular Inspiron Duo lookalike. Seeing as it's imprisoned behind glass -- just like that other tablet -- the only specs we can confirm are that it's Cedar Trail-based and Windows 7 powered. Want to get a little more acquainted with it? Check out the gallery below, and peek after the break for our eyes-on video. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. %Gallery-133592%
Medion announces LifeTab P9514 tablet, mysterious Android smartphone at IFA
Medion enjoyed a pretty eventful weekend at this year's IFA in Berlin, where the German PC maker unveiled a new Android tablet and a rather obtuse Gingerbread smartphone. Known as the Lifetab P9514, the company's 32GB, 1.6-pound slate is powered by a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, runs Honeycomb 3.2 and features a capacitive multitouch display with 1280 x 800 resolution. The device also supports both quad-band 3G and WiFi connections, along with the usual smattering of HDMI, microUSB, and microSD ports. Medion's new phone, meanwhile, remains decidedly more mysterious. At this point, we know that the 4.3-inch handset rocks a five megapixel shooter and comes pre-loaded with the manufacturer's GoPal satnav app, but further details remain murky. Both devices are expected to ship within Europe during Q4 of this year at unconfirmed prices, though rumor has it that the LifeTab will run for €399 (about $564). No word yet on whether we can expect to see either product hit the US anytime soon, but you can catch a glimpse of the freshly unveiled smartphone, after the break.
