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Ainol releasing dual-core Novo 7 Crystal tablet: Jelly Bean and an IPS display for $139
Chinese tablet maker Ainol is stepping up from its ICS-running Novo 7 to the Novo 7 Crystal, a new dual-core 1.5GHz model running Jelly Bean for $139. Below the hood is an Amlogic 8726-M6 Cortex A9 processor, a Mali 400 GPU, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. The 7-inch touchscreen display sports a 1,024 x 600 resolution, and Ainol chose an IPS panel for wide viewing angles -- that's not exactly common for a tab in this price range. The whole package weighs 0.72 pounds (328 grams) and measures 0.4 inches (11.2mm) thick, and the tablet will be available in black and white. The Novo 7 Crystal will be WiFi-only (802.11n), though there's room for a 3G modem on board, and connections include a microSD card slot, mini-USB port and mini-HDMI. Notebook Italia says the Crystal will start shipping on September 28th, though we've yet to see any official word on availability. Click through to the source links for more details.
Ainovo $79 Novo7 Paladin Ice Cream Sandwich tablet hands-on
Nope, that's not a typo -- we just got our hands on a $79 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. The folks from MIPS popped by the Engadget stage to talk about the budget device. The Ainovo Novo7 Paladin is available now in China, so if you actually want to get your hands on the thing here in the US, it will likely cost you a bit more when you actually factor in, you know, air fare and such, but the company assures us that something along the same lines ought to be coming to the States in the near future, with a similar price point. As expected, this isn't the sexiest tablet we've seen on the show floor -- you're not getting a Galaxy Tab here -- but the build quality is quite solid. The seven-inch screen is 800 x 480 -- again, not high-end specs we're dealing with, but it does the trick for casual gaming and YouTube videos, and the MIPS folks mention to us plans to bump up the res for a US release. Along the top of the device, you'll find three buttons: power, back and menu -- the placement on the latter two are a bit counterintuitive when first picking up the tablet, but you'll get used to it pretty quickly. Along the right side, you'll find a headphone jack, miniUSB port (yes, mini), volume buttons and a microSD slot for expanding the already decent 8GB of storage. Inside you'll find that MIPS-based 1GHz single core processor and 512MB of RAM -- again, not the greatest, but it should get the job done for most the paces you'd expect to put a $79 tablet through. There's no cameras or GPS on the thing, though we didn't really miss either one. If you're looking for something that can do video and stills, however, $20 more will get you the $99 Novo7 basic. Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
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), check the source links for more info.
Ainol Honeycomb tablet surfaces with Cortex A9 processor, buttons aplenty
It's been quite a while since Ainol last popped up on our radar, but it looks like the company is now busy preparing a Honeycomb tablet that might actually stand out from the pack -- for better or worse. According to a couple of teasers that have cropped up in recent days, the tablet will apparently pack an ARM Cortex A9 processor, a 1,280 x 800 IPS display of unspecified size, WiFi and 3G connectivity, a microSD card slot, HDMI out and, most noticeably, a full suite of buttons that adorn what appears to be a somewhat chunky design. Still no indication of a price, but the tablet is apparently due out sometime next month.
Ainol's V9000HDX 'Megatron' PMP looks lovely, does 1080p, freezes its enemies in blocks of ice
Ainol's V6000 series had great specs, but sadly rocked a GPS-worthy aesthetic. The V8000 players went for something a little more stylish, but also a lot more vanilla. Now we're up to the V9000 series and we finally have a look that's sophisticated and distinctive -- and a little creepy with that "please help I'm frozen over here" wallpaper. It's displayed on a 4.8-inch, 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, though the device is capable of rendering 1080p video out its HDMI port for display onto something a little bigger. The UI seems a little busy but very functional, and with 16GB of storage, an FM tuner, and a 2450mAh battery it should keep you entertained even on the longest of commutes. Price and availability here in the States was not mentioned, but you weren't really expecting it would be, were ya? Update: We got a comment from voodoo indicating that this is now believed to be a fake. While we're not entirely sure who to believe at this point with conflicting information on a variety of forums, given that Ainol has still not posted any confirmation of this device on its site it's not looking particularly good. If it is a fake we're hoping the company pulls out all the stops to identify the perpetrators -- and then hires them.
Ainol announces V8000HD PMPs with HDMI, h.264 support
Well, well... it looks like Microsoft isn't the only company overhauling, upgrading, and generally "swankifying" its handheld devices. We just received a dispatch from iMP3.net detailing the new V8000HD line from Ainol and, while we doubt we'll be seeing one of these guys in the States any time soon, they do manage to pack a lot in a little package. Available in three flavors, the V8000HDA（4.3-inch / 800 x 480), V8000HDB (4.3-inch / 480 x 272), and V8000HDG (5-inch / 800 x 480) are being billed as PVPs (Portable Video Players) -- because, you know, there aren't enough arbitrary product categories out there as it is. According to the company, the PVP concept centers around full support for the H.264 codec (up to 1280 x 720), HDMI output (in addition to your standard component and A/V outs), and hi-def audio support. Also included is a USB port for access to external storage. No word on prices or release date, but we'll keep you posted. In the meantime, feel free to feast your eyes on some Chinese-language PR in the gallery below. [Via iTechNews]
Ainol serves up 4.3-inch V6000HDB portable media player
Ainol's V6000HDB is about six times better than the V1000 and roughly twice as awesome as the V3000, but we suppose those metrics are really neither here nor there. The Chinese portable media player packs a 4.3-inch 480 x 272 resolution display, 4GB of internal storage space, support for RMVB, AVI and FLV video files and HD (720p) output. Outside of that, the nitty-gritty is lost in translation, but for just 399 yuan ($58), we've heard plenty.[Via PMP Today]
Ainol's palatable V3000 PMP priced at $100
For obvious reasons, we don't get too excited about PMPs developed and produced entirely in China, but similar to Gemei's lot, Ainol looks to have a winner on its hands with the V3000. We've seen this display-dominated unit prancing around for awhile now, but we've just now learned how much the company plans on charging for it: 699 Chinese yuan, or around $102 before haggling. For that, you'll get 4GB of internal space, a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, FM tuner, TV output and a rechargeable battery. Now, where to find one is the real challenge.[Via PMPToday]
Ainol V3000 high-res PMP handled on video
In a surprise turn for no-name PMPs, the Ainol V3000 actually didn't seem so shabby when we first spotted it in July. Of particular note was the device's 4.3-inch 800 x 480 screen, and it always helps when the device behind that screen isn't ugly. Well, the folks at b4tech managed to nab one and did a little video review (embedded after the break). It looks even more delicious in motion, and while the menus look a tad weak and not very English, we think we could overlook a lot if the price is right.
Ainol introduces display-dominated V3000 PMP
Some serious time has passed since Ainol rolled out its abominable V1000, and while we reckon the V2000 was lost somewhere in the mix, the V3000 is pretty enough to note -- if but for a moment. Details are pretty slim on this one, but we are told that the widescreen unit packs an expansive 4.3-inch LTPS display with an 800 x 480 native resolution. Seriously though, you aren't about to fly to China to claim one of these as your own, so just be satisfied with seeing Spidey behind all sorts of weirdly applied reflections.[Via MP4Nation]
Ainol rolls out NES-playing V1000 portable media player
Emulation-packed PMPs are becoming a dime a dozen these days, but Ainol's V1000 manages to add a few impressive touches to the media-playing side of this two-faced device. The landscape oriented unit sports a sleek, silver enclosure with a simple five button control layout, and boasts a 2.5-inch QVGA display, 400MHz ADI Blackfin processor, and the ability to give every retro gamer his / her fill of NES emulation. Aside from the obvious Mario love, it supports AVI / MP4 video playback at 30 frames per second, and plays nice with MP3, WMA, and FLAC audio formats on the musical side. Handling all those audiophile-approved lossless files is the 512MB / 1GB of internal storage, while the addition of an SD slot ensures room for that bulging ROM collection. Although details concerning battery life, availability, connectivity, and price aren't yet available, we're sure these handy all-in-ones will be popping up in China's gadget shops real soon.[Via The MP3 Players]