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Cisco unveils Cius Android tablet with HD video capabilities (update: video!)
Cisco's just announced a business-aimed Android tablet, and it's calling it the Cius. The tablet will offer HD video streaming, real-time video, multi-party conferencing, plus all the regular tablet functions like messaging, email, and browsing. We're not sure about the size of the device yet, or any of it technical specs, but we do know that it's going to weigh in at 1.15lbs, so it can't be terrifically large. There's also no word yet on pricing yet, but expect to see the device the first quarter of 2011; we'll let you know about the former as soon as we do, okay, businessmen? Full press release is below. Update: And now we've got video showing off the Cius under the drone of a limp corporate voiceover and synthesized soundtrack. How can you resist clicking through to the embed?
Texas Instruments' Blaze tablet coming to developers this August
Back in February when Texas Instruments announced its ARM-based OMAP 4 system-on-chip 'Blaze' dev platform, we sort of figured it might be tablet-bound. And, here it is -- Blaze is going to be a tablet! Not a shocker, but we're glad to hear it, of course, since the tablet wars are hotter than ever and we love a good fight. So, what do we know about TI's entry in the game? Hardware wise it's going to be a 10.4-inch XVGA touchscreen LCD with two USB ports. Internally, we hear it'll boast a 1GHz OMAP4430 cpu, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, WLAN, Bluetooth, GPS, and FM, plus external camera and pico projector modules. The tablet is not set for retail release, but for developers, but we're still pretty excited to see this one come out to play.
NPad tablet shown off in China, running MeeGo
Red Flag Software's just shown off a custom MeeGo tablet that's China-bound. Though we don't have any images of the unit yet, we know that the NPad be a Moorestown-powered, 10.1-inch touchscreen tablet that "looks like" the iPad, and it'll boast WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G, and GPS. The company also says that it'll be cheaper than the iPad, so there's that!
Apple has sold three million iPads in 80 days
Apple's just announced that it's sold 3 million iPads worldwide since the US launch date, which is a pretty impressive sales rate, we'll give them that. The announcement also mentions that the tablet will drop in nine more countries during the month of July, so if you're currently living in a sad iPad-less nation, take comfort: you could be next. Press release is below, if you're into that sort of thing.
NEC LifeTouch Android tablet isn't exactly a beauty
Hey, they say beauty's in the eye of the beholder, but we're going to go out on a limb here and call this one like we see it: NEC's LifeTouch Android tablet isn't a looker, in our opinion. That said, this 7-incher runs Android 2.1 and packs an ARM Cortex A8 processor. Although it's scheduled for release in Japan in October, it turns out that it'll be sold directly to businesses, so don't hope to grab up one of these -- unless you have the best employer ever, that is. Hey, at least it's original looking. Video below.
iPed tablet running Android 2.1 spotted in the blurry, blurry wild
The Orphan iPed M16's shown up in the wild, and thankfully, it's running Android 2.1. This 10.2-inch, cloney-looking fellow has a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 256MB of DDR2 RAM, 1GB of Nand ROM, plus a miniUSB port, Ethernet and Wifi, and a webcam. Optional add-ons? Well, there's the keyboard, Bluetooth and the 3G model if you want to get real fancy. We have to tell you that the tablet (which is in the video below) still doesn't look that compelling to us. There's no word on availability or pricing of this one, but we have a feeling it's not going to cost as much as an iPad.
HP Slate killed? Rumor mill says 'yes'
Last night TechCrunch reported that, according to an unnamed "source briefed on the matter," HP had stopped development of the Slate in its tracks, killing off the project entirely. Why? Well, according to the source, HP isn't thrilled with Windows 7's performance on the tablet. The Slate -- which was officially unveiled in January by Steve Ballmer himself -- had a rumored price of $549, and was supposedly launching in June. So, what should we make of all this? Well, there's probably some major chaos over at HP with the news of the Palm acquisition, so we wouldn't be surprised to hear some shaky -- or even incorrect -- information coming out of the company right now. On the other hand, HP killing off the project doesn't sound completely out of the realm of possibility to us. We've reached out to HP for comment, but they've yet to get back to us. We'll let you know when we hear something more concrete. Update: Here's the response we just go from HP -- "We don't comment on rumors or speculation."
Android Eee Pad to debut in June, could ship as early as July
We have more details on that impending Eee Pad for y'inz. Interested? Of course you are! Speaking at a conference in Taiwan, Asustek Computer chairman Jerry Shen recently announced that the device will get its official introduction at Computex 2010, the first week of June. With any luck, the thing will hit retail channels the third quarter of this year -- possibly as early as July, a DigiTimes' source reports. Shen said that the device is meant to be all the things that the iPad is not: expect Google Android, USB, an integrated webcam, and Flash, for starters. The aforementioned source went on to state that, after wireless provider subsidies are taken into effect, the thing should cost around $15,000-16,000 TD (or about $480-510).
HP takes chisel in hand, mulls over Android and Linux slates
Feelings about the leaked HP Slate notwithstanding, the company's already considering its tablet PC successors -- and if The New York Times' sources are right, they may be of Android and Linux varieties. Where the forthcoming HP Slate is, erm, slated to run Windows 7, The Grey Lady reported last week that a six-inch Android tablet was also on the way. Now, a prominent magazine editor reportedly tells the paper a Linux version may also be in development. For its part, HP isn't denying the claims. "I'm certain that we will be announcing new Slates in the future as they are a very interesting area for us," said media relations director Marlene Somsak, whose only added caveat was that HP isn't currently announcing an Android slate.
Dell's 7-inch and 10-inch Streak tablets leaked!
We'd heard through the grapevine that the engineers at Round Rock were working on a number of slates to fill the Streak lineup, but man, we didn't see this coming... at least not yet. A couple of images along with an internal Dell announcement landed on our virtual doorstep this fine morning, and lo and behold, it looks as if a 7-inch and 10-inch Streak tablet is on the horizon. But that's not all -- we learned that the "coming soon" we heard earlier regarding the Aero's release date on AT&T really means "June." Later this "summer," said phone will be joined by the Streak 5 (yeah, that's the Mini 5 we've had for months now) for those who prefer a more capable mobile. As for the 7-inch Streak? Look for it to launch (presumably with or without AT&T support) late in 2010, while a 10-inch flavor follows in "early 2011." Is Sidetalkin' really about to return? We're ready -- so ready. Update: Dell hit us up with a totally corporate line when we dug deeper for details: "Dell continually develops and tests new products that extend the mobile experience. We have not made any product announcements and do not comment on speculation, rumor or unannounced products." So insightful. %Gallery-90999%
Adobe distances itself from JooJoo, cites lack of 'direct relationship'
Well, this is just a huge surprise. In response to our not entirely glowing review of the JooJoo, Adobe's PR team has gotten in touch to inform us that Fusion Garage "has no direct relationship with Adobe." Citing the young startup's non-participation in the Open Screen Project and use of "a public beta release [of Flash] designed only for desktop use," Adobe is drawing a thick line between itself and the JooJoo, and urges us to instead look at the alternatives from its partners like HP, Dell and Lenovo. Mind you, not one of those companies is (as yet) selling a competing tablet, and it's not like there's some magical formula that will make 720p Flash video run smoothly on a bare Atom CPU (remember, Ion GPU acceleration is not yet available for the Linux-based JooJoo), but who are we to stand in the way of a carefully worded damage limitation statement? Click past the break for the entire thing.
ICD's Tegra 2-powered Gemini is the most feature-complete tablet we've seen yet
Built around the 1GHz Tegra 2 SOC, the 11.2-inch ICD Gemini should provide comparable endurance to Apple's A4-sporting iPad, while besting it in the grunt stakes with its glorious ability to chew through 1080p video when required. If that wasn't enough, the rest of this thing's spec sheet reads like a wishlist. Headlined by a 3G connection that allows cellular voice calls (crazy, we know!), it also includes a user-replaceable 40Wh battery, an SD card reader, FM radio, GPS, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, MicroUSB connectivity to PCs and USB peripherals, stereo speakers, and dual webcams -- a 2 megapixel front-facing unit and a 5 megapixel autofocusing snapper on the back. Multitouch displays will be available in both resistive and capacitive flavors, with the 1,366 x 768 resolution being filled by Google's snappy Android OS. Oh, and did we mention it will run Flash? Because it will. Full specs and a comparison to its direct competitors await after the break, though we've yet to find out when this JooJoo killer will be making its arrival or at what price. Update: We've come across a couple of real (i.e. not rendered) pictures of an earlier prototype for the Gemini, which looks generic as hell but should give you a good idea of the dimensions and scale of the device in question. Yours after the break.%Gallery-89815%
ASUS's Jonney Shih confirms two tablets, one for Googlites, one for Microsofties
We've been hearing talk of an Eee Pad since the end of 2009, even getting a sort of unofficial, official confirmation of its existence from ASUS exec Eric Chen. Now company chairman Jonney Shih has confirmed not only one tablet, but two. "Netbooks are the best combination of personal computing and cloud computing, but between netbooks and smartphones and e-readers, we think there will be a space for something like a tablet or slate PC." This is where ASUS will insert a pair of models set to be unveiled sometime this year. One is said to run a Google OS of some sort, either Android or Chrome, the other running Windows. We're expecting some level of hardware differentiation between the two as well, but at this point we don't know anything else -- except that the Google flavored version "will have a lot of media." We like media.
Leaked image says iPad lands at Best Buy... on launch day
We'd heard buzzing for some time now around the internet that Apple planned to sell its iPad in more than just its own stores, and usually the name Best Buy was mentioned in the same breath... but now we've got some photographic evidence. The above shot comes from what looks to be an internal memo from the big box retailer, not only stating that the stores will be getting the iPad, but that they'll be getting the iPad on launch day. Now, there's no way for us to confirm that is 100 percent the real deal, but we speculated this could be coming back in mid-February, and there's lots of corroborating evidence to suggest this is no joke (such as COO Tim Cook explicitly mentioning the device would be sold at Best Buy) -- we just didn't expect to see it day one. We're digging for more info on this story, so stay tuned. Update: Best Buy's iPad playbook is certainly looking legit at this point. Our tipster sent us another two screenshots (they're after the break) showing off BB's new retail display which includes the iPad. Interestingly, they also tell us that the iPads are set to be delivered to stores on the night of April 2nd, and that quantities will be limited to about five of each model on launch. TUAW has also just published more of the playbook if you want to head over there and check it out.
EAFT Magic Tile and Compal tablets shown in India, Tegra 2 and Android in tow
We heard earlier this month that half a hundred ARM-based tablets would be launching this year, and it's pretty safe to say that these will be two of 'em. Shown off recently in Mumbai, India's own EAFT spurred interest with its Magic Tile, a presumably Billy Mays-endorsed Tegra 2-based tablet that runs on Android. We're told that it's equipped with a 7-inch touch panel (1,024 x 600 resolution), a front-mounted 1.3 megapixel webcam for video chats, 1080p video encoding / decoding abilities, optional 3G, a battery good for 8 hours of usage, inbuilt accelerometer, Bluetooth, HDMI output and a USB socket to round things out. All told, it's a pretty well-specced machine, though we're certainly hoping that the design gets a little TLC before it's launched in Q3 for an undisclosed rate. In related news, a Compal tablet was also on display, boasting a similar 7-inch layout, a Tegra 2 chip within, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, a 3 megapixel camera and a complete lack of WiFi (gasp!). Head on past the break for a hands-on vid. Update: We thought this thing looked familiar. If you had the same feeling, it's probably because the Magic Tile is actually that ICD Ultra tablet we played with a little while back. Still, "Magic Tile" has a catchy ring to it. [Thanks, Sriram]
HP Slate priced at €400 for June launch, Atom CPU confirmed?
Reputable Spanish publication Clipset has the first concrete report on pricing and internal specs for HP's Slate. Seemingly obtained from HP itself, the €400 ($546) price tag positions the Slate a notch above netbooks and bodes well for the expectation that it'll undercut the iPad's entry level pricing. Straight currency conversations are inadvisable in such situations, so we'll just have to wait until official stickers for the iPad in Europe are known or HP announces US prices for the Slate. Further info includes an Atom CPU, Flash support, USB connectivity, a memory card reader, and a back-mounted webcam (see it after the break). The launch of this Windows 7 device is slated for June, while retail availability in Europe is said to be expected at some point "before September." It's not clear what all that means for the US, but we doubt HP will be making its home turf wait longer than the rest of the world. Rest assured, we'll be reaching out to HP HQ before they've had their first cup of green tea to find out. Update: HP's response to our queries has been typically tight-lipped. The company refused to discuss Clipset's specs and pricing, which would suggest that -- even though they may be spot on -- they are not yet official.
ExoPC delayed till summer, getting specification upgrades to dull the pain
Now that the tablet PC revolution is upon us (for the second time in as many decades, if you'll recall), there's bound to be a few that really stick out, and a few that get left in the dust. ExoPC is doing its darnedest to be grouped in the former, and it's choosing to hold off on rushing things out in hopes of delivering a superior product to the world this summer. If you'll recall, we heard that the 8.9-inch slate would originally be out and about this month, but the company's own Jean-Baptiste Martinoli has informed us directly why the ship date is being pushed back a few months. For starters, production has been shifted from China into Canada thanks to a freshly signed deal with CiaraTech. And if you're wondering what you'll get in return for waiting just a few more months to get your hands on one, we've excellent news. Here's the good word straight from the outfit: "With [CiaraTech's] help we are improving the specs: better processor, graphics, better battery life, thinner, better screen and touch panel. We should hit FCC soon. As we have more time we are adding more features in the ExoPC UI Layer (ex. an app / media store)." We aren't exactly big on waiting, but we'll let that other tablet keep us company until this one finally gets its shipping papers. Summer ain't too far out, now is it?
Samsung confirms slate PC in the works
Well, the details are extremely thin here folks, but it looks like Samsung's working on a tablet PC -- or 'slate' if you're into the new fangled lingo -- just like pretty much every other manufacturer on the planet. Speaking with APC (the website, not the clothier), Philip Newton, director of Samsung Australia's IT division, said that the company is working on a slate PC for the second half of 2010 that will have "PC-grade processing power and connectivity" -- two things Newton had previously cited as the main things lacking in the iPad. That's really all there is to go on -- no specs or features mentioned, though Samsung has been vaguely hinting that the tablet, when it appears, will run on Intel's Atom platform, which sounds about right. We'll have to wait and see, won't we?
Toshiba will have its own family of slates by this time next year
Before the iPad and before the Slate, the most exciting touchy tablety thing in our lives was Toshiba's JournE multimedia tablet. Now that the Japanese compu-maker has seen what the competition has on offer, it's proudly proclaimed itself back in the running with an entire family of slate devices it's planning to introduce near the end of 2010 or in early 2011. "It has proved to be a mistake to underestimate these new categories" is the word from Toshiba's Jeff Barney, which indicates that not even he sees that much potential in the form factor, but his company is pushing ahead with its plans for fear of being left behind. Also quoted in the Fortune piece is ASUS' inimitable Jonney Shih, who makes sure to remind us that without multitasking, Flash support, or a webcam for videoconferencing, the iPad leaves plenty of room for devices richer in features to grab market share. All we know for certain is that the major players are falling in line to make 2010 truly the year of tablet -- whether or not consumers will place their stamp of approval on this vendor-driven craze, though, remains to be seen.
The Apple Tablet: a complete history, supposedly
It's no secret to us (or our readers) that Apple's products tend to generate what some might consider insane amounts of interest for weeks, months, and even years before they're launched or even announced. Whether you love the company or hate its guts, you can't deny that Apple is particularly prone to being fodder for the rumor mill. It comes in all forms: leaked photos (be they real, fake, or merely imaginative fan creations), analyst speculation based on "what if" scenarios for investors, "insider" reports from Asian supply chains, and a fair amount of conjecture via the press, both mainstream and blog alike. Here at Engadget, we've always been pretty proud of our ability to decode fact from fiction, and we try not to add too much noise to the echo chamber in which the gadget world seems to sometimes live. That said, we do cover plenty of rumors -- and the Apple Tablet (in its many rumored form factors) may just be the biggest and most twisted of them all. Apple's been kicking around the idea of a tablet since at least... oh, 1983. From real, physical prototypes to out-there ideas such as the Knowledge Navigator -- the company (who did not, alas, invent the idea of a tablet PC) has, somewhat unsurprisingly, seen fit to investigate the possibility for almost as long as it's been around. For one reason or another, though, they've never actually produced a device which saw the light of retail day (well, besides the Newton). Perhaps that's part of the fascination that Apple fans have with the product -- it's been rumored so long, and seemed on the verge of actual arrival so many times that it's become a Holy Grail of sorts for the tech community. The rumor timeline 2004 - 2006: The early years 2007 - 2008: Backburner 2009: The heat is (back) on 2010: The year we make contact? Wrap-up Follow the saga Evidence that any tablet actually existed or would come to retail, however, has always been slim at best. In the entire lifespan of Engadget, not one viable photo of a real-looking prototype has ever emerged, and not one source within Apple itself has ever really hinted that it was at work on such a product. Oh sure, there have been dozens -- possibly hundreds -- of people "familiar with the matter," but almost no one who would or could go on record to talk about the tablet, and in the end, it's always seemed like a non-starter. The Apple Tablet rumor started in earnest around 2002 -- before Engadget was even around. By the time we arrived to the party, the idea that Apple might be working on a tablet or slate PC was pretty firmly entrenched into the psyche of the avid gadget geek, but again, perilously little evidence existed to support the idea, or shall we say... the hope? And here we are, in January of 2010, on the verge of yet another expiration date for the rumored launch of an Apple Tablet (though let's be honest -- this thing is starting to feel pretty real). We thought now might be as good a time as any to take a look back -- back through the rumor timeline of one of the gadget world's longest-standing, and seemingly best-loved unicorns. Join us for the ride, won't you?
