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Refresh Roundup: week of March 12th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Engadget Giveaway: win one of two ASUS Transformer Primes, courtesy of NVIDIA!
Boom. Just like that, another giveaway materializes out of the ether, and it's a doozy. There's a particular tablet getting a whole bunch of attention today, and NVIDIA has a sinister idea to distract you from the newest slate on the block: offer up a couple Tegra 3-powered ASUS Transformer Primes, complete with keyboard docks! No matter what kind of fanboy or girl you are, everybody wins today in one way or another, and it's hard not to be interested in anything that uses a quad-core CPU (with a 5th battery saver core thrown in for good measure) with a bunch of games to take advantage of the experience. So as usual, make sure you read the rules and leave a comment to enter the contest.
Refresh Roundup: week of February 20th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
ASUS MWC teaser video 'Twice the Detail' hints at higher-res tablet display
What's not to love about a short video insinuating something marvelous may be coming soon -- especially if it means a hi-res screen on a tablet, à la that purported Retina Display we saw a few days back. We have to give ASUS credit for this one, as it's teasing us with a clip titled "Twice the Detail, Twice the Fun." The vid's lead actors are a plethora of colorful marbles and a beige box that's very reminiscent of the form factor we're used to seeing on slates. And, let's not forget to mention the quick cameo by the famed Google search bar, a weather widget and a few other walk-in icons like YouTube's own. Could it be a case of the "Mo Pixels, Mo Problems Detail?" It may be a teaser for that Transformer Prime TF700T we saw carrying a 1920 x 1200 LCD at CES, but then again, it might not. Either way, we'll find out for sure when we arrive in Barcelona for MWC. In the meantime, take a virtual jump past the break to check out the full 17-second clip.
ASUS gives Transformer Prime a bootloader unlock tool, Ubuntu promptly ported
Ah, it was indeed only a matter of time. Much like the way HTC caved into fan pressure, ASUS has finally released a bootloader unlock tool for its Transformer Prime TF201. Understandably, the tablet will no longer be covered under warranty once you set it free, but the other catch is that it needs to be running Ice Cream Sandwich in the first place as well. Not that it concerned modder littlesteve who promptly ported a partially-working Ubuntu over to his unlocked slate, pictured above. Steve says there's much work to be done yet, especially with enabling touchscreen support, so keep an eye on his tweets if you're itching to get a taste of his Linux pie. Now, about that mysterious TF300T...
Refresh Roundup: week of February 13th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Refresh Roundup: week of February 6th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
ASUS 'TF300T' slate makes an appearance, could be the next Transformer?
While ASUS is still trying to get a firm grip on its latest Transformer, a purported next-gen member of its Eee Pad family is now happily circulating the web. Taiwanese site NCCC claims to have come across what could be a followup to the Transformer Prime. The 10.1-inch slate raised the leak alarms when a QuieTek certification document revealed its "TF300T" codename, which is numerically higher than its Transformer brethren, the OG (TF101) and Prime (TF201). Furthermore, there are no rumored specs, and aside from the blood-like color on the tablet's back -- there isn't much to tell it apart from its quad-core sibling. We'll keep you in the loop if more juicy info fills our glass, in the meantime you can head over to the source for some additional eye-candy.
GTA III for Android hits 1.3, brings Liberty City to the Transformer Prime
Select iOS and Android devices have had the ability to terrorize Liberty City while on-the-go since December, but sadly those with Transformer Primes thus far have been left out of all that fun. Luckily, an update to the game ends that double standard, enabling Rockstar's classic to run on ASUS' tablet and Medion Lifetabs everywhere. It doesn't just bring expanded hardware support to the table though, as amongst other "technical fixes," the release also heralds new video display settings, Immersion haptics support and the capability of installing the game on a SD card. And fans of tactility, know that controls on the Xperia Play have been reworked, and it now boasts full support for GameStop's wireless controller. Still here? You shouldn't be -- grab the update in the source link below.
Transformer Prime quietly gets GPS update, root killer
If you're not quite ready to take up ASUS on its refund offer (or if you simply don't live in the UK), you're probably holding out for additional updates to dry your tears. Fortunately, Asus hasn't forgotten about you and your ilk. Early this morning, the Transformer Prime quietly received an OTA update that not only unroots the tablet, but also kicks the slab's GPS version up to 6.9.13. The folks on the XDA developers forums have restored their roots easily enough, and seem to be reaping the benefits of updated GPS drivers, as well. Engadget's own tests lean on the positive side -- lounging indoors, in a spot where GPS reception was previously all-dark, we snagged sight of 12 satellites on a freshly rebooted Prime with WiFi disabled. Although the response seems generally positive on the XDA developers forums, not everybody is seeing our success. Either way, this update certainly didn't make things worse; a step in the right direction to be sure.
ASUS offers refunds and extended warranties to piqued Prime customers in the UK
If the Ice Cream Sandwich update, bug fixes and piles of apologies from the folks at ASUS just aren't cutting it and you happen to live in the UK, then we've got some good news for you. You are free to take your Transformer Prime back to the shop for a full refund. Don't expect turn around and pick up that updated TF700T with your haul, though, it won't be hitting shelves in merry ol' England till at least June. If you choose to keep your dockable tablet, ASUS will offer an extended warranty of 18 months, just to soothe your panicked mind that wakes you with night terrors about GPS issues and unknown serial numbers.
ASUS says the Transformer Prime won't do 3G, time travel and lasers still on the table
ASUS gave you the Transformer Prime TF700T and a frosty injection of Ice Cream Sandwich -- what more could you possibly want? 3G on your convertible tablet? Listen, ASUS has needs, too. The company has rebuked reports that such a device would be heading our way in the first quarter of 2012 -- or at any point in the foreseeable future -- have been greatly exaggerated. According to a statement by the company, "no such product exists on its current roadmap" -- and keep in mind, that roadmap navigating comes after a GPS upgrade.
Some Transformer Prime users unable to upgrade to ICS, serial number 'Unknown'
Ice Cream Sandwich for the Transformer Prime was one of the most anticipated updates for one of the most anticipated tablets of recent memory. It was pushed out last week and so everyone's happy -- right? Sadly, some folks are missing out. We've received a number of reports from users who haven't been as successful as we were in updating to Android 4.0, their slates showing an "Unknown" serial number preventing the application of the update. ASUS is looking into the issue and affected users were told to perform a factory reset and, if that doesn't work, try it again and let the slate sit at the desktop for about 15 minutes. Let us know how you're faring in comments, and hit up the xda developers links for more support should you need it.[Thanks, Ben]
CES 2012: tablet roundup
Couldn't keep up with the 600+ posts we wrote covering CES 2012 in Las Vegas? We're here to help sift the wheat from the chaff, and if you're hoping to see the best of what CES had to offer in the world of tablets, you've come to the right place. As you can imagine, finding the best slate is much easier said than done, since it seemed as though nearly every major company brought a tablet in some shape, form or color. Head past the break to see our personal favorites from the show.
Transformer Prime gets a fresh serving of Ice Cream Sandwich, we go hands-on
Like many of you, we couldn't wait to serve our Transformer Prime Google's latest dessert, so we took a brief respite from the CES grind to enjoy our upgraded (and suddenly dated) tablet. Yes, our Prime is now rocking Ice Cream Sandwich, and although its only been sporting the update for a few scant hours, we're already pleased. Read on to find out why.
ASUS scooping out Ice Cream Sandwich to Transformer Prime now!
Have you been waiting -- nay -- yearning for a paper-wrapped serving of Ice Cream Sandwich for your Transformer Prime? Now is the time. As expected, ASUS has started rolling out the update to proud (though possibly lost) owners, like David, who was kind enough to send us a screenshot proving he his pride. Got your update yet? Go check, we'll wait. [Thanks, David]
Tegra 3 devices (read: Transformer Prime) getting Ice Cream Sandwich starting today
NVIDIA's Jen-Hsun Huang just told the crowd here at his company's press conference that the Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to Tegra 3, which can only mean one thing when there's just one Tegra 3 tablet on the market: the Transformer Prime is getting a sweet dose of frozen dessert, and it's getting it a few days earlier than expected. You can bet we'll be checking our own for an update, and we can see all you guys refreshing the update screen too. Once yours comes through, do let us know how you're liking ICS -- and how smoothly the upgrade goes. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ME171, ME370T and high-end Transformer Prime TF700T revealed
Flustered with the original Transformer Prime you just purchased? We'd advise you to have a seat. ASUS just took the wraps off an all new Transformer Prime (the TF700T) here at CES, which is presumably designed to rival Acer's newly-announced Iconia Tab A700. Notably, this guy won't be an outright replacement for the existing TF201 model; it's simply an upmarket alternative for those tired of the same specs over and over again. Speaking of, let's dive under the hood of this one, shall we? It's a 10.1-incher with NVIDIA's Tegra 3 within (1.3GHz quad-core Cortex A9), a Super IPS+ / Gorilla Glass 10.1-inch display with a downright silly 1,920 x 1,200 resolution (watch out, Lenovo!) and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage space. There's also an 8 megapixel rear camera / 2 megapixel front-facing cam, support for 1080p playback, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a micro-HDMI port, microSD card reader, a 25WHr Lithium-Polymer battery and a chassis that weighs just over a pound. It'll ship with Android 4.0.1 onboard (yeah, that's Ice Cream Sandwich), and will be compatible with the exact same keyboard dock as the existing Prime. Needless to say, ASUS is aiming for the stars with a build sheet like this, and the $599 to $699 retail price points enable you to know it. It'll land next quarter here in North America, and no, there's no GPS functionality listed on the spec sheet after the break; though we've been informed that this new Prime will come with a new back panel design (pictured after the break) that should enhance WiFi, BT and GPS performance. Moving onto more diminutive offerings, the Eee Pad MeMO (ME171) that we saw months ago is getting a formal reveal here in Las Vegas, boasting a 7-inch WXGA (1,280 x 800) IPS capacitive touchpanel, a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8260 processor, a gigabyte of memory, 16GB / 32GB of storage, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 1.2 megapixel front / 5 megapixel rear camera (with 1080p recording), an A-GPS sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor and a micro-USB port. There's a 4,400mAh Li-polymer battery reportedly good for some 8.5 hours of video playback, and it'll be Android 4.0.1 running the show. The unit checks in with dimensions of 7.8- x 4.6- x 0.50-inches (and a weight of 14.2 ounces), and while mum's the word on price (sadly), it'll supposedly ship in Q2 to North American adobes.
Eee Pad Transformer to receive Ice Cream Sandwich after January 12th, ASUS confirms
ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer is about to get a healthy scoop of Ice Cream Sandwich. The company's UK branch confirmed the news today on its Facebook page, announcing that its original tablet-netbook hybrid device will make the jump to Android 4.0 sometime after January 12th. That date, as you may recall, is when the Transformer Prime is slated to receive the update, though ASUS has yet to confirm a specific date for the predecessor's update, saying only that it'll roll out "ASAP." As always, we'll be sure to let you know when we hear more.
ASUS promises Windows 8 on ARM tablet, 3G Transformer Prime, 7-inch Eee Memo Pad
We're still days away from CES but the promises show no signs of slowing down. ASUS is the latest, hosting a Taipei event in which its representatives rattled off a long list of fabulous devices to whet your appetite. First up is a 3G version of the Transformer Prime, presumably boasting some more capable AGPS onboard. We're told the 7-inch Eee Memo Pad will be on display here at CES as well but, most interestingly, that a tablet running Windows 8 on ARM is coming a little further down the road. It's said to be at least similar in design to the Prime but an indicated release of late 2012 sadly leaves us wanting.
