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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.
Sony cuts Tablet S price by $100, now starts at $400 for 16GB
New year, new pricing strategy? We just got word that Sony's cut the price of its 9.4-inch Tablet S by $100, so that it now starts at $400 for the 16GB model, and $500 for the 32GB flavor. The move follows a temporary $50 price cut, which Sony announced on December 15th and said would last through the end of the year. So, the fact that the outfit has lowered the price by another fifty bucks, and permanently, can't bode well for sell-through figures. In any case, that takes the Tablet S out of Transformer Prime and iPad 2 territory, though it now finds itself in an increasingly crowded field of mid-range slates, a category populated by the likes of the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, the original ASUS Transformer and both Toshiba Thrive tablets.
Toshiba Thrive 7" review
As 2011 draws to a close, it's fun to look back and think about how we began the year testing the first Honeycomb tablet, and are now ending it elbow-deep in me-too slates, many of them cut down to smaller sizes. So it should surprise no one, then, that Toshiba released the Thrive 7", a mini (and aptly named) version of the original Thrive, which went on sale last summer. But in Toshiba's case, shrinking a tablet and calling it a day is a dicey proposition. After all, the 10-inch Thrive had some baggage -- namely, middling battery life, a chunky, toy-like design and a bug that initially kept it from waking after recharging. Indeed, the Thrive 7" looks near-identical, and even packs the same Tegra 2 chip, 16GB of storage and vanilla take on Honeycomb. Still, it brings an LED flash, keeps its big brother's 1280 x 800 display and costs less than the original did when it first came out. So are these improvements enough to make this smaller Thrive stand out? And how does it stack up against all those other 7-inch slates we've been testing lately? Let's find out. %Gallery-141659%
Archos launches 70b Honeycomb tablet, expected to ship next month for $199
There's something good waiting in the desert at CES -- and you won't need an interesting vision quest to find it. Archos has announced its 70b Internet Tablet, the company's first Honeycomb-based slate for less than two hundred bucks ($199, to be exact). The 70b IT will be lightweight (though we're not sure exactly how lightweight), and ship with a 1.2 GHz processor, 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, 8 gigs of flash storage, 512MB of RAM and WiFi connectivity. There's also Android Market access, unlike with some tablets, along with HDMI output and a microSD slot. Are you sold? You'll need wait only a few more weeks to take one home -- the 70b is expected to hit stores in January, and those of you lucky enough to be trekking out to Vegas next month can check it out at the company's booth at CES. Jump past the break for the full PR.
Cricket adds Galaxy Tab 10.1 to the fold, leaps into stores this Friday
Cricket's device portfolio received an infusion of Honeycomb-drenched vitality this week, with the addition of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1. Priced at $500, this WiFi-enabled, 16GB slate will hit the carrier's stores this Friday, where it will also be available as part of a $595 bundle deal that includes Cricket's Crosswave mobile hotspot and one month of broadband service. The new addition, announced yesterday, represents Cricket's first foray into the tablet space, which is exciting news for entomologists everywhere.
Toshiba Thrive 7-inch slate officially drops tomorrow, December 11th
Just in time for you to get your holiday shopping wrapped up early, the Toshiba Thrive 7-inch tablet will officially go on sale tomorrow, December 11th. Sneaking in before the early December reports that we'd heard pass, the slate will allow you snag a piece of Honeycomb and a NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor for "less than $400." While you're deciding between the 16GB and 32GB options, go on and bookmark that source link so you can be quick on the trigger in a matter of hours.
Toshiba's Excite Honeycomb tablet confirmed for Canadian launch in January
We've already heard a fair bit about Toshiba's forthcoming 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet, but the company has only now finally confirmed a name -- Excite, previously seen in a trademark filing -- and a launch date (or month, anyway) for the tablet outside of Europe. You can look for it to roll out for an as yet unspecified price sometime in January -- in Canada, at least (though we'd presume a US launch will be around the same time). It will come in both 16GB and 32GB versions, each of which pack a 1.2GHz dual-core OMAP 4430 processor, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, a 5 megapixel cam 'round back, and a microSD card slot and a micro HDMI port. Toshiba also boasts that it's the "world's thinnest, lightest tablet," with it measuring just 7.7 mm thick and weighing in at 558 grams (or 1.23 pounds).
Toshiba's 7-inch Thrive goes on sale a little early, insists it is very much alive
Just because haven't heard a peep from Toshiba about its smaller 7-inch slate since September, doesn't mean you can't find it on sale out there in the vast ether we like to call the internet. Discovered by a tipster shrewd enough to Google its model number -- "pda03u-005007" for those of you that don't speak Toshiba -- a bunch of oh-so-eager retailers are ready to trade you around $450 in exchange for the rubberized slate. Jiving with previous plans to go on sale in "early December," the 7-inch redux is thinner and lighter than its 10-inch brother, as it eschews the former's penchant for full-size USB and HDMI ports. Adventurous types seeking to meet the tablet can take the plunge at the links below, but be forewarned our tipster had to provide a business license just to complete the sale. Your mileage may vary, though there's always the option to await the Thrive's arrival through more official channels. [Thanks, Kenneth]
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%
NVIDIA's Jen-Hsun Huang: quad-core, Tegra 3 tablets will drop to $299 in a 'couple quarters'
It's inevitable: the "latest and greatest" in tech (whatever that happens to be at the moment) always comes down in price as it makes way for something thinner, faster... better. Still, it's interesting to imagine that happening when a product is still basking in its glory days. That's exactly what what we're going to see with NVIDIA's new quad-core Tegra 3 chip, according to NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang. Over lunch today with a few tech journalists, he said he expects Tegra 3 tablets to plummet to $299 in just "a couple quarters." That's pretty incredible when you remember the Transformer Prime hasn't even gone on sale yet, and when it does it'll cost $500 -- a reasonable price in its own right when you stack it up against the aging iPad 2. So it's a bit dizzying to imagine 2012 ushering in a crop of high-end Honeycomb (or even ICS) tablets that cost just a little more than the Nook Tablet currently does. We'll be curious to see how such pricing might pressure the likes of Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Apple, but regardless, something tells us lots of you won't wait six months to get your hands on a half-price Prime.
HTC Jetstream review
When HTC entered the tablet game, it did so in reverse course. Where other manufacturers were jostling for elbow room in a 10-inch form factored world, the company opted for smaller, more familiar battleground, eschewing the rough-hewn Honeycomb OS for a Gingerbread-baked Sense overlay on the Flyer. Naturally, the time for that mini-slate to shine has come and gone. In its stead, we're treated to a flagship of sorts -- HTC's first 10-incher and AT&T's inaugural 4G LTE slate. Android 3.1 makes an appearance here, as does Sense 1.1 for tablets, but is the skinned experience really any different from the custom UX we've all come to love or hate on phones? Can the added Scribe pen functionality, repurposed here from its 7-inch brother, transform the Jetstream from third pillar offering to an always-on, on-the-go assistant? And will those newly hatched 700MHz speeds convince you to cough up for that weighty $700 price tag? Follow along past the break to see how it fared. %Gallery-137899%
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime: 10-inch Super IPS+ display, 12-hour battery and quad-core Tegra 3, ships in December for $499
For three weeks now, Android fans have been fidgeting impatiently. Specifically, ever since ASUS chairman Jonney Shih took the stage at last month's AsiaD conference and teased the next-gen Transformer tablet. Though he only gave us a quick glimpse, he recited a laundry list of specs: a 10.1-inch display, 8.3mm-thick body, mini-HDMI output, microSD slot and an update to Ice Cream Sandwich by the end of the year, if not sooner. Not to mention, it'll pack NVIDIA's hot-off-the-presses Tegra 3 SoC, making it the first-ever quad-core tablet. We knew this: we'd learn more on November 9th. Well, that day has come, and so have the juicy details. We just got word that the tablet will go on sale worldwide in December, starting at $499 with a beefy 32GB of storage, moving up to $599 for a 64GB model. (That signature keyboard dock you see up there will cost $149.) In addition to those basic specs Mr. Shih revealed last month, we now know this has a 1280 x 800, Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass display with a 178-degree viewing angle and a max brightness of 600 nits. It also packs 1GB of RAM, GPS, a gyroscope, SonicMaster audio and a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera. Rounding out the list is an 8MP shooter with an auto-focusing f/2.4 lens and a back-illuminated CMOS sensor that captures 1080p video. Touch-to-focus is also an option here, and ASUS claims a 30 percent boost in color enhancement over competing tabs. As for battery life, we initially heard reports of 14.5-hour runtime, but ASUS is now saying the tablet alone can squeeze out 12 hours thanks to a 22Wh battery, and that the dock will add an additional six hours of juice. In addition, the slimmed-down, 1.2-pound dock brings all the other benefits the last-gen model offered, including a touchpad, USB 2.0 port and full-sized SD slot. Software-wise, it'll ship with Android 3.2 and apps such as SuperNote and Polaris Office, and we're told we'll learn more about that ICS update in "early December." In terms of design, you may have already noticed the Prime sports the same spun aluminum digs as the company's Zenbooks, though this is the first time we're seeing clear, close-up shots of it -- and in two colors, no less! At 8.3mm (0.33 inches) thick and 586 grams (1.29 pounds) without the dock, it's a smidge skinnier than the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1, which means, unsurprisingly, that your old Transformer dock won't be compatible. Finally, ASUS coated both the display and metal cover with a hydro-oleophobic coating that makes it more fingerprint-resistant. For now, we've got photos below and if you can wait a few more weeks, we'll most definitely be putting this thing through its paces in a full review. And if you're looking for something a little less expensive, well, the original Transformer should be getting Ice Cream Sandwich soon, and we wouldn't be surprised if Santa brought a few holiday rebates. %Gallery-138833%
T-Mobile Springboard review
T-Mobile Springboard and Galaxy Tab 10.1 finally get official launch dates T-Mobile to carry Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus with 4G, available November 16th for $250 Sprint files suit to stop AT&T / T-Mobile merger When the Huawei MediaPad was first announced in June, it was notable for being the first tablet we'd heard of to run Android 3.2. Since then, the Acer Iconia Tab A100 and others have beat it to market, but its arrival in the US is timely nonetheless: it joins the petite tablet party at about the same time as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and forthcoming Toshiba Thrive 7", to name a couple. We already knew that when the MediaPad landed here in the States it would be known as the T-Mobile Springboard, but the carrier just announced some key pricing and availability details: it'll go on sale November 16th for $430 off contract, or $180 with a two-year agreement and $50 mail-in rebate -- not surprising, given that we've been hearing this would cost less than $200 on contract. In addition to running on T-Mobile's 14.4Mbps HSPA+ network, it has WiFi and GPS radios, a dual-core 1.2GHz chip made by Qualcomm, 227 pixels-per-inch IPS display, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.3 shooter up front, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD slot and support for 1080p playback. We'll return to all those specs in detail after the break, but nonetheless, it's important to get them out of the way from the get-go. After all, there's soon to be a glut of Android 3.2 tablets, and it's worth asking if this one is worth the slightly high price -- or maybe even a two-year marriage to Big Magenta. %Gallery-138087%
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus now shipping from Amazon, confirmed to use Exynos SoC
We've known all along that the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus packs a dual-core 1.2GHz processor of some sort, but Samsung's only just now finally confirmed to AnandTech that the 7-inch tablet does indeed use an Exynos system on a chip. That's the very same SoC found in the company's Galaxy S II smartphone, so we should be looking at some similar performance from the tablet. In case you missed the news last month, it's officially set to hit the US on November 13th for $400. That memo doesn't seem to have reached Amazon, however, which is now listing the 16GB model as in stock and shipping immediately. Hit the source link below if you're ready to take the plunge.
GameStop's Android gaming tablets get official at 200 stores in soft launch
Android slates gussied up with pre-installed video games? We must be talking Sony here, right? Wrong. Turns out, this is what GameStop's prexy had in mind when he spilled the beans about the company's plans for a certified gaming tab. Making good on that word, but falling short of actually producing a new device, 200 of the retailer's brick-and-mortar shops are now home to an array of tablets from the likes of Acer, ASUS, Samsung and Motorola -- all members of Google's tablet OS brigade. These familiar Honeycomb faces carry their same retail prices, but come customized with seven free games and, in the case of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Iconia Tab A100, the company's proprietary Bluetooth controller. You can always snag that last bit separately, although if you're already committed to shelling out this much cash, what's another $39? While the verdict's still out on whether this move is a hit or miss, it sure is no wonder why PlayStation Suite's eyeing greener hardware pastures.
Huawei MediaPad passes go at FCC, collects $200
Huawei's mildly anticipated dual-core MediaPad shouldn't be long now that it's passed the multimeter-wielding ministrations of the FCC. As per tradition, it was the WiFi-only model that was passed fit for human consumption, but we're still expecting it to drink from T-Mobile's well of HSPA+. The 7-inch tablet will have a 1,280 x 800 IPS display, run Honeycomb and should arrive before the holidays for $200 on contract.
Verizon sending Xoom docks back with delayed, updated slates
Still bummed about the delay in getting your Xoom back from its trip to the shop? Well, it appears Verizon may be looking to smooth things over with those who have been waiting the longest. One of our readers let us know, that because they were "among the first" to send off for the 4G LTE / Honeycomb 3.2.2 upgrade, the carrier sent back a Standard Dock (worth $50) along with the juiced up slate. Is it enough to make up for the extra wait time? That depends on your Xoom addiction -- but we have to admit, it's a pretty nice gesture from ol' Big Red. [Thanks, Nazir] Update: We're hearing from many of you that the Dock was part of the original update process while supplies lasted. You can still consider yourself somewhat lucky if you were quick enough got one. Update 2: We've gotten official word from Motorola that, while it wasn't part of the original upgrade plan, the company is offering Standard Docks as a goodwill gesture due to the delay in the update being released. Also, Moto let us know that it's not upgrading the device otherwise -- only a thorough cleaning and new lens protector application. So if your slate is sporting new digs, you might want to go buy a lottery ticket.
SlingPlayer app now available for Honeycomb tablets, priced at $30
It was teased back in September and now, it's finally arrived -- the SlingPlayer Android app optimized specifically for Honeycomb tablets. Available today on the Android Market, Sling Media's latest app allows Slingbox owners to stream TV directly to their slates, and features a new program guide, designed to help users browse content and change channels with greater ease. The SlingPlayer app for Android handsets, meanwhile, will continue to function on tablets in "compatibility mode," without exacting extra charges, though it won't offer the same resolution quality you'll find on a Honeycomb-laced device. Interested parties can grab the app for the familiar price of $30, at the source link below. Otherwise, click past the break for more details in Sling's refreshingly brief press release.
T-Mobile unveils Galaxy Tab 10.1 and SpringBoard, combines 4G talk with HSPA+ walk
Sure, rumors and scuttlebutt clued is in that T-Mobile might be seeing a pair of slates landing sometime this year, but we loves us some confirmation. The magenta network just announced that the T-Mobile SpringBoard with Google and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are primed to launch just soon enough for you to shove some HSPA+ holiday cheer into your relatives' oversized stockings. The SpringBoard looks very much like the dressed up MediaPad we expected, replete with a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 5 megapixel rear-facing 720p camera and an SD card slot for up to 32GB of expandable memory -- not to mention a 7-inch capacitive touch display, and a 1.3 megapixel camera upfront. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the same Samsung slate we already know and love, but dressed in T-Mobile's not-quite-4G HSPA+ style. In fact, both tablets sport HSPA+ compatibility and run Android 3.2. There's no official word on price yet (although that MediaPad was rumored to hover at about $200 on contract), but the press release promises these slabs will drop sometime before the holiday season. Oh, that PR? Just hit the "read more" button below.
Firmware update brings Google Talk integration, bug fixes to Archos G9 tablets
Listen up, Archos G9 owners, because there's a hefty firmware update headed your way. The new upgrade, which only recently began rolling out, integrates Google Talk directly within the firmware and introduces a number of bug fixes to the freshly released Honeycomb slates. More specifically, version 3.2.46 brings enhanced volume controls, sharpened camera quality and Flash acceleration support to the eight- and ten-inch tablets, along with a host of other tweaks. For the full list of added features, check out the source link, below.