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Archos 32 'internet tablet' now shipping for $150, redefining the bounds of 'tablet'
We're still struggling to understand how exactly a device with a 3.2-inch display is considered a "tablet," but at any rate, the Archos 32 is now available for those who'd like to pretend their shiny new PMP is -- in fact -- a tablet. Shortly after we sat down with this here handheld, Archos has managed to get 'em rolling off of the production line, and since you're curious, we'll have you know that $149.99 buys a 0.39-inch thick device with a 3.2-inch touchpanel (400 x 240), Android 2.2, 800MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, an internal microphone, G-sensor and playback support for nearly every file format under the sun. The battery's good for up to 24 hours when cruising through tunes, but that dwindles to 6 once you fire up those bootleg copies of Family Guy. Still, not bad for a tablet. Right? [Thanks, Brett]
Google: Android 2.2 'not designed' for the tablet form factor
Hello, obvious! Anyone who has actually used an Android-based tablet for any length of time would probably tell you that the experience is far from optimal. It works, sure, but it doesn't take a CSC major to understand that Google's existing builds of Android were crafted for smartphones and nothing more. Thankfully for those who are tired of arguing the point, Hugo Barra, director of products for mobile at Google, is stepping up to the plate and giving you some backing. Quoted over at Tech Radar, Hugo noted that "Android is an open platform, and we saw at IFA 2010 all sorts of devices running Android, so it's already running on tablets; but the way Android Market works is it's not going to be available on devices that don't allow applications to run correctly." He followed up by proclaiming that "Froyo is not optimized for use on tablets," and while he wouldn't go so far as to affirm that Gingerbread would be built for use on the aforementioned form factor, he did say that the company's working "to ensure our users have [the] right experience." How's that strike you, Galaxy Tab?
Elocity A7 goes up for pre-order on Amazon with Android 2.2, Tegra 2, and a $370 price tag
Galaxy Tab? Who needs that overpriced prima donna? Here's the tablet the economical among us have been waiting for. Alright, so the Elocity A7 didn't elicit the highest of praise when it made its cameo on The Engadget Show, but let's congratulate its makers on achieving a pair of feats. Firstly, StreamTV has managed to get its Froyo tablet listed for pre-order on Amazon -- which is no mean feat in itself, just ask Notion Ink -- and secondly, it's done so at an even lower price point than promised, with an encouraging $370 tag. Even if you're like us and not entirely blown away by its performance, you've got root for this little slate to complete the narrative and start selling -- if for no other reason than that it might incite others to stoop to the same price point.
Colombia pumps out 10-inch Android and Windows 7 tablets (video)
Sure, popular belief equates Colombian exports with tons of coffee beans, but two Bogota-based companies presently have 10-inch tablet computers on the brain. Compumax has got an Android-powered Tegra 2 device on tap with a dual-core 1GHz Cortex A9, 512MB of RAM and a 32GB hard drive, and Smart PC's looking at a netbook-specced Windows 7 slate with an Atom N450 processor, a DVD burner, up to 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive, a folding stand and a pair of peripheral-friendly USB ports alongside what looks like a fairly responsive multitouch screen. Intriguingly enough, the companies claim the devices aren't rebrands and are actually built in Colombia from foreign parts -- the "Hyper" Android slate is reportedly already on sale for COP 700,000 (about $387), and you can expect the "Smart Touch" Windows machine to debut for COP 1,099,000 (about $608) when it debuts in Peru next month. See the latter machine in action right after the break. Update: We often make light of stereotypes at Engadget, hoping to expose them as such, but the one formerly posted here was not in the best of taste. We've replaced it, and would like to apologize to any offended by our original choice of words.
Exclusive: HP's Zeen C510 Android tablet in the wild
Well, thar she blows -- we just got this shot of the HP's seven-inch Zeen Android tablet that's shipping with the leaked PhotoSmart eStation C510 printer system just straight chilling in the wilds of China. Apparently this unit is a little bit closer to final than the one our other tipsters have been playing with -- and unfortunately, the stock Android homescreen has been totally removed in favor of the TouchSmart UI. As we'd guessed, there's also no Gmail app or Market access, although there is a homegrown email client and a fair bit of integration with Yahoo services like Mail and Messenger. Facebook is also preloaded, and the screenshot shows apps for 60 Minutes, MSNBC, and Dreamworks, so it looks like there'll be some video action going on -- and that Barnes & Noble logo all but confirms the Nook compatibility our previous tipsters had mentioned. There's also a printing app and that Coupons app, which we're guessing... prints coupons, but maybe HP's trying to surprise us. We're told the software is better than on earlier Zeen units and that the previously-bad touchscreen has been improved, but that there's still work to be done before the projected late September launch. Don't get your hopes up about snagging this one without a printer, though -- we're told the solo SKU has been canceled, and only the $399 bundle with the Zeus printer will be available. Makes sense -- we're guessing it's all webOS for HP from here on out. One more pic after the break.
LG's Android-based Optimus Pad gets pictured, looking tablet-like
We've already heard LG talk up its forthcoming Optimus tablet, and it looks like we now have our first look at it. As you can see above in a slide apparently shown during LG's pre-IFA Dealer Days event, the Android-based tablet is now apparently known as the "Optimus Pad," and it's described as boasting "superior performance" and being "thinner and lighter than many competitors' tablets." Not much more than that at the moment, unfortunately, but here's hoping that "more information to come" teaser is a lead-up to a full announcement at IFA this week. [Thanks, Nicole]
Samsung Galaxy Tab headed to Verizon?
We've already seen a Samsung Galaxy Tab in the wild with a not-so-subtle CDMA sticker on it, and now BGR has a leaked screenshot that shows the seven-inch tablet headed to Verizon. That certainly sounds like it could be the Samsung i800 tablet we've seen on Verizon's well-leaked roadmap, and we can also say that we've heard (but not confirmed) that the Tab will have 512MB of RAM, that the interface is quite smooth but still stuttery in areas, and that battery life is about six hours -- but we'd take all that with a grain of salt, since anything can change before release. We're definitely poking around for more, we'll let you know.
ViewSonic doing 3D like crazy at IFA, plans to debut 3D camera, camcorder, photo frame, and portable TV
You're sitting alone, your house is quiet. You turn your phone off and reach for a novel -- your favorite novel. You run your hand along the book's well-worn spine, then crack open the yellowing pages to the spot you were at last. Suddenly you put the book down. Where are you? You stand up and take off your glasses, looking around frantically at your surroundings. Where are you? Well, you're not in Berlin, Germany between the dates of September 1st and 7th, attending IFA. ViewSonic just announced, no, threatened an onslaught of 3D product for the upcoming tradeshow, including a 720p 3D camcorder that will pack a built-in 3D display for a mere $300 (we're sure it will be delightful). Details are scarce, but our guess would be that it'll utilize a glasses-free 3D display akin to Nintendo's 3DS or the Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W3. Other 3D members of the brood will include a 3D handheld TV, 3D stills camera, and a 3D photo frame -- all of which will undoubtedly scream quality. As if that wasn't enough, ViewSonic will also be showing off a 7-inch Android tablet dubbed the ViewPad 7, along with a 10-inch tablet that can dual boot to Android and Windows. PR is after the break, we'll let you get back to your book. Update: Does that 3D camera (the two images on the left) look familiar? It should, it's almost certainly a rebadge of the Aiptek i2. Poor Viewsonic, what happened to you?
Samsung's 7-inch Galaxy Tab gets spied in the wild (video)
Man, you just can't hide your gadgets from curious onlookers these days. Case in point: Samsung's Galaxy Tab was innocently doing some testing rounds through Sydney recently, only to be happened upon by the Electronista scribes, who diligently videotaped it -- seemingly without the knowledge of the tablet's possessor. The video confirms what we already know, it's a 7-inch tablet, it'll be driven by an Android, and it looks very much like a giant cellphone. The Samsung employee described it as "awesome" and very different from the iPad's experience, while the UI apparently looked very responsive. Go after the break to see for yourself.
CE-Oh no he didn't!: LG's Ma promises Optimus tablet 'will be better than the iPad'
There's brave talk, there's foolish talk, and then there's the 5nm line that separates the two. While LG's Chang Ma didn't seem to be dabbling in either during yesterday's Wall Street Journal interview, some subsequent revelations from the financial paper do quote him straying into daring new territory. Having already described the upcoming Optimus tablet as something that will surprise us with its productivity and focus on content creation, LG's Marketing VP (we know, not exactly the CEO) has apparently gone the full way and straight up claimed that "our tablet will be better than the iPad." We'll let you judge on which side of the brave/foolish divide that falls, but it's certainly an indication of searing ambition on LG's part, and should, together with the promise that the US will be "a key market" for the tablet, make pleasant reading for Android slate aficionados.
Samsung Galaxy Tablet coming soon to Vodafone UK?
You know the old 'smoke and fire' adage by now, and while the alarms aren't sounding just yet, we get the feeling that they will be shortly. We've heard Samsung itself confirm that an Android-based tablet would be departing its labs sometime this year, and since then, we've also heard an IFA debut tossed around. Given that said show is but a few weeks out, it's halfway logical to think that Sammy would be notifying some of its launch partners of its intentions. We can't be certain that things are locked in just yet, but a 'Samsung Galaxy Tablet' has recently surfaced within Vodafone UK's systems (as shown above). There's no price or release date accompanying the mention, but it may signal that a 3G-enabled version could be coming to Britons following a proper unveiling in Berlin next month. We'll keep digging for more, and you can bet we'll be on the ground in Deutschland for a hands-on should the opportunity arise. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Enso's Android-based zenPad 4 ships, gets unboxed and politely berated on video
Based on our experience with the original zenPad -- one that we wouldn't wish upon our worst enemy's enemies -- we had a feeling that Enso's latest crop of wares wouldn't exactly be teeming with high quality components. One kindhearted tipster of ours managed to ignore our advice and order up a $199 zenPad 4, which is just another iPad KIRF for all intents and purposes. Loaded with Android 2.1 and doused in mediocrity, this 10.2-inch tablet actually ships in a knockoff iPad box... one that proudly sports a perfectly random Internet Explorer icon on the front. Trust us, the laughs don't end there. It was also said to be about half as responsive to key presses as the iPad, and when pressing down on the bezel, it actually leaves momentary indentations that require a tick to flatten back out. Classy. Head on past the break for a purely comedic video unboxing and preview -- if you've had a rough one, you owe it to yourself. [Thanks, Michael] %Gallery-99241%
Augen Gentouch 78 preview
It's taken quite a bit of chasing (and Kmart stalking) this week to score Augen's $150 Gentouch Android tablet, but lo' and behold, the gadget is now in its rightful home... our home! We don't need to tell you that we ferociously ripped open the box to finally see how the Android 2.1 tablet performs, test out its touchscreen and see if it actually has access to app stores (unlike Augen's smartbook which we toyed with earlier this week). We're assuming you're just as eager to find out the answers to those questions, so hit that read more button for some early impressions as well as a hands-on video. %Gallery-98571%
Samsung's Q3-bound tablet to boast 7-inch display, Android OS
Slowly but surely, Samsung's future as a tablet PC provider is taking shape. Details on the outfit's foray into the world of the slate has been trickling out over the past few months, and shortly after learning that a so-called Galaxy Tab would be out and about in Q3, now we're finding out two more critical details: screen size and operating system. According to the company, the Q3-bound device (assumed to be the aforesaid Galaxy Tab) will boast a smaller-than-average 7-inch screen, and rather than humming along on Bada or Windows 7, Google's Android will be at the helm. We're being forced to wait for further information, but given the proximity to Q3, all should be crystal clear in the not-too-distant future. [Thanks, Keith]
Interpad's 10-inch Tegra 2-toting Android tablet may make Germans merry later this year
We've seen a number of promising Tegra 2 Android tablets at this point, but precious few solid release dates, so forgive us if we're jumping for joy to hear even an unheard-of German challenger is slated to arrive this holiday season. Should you believe the company's website, December will see the launch of E-Noa's Interpad, a 10-inch capacitive multitouch Android 2.1 device with a laundry list of desirable features. €399 (about $518) may seem a bit steep for an Android device, but it buys you a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 T20 chip in a package only a half-inch thin, plus 1GB of DDR2 RAM and 16GB of flash storage (expandable via microSD) to put your PlayStation ROMs in. Connectivity includes 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, USB 2.0 and HDMI out, and it's all powered by a 3900mAh battery reportedly good for 8-12 hours. If you're willing to drop a little extra, MobiFlip reports that Android 2.2, GPS, camera and 3G modules will appear in an upgraded version for under €500 ($649), but we don't want to get you too excited before we can verify the potency of the original, eh? We're hoping to see it in person at September's IFA in Berlin.
Olive Pad VT100 brings a voice-capable, 7-inch Android tablet to India's airwaves
Ha, and you thought Dell's Streak was pushing the boundaries of what's acceptable to hold to one's ear. In a bid to make even the xpPhone look diminutive, Olive Telecom has just announced India's first 3.5G Android (2.1 for now) tablet in the Olive Pad VT100. This 7-inch slate is said to boast an 800 x 480 resolution on a capacitive touchpanel, not to mention Bluetooth, WiFi, an SD card slot, 512MB of internal memory (plus 512MB ROM), a 3.5mm audio jack, 3 megapixel camera, mini USB socket and a 3,240mAh battery. There's also a mysterious front facing camera for video calls, and sure enough, this thing actually supports voice, which may very well make it the largest smartphone to launch in 2010. If all goes well, it'll seep out in India next month, with a price of around Rs.20000 to Rs.25000, or $425 to $530 in terms of Greenbacks. We wouldn't get our hopes up for an immediate launch in North America, but word on the street has it that Russia and Europe could see this bad boy in the not-too-distant future. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Lenovo promises LePad Android tablet for the end of the year
Liu Jun, Senior VP and President of Lenovo's Consumer Business Group, has revealed his company's intention to deliver an Android tablet by the end of this year. To be known as LePad, this apparent resurrection of the Skylight / U1 Hybrid R&D effort seems destined to follow LePhone in seeking its fortunes in China first before expanding out to the rest of the world. Lenovo's chairman did recently note that Apple's relative inaction toward mainland China creates opportunities for others, so this may well represent the IdeaPad maker's play for that burgeoning market. Of course, we'd love to be wrong and see a simultaneous release around the world -- it's about time the iPad got some legitimate competition in the slate realm.
HP Android tablet coming later than you think, or not at all
Although nothing official has come from HP on this front, we got some pretty solid word back in April that the American giant was mulling an Android tablet. As it turns out, what with the WebOS acquisition that followed and HP's dogged commitment to Windows 7, that Googly project has apparently slipped out of the limelight in HP HQ. Word from All Things Digital is that there'll be nothing forthcoming this year (as was tentatively expected) and if an HP Android tablet is to materialize, it'll have to come in 2011. The company seems to be in the midst of reallocating resources to its higher priority projects, and who knows, should that rumored Hurricane tablet blow us all away, Android might never gets its chance to shine at all.
Acer said to be launching 7-, 10-inch Android tablets before the end of the year
Acer's already offered some indication that it planned to launch at least one Android-based tablet before the end of the year, and it looks like we're starting to get few more tidbits of information. According to DigiTimes (reasonably reliable when it comes to Acer rumors), the company is planning to launch both 7-inch and 10-inch tablets sometime in the fourth quarter of this year, both of which will reportedly be ARM-based and run Android 2.2 (complete with Flash support_. Details are otherwise still pretty light, but DigiTimes is backing up earlier talk that Acer's looking to partner with mobile carriers on the devices, which we presume means they'll both at least have a 3G option.
SmartQ T7 and T7-3G Android 2.1 tablets announced and priced in China
Don't worry, it's not déjà vu -- these SmartQ T7 tablets may appear just like their Ubuntu-riding R7 sibling, but they offer Android 2.1, an integrated 3G option, a speedier 720MHz CPU, and a colossal 4,700mAh battery -- 1,400mAh more than before! If that's woken you from the slumber brought on by yet another boilerplate tablet, SmartQ's also boasting support for a similarly impressive range of video codecs, meaning you can grab any RMVB, AVI, MKV and WMV files (even at 1080p) from your various, ahem, sources, and just play them back on the 7-inch LCD (probably at 800 x 600 like the R7) as they are. If you're cool with just WiFi connectivity, then go for the ¥1,480 ($219) T7; if 3G is a must, be prepared to dole out ¥1,880 ($278) and ¥1,980 ($292) for the EVDO and WCDMA flavors of the T7-3G, respectively. And if you're hanging out with China Mobile, price for the TD-SCDMA version's to be confirmed later.
