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Huawei outs MediaPad 7 Lite with Ice Cream Sandwich, doesn't tell us when it's coming
Yesterday, we heard Huawei's 1H 2012 numbers had turned out positive for the most part -- which, of course, were helped in large part by having those rather popular Ascend D1 and P1 up for grabs in the China region. Now, it may or may not be in hopes of a better second half, but the Chinese outfit's just very quietly taken the wraps off of its newest tablet: the MediaPad 7 Lite. As the numerical figure in the moniker would tell, this particular Huawei tablet sports a 7-inch (1280 x 800) form factor, with other features like Mountain View's Ice Cream Sandwich and 3G connectivity (WiFi as well) also said to be included in the light package. Sadly, there's still many deets up in the air, as Huawei hasn't revealed where, or when, we can expect the MediaPad 7 Lite to launch. In the meantime, though, feel free to head over to the company's site, where you'll find some extra eye candy.
Jelly Bean details spill for US Motorola Xoom WiFi
Rumor has it that Xoom WiFi owners in the US could soon be on the receiving end of yet another software update, though this time 'round it'd be a virtual jar full of that colorful and buttery smooth Android 4.1. According to a recent changelog received by Droid Life, the Jelly Bean refresh will bring a number of features previously seen on Google's Nexus 7 over to Moto's 10-inch slate -- some of which include an improved UI with the "smoothest version of Android," a new look for Mountain View's search, smarter overall keyboard and widgets that "work like magic." No word on when exactly we'll see the alleged build (JRO038) hit WiFi-only Xooms here in the States, but at least there's some tasteful hope for you.
ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity hits the UK on August 31st, priced at £600 for 64GB model
While we've known the pricing and availability attached to ASUS' new flagship slate in the US for some time now, UKers had been left to wonder when they'd finally be able to get their eager palms on that rebranded and well-specced Pad Infinity. Thankfully, that's about to change, as the Taiwanese outfit just announced the Transformer TF700 will be up for grabs from Amazon in the UK starting August 31st, with the sticker value set at £600 for the rather spacious 64GB configuration and with the useful dock included. Naturally, that's only a small part of the entire package, given how you'd also be getting a beautiful 1920 x 1200 display and the famed Tegra 3 chip to get you through the days. The only tedious bit is you'll still have to wait a while to place your order; in the meantime, however, you could always give our review yet another read.
ASUS Transformer Prime TF700T showing 'in stock' at Office Depot, days before scheduled US release
July 16th? Why wait? A full three days prior to the previously scheduled US release date, ASUS' Transformer Prime TF700T is showing as "in stock" right now from Office Depot. For those who've managed to forget about it's amenities since its original unveiling some six months ago, this one's packing a 10.1-inch (1,920 x 1,200) display, Android 4.0, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11b/g/n, 32GB of internal storage and NVIDIA's Tegra 3 keeping the gears turning. As expected, $499.99 is the asking price, with an estimated delivery of "Just as soon as shipping partners get back to work next week." Oh, and scalpers -- it's limit two per customer. Just a heads-up. [Thanks, Tony]
Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 review: a budget-priced ICS slate with a few too many quirks
More Info Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 teased by FCC, launching with 9.7-inch display this month? Lenovo's IdeaTab S2109 unveiled on YouTube, shows off 8.9mm-thick unibody shell Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 makes a splash stateside, offers a lightweight slice of Android for $349 Lenovo got the memo: it's high time the company released a new tablet. With products from Acer, ASUS and Samsung keeping us plenty busy these last few months, Lenovo can hardly expect to stay relevant with the IdeaPad A1 and ThinkPad Tablet from 2011. So the IdeaTab S2109, a $350, 9.7-inch slate running Ice Cream Sandwich, comes in the nick of time. That's not to say we were surprised when the tablet launched in June. The S2109 made its grand debut at the FCC in March, and Lenovo teased its arrival with a YouTube video highlighting the 8.9mm-thick unibody shell and the 1,024 x 768 IPS LCD display. What the company wasn't so quick to point out, though, was that this device packs a TI OMAP 4430 CPU rather than the Tegra 3 processor that's quickly becoming the new tablet norm. So how does the performance stack up? Does this go toe to toe with all those other mid-range, 10-inch slates we've seen lately? Let's take a look.
Acer Iconia Tab A700 review: a 10-inch ICS tablet with Tegra 3 and a 1,920 x 1,200 display
We'll skip the long contextual intro about how high-powered Tegra 3 tablets are becoming a dime a dozen and get straight to the meat: the new Acer Iconia Tab A700 is an NVIDIA-powered slate with a super-charged screen. Yes, this device is all about the display, and we're talking 1,920 x 1,200 pixels on a 10.1-inch panel. And until ASUS' Transformer Pad Infinity goes on sale next month, this is the only Android tab with that resolution you can get your hands on. More Info Acer unveils $450 Iconia Tab A700: 1,920 x 1,200 display and Tegra 3 under the hood Acer Iconia Tab A700 hands-on PSA: Acer Iconia Tab A700 shipping now At the risk of spoiling our whole review, bright colors and a high resolution make navigating Acer's branded build of Ice Cream Sandwich a treat, and its quad-core Tegra 3 insides make the tablet more than just a pretty face. But the WiFi-only Tab A700, retailing for $450, is not the only good ICS option around -- and it's not the most budget-friendly, either. Let's take a closer look to see if its considerable advantages make it worth swiping that plastic.%Gallery-159083%
Toshiba Excite 13 review: a big-screened tablet with a price to match
Well, this lede pretty much wrote itself. A 13-inch tablet, seriously? Toshiba is pushing the form factor limits with the Excite 13, and while its dimensions make it stand out in a sea of 7- and 10-inch devices, that isn't necessarily what tablet buyers are looking for. More Info Toshiba announces Excite 10, 7.7 and 13 tablets, Thrive slates on their way out Toshiba Excite 7.7 review Toshiba Excite 10 review There's no shortage of skepticism about such a large slate -- "slab" seems appropriate here -- so the Toshiba Excite 13 needs to provide an exceptional experience, with a brilliant display and smooth graphics, to make 2.2 pounds seem more palatable. On paper, its specs are promising: there's a quad-core Tegra 3 CPU under the hood, a 1600 x 900 display at 138 ppi and a clean build of Android 4.0. The company already has the Excite 7.7 and Excite 10 in its arsenal, and their good performance and bright displays make for compelling tablets. But how does a 13-inch tablet that starts at $650 round out that trio? Read on for our full impressions. %Gallery-159048%
ASUS' high-end Transformer Pad TF700 is coming to the US next month for $499 and up
The last time we heard from ASUS, the company was on a tear at Computex, unveiling Windows 8 device after Windows 8 device. Looking back, it seems quaint that its mobile lineup was so recently dominated by Android tablets -- and that the Transformer series was once regarded as unique for having detachable keyboard docks. But this week, at least, it's back to Android for ASUS: the company just announced that the Transformer Pad Infinity announced back at Mobile World Congress is finally going on sale here in the US. It's expected to hit shelves the week of July 16th, starting at $499 for the 32GB model and $599 for the 64GB version. Like other Transformer tabs, the accompanying dock will sell separately for $149. We've got a rundown of the full specs after the break, and as it turns out, we've also been testing one for the past week. So once you're done browsing those official press shots, head on over to our full review for benchmarks, impressions and many, many more photos.%Gallery-158781%
Asus Transformer Pad Infinity shows up at Best Buy, commands $600 price tag, 64GB of storage
You didn't think ASUS pushed its souped up Transformer slate through federal approval for the sake of its health, did you? No, if Best Buy's online store has anything to say about it, the Transformer Pad Infinity's FCC excursion was preparing it for sale. It's not quite ready yet, but when it is, Best Buy will apparently be handing the slab out for $599 and change, netting buyers 64GB of storage, NVIDIA's Tegra 3 processor and a 1,920 x 1,200 10.1-inch Super IPS+ display. The listing appears to be for the WiFi-only version of the tablet, with no mention of the Snapdragon S4-equipped LTE variant that ASUS announced earlier this year. According to the product page, the unreleased hardware is currently "sold out online," but at least you know how many pennies you'll need to pinch. Check it out at the source link below. [Thanks, Uly]
Toshiba Excite 7.7 review
More Info That 7.7-inch Toshiba tablet we saw at CES? It's called the AT270, and it runs Tegra 3 Toshiba announces Excite 10, 7.7 and 13 tablets, Thrive slates on their way out Toshiba pushes AT270 Tegra 3 tablet through the FCC, gets Excited In its sophomore attempt at cranking out Android tablets, Toshiba has unleashed the Excite series, a trifecta of thin tablet terror, upon Terran territory. The tiniest of the Thrive-topping trio is the Tegra 3-toting Excite 7.7, a close competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. It's portable, sports a gorgeous AMOLED display and packs plenty of processing power. Unfortunately for consumers, there aren't too many tablets this small with this nice a display, which means it'll be much easier for Toshiba to be noticed. Coming to the US on June 24th, the WiFi-only version of the 7.7 -- also known as the AT270 -- will be available for $500 with 16GB and $580 for 32GB. It's not the most flattering price tag, but the Tegra 3 and brilliant display help ease the pain your wallet may experience. But is it worth it? You know what to do: head on past the break for our detailed review. %Gallery-157592%
Amazon updates Kindle app for Android with improved tablet support
It's not exactly the biggest of updates, but Android tablet users who do a lot of reading in the Kindle app will likely be pleased with what the latest version has to offer. The big addition is the ability to view two pages side-by-side in landscape mode (as seen above). Otherwise, you'll now find additional options for margin and spacing controls, along with a number of bug fixes (including one for a pesky problem that required you to re-register when returning to the app).
Toshiba Excite 10 review: a 10-inch ICS tablet that puts the Thrive to shame
More Info Toshiba announces Excite 10, 7.7 and 13 tablets, Thrive slates on their way out Toshiba Excite 10 ICS tablet goes on sale, prices start at $450 for 16GB model Toshiba AT200 review In the tablet market, big as it is, one notion generally holds true: thinner equals better. Toshiba, for example, surely tried to equate a svelte silhouette with a premium product in its super-slim Excite 10 LE. And indeed, its 1.18-pound body and solid Honeycomb experience add up to tablet that puts Toshiba's earlier Thrives to shame. That $530 model is definitely priced like a high-end tablet, but it's accompanied by a new, lower-priced Toshiba slate, the Excite 10. For $450, you get a tablet with a tad more meat on its bones, but that increase in weight and thickness comes with some more powerful specs: a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with 1GB of RAM -- not to mention Ice Cream Sandwich. While you can probably guess which of these slates makes a stronger contender (hint: the one without the "LE"), figuring out the Toshiba Excite 10's place in the grand hierarchy of tablets takes a little more exploration. Luckily, that's what we're here for, so join us past the break as we do our best to get through the review without a single "excite" pun.
Splashtop's Win8 Metro Testbed comes to Android slates, keeps everyone happy
Shortly after launching its Win8 Metro Testbed on Cupertino's tablet, Splashtop's bringing the Microsoft OS simulator over to the Android side. The app is essentially identical to that of the iPad, meaning it'll give developers (or any other adventurers) a Windows 8 canvas to test out possible future applications on Redmond's novel platform. That said, you'll need to have a copy of the Release Preview installed on your PC, as well as a Google-certified slate sporting Android 3.1 or higher, with a "target" screen resolution of 1280 x 800 in order to kick things off. The Splashtop Win8 Metro Testbed will cost you $50, though the service has an ongoing promo which slashes half of the usual price. If you're curious enough to dive in, you can grab the application now via Google Play -- or, you could always check the video after the break while you're thinking it through.
CloudOn launching its iOS, Android tablet apps in 16 more countries, Office hounds rejoice
Surprise, surprise, CloudOn has just opened a fresh can of tablet-friendly Office and is getting ready to deliver it outside of the US, UK and Canada for the first time in its relatively short history. The cloud-based service announced it's now launching its iOS and Android applications in 16 more countries, making it a total of 19 with the addition of the aforementioned trio. Some of the lucky nations include: Spain, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Israel as well as the Netherlands -- and, in case you had any concerns, the app is keeping its free-of-charge status, so no need to worry. In addition to the beefy global expansion, CloudOn also released a few productivity-focused tidbits, giving users the ability to open links straight from the browser, copy and paste between the different built-in apps, plus a drag-and-drop feature to move around files and folders within the application -- unfortunately, this last one's only available to those with a Cupertino device (at least for the time being). All that's left to do now is grab yourself a copy from one of the links below, and be sure to check the presser after the break to see if your country made the cut.
Acer shows off next-gen Iconia Tab A210 and A110 at Computex, we go hands-on (video)
No press release, no media alert, not even a splashy press conference with Adele blasting in the background. The only reason we know these two tablets exist is because we happened to catch them on display here at Computex. What we have here are the Acer Iconia Tab A210 and A110, presumably the successors to the 10-inch A200 and the 7-inch A100. Apart from a wholesale redesign, which we'll walk you through after the break, both tablets have been upgraded to quad-core Tegra 3 processors and will ship with Ice Cream Sandwich. An Acer rep staffing the event said both are scheduled to go on sale sometime in Q3. No word on pricing or regional availability just yet, but if you accompany us past the break we've got impressions, two hands-on videos and a run-down of tentative specs. %Gallery-157268%
Acer Iconia A510 Olympic Tab to launch in UK next month
Acer has been known to celebrate the Olympic Games with special-edition tech, so we weren't exactly surprised when the company launched a festive version of the Iconia Tab A510 this April in anticipation of the Summer Games in London. Now that the event is just two months away, the Tab is preparing to make its UK debut. According to the Inquirer, it will be available through Carphone Warehouse in June. To jog your memory, this version has the same specs as the original Iconia Tab A510, including a 10.1-inch IPS display, Android Ice Cream Sandwich and a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 CPU. There's also the same 5-megapixel camera and 32GB of onboard storage. The main difference, of course, is that this version sports an engraving of the five Olympic rings, and Acer also pre-loads a trial of Eurosport channels so users can get coverage during the Games. When the Iconia A510 Olympic Tab launches next month, it will reportedly go for £350 (about $552) without a SIM.
ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity Series hits the FCC
Remember that high-resolution variant of the Transformer Prime ASUS trotted out at CES? The federal government just finished putting it through its paces. The WiFi version of the firm's upcoming Transformer Pad Infinity (formally numbered TF700T) sauntered its way through the FCC, revealing itself as the slate's Tegra 3 option, if only for its lack of having a cellular radio. The tablet's LTE equipped sibling, however, was nowhere to be found -- though we're sure the feds will put it through the official gauntlet soon enough. Hit the source link below to dive into the official report.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 review
More Info Samsung announces Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 hands-on (video) PSA: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Galaxy Player 4.2 now available online When we review a second-generation product there are certain things we tend to take for granted: this new thing, whatever it is, will be thinner, faster, longer-lasting, maybe even with more bells and whistles in tow. With Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1, though, it's a little less obvious why its sequel is here. It offers near-identical specs, including a 10-inch, 1280 x 800 PLS display, dual-core 1GHz TI chip, 1GB of RAM and a minimum of 16GB of internal storage. What's more, this generation is slightly thicker and heavier, and sheds the LED flash that used to sit on the back side. But there's one detail we haven't mentioned yet: in addition to softening the specs, Samsung dropped the price by about hundred bucks, so that it now starts at $400. Clearly, then, the 10.1 has evolved into a mid-range tablet, whereas it used to be the best Samsung had to offer. That's good news for penny-pinching shoppers, but Samsung has a bit of a problem on its hands: it's jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire, dodging direct competition with the new iPad, only to find itself competing with a raft of affordable tablets made by Acer, ASUS and even Apple. So how does Samsung's warmed-over 10.1 compare? Can it be a winner in the mid-tier category, at least? Let's see.
PSA: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, Galaxy Player 4.2 now available online
Not willing to give up your old dumbphone, but still need something to feed your Android addiction? You're in luck: Samsung's serving up two devices today rocking Google's dessert themed OS, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and the Galaxy Player 4.2. Sammy's latest slate rings in at $400, buying 16GB of internal memory (expandable to 32GB via microSD), a 1GHz dual-core processor and a serving of Ice Cream Sandwich. The Galaxy Player 4.2, on the other hand, can be found munching Gingerbread for a mere $200. If you're looking for a new Galaxy that makes phone calls, however, you'll have to wait for the Galaxy S III.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 come stateside on May 13th
The last we heard, Samsung's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 was in pre-order limbo at Office Depot. Now we have official word that the slate will launch at that outlet -- and also at Amazon, Best Buy, Tiger Direct and others -- on May 13th. As expected, the 16GB WiFi version will go for $400, and if you've followed our coverage, you'll know it's a solid dual-core slate that nonetheless doesn't make huge spec improvements over the original Tab 10.1 (barring that Ice Cream Sandwich OS, of course). The Galaxy Player 4.2 will also make its debut this Sunday, for an asking price of $200. Android-loving moms: rejoice.
