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Eee Pad Transformer gets overclocked to 1.4GHz, deemed less than stable
While many of you continue your quest for an Eee Pad Transformer, some folks, predictably, have already figured out how to overclock it. Netarchy over at the XDA forum posted a custom kernel allowing hackers to crank the tablet's clock speed to 1.4GHz, the same peak reached by the ViewSonic G Tablet. Beware, though, that performance at that speed has proven unreliable, so for now the dev recommends a more modest 1.2GHz to avoid data loss, a meltdown, and "injury of assorted puppies." Par for the course, really.
ASUS ramping up Eee Pad Transformer production, says they'll be easier to find in the 'coming weeks'
We couldn't help but notice that a lot of you want to buy the Eee Pad Transformer; it's just that your quest for one is turning up dry. We asked ASUS for an update on the shortage and the company said it's cranking 'em out at a furious pace to meet strong demand. Here's what a PR rep had to say: We are ramping production every week to address the supply concerns, including almost daily air shipments into North America. We expect the supply line to improve significantly over the coming weeks. So there you have it: if you live on the North American continent, at least, you'll soon be able to find an elusive Transformer -- and just in time for a much-appreciated Android 3.1 update.
Toshiba's ET100/WT100 Honeycomb tablet clears the FCC
Toshiba's forthcoming Honeycomb tablet is already headed to Japanese stores as the Regza AT300, but it's been a bit slower in arriving stateside. Now it seems the company could be close to shipping a real, working product here in the US. The still unnamed slate -- dubbed the ET100/WT100 for now -- has won FCC approval for its 802.11n and Bluetooth radios. To recap, the slate will have a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) display, run on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 platform, and sport dual cameras, HDMI and USB ports, an SD card reader, and, possibly, a removable battery. We say, bring it on.
HTC Flyer up for preorder for $499 at Best Buy on April 24th
Europeans have been able to preorder the HTC Flyer for months, and now curious Yanks are about to get their chance, too. The tablet will be available for preorder on April 24th (that's this Sunday) for $499 with Best Buy as the exclusive seller. Though our friends across the pond have been able to snag 3G versions, the one about to come stateside just has WiFi. The Flyer, as you'll remember, is the phone maker's first tablet, and has a 7-inch (1024 x 600) display, aluminum body, 1.5GHz Qualcomm chip, and a version of the company's Sense UI that was tweaked with slates in mind. Alas, It'll ship with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), but HTC is promising an eventual upgrade to 3.0 (Honeycomb) and all of the bigger-screen goodies that come with it.
Archos 7c tablet with Eclair, kickstand now shipping for $220
Well, isn't today our lucky day? Just a week after debuting on video, the Archos 7c Home Tablet is shipping in the US for $220 -- more than a month ahead of its expected June arrival. As a refresher, this 7-inch tablet offers a capacitive (800 x 480) display, Android 2.1 (Eclair), and a Cortex A8 processor-RK2918 chipset combo that promises smooth 720p video playback. Other specs include 8GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, two built-in speakers, and that kickstand you see in the photo above. Of course, you'll also have to forgo niceties like wireless-N, cameras, and access to Android Market. Are those trade-offs worth the dirt-cheap price? That's a decision you're going to have to make for yourself. [Thanks, Elliott] %Gallery-122100%
Amazon beats Dell to the punch, quietly ships WiFi-only Streak 7 in the US
If you've been impatiently waiting for that $380 WiFi-only Dell Streak 7 you pre-ordered, you can stop your fidgeting because it looks like Amazon, at least, has quietly started to ship them out to eager US customers -- the second market to get the Android tablet this week. Just to refresh your memories, it offers a dual-core 1GHz Tegra T20 processor, 16GB of storage, dual cameras, and, eventually, an upgrade to Android Honeycomb (3.0), something Samsung's 7-inch Galaxy Tab isn't guaranteed to get. But is that worth the Streak's higher price and shorter endurance? We'll let you and your wallet be the judge.
Archos flashes 7c Android tablet, brags about its 1.2GHz clock speed
After taking a breather from cranking out new tablets, Archos is at it again, this time with the Archos 7c Home Tablet, a 7-inch number that ARMdevices.net caught on camera during a visit to the company's Chinese outpost. This slate packs a Cortex A8 processor and RK2918 chipset, which the rep quaintly says is "faster than any chipset you can find" -- you know, owing to its 1.2GHz clock speed and all. Alas, it runs Android Gingerbread (2.3) Eclair (2.1) and not Honeycomb (3.0), so you'll have to do some hacking to get your Android Market fix. Although the 7c has a capacitive display, the woman leading the demo appears to jab at browser links with her finger -- a throwback to some less-than-responsive resistive screens we've tested. On the bright side, 1080p video plays smoothly -- at least in the few seconds before the camera pans away. The 7c is headed to the US and Europe in June for an unknown price, but for now you can head past the break to see it in action. Update: Check out the official (translated) press release after the break.
T-Mobile expected to cut Galaxy Tab pricing to $249.99 (update: drop is official!)
After initiating the first on-contract Galaxy Tab price cascade back in December that quickly led Sprint to respond, T-Mobile may chop subsidy prices again today for the 7-inch tablet to just under $250 (after a pesky $50 mail-in rebate). Together, that's only $62 more than the bargain bin CherryPad, which should infuriate early adopters who paid double that only a few months ago, not to mention sober up Samsung. However, when you consider that pseudo-4G tablets like the Dell Streak 7 and LG G-Slate will join Magenta's lineup soon, it is a viable strategy for extending the Tab's consumer appeal in this viciously competitive Android tablet world we live in. Then again, if the dual-core processors teased for the Tab's successor actually pan out, we doubt Samsung will need any assistance getting back to its smug position on top of the Android heap. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled on T-Mobile's site today and be sure to update should the price change actually materialize. Update: A recent peek at T-Mobile's site shows the price drop is now official. If you're in the UK and prefer buying the Tab unsubsidized, Amazon and Tesco have also chopped their prices to a palatable £341.24 ($542) and £359.20 ($571), respectively. Thanks, Raphael and Rupert!
Second-gen CherryPad rumored to feature better specs for a bigger price tag
After seeing Android tablets galore at CES, it seems strangely fitting that a device bearing the CherryPad moniker could top off this month's tablet news dog pile. Specifically, Mobile Magazine is sharing "unconfirmed details" about a new 7-inch Cherry-branded tablet that's said to run Android 2.2 "at a minimum" and feature a 1024x600 capacitive multi-touch display, front and rear three megapixel cameras, a 1GHz Cortex A8 cpu, and either 8 or 16GB of flash memory. Other goodies on the sequel's spec list include an integrated HDMI output, accelerometer, microSD slot and even an unlocked GSM antenna. Unfortunately, these enhancements won't be available at the old CherryPad's $200 price point -- which was pretty much the only thing the original had going for it. Instead, the new device is rumored to cost $300 to $400. The same source also reports that an official announcement is expected in just a few weeks, so in the meantime, we'll pass the hours debating whether it makes more sense to name tablets after fruits or rocks.
Dish Network remote access app extends its long arm to Android tablets
Dish Network is still on a mission to make sure that you get your TV Everywhere, and as of today, that means your Android tablet. We reported in November that the provider was bringing its Dish remote access app to Android, opening up the world of paid-for TV to even more smartphones. As with the smartphone app, Android tablet users will have to have a Sling-enabled device, like a Sling Adapter, to access their hard earned programming, and as with the smartphone, the tablet app is free. The Dish Network app's got all the same functionality as its predecessor: browse and search options, DVR scheduling/management, and a remote control function. So it's basically the same beast, but we're definitely still impressed.
Samsung cuts Galaxy Tab prices in the UK, still more than AT&T
We've already shared some opinions on why Samsung's Galaxy Tab pricing makes sense stateside -- granted, that was before AT&T announced it would be charging $50 more than every other US carrier. After initially showing up for pre-order in the UK on Carphone Warehouse for £530 ($850) and for a Queen's ransom of £799 ($1280) on Amazon though, we're glad to find The Inquirer reporting that Tab prices on both Amazon and Dixons have dropped to £469 ($738) for a 16GB model with free delivery. Carphone Warehouse has also cut prices down to £489.99 ($784) for the 32GB version. Sure, that may still sound steep to us Yankees, but keep in mind it's now a good bit less than the basic 16GB 3G iPad which currently sells for £529 ($850). Whether these prices will slide even closer to Stateside levels is still obviously anyone's guess, but at this point we're sure those of you in the UK won't have an issue paying less for your tab.
CE-Oh no he didn't!: NVIDIA chief calls Galaxy Tab 'a large phone,' can't wait to show you some real tablets
We've literally been waiting for Tegra 2 tablets since CES in January, but that isn't stopping NVIDIA boss Jen-Hsun Huang from extolling their virtues yet again, this time on a roadmap that points to just after next year's CES. In his company's most recent quarterly results call, Huang was bullish about the disruptive potential of tablets, but insisted that they can't simply be built like the Galaxy Tab (or the Folio 100, for that matter), which uses a smartphone OS stretched out to a larger screen. "A tablet is not a large phone," says Huang, and he's of course not alone in expressing frustration with Android's current immaturity for the tablet realm, but once Google's slate-friendly OS update drops, he promises NVIDIA will be ready to capitalize: "Our tablet and phone business is going to ramp. And it's going to ramp hard." We're looking forward to all this ramping, oh yes we are. Update: Later on the call, Jen-Hsun Huang dropped a bit of knowledge on his listeners, showing Apple's iPad some love. "You can't just put an operating system on a tablet and hope that -- on a piece of glass -- and hope that you can compete against the iPad. The iPad is a wonderful product, and if you're going to give that wonderful product a run for its money, you'd better build something absolutely exquisite." Huzzah!
N-Trig: 'the most useful Android slates will be pen-enabled'
Sure, N-Trig's DuoSense combined pen / capacitive touch technology has become a household name when talking about Tablet PCs, and most recently has popped up in the HP Slate, but as you may expect the company is planning on pushing into other tablet territories. N-Trig's VP of Marketing Gary Baum told us earlier today that the Israel-based company will certainly support other operating systems (flavors of Linux, such as Ubuntu, etc.) and is in fact working with hardware partners on Android tablets. That means those latter slates would have capacitive touchscreens that support both pen and finger input -- something we haven't yet seen on any other non-resistive Android tablets. It's certainly a differentiator, and Baum wasn't shy about stating that "the most useful Android slates will be pen-enabled." (Funny enough, he told us the guys at N-Trig call the other contenders out there "JAAS," or "just another Android slate.") However, like us, you're probably thinking: what about the apps? Considering there are very few (if any) Android apps that take advantage of pen input, it's an question mark, and though Baum wouldn't comment on any specific upcoming stylus-optimized programs / software, he hinted that they'd come. Curious about availability and partnership? We hear ya, but unfortunately, that part of the equation is still missing.
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.
Dell Streak free on contract in UK, assuming £25 monthly plan
You know that Dell Streak tabletphone that's got us all hot and bothered these days? Yeah, well, what with all the stabbing, we totally didn't notice that the device has already been priced in the UK. When it launches on June 4th at The Carphone Warehouse, the Streak will cost you a sizable £429 off-contract -- the same Apple wants for an iPad 16GB -- but not a penny if you opt for its data plans (carried by O2). With a £25 mobile broadband contract or a £35 voice and unlimited data contract, the five-inch WVGA slate will be yours to take home free -- the same as Carphone's iPhone 3G pricing. We don't know quite yet if O2 UK's official tariffs will be cheaper or more expensive, but the tree doesn't grow too far from the apple, as they say.
Enso zenPad unboxing and hands-on: one disappointment after another
For the price, there's nothing truly terrible about the SMiT MID-560A touchscreen tablet. If you've never held an Android device, you might even be pleasantly surprised with the functionality on offer. But if you have -- or if you bought yours from a company called Enso and became embroiled in a vaporware scandal as a result -- the zenPad is quite the letdown. Hear why after the break. %Gallery-93873%
Shanzai shocker! VIA processors in $100 Android tablets later this year
Brace for a storm of craptablets: this week, Taiwanese semiconductor firm VIA said its processors will appear in a new slate of cheap Android tablets destined for the US in the second half of this year. Speaking to Bloomberg, VIA marketing head Richard Brown said the company's Chinese customers will ship around five tablets, that they'll appear at $100 to $150 price points, and that "the tablet market has been legitimized by Apple" -- that last likely in an attempt to make Bloomberg utter the words "VIA" and "iPad" in the same breath. (It worked.) Mind you, the iPad certainly isn't the be-all, end-all of tablet computing, but we wouldn't expect to get a legitimate iPad killer for $100, either. We think we said it best in April: you get what you pay for.
Marvell shows off 10-inch Android tablet at Netbook Summit
Unfortunately, we don't know much about this new Marvell powered tablet, but we couldn't resist sharing our impressions of the very svelte 10-inch device. We only got a few minutes to play around with the slate at the Netbook Summit, but we can tell you that it has a brushed metal back and there's an opening on the front for a camera. As for the internals, it's based on Marvell's Moby reference design, which uses its Snapdragon-class Armada 610 processor, and will run Android 2.1 Eclair. The rest will be up to whatever Marvell customer is bringing this bad boy to market -- the Marvell executive that let us catch a glance at the device wouldn't turn it on as he feared we may see the mystery customer's logo. We told you we didn't know much, but from what we saw today it sure looks promising. Now, if only we felt Android was ready Google would give us a tablet-ready version of Android... %Gallery-93686%
Android MID shocker! Eken M003 gets 8-inch display, $230 price tag (video)
Are you a fan of off-brand MIDs, the Android OS, and dangerous bezels? You're in luck! It looks like the M003, a slightly larger follow-up to Eken's very own M001 (which caught our attention a month or so ago, mostly on account of its price) has finally reached e-tailers at home and abroad, such as China Grabber who will sell you one for a not too shabby (yet not too awesome either) $230. Keeping the Android 1.6 OS, this bad boy has been bumped up to an 8-inch touchscreen while sporting a 600MHz VIA processor, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, 128MB RAM, and an SD card slot for up to 32GB storage. They're even throwing in a 2GB SD card because they're such good sports. Available in pink, white, or black. Hands-on video after the break.
Eken's $100 Android MID reviewed: you get what you pay for
When we first spotted the Eken M001 MID, we immediately liked its honest nature. The M001 didn't claim to be an iPad killer, or boast ridiculous specs and decades of battery life; it was simply cheap, and proud of it. Now, Shanzai.com has discovered the tablet is exactly what we expected. Running Android 1.6 with a VIA WM8505 processor, the device is pokey with terrible battery life, and the 7-inch, 800 x 480 resistive screen has noticeable lag. Still, the M001's moderately capable; think of it as a digital photo frame with tablet functionality -- like the HP Dreamscreen, but affordable and battery powered -- rather than the other way round. Were it readily available stateside, we could see a few souls actually picking it up for $680 RMB (about $100)... but definitely not the $200 Haleron asked for in February. Video after the break.
