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EmporiaCLICK hands-on at CES 2012 (video)
It may not turn the heads of anyone who needs the latest and greatest phone -- let alone most smartphone users -- but Emporia Telecom's not going after that market. Rather, the handset manufacturer is busy pushing out devices that appeal to the first-time phone buyer or anyone who doesn't need anything besides a simple phone that actually makes calls and sends messages. The EmporiaCLICK, which should be available this Spring for under $100 without contract, is the absolute epitome of the basic clamshell cameraphone, complete with large buttons, fingerprint-friendly exterior and a built-in one-click emergency button which will cycle through a list of five emergency numbers until somebody answers. Head on below to see the device in all its glory, as well as a video after the break.
EmporiaSOLIDplus at CES 2012 hands-on (video)
Emporia Telecom is looking to come to the Americas this Spring, and it's bringing a rugged beauty with it -- as long as you're not dead set on getting yourself one of them fancy smartphones. If so, keep on lookin', as Emporia's focusing on winning the hearts of basic / budget phone users all over. One of its first phones the company's bringing overseas with it is the EmporiaSOLIDplus, an IP67-certified candybar that can handle most things you throw at it -- heck, it could probably handle it when you're throwing the phone itself, though we certainly don't recommend you give it a test run anytime soon. The basic device is capable of calling, sending messages and that's ultimately about it. The phone will come as an unlocked GSM phone and is going to be available this Spring for an undetermined price. Pictures and video? Yeah, we have 'em below.
Viewsonic unveils ViewPad e70 tablet, offers Ice Cream Sandwich for $170
Viewsonic has welcomed another member to the ViewPad family, with the ViewPad e70 -- a seven-inch Android slate that comes drenched in Ice Cream Sandwich. Announced at CES today, the e70 is powered by a 1GHz CPU and comes packed with 4GB of memory. The WiFi-enabled slate also supports 1080p HDMI output and sports a front-facing camera, though specifications like screen resolution and megapixel count remain a mystery. Perhaps most compelling is its $170 price point, though Viewsonic has yet to announce a launch date more specific than "Q1." We'll keep you abreast of the latest, but in the meantime, you can find the full PR, after the break.
AT&T Pantech Burst hands-on at CES 2012 (video)
Pantech has been going after the budget-conscious subscribers on AT&T for quite some time now, but it now it finally has the opportunity to do the same thing on Ma Bell's network that it did with Verizon: offer a cost effective handset with LTE included. And we have to say: we were overall quite impressed both with the phone's feel and laundry list of specs. For $50 with a two-year commitment, the newly announced Burst -- available in both black and red -- offer a 1.2GHz dual-core Scorpion CPU, Android 2.3 (which Pantech confirmed to us that it will be upgradeable to ICS at some point in the future), 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 720p HD video capture and 2MP front-facing cam.Our first impression was rather positive. The 4-inch display will be a convenient option for most, and the Super AMOLED makes it bright and colorful. It felt comfortable in the hand and we enjoyed the smooth design and tapered sides. As always, we were disappointed in the lack of a dedicated camera button, though we can't say it surprises us anymore -- it seems as though Pantech typically shies away from that option. We're not huge fans of the proprietary OS, as mentioned in our review of the Pantech Pocket, but during our brief time with the device, it seems to be incredibly speedy and void of bugs. Check out the gallery below for plenty more angles, and feel free to watch our hands-on video.
Pantech Burst official on AT&T with LTE, available January 22nd for $50
Pantech's already made a move to dominate the lower end of Verizon's LTE lineup, and if AT&T's recent announcement was any indication, it's about to do the same on the largest GSM carrier as well. The Burst is AT&T's answer to the Breakout in terms of pricing, but the laundry lists of the two phones actually have a few gaping differences: the former employs the use of a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 4-inch Super AMOLED 800 x 480 display, 5MP camera with LED flash and 720p HD vid capture, 2MP front-facing cam, 16GB of internal storage space and microSD slot with a capacity of up to 32GB and a 1,650mAh battery. The Gingerbread-running Burst will be available in either black or red on January 22nd and can be yours for $50 with a two-year commitment. Considering Pantech's other offering for the same price, we can't say it will be a terribly difficult decision if you're looking for a budget phone on the lineup. We'll have our hands-on soon, so stay tuned. Update: Check out the CES hands-on here
BlackBerry Curve 9380 hands-on (video)
We found it hard to get excited over that other recent QWERTY-less BlackBerry, but we've swallowed a lungful of fresh air and approached this new 3.2-inch, 800MHz Curve 9380 with an open mind. It's the first touch-only device in the entry-level Curve family and it deserves to be considered on its own merits. So, if you're in the market for a relatively cheap smartphone that hooks up seamlessly to RIM's persistently popular ecosystem, and which puts BlackBerry Messenger and BBM Music at your fingertips (rather than your thumbs), then please read on for our hands-on video and impressions. %Gallery-139438%
EU to launch first two Galileo satellites today, as sat-nav system lurches forward
The EU's Galileo satellite navigation system has been beset by delays and budget overruns in recent months, but its future is looking slightly brighter, now that its first two satellites are primed for launch. The European Space Agency is expected to send the satellites into space today, as part of a long-term project that will cost an estimated €7 billion (around $9.6 billion). Slated to take off from Kourou, French Guiana, the pair of satellites will ride on the back of a Russian rocket to an altitude of nearly 15,000 miles, where they'll test system functions both in space and on Earth. If all goes according to plan, they'll also become Galileo's first operational satellites, paving the way, officials hope, for many more to follow. In fact, the European Commission is looking to complete the 30-satellite constellation by the year 2019, with two scheduled to launch during every quarter, beginning in 2012. The idea, of course, is to offer Europeans an alternative to US-operated GPS, with a free consumer service scheduled to launch in 2014, followed by a more precise, paid service in 2020. Nevertheless, budgetary concerns loom large over the project, which, according to the EC, has already racked up a development and deployment bill of over €5 billion ($6.8 billion), since 2003. The commission will present a finalized proposal to EU member governments by the end of the year, in the hopes of obtaining that extra €7 billion, though it may face more acute criticism, considering today's dour economic climate. It remains unlikely, however, that Galileo will be totally shut down, as the EU says it could bring in an extra €90 billion over the next 20 years.
Keepin' it real fake: Chinese Nokia N9 makes but minor sacrifices
Chinese rip-off merchants have been crafting N9s since before the handset even existed and by now they're pretty good at it. This latest bogie comes in at just $64 -- way cheaper than a genuine budget smartphone -- but it still manages to pack in dual SIM slots, a mock iPhone UI and a resistive touchscreen that gives you the ergonomic pleasure of pressing everything three times. Sure, we have a few misgivings about the lack of functioning apps and the blurry 1.3MP rear camera, but then even the N-Man himself has the occasional phony moment. Update: We switched the pic to show you the iOS version, rather than the mock Sense variant depicted earlier. Yes, it seems you do get a choice.
Pour one out for the Tevatron particle accelerator, because it's shutting down today
The eyes of the physics community are collectively fixed upon Illinois today, where, later this afternoon, researchers at Fermilab will shut down the Tevatron particle accelerator... for good. That's right -- the world's second-largest collider is being laid to rest, after a remarkable 25-year run that was recently halted due to budgetary constraints. Earlier this year, Fermilab's scientists and a group of prominent physicists pleaded with the government to keep the Tevatron running until 2014, but the Energy Department ultimately determined that the lab's $100 million price tag was too steep, effectively driving a nail through the accelerator's subterranean, four-mile-long coffin. First activated in 1985, the Tevatron scored a series of subatomic breakthroughs over the course of its lifespan, including, most notably, the discovery of the so-called top quark in 1995. Its groundbreaking technology, meanwhile, helped pave the way for CERN's Large Hadron Collider, which will now pursue the one jewel missing from the Tevatron's resume -- the Higgs boson. Many experts contend that the collider could've gone on to achieve much more, but its ride will nonetheless come to an inglorious end at 2PM today, when Fermilab director Pier Oddone oversees the Tevatron's last rites. "That will be it," physicist Gregorio Bernardi told the Washington Post. "Then we'll have a big party."
AndyPad Pro review
Picture the scene: you're checking your emails on a shiny new device (worth two months pay) and from nowhere, a greasy-fingered infant is screaming at you to play. Reluctantly, you pass it over, watching your own hands cup the air beneath any potential drop zone, wondering how best to explain the jam-smeared calamity to your insurance company. Then you wonder if there isn't a useful, hard-wearing and cheap device you could let them play on without fear of bankruptcy. That's what prompted Norwich-based bedding magnate Andrew Kerry to conceive the AndyPad, an inexpensive, 7-inch Android tablet he could fling at kids. It wasn't long before jealous adults were demanding their own version, so a tooled-up edition of the device called the AndyPad Pro was born.The tablet is currently UK-only and it retails for a lot less than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 (£280; $345 on Amazon) and Acer Iconia Tab A100 (£273 for the 8GB version; $328 on Amazon), and HTC Flyer (£330; $499 on Amazon). What's more, Verticool, an outfit founded by a man more famous for his Mattressman chain than any interest in technology, believes it can match the competition in a fair fight. Do the electronics giants have something to fear from the bargain-basement tablet or does it promise much and deliver little? Read on to find out.%Gallery-134698%
HTC Explorer now official, we go hands-on (updated)
This little soldier carries the big responsibility of extending HTC's dominance to the budget end of the Android spectrum, and it must achieve this mission with only a bare minimum of weaponry: a 3.2-inch HVGA (480 x 320) capacitive display, 600MHz processor, 3MP camera and 512MB of expandable memory. You'll just have to believe us when we say we had a play with a pre-release device at an HTC event recently, even though the manufacturer's reps refused to let us take any photos or video to prove it. You'll find publicity shots in the gallery below plus a full press release, some educated guesswork about price and availability and our initial impressions of the handset right after the break. Update: The UK's Three network has confirmed it will stock the device, but it hasn't divulged the price. %Gallery-135168%
Andy Pad, Andy Pad Pro now available within Europe, for not a lot of money
If you've been twiddling your thumbs in anticipation of the Andy Pad's arrival, twiddle no more, because the budget-friendly Android slate is now available across most of Europe. Both the 8GB model and its 16GB Andy Pad Pro counterpart appeared on the British manufacturer's website today, with the former priced at £129 (about $208) and the latter running for £179 (roughly $289). Both of the seven-inch tablets run on Gingerbread and offer up to six hours of battery life, though the Pro features a capacitive touchscreen (1024 x 600), compared with its little brother's 800 x 480 resistive display. If you need a little low-cost Android love in your life, hit up the source link to grab one for yourself.
Samsung Conquer 4G review
Apple's request to block Samsung Galaxy tablet, HTC Amaze 4G, Samsung Galaxy S II sign-up pages go live on T-Mobile Lenovo LePhone S760 shows up with Android 2.3.5 and 3.7-inch AMOLED display It's peculiar how a simple number and letter can cause the price to skyrocket when added to the end of a phone's name. But that's exactly what the term "4G" does -- ultimately, making a phone or tablet compatible with a carrier's next-generation network seems to add value (and cost) in unthinkable ways. There's a growing concern in the mobile industry; Sprint's WiMAX 4G coverage, once a novelty in the United States, is now just one of the boys. It faces direct competition against its two (much larger) LTE brethren in Verizon and AT&T, and the Now Network is searching for other methods of utilizing its high-speed offerings. In doing so, the carrier wants to keep the value high without escalating the expense. Enter the Samsung Conquer 4G, the latest addition to Sprint's blazing-fast lineup. Rather than going head-to-head with giants like the Photon 4G and EVO 3D, the company's strategy is to offer a WiMAX-enabled handset that's light on the wallet. It's not the least expensive of the bunch these days -- the Samsung Nexus S 4G takes the cake there -- but it's another option to toss into the network's growing lineup. So does this mid-range handset have a shot at living up to its namesake? Keep on reading to find out. %Gallery-131721%
LG Display cuts spending targets for 2012, amid sagging LCD demand
LG Display has decided to drastically cut its expenditure target for 2012, in yet another sign that the LCD market is going through some tough times. Today, the manufacturer announced that it will spend only three trillion won (about $2.8 billion) on its production facilities next year -- a 33 percent decrease from its previously revised budget and LG Display's lowest expenditure target since 2009. The company also said that it has no plans to build a new LCD plants in 2012, suggesting that it may already be facing excess panel supply. Analysts are predicting that demand will remain subdued throughout the end of 2011, though LG Display CFO James Jeong had previously said he expects things to pick up by the beginning of next year.
Samsung Admire now on MetroPCS shelves, can be yours for $130
Didn't see any budget phones on our Back to School list that tempt you? Perhaps the Samsung Admire (aka the R720) on MetroPCS might make the grade. Launched today -- earlier than its expected September release, we might add -- the Gingerbread-laden handset is being offered for $130 with the carrier's $50 unlimited monthly plan. All in all, it's pretty decent underneath the hood; among the specs are an 800MHz CPU powering a 3.5-inch HVGA display, as well as a 3.2MP camera. It's also taking advantage of a respectable 1600mAh battery, though the battery life is rated at three hours of talk time. Head on over to the source link to do your homework on the new prepaid device.
Dell intros slimmed-down Inspiron 13z and 14z laptops with aluminum lids, USB 3.0
Can you blame Dell for deciding its laptops needed a makeover? After suffering some serious market share losses and earning a reputation for bland designs and questionable customer service, we can see why the company would be keen on revamping its lineup as a way of distancing itself from its not-so-sunny rap. That seems to be precisely what the outfit's doing with the Inspiron 13z and 14z, which Dell unveiled today. Both laptops move to aluminum lids and palm rests, available in a small (and fairly toned-down) color selection, with black and red being your only choices. The two have also whittled to under an inch thick, with the beefier 14z leaving enough room for an optical drive. Not surprisingly, the resolution's 1366 x 768 -- precisely what you'd expect in a $600 laptop. Also predictable: this generation of Inspirons offers USB 3.0 and Sandy Bridge, with a choice of Core i3 and Core i5 processors. Both models start at $599.99, with the 14z available in the states today, and the 13z launching in "select" Asian countries. Curious? We've got a handful of hands-on shots below and the full PR after the break. %Gallery-130429%
Samsung Conquer 4G pre-orders begin at Walmart, early adopters rewarded with a sale
We're not keeping a countdown timer for the Samsung Conquer 4G, nor have we met anyone who is. Still, if you lifted your head off the pillow this morning with perfect knowledge that only eleven days remain before the handset wanders onto Sprint shelves, this bit of news may be of great interest. Walmart's offering the inexpensive WiMAX handset on pre-order -- not $100, not even $50, but completely gratis. Not bad for a 4G phone that hasn't even made it into stores yet, eh? The internals are hard to turn down: a 1GHz CPU, 3.5-inch display, a 3.2MP shooter on rear and 1.3MP up front, 512MB of RAM, and a 1500mAh battery all help the phone keep a modest (yet appealing) reputation. It's no Epic 4G Touch, but at least the price is right. [Thanks, Joshua]
MetroPCS intros the Samsung Admire to usher the young'uns back into school
Who needs clothes when you can ring in the new school year with a phone? That's the vision MetroPCS is aiming to instill in the hearts of parents everywhere, as the carrier has officially introduced the Samsung Admire as part of its Back to School promo. It packs some quality midrange specs, such as an 800MHz CPU, 3.5-inch HVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera and Android 2.3 preloaded without a trace of TouchWiz UI. Hunting for the next superphone? Move along, nothing to see here -- first-time smartphone users and students are more likely to find the budget-friendly device right up their alley. No release date or pricing has been announced, though it's expected to hit shelves sometime next month in red and gray. Just remember, kids -- make sure it's put away when the teacher is looking, okay?
Samsung Galaxy Gio heads to Canada August 8th, $150 off-contract
Looks like the Samsung Galaxy Gio -- the poor man's Nexus S -- is headed for an August 8th launch in our neighbor to the north's backyard. The budget entry Android phone has seen an OS bump to 2.3 since its debut at Mobile World Congress but, alas, is still riddled with same old, mid-grade 800MHz processor and 3 megapixel camera. Slated to hit Bell Mobility and Virgin Mobile on Monday, expect to snag this Galaxy handset for $150 outright, or free on a three-year contract -- but why do something crazy like that?
US federal government to close 800 data centers, walk into the cloud
Sure, it's been just a few months since the National Security Agency asked for a $900 million supercomputing complex – you know, to help out with all that internet wiretapping. But concern about deficit spending will mean shuttering 800 other federal data centers in the US, or 40 percent of total government capacity. The closures are part of a larger push toward greater efficiency and consolidation, with an estimated savings of $3 billion a year; moving services to the cloud will mean more savings in licensing fees and infrastructure. Single-digit savings might sound like chump change when you realize the federal information technology budget runs around $80 billion a year, but hey, it's a start, right? [Photo thanks to Adrian Levesque and Adam Koniak.]
