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HP / Palm's 9.7-inch Topaz tablet to use 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8660, Adreno 220 GPU
Looks like those whispers we heard about HP's Topaz having a 1.2GHz Qualcomm CPU were true. The folks over at Pre Central just scored an internal document detailing presumed specifications of HP's forthcoming 9.7-inch tablet, and it looks like the aforesaid CPU will be joined by an integrated Adreno 220 GPU, 512MB of DDR2 memory, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and dual-band 802.11b/g/n WiFi. We're told to expect an oleophobic Gorilla Glass screen with a standard XGA (1024 x 768) resolution, options for 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage, optional WWAN, an accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, microphone and a battery that'll last for around eight hours in ideal circumstances. Naturally, webOS will be onboard, and we're hearing that a WiFi-only model will indeed hit the market at some point. As for the connected versions? HSPA, LTE and CDMA variants are rumored, with the former two likely to be SIM-locked while all three carry A-GPS. It should be noted that these documents were apparently fresh as of last fall, so everything is clearly subject to change. That said, we're digging the reports that HP will be doing everything it can to fully support Flash on this here slate, and it may also consider a partnership with Blio for the digital bookworms in attendance. Naturally, cloud services is shaping up to be a huge deal, and it'll definitely support inductive charging via the Touchstone v2. These docs also affirm what we'd heard about integrated Beats Audio technology and Tap to Share, with the second-gen Touchstone to also handle wireless picture sharing, cordless audio streaming and tether-free video beaming (just to name a few). Hit the source link the full skinny, and feel free to pressure HP to move February 9th a little closer to today. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HP / Palm tablet to feature Touchstone dock, cloud storage, Beats audio and Tap-to-Share smartphone integration
Now that the kitty's out of the gemstone bag, we're slowly starting to connect the dots that obscure the details of Palm's soon to be announced "Topaz" and "Opal" tablets. First up is information from one of our original trusted sources who claims that the Opal will measure 180 x 144 x 13mm (making it a bit shorter and wider than the 190.1 x 120.5 x 12-mm Galaxy Tab) and feature a 1,024 x 768 pixel TFT LCD display. We're told that the bigger Topaz tablet will ship about three months before Opal and measures in at 241 x 190 x 13mm (making it nearly identical to the 242.8 x 189.7 x 13.4-mm iPad) with a pixel resolution that could be the same as the Opal (our source wasn't 100 percent on this). We're also hearing that the "premium audio" we saw on that leaked marketing slide will indeed be powered by HP's Beats audio processing, and that the tablets will be provided with "tens of gigabytes" of cloud storage -- so much that it dwarfs the local storage on the devices. Good, because you're going to need it from the looks of some additional information we just received. Click through for the detail.
Yantouch Black Diamond 3D ambience iPhone dock hands-on
While we weren't busy kicking up dust on the CES floors, we sat down with Taiwan-based Yantouch to have a fiddle with its latest product, the Black Diamond. When not in use, it really is just a gorgeous spherical black diamond, or at least its faceted front half is; but slip in an iPhone 4 with the Black Diamond app enabled, and you get a funky sound sensitive mood lamp. On top of that, the dock also charges up your iPhone while it shows off its colors, and somewhere at the bottom there's some black magic that channels out amplified audio from the phone, although actual speakers would be even nicer. Ultimately, Yantouch sees the Black Diamond as a developing platform for potential applications like an outdoor temperature indicator, or some sort of caller ID color tagging tool for seeing from afar who's calling. If all goes well, Yantouch will even consider making an Android version, but we're not sure if the $79 price tag will immediately catch on. Anyhow, check out our hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-113922%
Perch: the Bluetooth speaker / smartphone dock of your dreams, shipping soon for $180
Okay, so maybe that's a stretch, but there's no question that Quirky's latest socially-developed product is one of the slicker wireless speaker / dock combos out there. Dubbed Perch, this two-piece device acts as a standalone Bluetooth speaker if you'd like, but it also includes a dock / tray for holding your device while it's charging. It's model and brand agnostic, and it's up for pre-order right now for $179.99. Gallery's below, but don't dive in if you're easily swayed by eye candy. %Gallery-113323%
Speakal Doctor Who TARDIS speaker prototype hands-on
Hardcore Doctor Who fans might argue that the faulty chameleon circuit is to be blamed here, but really, this mini TARDIS is just a forthcoming Speakal iPod speaker dock that also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker and an IR remote control. As pictured above, the dock connector lies in a pull-out tray at the bottom-front of the device, with the stereo speaker drivers hidden behind the front windows. There's also a bass chamber inside the box, and we could see the opening through the back windows, along with the volume dial and power switch at the bottom. We were told that the final product will actually be slightly smaller than this prototype, and the lamp at the top will also have an IR emitter installed, which can control your TV via an iOS app (presumably via Bluetooth). Anyhow, expect to see this blue box on the shelves for around $130 to $150 come April. %Gallery-113118%
MiLi HD iPhone / iPad charging dock boasts internal speaker, HDMI output
MiLi Power -- the same guys who pushed out the thinnest iPhone battery case earlier this year -- are back in Las Vegas, but this introduction represents quite the deviation. The MiLi HD is fairly simplistic in nature, and we get the feeling that iPhone and iPad owners may actually appreciate the understated motif. Aside from being a fully-featured charging dock, this here device also includes an internal speaker, a mini-USB connector and an HDMI output to boot. The goal here is to pipe those iTunes downloads from your iDevice right onto your television sans an Apple TV, and if that's exactly what you've been hunting for, you can seek it out shortly for $99.99. %Gallery-112371%
Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 8 welcomes iPads, iPhones and iPods into its emporium of awesome
iPod and iPhone users aren't exactly bereft of choice for places to dock their audio transporters, but what if you prefer to keep your music collection on your iPad? Okay, actually there are a couple of options for you out there as well, but few will be quite as bodacious (or as expensive, we're sure) as Bang & Olufsen's latest. The BeoSound 8 straps a pair of cones to a connecting bar, adds some feet, a wall bracket, and a remote control, and sends you home to enjoy some "outstanding sound performance." USB and auxiliary line-in connectors are available if you're not dancing to Steve Jobs' tune, while the body can be had in white or black and the speaker covers come in a variety of colors to express your individuality with. Look for the BeoSound 8 at your nearest B&O outlet later this month. [Thanks, Jesper]%Gallery-107107%
Gigabyte's Booktop T1125 convertible tablet also converts into a desktop, ships soon
Convertible tablets are a hardly a rarity, but while their non-convertible cousins may be getting all the press lately how many of those can morph into a mighty desktop? Okay, the T1125 isn't exactly mighty with its Core i5 or i3 ULV processors, but its sideways dock does let it turn into a respectable desktop, still leaving that 11.6-inch touchscreen available for use. USB 3.0 ports are on-offer for your high-speed peripherals, Optimus tech to boost battery life, and THX-certified dual-channel speakers will let you properly shatter Grandpa's teeth on the go. The T1125 is set to ship sometime later this month for $1,299, fingerprints not included. For now, however, check out a thorough hands-on from our pals at Netbook News -- it's just past the break.
EVO 4G HDMI dock finally shows up at Sprint stores, will come home with you for $40
It's been five long months since we last heard about the HTC EVO 4G's HDMI dock, but it now looks to have finally made its way out to Sprint stores. Good and EVO managed to pick one up for $39.99 from their local purveyor of Now Network products and they've had a little hands-on action with the peripheral. Noteworthy notes include an extremely glossy finish on the docking station along with a predictable incompatibility with any cases or extended batteries that expand the bottom portion of the EVO's case. A six-foot HDMI cable is bundled in the box, so all you really need to do is dust off that credit card and go be the best consumer that you can be.
New androgynous International Docking System Standard Interface works both ways in space
There's nothing more embarrassing than trying to dock with your cosmonaut compatriots only to find that his port was made in metric, yours was crafted with the finest in ye olde imperial units. Such faux pas can now be safely avoided in space thanks to the newly agreed upon International Docking System Standard, or IDSS. It's an androgynous system that allows for the same portal design to be used on both ships and docking stations, meaning craft can pair up with stations, ships with ships, and any other groovy coupling you can think of. The standard was finalized last month and just released to the world, but we've managed to find stunning footage of an early prototype from 1973. That's embedded below for your scientific edification.
ArcadeDock converts Lenovo laptop into retro gaming machine (video)
Dean Liou, the same fellow responsible for the ToiletPC and LovePC, has just concocted what's likely his most splendorous mod yet. The ArcadeDock Laptop Dock is a half-height arcade machine, complete with a flame job from a dark corner of 1994, a full-on joystick + large button splay and a secret cabinet for a touchpad-equipped keyboard. Put simply, this rig is designed to hold an IdeaPad Y560, and when plugged in and connected via USB, the controls you're peering at above function exactly as you'd expect them to. Toss on a couple of your favorite ROMs (Street Fighter II, anyone?), grab a Go-Gurt and settle in -- a demonstrative video is after the break, and feel free to tap that Lenovo link below if you'd like to vote this mod up above the competition.
Sirius XM Sound Dock unites a fractured past, accepts tuners from both Sirius and XM
The North versus the South in America. East and West Germany. Quebec revolting against English-speaking Canada. Sirius and XM. History's chock full of broken spirits, hurt feelings and splintered memories, but the latter of these mentioned touches our heart the most. We mean, just look at this new boombox -- the Sirius XM Sound Dock has somehow managed to put differences and demographics aside in a mighty effort of reuniting two satellite radio companies that once wished death and destruction upon one another. Expected to ship later in 2010 for $129, it's the first docking speaker station that's compatible with both XM and Sirius 'Dock and Play' tuners released over the past three years. If you're nowhere near an AC outlet, it'll also operate with an eight-pack of 'C' cell batteries, and there's an auxiliary input and headphone output for added flexibility. Frankly, the release of this fellow reinstates our hope that world peace can indeed be achieved... so long as we take it one radio at a time.
Cut down that tree and turn it into an iPod dock
TUAW bloggers have seen just about every type of material known to man turned into docks for iPods, iPhones, and iPads. This one, however, caught most of us off guard. The iTree dock is a hollow log that serves as a completely functional iPod / iPhone dock. In fact, the log is hollowed out with a special technique and outfitted with speakers. The makers of this big dock, KMKG Studio, worked with Austrian speaker manufacturer Lenz to make sure that the iTree is not only beautiful, but provides excellent sound quailty. The iTree is actually suspended from the ceiling on thin, transparent line so that it appears to float in front of the wall. If you contract with KMKG to have an iTree constructed, you get to choose what kind of wood and the length of dock you want. I'd personally go for a 30-foot beetle-killed pine log from Colorado, which has a beautiful bluish stain to it, and then play Robert Plant's "Big Log" repeatedly, ... but that's my dream. [via The Daily What]
MSI's 10-inch WindPad 100 advances past prototype stage, gets pictured with a dock
The wait for a legitimate mass market Windows 7 tablet continues, but at least MSI is showing signs of progress. The WindPad 100, which we saw at Computex in prototype form, has now reached design maturity and the concordant gallery of pictures has been distributed to the world. There's no word of any spec changes, meaning we're still looking at a 1.66GHz Atom Z530 CPU, 32GB SSD, 2GB RAM, Wind Touch UI overlay, and HDMI plus 2x USB ports on the stat sheet. The 100 has been joined by a new dock in these latest images, which will throw in the typical expanded connectivity options. We can probably expect to see both reappearing at IFA in Berlin in about a month's time.%Gallery-99506%
Source R&D ships Wisair-based Warpia Easy Dock wireless docking station
It took 'em a few months, but Source R&D is finally ready to save your desktop replacement from those awful cables that are typically required when connecting a bona fide monitor, keyboard and mouse to a laptop. The Wisair-based Easy Dock works with Macs and PCs, with a single USB transceiver used to connect your mobile machine to (just) two hard-wired USB peripherals and a single DVI monitor (with a resolution cap of 1,400 x 1,050 or 1,440 x 900). She's available now for $149.99 at the links below, but make sure you're okay with the aforesaid limits before pulling the trigger.
Dell Streak's car dock gets a video unboxing, early road test
Given the size of Dell's Streak (it's rocking a 5-inch screen, in case you were wondering), you've probably considered using it as a dedicated routing machine with Google Maps Navigation at the helm. The only problem? Using your arm as the window mount. We heard a few weeks ago that the Streak's official car dock was finally on sale over in the UK, and it looks as if the bugger is finally shipping there, too. The best news? It seems to hold up pretty well to some of Britain's bumpiest roadways -- see for yourself after the break.
SMK-Link's Notebook USB Audio Station tilts your laptop with speakers
On one hand, it's just a laptop docking station. On the other, it's probably the most useful laptop docking station this side of Toshiba's dynadock V. SMK-Link's simply titled Notebook USB Audio Station was just released, bringing a universal (Mac and PC) design that actually goes above and beyond the call to a product segment that's typically a snoozefest. As you've likely noticed by now, the tilt here is accomplished by propping your machine up on a pair of 8-watt speakers, giving you an elevated view as well as an improved level of audio quality (we're assuming, anyway). There's also a three-port powered USB hub for keeping those peripherals juiced, and the sub-$60 price point makes it even easier to consider seriously. As of now, though, you'll only find it at the company's website and inside your local Apple store.
Freescale partners with Savannah school for some leg-stretching tablet concepts, makes a nice use case for Light Peak
Normally when you've got industrial design students going wild on computer concepts, you get a lot of wild, unrealistic computer concepts. There's plenty of that here, but this 10 week collaboration between Freescale, some of its top partners, and Savannah College of Art and Design students is yielding a bit of fruit. We particularly like this docking tablet that can slot into different docks depending on use case -- the two primary ones shown being a home entertainment setup and a pro audio breakout. Sure, it's still not the most realistic way to use a tablet -- we'd much rather have solid support for 3rd party USB devices in the near term -- but with a bit of Light Peak and some as-ye-unseen pricing, this could make for some pretty slick use cases.
Onkyo's E713 all-in-one PC is the space station to your starfaring iPod
Okay, now this is just getting ridiculous. We know Onkyo has a long history of building iPod docks, but to see the company build an entire all-in-one PC around the feature is a little much, especially when -- once again -- the iPhone isn't invited to the party. No, when the E713 series ships in Japan next month at or around the ¥99,880 (about $1100) price point, it will include up to a Core i5-650 processor, 4GB of RAM, a digital TV tuner, Blu-ray drive, 1TB hard drive and loads of ports behind that 23-inch, 1920 x 1080 LCD screen, but a slide-out iPod classic / nano / touch dock that apparently can't accommodate the iPhone's portly frame. That's discrimination, right there -- or at least we'll keep on telling ourselves that, since we're all out of sour grapes.
TUAW Giveaway: Henge Docks for MacBook / MacBook Pro
A few weeks ago I introduced you to a new line of low-cost docking stations for the MacBook and MacBook Pro from a new company called Henge Docks. Thanks to Henge Docks, I've been able to take a look at the construction of one of these products for the 13" MacBook Pro, and we'll be giving away our review model to a lucky TUAW reader. As I noted in the first post, the Henge Docks aren't made to handle MacBooks with their screens open. Instead, the company chose to focus on using the MacBooks in a vertical docked position with the screen closed. You'd use this in cases where your MacBook is connected to an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse, or where you're using the MacBook as a "media center" to display photos or video, or act as a music server. That being said, the Henge Docks do a good job at a low cost. Rather than create a docking station that required a lot of high-tech connectors and (most likely) approval by a lot of standards organizations, Henge chose to use standard over-the-counter cables and connectors. It's how those cables and connectors are held into the docking station that is the clever idea. Check out the gallery below for a few nice closeups and details of the Henge Dock. %Gallery-92807%
