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Toshiba Thrive 7" review
As 2011 draws to a close, it's fun to look back and think about how we began the year testing the first Honeycomb tablet, and are now ending it elbow-deep in me-too slates, many of them cut down to smaller sizes. So it should surprise no one, then, that Toshiba released the Thrive 7", a mini (and aptly named) version of the original Thrive, which went on sale last summer. But in Toshiba's case, shrinking a tablet and calling it a day is a dicey proposition. After all, the 10-inch Thrive had some baggage -- namely, middling battery life, a chunky, toy-like design and a bug that initially kept it from waking after recharging. Indeed, the Thrive 7" looks near-identical, and even packs the same Tegra 2 chip, 16GB of storage and vanilla take on Honeycomb. Still, it brings an LED flash, keeps its big brother's 1280 x 800 display and costs less than the original did when it first came out. So are these improvements enough to make this smaller Thrive stand out? And how does it stack up against all those other 7-inch slates we've been testing lately? Let's find out. %Gallery-141659%
Refresh Roundup: week of December 19, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Google's Andy Rubin defines 'Android activation,' trumpets 700,000 per day clip
Looking for growth? You've found it. If you'll recall, Google's own Senior Vice President of Mobile Andy Rubin confirmed that over 500,000 Android devices were being activated back in June, and during last month's Galaxy Nexus reveal, we learned that said figure had increased to 550,000 per day. In just over a month, the tally has now climbed to 700,000 per 24 hour period. That's according to a post by Andy himself on Google+, which he followed with this: "For those wondering, we count each device only once (i.e., we don't count re-sold devices), and "activations" means you go into a store, buy a device [and] put it on the network by subscribing to a wireless service." In other words, there are many, many more Android devices being ushered into use every single day that don't connect to any monitored wireless service, but naturally, keeping track of those is something even Google isn't about to attempt. Any guesses as to what this figure jumps to after the holiday season concludes?
Archos launches 70b Honeycomb tablet, expected to ship next month for $199
There's something good waiting in the desert at CES -- and you won't need an interesting vision quest to find it. Archos has announced its 70b Internet Tablet, the company's first Honeycomb-based slate for less than two hundred bucks ($199, to be exact). The 70b IT will be lightweight (though we're not sure exactly how lightweight), and ship with a 1.2 GHz processor, 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, 8 gigs of flash storage, 512MB of RAM and WiFi connectivity. There's also Android Market access, unlike with some tablets, along with HDMI output and a microSD slot. Are you sold? You'll need wait only a few more weeks to take one home -- the 70b is expected to hit stores in January, and those of you lucky enough to be trekking out to Vegas next month can check it out at the company's booth at CES. Jump past the break for the full PR.
Verizon Galaxy Nexus review
It's the Galaxy Nexus. It has LTE. It's the phone we've been waiting (and waiting) for. Sure, some of our more globe-trotting members of the staff were suitably sated by the HSPA+ version that shipped a few weeks ago, but the rest of us domestic types simply need more bandwidth. Or, at least, we like to think that we do, and this $300 (on-contract) Verizon release certainly has that in spades.However, there's something missing: Google Wallet. That company's attempt at reinventing commerce isn't here and, while nobody's saying for sure, it surely has something to do with Verizon not wanting to kneecap the Isis payment service it has invested in. That leaves us wondering: with restrictions on what apps can be installed, and some rather prominent carrier branding on the back, is this really a Nexus device at all? And, more importantly, is it a good phone? Those answers and more wait for you below.%Gallery-142006%
Motorola Xyboard 8.2 review
The march of the Honeycomb tablets goes on, playing a tune that's starting to get a bit muted thanks to the promise of fresher beats coming from Ice Cream Sandwich. Still, there are plenty of ways for manufacturers to add their own bit of swing to the same 'ol song. Motorola, of course, paved the way for all these slates with the Xoom. It's hard to believe that first Honeycomb tablet was released just 10 months ago, but now we have its successor, the Xyboard, here in its 8.2-inch guise. At least, that's what it's being called domestically. Elsewhere it's the Xoom 2 (we reviewed the 10.1-inch flavor already), but in America we get a patently unfortunate moniker for a tablet that offers an interesting design at an interesting size with the interesting bonus of LTE. But, all that mobile bandwidth is going to cost you: $430 for the 16GB model or $530 for 32GB if you sign on for a two-year data contract. Does the funky design, convenient size and high-rate connectivity make up for the added cost over something like the class-leading Transformer Prime? Let's find out. %Gallery-141915%
Cricket adds Galaxy Tab 10.1 to the fold, leaps into stores this Friday
Cricket's device portfolio received an infusion of Honeycomb-drenched vitality this week, with the addition of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1. Priced at $500, this WiFi-enabled, 16GB slate will hit the carrier's stores this Friday, where it will also be available as part of a $595 bundle deal that includes Cricket's Crosswave mobile hotspot and one month of broadband service. The new addition, announced yesterday, represents Cricket's first foray into the tablet space, which is exciting news for entomologists everywhere.
Toshiba Thrive 7-inch slate officially drops tomorrow, December 11th
Just in time for you to get your holiday shopping wrapped up early, the Toshiba Thrive 7-inch tablet will officially go on sale tomorrow, December 11th. Sneaking in before the early December reports that we'd heard pass, the slate will allow you snag a piece of Honeycomb and a NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor for "less than $400." While you're deciding between the 16GB and 32GB options, go on and bookmark that source link so you can be quick on the trigger in a matter of hours.
Motorola's Droid Xyboard tablets go up for sale at Verizon, prices start at $430 (update: in stores on December 12th)
Motorola's pair of Droid Xyboard tablets has finally gone up for order on Verizon's site this morning, fulfilling the promise that Big Red made earlier this week. The 8.2-inch version is now available with 16GB of storage for $430, or 32GB for $530 (on a two-year contract). The 10.1-incher, meanwhile, is available in three flavors: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, for on-contract prices of $530, $630 and $730, respectively. All five Honeycomb models, as previously noted, come laced with LTE functionality, and all five are available now, at the source link below. Update: Verizon has just posted a press release confirming the above report. According to the provider, both tablets will hit Verizon's stores on December 12th. Read it for yourself after the break, or check out some high-resolution images, in the gallery below. [Thanks, Jordan] %Gallery-141455%
ZTE squeezes 7-inch V66 tablet with Verizon LTE through the FCC's halls
We just learned that ZTE has its eyes set on bringing LTE smartphones to the US market next year, but where does the Chinese company stand on tablets? The company announced at this spring's CTIA that a 10-inch slate with the high-speed connectivity was in the works and would land sometime in the second half of 2011. Despite unveiling tablets for non-US markets such as the Froyo-packed Light Tab 2 and Tegra 3-powered T98, the manufacturer's been awfully quiet about this March's announcement. That all changed today, however, as this 7-inch LTE tablet waltzed through the FCC approval process. The V66, as it's currently known, not only sports LTE band 13 -- Verizon's flavor of "4G" -- but it even shows Big Red's LTE logo on the back. ZTE actually outed the V66 at a Beijing tech expo in September, proclaiming that it would come with a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, Android 3.2, a 1,280 x 800 display, 1GB of RAM and a 4,000mAh battery. Of course, FCC approval doesn't guarantee availability, and we're thinking that the chances of arriving before the end of the year are pretty slim. Check out the extra pic after the break.
Toshiba's Excite Honeycomb tablet confirmed for Canadian launch in January
We've already heard a fair bit about Toshiba's forthcoming 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet, but the company has only now finally confirmed a name -- Excite, previously seen in a trademark filing -- and a launch date (or month, anyway) for the tablet outside of Europe. You can look for it to roll out for an as yet unspecified price sometime in January -- in Canada, at least (though we'd presume a US launch will be around the same time). It will come in both 16GB and 32GB versions, each of which pack a 1.2GHz dual-core OMAP 4430 processor, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, a 5 megapixel cam 'round back, and a microSD card slot and a micro HDMI port. Toshiba also boasts that it's the "world's thinnest, lightest tablet," with it measuring just 7.7 mm thick and weighing in at 558 grams (or 1.23 pounds).
Logitech Revue Android 3.1 upgrade starts rolling out (Update: It's official)
It appears owners of the Logitech Revue will finally be able to get their taste of Honeycomb starting tonight, as a few lucky users have already received an upgrade to Android 3.1 and support techs have informed them a wider rollout is beginning this evening. That puts it about a month behind Sony's Google TV boxes in receiving the upgrade, but will finally bring owners a whole new UI, and access to the Android Market -- and live up to those stickers on the outside of the box. The usual considerations apply about it being a rolling update so while your $99 box may not see the new software right away, it's definitely coming. Update: Despite doubt by some over the news earlier, both Logitech and Google have just officially announced the Honeycomb upgrade for the Logitech Revue is going out OTA this week. Check the blog links for more details if you're still not convinced. [Thanks, Brian]
Toshiba's 7-inch Thrive goes on sale a little early, insists it is very much alive
Just because haven't heard a peep from Toshiba about its smaller 7-inch slate since September, doesn't mean you can't find it on sale out there in the vast ether we like to call the internet. Discovered by a tipster shrewd enough to Google its model number -- "pda03u-005007" for those of you that don't speak Toshiba -- a bunch of oh-so-eager retailers are ready to trade you around $450 in exchange for the rubberized slate. Jiving with previous plans to go on sale in "early December," the 7-inch redux is thinner and lighter than its 10-inch brother, as it eschews the former's penchant for full-size USB and HDMI ports. Adventurous types seeking to meet the tablet can take the plunge at the links below, but be forewarned our tipster had to provide a business license just to complete the sale. Your mileage may vary, though there's always the option to await the Thrive's arrival through more official channels. [Thanks, Kenneth]
Motorola Xoom 2 review
Motorola's Xoom 2 arrives at a point where Apple's iPad (first- or second-generation...) still dominates the tablet market. The original Xoom was the first tablet to arrive with Android Honeycomb, an OS dedicated to the tablet form. In the months since we gave it a middling review, plenty more tablets arrived, faster, thinner, and more longevous (like the Galaxy Tab 10.1). So what now? Well, Motorola has recast its Xoom: it's made it faster, slimmer and lighter. They've beefed up the disappointing screen found on the original, it's now a Gorilla Glass-coated IPS screen that promises 178-degree viewing angles. But Motorola has also cut more corners than the four you see before you -- ones that it hopes customers won't miss. However, with a certain quad-cored, ICS-imminent transforming tablet already stealing the hearts of many an Engadget reader (and editor), does this slimline sequel do enough to make up for its past mistakes? Is there now enough in the Android market to make Google-powered tablets a viable alternative to the iPad? Is £396 ($620) now too much to pay for a 16GB Android tablet that's merely dual-core? We'll be sure to try and answer all these right after the break. %Gallery-140928%
Speedier Archos 101 G9 Turbo tablet hits the autobahn
Archos has tweaked its 101 G9 tablet with a new "Turbo" version for European users. The Turbo gets a 1.2GHz dual core processor, up from 1.0GHz, and increases storage capacity from 8GB to 16GB. Otherwise it looks the same: Android 3.2 Honeycomb, 10.1-inch display, and 802.11n WiFi support for faster porn downloads (it supports H.264 video, too). All this will set you back £299.99 or €349.99, though there's no sign of it in the US store at present. Leave it to the continent that gave us the Koenigsegg Agera and the Bugatti Veyron to get a turbocharged Android tablet, too. [Thanks, Chris]
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime review
Is there any tablet that's hotter than the Transformer Prime right now? (Please, don't say the Kindle Fire.) For weeks we geeks, early adopters and people who love their tech toys have been awaiting this, and none too patiently. Make no mistake: this will be one of the slickest products we test this year and it isn't just because the original Transformer had such an inventive design. The Prime is the first device packing NVIDIA's hot-off-the-presses Tegra 3 SoC, making it the world's first quad-core tablet. This comes with promises of longer-than-ever runtime and blazing performance (five times faster than Tegra 2, to be exact), all wrapped in a package measuring just 8.3mm (0.33 inches) thick -- even skinnier than the iPad 2 or Galaxy Tab 10.1. Throw in specs like a Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass display, eight megapixel rear camera and a confirmed ICS update in the pipe and even we seen-it-all Engadget editors were drooling. All of which means we dropped just everything when a 32GB Prime showed up on our doorstep earlier this week, and soon enough, you'll have your chance to nab one too. ASUS announced today that the WiFi-only models will be available through online sellers the week of December 19th, and in retail the week after. (No word yet on 3G versions for the US just yet.) It'll start at $499 for the 32GB model -- not bad considering five hundred bucks is the going rate for a high-end tablet with 16GB of storage. From there you can get a 64GB number for $599, while that signature keyboard dock will set you back a further $149. Worth it? Read on to find out. %Gallery-140706%
Time Warner Cable's tablet app available for Android, live TV streaming still iPad only
As promised, a Honeycomb compatible version of Time Warner Cable's tablet app has arrived before the return of the NBA. Dubbed TWC TV in its Android iteration, v1.0 includes an integrated guide, the ability to act as a remote control, search TV listings, and schedule DVR recordings. So far it's only promised to operate on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Xoom tablets, but the notes indicate it should scale to whatever Honeycomb slate you happen to have handy at the moment. The marquee live TV streaming feature is still on hold waiting for the release of Ice Cream Sandwich, but if what you need is a couch companion instead of a kitchen / bathroom TV screen it's ready to go. Check out the Time Warner blog for more notes or just hit the Android Market link below to download it yourself.
ASUS Transformer Prime pre-order page points to December 8th release date
We were expecting ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer Prime to hit the market sometime next month, but a new pre-order page on Newegg may have just revealed a slightly more specific date. Of course, the Tegra 3-packing tablet has already gone up for pre-order on a host of retail sites, but Newegg's listing is the first to peg December 8th for its release. Its $500 price tag also dovetails nicely with what we've previously heard, though ASUS has yet to weigh in with its official word. Interested parties can grab a piece of the Prime at the source link, below. [Thanks, Nivin]
Sony Tablet P available online, the P is short for pricey
Sony's second avant-garde tablet a la Android, the Tablet P, has finally made its high-fashioned self available online in the UK. The 3G-capable model has been slapped with a hefty £500 ($774) price tag, possibly explained in part by the pair of 5.5-inch touchscreens, which both tap into the same TruBlack technology used in Sony's Bravia TV range. The dual screen setup means that controls can be split to the lower half -- ideal for PlayStation-certified gaming or the occasional email barrage. If curiously curved clam shapes are doing it for you, offer up your pound sterling at the source link below.
ASUS Transformer Prime goes up for pre-order in North America, banks on your lust for Tegra 3
It's only been a few weeks since ASUS went official with it's Tegra 3-packing Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet. We knew the keyboard-dockable hybrid would available sometime this December, but now the Android 3.2 Honeycomb-running slate (later upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich) has just popped up for pre-order at various North American retailers. If you'll recall, inside of its Zenbook-esque shell you'll find a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 1.2 megapixel front facer -- not to mention other goodies like a mini-HDMI port, USB 2.0 port and a SD card reader. Folks in the US can place their funds down for the 1.3-pound 10.1-incher with Amazon, B&H Photo, Tiger Direct and Best Buy, while those up in Canada can currently look to Future Shop for the privilege. Arriving in your choice amethyst gray or champagne gold with 32 or 64GB of storage, you'll find it priced at $500 and $600, respectively. So, if you want to ensure you're the first kid on the block with a quad-core slate, find your credit card, get Eee-xcited and hit the source link below.