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T-Mobile Springboard and Galaxy Tab 10.1 finally get official launch dates
Clutching at its chest and panting as it nears the finish line, T-Mobile has finally announced the release date for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on its not-quite-4G network. You can write November 2nd in your diaries as you struggle to remember which century it was that you decided to wait for the as yet unpriced magenta version of the tablet. T-Mobile's Springboard will be arriving five days later, on November 7th. The Huawei Mediapad-with-shiner-shoes packs a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 5 megapixels in the rear, 1.3 up front and has a crunchy Honeycomb center. Inexplicably, the company still won't 'fess up about pricing for this guy either, so we'll just repeat what we've heard a hundred times before -- it'll be under $200 on contract. [Thanks, Cliff]
Switched On: Android's tablet traversal
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. At AsiaD this week, Google's Andy Rubin noted that there were at least six million Android tablets in use. That number included only those running Google services. One could question whether the briskly selling Nook Color -- which is not open to Android apps at large -- is relevant to that tally, at least from a developer perspective. It will certainly be the case, though, that the Kindle Fire -- also expected to be a hot seller -- will be an important addition to the number moving forward. Still, Rubin conceded, it was a tally far behind that of the 30 million cumulative units of the iPad, which broke open the modern-day tablet category, extended its lead with the iPad 2, and will likely see another revision this coming spring. When Apple introduced its tablet device, it set a precedent for third-party developers by rewriting core applications to take advantage of the iPad's larger display with "HD" versions. And while there are still far fewer native iPad apps than iPhone apps, Apple is far ahead in the race for native tablet software. But not everyone wants to join that race.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus WiFi hitting the US November 13th for $400, available in 16GB for now
Nearly a month after its initial announcement, Samsung's ready to deliver the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to the good ol' US of A just in time for the winter gift-giving season. The WiFi-only device, which packs a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM, Android 3.2, 3MP camera with 720p HD video capture and a 7-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution, will be begging for your credit card as of November 13th at Best Buy, Amazon and other retailers. Are you an early adopter? No prob -- you'll have the opportunity to pre-order yours at "select retailers" this coming Sunday, though no specific outlets were called out by name. The 16GB is the only version arriving so far, but Sammy told us to expect the 32GB flavor later this year or early 2012 (likely for $499, if yesterday's brief appearance on Amazon is any indicator). No word on partnerships with carriers yet, but we'll keep you posted on any updates. View the press release in all its glory below.
Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus ready for your pre-orders, sticky with Honeycomb
Having passed the FCC's critical eye, and hot on the heels of Samsung's now official love-in with Google, the Korean manufacturer's pint-sized tablet refresh is now up for pre-ordering. Priced at $399 for the 16GB model (or $499 for 32GB), Amazon remains tight-lipped on release date info, but is more than happy to tell us what we'll get for that wad of notes. That includes Android Honeycomb 3.2, and a dual-core 1.2GHz processor -- a substantial jump up from the single 1GHz processor we had with the original Galaxy Tab. If Samsung can promise a swift Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, we could well be sold.
ASUS' Jonney Shih: Android 4.0 hitting tablets by year's end, ultrathin netbook is coming
We just witnessed quite the interview between ASUS chairman Jonney Shih and Walt Mossberg at AsiaD, and outside of revealing the Transformer Prime (and affirming that the impending Padfone would ship with Android 4.0), he also dropped a few other nuggets worth mention to the audience here in Hong Kong. For starters, he finally caved to Walt's pestering about who his main competition was, specifically related to the new Zenbook. "The Mac[Book] Air," he stated, chuckling slyly afterwards, but quickly continuing on to plug his own machine based on its own merits. Not surprisingly, he also expressed his confidence that Android tablets still had a lot of life left in the market, and he stated that ASUS is still on track to move its target -- around two million -- Android tablets this year. Moving onto the topic of netbooks, Shih noted that rather than being buried, netbooks are simply "evolving." More importantly, however, was his subtle confirmation that a new ASUS netbook is en route: "You'll see on our new netbook, it'll be very thin." In fact, he even suggested that the design may follow that of the Zenbook, but just... smaller. When asked about his thoughts on people replacing laptops less frequently, and perhaps shifting disposable income to smartphones and tablets, Jonney maintained that all of those markets were key to ASUS' success, and that none were taking a backseat. "We believe that this a very critical time, transitioning from the personal computing era to the ubiquitous cloud computing era." Sounds a bit like another mantra we heard, truth be told, but ASUS has been riding the cloud bandwagon long before most other consumer companies even knew what it was. The original spate of Eee PCs had next to no internal storage; rather, they relied on accessing the web in order to deliver the bulk of their functionality. Jonney also noted that ASUS is attempting to tackle an interesting problem with its products, which is that few people can truly separate work and entertainment -- in other words, you need products that adequately handle both worlds. We're guessing a Padfone + Transformer Prime + Zenbook is his preferred trifecta to do just that.
Netflix Android app adds support for Honeycomb tablets, extends reach to Canada and Latin America
Honeycomb tablet owners have already been able to use Netflix unofficially thanks to some .APKs that have been floating about, but the company has now finally updated the app with some official support for Android 3.x tablets beyond those that shipped with it pre-installed. What's more, the latest version of the app also brings with it support for Netflix users in Canada and Latin America, who can likewise enjoy some some streaming video on both their Android phones and tablets without the need for a workaround. Hit the Android Market link below to send the app straight to your device.
Google's Andy Rubin: 'six million' Android-based tablets out there
Google's Andy Rubin kicked off the opening keynote here at the Asian branch of All Things D (that's AsiaD, if you're curious), and he finally cleared up a figure we've been wondering about for eons. During a back-and-forth with Walt Mossberg about the proliferation of the iPad and whether or not Android was "a flop" in the tablet market, he affirmed that around six million Android-based tablets were "out there." Of course, that's only tablets that access Google services, as those are the only ones Google can account for with any degree of certainty. For comparison's sake, Apple pushed 15 million iPads onto the market in 2010 alone, selling three million in just 80 days after the launch of the original. In fact, Apple sold 11.12 million iPads in its most recent quarter (9.25 million the one before that), which represented a 166 percent increase year-over-year. Moral of the story? Apple still owns the tablet market, but hey, at least we now know the score.
Liveblog from AsiaD: Andy Rubin, SVP of Mobile at Google
Thought today's festivities were over from Hong Kong? Think again. While Samsung and Google tag-teamed the morning with the introduction of the Galaxy Nexus, the first-ever AsiaD conference is kicking off as the sun sets over Victoria Harbour. The opening keynote is quite the impressive one, with Google's own Senior Vice President of Mobile, Andy Rubin, on the docket. Mr. Rubin's no stranger to these events -- in fact, we've liveblogged his interviews twice from All Things D events -- and we're expecting quite the talk tonight following the official unveiling of Ice Cream Sandwich. Join us after the break for the liveblog!
Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets handled on video
We're still a few hours away from Samsung's big Ice Cream Sandwich event, but it looks like the company just can't keep the Galaxy Nexus under wraps. First it showed up on the company's site, and now here it is getting man-handled by Mr. Blurrycam. The footage is a little dark and hard to see, but that certainly looks like an ice cream sandwich running on there -- and crashing from time to time. The video popped up on YouTube and was promptly pulled -- but don't worry, we kept a copy. Enjoy that after the break, and swing on back by here in a few hours for the liveblog.
Huawei MediaPad passes go at FCC, collects $200
Huawei's mildly anticipated dual-core MediaPad shouldn't be long now that it's passed the multimeter-wielding ministrations of the FCC. As per tradition, it was the WiFi-only model that was passed fit for human consumption, but we're still expecting it to drink from T-Mobile's well of HSPA+. The 7-inch tablet will have a 1,280 x 800 IPS display, run Honeycomb and should arrive before the holidays for $200 on contract.
Refresh Resource: week of October 10, 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! Official Android updates Motorola Xoom owners who swapped in their devices for one with LTE capability may have found an OTA enhancement waiting for them when the tablet arrived. It included a few minor changes, such as updates to Android Market and some additional browser security measures. The full changelog can be found at the link. [AndroidCentral] The update to the Motorola Droid 2 Global was pulled last month due to an Exchange encryption issue, but we're hearing reports that it's once again resuming the rollout with that concern resolved. [Droid-Life] Motorola's Photon 4G on Sprint is on the receiving end of a minor bug fix update, which includes video chat capability for Google Talk. [PhoneArena] The good news for unlocked Dell Streak 7 users: the official update to Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) is now rolling out and you should see it over the course of the next couple weeks. the coming weeks. [Dell] The bad news for T-Mobile Dell Streak 7 users: Honeycomb isn't coming to your tablet, for unknown reasons. [Android Community] According to a tweet from LG, there's a small refresh in the works for the Optimus 7 which will finally enable WiFi tethering. [WPCentral] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery A new piece of firmware for the AT&T Galaxy S II was leaked via RootzWiki, and includes a few bug fixes. Sadly, it adds some bugs as well. [Android Community] Samsung's officially released the kernel source for the Stratosphere, Transfix and Galaxy Y Pro. [Android Community] And now for the best news for TouchPad owners: after several weeks of progress, it appears that CM7 is now ready to roll on the HP TouchPad. As always, download and install at your own risk -- we have a feeling this may be a bit more involved than your typical Android custom ROM. [Redmond Pie] Other platforms Redsn0w 0.9.9b5 is here, giving you the go-ahead to jailbreak iOS5. Up for the task? Head to the link for all of the details on how to make it so. [Redmond Pie] Some Windows Phone users have noticed a few bugs popping into their updated devices ever since they received Mango. The main concerns seem to be found in the keyboard and live tiles, though the reported issues are much more numerous. Have you experienced any of these on the list at the link? [WMPowerUser] Refreshes we covered this week Motorola a bit slow boomerangin' back with LTE update iOS5 now available for download
Developer does the math: only 3.4 million Honeycomb tablets in the wild?
Google's rolling in the dough in no small part due to Android's success in the smartphone market. When it comes to tablets? Eh, not so much. Intrepid developer Al Sutton figures that only 3.4 million Honeycomb devices are currently in use, which pales in comparison to the number of slates sold by the competition in Cupertino. He arrived at the figure using Google's data -- Larry Page said that there are 190 million Android devices out there on yesterday's earnings call, and the Android Developers website shows that only 1.8 percent of 'droids accessing the Android Market during a recent two week period were running Google's tablet OS. Do the math, and that's just 3.42 million tablets running Android 3.x. It's hardly an official figure, but it does indicate that Android's got its work cut out for it the tablet space. That Ice Cream Sandwich better be mighty tasty if the bots from Mountain View are going to grab a bigger chunk of the market.
Motorola Xoom Family Edition includes kid-friendly apps, will hit Best Buy Sunday for $379
Just a week after we received a tip that a mysterious big box retailer would be getting a kid-friendly flavor of Motorola's Xoom tablet, Best Buy has come forth to make things official with the Xoom Family Edition. Everything seems to be in line with what we already knew, including the $40 software bundle -- yes, yes Zoodles comes preloaded, as does Asphalt 6 and SIM City Deluxe. And after the kids are done playing, mom and dad can catch up on homework with Quickoffice Pro HD. The Android 3.1-powered tablet includes a rather modest 16GB of storage, and will run you $379 when it hits Best Buy stores on Sunday. Any questions? Jump past the break for the full Moto rundown.
Panasonic's 7- and 10-inch BizPads port the Honeycomb drizzle to Japan's enterprise set
Salarymen, get those contactless employee IDs set to swipe. Panasonic's throwing your overcaffeinated ilk a bone with two Honeycomb-based enterprise slates for release this winter. Coming under the BizPad umbrella, these 7- and 10.1-inch Android 3.2 tablets are ruggedized for the road warrior treatment, offering the clumsy and sleep-deprived alike dust-, drop- and water-proof protection. Both tabs pack a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, 16GB of onboard storage, 1GB RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC capability (via its IC card reader), but the shared specs end there. While the larger tab certainly wins out with its higher resolution, digitizer-friendly WXGA 1280 x 800 IPS capacitive display (vs. WSVGA 1024 x 600 resistive LCD display), the more diminutive of the bunch gets the better 5 megapixel camera (vs. 1.3 megapixel) and optional 3G connectivity. No word yet on pricing or an actual launch date, but don't let that stop you from petitioning your IT department right now.
Sony's Tablet S and P get 3G in Japan, NTT DoCoMo preps for October 28th release
It's hard being the Jan to Japan's Marsha, always sitting quietly on the sidelines and watching as the "prettier" sister gets lavished with the latest goods. Well, envy doth strike again as Sony's partnered with NTT DoCoMo to add a dash of cellular connectivity to its line of slates. While the country's already seen the launch of the Tablet S earlier this September, that particular model was WiFi-only. Now, the privileged, electronic-consuming hordes over to our East can make the most of their Honeycomb 3.2, PlayStation Certified tabs at speeds of up to 14Mbps down / 5.7Mbps up. There'll be two flat-rate data plans on offer when the devices go on sale this October 28th, with the promo "FOMA Tablet Start Campaign" running until the end of next April. Feel like turning Japanese or at least moving overseas? In this case, we really think so.
Verizon sending Xoom docks back with delayed, updated slates
Still bummed about the delay in getting your Xoom back from its trip to the shop? Well, it appears Verizon may be looking to smooth things over with those who have been waiting the longest. One of our readers let us know, that because they were "among the first" to send off for the 4G LTE / Honeycomb 3.2.2 upgrade, the carrier sent back a Standard Dock (worth $50) along with the juiced up slate. Is it enough to make up for the extra wait time? That depends on your Xoom addiction -- but we have to admit, it's a pretty nice gesture from ol' Big Red. [Thanks, Nazir] Update: We're hearing from many of you that the Dock was part of the original update process while supplies lasted. You can still consider yourself somewhat lucky if you were quick enough got one. Update 2: We've gotten official word from Motorola that, while it wasn't part of the original upgrade plan, the company is offering Standard Docks as a goodwill gesture due to the delay in the update being released. Also, Moto let us know that it's not upgrading the device otherwise -- only a thorough cleaning and new lens protector application. So if your slate is sporting new digs, you might want to go buy a lottery ticket.
Archos 80 G9 review
Archos debuts Arnova 9 G2 Android tablet, offers Gingerbread on a 9.7-inch IPS display Nokia to release Windows 8 tablets this June, top drawer Lumia in the works? Velocity Micro Cruz T410 Gingerbread tablet will run you a penny under $300 As far as tablets go, a couple of interesting things are going to happen between now and the holiday season. One, we're going to see a glut of smaller 7- and 8-inch tablets running Honeycomb (like this, this and this) hit the market. And if the Kindle Fire and Acer Iconia Tab A100 are any indication, they're going to be cheaper, making slates palatable to folks who previously couldn't bring themselves to spend $500 on a plaything. The Archos 80 G9, then, is the perfect specimen on both counts. Here you have an 8-inch tablet running Android 3.2 with a kickstand and full-sized USB port -- costing just $300 for the base model ($270, even, on sites like Amazon). So how does it stack up against other diminutive, aggressively priced tablets? Let's see. %Gallery-134564%
Google TV 2.0: app developers get final add-on for Android SDK
If you hadn't heard, Google TV is (over)due to get a major boost with Honeycomb and access to the Android Market. We've seen a few compatible apps leak out thanks to Google's early efforts to woo developers, but it's only now that we're getting the final add-on for the Android SDK. It brings a couple of revisions, like better placement options for the action and navigation bars, but more importantly it delivers the message that two-point-oh is almost two-point-here.
T-Mobile Springboard hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)
HTC Flyer touches down at T-Mobile, Scribe pen not included T-Mobile Springboard and Galaxy Tab 10.1 finally get official launch dates Developer does the math: only 3.4 million Honeycomb tablets in the wild? CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011 has blessed us with a 7-inch tablet by the name of the T-Mobile Springboard. Similar in look and feel to the HTC Flyer, this Huawei-made slate is just as easy to hold, though it's completely sans a fancy pen. The device has a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, runs on the latest version of Honeycomb (Android 3.2), and offers a 5MP rear camera with a 1.3MP front-facing shooter. We couldn't get any confirmation on pricing or availability, aside from being told to expect the Springboard sometime during the holiday season. That may not narrow the timeframe down as much as we'd like, but at least you know it's an idea for that holiday wish list you've been trying to put together. Head below for a full smorgasbord of pictures and a hands-on video. %Gallery-136312% Update: We were informed by T-Mobile at this evening's media event that the Springboard will debut for under $200, though no additional solid information is available yet.
Archos 101 G9 tablet goes on sale, 8GB version now $370
After popping up at IFA, and teasing us with the whole 'pre-sale' thing, the Archos 101 G9 is finally ready to empty your wallet. We've only seen it on the company's store so far, where the base model's available now bearing a $370 price tag, with no sign of the 250GB variant yet. For your cash you get Android 3.2, a 1.0GHz dual core processor, and even HDMI out for those times when the 10.1 inch screen just isn't big enough. Still not sure if the Archos slab's for you? Try checking out our hands-on to see if this slate with the French flair is worth your hard earned cash, and head on down to the source link if the answer is oui. [Thanks to OneLove]
