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Motorola Xoom a bit slow boomerangin' back with 4G LTE update
Consider yourself lucky if you sent off your Motorola Xoom for the 4G LTE upgrade and got it back in about a week, as promised. It seems that Motorola Mobility is now having some trouble holding up their end of the bargain on the quick turnaround. In a note to eager, empty-handed slate faithful, the company informed those waiting that it's experiencing delays and will let customers know when their device finally ships. Surprised that an upgrade that requires you to actually mail in your tablet isn't being returned "on time?" Yeah, neither are we.
SlingPlayer app now available for Honeycomb tablets, priced at $30
It was teased back in September and now, it's finally arrived -- the SlingPlayer Android app optimized specifically for Honeycomb tablets. Available today on the Android Market, Sling Media's latest app allows Slingbox owners to stream TV directly to their slates, and features a new program guide, designed to help users browse content and change channels with greater ease. The SlingPlayer app for Android handsets, meanwhile, will continue to function on tablets in "compatibility mode," without exacting extra charges, though it won't offer the same resolution quality you'll find on a Honeycomb-laced device. Interested parties can grab the app for the familiar price of $30, at the source link below. Otherwise, click past the break for more details in Sling's refreshingly brief press release.
Benchmarks clock iPhone 4S' A5 CPU at 800MHz, show major GPU upgrade over iPhone 4
Pre-orders for the iPhone 4S only began shipping this week, but a handful of early owners have already taken Apple's first A5-based smartphone for a test run, and they've got the benchmarks to prove it. The results, obtained by AnandTech, are hardly what we'd call shocking. In terms of Javascript performance (pictured above), the 4S measures up rather nicely against the Tegra 2-based Honeycomb competition, while out-dueling the iPhone 4 in overall CPU muscle. Geekbench results, meanwhile, clock the 4S at around 800MHz, with a score of 623. That's about 25 percent lower than the A5-based iPad 2, but notably higher than the iPhone 4 (see graphic, after the break). When it comes to GPU performance, GLBenchmark 2.1 tests in 1280 x 720, off-screen render mode place Apple's new handset well above the Galaxy S II, with scores of 122.7 and 67.1, respectively. It still trails the iPad 2, not surprisingly, but the 4S' scores show a major advantage over the iPhone 4, which registered a score of 15.3. For more statistics and graphics, check out the source link below.
Xoom 4G LTE upgrades boomerang back with Honeycomb update, microSD card support now a go
Xoom owners that hastily shipped off their slates for an LTE upgrade are in for a surprise. Turns out the newly equipped 4G tablets are not only being expediently returned, but also come with an upgrade to version 3.2.2 of Honeycomb. Details of just what's been included in the new firmware are scant, but the main takeaway from Verizon's overhaul is the now functional microSD slot. That's right, unless you were privy to that non-U.S. Android 3.1 update or installed the Tiamat kernel, you'll now finally be granted read/write access to your microSD card. It seems wishes do come true in Big Red land, you just have to practice extreme patience.
Motorola Xoom Family Edition pops up at retail sporting kid-friendly software
Now that Motorola's Xoom is ready to rock out on 4G LTE connections, the only thing missing from the original 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet is a nice suite of edutainment software... wait, what? Whether or not that's what you asked for, it appears to be what Motorola's giving you judging by this "Family Edition" branded Xoom that just showed up at a big box electronics store. While there's still no hint of the subwoofer-equipped Xoom 2 Media Edition that's been rumored, this model is differentiated by the addition of a Kid Mode with $40 of software for kids from Zoodles (trailer after the break) packed-in. We don't have a release date or official pricing yet, but we'd expect to see the MZ505 on shelves sooner rather than later, but for now just check out a few more pics in the gallery below. [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-136008%
Google Docs gets a refresh, fills out the screen for Honeycomb
When Google dropped its official Docs app into our workaholic hands earlier this spring, we'd noted it wasn't exactly tablet-ready. Well, all that's changed with the Mountain View-based company's latest update to its Android app, this time optimized for Honeycomb's wider layout. Now, when users opt to edit on-the-go from their slates, they'll be treated to a three-pane interface offering access to collections, document lists and even a preview panel. El Goog's also tossed in support for over 46 languages across all Android 3.0 and up tabs. Go and ahead and hit up the source below for a download, or simply update if you're already packing.
Fujitsu Arrows Tab LTE F-01D with gesture control hands-on (video)
NEC's waterproof MEDIAS N-06C to get a sprinkle of Gingerbread and 1GHz power Wireless, Tablet PCs Sony's Tablet S and P get 3G in Japan NTT DoCoMo begins testing automated Japanese / English translation app that actually works (video) We'll probably never match Japan's obsession with waterproof gadgets, but anyone would appreciate how the local manufacturers also manage to keep them thin and light at the same time. The Fujitsu Arrows Tab LTE F-01D we fiddled with here at CEATEC is one such example: while it's thicker than Samsung's 10.1-inch counterpart by almost 3mm, we were surprised that Fujitsu's latest Android tablet also weighs just under 600g -- not bad considering it's suitable for use in the shower. What's more, the F-01D comes with a rather unique feature that's great for use in the bathroom or the kitchen: camera-based gesture control, which works in the browser (to scroll pages or go back and forth) as well as the 1seg or DLNA TV viewer (to change the channel and volume). You'll see in our video after the break that the gestures worked liked a charm for us, though initially we had to make sure that the tablet wasn't facing any strong light behind us (a typical problem in large conventions). Anyhow, if you're up for grabbing an F-01D, it'll be available on NTT DoCoMo in Japan next week. %Gallery-135783%
Firmware update brings Google Talk integration, bug fixes to Archos G9 tablets
Listen up, Archos G9 owners, because there's a hefty firmware update headed your way. The new upgrade, which only recently began rolling out, integrates Google Talk directly within the firmware and introduces a number of bug fixes to the freshly released Honeycomb slates. More specifically, version 3.2.46 brings enhanced volume controls, sharpened camera quality and Flash acceleration support to the eight- and ten-inch tablets, along with a host of other tweaks. For the full list of added features, check out the source link, below.
Refresh Roundup: week of September 26, 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 The top story this week revolves around the HTC Thunderbolt's long-awaited Gingerbread OTA update. It was finally rolling out, which was exciting news for owners of the device -- until it had to be pulled because of some rather significant bugs. The largest of them all was that voicemail notifications no longer worked properly; video chatting through Google Talk was also slightly messed up as well. No word on when we can expect to see it come back with those bugs fixed. [Droid-Life] Unfortunately, the Thunderbolt isn't the only phone falling victim to pulled revamps; the LG Optimus S on Sprint had its Gingerbread update kiboshed, though users have had two weeks to get it -- plenty of time for anyone to experience some of the bugs, which included the phone not charging, the SD card not being recognized when the phone's connected to the computer, no access to data services, and predictive text on the virtual keyboard stopped working. It's disappointing to see this happen so soon after the Kyocera Echo update went through a similar debacle. [SprintFeed] LG Optimus 3D: V10K firmware update, enables phone to convert OpenGL-capable 2D games into stereoscopic 3D. Note: this still runs Android 2.2.2, so we're still waiting for Gingerbread. [AndroidCentral] Motorola Xoom WiFi: Android 3.2.1 is beginning to roll out. [AndroidCentral] Dell Streak 7: Honeycomb update rolling out now to unspecified regions [AndroidCentral] Asus Eee Pad Transformer: Revamped to Android 3.2.1, adds other bug fixes [AndroidCommunity] Casio G'Zone Commando: Gingerbread rolling out now [Droid-Life] Motorola Droid 3: Minor maintenance refresh; enhances Google Talk with video chat support, several other fixes. [PhoneDog] T-Mobile Samsung Nexus S: OTA install (with option to manually install) to Android 2.3.6; doesn't appear to break tethering. [AndroidCentral] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery The Android 2.3.5 ROM for the global Samsung Galaxy S II leaked early this week. [Pocketnow, SamFirmware] You can now download the Android 2.3.4 SBF for the Motorola Droid X2, courtesy of XDA. [Droid-Life] If you have a Sony Ericsson Xperia-branded device from 2010 or 2011, CyanogenMod7 support will most likely come included as part of an upcoming update. Ten Xperia devices will be added, though a timeframe for release wasn't announced. Check here to see if your device made the list. [XperiaBlog] Other platforms Check here to see if your phone is ready to receive Windows Phone Mango. The ultra-rare AT&T HP Pre 3 just received an OTA update to 2.2.3.2207, right after a new webOS Doctor became available for the same refresh. [PreCentral] Refreshes we covered this week Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update now rolling out How to force Mango to your phone right away Samsung Taylor receiving Mango?
Acer Iconia Tab A501 for AT&T review
We waited nearly the entire summer for the Acer Iconia Tab A501 to break daylight. Now that it's finally shone its uber-glossy face, we were anxious to see if the "4G" HSPA+ model is worth the extra coin (or two year ball-and-chain, should you go that route) over the standard A500. If you have little fear of commitment, signing the dotted line will get you one 16GB slate for $330 -- plus the added cost of a capped data allowance or a pay-as-you go plan. Not down to hitch up to the contract wagon? Cool with us... but you'll pay $150 more to get your hands on one of these. So is settling down for two of the Earth's rotations with the same tablet a wise move? Are you better off sticking with the WiFi-only model? Read on to see what we discovered when we took the A501 for a spin. %Gallery-134589%
SwiftKey X for Android hits v2.1, fingers party everywhere
Rejoice, virtual keyboard aficionados! SwiftKey X 2.1 for Android tablets and smartphones just became available today, and brings a bunch of new features and bug fixes to your favorite touchscreen device. Since our hands-on with v2.0, TouchType has updated its on-screen keyboard using the feedback it gathered from its 25,000+ VIP members. The new version of SwiftKey X adds blog personalization, insights about your typing (shareable with friends), heat-map visualization (see screenshot above), localization / language enhancements, and an auto caps toggle. We've been using the final build of SwiftKey X 2.1 on our Nexus S for the past couple of days and noticed some improvements in terms of typing speed and accuracy. Pricing remains $4.99 for SwiftKey Tablet X and $3.99 for SwiftKey X. Full PR after the break.
Samsung unveils Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, packing 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and coated in Honeycomb
Samsung has just unveiled a rather unexpected addition to its fleet of tablets, with the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. Available in both 16GB and 32GB varieties, this new slate is fueled by a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb and features a seven-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution. It also packs a two megapixel front-facing camera, along with a three megapixel shooter that supports 720p video, boasts 1GB of RAM and ships with Sammy's TouchWiz UI baked-in. In terms of connectivity, you'll find support for quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3G with 21Mbps HSPA and the usual smattering of Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS capabilities. In addition, this little guy offers WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, along with support for channel bonding and apt-X Codec for Bluetooth. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the 7.0 Plus is slated to hit Indonesia and Austria by the end of October, before rolling out internationally. Slide past the break for more details, in the full PR, or check out the gallery below for more images. %Gallery-135281%
Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet review
Lenovo adds ThinkPad X1 to laptop comparison guide, outs IPS screen, USB 3.0, and optional SSD Turkish company builds 65-inch Android 'tablet' with Honeycomb, 1080p support (video) Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet gets probed by the FCC, will play nicely with all the networks When Lenovo announced a pair of Android tablets this summer, we didn't even pretend it was the IdeaPad K1 we were most jazzed about. Sure, it was exciting to see Lenovo enter the Android tablet market on any terms, but it was the ThinkPad Tablet that set our curious minds rolling. There was the design, for one -- an obvious homage to those black, red-nubbed laptops with the same name. It has personality, one that's inextricably tied to Lenovo's laptop know-how. It offers a full-sized USB port, an SD slot, 1080p output, a 3G SIM and a slew of accessories that includes a dock, pen and keyboard folio case. It's the kind of tablet we don't review all that often: one that might actually make for some painless productivity on the road. As you can imagine, we've been waiting months to learn more, and if your tweets, comments and emails are any indication, so have you. Well, wait no more, friends. We've been spending almost a week with one and have oh-so much to say. So what are you waiting for? Meet us past the break, won't you? %Gallery-134930%
Skype 2.5 for Android brings video calls to 14 new devices, including Honeycomb tablets
...And then there were 41. Oh, sorry, we're talking about Android devices here. Specifically ones that support video calling over Skype. With the update to version 2.5, the VoIP service has tacked on another 14 Goog-powered gadgets to its list of officially supported handsets and tablets. Yes, that's right, we said tablets. In addition to bringing support to phones like the Atrix, Bionic and Nexus One, Skype is inviting the Xoom, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Acer's Iconia to the party. We've even received reports that video calls are working on other Honeycomb slates like the ASUS Transformer. You'll find the full list of officially supported devices in the PR after the break.
ASUS TOUGH 7-inch Honeycomb tablet lands in Japan ready for some corporate abuse
Not content with offering up merely modular Android tablets, ASUS has revealed a new seven-inch tablet that's water and dust resistant -- perfect for a spot of bath-time browsing or... desert rallying. The ASUS TOUGH-ETBW11AA has a rubberized bezel and strips across the back, contributing to the substantial 22.2mm profile, but that hefty frame can survive drops from the heady height of 76cm. Aside from its tough-guy credentials, there's a 1280 x 800 screen, five megapixel camera, Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor, WiMAX connection and the staple WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS medley. It comes with 16GB of well-protected storage, but there's room for more via microSD. For those seeking a slate that'll survive the bumps and scrapes of the business world -- and not look ridiculous -- it'll be available to enterprise customers of Japanese carrier KDDI this November. No news yet on whether it'll canoe its way across from the Land of the Rising Sun, but we can give you a few more photos of the rough and tumble tablet after the break. [Image credit: Keitai Watch]
Toshiba announces 7-inch Thrive tablet, we go hands-on (video)
Toshiba rolls out fix for Thrive tablet's sleep problems Toshiba's super-thin AT200 tablet running late, not out til next year ASUS TOUGH 7-inch Honeycomb tablet lands in Japan ready for some corporate abuse It looks like the AT200 isn't the only Toshiba tablet poised to land in time for the holidays. The company just announced the Thrive 7", a (surprise!) 7-inch version of the original. Like its big brother, it runs on Tegra 2 and packs twin 5 MP / 2 MP cameras, though this time around that textured, rubberized back isn't removable, and the rear-facing camera comes paired with an LED flash. As you'd expect, in exchange for a smaller form factor (0.88 pounds, half an inch thick), you'll be giving up the full-sized ports that made the original so unique. Instead, it offers a more typical selection, including mini-USB and micro-HDMI sockets, a headphone jack, docking connector and a microSD slot. Like pretty much every 7- and 8-incher trickling into the market, it runs Android 3.2, and Toshiba did us the favor of leaving it completely unskinned (it did include Swype as a keyboard option, though). No word yet on pricing or availability, though a Toshiba rep confirmed that 16GB and 32GB models will go on sale by early December with a starting price of "less than $400." How low is Toshiba willing to go? Your guess is good as ours but until then, you can meet us past the break for some early impressions and a short vid, too. %Gallery-134999%%Gallery-134997%
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 WiFi hits the FCC in tabtastic glory
It may have gone MIA at IFA 2011 earlier this month due to an ongoing legal battle, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 is certainly no figment of our imagination. Far from it: the device, dubbed the GT-P6810, just got put through its paces in the hallowed halls of the Federal Communications Commission, and came out unscathed and with some decent diagrams that actually show off the tablet in a somewhat flattering manner. The version seen going through the FCC is most likely a 16GB WiFi-only version, as no mention of wireless bands could be found. Whether or not it'll hit US shores is an uncertainty, as passage through the government doesn't guarantee it'll actually be sold here, but the Galaxy Tab series has already had plenty of time to pick up a popularity point or two.
Gameloft optimizing titles for Sony tablets
Competition is healthy for a free-market economy, especially in the consumer electronics industry, and when a product quits being "the" product and becomes "a" product among many, it is ultimately the buyer who wins. At the moment, no consumer product is more the product than Apple's iPad, so much so that "iPad" is slowly becoming synonymous with "tablet," much in the way "iPod" became a synonym for "MP3 player." Countless Android tablets have failed to change the iPad's status from "the" thing to "a" thing, and while the majority of them suffer from a deadly combination of cheap construction and high prices, even incredibly well designed examples have failed to compete the wealth of tablet-optimized games available on the App Store. In an effort to circumvent this ecosystem-wide content drought, Sony has struck a deal with one of iOS' most prominent developers: Gameloft. The French development studio plans to release 5 titles for Sony's Tablet P and Tablet S devices: Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD, NOVA 2: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD, Spider-Man: Total Mayhem HD, Real Soccer 2011 HD and Green Farm HD. No word on pricing or availability, however Gameloft says that each game has been "optimized for, and will be directly accessible on Sony's upcoming tablets." The press release makes no mention of the Android Marketplace, however it also doesn't explicitly name the titles as Sony exclusives. Even so, people love them some Gameloft games, and tablet-optimized versions will only help intensify the competitive climate, regardless of whose tablets actually receive the titles.
Motorola Xoom 2 evidence mounts -- new photos, rumored specs and a Media Edition?
Talk of a younger, slimmer Motorola Xoom just keeps on coming. A helpful tipster is adding fuel to the rumors of a Xoom 2 with these shots of a similar, but not exactly identical Motorola tablet. When compared to the images we saw yesterday, this unnamed Android 3.2 slate looks a tad less polished in the rear and seems to favor a portrait format, with the camera resting up top. What's more, our source says the slab appears to be smaller than what we've already seen, which could line up with a report from This Is My Next, pegging a Xoom 2 Media Edition. That device is rumored to have an 8.2-inch HD IPS display and weigh .95 pounds. It is apparently being billed as an "e-reader replacement," and comes with an onboard IR remote and subwoofer. In further Xoom 2 news, TIMN is saying the classic version will measure 9mm thick, pack a 1.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, and enable 1080p video recording. If all of that isn't enough to satisfy your Motorola-tablet craving, we've got a gallery of photos below.%Gallery-134781% [Thanks, Anon]
Is this the Motorola Xoom 2?
Who's looking sleek in angled corners? Why, it's the Motorola Xoom 2 -- at least it might be, according to Droid-Life and the folks that leaked it the above image. The outfit's informant tells them that the pictured device is flaunting micro-USB and HDMI ports, a SIM card slot and a few large, flush buttons on its back. Is it the real deal? Well, we can't say it looks much like Verizon's door-destroying tablet, or even the shy slate that we spied on Motorola Mobility's leaked website redesign -- but we wouldn't put too much stock into ambiguous renders and inconclusive advertisements anyway. There's one more image after the break for those of you that are into rear-facing cameras and "confidential" engravings.
