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Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Tablets
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Tablets are right up there with 3D-enabled 4K TVs in terms of gift appeal; no one can resist firing them up the moment they've been unwrapped. Maybe it's their super-thin form factors; maybe it's because they make great couch companions; or maybe it's because they're just plain fun. Whether it's an Android, Windows 8.1 or iOS slate you're shopping for, you'll find suitable picks across all budgets below.
Goodreads and Second Screen integration finally hitting Kindle Fire HD and HDX
Today marks the debut of two features we've been waiting for since Amazon first announced its new Kindle Fire line lo so many weeks ago. Goodreads and Second Screen integration will be rolling out to Fire HD and HDX owners over-the-air in the next couple of weeks - or you can just go to Amazon's site and download Fire OS 3.1 right now. Goodreads brings social book reading features to the tablet, so you can rate and review books and find out what your friends are reading. Also, good news for those who like showing off their virtual bookshelves - you can actually import all of the print and e-books you've bought from Amazon over the years. Second Screen, meanwhile, lets you "fling" shows from your Fire to Samsung TVs and sets with a PS3 attached (PS4 support is coming before year's end). Also new for OS 3.1 is added enterprise support, Cloud Collections for organizing content off-device and voice diction. You can download the above in the source link below.
Doctor Strange table coming to Marvel Pinball in December
Doctor Strange will put a spell on Marvel Pinball this December when he fights his rival, Baron Mordo, and the demonic forces he will call forth in an effort to earn the title of Sorcerer Supreme. The battle will span across the Vita, PS3, 360, Wii U, Android, iOS and OSX platforms. Baron Mordo will enlist the help of Dormammu and Nightmare in his effort to stop Doctor Strange from being, you know, alive. The Lovecraftian Shuma-Gorath will loom in the table's background, surely only to bide his time before asking Doctor Strange for a friendly comparison of high scores.
NBA 2K14 bounces to iOS and Amazon App Store
NBA 2K14 recently hit the portable courts, as it launched on iOS and Android this week for $7.99. The game can't be found on the Google Play store, however, as it is exclusive to the Amazon App Store on Android. The mobile version of NBA 2K14, optimized by 2K China, includes multiplayer matches with GameCenter support, a multi-season dynasty mode and optional one-finger controls. The game features iCloud support so players can back up their save files, making them accessible across multiple iOS devices. Just don't get caught traveling while swapping devices. That's a basketball joke.
Buddy & Me available now for iOS, Kindle Fire
Endless runner Buddy & Me has mounted its magical creature to start collecting stars on iOS and Kindle Fire devices this week for $3. Buddy & Me's designer Jason Behr was lead level designer for Metroid Prime and senior mission designer for Halo 4, but the game seems to have traded out energy weapons in favor of fairy tale scenery. Buddy & Me takes place in the dreams of a young boy. Developer Sunbreak Games' website describes the game as a sprint through an "infinite treehouse filled with interactive obstacles, curious creatures, and beautiful landmarks inspired by the Pacific Northwest." Players won't be glued to their puffy orange friend forever, though - Buddy soars alongside the boy in the background, offering assistance when the boy is in need of it. Exploring a world with a beautiful world with a mythical beast as a child. Hmm, almost reminds us of something .... [Thanks, David!]
Amazon refreshes Kindle Fire HD with new body, $139 price tag
It's no surprise, of course, that the Kindle Fire HDX was the thing Amazon wanted to shout about from the Seattle mountaintops today. But Jeff Bezos had another little surprise up his impeccably tailored sleeves -- a surprise that makes the $229 HDX look downright extravagant. A warm (if decidedly overcast) Pacific Northwest welcome to the new Fire HD. Well, "new" is perhaps not entirely accurate. This Kindle shares a lot with its predecessor, though there are some notable changes. Namely, the body. See, if we're strictly talking form factor here, this guy is a dead ringer for the 7-inch HDX. Inside, however, you'll find last-gen processing power: a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and on the front, the same old 1,280 x 800 display. Still, not too shabby for $139 -- that's $60 less than the last version cost moments before this post went up. That price also gets you access to Fire OS 3.0, aka "Mojito," Amazon's latest sugary rum of an operating system. Naturally, some of the new features just won't work on this hardware -- things like Mayday, which requires a microphone for use. Like the HDX, this slate plays nicely with those neat new Origami covers. You can pre-order one right this second, but you'll have to hang on until October 2nd before it actually starts shipping. Philip Palermo contributed to this report.
Amazon brings Verizon LTE to Kindle Fire HDX
Okay, okay, one more bit of info to share from Amazon tonight. Those snazzy new Fire HDX tablets are, as expected, getting cellular options. This time out, however, the company is adding an additional carrier. In addition to AT&T, Fire buyers will be able to go with a Verizon version. That upgrade will cost you an extra $100 on top of the base price, bringing the 7-inch version to $329 and the 8.9-inch one to $479. According to Amazon, "standard plans" will be supported for the two carriers. A breakdown of that pricing can be found after the break.
Amazon offering up Origami covers for those fancy new Kindle Fires
So, imagine you just shelled out $200 or $300 for one of those new Kindle Fire HDXs, only to have it scratch in your backpack as you pull it out to gloat to one of your friends. Oh, you poor, poor soul. If only you'd had the foresight to pick up an Origami cover. Like the new tablets, the case goes up for pre-order today -- and will start shipping at the same time as their respective devices. Jeff Bezos was pretty keen to show the accessories off today, demonstrating how built-in magnets allow them to fold together in such a way that the tablets can be positioned in either landscape or portrait modes. Neater still for the 8.9-inch version (the one with the rear-facing camera, mind), is a feature that triggers the photo app when the cover is slid down on the slate. Behold, magnetic magic that would leave the Insane Clown Posse pondering scientific inquiry for months to come. Amazon's made cases for both HDX models and the new HD. The polyurethane versions of the 7- and 8.9-inch HDX cases run $50 and $55, respectively, with the leather versions coming in at $65 and $70. The covers for the HD run $45 and $60. Philip Palermo contributed to this report.
Amazon debuts Kindle Fire HDX 7- and 8.9-inch tablets, we go hands-on (update: video)
"Today, we're going to show you the third leg of our device business strategy," Jeff Bezos begins. His audience is modest: four people sitting around a table in an Amazon conference room. It's a far cry from the Santa Monica airplane hangar his company rented out for last year's event. Bezos picks up a dry erase marker and begins breaking down the first two parts, elements the company has focused on since it first began building Kindles. "One," he says, narrating the words as he goes along, like an enthusiastic high school teacher, "premium products at non-premium prices. Two: make money when people use our devices, not when they buy our devices." "We sell our hardware and roughly break even and then when they use the devices and buy content," he adds. "Our point of view is that this is more aligned with the customer. We don't have to get discouraged when we see people using fourth-generation Kindles. Bezos draws a Venn diagram to illustrate the third part of the puzzle. He writes "customer delight" on one side and "deep integration throughout the entire stack" on the other. The intersection houses the "hardest" and "coolest things," which utilize OS, key apps, the hardware stack and the cloud. "It's a little abstract," he adds, "but I think it will be extremely clear when I show it to you." The template for the third piece of the puzzle is the new Kindle Fire HDX series -- the company's latest premium tablets.
Leaked Kindle Fire render lends credence to incoming refresh
The case for an incoming Kindle Fire update seems to be getting stronger every day -- not only have we seen benchmarks and alleged photos of the device, but now @evleaks seems to have come across an official render. The purported press image matches previous leaks in bezel size and design, but lacks the front-facing camera Amazon introduced with the Kindle Fire HD. This leads us to suspect that the render is of a non-HD model of Bezos' latest tablet. The flagship model is rumored to have a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, the aforementioned camera upfront and an OS based on Android 4.2.2. We're still waiting for Amazon to give the official word of course, but for Kindle users waiting for an upgrade, it's something to salivate over.
Benchmarks hint at Snapdragon-based Kindle Fire HD with 2,560 x 1,600 display
While benchmark leaks can be wobbly info-stones to tread upon, the arrival of some purported Kindle Fire HD scores could be the first steps toward a timely refresh. The results in question refer to a "Amazon KFAPWA" device with a reported Adreno 330 GPU, which by implication would likely mean a Snapdragon 800 SoC. The field that really leaps out, however, is that 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. If true, it could mean the 8.9-inch version is getting a bump from the previous iteration's 1,920 x 1,200 display. This certainly chimes with earlier reports, and, if nothing else, would certainly make that new browser UI all the more pretty to look at.
Antec PowerUp 6000 offers iPad-capable portable power
Mid-June is an odd time of year. Apple's hardware refresh cycle isn't really due until October -- likely six full months away -- so you might consider picking up an external battery pack to use with your current iOS device to tide you over until then. Internal batteries drop in efficiency as devices age, and replacement prices can be a little steep. An out-of-warranty iPhone or iPad battery replacement can cost upwards of US$85 or $105 with shipping. If you're a developer, this goes double. With iOS beta season under way, mobile devices are eating up batteries in new and curious ways. This isn't uncommon, as early releases of operating systems often contain debugging processes that are removed before the system goes "gold." External battery units are becoming more affordable than ever and newer systems like the Antec PowerUp 6000 support recharging both iPhones and iPads with high-amperage USB ports. I've been using an Antec review unit for the last couple of weeks and have found it a solid performer for light-weight emergency power. The Antec is a portable pack that fits nicely into a pocket. Its design has soft edges, easy port access and a built-in indicator light. You charge it using USB (rather than, say, plugging directly into a wall socket). I've tested it with iPhones, iPads and a variety of other USB-powered devices including the Kindle Fire and Bluetooth speakers. It's a bit hard to fully review the Antec PowerUp external battery ($60 MSRP, $42 street price) as Amazon customer criticisms of the product center on it losing its mojo after a few months of continuous use. My work style doesn't include long periods of off-grid demands; I haven't regularly drained the unit and I've been pretty faithful about plugging it in at nights. A spokesperson from Antec promised to get back to us with a statement about these issues. We'll add an update when he does so. Because of these issues, TUAW does not feel comfortable recommending or not recommending the product based on our testing. Update: Antec replies, "We haven't seen that many returns or failures on the PowerUp line. In the case of those two customers on Amazon (and anyone who reports issues or problems) our tech support and customer service reach out to them to either return or replace the unit."
iPad tops J.D. Power's customer satisfaction survey for second year in a row
Once again, Apple's iPad has topped the J.D. Power and Associates ranking of tablets as it pertains to customer satisfaction. In its most recent survey, J.D. Power surveyed 1,857 tablet users who have owned a tablet for at least one year. The survey measured satisfaction across five factors; performance, ease of operation, styling and design, features and cost. Each factor was weighted differently, with performance and ease of operation being afforded the most pull. When the data was tabulated, the iPad emerged victorious, edging out Amazon's Kindle Fire and Samsung's assortment of tablets as well. In achieving its top-spot ranking, Apple performed well across all factors, save for cost. The Kindle Fire, meanwhile, scored markedly high with respect to cost. The study also found that 94 percent of tablet owners who expressed high satisfaction were likely to purchase other consumer electronics from the same manufacturer. Clearly, this figure bodes well for Apple. Also interesting is that 51 percent of all tablet users were found to share their device with at least one other person: While the incidence differs across brands, tablet manufacturers may benefit from promoting shared usage as a selling point, as satisfaction increases when more people use one tablet device. When a tablet is only used by one person, overall satisfaction is 824 (on a 1,000-point scale), 28 points lower than when a tablet is shared by four or more persons (852). Apple is of course no stranger to accolades from J.D. Power customer satisfaction surveys. For nine years running, Apple's iPhone has topped J.D. Power's customer sastisfaction survey for smartphones.
Xbox SmartGlass now available for Kindle Fire and Kindle HD
Xbox SmartGlass has migrated over to Amazon's Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD tablets. First generation Kindle Fires are out of luck since they're based on Android version 2.3 and the Xbox SmartGlass app requires Android 4.0 and higher.An update to Xbox SmartGlass little over a week ago made Microsoft's second-screen experience compatible with 7-inch and larger Android tablets. Xbox SmartGlass launched in November 2012, allowing Xbox 360 users to control videos and interact with SmartGlass-enabled apps and games using compatible smart phones and tablets. In addition to the Android app, Xbox SmartGlass is available for free on iOS devices and, of course, Windows 8 and Windows Phone.
Chitika's March Tablet Update shows iPad usage share rising, still dominating competition
Chitika, the online advertising network, has released its latest Chikita Insights usage share data report for tablets for the March 2013 period. According to the company, based on US and Canadian tablet ad impressions running through the Chitika Ad Network, the iPad still overwhelmingly dominates web traffic on tablets, at 81.9 percent. In fact, the iPad has seen its first month-on-month growth in web traffic share since December, 2012, a 1.4 percent basis points increase since February. Chitika partially attributes this growth to Apple selling refurbished fourth-generation iPad and iPad minis at a discount beginning in mid-March, 2013. Android tablets unsurprisingly dominates what's left. The Kindle Fire comes in second at 7.1 percent, Samsung Galaxy Tablets third at 4.3 percent and Google Nexus tablets fourth at 1.7 percent. Interestingly, Microsoft's Surface tablet only took 0.4 percent of tablet web traffic and the defunct HP TouchPad took 0.1 percent. The full Chitika report is available on the company's website here.
The Daily Roundup for 04.11.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Chitika: Android tablet usage rises in January, iPad still dominates
Chitika's online advertising network does a great job of compiling usage share data by device and browser type over time. The company just released data showing results for tablet device usage share in the month of January, and as expected, the iPad still dominates web traffic in the US and Canada. iPad's share for the month was at 81.0 percent (represented by the long blue column in the graphic above), with the next highest share for a specific device being for the Amazon Kindle Fire at 7.7 percent. All Samsung Galaxy tablets combined pulled in a paltry 3.9 percent usage share, still better than Google's Nexus tablets at 1.7 percent. However, Apple shouldn't rest on its laurels atop the tablet heap. During December of 2012 and January of 2013, the iPad's share slowly fell from a high of about 89 percent down to 80 percent by the end of January. Those pesky Kindle Fire tablets showed an amazing growth from about 4.88 ad impressions per 100 iPad ad impressions in December, to 9.48 impressions in January. Chitika reports that Google Nexus, Samsung Galaxy, and Barnes & Noble Nook tablets all saw smaller gains. The full Chitika tablet report is available to read on the company's website.
Amazon buys text-to-speech software company Ivona
If you go buying a text-to-speech software maker, you're not exactly going to stay quiet about it, right? Amazon this morning announced its acquisition of Ivona, the company behind the Kindle Fire's Text-to-Speech, Voice Guide and Explore by Touch features. Ivona, currently carrying the tagline "an Amazon company" on its site, offers its technology in 44 voices in 17 languages. It also works closely with organizations for the blind and visually impaired. More information on the acquisition can be found after the break.
DmC prequel comic 'The Chronicles of Vergil' unleashes first digital issue
The first issue of Titan Comics' DmC: Devil May Cry prequel, The Chronicles of Vergil, is now available for download through comiXology. You can purchase either through a computer browser or through the comiXology app on iOS, Android and Kindle Fire.This first issue of the proposed two-book run, written by Guillaume Dorison (AKA Izu) and illustrated by Robin Recht and Patrick Pion, leads up to the events of Ninja Theory's DmC game. The print version drops on May 15, and the follow-up issue hits comic store shelves on June 19.
Chitika: iPad usage still far outweighs tablet competitors
Mobile ad network Chitika has released a report that says the iPad is still far, far ahead in terms of web usage over any other tablets out there. All you need to really know here is that the iPad isn't even on the chart above -- the chart above shows average impressions on tablets per 100 impressions on the iPad, which means that the highest figure up there, from the Amazon Kindle Fire, has only 4.88 impressions per every hundred impressions on the iPad. That's pretty crazy -- the iPad isn't just winning in terms of tablet usage, it's very much dominating. These competing tablets are growing in terms of usage (the Kindle Fire rose by about 20 percent since earlier this month, and Samsung's Galaxy line rose by about 0.3 percent). But those growth rates, in terms of numbers, are tiny compared to the huge audience that's browsing the web on the iPad. And while the numbers have yet to come out, of course, there's no question the iPad mini has only made that audience even larger this holiday season. Apple has a huge lead in the tablet market at this point, and while it certainly can't last forever, it will likely be around for a while. [via Mashable]
