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Android-based Archos 5 Internet Tablet surfaces in 8GB form for $250
The Archos 5 Internet Tablet hasn't had the smoothest ride into the commercial realm, but thanks to a few firmware updates, the Android-based player seems to finally be humming along just fine. That said, not everyone's interested in shelling out big bucks for a capacious version, which makes the latest edition perfect for those simply curious to see how Google's mobile OS fares on a portable media player. The 8GB model has surfaced over at Radio Shack, bringing with it all the goods on the larger siblings but with far less internal space. The best part? That $249.99 price tag (and that little "In Stock" icon beside it).
Optima OP5-E resurfaces with English OS, gets lengthy video review
By now, you're sufficiently aware that the Optima OP5-E is the first non-Nokia MID to arrive with a Maemo-based operating system. In fact, you've already seen what this bugger looks like on video. What you probably haven't seen, however, is a finalized version of the handheld for the US market, but all that's about to change if you head on past the break and mash play. Oh, and there's even an unboxing gallery down in the source link -- you know, if a 13 minute video review just doesn't quite cut it.
Camangi WebStation nabs pre-order status
Those anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Camangi Webstation Android tablet / MID will be happy to know that the website -- which went up about a week and a half ago -- is now accepting pre-orders. The 7-inch glass touchscreen tablet boasts a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 CPU, 128MB of RAM, 256MB of flash storage, 3G connectivity, WiFi, and GPS, and it comes in white, pink or black. The $399 price is currently discounted for "early birds" to $389 -- so get going, champ!
HT560 5.6-inch UMPC spotted in Shenzhen running Windows XP
Sure, an Android MID featuring some sort of contrived "net gen" functionality might promise inspirational moments, but will it get the job done? A company called Shenzhen Seed Industrial, located in the Chegongmiao Futian Distict (we hear it's lovely in the spring) is offering retailers and e-tailers a Windows XP-powered workhorse in the form of the HT560 5.6-inch UMPC/MID. Built on the VIA C7 (1GHz) processor, this guy sports 1GB RAM, 16GB SDD, two USB 2.0 ports, and both front and rear-facing 1.3 megapixel webcams. For connectivity, you get the usual assortment of WiFi and Bluetooth, with a GPS thrown in for good measure. If you're looking to pick up a handful of these things, hit up the Tradekey link where it's available in lots of ten. Otherwise, Wirelession appears to have rebranded this the W1030 and have priced it at $421. Want a closer look? You can get one after the break.
Manufacturers redirecting R&D on declining GPS device orders?
If you enjoy the decimation of an industry as much as Google does then you're going to love the latest rumor sourced from DigiTimes' manufacturing moles. According to the Taiwanese rumor rag, personal navigation device R&D teams at the manufacturing powerhouses of Foxconn (aka, Hon Hai) and Wistron have been shifted to other devices in the face of "declining PND orders." Seems logical as GPS-equipped smartphones snuff out their dedicated forebears with the same converged precision that turned wrist watches into items of fashion. The strange part of this DigiTimes rumor is that said manufacturers have shifted those PND teams to focus on e-book readers and (are you ready?) MIDs. Man, if the world's largest manufacturer of consumer electronics sees MIDs as a more economically viable option than personal navigators, well, maybe things are more dire for TomTom and Garmin than originally feared.
Members abandoning Intel's MID alliance? Hopefully.
Bad, but entirely expected news on the MID front. You remember the Mobile Internet Device right? UMPCs by another name usually running Linux-variants in that middling ground between smartphones and netbooks that nobody seems capable of making an attractive use-case for beyond the living room sofa? According to DigiTimes, "several members" of Intel's Mobile Internet Devices Innovation Alliance (MIDIA) have quit development of MID devices due to very weak shipments. Even the promise of Intel's Moorestown platform has lured "only a limited number of vendors" to launch related products in 2010. Sources claim that vendors will instead refocus on other areas of possible growth. Imagine that.
QiGi's Smartbook is more like a WinMo 6.5-powered MID
We're going on the assumption here that the lads and ladies over at QiGi haven't actually heard that "smartbooks" have a vaguely defined look and feel, as the outfit's latest handheld definitely looks nothing like the smartbooks that we've seen emerge over the past few months. In fact, the Windows Mobile 6.5-equipped device looks more like a MID than anything else, boasting a 5-inch 800 x 480 display, only a few face-mounted buttons and 1GB of memory. Hit the read link if you're interested in a poorly translated review, and good luck finding one of these in the open market (at least with an English-language operating system).
ViewSonic's N01 MID caught wearing a nasty UMPC disguise
Remember the day when those 7-inch Origami UMPCs blundered onto the scene with weak Intel processors overpowered by Microsoft's heavyweight OS? This ViewSonic N01 apparently isn't one of them, though we couldn't fault you for being deceived. Sure it's running XP but it's Intel's 1.1GHz Atom Z510 doing the processing chores beneath a display approximating 6 to 7 inches. Ok, ok, it is a UMPC, regardless of its new MID christening proving once again that any distinction Intel tries to sell has been lost forever as vendors try to distance themselves from a tainted UMPC legacy. But we digress. The N01 MID (prototype, by the looks of it) finds itself stuffed with 1GB of memory, just 10GB of on-board storage, 3G data, and integrated TV tuner with fancy telescoping antenna. We can only assume that ViewSonic's product diversification plans have it dumping the majority of its recently unveiled products into China and India because what they've show so far is not going to impress western tastes.
Camangi WebStation website goes live, orders do not
It still won't sell you one, but Carmangi has just launched the official website for its Android-based WebStation tablet / MID, and cleared up a few remaining details in the process. As we'd heard, this one packs a 7-inch glass touchscreen and some of the usual niceties like WiFi and GPS, but it looks like the rest of the specs are decidedly par for the course, including a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 processor, 128MB of RAM, 256MB of flash storage, and 3G connectivity in the form of a USB dongle only. You will get a complimentary 8GB microSD card to boost that storage, however, and you'll soon apparently be able to get it in your choice of pink or black in addition to the basic white -- the company even has its own "Camangi Market" for apps, though it's looking a little sparse, and not all that unique at the moment.
Inbrics announces Android MID, promises 'inspirational moments' (video)
Inbrics, a company known in Seoul for its VoIP solutions, looks set to rock your world with an Android MID early next year at CES. All we have for you at present are the barest of specs, machine translated Korean PR that declares "a full convergence of the future," and one of those vague, uplifting videos that demonstrates the myriad of ways that its one platform can dramatically change your life -- without ever really telling you what it does. The device itself is a QWERTY landscape slider that features an AMOLED touchscreen, GPS, compass, WiFi, and an ARM Cortex A8 800MHz processor. Experience the inspirational moment after the break.
Jinbo's MID does Windows XP on the tiny, shuns you and your physical keyboard
The netbook/smartbook/MID crossover continues, occasionally spawning some curious genetic misfits seemingly ill-suited for the world at large. Such is the Jinbo MID, a rather chunky and plain mobile internet device that follows in the footsteps of BenQ's S6 by packing Windows XP without a keyboard. It does at least offer slightly higher specs: a 1.1GHz Atom Z510 processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, and 16GB of storage. Data comes in via 802.11b/g and 3G wireless then goes out through that 5-inch screen of unknown resolution. It looks to be nearly an inch thick so it's surprising the company couldn't wedge a keyboard in there, as Viliv found room for one in their similar S5, but hopefully enough customizations and layers over XP will make everything work. And if it doesn't, well, the thing likely won't be available outside of China and, at 3950 yuan (about $580), it's debatable whether you'd want one if it were.
Apple tablet(s) in 2H 2010 with OLED screen and tailored content in tow?
Rumors of the mythical Apple tablet's release were just starting to coalesce around an early 2010 release, so naturally DigiTimes is now reporting that the much ballyhooed device won't show up until the second half of next year. Apple is said to have given itself more time to swap out internals and install a 9.7-inch OLED display from LG, which meshes with earlier rumors about where the relationship between the two companies was heading. Sources expect the opening retail price to be around a hefty $2,000, but for the budget-conscious there will also be a 10.6-inch LCD version that will land somewhere between $800 and $1,000. Or so we're told. Somewhat more concrete is the news that Conde Nast, publisher of Wired Magazine, has openly confirmed that it is developing a digital version of its tech magazine for consumption on the Apple tablet, with the rest of its content catalog to soon follow. Its own estimate of having the paid-for digitized magazines, which will include Vogue and GQ, ready for the middle of 2010 also jibes with the reported delays. Then again, Apple has refused to discuss the unannounced device with anyone, leaving Conde and Adobe developing the necessary software in the dark.
Dell's 5-inch Android Streak MID on AT&T in 2010?
It's not much to go on but after months of rumors and then the sudden appearance of Dell's 5-inch MID on video, well, even unsubstantiated reports from the Commercial Times can be taken with a degree of truthiness. The latest tattle has QISDA manufacturing Dell's Android 2.0-based MID (spotted with a 5 megapixel camera, 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, 3G data, and WiFi) with the intent of ramping up for an AT&T launch sometime in 2010. Given the uptick in leaks recently, we'd expect a Q1 launch to be just about right.
Kohjinsha PA series reviewed, found lacking
It's well established by now that the Kohjinsha PA series tablet is one peculiar creature. It has the internals and OS of a netbook, with a 1.33GHz Atom CPU and Windows XP Home, the 4.8-inch display of a portable MID, and the convertible capabilities of an internet tablet, while its price (around $770) seems to imply it performs all three roles with aplomb. The Pocketables crew have followed up their unboxing of the quirky little device with a full-on review, and their conclusion has been that sadly it's more of a chump than a champ. Poor build quality and substandard input controls dragged this contender down, in spite of its swiveling screen and decent performance thanks to a 32GB SSD. Ultimately, it's the price that dooms the PA series to ignominy, and it seems like only a miracle -- or a timely RilakKuma rebadge -- will make it commercially successful. Hit the read link for the full story.
CrunchPad is 'steamrolling along,' will cost between $300 and $400
We're not super familiar with the term "steamrolling along" as it applies to device launches, but apparently it's good news for Michael Arrington's CrunchPad tablet. Mike dropped the news on a recent episode of Steve Gillmor's "Gillmor Gang" podcast (like "Gilmore Girls," but with less inter-generational drama), saying that he's not sure where the rumor of cost being too high came from, since costs continue to come down. The "$300 to $400" price range he's quoting is a bit higher than we'd heard previously, but it still sounds pretty good for a 12-inch touchscreen device. He also made mention of "soft revenue" and "sponsorships" on the device, akin to the revenue Firefox gets from its Google search box, and added that it won't impact the user experience. Outside of those tidbits Mike says they're working on making it "perfect," and that there should be some big news about the device coming shortly. Video is after the break, CrunchPad discussion starts at the 39 minute mark.
ITG's xpPhone gets options for larger screen and Windows 7, loses sense of identity
It makes sense to release your mostly-theoretical (so far, anyway) desktop OS-based slider handset with the world's newest and best version of Windows, but when your slider handset is dubbed "xpPhone" things become a bit more muddled. But that's the word from Pocketables, who's been in touch with ITG and learned that the MID / phone will not only ship with a Windows 7 option, but also be available in 4.3-inch, 4.8-inch and 7-inch screen sizes. There's also rumors of price ranging from $500 to $700, but what we'd really like at this point is a bit of a demo of this thing in action -- especially now that there's a similar ViewSonic-branded device breathing down its neck.
Hikari to unleash iFrame Android tablet on Japan (video)
Hikari's iFrame (as opposed to the other, Ubuntu-sportin' iFrame from a while back) is an Android-powered tablet with a skin that's heavy on the widgets and -- in case you're still intimidated by its difficulty -- is also being touted as a photoframe for people who don't mind ugly photoframes. Ideally suited for the kitchen or living room (and, as such, is being marketed towards women -- which we find pretty condescending, truth be told) this bad boy features a 7-inch touchscreen display, SD memory card slot, and WiFi. Due out in Japan sometime next year (no word yet on a stateside release date) look to pay anywhere between $220 and $330 (with the company giving credit to the OS for the low price point). Video after the break.
BoEye MID700 unveiled with Android OS, vaguely familiar form factor
BoEye -- a company we've seen from time to time in the eBook reader space -- has been recently spotted at Dubai's GITEX with its own take on the Android MID. Aside from some obvious (and, quite frankly, tedious) comparisons to the mythical Apple Tablet, we don't have too much to report: some excessively iPhone-esque features, including silver bevel, capacitive glass touchschreen, and that familiar solitary button on the bottom of the screen; a front-facing webcam; and, of course, that open source OS you crave. If you ask us, our favorite part of the affair is the rumored sub-$300 price tag -- makes this one well worth keeping an eye on, at any rate. One more pic after the break.
Kohjinsha PA series gets unboxed, looks kind of hardcore
It's sort of difficult for us to say what exactly the Kohjinsha PA is. Part UMPC, part MID and part tablet PC, this mishmash has captivated us for quite some time, and while we were able to spend a few brief moments with it at CEATEC, the crew over at Pocketables was able to snag a shipping unit to unbox. They begin by noting that this thing is far from stylish, and while the hinge is almost laughably large, there's something subtly satisfying about just how chunky it looks. Hit the read link to see if you agree -- it's cool if you don't, you're only hurting feelings.
ZiiLABS ZMS-08 offers Cortex A8-powered Full HD and Flash acceleration for netbooks
We haven't even seen the Zii EGG make its long-anticipated consumer debut yet, but Creative is already building up steam for its next Zii venture. ZiiLABS' ZMS-08 is a third generation mobile media accelerator / system-on-a-chip that boasts its predecessor's 1080p playback and 24fps encoding, and HD video conferencing via simultaneous 720p encoding and decoding, while adding all-new OpenGL ES 2.0 support, an integrated HDMI controller, X-Fi audio and Flash acceleration. Paired to a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8, and running a custom flavor of Android alongside Plaszma OS, the new Zii chip will look for homes in "web tablets, netbooks, connected TVs" and the like, but seemingly not smartphones. ZiiLABS has already signed up a number of clients, who'll start receiving shipments in Q1 of 2010. Full PR and an architectural diagram after the break.
