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Engadget's back to school guide 2012: tablets
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're leaning back with our tablets -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of August we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- you can hit up the hub page right here! Your back may be straining from the textbooks, laptop, gym gear and lunch in that dangling overstuffed messenger, but you're still gonna want to save room for one more item -- a tablet. After all, while you can surf, tweet, play games and watch video from your other devices, there's nothing like doing it from a simple glass window that sits in the palm of your hand. As the hardware gets more powerful, these devices are rapidly becoming versatile enough to let you justify leaving the laptop at home on less-intensive days, so why not check out our picks of the finest devices you should be using and abusing before, during and after class.
Rovi lands Google Fiber patent license deal, keeps program guides flowing
Rovi considers itself the master of TV program guides everywhere -- even if some disagree -- so it's almost inevitable that the company would negotiate a new patent license with Google. The deal puts all of Google Fiber's TV interfaces in the clear, whether it's the set-top box near the TV or the less traditional interfaces found on the web and the Nexus 7 remote. Considering Rovi's existing connection to Google TV, the new pact may cement the company and its partner in Mountain View as surprisingly close friends.
IDC: Apple's still king of the tablet hill with 68 percent of the market
IDC's cabal of statisticians, nerds and people who just love spreadsheets have handed down their latest document about the state of the tablet market. Of the 25 million slates shipped in the second quarter, 17 million of them were iPads -- giving Apple 68.2 percent of the market. Samsung came second with 2.4 million devices and Amazon third, although since the Kindle Fire maker doesn't reveal numbers, there's probably some guesswork involved there. Rounding out the top five are ASUS and Acer, although the former should expect to move up a place (or two), depending on the success of the Nexus 7 when Q3's results are released in a few months time.
$125 MIPS-based Smart Tab 1 brings Jelly Bean on a budget to India
A MIPS-based tablet was the first slate to officially run Android Ice Cream Sandwich, and the processor technology will also beat the crowds to running the new Jelly Bean OS. It might be second to the Nexus 7, but Karbonn Mobiles' new Smart Tab 1, available to the Indian market only, runs Google's latest software -- and its MIPS-based JZ4770 SoC, clocked at 1.2GHz, allows for the low price of $125. The 7-inch Smart Tab 1 itself isn't new -- it debuted with ICS in July -- but current owners will receive an update, and new units will ship with Jelly Bean. Other specs include a 2-megapixel front shooter, HDMI support, 3G support through a USB dongle and up to 32GB of expandable storage via the microSD card slot. Head to the press release past the break for more info.
Nexus 7 dock and covers leak, promise high style in small sizes (update: source goes down)
There have been teases here and there that Google's Nexus 7 was going to get a full, official accessory treatment from ASUS, but actual details have been scarce. Consider ASUS' cover blown, almost literally. Presentation files finding their way to Nordic Hardware show the known Smart Case-like, $20 Travel Cover that's already lurking on the ASUS and Google websites, but they also spoil a leather Premium Cover that will reportedly cost $40. As for a cradle to round out the set? While the company had previously confirmed that a dock was coming, we're now getting a glimpse of the $50 Nexus Dock's super-simple wedge design and audio output. With the exception of the Travel Cover, the accessory bonanza is pegged by the slides as arriving in late August -- just in time for that last-gasp summer vacation. Update: Nordic Hardware has since taken down its original post "at the request" of an unnamed party.
Refresh Roundup: week of July 23rd, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. 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 we could find during 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 posts Android 4.1 Jelly Bean images for Nexus devices, modders rejoice
If you're the sort to get a little too adventurous with CyanogenMod 10 or other custom ROMs, Google just gave you a crutch. Android 4.1.1 factory images are now available for every Nexus device that can currently get a taste of Jelly Bean: the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and the expected Nexus 7. While it's not a complete safety net, the gesture will let dedicated modders flash their phones and tablets knowing that they can almost always jump back to the pure OS if someone's definition of "alpha build" is a little too rough. CDMA users are unfortunately left out of the loop; let's just hope they're brought up to speed before too long. [Thanks, Vince]
CM10 preview builds out for Nexus 7 and Galaxy Note: official but experimental
Ready for the latest bout of XDA Recognized goodness? If you own a Nexus 7 or global Galaxy Note (oh yeah) then you'll find official preview builds of CyanogenMod 10 for each device at the source links below. They'll bring some added sparkle, like an almost-buttery version of Jelly Bean on the Note and USB storage on the Nexus 7, but neither build is ready for daily dependence -- so tread carefully or just consider them proof that the CM and Team Hacksung folks are almost there.
PSA: Nexus 7 arrives at the Carphone Warehouse today
If you're the old fashioned sort who likes carrying your newly minted device back from the store, then you'll be elated to know that the Nexus 7 is available at the Carphone Warehouse from today. The Jelly Bean-running slate that sits in the palm of your hand will set you back £199 if you'd like it without any obligation. However, if you're also due a smartphone upgrade (or just want a new one), you can get it for free if you sign up to a data-sharing deal for £20.50 per month that'll let the tablet leech your handset's data for the following 24 months.
Google posts video highlights of I/O 2012, for those craving one last sugary fix
Weren't able to fill up on all the Jelly Bean-flavored geekery that was Google I/O 2012? It's no matter, because you can catch all the highlights from Project Glass to the Nexus 7 in Google Developer's latest video -- provided you've got about four minutes spare to reminisce. You'll find the clip after the break, and naturally, we'd suggest landing at our hub for the event if you're hungry for another fixin' of our extensive coverage -- no parachute required. P.S. Don't forget to see if you can spot any Engadget editors in the clip while you're at it!
Google Fiber gets formal launch, adds Google Fiber TV (update: event video)
Google just kicked its Google Fiber efforts into overdrive. The company's Kansas City effort is getting a full launch and now includes Google Fiber TV -- a "real" TV service with recognizable channels and its own, fully searchable interface that mixes DVR results with Netflix and YouTube. As many as 500 shows can be stored in full 1080p HD, and several TVs within the home can tune in at the same time.. Not surprisingly, there's also a major mobile component taking advantage of that 1Gbps fiber link, as users will have the option of browsing, sharing and eventually watching live TV directly from tablet apps. The company is also promising an ever-evolving service that includes Google+ video hangouts. For hardware, Google has its own dedicated Network Box with a four-port gigabit Ethernet router and 802.11n WiFi, a TV Box with live viewing and a WiFi access point as well as a Storage Box DVR with 2TB of data and the ability to record eight shows at once. Your remote control? A free, bundled Nexus 7 tablet, naturally. The overall service will come with 1TB of Google Drive space, although it's expensive to get started: there's a $300 "construction fee" (currently being waived) to wire a home for the fiber optics. Three packages will be on offer, starting with a Gigabit + TV package that includes the essentials, all major channels and "hundreds" of fiber channels (plus on-demand content) for $120 a month. Skip traditional TV and it costs $70 a month -- and if you're a local resident willing to pony up the construction free, you can get 5Mbps internet access for free for "at least" seven years. Key institutions are getting the full gigabit access for free, as well. Only small slices of Kansas City in both Missouri and Kansas state should have access at first, but Google is conducting a six-week "rally" where the most people paying a $10 pre-registration fee dictate where Google Fiber goes next. Now if only other cities would go the same route. Update: The full event replay is available for your inspection after the break. %Gallery-161174%
Google takes Nexus 7 camping for its first ad, can afford to pack light (video)
There's more than a small amount of fervor swirling around the Nexus 7, so it only makes sense that Google wants to seize the moment and pitch its first Nexus tablet to the world. Its first commercial is a very Norman Rockwell-like, father-and-son camping trip -- if Rockwell replaced Boy Scouts with Jelly Beans, that is. The 7-inch slate handles just about every task the two could care for, whether it's learning about (and exaggerating) the local fauna as well as keeping busy on a rainy day. We'll let you witness the slight twist of an ending first-hand, although we'll add that Google is careful to use a lot of Nexus 7 features that don't demand always-on WiFi: the search giant wants us to know that we can head to the boonies without the tablet becoming a paperweight. The one shock is the absence of that all-important $199 price, which you'd think would help trigger some impulse shopping. You can reconcile your disbelief and enjoy some family bonding by catching the full commercial after the break.
ULTIMAte hack: Nexus 7 hooks up with external USB storage, floppy drive for retro-gaming
There's only so much kit you can cram into a sub-$200 tablet without pushing past the price ceiling. And for Google's Jelly Bean-blessed Nexus 7, corners were definitely cut, leaving users without a handy microSD slot for expansion and rear-facing camera. But where there's a will, there's the XDA and its community of developers to remedy the situation. As you can glimpse from the photo above, an enterprising forum member by the handle of c0m47053 devised an interesting workaround for the slate's lack of expandable storage and then some. Using the StickMount app available on the Play store, which allows users to mount/dismount mass storage devices, he was able to connect the ASUS-made tab to a USB hub and hook it up to a keyboard, mouse and, most amusingly of all, a floppy drive -- to play Ultima on DOSbox, of course. It goes without saying that a feat of this kind requires root access, but thankfully that's what Mountain View made the Nexuses for.
Wi-Fi Media lets your Nexus 7 play movies on any screen via HTC's Media Link HD (hands-on video)
We're rather big fans of the Nexus 7 here at Engadget HQ -- it's just hard not to like a $200 tablet with a Tegra 3 SoC and 7-inch glass-bonded IPS display running pure Jelly Bean. Of the few missing features, there's one we're bemoaning more than the lack of rear camera, and that's the absence of any kind of HDMI or MHL video output. So far, watching movies with the Nexus 7's been relegated to using a Nexus Q and streaming content from Google Play or YouTube. Enter Wi-Fi Media, an app available for free on Google Play that lets most Android devices like the Nexus 7 play movies, music and stills on any screen via any Cavium PureVu-compatible streamer, such as HTC's $90 Media Link HD. We tested Wi-Fi Media with our Nexus 7 and Media Link HD and found it to work pretty much as advertised except for some caveats. First the app doesn't mirror your screen -- you're limited to playing content stored on the tablet or on the network via DLNA, which means no YouTube, Netflix or games. Second, the app doesn't handle some common file types -- like AVI, for example. While it supports watching movies, listening to music and looking at pictures, keep in mind that Wi-Fi Media is not a particularly polished app. In addition to playing local and remote DLNA content, you're able to login to Facebook and Picasa and stream images directly from these accounts, but that's pretty much it in terms of functionality. There's also no way to configure the Media Link HD, so you'll need a sanctioned HTC handset to setup the multimedia streamer before using it with a Nexus 7. Want to know more? Peek at our screenshot gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-160849% Update: Since there's some confusion in the comments, we'd like to clarify that the Media Link HD is not a DLNA device. It normally only works with select HTC phones like the One X, One S and EVO 4G LTE. WiFi-Media's primary purpose is to connect with a Media Link HD -- the app also just happens to support DLNA. [Thanks, Matt]
Comcast Xfinity TV Player for Android updated with beta support for Jelly Bean, Nexus 7
Comcast subscribers who have already received their Nexus 7 tablets or are sporting Android 4.1-powered phones should cast an eye towards Google Play for an updated version of the Xfinity TV Player app. Version 1.0.2.001 adds beta support for Jelly Bean in general and the Nexus 7 tablet specifically. It also fixes a nasty bug that would leave users stranded after upgrading their operating system, and promises a UI designed for 7-inch tablets in the next update. We saw Netflix get a compatibility update for Jelly Bean the day it launched, and Sky Go only just made the jump to supporting Ice Cream Sandwich, whether or not you have access to this app, have early adopters spotted any other laggards that might stop working when a long-awaited upgrade hits devices?
ASUS spills jelly beans on why Nexus 7 has no rear camera, cites added cost
Google's Nexus 7 tablet may be receiving OnLive Universal Controller support soon. What the Jelly Bean-flavored device won't be getting, however, is a rear-facing camera. Now ASUS is offering an explanation for the omission -- and no, it isn't to prevent users from looking like a doofus when snapping photos in public. ASUS apparently faced two options for a rear-facing camera: go cheap or go for quality. The company says it decided against sticking a lower-end camera at the back of the device because it would compromise the user experience. Adding a high-quality rear camera, on the other hand, would increase costs too much, so that proposition was nixed as well. The good news is that apps such as Instagram are finding ways to make things work with just the Nexus 7's front-facing camera. In the meantime, here's a little ditty from Google that just might help put a smile on your face.
Nexus 7 pre-orders start shipping in UK and Canada (Update: model specific US details)
The Nexus 7 machine is in full swing. According to Google, all pre-orders placed by Friday the 13th in the US and Australia have been filled as of today (though some may still be en route), and our friends in the UK and Canada should be receiving theirs soon enough. Deliveries are currently heading out in waves, putting 7-inches of Jelly Bean in the hands of eager "footie" fans and beneficiaries of socialized medicine. Have you gotten your shipment notification yet? Let us know in the comments. Update: Google has since changed the wording on its site and, unfortunately, not "all" US and Australian have shipped. Now it's just "many." Update 2: Google has changed the wording yet again, now providing more detail broken down by model. As of 7:50~ ET, it indicates all standalone 8GB versions ordered on or before July 13th have been shipped, while standalone 16GB orders placed on or before July 11th will all be shipped by the 19th, and have also been upgraded to overnight shipping. Ordered with accessories like a case, charger or Nexus Q? Your slate will ship, overnight, this week although the extra bits may be following "soon." Got it? Hit the source link to get it all straight from the horse's mouth and to check whether it's (inevitably) been updated once again. [Thanks, Andrew]
OnLive says support for Universal Controller on Nexus 7 is coming 'shortly'
Those of you who are proud owners of one of Big G's Nexus 7 -- and are frequent users of OnLive's Android offering -- may have noticed the lack of support for the gaming outfit's Universal Controller on the Jelly Bean slate at launch. Fret not, though, as that might be changing soon. Speaking to GottaBeMobile, the cloud company said that while there's no Nexus 7 compatibility at the moment, it does "hope to have it shortly." OnLive wasn't quite clear about what "shortly" really means, but according to the aforementioned site, the Universal Controller's had a tendency to work with some titles before "the official support was announced" -- so a few of you could get lucky ahead of time. Either way, we'll let you know as soon as OnLive intros a more formal solution.
Instagram updated to outfit Nexus 7 tablets, now likes the taste of Jelly Bean slates
Bummed that Instagram wasn't suited for your shiny new Nexus 7? Well friends, those sorrows are about to come to an end. The photo application has been updated to accommodate the Jelly Bean slate with version 1.1.7. While the software's primary function is viewing the post-filter photography, you'll be able to employ the front-facing shooter for self-portraits and the like. Also included in the update, the option of posting your tablet and smartphone creations to Flickr via the app's share menu. Hit the source link to snag the current version for your 7-inch slate.
Google starts shipping Nexus 7 pre-orders, writes a rhyme to celebrate
Dr. Suess it's not, but Google just had to make a bit of hullabaloo about the launch of its first branded tablet, the Nexus 7. The search giant took the wraps off it a few weeks back, but now pre-orders have finally started shipping to those who plunked down the $199 (or $249) for the Jelly Bean-packing slate. A few of you tipped us that the charge had finally hit your credit card, and now the official Google Nexus Twitter account has confirmed the devices have been packed on to trucks. So, celebrate, unless you're one of the hesitant ones that didn't place your order early in the Google Play store. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
