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Amazon discounts 'original' 6-inch Kindle Keyboard: now starting at $99
Ready for another new Kindle moniker to remember? Here it comes! "Kindle Keyboard." That's the name that was bestowed upon the tried-and-true 6-incher today after Bezos unwrapped a touchscreen model and a low-cost variant that tout no physical QWERTY keys whatsoever. Now, the WiFi-only Kindle is going for as low as $99 with ads (down from $114), while the non-ads edition can be had for $139. Meanwhile, the 3G + WiFi Special Offers edition has fallen from $164 to $139, and the ad-free brother is going for $189. Naturally, all four of 'em are in stock and shipping today if the new blood just didn't do much for ya.
Galaxy Tab 8.9 hits pre-order, ships October 2nd in US; Galaxy Player 5.0 and 4.0 shipping October 16th
Hot on the heels of a UK release, Samsung has just announced that its long-awaited (and long-delayed) Galaxy Player 4.0 ($229) and 5.0 ($269) will be available for pre-order starting September 27th, with US availability pegged for October 16th. Oddly enough, Samsung gave no reason behind the once-spring, now-autumn pushback, but at least we can finally stop wondering and instead start enjoying the spoils of an (almost) Galaxy Note-sans-phone. (Not like we haven't heard a similar tune before). All that aside, the Player 5.0 and 4.0 weigh in at 6.4 and 4.2 ounces, respectively, and both are powered by Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread); other specs include 802.11b/g/n, WVGA Super Clear LCDs (800 x 480), Bluetooth 3.0, 8GB of onboard storage, a microSD expansion slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, voice recorder, mini-USB connectivity, front and rear cameras and support for Sammy's Media Hub content service. The big fellow gets a 2,500mAh battery, whereas its little(r) brother is equipped with a 1,200mAh cell. (Psst... you can catch our hands-on with these here and here.) Meanwhile, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 is available for pre-sale right now, with shipments to hit retail on October 2nd. You'll be laying down $469 for the 16GB model, while a doubling of capacity will run you $100 more. Need a refresher on this one, too? How's about a WXGA (1,280 x 800) touchpanel, dual-core T250S processor, 6,100mAh battery, sub-one pound weight, DLNA compatibility, a 3 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, integrated Swype / Polaris Office and even a few amenities for those in the enterprise -- things like full support for Exchange ActiveSync (v14), on-device encryption, Cisco VPN, Sybase MDM and WebEx support. Best of all, the inbuilt FindMyMobile service allows users to track their lost / stolen Tab 8.9 down on a map as it moves, remotely lock the device to prevent unauthorized access and delete personal information stored on the device. Head on past the break for the full release.
LaCie ships Little Big Disk Thunderbolt, promises 240GB SSD variant in mid-October
It's taken its sweet time, but folks who weren't exactly keen on the Promise Pegasus finally have a compact option for putting their Thunderbolt port to good use. LaCie has just announced that it's Little Big Disk Thunderbolt external drive -- a first for the outfit -- is available to purchase. For those keeping count, it's only the second overall T-bolt drive to hit the scene, with this 1.4-pounder boasting a pair of 2.5-inch drives, support for JBOD / RAID 1 / RAID 0 and a typically metallic chassis that measures 1.6- x 5.5- x 3.3-inches. We're promised speeds as high as 480MB/sec (for SSD arrangements) and 190MB/sec (for HDD models), and users can daisy chain several of 'em to hit transfer rates of around 800MB/sec. These guys should be available starting today (though Apple's online shop currently has a "one to two week" wait), with the 1TB 7200RPM edition retailing for $399, and the 2TB 5400RPM model listing for $499. We're still awaiting word on the specifics surrounding the October-bound 240GB SSD variant, but those who'd rather press their luck for a free one can enter the ongoing contest in the More Coverage link below. %Gallery-134418%
Tokyoflash reveals Kisai Night Vision wristwatch, makes telling time fun again
Tokyoflash is on the loose once more, and this time it's introducing a concept that has been in the works for months on end. The Kisai Night Vision -- which was made official moments ago, first appeared on the company's blog as a mockup in August of 2010 -- and as they say, "what a difference a year makes." As of today, the LED wristwatch is up for grabs, constructed with black stainless steel, sub-surface LEDs, a hexagonal form factor and support for USB recharging. Despite your initial assumptions, it's actually capable of displaying both time and date, and there's even a built-in alarm with a "light-up animation." Fancy! It's available in black with blue, green or red LEDs, and if you order soon, you'll be able to snag one for $129 / £79 / €89; procrastinators will face a sticker of $149 / £91 / €103. Take a shufti in the gallery below. %Gallery-133304%
Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play 4G hitting AT&T on September 18th for $50 on contract
We knew good and well it was coming, and come it has. Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play has made the natural GSM shift in the States in order to grace Ma Bell's airwaves, and despite the "4G" naming convention, this fellow will be topping out at HSPA+. In other words, LTE lovers will need to look elsewhere. This marks the first launch of a PlayStation-certified smartphone for AT&T, and given that it's been around the block a time or two, the carrier is (smartly) pricing it at just $49.99 on a two-year contract -- a buck-fifty less than what it launched for on Verizon Wireless. As we'd heard, it'll ship with Android 2.3.3, a 1GHz CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, a 4-inch display (854 x 480) and will arrive in an exclusive 'stealth blue' hue. AT&T customers will also be blessed with a gratis Multimedia Dock (DK300) and MC100 music cable, not to mention seven pre-loaded games at no charge. Full details on that are hosted up after the break, and interested consumers can line up to grab their own on September 18th. %Gallery-132961%
Sharp Galapagos A01SH tablet goes on sale in Japan from $1, comes with a catch
Sharp's 7-inch tablet running Android 3.2? Yeah, it's taking its sweet time arriving stateside, though our friends in Japan can get the Galapagos A01SH now for a starting price of... $1 (¥100). There's more than a little fine print, of course, which states you have to sign up with an ISP to score that deal -- a curious promotion given that this is a WiFi-only slate (carriers will bundle it with a portable hotspot). Those who like their tabs no strings attached can scoop one up for ¥44,800 ($583). As for those of you mumbling something about how we need another Tegra 2-powered Android tablet like we need a hole in the head, remember that this remains one of a handful of 7-inchers running Android 3.2 -- a space currently occupied by the Acer Iconia Tab A100, ViewSonic ViewPad 7x and forthcoming Huawei MediaPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. So if you're dead-set on a 7-inch tab, like Honeycomb and are lucky enough to be wandering the streets of Nippon, have at it, folks.
Momentum and Elevate 4G on sale now, pushes AT&T closer to the LTE era
It's August 21st, and that means that the first batch of AT&T's dedicated LTE devices are officially here. The Momentum 4G and Elevate 4G are now on sale at the carrier's site and in stores for $50 and $70 (with a two year contract, of course) respectively. Both the USB modem Momentum and mobile hotspot Elevate will have to settle for an HSPA+ connection for the time being, as Ma Bell has yet to flip the switch on its LTE network -- but we wouldn't expect the company to wait much longer before making the move. Picking up either of these 4G data devices would be useless without the DataConnect plan, which nets you 5GB for $50 with a $10-per-GB overage charge. Now it's just about waiting for someone to push the button in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio to light up those first LTE markets.
BlackBerry Bold 9930 now available from Verizon for $250, on contract
We've already seen Verizon's BlackBerry Bold 9930 rear its head in a leaked video and now, it looks like it's finally gone all official on us. The slim, QWERTY-equipped handset has just popped up on Verizon's site, where users can now order one for $250 on a two-year contract, or $510 sans contract. Its specs, meanwhile, coincide with what we've already heard, including that 2.8-inch, 640×480 VGA touchscreen, 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and .41-inch thickness. The 9930 also comes equipped with BlackBerry 7 OS, bringing voice-activated search and speedy browsing capabilities to the palm of your hand. No word yet on when the phone will arrive in actual stores, though rumor has it that August 25th could be the big day. For more details and ordering information, check out the source link, below.
Samsung Conquer 4G set to raid Sprint on August 21st for $100 on contract
We've known about the Conquer 4G for a while now, in spite attempts to keep it under wraps. Sprint finally came clean on the existence of the handset today, announcing the milestone 25th 4G capable device for the its network -- the first in that category to hit the market at under $100. The Samsung-manufactured smartphone will hit the market on August 21st for $99.99 (plus a two-year year contract and after mail-in rebate, naturally). The Gingerbread handset packs a 1GHz processor, a 3.5-inch display, and front and rear-facing cameras. Press after the break. %Gallery-130029%
Sony Ericsson's tiny Xperia Mini and Mini Pro on sale now in Taiwan and Hong Kong
They've been announced, manhandled (by us and the FCC), and now they're finally on sale... in Taiwan and Hong Kong. That's right, some of the first folks to put Sony Ericsson's latest Android phones in their pockets will be the citizens around HTC's very own turf. According to VR-Zone and our brethren over at Engadget Chinese, both the Xperia Mini and Xperia Mini Pro are on shelves now for NT$7990 / HK$2,098 (about US$270) and NT$8990 (US$310) / HK$2,198 (US$280) respectively. It probably won't be much longer now till these pair of itty-bitty, 3-inch Gingerbread phones hit the states but, if you're impatient, those two cities are only about a 13-hour flight away.
Logitech officially drops Revue price to $99 today, clarifies 'more returns than sales' remark
Google TV not worth 300 bones to ya? How's about a cool Benjamin? As promised, Logitech has slashed the price of its Revue set-top box from $299 to $99 on its own site and at retailers like Best Buy, giving prospective customers something awfully tempting to consider alongside the prospect of running Honeycomb on their TV right away. Oh, and the much-reported nugget from its earnings about "returns exceeding sales"? It should probably be noted that wasn't about returns from end users, which the company claims "have averaged at levels comparable to other Logitech products", but from the distributors and retailers it sells most of its hardware to. So, you in, or are you still holding out for the 90 percent off sale that may or may not ever materialize?
HP TouchPad goes on sale in the UK, starts at £399 for 16GB WiFi model
Here's an interesting titbit: HP's TouchPad has already begun to ship to speciality shops in the US, but for the pernickety among us, you may know that the company's first webOS slate hasn't actually hit the streets of Londontown. Until now, ole chap. The 16GB WiFi model is going for £399, while a doubling of capacity will tack on a few extra quid. It's available now directly from HP's webstore, but if mum always criticised your rampant online shopping sprees, we hear aeroplanes and coupés are colourful alternatives for acquisition.
Groupon offers KIRF iPad for $248, proves it's the best deals site in the universe
Why does one thumb its nose at a $6 billion offer from Google? 'Cause you can make a mighty fine sum from hawking Android-equipped KIRF iPads, apparently.
Droid 3 on sale now at Verizon Wireless
Big news for Big Red-eyed fans -- the Droid 3's finally made its dual-core, qHD, global 3G surfin' ways official at the carrier's retail outlets. You can pick this QWERTY slider up now for $199 on a two-year contract, or just go whole-hog and pay $459 with no strings attached. It's not the operator's top of the line offering, nor is it the increasingly mythical Bionic, but it should satisfy your Android needs. Click the source to order the latest in the Droid's lineage.
Viewsonic ships 7-inch ViewBook VB730 tablet for $230, sticks with Android 2.2
Looking for something a bit different to replace your Galaxy Tab with? Can't say for sure why such a yearning would be reasonable, but if we just rang your bell, Viewsonic's got a newcomer that's on sale now. Just a few months after passing through the FCC's database, the ViewBook VB730 is now in stock over at Amazon, with $229.99 netting you a 7-inch slate with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, WiFi, a 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage space, a microSD card slot and an 800 x 480 screen resolution. Unfortunately, there's no Android 3.2 to be found here; instead, Froyo's listed as the OS of choice, but it's fair to expect a bit of corner-cutting given that shockingly low price point. Hit the source if you're sold.
Motorola's Photon 4G ships to Sprint on July 31st: $200 on contract
Too often, "expected summer launches" translate into "the very last day possible," so we were happy to learn that Sprint's latest collaboration with Motorola, the Photon 4G, will be available July 31st for the usual $200 on contract. To say the upcoming Android device will come loaded is an understatement: it'll ship with Gingerbread, a Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz CPU, one full GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD display, dual cameras (8 megapixel rear, VGA front) and 16GB of internal memory. Not surprisingly, Sprint's also integrating its signature Sprint ID feature into the user interface. While the device will be available to the general public on July 31st, Premier Customers will have the golden opportunity to get it online three days earlier. If you were perched on the fence about the HTC EVO 3D, this may be the only Sprint phone that's ready to push you in either direction. Full PR following the break.
HP TouchPad going on sale in UK on July 15th starting at £399
HP's TouchPad may not have quite lived up to our lofty expectations, but that's not stopping the world's first webOS tablet from going global. UK availability for HP's 9.7-incher has been revealed as coming on July 15th with all the usual suspects taking part: Carphone Warehouse, PC World, Argos, Amazon, and, of course, HP.com. Pricing is set at £399 ($660) for the 16GB WiFi-only model or £479 ($790) for the 32GB-carrying variant. HP has also managed to get a few content partners on board for this launch, with "exciting, exclusive" material coming in from The Guardian, LastFM, Warner Bros, and Sky News. Full PR after the break.
Best Buy sucks at product recognition: Wireless Keyboard for TouchPad, iPad sold separately
Oh, really Best Buy --you don't say? Too bad... that $69.99 price tag would be so much easier to swallow if you threw in the whole kit and kaboodle. [Thanks, Kevin]
Razer ships $80 Orochi Black Chrome Edition mobile gaming mouse
It's an Orochi, but with 100 percent more gloss. Typically, a new hue on an old critter wouldn't do much for us, but given that Razer's oh-so-diminutive Orochi still remains our favorite travel mouse to date (for gaming, at least), we couldn't help but notice the striking young fellow above. The Orochi Black Chrome Edition is the exact same mouse that shipped last fall, but with a much more vivacious set of duds. Aside from being fully capable of sneaking into either of your front pockets, this Bluetooth-enabled unit also touts an ambidextrous design, a 4000DPI laser sensor (with tracking at up to 100 inches per second), on-the-fly sensitivity adjustments and a gold-plated USB connector for those who'd prefer to roll wired. If you've been looking to treat yourself, she's in stock now for $79.99. %Gallery-126640%
Apple starts selling unlocked iPhone 4 for $649
Not that it'll do you much good in the US -- an unlocked iPhone 4 will still only work on AT&T's 3G bands -- but Apple has just started selling its prized smartphone without any carrier partiality on its US online store. The big attraction is, of course, being able to take the phone abroad and switch MicroSIMs to your heart's content, an experience that most other nations are already well accustomed to. Additionally, though the $649 (16GB) and $749 (32GB) levies may seem rather steep for American buyers, they're quite a bit more affordable than the unlocked pricing elsewhere. You can have yours within three business days if black's your color, or three to five if you're after the snow white one.
