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LG Optimus Vu goes global, trades Snapdragon processor for NVIDIA Tegra 3
LG's extra-wide handset appears to be embarking on a world tour, and its packing a new processor for the trip. The Optimus Vu will be taking NVIDIA'S Tegra 3 chip to select markets in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America this September. It's still rocking that 5-inch 4:3 ratio IPS display, of course, but gone is any mention of LTE connectivity. There's no word yet if we'll see an LTE-equipped Tegra 3 handset hit Yankee shores when our time comes, but we certainly wouldn't bat an eye. Read on for LG's official press release.
Kno textbooks arrive on Android with the Galaxy Note 10.1, take on a social side
Kno's post-hardware textbook platform has called the iPad its only tablet home for more than a year; it's about to spread its wings. Starting with a bundled presence on the Galaxy Note 10.1, Kno is an option for K-12 and college students who'd rather go the Android route. While all the 3D, note-taking and navigation features remain the same, there's an obvious selling point in supporting the S Pen (and hopefully other pens) to more directly put thoughts to virtual paper -- or, let's admit it, doodle in the margins. All of us, Android and otherwise, get a new Social Sharing component that lets us crib each other's notes before the big exam. We're still waiting on Kno for other Android devices as well as the already-promised Windows 7 support, but it's hard not to appreciate at least a little more variety in our digital learning.
Samsung HM5100 Bluetooth S Pen makes a surprise debut in our Note 10.1 'press kit,' we pencil in a chat (hands-on)
Hidden among the higher-profile items at Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 launch today was a device that at first seemed familiar, but turned out to be far more than your everyday S Pen. That's right, Samsung's already capable stylus just got a major boost -- meet the BT S Pen. The device, which received no formal introduction during its host device's launch event, first appeared in the "press kit" bag that attendees received on the way out the door. It's similar in size and shape to the company's Galaxy S Pen Holder Kit, which serves as a sleeve for the standard-issue Note S Pen, but Bluetooth functionality, along with a microphone and tiny speaker, enable the lightweight plastic contraption to double as a wireless headset -- sure to come in handy with the SIM slot-equipped international Note 10.1 flavor. We caught our first hint of the pen's functionality upon discovering a bundled AC adapter -- that seemed mighty odd. The box also included an unusually beefy user manual and no fewer than five replacement "nibs" (read: stylus tips). Pairing took but a few seconds, and then we were on our way answering calls with a single tap of the talk button. There's also a built-in vibration mechanism, which serves to alert you to incoming calls. Sound quality was solid, but speaking into a pen admittedly felt a bit odd -- you may not draw as many stares as you would if speaking directly into a 10.1, but the seemingly unusual action may still turn a few heads. Otherwise, the S pen functioned as expected. The packaging is all we have to go off of at this point -- Samsung reps we spoke to didn't know to expect the device today, so there's no pricing or availability info to share. We do know that it's rated for three hours of talk time and 130 hours of standby, it weighs 21 grams, offers Bluetooth 3.0 compatibility and will work with Galaxy Note devices -- you could use it as a headset with other gadgets, though there wouldn't be much appeal. It also includes a micro-USB charging cable, with the port accessible just above the shirt clip. That's all she wrote for now -- apparently this accessory was available exclusively at today's event, and may not make its way to the US, if it's released at all. You can see it in action now though, in our hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-162550%
LG Optimus Vu coming to wide-minded Americans by summer's end
If you're enamored with the 4:3 ratio of the Optimus Vu but remain disappointed that there isn't an American model to call your own, LG is bringing some sunshine to your day. The Korean company has confirmed plans to port the LTE-equipped version of the extra-wide phablet to the US sometime during the third quarter of the year -- in other words, anytime between now and the end of September. Thanks to our friends at the FCC, we even know that it's headed to Verizon first, if not exclusively. Most of the other details are scant. The timing makes it likely that Android 4.0 will ship with Big Red's edition as a matter of course; LG's me-too Q Voice interface won't speak English until 2013, however. We mostly know that, between LG's American plans and Samsung's next Galaxy Note, the Great PDA Revival of 2012 is still very much in full swing. [Thanks, FT]
Kipon preps Canon EF lens adapters for Micro Four Thirds, NEX cameras with electronic control
Adapters to fit Canon's EF lenses on Micro Four Thirds and NEX camera bodies most definitely aren't new. Without any electronic link, though, that Lumix GX1 or NEX-F3 owner has had to focus by hand, sometimes without any aperture control -- what year is it, 1930? Kipon wants to make sure you'll never have to stoop to that level again through a pair of new adapters that keep the electronic controls working. As always with these parts, there's likely to be catches: we don't know the prices and ship dates, for one, and lens conversion can still hurt the autofocus speed. Even so, anyone who's been hoarding (or simply envious of) Canon glass now doesn't have to eye an EOS-M just to get a mirrorless camera with the lens adapter they crave.
N-Trig pen tech whittled down to single DuoSense chips and sensors, shrinks scribblings to travel size
As much as N-Trig is an old hand at supporting styluses, it's had to focus on tablets and other larger devices due to technology limits: the HTC Flyer is about as small as the company has gone to date. A new version of N-Trig's DuoSense chipset family could be the ticket to going to much smaller sizes. The new 4000 series condenses both pen input and multi-touch finger gestures into a combination of one chip and one sensor, letting any entrepreneurial device maker stuff the two control methods into a handheld device with as little as a 5-inch display. Naturally, the chip line scales all the way to 15.6-inch panels for creatives poking at the screens of laptops and larger Ultrabooks. We're told that both Android and Windows slates will get N-Trig's tinier touch tricks before the end of the year -- whether or not that includes phablets with the same girth as the Galaxy Note or Optimus Vu, however, is left to our wild imaginings.
Samsung files a patent for a capacitive stylus with NFC and headset, your next C-Pen may get talkative
Samsung is clearly big on pens. It's no shock, then, that we now know the company applied for a patent on a new stylus while the original Galaxy Note was still fresh out of the box. The capacitive pen of Samsung's dreams includes its own wireless headset in the clip to make voice calls without having to buy a separate earpiece -- something that we've only seen recently in the real world. It would even find room for NFC to pair the pen up with a host device using a minimum of fuss. The most appealing part of the patent may be its pragmatism. Unlike some of the flight-of-fancy patents we've noticed lately, the technology in the new stylus is well within reach. No patent is ever a surefire sign of action, but it's no great leap in logic to see a follow-up to the C-Pen or S Pen letting us call for pizza in between drawing sessions.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera review
More Info Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera preview (video) Cameras, Olympus OM-D E-M5 five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization hands-on (video) Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera to ship on March 31st? (update: now April) Stepping across the great DSLR divide into the land of mirrorless cameras always requires some compromise. Focusing speed, image quality, lens compatibility and battery life are frequent casualties, but for everyone except professional shooters, the size and cost benefits of swapping a full-grown beast for a compact ILC surely help soften the blow. The latest Micro Four Thirds model from Olympus, the OM-D E-M5, adds functionality that expand that list of betterments even further, allowing more versatility than larger DSLRs have to offer. These perks include a water-resistant design, for starters, along with a nifty lens that offers macro shooting and both manual- and powered-zoom in one compact package. One area where the 16-megapixel E-M5 does match the footprint of its full-size brethren is in price: you'll drop a cool grand for the body alone, while the 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens kit will bump that tag up another $300. Make no mistake, the E-M5 is a fantastic camera, but $1,300 is mighty steep for any mirrorless model, especially one with a Micro Four Thirds sensor. This, however, is no ordinary MFT camera. As the first model in Olympus's OM-D line -- taking design cues from the company's popular line of OM film cameras -- the E-M5 is in a class of its own, at least as far as Olympus's portfolio is concerned. Besides physical appearance, perhaps, the most notable selling point is its focus speed: press the shutter release, and your subject comes into clarity with rapid-fire precision, whether you're shooting in bright sunlight or a dark restaurant. But though the E-M5 has already received accolades for its powerful focusing, you might be wondering how the whole package performs. Meet us past the break to find out.
Ten One Design teases pressure-sensitive 'Blue Tiger' stylus for the iPad 3
It's no secret how Steve Jobs felt about styluses, but that doesn't seem to have deterred Ten One Design. The company behind the Pogo Sketch is now teasing a pen designed to work with the as-yet unannounced iPad 3. The stylus, codenamed "Project Blue Tiger," is pressure-sensitive, and pairs with the iPad over Bluetooth 4.0. As you can see in the video below, the pen is meant to be used inside a drawing app Ten One's whipped up, though the outfit's made the SDK available to developers today. Per the press release, all you curious code monkeys out there can email info@tenonedesign.com for more details, though the SDK is ready for download at the source link below. Now about that requisite hardware...
LG Optimus Vu launches in Korea, gets priced
LG's 5-inch smartphone has finally arrived -- at least over in Korea. While 4:3 ratio display raised a few eyebrows during its debut at MWC, the IPS display, lightweight frame and stylus has us chasing after a review model to give it the full run-down. Anyone in LG's homeland can beat us to the punch -- it's now on sale priced just under the Galaxy Note, a device that's been around for a few months. Expect to pay 990,000 won ($890) for a carrier-free version, but importers should 'note' that they won't be able to take advantage of that built-in TV tuner. We're still sniffing out details on prices and launch dates for the US. Hopefully, the international model will arrive with a rubberdium stylus -- we just want to know what rubberdium is.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera to ship on March 31st? (update: now April)
If a ship date pops up on Amazon for a date in the not-so-distant future, we're typically inclined to listen up -- after all, the world's largest e-tailer probably has a fairly good idea of when its products will first leave the warehouse. This time, it's the Olympus OM-D E-M5, which just appeared on the distributor's Japanese site with an estimated release date of March 31st. There's no mention of a date on the company's U.S. site, however, so it's still unclear whether or not the Micro Four Thirds cam will hit North American shores on the 31st as well. Still, unless a trip to Japan is in the cards for the end of Q1, your best bet for getting early access to the highly-anticipated mirrorless cam would probably be to get your pre-order on at our coverage link below.Update: We're now seeing US retailers listing the device with an April 10th release date. Check the More Coverage links below.
A closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (video)
The last time we showed you the Galaxy Note 10.1, we had time for a few hands-on shots, but not quite enough to get to know the tablet, to warm up to the idea of interacting with one of our favorite 10-inchers using a stylus pen. Now that we've had a chance to park ourselves at Samsung's Mobile World Congress and get acclimated to the various S Pen apps, we wanted to hit back with one more hands-on, this time focusing on what makes the Note 10.1 so special: the writing experience. Meet us past the break and we'll share some early impressions, along with a walk-through video. Only have a minute to spare? Consider those photos below your Cliff's Notes.%Gallery-148870%
LG Optimus Vu officially revealed ahead of MWC with stylus, 1.5GHz CPU (Updated)
Similar to its pre-CES reveals, LG just couldn't wait for Mobile World Congress to get underway on the 27th before showing off its new Optimus Vu handset. These new pics offer a much clearer look at its 4x3 aspect ratio, 1024x768 res, stylus-friendly 5-inch IPS LCD display, while the official specs confirm rumors it would pack a 1.5GHz dual core CPU, 8MP camera, LTE, 2080mAh battery and Android 2.3 in a slim 8.5mm thick frame. An upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich is promised within three months of its launch, currently scheduled for March on Korean carriers SK Telecom and LG+. Check the gallery for a few more glamour shots of this new Galaxy Note competitor, and see if wider truly is better.Update: You'll find a few more official pictures in the gallery below and the English PR with details on its "QuickClip" hotkey for one-button screenshots and memos and the "Rubberdium" stylus after the break, plus a quick size comparison vs. the Note, Galaxy S II Global and iPhone 4S.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera preview (video)
Olympus has embraced the camera designs of yesteryear for several generations, from its first Micro Four Thirds models to last year's E-P3. But now the Japanese camera maker is stepping up its retro game, announcing a brand new line of Micro Four Thirds cams. Meet the OM-D. A dramatic departure from the more modern-looking PEN cameras, this new line of mirrorless models, specifically the E-M5, in many ways duplicates the design elements of the 1970s-era OM System. The first consumer camera in that SLR lineup, the OM-10, served as clear inspiration for the slightly boxy, black or silver and black magnesium alloy digital model we have today. We were able to spend some time with the Olympus E-M5 before tonight's announcement, and were very impressed with what we saw. Jump past the break for our impressions and an Olympus-guided video walkthrough, and thumb through the gallery below for a detailed look at the company's answer to the Fujifilm X-Pro1.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 shots orchestrally maneuver out of the dark
Would you look at that? According to PhotoRumors, that chunk of retro beauty is purportedly a full-on snap of Olympus' new OM-D Micro Four Thirds shooter (from an Amazon Japan listing that's since been pulled) affixed with its optional battery grip (adding what appears to be a secondary shutter button). That, or someone knows exactly what makes us go "Oooh." The chunky '70s stylings make us fear we'd abandon our career to go become a war photographer if one of those was placed in our hands. 43Rumors believes the unit will hold a 16.1 megapixel EDR CMOS, beefier than the 12.3 sensor inside the PEN E-PL3, but we hope this new body (however beautiful it is) doesn't spell the end for the dinky PEN series. If that wasn't enough, that Amazon listing we mentioned also pointed out a 1.44-megapixel electronic viewfinder, a tiltable OLED display on back and a total weight of 454 grams with its kit lens attached. We've got a few more shots in the gallery below, with others rocking some serious cropping, but each is more deliciously teasing than the last. Joe Pollicino contributed to this report.
Olympus unveils a cavalcade of point and shoot cameras and a PEN lens at CES
Another CES, another avalanche of camera announcements tumbling down from Olympus. Surprising? Not really, but who are we to argue with tradition? The outfit's latest in point-and-shoot technology kicks off with the VR-340, a 16-megapixel wonder that boasts a "cosmetic toolbox" of digital makeup -- letting you digitally paint your unsuspecting subjects with eyeliner, rouge and the most darling shades of eyeshadow. The 14-megapixel TG-320, on the other hand, drops the digital face painting in favor of durability, allowing you to shoot HD video up to 10 feet underwater. Rounding out pocketable shooters is the 14-megapixel VG-160, which packs a 5x optical zoom into a svelte 19.3mm frame. The beefier 14-megapixel SZ-12 sports a 24x optical zoom lens and a "reto-chic" grip, while the SP-620UZ knocks down the optical zoom a notch (to 21x), but kicks the sensor up to 16 megapixels. Not in the market for a point and shoot camera? That's okay too, the outfit is also announcing the M.Zuiko digital Ed 12-50mm micro four thirds lens for its PEN family of cameras. This F3.5-6.3 lens features a 4.2x zoom ratio and a macro mode that can focus up to 8-inches away from a subject. Hit the break for a press release overload.
How would you change Olympus' PEN E-PL3 and E-P3?
Canon's been focused solely on the top-end of things here recently, but it's obvious that the mirrorless and Micro Four Thirds markets are booming. Cute sells, right? And if you've taken the plunge on either of Olympus' newest PENs (that'd be the E-PL3 or E-P3), we're interested in knowing how you really feel about 'em. Would you have preferred a slightly larger casing? Still want it smaller? Cool with the kit lens? Any quibbles with the exterior? The UI? The company's made quite clear that the PEN line ain't going anywhere anytime soon, so speak up in comments below, won't you?
HTC Flyer touches down at T-Mobile, Scribe pen not included
US Cellular's got one and so does Sprint (albeit under a re-branded banner). So, where's the Magenta-friendly HTC Flyer we saw creep up at the FCC this June? Well, it appears T-Mobile's been offering it for some time to business customers only, but that exclusivity's come to a close. The 7-inch Gingerbread slate with AWS bands is curiously absent from the operator's own online site, but you can still snag it from HTC for $299 with a new mobile broadband plan or $454 with a contract extension. Sadly, neither party's tossing in the HTC Scribe pen gratis, so you'll have to make due with your own digits for navigating or just pick it up separately. If this is the Sense-laden variant you've been holding out for, now's the time to hit up the source and get to ordering.
White Galaxy Note appears, developers wanted to pen third-party apps for its stylus
We've already inspected every inch of Samsung's big bad phone-tablet hybrid, but a soupçon of extra news has trickled out from the Galaxy Note's bombastic launch event in London yesterday. Those looking for brighter color scheme to match the striking glow of its HD Super AMOLED display are in luck, as the Galaxy Note looks set to arrive in white; the ethereal ying to its companion's midnight blue yang. Sammy added that the Galaxy Note's S-Pen SDK will be available to third-party developers starting December, hopefully bringing more uses for that slide-out stick. And that's despite the latest Android OS offering native stylus support -- the Galaxy Note remains a Gingerbread affair. The current smartphone king was unable to confirm if the UK would be getting the white model on the November 3rd launch day, or ever. Similarly, we're still waiting on Samsung to put S-Pen to paper on pricing and any possible US launch details.
Samsung Galaxy Note review
Remember the display on your first mobile phone? If you've been chatting on the go for as long as we have, it was probably barely big enough to fit a complete telephone number -- let alone a contact name or text message. And your first smartphone? Even displaying scaled-down, WAP versions of web pages was asking a lot. Now, those mobile devices we couldn't live without have screens that are much, much larger. Sometimes, though, we secretly wish they were even bigger still. Samsung releases 1.5GHz Exynos processor and 16MP CMOS for mobiles, if you're nice Samsung's Galaxy S II for T-Mobile proves that unicorns do exist (hands-on video) Samsung Galaxy Note announced: 5.3-inch display, built-in-stylus, custom 'S Pen' appsSamsung's new GT-N7000 Galaxy Note is the handset those dreams are made of -- if you happen to share that dream about obnoxiously large smartphones, that is. It's as thin as a Galaxy S II, lightning fast and its 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display is as gorgeous as it is enormous; the 1280 x 800 pixels you once could only get with a full-size laptop (or in the Galaxy Tab 10.1) can now slide comfortably into your front pocket. Its jumbo display makes it the perfect candidate for a notepad replacement and, with the included S Pen stylus, you'll have no problem jotting notes on the fly, marking up screenshots or signing documents electronically. But, is that massive display too much of a good thing? You'll need to jump past the break to find out.%Gallery-137768% %Gallery-137793%
