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Aigo's surprisingly sexy 7-inch N700 tablet packs Android 2.1 and Tegra 2
Go 'head Aigo! Get down with your bad self. Quite frankly, we never anticipated Aigo / Patriot to come through with a me-too tablet that actually made us take a second glance, but darn if this one isn't quite the looker. And that's before you've even had a moment to digest the specifications sheet. According to new details surfacing in China, this 7-inch machine will hum along on a 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor and feature NVIDIA's Tegra 2 graphics chipset. There's also 512MB of DDR2 memory, an 800 x 480 pixel multitouch display, 4/16/32GB of inbuilt storage, a USB socket, microSD slot, HDMI output, inbuilt WiFi, optional 3G WWAN, audio in / out and a 3,120mAh battery. Android 2.1 will be the OS of choice, but crucial details surrounding price and availability are sorely missing. Call us crazy, but we'll actually be keeping an eye out for specifics on both. Update: Well, what do you know? Seems as if this here device may in fact be a Compal NAZ-10 in disguise, and if this YouTube video is to be believed, it'll boast 16 hours of HD video playback on a single charge and a $300 price tag. Can you say "tempting?" Thanks, Alain!
Keepin' it real fake: Android iPad KIRF gets Android 2.1, display upgrade, and our undying respect
Still unsure whether you want that Android iPad KIRF we spotted a couple weeks ago? What if we told you it got a display upgrade to 10-inches and an OS upgrade (to Eclair) to boot? Rocking a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor, 512MB of RAM, a 16GB flash drive, SD card slot, three USB 2.0 ports, headphone and mic jacks, Ethernet and HDMI ports, and WiFi, this is definitely something to keep an eye out for on your next trip to the gadget markets of Shenzhen. Just remember to grab one for us, okay?
ASUS CEO: netbooks will outsell tablets, Eee Pad to run 'Microsoft software'
ASUS CEO Jerry Shen sure is making the rounds this week talking up the company's upcoming entry into the tablet arena, but before giving up some more Eee Pad details he clarified that he doesn't anticipate tablet sales surpassing that of netbooks. The latter category is for personal computing while tablets are based on consuming content and Cloud computing. Shen said something similar when we spoke with him at CeBIT, but this time he also added that without Apple the tablet category would have been slower to ramp up. We'd say he's on the money with that one, but still he plans to launch an Eee tablet in early June at Computex. And though he mentioned there being a few versions, he revealed the "first phase will use Microsoft software." We don't know if that means the tablet will be Intel powered and run Windows 7, or pack a Tegra 2 processor and boot some version of Windows CE like we saw at CES. Regardless of what happens, we'd say Microsoft's happy to hear this all after this week's news.
Hanvon suffers the tablet curse, delays multitouch B10, talks up cheaper F10 model
Manufacturers just can't seem to figure out this whole tablet deal. The poor things get delayed, canceled, or just make you fear that you've been ripped off. Hanvon's TouchPad B10 hasn't suffered the worst of those fates, but it is going to be a little later than planned. The last we heard they were due to ship on March 25, but according to jkkmobile the devices have just entered volume production and will instead ship to Chinese buyers sometime toward the end of May, while Europeans (and maybe lowly Americans) won't see theirs until June. Meanwhile, Hanvon is also talking about its H10 model, which uses a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor and lacks the multitouch of the B10, instead offering a stylus-based electromagnetic panel like the WISEreader. Cost is said to be "much less" than the B10, which is estimated to cost around $877 -- a figure that hopefully won't get any larger in the coming weeks.
Microsoft confirms, kills Courier in one fell swoop
Well this is depressing. Word has just gone fluttering out of Redmond that work on the Courier project -- a heretofore rumored dual-screen tablet which rightfully set the tech world ablaze -- has been spun down by the company. Here's the official line from Frank Shaw, Microsoft's VP of corporate communications: At any given time, across any of our business groups, there are new ideas being investigated, tested, and incubated. It's in Microsoft's DNA to continually develop and incubate new technologies to foster productivity and creativity. The "Courier" project is an example of this type of effort and its technologies will be evaluated for use in future Microsoft offerings, but we have no plans to build such a device at this time. All very sad, of course. So how did we get here? And was this thing ever really real to begin with? After all, it's hard to kill something that never lived. Well here's the deal, according to a source familiar with the situation: the Courier did indeed start life as a potential new product category for the company, one which was being incubated internally with very real plans for a marketable device. It seems, however, that things just didn't manage to take shape, and word was handed down very recently that the incubation period had reached its conclusion -- sans product -- and resources would be directed elsewhere. Now, that doesn't mean that we won't see some of this technology turn up in other products which Microsoft has in the pipeline (the company does keep quite a few balls in the air), but it does mean that those rendered videos of the Courier in action will remain, unfortunately, renders. As far as the Engadget team is concerned, there isn't a dry eye in the house right now -- but the Courier will always remain in our hearts as one of the finest unicorns that ever unicorned across our screens.
At least one lucky fellow's 3G iPad arrives a day early
That's right -- you're probably already aware that tomorrow, April 30th at 5PM marks the beginning of retail availability of the 3G version of Apple's iPad, and a lot of those who pre-ordered can expect to receive theirs in the mail tomorrow too. It shouldn't come as a huge surprise, but at least one guy's happy today -- his iPad 3G arrived already! We're sure we'll be seeing way more of these crop up as the day progresses, but for now, here's to the first! [Thanks, Mike]
SmartQ R7 e-reader boasts 3G, touchscreen LCD, magazine service and IPTV (video)
Late to the touchscreen MID party, Chinese manufacturer SmartQ was determined not to miss another opportunity. That's why it spent the month of April touting its new R7 e-reader as -- you guessed it -- the iPad killer. With the same ol' 600MHz ARM11 and 256MB of RAM inside as its ho-hum MIDs, that claim's quite a stretch, but our cohorts at Engadget Chinese actually found the Ubuntu-powered 7-inch SVGA touchscreen device moderately capable in a recent hands-on. Like fellow PMP / e-Reader the Onda VX560, the device supports 1080p in most every video format under the sun, reads e-books (PDF, EPUB and CHM), and has an optional USB 3G modem for on-the-go capability. Ubuntu standbys Midori and Pidgin handle web browsing and IM, respectively, and it can even stream live video and purchase Chinese magazines through SmartQ's services. Sluggish as it might be, for $1,680 RMB (about $250) we'd say that's a pretty respectable featureset. Video after the break, specs and hands-on pics at our source links.
MSI Android, Windows 7 tablets launching in June, dualscreen delayed until Q4
It looks like ASUS won't be the only Taiwanese manufacturer whipping out new tablets at Computex in early June, and MSI will be joining the party with its Android and Windows 7 touchscreen devices. According to the company, the tablets will come in 8.9- and 10-inch varieties, and will ship sometime in the third quarter. We can't promise you big M's Tegra 2 and Atom-powered slates will be all that different from what we've been seeing from the others out there, but we are told the pricing will be "extremely aggressive." That's intriguing, but unfortunately, that awesome dualscreen tablet we saw at CES is farther behind. According to MSI's Andy Tung, the hardware implementation is the reason for the delay as the Atom-based tablet is not providing adequate endurance. "The two screens are a major drain on the battery, and even with a higher density battery and the Menlow CPU we are only getting three hours," he said. It looks like we will be waiting until the fourth quarter to get some two screen action, though we guess we could always pick up an Android and Win 7 slate and tape 'em together.
Viliv's S10 Blade starts shipping out, gets its first customer unboxing
Aw, Suki Suki now! Nearly a fortnight after heard that Viliv's S10 Blade had been delayed by the factory, in flies this. Tipster Anthony seems to be on Lady Luck's good side, as his unit not only shipped, but fell into his lap today. He ordered up the 1.6GHz version with a 64GB SSD and integrated 3G, and just to prove that he wasn't yanking our chain, he offered up a gallery's worth of unboxing shots. We can't say for sure that the backlog has cleared, but it's pretty evident that the earliest of pre-orderers are seeing their units trickle out. With that said, we'd encourage you to refresh that inbox once more and make sure a package isn't headed your way -- and when it does, let us know how you like it in comments below. [Thanks, Anthony] %Gallery-92001%
HP: opportunities for webOS 'smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks'
Color us excited. HP's Todd Bradley just made an interesting proposition on the conference call about its Palm acquisition. Specifically, Bradley said, "Between smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks, there are a lot of opportunities here." You read that right: slates and potentially netbooks. The tablet route is pretty obvious, but having the netbook / smartbook form factor is quite a twist. Think about it, a Foleo descendant you can be proud of -- whodathunkit? If you're worried HP has forgotten about other platforms, we need only point in the direction of the Android-fueled Airlife. Obviously nothing to announce at this point, but doesn't that just get us hopeful -- roadmap announcements are said to be forthcoming closer to the merger being finalized. The call is still ongoing, so stay tuned!
Great Wall GBook fills that 11-inch Windows 7 tablet hole in our hearts
In case you hadn't noticed, there are just a few folks in China heck bent on building every conceivable tablet form factor, and your potential indifference, horror, or focus-on-the-software pleas can't stop them. Here's an interesting example: the GBook tablet from Great Wall. The 11-inch number runs a 1.2GHz Intel ULV SU2300 processor with integrated Intel graphics and 2GB of RAM. There will apparently be options for a 2.5-inch HDD or SSD for storage, but most refreshing is the 10-point multitouch panel Great Wall has on top of Windows 7 here. There's no word on price or when this will be hitting the market, but we're sure it will be out just in time and priced just appropriately to disappoint us completely and utterly. There's video after the break.
Enso's zenPad finds the funds to become reality
With only 500 units ordered and 30 scheduled to ship on May 8th, it's clear the Enso zenPad won't blow up the world, but it's nice to see a startup make good on its promises. We've yet to receive one of the cheap Android tablets ourselves, but we do finally have proof they're on the way: Enso CEO Alberto Armandi just sent us an official, signed receipt for the purchase of 500 MID-560A tablet computers from OEM SMiT, along with a bank document proving they have been bought and (mostly) paid for. What happens now is threefold: The 250 buyers who held out receive a rebranded SMiT tablet, the 250 who didn't get their money back (anecdotal reports indicate refunds are underway), and the whole mess hopefully fades into obscurity, letting the three young entrepreneurs who brought us this niche Chinese device get on with their lives. See the slightly redacted proof Enso actually purchased these things, right after the break.
Jumper JK01-TT tablet enters the states with multitouch, 3G, Windows 7 (video)
Looking for a sweet, sweet tablet to compliment your GiPhone? The import/export folks at Ownta wholesale have recently dug up Jumper's JK01-TT, a 10.1-inch touchscreen device that features Windows 7, an Intel Atom N450 processor (667MHz) with GMA950 graphics, Realtek audio, 2GB RAM, 250GB SATA HDD, 2 megapixel camera, three USB ports, 4-in-1 card reader, HDMI out, WiFi b/g, and 3G. But wait, there's more: this bad boy ships with a wireless keyboard, mouse, and a stand (which you'll need -- this thing weighs in at well over 2.5 pounds). When you put it like that, it almost sounds like a netbook, don't it? Available now for $671. Video after the break.
ASUS Eee PC T101MT review
A really good netvertible -- that's all we want. No, not just a netbook with a touchscreen, but a device with a combination of solid ergonomics and performance in clamshell mode that can swivel into a really responsive tablet. It doesn't seem like too much to ask for, right? And after being disappointed by the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t, we really thought the $499 ASUS Eee PC T101MT -- with its multitouch screen, chiclet keyboard, and standard netbook organs -- could have been it. Keyword being could. But, as you may have guessed by now from our wistful tone, there are a few reasons this particular convertible netbook didn't turn out to be all peaches and cream. If you know what's good for you, you'll be hitting that read more link to find out what was this Eee lacking in our full review. %Gallery-91835%
Neofonie's WePad tablet shown to German journalists, seems legit (update: now with English!)
Though "Neofonie" is the most apt name for a vaporware company we've heard since "Phantom," it's looking like that very firm's 11.6-inch WePad tablet is actually the real deal. Fed up with all the skepticism it has received of late, the German firm just held a press conference in Berlin to show off a pair of working devices and allay our fears. Netbooknews.de was on the scene, and they took a pair of high-res videos that prove the tablets do, in fact, have a working (though somewhat laggy) touchscreen, and that fancy-pants vertical UI is quite functional. Full screen YouTube videos were choppy, but they played, and the Atom N450 CPU loaded OpenOffice and flipped through browser windows without a hitch. But don't take our word for it -- watch the whole 25-minute demonstration after the break, plus a bonus video from AndroidPIT. Then, if you'd be so kind, tell us what the nice company reps are saying. Update: AndroidPIT was kind enough to dub over their entire demo in English -- hear everything after the break.
Dell Sparta and Athens netbooks, Looking Glass Pro and Streak variants teased on Android roadmap
Good morning to you too, Dell! Android Central's just gotten hold of yet another leak from the Texan computer giant, only this time we have two new Android or Linux (as suggested by the Tux icon) Moblin devices. First, we have the Sparta "netbook tablet" featuring an 11-inch 1024 x 768 TFT display, ARM processor, optional connectivity modules (3G, WiFi, Bluetooth) and a unique swivel mechanism -- the screen appears to be rotatable within its frame. The second device is the Athens sub-0.9kg (1.98 pounds) netbook sporting the same screen size, ARM processor and optional connectivity modules. If all goes well, the Sparta and Athens should be launched in early and late Autumn respectively, but there's a lot more so keep reading after the break. Update: thanks for pointing out the Moblin logo, thoughtmonster!
Android Eee Pad to debut in June, could ship as early as July
We have more details on that impending Eee Pad for y'inz. Interested? Of course you are! Speaking at a conference in Taiwan, Asustek Computer chairman Jerry Shen recently announced that the device will get its official introduction at Computex 2010, the first week of June. With any luck, the thing will hit retail channels the third quarter of this year -- possibly as early as July, a DigiTimes' source reports. Shen said that the device is meant to be all the things that the iPad is not: expect Google Android, USB, an integrated webcam, and Flash, for starters. The aforementioned source went on to state that, after wireless provider subsidies are taken into effect, the thing should cost around $15,000-16,000 TD (or about $480-510).
Onda's Vi10 Android PMP sports Rockchip internals, 3G wireless
We haven't seen much of Rockchip's 600MHz, RK2808 processor for mobile devices outside of China and, while we're not entirely confident that this particular implementation will ever grace our retail shelves, it is nice to see that this semi-working prototype exists... somewhere. It's the Vi10 from Onda and it sits somewhere between a PMP and a tablet, sporting the same body as the company's earlier VX575, giving it a five-inch screen, but inside has that Rockchip processor powering an Android install. Connectivity is said to come courtesy of WiFi or 3G and, well, that's about all we know at this point -- perhaps, all we're likely to ever know. [Thanks, Shenoy]
HP takes chisel in hand, mulls over Android and Linux slates
Feelings about the leaked HP Slate notwithstanding, the company's already considering its tablet PC successors -- and if The New York Times' sources are right, they may be of Android and Linux varieties. Where the forthcoming HP Slate is, erm, slated to run Windows 7, The Grey Lady reported last week that a six-inch Android tablet was also on the way. Now, a prominent magazine editor reportedly tells the paper a Linux version may also be in development. For its part, HP isn't denying the claims. "I'm certain that we will be announcing new Slates in the future as they are a very interesting area for us," said media relations director Marlene Somsak, whose only added caveat was that HP isn't currently announcing an Android slate.
Archos 7 Home Tablet up for pre-order on Amazon for $199
The Archos 7 Home Tablet already went up for pre-order overseas last month, but it's now finally available to order over here as well courtesy of Amazon, with more retailers undoubtedly set to follow soon. While there's still no word on an exact release date (Archos has only said the "end of April"), the 7-inch tablet can now be ordered for $199.99, which is one of the more inexpensive ways to get a taste of Android without having to sign a contract. Still not sure what you might be getting into? Then be sure to check out our hands-on for a quick overview of the device. [Thanks, Ron]
