tabletpcs
Latest
Samsung starts mass-producing 4x faster mobile flash memory, kickstarts our phones and tablets
Samsung isn't content to leave fast NAND flash memory to traditional solid-state drives. Its Pro Class 1500 promises a big jolt to the performance of frequently pokey smartphone and tablet storage. By how much? That name is a clue -- it reaches 1,500 IOPS (inputs/outputs per second) when writing data, which along with 3,500 IOPS data reads is about four times faster than any previous embedded flash chip Samsung has tested. In the real world, that leads to as much as 140MB/s when reading data and 50MB/s for writes. The speed comes after Samsung has thrown virtually every trick in the book at its new chips, including a dense 20-nanometer manufacturing process, quick toggle DDR 2.0 memory with its own controller and a new JEDEC memory standard with 200MB/s of bandwidth to spare. Samsung hasn't named customers for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB parts that are rolling out of the factories, although we'd do well to remember that a flourishing phone business doesn't guarantee that the only major customer is Samsung itself: even in the face of legal challenges, Samsung still has at least one noteworthy client that tends to snap up much of its flash supply.
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.
ASUS Tablet 810 with Windows 8 transforms its way past the FCC
ASUS must want its Windows 8 tablet family to move together as one. The Tablet 810 has swung past the FCC just two days after a visit by its younger brother, the Tablet 600. While not what we'd call a stunning revelation, the filing for the 810 (as the TF810C) shows a WiFi-only device with the expected NFC for quick peripheral syncing. The 11.6-inch transforming slate is still devoid of a few key details in spite of having its wireless life laid bare -- namely, if and when it reaches the US. Clearing the approval hurdle, however, leaves few obstacles to ASUS being one of the first out of the gate with an Intel-based Windows 8 tablet after October 26th rolls around.
Archos Arnova GBook heads to the FCC, may have literary ambitions
Archos makes regular stops at the FCC. We know this. When it passes an Arnova-badged device called the GBook through the US agency, though, that piques our interest. The name immediately suggests a reading-friendly Android tablet in the vein of the Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet, but there's not much in the way of imagery and details to make a definitive judgment call. The hand-friendly small design and the 802.11n WiFi inside only fuel those suspicions, however. We don't see clues in the testing as to when the Arnova GBook might reach stores; that said, the looming back-to-school and holiday seasons may have some sway in getting the device to bookworms sooner rather than later.
Is HP showing the Slate 8 in its latest commercial? (video)
HP has acknowledged that it's been working on a Windows 8 tablet; it just hasn't mentioned whether or not the rumored Slate 8 is part of its plans. Imagine our surprise, then, when we're told that HP's 60-second "Make It Matter" commercial ends with an unannounced yet familiar-looking tablet right at the 56-second mark. There's only a fleeting glimpse, but it shows a metallic-looking body with a large black antenna window -- the combination of which would fit in with the Slate 8's purported aesthetics. We've asked HP whether or not this is a clever teaser for a real product or just as conceptual as the rest of the ad, and we'll let you know if we hear back on the subject. In the meantime, you can inspect the video evidence for yourself after the break. [Thanks, Brian]
North Korean media reports North Koreans love North Korean tablet
Remember those futuristic PCs we reported North Korea was producing last year? Well now the Democratic People's Republic has unveiled a seven-inch flagship tablet called the Achim (Morning). Understandably, we don't know what's inside this 0.66-pound (300g) device with a five-hour battery life, but it's apparently very popular with local students. There's no word on the OS either, but a touch-friendly build of the homegrown Linux variant Red Star would make sense. Although unconfirmed, sources suggest internet connectivity is wholly absent, with a pre-loaded selection of fun, state-approved content available instead. Eager to get your hands on a Kim Jong-unPad? Well, you can't.
Apple wins stay on having to post 'Samsung did not copy' notice
Apple's pride can stay intact for at least a little while longer: the company successfully won a stay on a UK ruling that would have it post notices clearing Samsung's name in the wake of the two tech giants' patent dispute in the country. Apple now won't have to face any kind of public flogging unless it loses an appeal on the non-infringement verdict, which is due to be heard in October. Not surprisingly, the iPad creator doesn't want its own site to become a billboard promoting someone else's work. The decision makes Samsung's victory that much more bittersweet -- along with losing that instant satisfaction from a humbled Apple, it still has to accept a verdict that claims the Galaxy Tab supposedly isn't cool enough to have been an imitation.
Google Handwrite lets us scribble our way through mobile searches (video)
Not eager to hunt and peck on a keyboard? Google Handwrite is here: the search engine's mobile pages will now let you draw letters on the page to conduct searches with the writing method you learned before this whole computer fad took hold. There's no special plugin required -- it's just the flick of a settings switch. As long as you've got an Android 2.3 or later phone, an Android 4.0 tablet or an iOS 5 device of any sort, you can immediately remind yourself of just how much you've forgotten about handwriting since elementary school while you're searching for the local sushi restaurant.
Strategy Analytics: iPad keeps riding high in Q2 tablet market share, Android doesn't budge
The Apple iPad may as well be called the Teflon Tablet for now, since challengers can't quite stick. Thanks to those 17 million iPads shipped in the second quarter, Strategy Analytics estimates that Apple held on to the 68 percent of tablet market share that IDC credited to the company in the previous season. That may not sound like a change in the status quo, but it's a significant jump from the 62 percent Apple had a year ago -- and not very good news for anyone else. Android is still holding on at 29.3 percent, although that's slightly underwhelming given the surge of extra devices in that time frame. The real hurt was dished out to Windows 7 tablets and "others" like RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, both of whom were cut down to just 1.2 points of share each in the spring. We'll see if the newer crowd moves the needle for Android in the summer, although the well-received Nexus 7's current scarcity won't help its chances -- and both Microsoft as well as RIM are in holding patterns for the next several months.
Apple to present at Black Hat conference for first time, talk about iOS' padlocks
Apple is taking a different, more cautious tack when it comes to security these days. That doesn't make it any less surprising that the company is planning to give a presentation at the Black Hat conference: the company will have someone on stage for the first time and won't just socialize in the corridors. When he takes to the podium on July 26th, platform security manager Dallas De Atley will go into detail regarding iOS' security measures in front of an audience used to finding a way around them. The company hasn't said whether that involves current or future technology; we suspect that Apple may be eager to show what iOS 6 brings to the table, however. If it all goes down like Black Hat general manager Trey Ford says it will, Apple may both open up a bit on security and set more of the agenda this week -- instead of letting conference goers set it themselves.
Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 quietly goes on sale as the Gobots of transforming tablets
Lenovo's 10-inch IdeaTab S2 was one of the belles of its CES ball in offering a distinctly Transformer Pad-like experience for those not beholden to ASUS' view of the world. While there wasn't much attention given to the Android 4.0 tablet outside of the FCC filing we saw last month, it's getting its time to shine at last: the device is now sitting on Lenovo's virtual shelves as the S2110. The 10.1-inch slate's selling point remains its (strictly optional) keyboard dock, which supplies a trackpad, an SD slot, USB and 10 extra hours of battery life to keep that movie marathon going. Even if you have no intention of constructing the Gobot to ASUS' Transformer original, though, the S2110 is still a big leap over the so-so S2109 from the spring. A 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon APQ8060A, a rear 5-megapixel camera and a landscape 1,280 x 800 screen are all incentives to pay the premium over the S2110's budget predecessor. Not that there will be much of a premium to pay -- despite setting a $449 official price, Lenovo is already discounting the S2110 to as little as $343. That's low enough to lure the cost-conscious away from the Transformer Pad elephant in the room, even if it reminds us of relatives that always bought us the cheaper robot toys when we were kids. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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.
Qantas to hand out free iPads to all passengers on Boeing 767s, save fuel and our sanity (video)
Qantas just upped the ante for its Australian counterparts Jetstar and Virgin in the airline tablet wars. Following an earlier trial, the transporter plans to hand out free iPads to all of its passengers -- not just the high-flyers in business-class, like with Jetstar's iPads or Virgin's Galaxy Tabs -- on every Boeing 767 aircraft in the fleet. The rollout, which starts in the last quarter of the year, will let those bored in the back seats watch an equally free 200 hours' worth of QStreaming audio and video. Don't confuse the gesture with a sudden bout of altruism on Qantas' part, however. The pound-and-a-half weight of a current iPad sheds the tremendous amount of weight that would normally be needed for a conventional in-flight entertainment system built into the headrest, which on a typical 375-seat 767 could see the iPads pay for themselves within years, if not sooner. The option will give many Aussies something to look forward to for their domestic summer vacations. In the meantime, hop past the break for a Qantas video explaining how QStreaming worked during the original trial run.
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.
Microsoft delves into Windows 8 touchscreen keyboard design, wants us to be extra-comfy
Microsoft has lately become big on touchscreens -- sometimes, really big -- which makes it only natural that the company would want to explore Windows 8's on-screen keyboard in detail. As User Experience team member Kit Knox explains, the company has made an about-face from the days of unceremoniously foisting touch on a desktop OS. Windows 8's keyboard is not only optimized for fingers, but accommodates the little subtleties that others might miss, like the typical postures for tablet use and our tendencies to frequently hit certain wrong keys. The crew at Redmond ultimately hopes to bring out all the advantages of touchscreen keyboards while reminding us of some creature comforts from old-fashioned physical buttons. The surest way to understand Microsoft's keyboard research will likely be to pick up a Surface tablet this fall, but those of us who can't wait to put fingers on real glass can hop over to Knox's all-encompassing overview at the source link.
German court rules Motorola Xoom doesn't violate Apple's iPad design patent
Apple filed a stealth lawsuit last summer alleging that the Motorola Xoom violated the design patent that underpins the iPad. While Apple has had some success leveling its big patent gun against Samsung, the same can't be said for Motorola: a German court just declared that the reference Android tablet doesn't infringe on Apple's design claim. The ruling isn't a complete win for Motorola, however, as the court wouldn't invalidate the patent -- it could theoretically be leveled against other tablets in the future. The loss will still sting for Apple, which now has to resort to a multi-touch patent claim (among others) if it wants to make Motorola feel the heat in Mannheim.
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.
Nexus 7 pre-orders ship to some customers -- has yours?
It could be a trickle or a torrent, but reports are coming in that Google is shipping the first Nexus 7 pre-orders to those customers who pulled the trigger at the Google Play Store while the I/O keynote seats were still warm. Third-party retailers Adorama and Ebuyer also briefly started selling the Jelly Bean tablet, although they're now known to have jumped the gun: both were told by Google to freeze sales until at least Sunday. The word of an imminent arrival is no doubt music to the ears of those who thought that even the three-week wait was interminable. Still, we'd like to know whether yours is truly on its way or if that $199, ASUS-made Android dream will have to wait a little longer. %Poll-76356%
HTC Vertex pops up in benchmarks, might bring a slice of One X muscle to tablets
HTC has been stoking the fires of anticipation for its return to tablets, and that small flame is quickly turning into a full conflagration. A slab nicknamed the Vertex has surfaced in benchmarks with a 1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 and a 1,280 x 752 usable resolution that's noticeably wider than the similarly Tegra 3-equipped One X's 720p display. Other than Android 4.0 (and a probably Sense 4.0), however, there's scant else to go on. The last murmurs of a Vertex from the fall had it carrying a rear 2-megapixel camera and a front 1.3-megapixel shooter, but it's been long enough now that we wouldn't count on that still being true -- or that the new benchmarks necessarily reflect what we might get. Let's just hope that the resulting device is more competitive than the pricey Jetstream.
Toshiba unites PC, tablet and TV design groups, aims for hub of digital harmony
Toshiba is one of the few Japanese tech giants to be riding high from a cash standpoint, but the company is still looking for ways to trim the fat -- not to mention get some fresh design in the process. The firm is merging the design team for its Regza TVs into the same western Tokyo facility that houses its PC and tablet groups. While there's a certain amount of cost-cutting involved, the shift will help "fusion products," Toshiba says, where TV influences PCs and tablets (or vice versa) like so much chocolate getting into peanut butter. The only amount of discord left might be in Toshiba's TV production, where quality and production controls are being outsourced and more of the production itself is leaving Japan. As much as we'd argue that the Excite 13 is almost too much like a TV to begin with, we'll only find out whether or not there's merit to Toshiba's design nirvana after the groups get cozy with each other later this year.
