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HTC Endeavor specs revealed in leaked ROM: Tegra 3, 720p, Sense 4.0 (update: screenshots)
HTC fans spent the last couple of days (i.e., their weekend) unpicking a leaked ROM Update Utility for an officially non-existent handset called the 'Endeavor.' The specs revealed so far include a 1280 x 720 display spread over 4.7-inches, a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, eight-megapixel rear shooter, front-facing camera, NFC, 1GB RAM and the new ICS-adapted version of HTC's Sense UI. These leaked specs tally with an earlier tip-off to MoDaCo, which further hinted at a 1.5GHz clock speed and Beats Audio. There's also a bunch of screenshots showing off the Sense 4.0 skin that we already glimpsed in a fuzzy HTC Ville video -- and it conspires to look both new and deeply familiar.Update: Screenshot gallery just added below, via Android Central.
Acer Iconia Tab A510 to hit European retailers this April?
Amidst the madness that was CES, Acer quietly snuck its Iconia Tab A510 onto the showroom floor, tucking the tablet into the folds of NVIDIA's booth. While the company was more than willing to fess up to the slate's specs -- quad-core Tegra 3 processor, skinned Ice Cream Sandwich UX, 1280 x 800 display -- little in the way of pricing and availability were revealed. If a report out of Germany is to be believed, however, Europeans (sorry, statesiders) might very well see the 10.1-incher hit retail as early as this April, with a €500 price tag in tow. That's all the rumor mill's wrought for now, folks, but we'll keep you posted should the news go official at CeBIT 2012.
LG X3 supposedly leaks, to challenge HTC Edge as first quad-core phone?
Your next tablet is going to rock a quad-core chip, so why not stuff that same silicon into your next phone too? Per PocketNow, that's apparently what LG has up its sleeve with the forthcoming X3. Evidently, the four-core Tegra 3 device will also tote a 1280 x 720 4.7-inch display, 16GB of storage, Ice Cream Sandwich and NFC all in a svelte 9mm package. The whispers didn't stop there, of course, indicating it'll also wield 21Mbps HSPA support coupled with 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0. So will the X3 be the world's first quad-core phone, much in the vein of LG's G2X that preceded it? Or will it be beaten to the punch by HTC and Samsung? Here's to hoping we'll find out at MWC.
Acer Iconia Tab A510 hands-on (video)
The follow-up to last year's Acer Iconia Tab A500 -- aptly named the A510 -- is hanging out in the NVIDIA booth at CES. The 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 display (the same one on the A500) comes with Android 4.0 on board, alongside a 5MP rear camera and 2MP front-facing cam. The tablet feels lighter than its predecessor (as it should, since it loses the USB 2.0 port), and we prefer the soft-touch plastic backing to aluminum finish on the last-gen model. What's most interesting about the A510, though, is not the fact that it has Ice Cream Sandwich pre-loaded, but that it has a custom UI, similar to what you'll find on the Honeycomb-packing A200. Thankfully, Acer's choice of skinning is low-key, and makes for an enjoyable, unobtrusive experience. First off, the UI is very ring-centric: tapping a virtual button in the middle of the task bar launches a ring with four customizable shortcuts, as well as a carousel on the right. Additionally, the lock screen offers a similar circular batch of four direct-access points, rather than the stock two. We appreciate that Acer isn't looking to add a full fifteen pieces of flare to its proprietary user interface. To see some more of the Tab, we've got a gallery of photos below, along with a short walk-through video after the break.
ZTE T98 ICS tablet hands-on (video)
We'll admit: in addition to playing with tons of cool gadgets, one of the elements that makes CES fun is the challenge of actually finding these gems in the first place. Such was the case with the ZTE T98, a 7-inch Tegra 3-powered tablet running stock Android 4.0 that was lurking in a booth without any marketing material to establish its identity. Branded as a China Mobile device, the T98 offers a 1,280 x 800 WXGA display, NVIDIA's quad-core CPU underclocked at 1.3GHz, 1GB of RAM, a 5MP rear camera with no LED flash and 1080p HD video capture, a 1.3MP front-facing cam and 4,000mAh battery. Ultimately it has the same fingerprint-loving chrome edges and rubberized back, and appears to have changed very little in overall looks. There's no word on availability or pricing yet. For some extra angles and a full video, head on down.
NVIDIA Windows 8 developer tablet eyes-on
Have you been itchin' for another taste of Windows 8 on a tablet? Well, NVIDIA obliged us with a developer model of a Tegra 3-powered slate. We'd seen a nondescript device with Intel's touch at BUILD in the Series 7 and now we've caught a glimpse of some NVIDIA handiwork alongside Microsoft's upcoming OS. Notice the three sensors on the back side. We presume those may outfit 3D camera of some sort along with flash. Of course, nothing here is guaranteed to make it on the final product. Naturally, not too many other details were offered, but you can take a look a few pics below. And start the not-so-patient wait for a consumer model to add to your wish list.
NVIDIA announces DirectTouch technology for Tegra 3 tablets, promises a smoother touch experience
You'd think that with Tegra 3 shipping in the Transformer Prime and all, we'd know everything there is to know about the new SoC. Apparently not. NVIDIA just announced DirectTouch, a technology exclusive to its Tegra 3 platform that uses that bonus fifth core for to improve touch detection. So what does a low-power core have to do with the touch experience, you say? Essentially, what's going on is NVIDIA's PRISM Display technology separates color and backlight intensity to save battery life while preserving fidelity. In a demo, the technology looked mighty smooth, though we'll need to get hands-on ourselves and see the technology in action for more than five seconds before we can weigh in on its utility. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
NVIDIA and ASUS tease 7-inch Tegra 3 tablet with ICS and $249 price tag
You know things are about to get crazy when NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang and ASUS Chairman Jerry Shen are onstage at the same time. Here at NVIDIA's CES press conference, the two men just flashed a 7-inch Tegra 3 tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich. And guess what? It's going to cost $249! Got that? The same price as the much-slower, lesser-specced Nook Tablet. Given that the point of this brief tease was to prove how inexpensive tablets with current-gen innards can be, the men didn't dally with details like availability or even a product name. If these price wars continue, though, we'd almost rather ASUS take its time before sending this to market -- who knows what else we're going to see in the $250 range over the coming months? Update: It seems to be the MeMO 370T we saw earlier today, which means this slab is sporting an 8 megapixel camera, to boot. Billy Steele contributed to this report.
Exclusive: Fujitsu's Arrows prototype, new quad-core Tegra 3 smartphone eyes-on (video)
We've been hitting Fujitsu phones for a while, looking in awe at the super-thin gear that remained firmly in the hands of the Japanese. Fortunately the Consumer Electronics Show is the perfect time for the company to further tease us with a product that might just make a trip to the west. Yesterday we got our mitts onto the Arrows Mu and today we've got a really special exclusive: a first look at the prototype of the quad-core packing Arrows super-phone. So, what delights are tucked inside and is this going to be the phone of 2012? Head on past the break to find out.
ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ME171, ME370T and high-end Transformer Prime TF700T revealed
Flustered with the original Transformer Prime you just purchased? We'd advise you to have a seat. ASUS just took the wraps off an all new Transformer Prime (the TF700T) here at CES, which is presumably designed to rival Acer's newly-announced Iconia Tab A700. Notably, this guy won't be an outright replacement for the existing TF201 model; it's simply an upmarket alternative for those tired of the same specs over and over again. Speaking of, let's dive under the hood of this one, shall we? It's a 10.1-incher with NVIDIA's Tegra 3 within (1.3GHz quad-core Cortex A9), a Super IPS+ / Gorilla Glass 10.1-inch display with a downright silly 1,920 x 1,200 resolution (watch out, Lenovo!) and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage space. There's also an 8 megapixel rear camera / 2 megapixel front-facing cam, support for 1080p playback, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a micro-HDMI port, microSD card reader, a 25WHr Lithium-Polymer battery and a chassis that weighs just over a pound. It'll ship with Android 4.0.1 onboard (yeah, that's Ice Cream Sandwich), and will be compatible with the exact same keyboard dock as the existing Prime. Needless to say, ASUS is aiming for the stars with a build sheet like this, and the $599 to $699 retail price points enable you to know it. It'll land next quarter here in North America, and no, there's no GPS functionality listed on the spec sheet after the break; though we've been informed that this new Prime will come with a new back panel design (pictured after the break) that should enhance WiFi, BT and GPS performance. Moving onto more diminutive offerings, the Eee Pad MeMO (ME171) that we saw months ago is getting a formal reveal here in Las Vegas, boasting a 7-inch WXGA (1,280 x 800) IPS capacitive touchpanel, a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8260 processor, a gigabyte of memory, 16GB / 32GB of storage, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 1.2 megapixel front / 5 megapixel rear camera (with 1080p recording), an A-GPS sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor and a micro-USB port. There's a 4,400mAh Li-polymer battery reportedly good for some 8.5 hours of video playback, and it'll be Android 4.0.1 running the show. The unit checks in with dimensions of 7.8- x 4.6- x 0.50-inches (and a weight of 14.2 ounces), and while mum's the word on price (sadly), it'll supposedly ship in Q2 to North American adobes.
Lenovo LePad K2010 (IdeaTab K2) hands-on: 1.7GHz Tegra 3, full HD IPS display (updated)
Remember our lovely leak of Lenovo's Tegra 3 tablet from last November? Well, it showed up here at CES under the LePad K2010 moniker for China, while elsewhere it'll likely be known as the IdeaTab K2. We won't comment much on the unfinished software (so no luck with controlling the cursor using the fingerprint scanner on the back), but build quality wise we enjoyed the faux brushed metal cover on the back, and similarly, the sharp 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display between the speakers was very impressive (yes, we double-checked with Lenovo on these numbers).We also received confirmation that the camera on the back has an eight-megapixel resolution, but obviously we'll wait and see if the picture quality lives up to expectation. Alas, there's still no word on availability, but regardless, China will get first dibs on this juicy quad-core slate. On the bright side, this should give ample time for potential buyers to save up -- the K2010 is aimed at high-end business users, after all. Hands-on video after the break.Update: Fresh info straight from Beijing tells us that the K2010's clock speed's been given a gentle bump from 1.6GHz to 1.7GHz. And those speakers sandwiching the display? Those are what Lenovo calls "Super Surround Speaker (3S)" that consists of four drivers. We're also told to expect a charging station.
Acer Iconia Tab A700 hands-on (updated: now with more video!)
So, the mystery quad-core tablet shown off by Acer at CES has a name... kinda. The Tegra 3-powered unit is the oft rumored and leaked Iconia Tab A700, though, we were told repeatedly that this is just a technology demo and not a consumer product -- so don't be surprised if you never see an A700 come to market. Underneath the hood is a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 and a full gig of RAM for pushing a customized version of Ice Cream Sandwich to its 10.1-inch 1080p "IPS quality" panel. The most glaring difference between Google's stock experience and Acer's version of Android is the "ring" -- a lockscreen launcher with a selection of shortcuts available depending on which direction you drag your finger in. The textured back felt quite nice to the fingers, though it sports a healthy amount of heft that might worry some fans of lightweight devices. As far as ports go, you're looking at an HDMI-port, microSD and micro USB -- the latter of which can actually be used to charge the device. Huzzah! (Update: After originally telling us the tablet could be charged via micro USB they came back to us and said they had to double check that one). Check out the gallery below for a few more impressions. Update: Head on after the break for a quick hands-on video.
Acer's next-gen, quad-core Iconia Tab introduced at CES 2012 with a 1080p display
Acer's finishing up its CES 2012 presser with a teaser to end all teasers: there's a next-generation, quad-core Iconia Tab on the way. The Android-based slate will be powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3 and will boast a native 1080p (!) display, leaving us to believe that it'll be a 10.1-inch panel that you're staring at. Sadly, the company didn't give any extra details (no price, no release date), but we'll be digging for more as the day continues. Update: Turns out it'll be dubbed the Iconia Tab A700, and it'll ship with a 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3, 1GB of RAM, a 10.1-inch "IPS-quality" 1080p display (!) and a customized version of Ice Cream Sandwich. HDMI and micro-USB ports are also included, as is a microSD card slot. Check out our hands-on with the device here!
ASUS now catching heat for locked Transformer Prime bootloader, probably wishes the thing was never made
Man, talk about not being able to catch a break. After launching what was largely considered the first Android tablet worth drooling over at AsiaD, ASUS has ran into every conceivable issue in the months since. Delays, on-again / off-again claims about GPS and now, a locked bootloader that has the vocal Android modding community all sorts of angry. The primary issue here is that the Prime is a WiFi-only device, which leaves little room for ASUS to justify its decision to thwart the use of uncertified ROMs. Of course, HTC has faced similar pressures in the past, and its decision to cut loose of the locked bootloader chains won it universal praise from a universal audience. Time for ASUS to step up and do likewise?
ASUS delays Transformer Prime's release until WiFi fix is found (update: Prime to be released the week of 12/19)
If you were hoping to get you hands on a Transformer Prime this month, prepare to be disappointed. After hearing rumors of the ASUS slate's delay due to Wifi issues, we've now received confirmation from ASUS Canada via one of our tipsters. The company says that "the WiFi range on the TF201 did not meet our quality standards" and that it will not release the product until the wireless is up to snuff. In order to combat the issue, ASUS "will be implementing a new solution," though it declined to elaborate on what the solution would be. Naturally, no timetable for the Transformer Prime's release was provided either. So, if you jumped on the pre-order, let us know if you've heard the same song and dance from ASUS in the comments below. [Thanks, George] Update: We heard back from ASUS US and were told the Prime is still scheduled for release the week of 12 / 19.
ASUS Transformer Prime origami-style Smart Cover is ready for its closeup (video)
ASUS Taiwan's been busy updating its Facebook with pictures of all its BFFs, completing the 30-day music challenge and posting a video of the Transformer Prime's new origami-style smart cover. Slotting into two hook-holes on the side of the bezel, it folds into a cunning stand that props the tablet at a variety of angles -- disconnecting with a gentle pull (and a slightly sickening metallic scraping noise). After which, it probably posted a message about wanting an unlike button and played some Farmville. If you wanna see how easy the cover is to position, head on past the break to watch it in action in glorious high definition. [Thanks, dy4me]
Asus PadFone with Tegra 3 coming in early 2012
Just as we were settling down to another calm and banterful Engadget Mobile Podcast, our special guest had to go and throw us some hard news. Yup, and rather than making you sit through the entire two-hour recording (pleasant as that would be), we're just going to come right out with it: Nicole Scott from netbooknews.com has it on good authority that the Asus PadFone will be coming out at MWC 2012 in February. What's more, it won't be powered by a Qualcomm Krait S4 as suggested by that strange GLBenchmark we saw earlier -- it will in fact sport a Tegra 3, just like its highly capable big bro the Transformer Prime. See? That's the kind of juicy reward our podcast listeners get for tuning in each week.
Acer riding shotgun on quad-core bandwagon, confirms Tegra 3 tablet coming next year
The web was rife with scuttlebutt yesterday that the artist formerly known as Kal-el would make an appearance in an Acer slate next year. In response, Acer's President Jim Wong has confirmed that the company will, indeed, be bringing a quad-core tablet to market in 2012. Unfortunately, Wong failed to mention any other details about Acer's next Android slate, though he did say the company plans to "remain very aggressive" on the tablet front. We're not sure what that means, but we do know we can't wait to see the results of that aggression -- who's up for a quad-core cage match between the unnamed Acer and a Transformer Prime?
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime review
Is there any tablet that's hotter than the Transformer Prime right now? (Please, don't say the Kindle Fire.) For weeks we geeks, early adopters and people who love their tech toys have been awaiting this, and none too patiently. Make no mistake: this will be one of the slickest products we test this year and it isn't just because the original Transformer had such an inventive design. The Prime is the first device packing NVIDIA's hot-off-the-presses Tegra 3 SoC, making it the world's first quad-core tablet. This comes with promises of longer-than-ever runtime and blazing performance (five times faster than Tegra 2, to be exact), all wrapped in a package measuring just 8.3mm (0.33 inches) thick -- even skinnier than the iPad 2 or Galaxy Tab 10.1. Throw in specs like a Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass display, eight megapixel rear camera and a confirmed ICS update in the pipe and even we seen-it-all Engadget editors were drooling. All of which means we dropped just everything when a 32GB Prime showed up on our doorstep earlier this week, and soon enough, you'll have your chance to nab one too. ASUS announced today that the WiFi-only models will be available through online sellers the week of December 19th, and in retail the week after. (No word yet on 3G versions for the US just yet.) It'll start at $499 for the 32GB model -- not bad considering five hundred bucks is the going rate for a high-end tablet with 16GB of storage. From there you can get a 64GB number for $599, while that signature keyboard dock will set you back a further $149. Worth it? Read on to find out. %Gallery-140706%
Acer, Lenovo looking to release Tegra 3-equipped tablets in early 2012
For now ASUS' Transformer Prime is the lonely king of the quad-core tablet hill, but as we'd heard a few weeks back, it looks like it'll have company soon enough. Insider sources have reported to DigiTimes that you'll be able to snag a nifty Android tablet with a quad-core GPU for between $459 and $599 in 2012. Acer and Lenovo are apparently set to target Apple's iPad tablet as well as ASUS with NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 GPU tablets running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) in the first quarter of 2012. These sources also stated that since neither Acer nor Lenovo have a direct advantage over Apple or Amazon's tablet devices, they'd only be competing for about 10 to 15 percent of the total PC tablet market. And yes, there are mathematical formulas that prove that owning a reasonably priced tablet with a quad-core GPU does make you the coolest kid on the block.
