WiFi-only
Latest
Sony could launch its Xperia Z Ultra phone as a WiFi-only 'tablet'
We've seen many a tablet turn into a road warrior -- or even a huge phone -- with the addition of a SIM card. A phone becoming a tablet is a much scarcer transformation, but if any device can make that switch, it's Sony's nearly iPad mini-sized 6.44-inch, 1080p Xperia Z Ultra handset. A variation of that model (the SGP412) has appeared at the FCC packing a Snapdragon 800 MSM8074 SoC processor sans mobile baseband radio, normally used in WiFi-only tablet variants. New application photos of a half-submerged test model show it to be just as dunkable as before, while still packing 2GB of RAM, 32GB of memory, a microSD slot, 3,000mAh battery and an 8-megapixel camera. There's no official word about the device, let alone pricing and a launch date, but when it does come, it'll likely need to beat the mini's $399 sticker -- nearly half the Xperia Z Ultra's off-contract price.
Samsung rolls out Android 3.2 (again) to Galaxy Tab 10.1, fixes what it broke
And just like that, the Honeycomb begins to drizzle anew. It took Sammy a few days to sort things out after an available Android 3.2 update broke WiFi, Bluetooth and auto-rotate on some users' 10.1 slates. But now official word from the company has that planned OTA software upgrade aiming for a round two redux, rolling out with a fix in tow for affected tabs. Of course, if you were one of the few besot with crippled connectivity issues, you can download the software via the Kies desktop app and sideload it from there. So, no need to worry. Your happy tablet days are here again.
Samsung adds another WiFi-only Series 5 Chromebook, on sale now for $349 (updated)
After Samsung released its Series 5 Chromebook, lots of you said you'd buy it -- if Sammy slashed the asking price in half. Well, we're not there yet, but the company did just unveil another WiFi-only version, this time with a more palatable MSRP of $349 and a slightly tweaked version of Chrome OS to match. (It has a black lid, too, in case that snow white number was too precious for you.) To recap, it has a bright, matte 12.1-inch (1280 x 800) display, a dual-core Intel Atom CPU, two USB 2.0 ports and a memory card slot. And design-wise, at least, it's a step up from most netbooks, with a comfortable keyboard and surprisingly solid 0.8-inch-thick chassis. In any case, if you were planning on picking one up for the Chrome OS lover in your life (or, you know, the low-tech person who only ever uses a web browser anyway), it's on sale now at the likes of Best Buy, Amazon, NewEgg and Tigerdirect. Update: Not to be outdone, Acer just sent out a press release announcing it's cut the price of its AC700 Chromebook. It'll now cost $299 for the WiFi-only version (down from $349) and $399 for the Verizon Wireless 3G model (it had been $449).
WiFi-only Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets Android 3.2 update, loses WiFi connectivity (updated)
Anxious to get that Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi model updated with a fresh dose Android 3.2? You might want to hold your horses. It seems users are encountering a host of issues, including a lack of WiFi connectivity -- pretty essential for a WiFi-only device. In addition, auto-rotate functions no longer work correctly and a few have noticed Bluetooth loss (pun fully intended). Some are reporting that the download is failing after a partial install and a hard reset doesn't offer a fix. It seems what was supposed to be a sweet Honeycomb treat is leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of early adopters. Have you tried to install the upgrade for your Galaxy Tab 10.1? Let us know how it went in the comments below, but please -- keep the swearing to a minimum. Update: We've received word from Samsung Mobile that the upgrade has been pulled until the issues can be resolved. The company has confirmed that there is a problem with the update and is working actively to find a solution. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus WiFi hitting the US November 13th for $400, available in 16GB for now
Nearly a month after its initial announcement, Samsung's ready to deliver the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to the good ol' US of A just in time for the winter gift-giving season. The WiFi-only device, which packs a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM, Android 3.2, 3MP camera with 720p HD video capture and a 7-inch LCD with 1024 x 600 resolution, will be begging for your credit card as of November 13th at Best Buy, Amazon and other retailers. Are you an early adopter? No prob -- you'll have the opportunity to pre-order yours at "select retailers" this coming Sunday, though no specific outlets were called out by name. The 16GB is the only version arriving so far, but Sammy told us to expect the 32GB flavor later this year or early 2012 (likely for $499, if yesterday's brief appearance on Amazon is any indicator). No word on partnerships with carriers yet, but we'll keep you posted on any updates. View the press release in all its glory below.
PlayStation Vita is coming February 22nd, start saving now
Well folks, the wait is over. Sony has announced that the PlayStation Vita will be hitting shelves February 22nd at retailers in the US, Canada, Latin America and Europe. In addition to all your favorite gaming titles and a pocket filled with 512MB of RAM, you'll be able to chat it up with your fellow assassins cross-game or via Facebook, Foursquare, Skype and Twitter. If that's not enough, the 5-inch OLED display, dual analog sticks, dual cameras, and front and rear touch panel should be enough get you amped for a Call of Duty campaign on the handheld device. Keep in mind: this bad boy will sport 3G from AT&T for $299 or you can snag the WiFi-only model for $249. If you're looking for more details, hit that source link below.
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.
Google I/O Galaxy Tabs get Google Movies update, VIP treatment
Lucky enough to snag one of those coveted white Galaxy Tab 10.1s from Google I/O? If so, tablet life is about to get a little bit sweeter. Google Movies is now an update away, making video rentals from The Goog mere moments from reality on your slate. Don't get your hopes up though... this isn't an update to Android 3.2, nor is it the TouchWiz UX update that will be rolling out at a NYC event later this week. Keep in mind these Google-fied Galaxy Tabs are Wifi-only devices, which typically receive updates like this far later than their 3G brethren -- making this download a bit peculiar. Regardless of its irregularity, those with the limited edition tablet can now catch up on all those Harry Potter flicks on the go, before their jealous pals with the standard model can.
HP TouchPad veers into stores early, flaunts its webOS moves (video)
Dying to get your hands on HP's TouchPad before it's available on July 1st? According to Pre Central, a visit to either Best Buy or Walmart may afford you the opportunity. During the past few days, the stores have apparently begun quietly displaying demo-loaded versions of the slate. The device went up for pre-order about a week ago, but for webOS hopefuls still contemplating whether to take the Palm-rooted plunge, a pre-release impression may not be a bad grab between socks and motor oil. Don't feel like taking a trip to Wally World, you say? You'll find a video overview past the break; although the box to the left has us wondering if now's a good time for getting lucky...
Another Samsung WiFi Galaxy Tab 10.1 hits the FCC, this time dubbed GT-P7310
This week brought news that Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 would be released into the wild in just a few days. Today, a WiFi tablet from the Korean company made its way through the FCC bearing model number GT-P7310. Which, you see, is slightly different from the GT-P7510 moniker we saw in another FCC filing earlier this month, and this ended up being the limited edition 10.1 passed out at Google I/O. While some may think that this could well be the 8.9-inch version of Sammy's Android tablet, the above drawing is actually identical to the previous one bar the extra text at the bottom, so our money's on 10.1 again -- maybe this variant is destined for other countries? We shall see. Update: A bit more digging found a pair of 10.1-inchers demonstrated in Monaco with models listed as the GT-P7300 (a WiFi plus 3G Galaxy Tab 10.1) and GT-P7310, which, you guessed it, is a WiFi-only version.
Barnes & Noble selling Nooks for $99 on eBay
What do you do just before you decide to upgrade your old device with some new hotness? You sell the old stuff on eBay, right? Well, B&N doesn't seem to have any better ideas than you as it's started offering its classic Nook e-reader for $99 on the online auction site, undercutting its own price by $50. This is the WiFi-only dual-screen unit, as you might surmise, not the Color tablet that's been treading dangerously close to being a fully fledged Android slate. If you're an E Ink loyalist on a budget, this might just be the opportunity you've been waiting for, though don't blame us if Barnes & Noble comes up with a fancier, more lustworthy model in the time it takes for that free delivery to reach your door. [Thanks, Sheldon]
HTC Flyer lands at Best Buy on May 22nd for $500, Magic Pen sold separately
The 16GB-equipped, 7-inch Flyer from HTC is making its way west this week. Best Buy, which gets the honor of exclusively launching the WiFi-only Android tablet in the US, has revealed Sunday as the official first day of availability for the Flyer, at a price of $500. As you'll recall, the stylus that ships in the retail box just about everywhere else will be markedly missing from the Best Buy bundle, costing an extra $80 to those who simply must have it. You'll be able to purchase your Flyer online and at all brick-and-mortar Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores, but if mobile connectivity is more important to you, we'd advise holding out a little while longer for the 3G- and 4G-capable Evo View variety on Sprint.
WiFi-only Motorola Xoom won't have Movies right away, Canadian Xooms getting SD support someday
If you're the proud owner of a Motorola Xoom, you will get Android 3.1, but we're afraid the timing and features included in that update may depend on where you reside and which one you bought. For instance, while both Verizon 3G and WiFi-only Xooms in the United States are seeing the latest Honeycomb slowly trickle in right now, Motorola says that the WiFi version won't have movie rentals available immediately after the update. What's more, though the new hotness doesn't seem to bring microSD card support to US devices, Motorola says that Canadian models will get that exact functionality "soon." What if you don't live in North America at all? We're afraid we can't tell you.
WiFi Galaxy Tab running on an older CPU than its 3G siblings?
If you bought a WiFi-only Galaxy Tab, you probably assumed you were getting the same seven-inch slate that others have been enjoying since November, just without a 3G radio and burdensome two-year contract. Turns out it's worth poring over those specifications on the rear of the packaging. We've yet to get a confirmation from Samsung, but it appears the company swapped out its Hummingbird processor for an older "1GHz Cortex A8" chip with a slower GPU. The Galaxy Tab carriers have been hawking packs a PowerVR SGX 540, but some folks over at the XDA Developers forums have discovered that its WiFi-only sibling is rolling with the previous-gen SGX530. The specs on the Samsung site also lists Bluetooth 2.1 instead of 3.0 -- yet another significant downgrade. We guess the company had to make some trade offs to hit that $350 price point, but we don't have to like it.
Acer Iconia Tab A500 now on sale, $450 for aluminum-clad WiFi-only model
Yearning for some diversity in your hunt for a Honeycomb tablet? Acer's new Iconia Tab A500 doesn't really stray from the Tegra 2 norm when it comes to internal specs, but it does have that brushed aluminum back, a full-sized USB 2.0 port, and a sane $450 price point going for it. You'll get 16GB of storage and 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity for your money, though ASUS' similarly outfitted Eee Pad Transformer should also be prominent on your radar as it'll ask for an even humbler $399 when it makes its slightly delayed US launch tomorrow. Let's hope the arrival of these Taiwanese cousins nudges other Android tablets makers into engaging in a bit of price competition, eh? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC Flyer up for preorder for $499 at Best Buy on April 24th
Europeans have been able to preorder the HTC Flyer for months, and now curious Yanks are about to get their chance, too. The tablet will be available for preorder on April 24th (that's this Sunday) for $499 with Best Buy as the exclusive seller. Though our friends across the pond have been able to snag 3G versions, the one about to come stateside just has WiFi. The Flyer, as you'll remember, is the phone maker's first tablet, and has a 7-inch (1024 x 600) display, aluminum body, 1.5GHz Qualcomm chip, and a version of the company's Sense UI that was tweaked with slates in mind. Alas, It'll ship with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), but HTC is promising an eventual upgrade to 3.0 (Honeycomb) and all of the bigger-screen goodies that come with it.
BlackBerry PlayBook now on sale in the US and Canada, starting at $500 with 16GB of storage
Today is the day in BlackBerry land. The wait for a dual-core device with an up-to-date operating system and that stylized BB logo is now over, and a vast array of stores in the US and Canada are now ready to sell you your PlayBook. Whether you'll actually want to buy one is less clear-cut, however, as basic productivity apps like native email and calendar aren't yet available, Android app compatibility hasn't yet been rolled out, and the PlayBook has an unfavorable dependency on having a BlackBerry smartphone nearby in order to be the best tablet it can be. Still, if you believe in RIM's ability to overcome those early software hurdles, the PlayBook's ready for ownership in exchange for $500 for the 16GB model, $600 for the 32GB version, or $700 for the 64GB-equipped top option (prices are the same in both US and Canadian dollars).
Dell's WiFi-only Streak 7 goes Euro-trippin', now available in the UK for £299
With one of the original 5-inch Streak's chief downsides being that it was considered too small to be a proper tablet, Dell did the sage thing this January and introduced a 7-inch variant in the Streak 7. The newer slate is outfitted with a nice Tegra 2 dual-core chip, 16GB of storage, a 5 megapixel rear- and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, a WVGA (800 x 480) display, and now the eminently reasonable UK price of £299 ($487). Alas, where Dell fell short with its Streak family expansion was in installing Android 2.2 on the 7, which hasn't changed during its trip over the Altantic, and in offering pretty poor battery life -- which might actually be a bit better here since Brits are receiving the WiFi-only model. Then again, if we're having to praise a device for improving itself by omitting a valuable feature like 3G, perhaps that tells you all you need to know about its viability. At least the Streak 7 is priced correctly and Dell does promise a Honeycomb update is in the offing. You can order yours at Dell's UK outlet linked below or jump past the break to familiarize yourself with the company's press release.
Samsung confirms WiFi-only Galaxy Tab availability: April 10th, $350
We've already seen it turn up on a few retail sites, but Samsung has now finally officially confirmed the launch details for its WiFi-only Galaxy Tab. It will be available online and at retail stores across the US on April 10th for $349.99. Specs otherwise remain the same as the 3G version, including a 7-inch 1024 x 600 display, 32GB 16GB of internal storage (with a microSD card slot for up to an additional 32GB), rear and front-facing cameras, and Android 2.2 with support for Flash 10.1 -- from the looks of things, it's also only available with a white back. Full press release is after the break. Note: The original press release incorrectly stated that there was 32GB of internal storage. There is, in fact, only 16GB.
Frys lists WiFi-only Galaxy Tab at $350, now accepting pre-orders
$399.99 for a WiFi-only Galaxy Tab not low enough to pique your interest? Then perhaps $349.99 will be a bit more to your liking. While there's still no indication of a release date, Frys.com is now accepting pre-orders for the device at that price, which is presumably not a mistake. Of course, the device itself is identical to the regular Galaxy Tab apart from that "wifi-only" bit, including the same 7-inch display, 16GB of storage, and Android 2.2 with Flash 10.1 support. Those willing to sign a contract will soon be able to get a 3G model for even less, however, with Sprint now set to offer the Tab for a mere $200 on a two-year contract. [Thanks, Andy]
