Archive for CES
Toshiba Portege Windows 8 Tablet Shown at the CES
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Toshiba is working on a new convertible device that can both be a tablet and a netbook at the same time. However, the device was nowhere to be seen at the Toshiba booth at the just concluded CES. Instead, the Toshia Portege M930 was seen jostling for space at the Windows camp among a sea of other ultrabooks.
Under its covers, the Portege M930 plays host to an Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB RAM, 256 GB hard disk drive, along with a display size of 13.1 inches packing in 1280 x 800 pixels. Of all the netbook specs, one aspect that makes the Portege M930 so special is the manner in which it transforms from a netbook to a tablet device running Windows 8.
One just has to push the screen until it is facing the other way round and then fold it down over the keyboard. This swivel action is sturdier than the sliding action type mechanism seen on other such convertible devices such as the Asus Eee Pad Slider or the Samsung Series 7 Slider.
However, at 4.2 pounds, it is well out of the ultrabook segment. That’s a big disadvantage with the Portege M930, as it almost rules out one-handed tablet operation. Further, the device can also be cumbersome for use as a netbook as well, since a narrow keyboard has rendered the touchpad to just the right edge of the keyboard. But then, the Portege M930 does offer an array of ports that one might expect of a netbook.
However, the Portege M930 is still far from being a market ready product as the prototype on display at the CES was only responding to stylus inputs and not finger touches. So its isn’t too surprising neither Toshiba nor Microsoft are offering a launch window or expected price range. But then, not all products revealed at the CES go on to reach markets. The Samsung Series 7 Slider is one such.
via the verge
Good e-Reader CES Best of Show 2012
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CES is officially over and we had a great time in Las Vegas checking out the latest e-readers and tablets! This year there was not many pure e-ink readers being shown off but we did see a number that tickled our fancy. Two of the best we saw that made our Best of Show list was the Cybook Odyssey by Bookeen and Jetbook Color by Ectaco! This year it was tremendously evident that the tablet computer industry continues to grow and many companies refined existing products and released new ones. Motorola was showing off the Droid Xyboard and Samsung drew crowds with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE.
Obviously at CES more then just e-readers and tablets were in attendance and that is the core of our daily coverage of the industry, but being a tech geek at heart, we put together a comprehensive video that shows you ALL of our selections from various categories. Brands such as Samsung, LG, Green Book, and many more made the final cut! Check out the video below for our CES Wrap up and get a sense what we saw during the last week at the convention.
The Lenovo IdeaTab K2110 Tablet Prototype
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Lenovo had a prototype concept tablet at the Intel Booth at CES running on the company’s new Medfield processor and running Android 4.0. This is the second tablet I’ve seen at the show running this processor, which seemed to render 3D polygon renderings very well, and the demo was running the all new Google Body.
The Hardware for the Idea Tab K2110 IS a prototype, but it did feature a 10.1 inch screen with a resolution of 1280×800. It is running on Intel’s brand new 32 Nanometer Medfield processor, which is the first tablet in the world running this new Atom X86 based architecture. It has all of the normal ports you see in higher end devices, such as HDMI, MicroSD, MicroUSB, Dual Cameras, and more! One of the most exciting elements on this new device is that it has NFC support! All of this is running in conjunction with the latest iteration of Google Ice Cream Sandwich.
Sony Vaio Concept Tablet Shown off at CES
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The only new e-reader or tablet Sony brought to CES this year was a Vaio concept Slate that they were showing off beneath 3 inches of impregnable glass! This new device is a real indication on where the company wants to go with its design on its next generation of devices.
The one thing right off the bat I noticed was the lack of straight lines, the entire device was angler and had rounded corners. From a design point of view it looked amazing and really stands out in a world of tablets where most look the same. Details were sparse, as everything is subject to change, but there were some consistencies. First of all, their new tablet was running on the Google Android operating system and featured capacitive menu buttons on the back. These are your quintessential settings, menu, back, and home keys found on most tablet computers that have hit the market so far. The Sony logo on the front of the unit was actually glowing which I thought was a neat way for it to stand out.
Sony was showing two models of the same slate and the differences were in the accessories that are bundled with it. There was a flexible skin on the back that allowed it to sit on a silicone stand. They also had an accompanied Bluetooth keyboard, which is very innovative and was a full QWERTY. The second tablet was shown without the accessories and gives you an indication on the core hardware design.
The video below shows you the entire video that was playing on the tablet and shows off some of the features, like 1080P movies. Details are sparse and Sony staff were mandated to keep everything under a strict veil of secrecy. If only I had some diamond cutting tools with me, I could have got a more “hands on” report.
Green Book Color Running on Ice Cream Sandwich Unveiled at CES
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Green Book is known for its series of e-ink based e-readers and they had a pleasant surprise at their CES booth this year: a 7 inch e-reader running Ice Cream Sandwich. This new device is set to launch in February for the super low price of $100.00! Normally, when companies announce devices that cost a low amount of cash, it brings up warning signs to denote the quality. During the course of our review I was blown away by the value you get on a hardware and software level.
The Green Book Color is a 7 inch color e-reader featuring a capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 800×480 pixels. I found the entire touchscreen experience to be quick and robust! Most of the interactive buttons, like settings/forward/back, were all software buttons, but they were built into the chassis.
Underneath the hood is a 1 GHZ Xburst CPU Processor with 512 of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory. There is room to expand it up to 16 GB, if you need more space, via the MicroSD card. There is also a front and rear facing webcam which was a pleasant surprise given the price point. Finally, you can connect it up to your television via the Micro HDMI port, which is a boon and something that even the Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, or Kobo Vox has. If audio is your thing, there is a rear facing speaker and a built in microphone to run in conjunction with the webcam.
On a software level, this is running a full and complete build of Google Android 4.0 and it was a breeze opening and closing programs. Running Kindle, Nook, and Kobo for Android allows you to tap into very rich ecosystems and page turn speed was very quick. There are a number of great apps available on the “Go Market,” which is a app store I have never heard of before, but seems to be rich in content. On an internet level, you get full support for HTML5 and Adobe Flash to get a complete browsing experience.
7 Inch ZTE Tablet with Tegra 3 and Android ICS Debuts at CES
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Chinese device maker ZTE has been harping about a US entry for quite some time now, though it has not met with much success so far. However, this time they are armed with a new 7 inch tablet which boasts of a sleek design and could be the tablet to mark the company’s entry into what is considered the biggest tablet market in the world.
The model on display by NVIDIA runs on a Tegra3 quad core processor and has a 1280 x 800 pixel 7 inch display. The demo unit has 16 GB storage and the OS is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. An option to increase memory will surely be available on the tablet.
The demo also indicated very sharp but small sized text. This could be due to the display not having been tweaked well enough. Further details are lacking, so the expected price or availability details are anybody’s guess right now. We have already seen quite a few tablets at CES from front-line manufacturers featuring Tegra 3 and Android ICS, but sporting a highly affordable price tag. Also, while the prototype on display was to show off just how capable the new Tegra 3 chip is, a word from ZTE on this is expected soon.
via pocketables
Intel to Launch Clover Trail Chips in Second Half of 2012
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Intel announced that they will be ready for the release of their Clover Trail processor in the second half of 2012, which is around the same time that the Windows 8 OS is also expected to reach markets.
The new Clover Trail CPUs would take over from the Atom Z670 Oak Trail chips that have been rendering — though a not so glorious — service since last year. Obviously, one of the biggest pluses with the new Clover Trail chips is that they use less power. They are manufactured using 32nm process technology and should be able to support tablet operations for about 8-10 hours with standby times extending into weeks.
Also, while Intel isn’t coming clean with the power characteristics of the new Clover Trail chips, a definite plus with the x86 chips on the tablets is the possibility of legacy PC applications also running on such devices and the number of such apps run into millions.
Compared to this, tablets powered with ARM processor running Windows 8 would not be able to run those applications that have been written for x86 devices. Rather, it’s just those apps that are designed to run on the new Windows 8 Metro user interface that the ARM based tablets will get to play with.
Also, before the Clover Trail hits the market in the second half of 2012, Intel’s Medfield CPU’s will be ready for commercial application by Q2 2012. However, that’s just a single core processor and is suited more for application in smartphones than tablet PCs, while Clover Trails, with its dual core architecture, would be more ideal for use in a tablet device.
via softpedia
eFun 7 to 10 Inch Android 4.0 Tablets Coming February
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Good news for people who are on the lookout for some low budget Android ICS tablet devices. eFun has come up with new tablet PCs that start at just $149 as part of their Nextbook line up.
Named the Nextbook Premium 7, the tablet comes with a 1 GHz ARM Rockchip RK2918 Cortex-A8 single core processor and has a 7 inch 800 x 480 pixel display. There is also the probability of this device to be eventually priced for as low as $129 in due time.
A higher version of this unit is the Nextbook Premium 8, which comes at $179 and has an 8 inch screen with 1024 x 600 resolution. This price is not fixed and there is a chance of it being available for just $149. However, a common feature of the 7 and 8 inch tablet models is that both include a single front facing camera.
Higher in the model line up is the is the Nextbook Premium 10 model, which comes with dual cameras and runs on a 1.1 GHz processor. The tablet is priced at $299, which could also be picked up at $199.
Also, while eFun will have the tablets ready for a market onslaught in February, the company might also have a premium offering ready by April. eFun sources added they may also add a 1.1 GHz Broadcom dual core based 9.7 inch to its line of tablets, which will be named Nextbook Elite 10. The device will have dual camera, with the front camera coming with a 2 megapixel resolution and the rear with a 5 megapixel, while display resolution of the tablet would be 1024 x 768 pixel. Further details of the Nextbook Elite 10 is still under wraps.
via liliputing
Huawei Launches New Color Options for the MediaPad, Android 4.0 Update to Come Q1 2012
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Next version of the MediaPad from Huawei with Android Ice Cream Sandwich pre-loaded is going to be available in select markets by this quarter. Present owners of the MediaPad need not despair as the company has announced availability of the update OTA for all existing users at around the same time. The MediaPad is available in the US as the T-Mobile Springboard and the Orange Tahiti in the UK.
In another interesting development, Huawei also stated a color version of the MediaPad is next. It will be available in shadow black, classic brown, and passion pink, though the colored tablets will come pre-loaded with Android 3.2 and not the latest Android ICS. So users opting for the colorful MediaPads will have to upgrade to ICS on their own after the update is released.
“In a tablet market defined by staid black and white tablets, the new colorful MediaPad offers a personalized look without the need for an external case. With a hardware package that includes a high-quality screen, a powerful dual-core processor, and long battery life, these colorful MediaPad embodies a rare combination of style and performance,” said Richard Yu, Chairman, Huawei Device.
As a refresher, the MediaPad packs in some decent specs in the form of a 1.2 GHz dual core processor, 7 inch 1280 x 800 pixel IPS display, 5 megapixel rear camera with HD support, 1.3 megapixel front cam, along with a 4100 mAh battery that should be enough for 6 hours of run-time. Also, Huawei has been the first to adopt Android 3.2 for use on a 7 inch tablet device.
Video Review of the Motorola Droid Xyboard 8.2 inch
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Motorola was showing off their Xyboard 8.2 inch and 10.1 inch at CES this year and both were released in late December. You can think of these tablets as the second version of the Xoom and really are far more relevant hardware wise then the Xoom ever was. The big news to come out during the last week was that the company will be shipping WIFI only models in the next few days and the 8.2 inch we reviewed was a Verizon exclusive.
The Droid Xyboard features a 8.2 inch screen with a resolution of 1280×800 and has capacitive multitouch. It packs 1 GB of RAM and keeps things trucking along rather quickly with the dual core 1.2 GHZ processor. Internal memory is dependent on what model you choose and influences the cost with either 16 or 32 GB. There is a front facing 1.3 MP camera for video chatting and a rear facing 5 MP for taking pictures.
Software wise this tablet is running Google Android 3.2 and the company told us at CES that they will serve up a treatment of Ice Cream Sandwich, but like most vendors had zero clue on when it would happen. Obviously with higher end tablets you get full access to the Google Android Market to get your fix of applications. The unit is bundled with a number of cool television apps such as Televation which will give you a great way to watch Cable TV on your tablet. I noticed this tablet was quick and snappy and of course internet speed was quick with the Verizon 4G network. Why all of these new tablets at CES were Verizon exclusives was beyond me, check out our full hands on video of the tablet in action.
Hands on with the Toshiba Excite X10 at CES 2012 – A Thin but Expensive Tablet
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Toshiba only had a single new tablet yet unveiled that they allowed people at CES to “ohhh” and “ahh” over this year! It is with good reason, this tablet is billed as the worlds thinnest. How does it rank hardware and experience wise to make it a viable purchase?
The Toshiba Excite is the worlds thinnest 10.1 inch tablet that is only .3 inches thick! It is very light too for a large screen display, which makes it easy to hold for long durations of time. Hardware wise it features a resolution of 1280×800 and should take all of the thrashing you are dispense on it with the Gorilla Glass used for the screen. Underneath the hood lurks a Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 processor giving you 1.2 GHZ of speed. A fair amount of cool features are found internally which are sure to impress you with a built in accelerometer, gyroscope and GPS. There is enough space for all of your media, music and books with a 16 and 32 GB editions to choose from and can be further expanded via the MicroSD. On the side of the Excite is physical volume buttons, power, Micro HDMI, Micro USB, mic, 3.5mm headphone jack.
If you are into video conferencing via Skype or one of those people who take pictures of their friends with their tablet instead of a real tablet or an SLR you might dig this unit. It features a front facing 2 MP camera and on the back a 5 MP one with LED flash. This will be handy for people who want to use Skype and are disappointed with many tablets on the market with feeble front facing ones.
On the software side of things what can you expect? Firstly it is not bundled with Ice Cream Sandwich and instead is shipped with the latest version of Google Honeycomb. A Toshiba rep told us that within the next month they will dispense a new version of the Google OS and everything underneath the hood is fully compliant for the imminent upgrade. One of the huge deciding factors when buying an Android tablet is the ability to connect to the official Android Market. This model gives you full access and comes Adobe Flash ready, to enjoy a rich internet experience. It comes with the Google Book Reader and a number of apps and games out of the box, but nothing you won’t find on the market. It seems Toshiba is giving you a stock Android experience with no frills or gimmicks like Motoblur or TouchWIZ.
In the end, this tablet is thin and light, which are the two main factors going for it. Really, it is only dual core and many competitors like Asus (Transformer Prime and Acer (Iconia A510) are now giving Quad Core tablets a go, many tech geeks will go with the added processor power. I can see this selling, but not selling well. The Toshiba Excite X10 is quite daunting with the price, costing $530 if you’re getting the 16Gb model and $600 if you opt for the 32GB version. They are due to be released within the next two months and available at most major electronic retailers. Check out the official Press Pictures and Tech Specs HERE.
Hands on with the Verizon 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 at CES 2012
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The spiritual successor of the original Samsung Galaxy Tab has arrived and has debuted at CES as a Verizon exclusive. This is lighter and thinner then the original and is bolstered with an updated version of Google Android.
The new Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 is a very pocket friendly device featuring a super AMOLED PLUS display with a resolution of 1280×800 pixels. The screen looks very slick and Samsung told us officially that they experienced some trepidation creating such as large display using the technology often found in their line of smartphones. Underneath the hood is a sweet 1.4 GHZ dual core processor with 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. Of course if 16 GB is not enough you can expand it via the MicroSD for an additional 32 GB. If video chatting and taking pictures matters to you, there is a front facing 2 MP camera and a rear facing 3 MP version with LED flash. Not only is the Galaxy Tab 7.7 being billed as a tablet for multimedia use but also as a universal remote control. Along the side of the unit is a IR port that is half an inch. This will allow it to interact with your television, Bluray and other home electronics.
This unit is thinner and lighter then the original and comfortably fits into your back pocket. Often with 7 inch tablets such as the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet for reading, being light matters a ton. This unit feels on par or lighter then both of those models and could really be your primarily device to read books, magazines, newspapers and other content. Speaking of reading the unit is bundled with the Readers HUB, which gives you access to Zinio and Kobo. This is an exclusive suite that is heavily customized for the entire line of Samsung Tablets and Smartphones. The interface and reading apps look vibrant on the screen and magazines looked amazing. Of course, since this unit runs Google Android 3.2 you have access to the official Google Android Market. This gives you vibrant choice of indie or mainstream e-reader applications. You can find Kindle, Nook and Sony to buy and read books or go with Aldiko and Droid Comic viewer to load in your own. Aside from reading there is a number of preloaded apps and games that come with the device that are fairly standard. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 also sports the Touchwiz interface which makes things easier to deal with on a touchscreen level and makes the entire Android experience a bit more unique.
So what is the deal with 4G and LTE on Verizon? It is super fast! We had our Good e-Reader Blog load in under 6 seconds and as you know, we are very graphic heavy. The speed in which content loads and streaming videos plays made be fairly happy and is a step in the right direction. What if you don’t do business with Verizon or live in other countries like Canada? Samsung told us that a pure WIFI model is planned in the next few months. Normally with exclusives such as this particular model a company out of the gates will get the model and market it solely by itself. After a certain time-frame Samsung will then be able to market it to other providers or telecommunication companies to offer it to their customers.
In the end, this is a great tablet and one of the best ones at CES that have yet to be released. The screen is vibrant and the brushed aluminum back makes it look like a high end device and appeals to many people on an aesthetic level. It also has HDMI and all of the expansion ports you need to integrate this into your daily life.
Skytex shows off new X-Series Windows 7 Tablet PC at CES
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Skytex brought a brand new Tablet to CES this year with the new X-Series Windows 7 Tablet PC! This tablet is really the highest powered device has ever brought to the table and should be a viable buy when it is officially released in the next few months.
The Skytex X-Series is a 10.1 inch tablet that features 5-point capacitive multi-touch and a resolution of 1280×800. Really the large screen a high resolution really makes this unit shine and should give you very high quality graphics for your gaming and applications. Underneath the hood is a dual core Intel Atom N2600 running at 1.6 GHZ and 2 GB of DDR3 RAM. Your entire experience should be accelerated with the 60 GB SSD and I am a huge fan of tablets that are bolstered with Solid State Drives. It really makes a huge difference not only during the bootup sequence but making everything load faster.
This tablet sports varied internet connectivity via the built in WIFI with support for B/G/N and optional 3G dongle adapter. You can pair it with a bluetooth keyboard or mouse with 2.0 support or connect up peripherals via the two USB 3.0 ports. Finally you can video chat with the front facing 1.3 MP camera or take pictures with the rear facing 5 MP one.
Skytex had two different models at CES this year running two different operating systems. First of all, they had the Windows 7 model that will be ready to be shipped in a few months. They also had a developer preview copy of Windows 8 which really made this model a step in the right direction. If you have never seen a Windows 8 tablet in action there are two different experiences with the Metro UI. First of all, you get the very touchscreen friendly interface you might see in many of the Mango Phones that have hit the scene. It reminds me of the whole Android experience the way you can scroll between many screens of applications but with Windows 8 you see live previews of exactly what those apps are showing. If you are not a fan of the whole Metro interface you can switch to the standard Windows experience you are used to on your Windows 7 PC.
Talking to various reps from the company they are visibly excited about the entire Windows 7/8 experience and I am inclined to agree. I use Windows on a day to day basis and am used to my standard apps. If i need a good FTP, SSH or even Microsoft Office it is easy to download it. If you look at 80% of all tablets hitting they market they are running Android, which continues to be a very fragmented operating system. Twice a year Google always promises an OS update that will finally harmonize the ecosystem and normally leaves people asking for more. If I need to be productive level, I will always pick a good hardware running Windows and with the latest generation dropping before Summer if you buy this X-Series tablet now, you can update it with no problems.
