Saturday, March 10, 2012

Update - 29



Posted: 21 Feb 2012 04:47 PM PST
Add this to your list of rumored MWC 2012 devices: a Huawei 10-inch tablet with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It is reported to have an 8 MP rear facing camera with a flash, WiFi and 3G connectivity, and a microSD expansion slot.
Huawei has been hard at work lately releasing high end devices, including the Ascend P1 S. There have been multiple rumors that Huawei plans to unveil more devices, including their quad-core Ascend D Q and a 10-inch tablet at MWC. This begs the question on whether this 10-inch tablet will have a dual core or quad core CPU, to accompany the Ascend D Q. The 10-inch tablet appears to be a successor to the 7-inch MediaPad.
Some other things to expect from this tablet are a thin metal exterior and a dock connector at the base. It seems as though Huawei will soon be a big contender for high end devices.
Huawei huawei 1 huawei 2






Posted: 21 Feb 2012 03:23 PM PST
This week is the time for rumors and leaks, as we’re coming up on MWC 2012 quickly. Pocket-lint received word from an unidentified source that ViewSonic will have a 7-inch tablet to release at MWC next week.
The ViewPad G70 will ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and 4 GB of memory that can be expanded with the microSD slot. The resolution will be pretty high at 1024 x 600 pixels. There is no word on what processor it will have, but since it will have 1 GB of RAM, it will hopefully be a dual core processor. The specs are quite similar to the ViewPad E70 that was announced at CES, but the G70 will probably have a faster processor.
On top of the ViewScene interface that we’ve seen on previous tablets, this one will be “Google-certified”, which means it will have Google services and Android Market access. The G70 will have front and rear cameras, 3G connectivity, mini HDMI, Micro-USB and Mini-USB. While Pocket-lint’s source didn’t disclose a price, Costcentral.com has listed the ViewPad G70 for $311.99, with a MSRP of $349.00. All the info appears to lead to a mid range tablet. What do you think?
Posted: 21 Feb 2012 03:20 PM PST
For those of you who bought a Playbook or were thinking about getting one and were miffed at the lack of exciting apps or the ability to send emails without having a Blackberry phone can now rejoice. The fabled Playbook 2.0 OS has finally been released with those features on board. Considering that it was supposed to be released next month seeing it earlier should help ease frustrations that the earlier OS builds caused. You are now able to access both work and personal email on the device and with help from a Universal Inbox, access those plus social network updates.
While RIM boasts 60,000 apps on App World they’ve added “a range” of Android apps that work on the tablet. There is no specific number but RIM hopes to bolster its own numbers by adding these apps. So if you’re the proud (even not-so-proud) owner of this device then look for the update and get your emails/Android apps on. If you were waiting to get one of these devices for these features, honestly, I’d just go get an Android tablet. The Transformer Prime would be a good choice. While it may be too little too late in the tablet game for RIM, at least it’s nice to see them add support for our favorite OS.
Posted: 21 Feb 2012 02:52 PM PST
News of Samsung’s new budget friendly and rugged “Rugby” is beginning to come to light.  The device was first tipped by the folks over at BGR last month but little was known about it.  Well,  it looks like some specs are beginning to surface and here they are; model SGH-1847, WVGA display (480 x 800), class 10 HSPA capabilities, 1650 mAh battery, Android’s gingerbread 2.3.5 and 512 MB of RAM.  Based on its exterior it’s obvious who Samsung and AT&T are targeting here, your typical outdoorsmen and your all things rugged variety.  However, it’s going to be pretty difficult to shell out for a device like this when AT&T is sporting the $50 dual-core 1.5 GHz, 1 gig of RAM and 4-inch Pantech Burst.  But hey, to each his own.
source: Pocketnow
Posted: 21 Feb 2012 02:02 PM PST
Bargain hunters rejoice as Verizon has just slashed the price of two of it’s high-end, 4G Android smartphones for a limited period. Big Red has dropped the price of both the HTC Rezound and LG Spectrum to $99 for any new contracts or contract renewals until 28th February.
Whether it’s the lightning quick dual-core processor of the Spectrum or the sonically spectacular Beats Audio of the Rezound that appeals, there’s never been a better time to inject a bit of 4G speed into your life. Retailing at a third of their original launch price, we feel these bargains are too good to miss.
Head on over to Verizon’s online store to find out more.

source : verizonwireless
Posted: 21 Feb 2012 01:57 PM PST

You’ve already seen some hefty benchmarks for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 chip and we’ve already seen some of the mighty capabilities of the chip, so you want more, right? Qualcomm is more than ready to tease us even further. Get ready for this folks: the fine team at Anandtech managed to get their hands on a Qualcomm developer unit which is powered by the MSM8960 chip, which is dual-core and clocked at a not-too-shabby 1.5GHz. They ran the developer unit through a battery of tests and benchmarks and the results are nothing short of astonishing. Keep in mind these are results from a dual-core-based chip.

The first type of test was a standard Linpack multi-threaded test. As you can see, the developer device powered by the MSM8960 chip blew away the competition… and it wasn’t even close at a score of 218. The devices that came closest to the MSM8960-powered device was a Qualcomm MSM8660-powered developer device which was developed last year came in at a score of 90 and a Samsung Galaxy S II at a score of 84. Yes, you read that right— the MSM8960 developer device was rated over 120 points higher than both the Galaxy S II and the MSM8660-powered device.

In the Sunspider JavaScript test, you’ll note that it crushed the competition as well. The MSM8960-powered developer device had a total time of 1561ms, almost 500ms less than the DROID RAZR and 700ms less than the Apple iPhone 4S.

The oh-so familiar Vellamo scores were equally dominant, scoring a radical 2581. To put this into perspective, my phone (Motorola Atrix 4G) scored a 673 which is considered “solid” and the Galaxy Nexus scored a 1151.
This is the one time where it’s OK for you all to drool on the floor, I’m excited over this chip too. Expect the first round of smartphones using the MSM8960 chip to arrive in the coming months. Perhaps we’ll see a few introduced next week?

source: Anandtech
Posted: 21 Feb 2012 01:20 PM PST
Well this is a great day folks. Canonical, the maker of Ubuntu, has announced today that it is bringing a full Ubuntu OS experience to Android. Much like Motorola and their Webtop experience and possibly like Jellybean down the road, it pushes the hardware of multi-core Android devices to provide a more traditional computer-like experience. Like Webtop you connect your device to an external keyboard and display. Afterwards you’ll have full control of Ubuntu all powered by your device. Given that Android devices are already running a Linux kernel this merging of Ubuntu goes without a hitch as it boots in tandem and runs on the same kernel.
With the experience you’ve got full Chromium, VLC, Thunderbird and the Ubuntu Music Player apps. But it doesn’t stop there folks. With it you can also launch your Android apps in full desktop glory. Contacts are visible too, along with network settings and device notifications. Heck, you can even send MMS messages right from the desktop. However for the seamless experience to work you will need to be running a dual-core device with at least 1GHz processing speeds and at least 512MB of RAM. 2GB of storage space, USB host mode, HDMI out or MHL adapters, and video acceleration are a must as well. So it’s easy to say that this is for the newer devices on the market and older phones should just stay home.
While we have yet to play with this we should see it make a showing at MWC next week. I don’t know about you guys but I am pretty excited at seeing the full Ubuntu experience come to Android. Add the ability to run both Android and Ubuntu apps and you’ve got it made. If you’re wanting more information on this exciting news hit the break below to read the press release or you can check out the main web site here. Enjoy!


Press Release:
Ubuntu for Android at MWC – world's first full-featured desktop on a docked smartphone
Carry less, do a lot more. All the productivity and apps of the full Ubuntu desktop, built into your Android phone.
London, 22nd February, 2012: Canonical today unveiled Ubuntu for Android, bringing the world's favourite free desktop experience to multi-core Android smartphones docked with a keyboard and monitor. Use Android on the phone and Ubuntu as your desktop, both running simultaneously on the same device, with seamless sharing of contacts, messages and other common services.
The phone experience is pure Android – it's a normal Android phone. When the device is connected to a computer screen, however, it launches a full Ubuntu desktop on the computer display.  It's exactly the same desktop used by millions of enterprise and home users on their Ubuntu PCs, and includes hundreds of certified applications, from office productivity to photography, video and music.
All data and services are shared between the Ubuntu and Android environments, which run simultaneously on the device. So Android applications such as contacts, telephony and SMS/
MMS messaging are accessible from the Ubuntu interface. Indeed, all data on the smartphone can be accessed at any time, docked or not.
Ubuntu for Android gives mobile workers a company phone that is also their enterprise desktop.  Government and private institutions have embraced Ubuntu on the desktop because of its ease of use, security, manageability, superb range of native applications and excellent support for web browsers like Chrome and Firefox. The desktop can also include Windows applications, using thin client and desktop virtualisation tools. Today's IT departments commonly support a PC and at least one desktop phone for every employee. Many also provide and manage mobile phones. Ubuntu for Android presents a compelling solution to IT complexity by reducing that burden to a single device.
The first PC for the next billion knowledge workers could be a phone – but they won't just want to use it as a handset. They will want all the flexibility and productivity of a full desktop, as well as the convenience of a smartphone on the move. Ubuntu for Android represents the first opportunity for handset makers and network operators to address this growth opportunity in emerging markets.
"The desktop is the killer-app for quad-core phones in 2012" says Mark Shuttleworth. "Ubuntu for Android transforms your high-end phone into your productive desktop, whenever you need it"
Manufacturers targeting the corporate phone, as well as the next-generation enterprise desktop and thin clients can easily add Ubuntu for Android to their smartphones. The customized version of Ubuntu drops in cleanly alongside the rest of Android, and the necessary Android modifications are designed for easy integration. Hardware requirements include support for HDMI and USB, standard features in high-end handsets planned for late 2012.
Ubuntu for Android justifies the cost to enterprise customers of upgrading to higher bandwidth 4G connections and contracts. Cloud apps like Google Docs work best with a full desktop, and shine with the lower latency of LTE. Network operators can deliver their own branded applications and services as part of the Ubuntu desktop, in partnership with Canonical.
Canonical leads the traditional Linux ecosystem in support for the ARM architecture, having co-founded Linaro (linaro.org), the consortium dedicated to the unification of Linux on ARM and the simplification of Android integration and delivery. That industrial experience, combined with Canonical's long-standing leadership in desktop Linux and deep relationships with global PC brands enables Canonical to deliver an ARM-optimised desktop tightly integrated with Android, on silicon from a range of ARM vendors.
Useful Links and Contacts
About Canonical
Canonical engineering and open community governance drive Ubuntu's success in client, server and cloud computing – including personal cloud services for consumers. Canonical's vision of a unified free platform in Ubuntu, from phone to cloud, with a family of coherent interfaces for the phone, tablet, TV and desktop, makes Ubuntu the first choice for diverse institutions from public cloud providers to the makers of consumer electronics, and a favourite among individual technologists.
With developers and engineering centres around the world, Canonical is uniquely positioned to partner with hardware makers, content providers and software developers to bring Ubuntu solutions to market – from PCs to servers and handheld devices.
Posted: 21 Feb 2012 12:09 PM PST
Tegra Zone, nVidia’s showcase for Tegra optimized games, will be offering Borderlands 2 and Demolition, Inc. At PDXLAN 19 in Dallas last week, Borderlands developer GearBox Software showed off Borderlands 2 running on a Tegra 3 tablet. Although juicy details for Borderlands 2 are scarce, it is currently scheduled for a release sometime around summer of this year, which could lay the groundwork for the first console-quality game released simultaneously for Android. The original Borderlands was a great game (I’ve only played it on PC) and with the Tegra 3′s PC-class GPU on board, I can only imagine how great BL2 will be once it’s released.
Demolition, Inc. will also be featured on Tegra Zone, an action strategy game where you play the role of a demolition worker. The game is designed to showcase the physics processing capabilities of Tegra devices. The game is scheduled for release sometime in March. Here are some of the features to expect:
  • Car and building physics are fully simulated. Everything is destructible and nothing is pre-animated
  • Use the endless possibilities of combining your tools and weapons to make devastating chain reactions
  • Use your tractor beam to take control of cars, place anti-gravity ramps to maximize damage, use the huge wrecking ball to make way
  • Three cities and 15 districts are awaiting to be demolished by you and lead to their true destination!
  • Compare your skills with those of your friends and the world-wide steam community
Sound interesting? Sure does. Hit the break for a couple of short preview videos.
Borderlands 2
Demolition Inc.
Posted: 21 Feb 2012 11:57 AM PST
Having already spent some time with the early build of CM9 on the Galaxy Tab 10.1, I am getting really excited to see what the final product is going to be like. It already seems like it’s a pretty finished product as is, but I imagine there will be a few tweaks added that will set this ROM above and beyond the rest.
To tease us even more, the CyanogenMod team released a video of the CM9‘s boot animation today and once it’s released I am sure I will probably reboot unnecessarily just to see it over and over. The animation is far from basic and it has a cool Dr. Who Tardis time tunnel feel to it. Excuse me if you don’t know what I am talking about here, but if you check out the video below you will see what I mean (awesome soundtrack included). Now don’t go searching the web for the zip file just yet, this is one I imagine the CM team will keep close to their chests until the ROM is officially released. Hopefully this video will tied you over until then… we’ve got to be close!
Check out the video after the break. 
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: Google+
Posted: 21 Feb 2012 11:21 AM PST
Today, Barnes & Noble officially announced the smaller 8GB version of the NOOK tablet. The device is pretty much the same as the original 16GB model except it has half the storage capacity and 512MB or RAM instead of 1GB. The new 8GB NOOK is going to run $50 less than the original and will sell for $199, available now online and in stores. This new version of the eReader will now be in direct competition with the uber popular Kindle Fire and it will be interesting to see how the two tablet’s sales figures will compare head to head.
Along with the 8GB NOOK announcement, Barnes & Noble today also announced the the NOOK Color will now be offered at the discounted rate of $169. You can read the full press release after the break. 

Barnes & Noble Introduces NOOK Tablet™ – 8GB For Incredibly Low Price of $199

New Addition to Hot-Selling, Highly Rated NOOK Tablet Line Offers Fastest, Lightest, Most Powerful Tablet with the Best in Reading and Entertainment, Now in 8GB, at an Amazing Value

Award-Winning NOOK Color™ Now Offered at its Lowest Price Ever – $169

New York, New York – February 21, 2012 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today expanded its portfolio of bestselling NOOK® devices with the introduction of NOOK Tablet – with 8GB of memory, a tremendous value for the company's fastest and lightest tablet at just $199. NOOK Tablet – 8GB version offers reading and mobile entertainment enthusiasts another great option in the NOOK family of devices. In addition, the company's highly popular NOOK Color just became an even greater value at $169.
"For any customer who likes to read digitally, watch movies or TV shows, browse the web, or help their kids read and learn through interactive books and apps, our new $199 NOOK Tablet with 8GB is the best product value on the market," said William Lynch, Chief Executive Office of Barnes & Noble. "NOOK Tablet is the highest-rated wireless media tablet in the 7-inch class, ultra-portable at under a pound, offers our exclusive VividView™ screen technology, and since its introduction this holiday has received rave reviews from customers about all its great features. We're pleased to now offer customers the ability to experience NOOK Tablet's unmatched content experience for only $199."
The newest member of the NOOK Tablet family offers the great features of top-selling NOOK Tablet – 16GB, but with 8GB of on-board memory, 512MB of RAM and a lower cost of just $199. NOOK Tablet – 8GB version includes all of these great features also available on NOOK Tablet – 16GB ($249):
  • A highly tuned 1GHz dual-core processor for streaming video and lightning-fast Web browsing so customers can surf their favorite sites, and built-in email to stay easily connected with friends and family
  • Breakthrough battery life, with 11.5 hours of reading time or nine hours of video viewing
  • With on-board storage plus convenient microSD memory expansion, customers have ample space for their reading and entertainment content, regardless of Wi-Fi availability
  • The world's most advanced VividView display for viewing content, with 16 million colors and a resolution purity that's simply gorgeous Popular movies, TV shows and music from top services including Netflix, Hulu Plus™, Flixster, Pandora®, Rhapsody®, Grooveshark, MOG and many more.
  • Thousands of top-rated, high-quality NOOK Apps, all optimized for NOOK Tablet's ultra-responsive 7-inch color touchscreen, in categories including Games, Kids, Travel, Education, Lifestyle & Interest, News & Weather, Social, Productivity and others. Favorites including Cut the Rope, Disney Publishing's It's a Small World and more are coming soon to the robust NOOK Apps catalog.
  • Barnes & Noble's award-winning reading experience, featuring more than 2.5 million digital books, periodicals, children's books and more, including:
  • o   NOOK Newsstand™: An expansive collection of more than 450 digital periodical titles, which includes the largest digital collection of top 100 magazines available for subscription and single copy purchase. Colorful interactive magazines offer Barnes & Noble’s ArticleView™, animated page turns and smooth pinch, zoom and panning. Many special edition NOOK Magazines™ feature videos, quizzes, image galleries and more.
  • o   NOOK Kids™: More than 1,400 interactive children's picture books, some featuring animation and engaging activities, and more than 12,000 chapter books. With Read and Record™, customers can use NOOK Tablet's built-in microphone to record and save their reading of any NOOK Kids picture books so children can listen to their favorite storytellers anytime.
  • o   NOOK Comics and graphic novels: A vast collection of full-color comics, graphic novels and kids' comics in high resolution and the largest digital collection of Marvel's graphic novels available through a third party, as well as other titles from leading publishers including Archie, IDW and Dynamite. Through a partnership with VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher of anime and manga in North America, NOOK customers can access more than 30 series, featuring nearly 430 volumes.
  • o   Books and more: Continuously expanded NOOK Store™ with the vast majority of books available for $9.99 or less. Barnes & Noble's digital book collection includes PagePerfect™ NOOK Books™ featuring cookbooks, craft and art books rendered with rich precision to retain all the beauty of their stunning print versions, and enhanced reading with PDF thumbnail page views, and image pinch, zoom and pan in books and PDFs.
  • o   Discover and socialize: Learn what to read next from Barnes & Noble's knowledgeable booksellers with personalized recommendations, or connect through NOOK Friends™ to share thoughts, lend books through the exclusive LendMe® technology and more via email and sites like Facebook.
  • o   Continuous reading: Read what you love, anywhere you like™ on NOOK devices and with FREE NOOK Reading Apps. Sync your library, last page read, bookmarks, etc. across all of your devices through NOOK Cloud.
  • Sleek and thin with a soft touch back design, and lightweight at under a pound (14.1 oz.), making it easy to carry in a handbag, briefcase, backpack or suit jacket pocket for reading and entertainment on-the-go.

Customers can, as always, access their personal NOOK Library™ through the free, reliable and secure NOOK Cloud™ service, which also powers the seamless integration and synchronization between devices, as well as NOOK's best-in-class shopping experience and social features.
Says Lynch, "NOOK Tablet, NOOK Color and NOOK Simple Touch™ represent the highest-quality portfolio of reading and entertainment products on the market at the best value. Whether it's movies, music and apps on-the-go that you crave, or a simple, immersive reading experience, we offer great products and more choices than ever before with our product portfolio, starting at just $99."
NOOK Color: Now $169
The highly acclaimed NOOK Color, offering access to top video and music services, popular apps, comics and more, is now available at a new low price of just $169, starting today. The first Reader's Tablet, NOOK Color combines an award-winning reading experience with tablet essentials including apps, Web and email. NOOK Color customers can download Netflix to watch movies and TV shows, access a wide array of books, periodicals and comics, enjoy top music services and thousands of apps, browse the easy-to-use, social and streamlined NOOK Store.

Posted by at 9:40 PM

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