Amazon threw down the gauntlet when it launched its affordable Kindle Fire tablet (or glorified eBook reader, if you prefer), and ironically enough, it was Google who answered the challenge by just recently releasing its equally price-friendly Nexus 7 device built by Asus. But both of those -- along with Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet --...Read more...
Archos has been teasing the impending launch of its upcoming Gen 10 xs tablet for some time now, and today the company posted its first press photo on Facebook. The thin and light G10 xs is said to be a Google-certified device with unfettered access to everything in Google Play. From the press photo along with previously released information,...Read more...
The thing about trying to stop a runaway freight train is you have to have something big and strong enough to stop the momentum. That's the challenge tablet makers face in trying to compete with the iPad's market dominance, and apparently the recent trend towards 7-inch slates isn't going to cut it. To wit, rather...Read more...
Online shopping is one of the many things made more convenient with a tablet, which allows owners to sit back on their couch or recliner, or sunbathe by the pool and surf the Web's many e-commerce destinations. And as it turns out, nearly two-thirds of tablet owners find that online shopping is their favorite...Read more...
The thing about tables like the Nexus 7, Kindle Fire, and iPad is that you're generally stuck with whatever internal storage exists, save for cloud computing and external add-ons. For that reason, early Nexus 7 owners proved ahead of the savvy-buyer curve and quickly deplete Google of its inventory of 16GB tablets...Read more...
Well, at least the collective tech press isn't completely nuts. As soon as Microsoft used a hush-hush event to reveal the Surface tablet (both of them, actually), the first thought wasn't about Microsoft following Apple, or even Windows 8 on a tablet. It was: "What will Microsoft's OEM partners think?" Indeed...Read more...
Cores, cores, and a few more cores. It's pretty tough to ever have enough of the things, and Qualcomm seems to agree. The company has just announced the availability of the quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro Mobile Development platform for tablets. The Snapdragon S4 APQ8064-based dev tool provides access to Android 4.0 for...Read more...
The unfortunate truth in mobile is that it's not uncommon for handheld devices to sport non-upgradeable internal storage, a trait that's embraced by Apple and seems to be catching on with low-cost Android devices. To wit, neither Amazon's Kindle Fire or Google's Asus-built Nexus 7 tablet sport expandable storage...Read more...
In a world where Apple and Samsung just can't get along, one has to wonder if the delayed release of the Galaxy Note 10.1 isn't largely because of ongoing patent squabbles. Now, however, the 10.1" edition of the Android-powered Note tablet seems to truly be inching closer to release. It features a lot of the same software and S Pen-based tricks...Read more...
From a hardware standpoint, Google's $199 Nexus 7 tablet is viewed as a win compared to Amazon's Kindle Fire device, which lacks some of the amenities found on the Asus-built slate. But one area where the Nexus 7 doesn't trump the Kindle Fire is in regards to a rear-facing camera. Neither device has one, and in both...Read more...
You've probably heard of the XOPC, which is education-minded, and perhaps even India's mythical "$35 tablet." But have you ever heard of Simmtronics? No? Well, they're making the "world's most affordable tablet." The XPad costs just $81, and still manages to include the basis: Cortex Arm 8 CPU, a multi-touch panel and Wi-Fi. It's aiming to...Read more...
What might be the year's hottest Android tablet is on sale right now, after half a year of waiting. Originally introduced at CES in January, the Asus Transformer Pad TF700T (10.1") tablet is on sale at Office Depot. The official drop date for the slate here in the U.S. is July 16th, but Office Depot seems to have the jump the rest of the gang....Read more...
You would think that the processor, graphics chip, and battery would be the biggest sources of heat in any mobile gadget, including tablets, so it might seem a little odd that Apple is (reportedly) focusing on the LED backlight in new revision third generation iPad models to tackle potential overheating problems. It's not as far fetched as...Read more...
Archos has long since been the king of low-cost tablets, and now the company is introducing a new range entirely: Elements. It's an entry-level family with 7", 8" and 9.7" options, all of which have full access to Google Play and Google apps. The new 97 Carbon weighs just 21.8 ounces and measures 0.45" thick. There's...Read more...
If you had any doubts about Android tablets being a dime a dozen these days, let those doubts rest. Skytex Technology, a company that most of you have probably never heard of, has just announced not one, but two new tablets. And moreover, they're both shipping in an elite group: a group of products that supports...Read more...
For as brilliant as Steve Jobs was at assessing the market place, he flat out missed the fact there exists a market for 7-inch tablets, so-called "tweener" devices, as he referred to them. Much of the appeal in the 7-inch category has to do with price, and if you're willing to shop recertified models, it gets even better. We stumbled upon...Read more...
As was long rumored to be the case, Google's Nexus 7 tablet is real, as confirmed and unveiled by the sultan of search at the Google I/O conference this week. Given the device's size and spec sheet, it seems clear Google is going after the same market currently dominated by Amazon's Kindle Fire, and not necessarily the iPad. But fear not if...Read more...
Guess what? Google's assault on Amazon doesn't stop with the mere introduction of the Nexus 7. It's also going to places where the Internet can't quite take the Fire: real stores. GameStop has just announced that it'll be taking pre-orders of the new Google Nexus 7 tablet, expanding on an effort already underway to transform the video game...Read more...
If you've been waiting for Acer to make its Iconia Tab A700 tablet available to order, your wait is over, provided you're interested in the silver model. Both the black and silver models are up for order on Acer's website, though the silver SKU is showing as "In Stock" while the black model appears to have sold out, at least for the time being....Read more...
Microsoft has a potentially awesome thing going with its newly unveiled Surface tablet. Could it be an iPad killer? And if not, could Surface reign supreme as the world's second most popular tablet, a rank currently held by Amazon's Kindle Fire device? The success of Surface will depend on a number of factors, one of them being price. Early...Read more...
If you weren't aware, Microsoft is having a big shindig in Los Angeles tomorrow. The company is being extremely tight-lipped about what's to come, but not surprisingly, details are already starting to leak out. TechCrunch is reporting that the announcement may have two major players there, not just one. With Apple's...Read more...
If you're considering buying a Kindle Fire tablet (or glorified eBook reader, if you prefer to call it that), you may want to hang tight to see if you can score a better deal. Amazon is reportedly getting ready to cut the price of the Kindle Fire to around $149 as it makes room for newer tablet PC devices. That tidbit comes from DigiTimes,...Read more...