Hasta La Gadget!

Apple has just invited members of the press to attend a product launch on October 23rd, where we assume the long-rumored iPad mini will be unveiled. The event will go down merely weeks after Apple took the wraps off of the iPhone 5 (and strangely enough, the Foo Fighters played their last show for the foreseeable future). It’s quite unlike Apple to throw two product parties in the fall, but if an entirely new iPad is being revealed, it may be a scenario that becomes more familiar in years to come. At this point, we’re left with far more questions than answers: will the iPad mini really ship with a Lightning port, while the Retina iPad — which was only introduced in March — continues to ship with the “old” Dock Connector? Will Apple really continue to refresh its two iPad products at different intervals? Will the (presumed) AT&T iPad mini actually include mobile hotspot functionality?

And while we’re at it, is Apple really going to throw a “one more thing” into the mix by bumping its 13-inch MacBook Pro into Retina territory? After all, tossing “little” into the invite could allude to a smaller iPad and an update to an already-small laptop. We’ll be there to bring you the blow-by-blow as it happens, so feel free to go ahead and take next Tuesday off. We’ll sign the approval form.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Apple

Apple announces ‘Special Event’ for October 23rd — we’ll be there live! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you had your heart set on a Kindle Fire, Fire HD 7 or Reader, you can now plunk down your plastic and receive one as fast as your shipper can wheel it over. The 1,280 x 800 Fire HD 7-inch model, which we recently put through the wringer, is available in a 16GB version for $199, and Amazon says the 32GB version will arrive October 25th. As we noted, it carries a new dual-band WiFi system for greater surfing speed, dual speakers, a front HD camera and a TI-made dual-core ARM Cortex A-9 processor. The updated Kindle Fire can be had as well for $159, with double the RAM of the last version, a new processor and a bigger battery. Finally, the new Kindle Reader is also up for grabs at an ad-supported cost of $69, while the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD should be along in November at $299 ($499 for a 4G version). So, if you’re already looking ahead to a certain holiday, check the sources to see how to get one.

Filed under: Tablets

PSA: Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD 7, new Fire and Reader now stocked originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It was 10 months ago that we had a doppelgänger in our midst. Amazon unleashed the Kindle Fire to the world and we spent much of the beginning of our review comparing and contrasting it to the (even then a bit long-in-the-tooth) BlackBerry PlayBook. Now, finally, we can stop making that comparison — at least for this, Amazon’s current top-shelf tablet.

It’s the Kindle Fire HD and it quite handily addresses nearly every concern that we had with the original Fire. It’s thinner, lighter, faster and, yes, better looking. It’s a huge step forward from that which came before and yet it still follows very much in the footsteps of its predecessor, existing as a physical portal to a digital marketplace with an alluring selection of premium content. Is it enough of an improvement to topple our current king of budget tablets, the Nexus 7? You’ll just have to read on to find out.

Continue reading Amazon Kindle Fire HD review (7-inch)

Filed under: Tablets

Amazon Kindle Fire HD review (7-inch) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo just announced its IdeaTab A2107 at IFA here today. The ruggedized Android 4.0 slate, powered by a dual-core MTK Cortex A9 CPU clocked at 1GHz, adds a buffer of protection to its 7-inch expanse with a soft matte, roll cage enclosure — perfect for the accident-prone or the outdoorsy demo it’s being marketed toward. The entry-level tab’s 1024 x 600 display is no screamer, putting it on par with the very 2011 Kindle Fire, but the company has loaded it up with radios for WCDMA / GSM, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and FM radio via built-in antenna. As far as storage goes, users will be able to choose among WiFi-only or 3G models in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB configurations, all expandable via microSD. No pricing or release information has been made available, aside from a vague September 2012 window, so if you’re keen on this modest tablet, sate your appetite with the gallery below.

Filed under: Tablets

Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 gets formal unveiling at IFA 2012: a ruggedized, 7-inch Android 4.0 slate (hands-on photos) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comcast subscribers who have already received their Nexus 7 tablets or are sporting Android 4.1-powered phones should cast an eye towards Google Play for an updated version of the Xfinity TV Player app. Version 1.0.2.001 adds beta support for Jelly Bean in general and the Nexus 7 tablet specifically. It also fixes a nasty bug that would leave users stranded after upgrading their operating system, and promises a UI designed for 7-inch tablets in the next update. We saw Netflix get a compatibility update for Jelly Bean the day it launched, and Sky Go only just made the jump to supporting Ice Cream Sandwich, whether or not you have access to this app, have early adopters spotted any other laggards that might stop working when a long-awaited upgrade hits devices?

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Tablet PCs

Comcast Xfinity TV Player for Android updated with beta support for Jelly Bean, Nexus 7 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 19:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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