Pandigital Novel preview

Sure, Pandigital’s Novel may be delayed until next month because of some firmware issues — and we haven’t heard the most positive things about the 7-inch LCD based e-reader / tablet — but we had to check it out for ourselves. At $179.99 $149, the all-plastic reader isn’t going to win any build quality awards (it’s also rather heavy for what it is), but the Android 2.1-powered gadget does have a pretty attractive user interface. In use, however, the resistive screen had to be pressed quite firmly to make selections and the software was noticeably sluggish. Surprisingly, the device did play a standard definition video smoothly and it has an accelerometer — which is more than the Archos 7 Home Tablet can brag. Barnes & Noble’s eBookstore will be preloaded, and it also has a skinned Android browser of some sort. We’ve got a short hands-on video after the break, but you’ve got the picture here: the Novel isn’t what we’d call novel, you just get what you pay for.

Continue reading Pandigital Novel preview

Pandigital Novel preview originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Samsung Captivate for AT&T preview

AT&T may have been accused of crippling its Android phones, but the Samsung Captivate — one of the US versions of the Galaxy S — is about to change all of that. Oh sure, the company released the specs last week, but us resourceful folk got some hands-on time with the Super AMOLED-boasting, Android 2.1 phone prior to its unknown stateside launch. The model we got to play with was clearly an early build (it wasn’t even branded Samsung or AT&T), but that didn’t stop us from putting it through the paces at a local Starbucks. Hit the break for a bulleted breakdown of our impressions and a short hands-on video. Oh, and don’t forget to make a pit stop at the gallery below before getting into the good stuff.

Continue reading Exclusive: Samsung Captivate for AT&T preview

Exclusive: Samsung Captivate for AT&T preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Acclaim arrives in US Cellular stores July 9, we’re sure somebody will care

Looks like we have a small band of US Cellular fans among our numbers, as we’ve received a slew of tips letting us know that the national carrier has dropped an official release date for the Samsung Acclaim. This most mundane of Android sliders will arrive on July 9, and… well, that’s it really. US Cellular hasn’t seen fit to entice us with any actual specs or even an Android version, though information floating about the interwebs suggests it has a 3.2-inch HVGA screen and a stock Eclair installation. We’ll just have to wait until somebody at Samsung swallows the shame of being associated with the Acclaim and finally gives us some official details.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung Acclaim arrives in US Cellular stores July 9, we’re sure somebody will care originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba’s AC100 8-hour Android smartbook plays 1080p video on a 1GHz Tegra 250 processor (update: video!)

We wouldn’t fault you for thinking that’s a first generation ASUS Eee PC what with that iconic fingertip pose and all. But Toshiba’s AC100 is a very modern take on the ol’ Atom-based netbook idea. For starters, this super slim smartbook runs Android 2.1 on a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 250 SoC (built around a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor) capable of about 8 hours of browsing and video playback (and 7 days standby) before needing a recharge. It’s also packing a 32GB SSD, 512MB of DDR2 memory, 802.11n WiFi, optional 3G data, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, and an HDMI jack beneath that 10.1-inch 1,024 x 600 pixel display. As for software, the AC100 ships with Documents to Go for editing MS Office docs, an email client with POP3, IMAP, and Exchange support, an Opera Mobile browser, and a Tosh media player which should support HD 1080p video playback if it’s taking full advantage of that Tegra 2 silicon. Too bad Toshiba is being quiet about the pricing and availability ’cause this little guy has us intrigued.

Update: Netbooked got its hands on with the Japanese Dynabook AZ twin and received confirmation that it’ll ship in Japan in August for between ¥40,000 and ¥50,000 (about $438 to $548). Video after the break.

Continue reading Toshiba’s AC100 8-hour Android smartbook plays 1080p video on a 1GHz Tegra 250 processor (update: video!)

Toshiba’s AC100 8-hour Android smartbook plays 1080p video on a 1GHz Tegra 250 processor (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Aria slipping out early into AT&T stores

Good news, Android fans! HTC’s Aria — arguably the first Google-fied phone on AT&T worth caring about — is seemingly slipping onto carrier floors a few days early. As the story goes, the Sense-equipped, Android 2.1-powered handset was supposed to go on sale this Sunday, but based on these unboxing shots from a giddy tipster, it’s clearly ready to be procured early in some locations. Still unsure if it’s worth your $129.99 on contract? Have a peek at our review right here.

Update: We’re also hearing through the grapevine that these are in stock in certain Best Buy Mobile locations.

[Thanks, Travis]

HTC Aria slipping out early into AT&T stores originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White HTC EVO 4G coming exclusively to Best Buy on July 11th, pre-orders start today

Jumpin’ Jehosaphat! Just when you thought America’s first 4G phone couldn’t get any hotter, along comes this: a striking white version of the HTC EVO 4G (so much for that unavailable white iPhone 4, eh?). We’ve received confirmation that this here handset will be sold exclusively through Best Buy (as in, don’t even bother heading to your local Sprint store), with the official launch date set for July 11th. We’re told that Sprint will eventually gain access on August 8th, with other retailers snapping it up in September. If you somehow managed to hold off on snagging the existing black EVO 4G, you can get your pre-order in starting on June 18th — yeah, today, Junior! We’re assuming the price will remain at $199.99 on a 2-year contract, but be sure to drop us a line if you wander in and find out otherwise.

Update: And it’s official; the presser is after the break confirming the same $199.99-on-a-2-year-contract price as well as the dates mentioned already.

Update 2: Turns out this thing was around way back at Google I/O! Head on past the break and mash play — that’s definitely a white-backed EVO 4G on stage. Thanks, Omar!

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Continue reading White HTC EVO 4G coming exclusively to Best Buy on July 11th, pre-orders start today

White HTC EVO 4G coming exclusively to Best Buy on July 11th, pre-orders start today originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Aria review

It’s sort of hard to believe, but AT&T finally has an Android phone worth paying attention to. Mind you, the AT&T compatible Nexus One is easily the best Googlephone on America’s largest GSM operator, but this is the first one that the company has bothered to brand and sell on a subsidized plan within its own stores. Pundits could argue the reasons why forever, but considering that the carrier’s doing all it can just to keep up with the demand for iPhones, it’s hard to imagine that AT&T has been longing to pursue Android with reckless abandon. Believe it or not, it’s been over 1.5 years since T-Mobile gave the world the first taste of a mobile OS that would soon rival (and surpass) the other options already on the table, but outside of the forgettable Backflip (and the nowhere-to-be-found Aero), there’s been no Android to speak of on AT&T. HTC has somehow managed to break down the blue and orange walls, piercing the heart of a hardened operator and squeezing a delightful mid-range Android smartphone into a lineup that’s about to be monumentally overshadowed by the iPhone 4. So, is the HTC Aria worth the $129.99 that you’ll be forced to pay on a 2-year agreement when it ships on June 20th? Read on to find out.

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HTC Aria review originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S preview

Just because the US has gone gaming crazy these past couple of days doesn’t mean the smartphone world has stopped turning. Samsung trotted out its Galaxy S handset last night in London, and we were naturally there to try and glean a better understanding of where this 4-inch Android 2.1 device fits in our wishlist hierarchy. It’s quite the stat sheet stuffer, as we’re sure you’re aware, and it strikes an alluring figure for those looking to get on the true do-it-all smartphone bandwagon. Check out our latest impressions — replete with video and a whole gallery dedicated to the Super AMOLED screen’s performance in sunlight — just past the break.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S preview

Samsung Galaxy S preview originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update across Europe (update: nope, not 2.1 yet)

It’s been a long, painful, drawn-out process, but it looks like we’re finally closing in on getting everyone with an HTC Hero around the globe covered with Eclair. The company’s European outpost has just posted some details on its Android 2.1 over-the-air update for the 2100MHz 3G Hero sold in most of the continent (including separate builds for units in Nordic countries, Greece, and Ireland), so this should quite a lot of brewing discontent — just in time for owners to develop a raging case of Froyo envy, that is. C’est la vie; time for a Legend, right?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update:
We’ve heard from our friends at CoolSmartPhone that this is just another minor update, amazingly — not the 2.1 build that other Hero owners are enjoying. What gives, HTC?

Update 2: And now HTC has gotten in touch with us directly, describing a two-part (the first of which seems to have already begun) end of June release. See it after the break.

Continue reading HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update across Europe (update: nope, not 2.1 yet)

HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update across Europe (update: nope, not 2.1 yet) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: Motorola Droid X preview

Not interested in waiting until the 23rd for Verizon’s big announcement? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered right now! The Motorola Droid X has probably been one of the worst kept smartphone secrets in recent memory, but after spending two hours with the phone we sort of see why. In short, it’s pretty awesome. Call it a superphone or a mega-smartphone, but the 4.4-inch handset is absolutely Verizon / Motorola’s answer to the HTC EVO 4G, and makes the Droid Incredible look like a bench warmer. What do we mean? We’ll let you see for yourself just after the break in a breakdown of exactly what this phone is all about — and in a video or three of it in action. Oh, and on your way down, make sure to feast your eyes on the gallery, too.

Continue reading Exclusive: Motorola Droid X preview

Exclusive: Motorola Droid X preview originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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