LG Optimus Pad first hands-on! (video)

We’ve just gotten back from playing around with LG’s 8.9-inch, 3D-friendly Optimus Pad (known as the G-Slate in the US). This Android Honeycomb tablets sports a dual-core CPU inside and a dual-camera array outside, giving you both the optical and processing capabilities to produce 3D video. Its screen cannot actually play back glasses-free 3D, but if you really have to have that third dimension on the move, you’ll be able to buy a set of glasses to recreate the effect. The Optimus Pad is slim, though we couldn’t get a great feel for its ergonomics with all the wiring attached to it, has nicely curved corners, a matte black back cover that’s pleasant to the touch and seemingly durable, and an extremely glossy screen up front.

We likened the Pad to the Optimus 2X in an earlier post and it carries over a lot of industrial design elements from its smartphone sibling, including the metallic strip down the middle of its rear branded with a “with Google” logo. That’s actually meaningful this time — the Optimus 2X wasn’t a stock Android installation, it was subjected to LG’s (not entirely successful tweaks), however the Pad looks to be a straight Google Experience Device, in much the same vein as the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, its nearest and most direct competitors. That being said, the code on the device we handled still wasn’t up to scratch on the software front, as evidenced by us managing to crash both the browser and Google Maps within a few minutes of putting down our first fingerprints on the tablet. The 3D camcorder also seems like a memory hog, we weren’t able to get it started up initially because of the number of apps that were already open (which at the time was no more than four). Let’s remain optimistic, though, this wasn’t exactly a slate we snatched off a retail shelf and LG has time to optimize and spruce things up before shipping this thing out. We’ve got pictures for you below and a press release after the break. Video is incoming at the very fastest speed our wireless connection can carry it.

Update: Video is now in, get to the ogling!

Continue reading LG Optimus Pad first hands-on! (video)

LG Optimus Pad first hands-on! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Xoom gets Q2 European launch, WiFi-only and silver models now extra official

Motorola just went official with its WiFi-only Xoom headed to Europe along side its 3G and WiFi cousin in the second quarter of 2011. Besides that little detail, it’s still the original 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet built upon a dual-core 1GHz processor and 1280 x 800 pixel resolution display. Oh, and look at what we spotted here in Barcelona. Yup, a Xoom decked out in silver just for your viewing pleasure in the gallery below.

Continue reading Motorola Xoom gets Q2 European launch, WiFi-only and silver models now extra official

Motorola Xoom gets Q2 European launch, WiFi-only and silver models now extra official originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adobe says Flash 10.2 coming to handsets soon, offers roundabout confirmation of Honeycomb for smartphones

Google’s been notoriously tight-lipped about when Honeycomb will come to cellular handsets, but we may have gotten our answer at a recent Adobe event, as the company’s Anup Murarka tells us Flash 10.2 will be coming to both tablets and smartphones “in the next few weeks.” Come again? You see, Adobe Flash 10.2 uses fewer CPU cycles to play back web video, likely providing better battery life in Android devices (and BlackBerry tablets), but Adobe told us it can’t support the function in earlier versions of the Android OS — Google had to specifically add new capabilities in Honeycomb to let Flash 10.2 take full advantage of hardware. In short, if Flash 10.2 requires Android 3.0 and Flash 10.2 is headed to phones soon, the transitive property of equality suggests that Android 3.0 will soon appear on smartphones as well. Our algebra teacher would be so proud.

In related news, both Flash and Adobe AIR seem to be doing quite well in the mobile arena thus far, as Adobe reports that that AIR is presently in over 84 million smartphones and tablets — with over 200 million such devices ready for the cross-platform apps by the end of the year — and Flash has shipped on 20 million devices across 35 different models (twelve percent of all smartphones, says Adobe) with 50 new Flash-ready tablets scheduled to appear in 2011. PR after the break.

Continue reading Adobe says Flash 10.2 coming to handsets soon, offers roundabout confirmation of Honeycomb for smartphones

Adobe says Flash 10.2 coming to handsets soon, offers roundabout confirmation of Honeycomb for smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 01:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 official: Tegra 2, Honeycomb, dual cameras (hands-on with video)

Geez, it’s been a long weekend of almost incessant Galaxy Tab II teasing, but the time has come: Samsung’s finally releasing the official details of its 10.1-inch, Android Honeycomb tablet to the world. Contrary to the leaks, the tablet is called the Galaxy Tab 10.1 — grabbing its moniker from the screen size, obviously — and like the rest of the upcoming Android 3.0 tablets it’s powered by a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, will be available with 16GB or 32GB of storage, and has a front-facing 2 megapixel camera as well as a 8 megapixel imager around back. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, but we’ve got the nitty-gritty too — find specs, full impressions and even some video of the slate in action after the break! Oh, and don’t forget to stop by the galleries below to see the new Tab 10.1 up close and then face off with Sammy’s original Tab, not to mention the Apple iPad.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 official: Tegra 2, Honeycomb, dual cameras (hands-on with video)

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 official: Tegra 2, Honeycomb, dual cameras (hands-on with video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Xoom up for pre-order at Best Buy this Thursday… for $1,199? (update)

What the what?! Best Buy has just put up word on when you can pre-order the Motorola Xoom — this coming Thursday, February 17th — and a price, $1,199. There are “great” financing offers available, but we can’t get over this price we’re seeing. Our only hope is that this may be a placeholder number, which will get revised soon, though it’s live on Best Buy’s site and there’s nothing to really indicate it’s a mistake. Moreover, that 1-month data activation requirement we noted recently is indeed real, meaning you’ll need to pay a levy to Verizon as well before you get your Android 3.0 groove on.

[Thanks, Joe and Magid]

Update: We’ve heard rumblings that this is indeed just a place holder — much like the way other companies price products they don’t want to sell at ridiculous levels — and the final price will indeed be the $800 we’ve heard most consistently to this point.

Update 2: Best Buy’s listing has entirely disappeared. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Motorola Xoom up for pre-order at Best Buy this Thursday… for $1,199? (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 06:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S 2 and 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet leaked on Korean website (Update: high-res shot!)

Uh oh, looks like someone got the wrong date for Samsung’s MWC keynote. The above screenshot is captured by the eagle-eyed folks at Moveplayer, who spotted what appears to be an embargoed article about the Galaxy S 2 (or Galaxy S II) over at Korean news site Paran. While the offending press shot has since been removed, the text remains intact with the following specs: Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 4.3-inch display, 1GHz dual-core processor, HSPA+, Bluetooth 3.0, and 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi. Additionally, Paran says that this new handset weighs 116g (4.09 ounces) and is 8.49mm thick — which is close to, if not the, thinnest smartphone device we’ve heard of yet. (For the record, the Xperia Arc is 8.7mm at its thinnest point.)

The article also mentions that 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet that we heard of yesterday, confirming it will pack a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8 megapixel camera with “full HD” video recording, and dual surround sound speakers. Sounds promising, but only time will tell whether all this is true or simply a matter of lost in translation.

Update: OK, so we’ve done some spying and can confirm that both devices are very real, and their specs look legit.

Update 2: Oh snap! Samsung Hub managed to get hold of a high res press shot of the Galaxy S 2 before it got pulled off the Korean sites. It sure resembles the Infuse 4G with an extra home button. We’ve posted the pic after the break for your viewing pleasure. [Thanks, Tran Quoc Hop]

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S 2 and 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet leaked on Korean website (Update: high-res shot!)

Samsung Galaxy S 2 and 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet leaked on Korean website (Update: high-res shot!) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 05:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S 2 and 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet leaked on Korean website (Update: high res press shot!)

Uh oh, looks like someone got the wrong date for Samsung’s MWC keynote. The above screenshot (now placed after the break) is captured by the eagle-eyed folks at Moveplayer, who spotted what appears to be an embargoed article about the Galaxy S 2 (or Galaxy S II) over at Korean news site Paran. While the offending press shot has since been removed, the text remains intact with the following specs: Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 4.3-inch display, 1GHz dual-core processor, HSPA+, Bluetooth 3.0, and 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi. Additionally, Paran says that this new handset weighs 116g (4.09 ounces) and is 8.49mm thick — which is close to, if not the, thinnest smartphone device we’ve heard of yet. (For the record, the Xperia Arc is 8.7mm at its thinnest point.)

The article also mentions that 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet that we heard of yesterday, confirming it will pack a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8 megapixel camera with “full HD” video recording, and dual surround sound speakers. Sounds promising, but only time will tell whether all this is true or simply a matter of lost in translation.

Update: OK, so we’ve done some spying and can confirm that both devices are very real, and their specs look legit.

Update 2: Oh snap! Samsung Hub managed to get hold of a high res press shot of the Galaxy S 2 before it got pulled off the Korean sites. It sure resembles the Infuse 4G with an extra home button. We’ve posted the pic above for your pleasure. [Thanks, Tran Quoc Hop]

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S 2 and 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet leaked on Korean website (Update: high res press shot!)

Samsung Galaxy S 2 and 10.1-inch Honeycomb tablet leaked on Korean website (Update: high res press shot!) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 05:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google details low-level Renderscript API for Honeycomb

There’s no question that Honeycomb tablets like the Xoom are powerful pieces of hardware, and it looks like Google will be doing its best to ensure that developers are able to exploit as much of that power as possible. A big piece of that puzzle is the company’s Renderscript API for the OS, which it’s just now starting to detail in full. The big advantage there is that it’s a low-level API designed especially for developers who are “comfortable working closer to the metal,” which will let applications built with it (including games) take full advantage of the high-end GPUs and dual-core processors found in Honeycomb tablets. What’s more, while the API is just now being made public, it’s already been put to use in Honeycomb by Google itself — both the YouTube and Books apps, and the live wallpapers shipping with the first Honeycomb tablets were created with the help of it. Head on past the break for another quick example — a brute force physics simulation that involves 900 particles titling with the tablet — and look for Google to provide some additional technical information and sample code sometime soon.

Continue reading Google details low-level Renderscript API for Honeycomb

Google details low-level Renderscript API for Honeycomb originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung preparing a 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 2 with Honeycomb for this Sunday?

Samsung’s MWC 2011 presentation is this Sunday, at 6PM Central European Time (midday for those on the American east coast). We already know it will feature a dual-core evolution to the Galaxy S smartphone and we know for a fact there’ll be at least one new tablet on show. Pocket-lint is today filling in some details about said Tab successor by identifying it as a 10.1-inch Android 3.0 device. That means Samsung is stepping right up to Motorola, whose Xoom still looks likely to be the first Honeycomb tablet to ship, and saying it can do better. It might just be able to do it, too, as the new and unnamed Tab is said to be physically smaller than Apple’s iPad in spite of having a slightly larger display. Somewhat less believable is the mention of a dual-core Qualcomm processor as the thing to power Samsung’s new tablet — can you really see Samsung undermining the future success of its Orion / Exynos chip by using a competitor’s hardware? Then again, weirder things have happened.

Samsung preparing a 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab 2 with Honeycomb for this Sunday? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WiFi-only Motorola Xoom tablet does its FCC duty, silver version spotted in Dubai (video)

WiFi-only Motorola Xoom tablet does its FCC duty, silver version spotted in Dubai (video)

We heard some weird reports over the weekend that the 3G Motorola Xoom tablet couldn’t be sold unless you bought at least one month of wireless data. That, plus the groan-inducing $800 MSRP, is surely giving some potential buyers a wee bit of pause. This might help. Crossing the wires at the FCC is what appears to be a WiFi-only version of the Xoom, called a “wireless tablet with embedded WLAN.” It’s lacking a 3G radio so, unless Moto has another trick up its sleeves, this is probably that. Obviously any speculation on price would be highly… speculative, but here’s to hoping ditching that modem brings this thing down a Benjamin or so. Also spotted, this time in Dubai but also embedded below, was a silver version of the Xoom, sporting a two-tone back that will nicely complement your Casio Data Bank calculator watch. No word on whether we’ll get that on these shores, but we hope so. Variety is, dear readers, the spice of life.

Continue reading WiFi-only Motorola Xoom tablet does its FCC duty, silver version spotted in Dubai (video)

WiFi-only Motorola Xoom tablet does its FCC duty, silver version spotted in Dubai (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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