Hasta La Gadget!

Remember last year at CES 2010 when Lenovo made a huge scene with the tablet / netbook U1 Hybrid, which ran Windows when docked and Lenovo’s Skylight Linux in tablet mode? And then Lenovo killed Skylight in favor of Android and put everything on hold? Well, it’s back — and we just got some serious hands-on time with production-ready Chinese versions of what’s now being called the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid with LePad tablet. Things have substantially changed for the better in the past year and since we saw a pre-pro model last month — in addition to Lenovo’s skinned version of Android 2.2 (called LeOS, sigh), there’s now a newer 1.3GHz Snapdragon in the LePad and an 1.2GHz Intel Core i5-540UM in the U1 base, with an optional i7 available. Switching from Windows to Android just requires disengaging the latch on the base — the flip to Android is basically instantaneous, while getting back to Windows takes a few seconds. The U1 base is much nicer than the unit we played with last year — it’s been restyled and features a chiclet-style keyboard and dimpled trackpad. Best of all, the LePad now features a 10.1 1280 x 800 capacitive multitouch display, instead of the floppy resistive unit we saw last year. Both pieces are pretty thin individually, but docked up it makes for a pretty chunky laptop — but you are getting two machines for the price of one.

Now for the bad news — the LePad will run for about $520 when it arrives in China this quarter, but the full U1 kit will run $1300. There’s also no US availability or pricing right now — and Lenovo told us the U1 won’t hit the States until it runs Android 3.0, so we could be waiting months while the company reskins the OS. And we might have to wait even longer for Lenny to retool the LePad to meet that supposed dual-core CPU requirement — but then, it’s already been a year. We can wait a little longer, we suppose. You know, for love. Video and PR after the break.

Continue reading Lenovo LePad tablet and IdeaPad U1 Hybrid return with Android 2.2 in tow

Lenovo LePad tablet and IdeaPad U1 Hybrid return with Android 2.2 in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh boy — here we go. HP has just issued an invitation to the press for a webOS event in San Francisco on February 9th. The minimal email asks attendees to ‘Think Big. Think Small. Think Beyond.’ — and that definitely sounds like a multi-product launch to us. If we were betting types, we’d put money on a phone (perhaps rumors we’ve been hearing about the ‘world’s smallest’ smartphone will turn out to be true), a tablet, and lots of talk about the future of webOS. One thing missing? The name Palm. Looks like that brand could be on the way out. Regardless, we’ll be there live delivering the news in true Engadget fashion… so get ready!

HP invites press to an ‘exciting webOS announcement’ on February 9th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You can read your Amazon-bought ebooks on your Kindle, your PC, your Mac, your mobile, and even on your iPad. Now, it’s time to have them, contained in a tailor-made application, on your Android and Windows tablets as well. Amazon has just announced its intention to introduce a free app for reading Kindlebooks on devices running Google and Microsoft’s operating systems, which will expand its device compatibility list as the year goes on. Amazon specifically notes that these apps are intended for upcoming devices, which probably foreshadows the sort of tablet-heavy year we’re going to be having. Skip past the break for the full announcement.

Continue reading Amazon promises tablet-specific Kindle app for Android and Windows slates

Amazon promises tablet-specific Kindle app for Android and Windows slates originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We got a hint of this when Boxee announced one, but it’s clear now that Netflix’s plans are much larger as many of its hardware partners including Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, Dynex, Haier, Memorex, Iomega and Roku will also offer one-touch Netflix buttons on remotes for TVs, Blu-ray players and media streamers. It’s pretty obvious, Netflix Watch Instantly is a killer app for any connected TV platform at this point and one of the most used features, making access quicker and easier is a no-brainer.

Continue reading Netflix ‘one click’ remote button coming to nearly every device it streams to

Netflix ‘one click’ remote button coming to nearly every device it streams to originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been leaked all over the place, but Sprint has just confirmed its second EVO: the EVO Shift 4G. The big new addition is obviously the slide-out keyboard, but otherwise, while specs are solid, there’s nothing as revolutionary as the original EVO. The Shift has a 3.6-inch 800 x 480 LCD, Android 2.2 (with HTC Sense), and the same great 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7630 processor that’s in the G2 and myTouch 4G. Naturally there’s WiMAX 4g, in addition to EVDO Rev A., and HTC hopes to keep those radios alive with a 1500mAh battery. There’s a 5 megapixel camera around back, capable of 720p video, but oddly no front-facing camera — something we assumed was part of the definition of EVO. The phone will be available on the 9th for $150.

Meanwhile, Novatel Wireless is cooking up its own WiMAX goodness, putting 3G and 4G in a brand new MiFi device, the MiFi 3G / 4G Mobile Hotspot. It includes a display for tracking status of the device, unlike Novatel’s 3G MiFis, claims 4 hours of active use and 60 hours of standby, and can share storage from its microSD slot with connected devices. It should be out on February 27th for $50 with a two-year contract.

Continue reading Sprint trots out HTC EVO Shift 4G and new 3G / 4G MiFi from Novatel

Sprint trots out HTC EVO Shift 4G and new 3G / 4G MiFi from Novatel originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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